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mxbbadperson · 4 months

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fermat no ryouri: whisper in my ears so it's sweeter than a dream

show: fermat no ryouri ship: Kai/Gaku au: crime notes: - established relationship! very established ;) but i didn't want to say it outright so i hope the hints work - another fermat fic named after a lyric from a KAI song!

Nene cleaned the table as Gaku stood beside her. 'What are you still doing here?' she asked, not even bothering to look up.

Gaku jumped. 'You don't want my help?' he asked meekly.

'Not really, no,' Nene said simply. She finished cleaning the table and went to another one.

Gaku followed. 'Are you sure? I can stay longer to help.'

'Gaku-san, it's ok. I'll clean up.' And Nene knew that Gaku had relaxed.

'Thank you,' Gaku beamed.

Nene shook her head fondly. 'Have fun, Gaku-san.' She kept cleaning.

'I will!' Gaku said eagerly. He crossed the room quickly then went up the stairs. He had to get ready for his date. He picked out an outfit, getting out a jacket from their shared closet. It was a size bigger. He took a bath then brushed his hair. There was the cologne then the black button up. It was an all-black outfit and he hoped Kai would like it. He combed his hair in a side part then he put his face mask in the jacket's inner pocket. He came out of the room.

He went downstairs and put on his shoes. These too were the nicer ones. 'See you tomorrow, Nene-san,' he called over his shoulder.

'See you tomorrow,' Nene called out.

Gaku closed the door behind him. He started walking to the driveway. The sun was starting to set above him. He had closed Kitada and Kitada early for tonight. He didn't have to wait long. A black car stopped in front of him. 'Good evening, Magoroku-san,' he greeted softly.

'Evening, Gaku,' Magoroku greeted.

Gaku slid into the backseat seat. 'Is Kai-san alright?' he asked quickly.

'He's fine, Hotei is always with him.'

Gaku nodded slowly. He always worried when Kai-san would go on his trips. His experience taught him to worry. He locked the backseat door under Magoroku's watchful eye. The car started a second after. Locking the door wasn't experience, it was something that Kai-san had taught him and insisted on. 'Is he going on another trip?'

Magoroku turned the car. 'I don't know. Only Asakura-san and Hotei know that.' Gaku frowned in worry. 'But he could stay for now,' Magoroku said gently.

Gaku smiled. It was a small one. 'Thank you for driving me.'

'I already told you, you don't have to thank me. It's my job to look after you.' That's right, Magoroku-san would guard him. Just like Nene-san. Gaku looked out of the window as Magoroku drove in silence.

Gaku felt nervous and giddy. In what state would Kai-san greet him? And to see him after he didn't return home for a week and a half…. It made Gaku emotional. However many minutes later, his phone buzzed. Gaku jumped. He took it out.

There was a new message. Gaku smiled. It read where are you? Who are you with? Gaku answered back, on the way, with magoroku-san. Another message came a second later, be safe. Gaku put his phone back into his pocket. He shouldn't relax yet, should still be anxious but that made him feel better. It was a relief to read that.

Minutes and minutes later, the car slowed. Gaku saw Kai up ahead. He leaned forward. The car stopped in front of Kai. Gaku didn't have to wait long because the backseat door opened as soon as it stopped. Kai sat down next to him. Magoroku closed the window separating the driver and the backseat. He knew to leave them alone.

'Kai-san!' Gaku held onto his forearms. He checked him over.

Kai laid his hand on Gaku's cheek. Gaku looked up at him, hand coming up to curl around Kai's wrist. 'I'm fine,' Kai said softly. He tilted Gaku's head up. Gaku went, eyes on Kai's face. Kai looked him over. His expression was of relief.

Gaku laid his other hand on Kai's chest. He leaned closer. Kai met him halfway. They kissed, Kai sighing into it. His hands fell. He wrapped his arms around Gaku, his hands on Gaku's back. The kiss broke. I'm home,' Kai whispered.

'Welcome back,' Gaku answered softly. Kai laid his head on Gaku's shoulder. His eyes closed. He took everything in. Gaku was solid and warm in his arms and Kai could smell his soft cologne. He had missed him. He had missed him horribly. They sat in silence for a moment.

Then Kai lifted his head. 'Are you ready?' he asked.

Gaku smiled. 'I am!' he said eagerly. Kai smiled, small and hopelessly smitten. Gaku put on his face mask on. Kai opened the door and got out. He held out his hand. Gaku took it with a smile. He looked ahead. Oh. He knew this place, Kai-san had taken him here out on a date three times already. It was a fancy place, more than he could afford then and now. They walked inside.

