Taste of Heaven

Chapter 3

***

Yuri poured them both cups of tea and handed him his. "We don't have much, but I hope this is to your liking," she chuckled as she served him a bowl of rice.

He gave a small smile and took his chopsticks, "Thank you for the food," he said before digging in.

Yuri began eating and wondered how she would explain the disappearance of their food to her brother. She had avoided his question earlier, but she knew that he would freak out if she told him that they needed to restock. Taiju complimented her cooking skills, and she blushed modestly; pleased to know he was enjoying himself.

She looked at the man in front of her and was struck by how handsome he was now that they were under daylight and his face wasn't scrunched up in pain. Something about him drew her in, and it wasn't his face or hot muscular body; it was her lack of knowledge about his personality and identity, which piqued her curiosity. She wished she could learn more about him, but she was afraid she wouldn't get the chance.

She sipped her tea, trying to swallow her disappointment.

"So," Taiju spoke. "Was that your brother?"

"Hm? Oh, yes. Izana is his name," she took another sip before continuing, "He stopped by before going to work."

Taiju nodded and looked down, choosing his next words carefully, "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation..."

Yuri set her cup down, giving him her full attention, and chuckled, "I don't blame you; we were talking a little too loudly. I'm sorry if we woke you up."

"No, it's fine. You didn't wake me up," he said, shaking his head. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up with the debt?" He picked up his tea and took a sip.

She saw no harm in telling him because it wasn't exactly something that was meant to stay a secret, "My mother became ill shortly after giving birth to Izana, and my father borrowed money from the Shiba family to buy her medications. However, it wasn't enough, and her health worsened; she passed away three years later..." she sighed before continuing. "Wracked with grief, our father turned to alcohol and gambling to numb his pain, piling up more loans from the Shibas. He passed away two years ago." She poured herself and Taiju more tea, "We've been trying to repay them, but they've lost their patience, and now we're going to be homeless," she said with a hint of bitterness, and Taiju gulped nervously. "So yeah, tonight we're going to start packing and figuring out where we're going..." She finished with a shrug, staring blankly at the table.

"I see..." Taiju said quietly.

After that, they finished eating in silence, and he thanked her for the meal. He offered to help clear the table, and she shook her head. As she carried their empty plates to the kitchen, the man tried to think of a way to reveal his identity.

The window was open, letting in the cool spring breeze, and birds chirped from the nearby forest. As he sat there, he noticed how quiet it was; her house was on the outskirts of the village, away from nosy neighbors and the noise of their busy daily lives. It was calm and peaceful, the complete opposite of Taiju's life; he felt at ease there. As much as he wanted to just sit and enjoy the tranquility, he had to leave. He stood up and slowly made his way to the kitchen. The door they came through the night before was open, and he assumed that she was out; he found her in the backyard.

Yuri was checking the laundry and was satisfied to find that the clothes were nearly dry.

"Yuri," Taiju's deep voice called from behind her, and she couldn't help but jump a little; he had a habit of appearing out of nowhere without making a sound. She guessed it was a martial arts thing since Izana did it as well.