#fuuyuka

The Iwatodai dorm kitchen was quiet, save for the soft rustling of magazine pages as Fuuka flipped through a stack of borrowed cooking books. Shinjiro’s collection was surprisingly vast, and she had carefully picked out the ones that looked the most helpful.

Tonight was important—Valentine’s Day was coming up, and she wanted to make something special for Yukari.

As she skimmed an article titled “Top 10 Best Home-Cooked Meals to Impress Your Special Someone!” she heard footsteps approaching.

“Oh, Yamagishi! I didn’t know you were in here.”

Fuuka looked up as Akihiko walked into the kitchen, his usual upbeat energy making the space feel a little brighter. He leaned over the counter, glancing at her stack of magazines. When his eyes landed on the title of the one she was currently reading, a small chuckle escaped him.

“So, we’re both getting into the Valentine’s spirit, huh?” he said with a grin.

Fuuka blinked. Wait. Akihiko? Valentine’s spirit?

She had always assumed he wasn’t the type to care much about romantic holidays. Training? Sure. Protein? Absolutely. But Valentine’s Day? That was a surprise.

“Wait, you’re making something for someone, Senpai?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Akihiko scratched the back of his head, suddenly looking just a little too interested in the floor tiles.

“Well… yeah,” he admitted, his voice slightly awkward. “But I’m not exactly a master chef, so I was hoping to find someone to, uh… help me out.”

Fuuka lit up immediately. Helping people was her thing.

“I’d be more than happy to help, Senpai!” she said with a bright smile.

With that settled, they both turned their attention back to the magazines. Fuuka flipped through the pages, looking for something manageable (because anything beyond basic cooking would be asking for trouble). Meanwhile, Akihiko’s eyes landed on one particular entry.

“A bento box,” he said, tapping the page. “That should be good, right? We can give it to them at school.”

Fuuka scanned the recipe, nodding enthusiastically. “It’s perfect! Cute, thoughtful, and not too complicated!”

Akihiko nodded, looking confident. “Alright then—let’s do this.”

And with that, the two of them threw on some aprons and got to work.

Fuuka had a feeling this was going to be an experience. For better or for worse.

————————————————————————

Rice was cooking in the rice cooker. Chicken sizzled on the stovetop. So far, no fires.

For Fuuka, that was already a massive win.

She glanced over at Akihiko, who was flipping the chicken with practiced ease. A delicious aroma filled the kitchen, and for a brief moment, she actually felt optimistic about this whole cooking thing.

“Maybe this won’t be a disaster after all.”

“You’re pretty good at this, Sanada-senpai!” Fuuka said, inhaling the savory scent.

Akihiko grinned sheepishly as he turned down the heat. “This is the easy part. The hard part is putting it all together without making it look like a total mess.”

Fuuka hummed in agreement as she flipped through a magazine for inspiration. Cute animal-shaped bento boxes stared back at her—perfectly crafted rice cats, egg pandas, and little sausage octopuses.

“These should work!” she declared, holding up the page.

Akihiko blinked at the intricate designs. “Wait… we’re making those?” He squinted at the ridiculously detailed faces made of seaweed and eggs. “…How hard could it be?”

Famous last words.

They laid out their ingredients—cut fruit, vegetables, boiled eggs, rice, chicken, and some very delicate strips of nori for details. Fuuka, determined to replicate the magazine’s masterpiece, started carefully molding her rice, while Akihiko took the “let’s see what happens” approach.

As they worked, Akihiko shot her a teasing look.

“So, Yamagishi…” he started, casually cutting a piece of nori. “Who’s this bento box for?”

Fuuka nearly dropped her rice ball.

She recovered quickly and smirked at him. “I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”

Akihiko chuckled. “Fair enough.” He carefully placed a nori face onto his rice ball, then hesitated. His cheeks turned slightly pink.

“Promise not to laugh?”

Fuuka clasped her hands together. “No laughing! Promise!”

A pause. Then, in a low mutter—

“…Junpei.”

Fuuka blinked. “What?”

Akihiko sighed. “It’s for Junpei, alright?”

Fuuka processed it… then immediately snorted. Of course.

“I mean, that was a little obvious,” she teased, grinning. “You always do dumb stuff with him. Why wouldn’t you make him a bento?”

Akihiko groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Am I that predictable?”

“Sometimes,” Fuuka giggled as she carefully shaped her rice. “I always keep mental notes on what everyone says in Tartarus. You don’t exactly hide it.”

Akihiko chuckled as well, nudging her lightly with his elbow. “Alright, your turn. Who’s yours for?”

Fuuka blushed as she placed some cherry tomatoes in one of the compartments. “Well… Yukari-chan is always so nice to me and helps me out a lot, so I wanted to make something to show my appreciation!” she said with a spark of determination.

Akihiko smirked. “Ohh, so this is a Takeba appreciation bento?”

Fuuka’s face heated up. “It’s—! I mean—! She just deserves something nice!”

Akihiko snickered. “Relax, I get it.” He pointed at her bento-in-progress. “But, uh… your rice bear kinda looks like it’s seen some things.”

Fuuka looked down at the lopsided rice ball she had painstakingly shaped into an animal face. It was… haunting.

“Oh no,” she whispered.

Akihiko, meanwhile, looked at his own bento—where he had definitely overpacked chicken—and frowned. “…Okay, maybe I went a little overboard on protein.”

The two stared at their creations. Then at each other. Then back at their bentos.

Fuuka sighed. “We might not be the best at this.”