Kai didn't have to ask for a table. Because they always had a reservation. The table was in a corner, quiet and far enough away. They sat down. Gaku stared at Kai, taking him in. He didn't look sick, no scratch to be seen. Kai looked back. Under the warm lights, he could look at Gaku properly. 'Is that one of my mine?' he asked, eyes glittering. Gaku blinked. He heard the question. He nodded, smiling. Kai smirked.

Kai handed him the menu and Gaku took it. It didn't take him long to read through it. 'Do you have another trip?' he asked.

'I might, I might not. But if I don't, I might stay for a while,' Kai answered. Gaku's shoulders relaxed. 'I've heard something from Nene though.'

Gaku frowned. Did something happen. 'Nothing happened,' he said slowly, 'the café's doing well.'

'That's not the problem. I know it's doing well. But that's that what I'm worried about. Nene says you're working too hard.'

'It's weird to hear that from you,' Gaku mused.

'I know but still… You shouldn't work too hard,' Kai said softly.

'It's because I want the café to do well,' Gaku admitted.

Kai's expression softened further. 'I know but I don't want you to hurt yourself.' Gaku reached out from across the table. Kai took his hand, giving it a squeeze. 'Take care of yourself.'

'I'll try,' Gaku promised.

'I'll hold you to that,' Kai declared. Gaku smiled. 'We ordering?' Kai asked.

Gaku nodded. 'I know what I want.' Kai turned around and raised a hand. The waitress saw him. But someone else did too.

'Hey!' a voice called out, 'what's this?' Gaku saw Kai tense. Two men came over, in suits as nice as Kai's. 'Asakura! Haven't seen you in a while and it's here, just my luck, huh?' Gaku put his hands under the table, covering the ring with his other hand.

'I don't care what you want, leave,' Kai said coldly.

'Aww, don't be like that! Haven't seen you in a while, we can catch up!' One of the men leaned against the table. He looked at Gaku.

'I said leave,' Kai repeated.

The man ignored him. 'Who's this? Finally got have another one after two years?' The man behind him grimaced, at least he knew this was a mistake. He grabbed his companion's arm. The man shrugged it off. His eyes turned considering. 'You don't look half bad, ' he reached for Gaku, Gaku flinched, 'why don't you take that off so we can have a look at you?'

His hand stilled in mid-air. Kai tightened his grip on the man's arm. He slowly rose out of his seat. He was radiating fury. Gaku's stomach clenched. He knew what was going to happen to the man. Kai-san and everyone around him has this well of cruelty and violence. Even Nene-san. But he knew that already, had said yes years ago despite that.

Magoroku appeared beside him. 'Let's go,' he said quietly. Gaku stood up.

'Hey, where are you going?' the man drawled. He stepped forward.

Hotei blocked his way. 'Back off,' Hotei said coldly. Magoroku led Gaku out of the restaurant and back to the car, opening the backseat door.

'Will they be ok?' Gaku asked quickly.

'They'll be fine,' Magoroku answered, 'they can handle themselves pretty well.'

Gaku slumped into the seat with a sigh. Even if he knew how dangerous Kai was, he was still more worried about him. What did that say about him? He waited anxiously. However many minutes later, the backseat door open. 'Are you ok? Are you hurt?' he asked breathless.

'Gaku,' Kai said, he looked into Gaku's eyes, 'I'm ok,' he said softly. Gaku nodded jerkily and Kai pulled him close. He wrapped his arms around Gakui. 'I'm ok.' Gaku slumped against him. 'Drive us home,' Kai ordered, not even turning to Magoroku.

'Yes, sir,' Magoroku answered. The car came to life a moment later. It started moving.

'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought you there.' Kai's fingers shook as he smoothed down the back of Gaku's jacket. 'I won't happen again,' he said softly.

Gaku thought about it for a moment. 'No,' he said. He leaned back, looking up at Kai. 'It's not your fault,' he laid his hand on Kai's arm, 'I like that place and I don't want to stop going there because of this.'

Kai's gaze was intent. 'Ok,' he murmured, he kissed Gaku, 'ok.' He said it against Gaku's lips. He leaned forward, pinning Gaku against the seat.

'Magoroku-san and Hotei-san are here,' Gaku mumbled.

Kai smiled. 'Later,' he promised. He held Gaku on the ride home, Gaku tucking himself to his side. 'I'll cook for tonight,' Kai promised.

'I missed your cooking,' Gaku said softly.

Kai nuzzled his cheek. 'And after?' he said playfully.

'Anything you want.' Gaku answered simply. Because it was true. Kai could have anything he wanted, Gaku would give it to him, he'd already given himself after all.

Kai's smile widened. 'Then,' his dark eyes glittered, 'why don't I take my jacket off of you?' he whispered. Gaku blushed. He nodded. Kai's smile was pleased. The car stopped.

They got out. 'Be safe, Magoroku-san, Hotei-san' Gaku called out. Kai took his hand.

'I will,' Magoroku answered. Hotei nodded in agreement. Gaku waved as the car drove off. They turned to the café and started walking towards it.

When they went through the door, Kai pulled him closer. Gaku laughed, the edges of his eyes crinkling. He took off his face mask. Kai wrapped his arms around Gaku and leaned in. Gaku wrapped his arms around Kai's neck and met him halfway. They kissed. The kiss broke. 'I missed you,' Kai said. He kissed Gaku again. They kissed slow and sweet, the moment stretching on. The moment was too short when they parted.

'You're here now,' Gaku said. Kai looked at him for a moment before kissing his cheek. They untangled themselves and Kai made his way to the kitchen. Gaku watched him with a smile.

-----

Kai opened his eyes. He turned to the door. Gaku made a sound. Kai smiled and kissed the top of his head. He turned to the door again, he was waiting. And he didn't have to wait long. He heard footsteps coming towards it.

Kai tensed, even if he was hoping it was who he thought it was, he still had to prepared when it wasn't.

'Kai-sama,' it was Hotei's voice, 'we have him.'

Kai smiled and this was vicious. 'Thanks, you can go.' The footsteps retreated and Kai turned to Gaku.

He wrapped his arms around him and pulled him even closer. ''re 'pose t' be 'eepin',' Gaku mumbled.

Kai grinned. 'I will,' he murmured. He kissed Gaku's shoulder. His mind flashed to the hand reaching for Gaku and Gaku's flinch. He'll deal with the man later, he had time and he'd take his time. He was looking forward to it. He closed his eyes.

Gaku opened his eyes. There were bells ringing in his ears. He turned to it. It was his alarm. A hand came to rest on his wrist. 'Go to sleep,' Kai ordered.

''e 'fé,' Gaku protested.

'I'll take care of it,' Kai declared, he kissed Gaku's cheek. He leaned back and looked into Gaku's eyes. 'Go to sleep,' Kai repeated.

Gaku frowned. ''k,' he mumbled. Kai smiled. Gaku lied back down.

'I'll bring you food,' Kai promised.

And as he promised, there was food on their bedside table when Gaku woke up. He ate with a smile, he missed Kai's cooking. He took a bath and got ready. When he went downstairs, there was Kai. He was in the kitchen, hair carefully tucked under a bandana and a face mask on his face.

Gaku sat down by the counter. Kai turned to him as if automatic. 'You're only helping Nene today,' Kai declared.

Gaku thought it over. 'Ok.'

'And for the rest of the week,' Kai added.

Gaku stared at him. He smiled, 'Ok,' he said warmly then quietly, softly, 'welcome home.'

'I'm home,' Kai answered. And it was with same softness.

#my writing #i write #fermat no ryouri #fermat no ryori

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najia-cooks · 1 year

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[ID: A small bowl of rice topped with green peppers, eggplant, and tofu in a light brown sauce. End ID.]

Chinese-Japanese eggplant and shishito pepper stir-fry

This stir-fry of Japanese eggplant, tofu, and shishito peppers uses Chinese bean paste and Sichuan pepper to produce a combination of mild, fermented, sour, and umami flavors common in chuka ryori (literally, "Chinese food")—Chinese-inspired food adapted to a Japanese palate. As well as a balance of flavors, this dish features a play of textures: softened, seared peppers, crisp-on-the-outside tofu, and meltingly tender eggplant.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Tip jar

INGREDIENTS:

For the dish:

2 Japanese eggplant, cut into 1/2" x 1/2" x 1" pieces

5 shishito peppers

1 14oz block extra firm tofu

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2" chunk (5g) ginger, julienned

Sesame seeds or sliced green onion, to garnish

For the sauce:

2 Tbsp doubanjiang (豆瓣醬)**

3 Tbsp mirin

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1/4 cup vegetarian 'chicken' stock from concentrate, or vegetable stock plus 1 tsp soy sauce

Pinch ground Sichuan pepper

* Tofu from Asian grocery stores often comes pre-pressed. This type of tofu may be labeled "pressed"; you can also identify it by its denser texture and fewer pockets of liquid or air when compared to other extra firm tofu (the kind you'd tend to find at a Western grocery store). If you can't find any, you can press the tofu yourself.

** Doubanjiang is a paste of fermented soybeans which may or may not have chili peppers added. You may also see spicy doubanjiang, commonly eaten in the Sichuan province, called la doubanjiang (辣豆瓣醬). Use doubanjiang (also called "sweet bean paste") or la doubanjiang (also called "hot bean paste," "spicy bean paste," "spicy broad bean paste," etc.) according to your taste. If you don't have doubanjiang, you can substitute another fermented soybean product (such as doenjang or miso paste); for la doubanjiang, add Sichuan chili oil to taste.

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the sauce:

1. Whisk together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl until well combined.

For the dish:

1. Drain tofu. If your tofu is not pre-pressed, press it by wrapping it in a kitchen towel, placing a plate on top of it, and putting something moderately heavy (about the weight of two cans of soup) on top of the plate. Press for 30 minutes to an hour to remove excess water.

2. Cut tofu into 1 1/2” x 1” x 1” pieces. In a large bowl, coat tofu in 1/4 cup cornstarch and gently toss to coat.

3. Heat about 1/2” of neutral oil in a large pan on medium (the oil should come about halfway up the sides of the tofu pieces). Fry tofu, turning over once, until golden brown. The tofu will initially stick to the pan; you'll know it's ready to be turned when it releases. Once both sides have been fried and tofu is a uniform color and texture, set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate or a wire rack.

4. While the tofu is frying, heat 2 tsp neutral oil in another large pan on high and sear shishito peppers until black spots appear, turning once. Set aside.

5. In the same pan, fry onion, garlic, and ginger on high until fragrant, about one minute. Remove from heat.

6. Fry eggplant in about 1/2" of oil (I used the same pan and oil I had used for the tofu) until tender.

If you want to use less oil, you may also braise the eggplant: fry it briefly in the pan with your aromatics (onion, garlic, and ginger), then add 1/4 cup water, cover, and steam until eggplant is softened.

7. Move eggplant to the pan with your aromatics. Add sauce and simmer on medium for a minute until fragrant.

8. Add shishito peppers in with the eggplant and sauce mixture and simmer until the sauce has thickened.

9. Add tofu and fold into the sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds or green onion as desired and serve hot over rice.

#Chinese #Japanese #vegan cooking #vegan recipe #stir fry #eggplant #tofu #shishito peppers #cooking #doubanjiang #chuka ryori #gluten free

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stickers-on-a-laptop · 4 months

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it's very funny when actors are like from ages 20-30 so they get roles of like "office job" or "chef" or like. y'know. job. and then they go and be a high schooler again

#this is mostly about shison jun rn jfsioafjsiofjsoai #because i'm watching fermat no ryori and also yu yu hakusho

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aishiteru-kenshin · 1 year

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Japanese New Year Tradition: Osechi Ryōri

In Japan, starting off the New Year is more about spending time with family than it is about partying. It's a time of year when people go back to their home towns, pay their first visit to the local shrine, and sit down to some traditional food. And food doesn't get more traditional than osechi ryōri. The tradition behind osechi ryōri (お節料理) goes back centuries, to the Heian period (794-1185). Ritual offerings of food used to be presented to the gods on sechinichi, or days that marked the changing of the seasons according to traditional Chinese almanacs that were used during this time. The most important sechinichi, of course, was the day that marked the beginning of the New Year. On this day, special dishes were offered to various deities, and also eaten by members of courtly society. Over the centuries, these traditions made their way to the rest of society, and by the Edo period (1603-1868), they were being practiced commonly around Japan. They combined with other beliefs, notably that on the first days of the New Year, any kind of work — including cooking — was to be avoided. There are two competing theories as to why this was the case. One was that the gods shouldn’t be disturbed by the sounds of cooking on the first days of the year, and the other is simply that the beginning of the year was meant to be a time of rest, when everyone — particularly the women of the household, who did most of the work around the home in those days — could enjoy a well-deserved break. In the beginning, osechi was quite simple food — vegetables boiled in soy sauce and vinegar — but over the centuries, more and more types of food were added to the osechi ryōri lineup, turning it into a much more elaborate affair. Almost all of these dishes have a special meaning, related either to the name of the food in Japanese or to its appearance or other special characteristics. These are some of the most commonly eaten dishes, and their associated meanings: Kuromame (黒豆) Black beans are meant to be a symbol of health, with the associated idea that the person who eats them will be able work hard in the year to come. Kazunoko (数の子) This dish is herring roe, but the symbolism is connected both to the large number of tiny eggs, and to the meaning of the Japanese words. Kazu means “number” in Japanese, and “ko” means “children.” The wish behind this item is that the next year will bring many children. For an extra layer of meaning, look to the name of the fish in Japanese: the word for herring is nishin, and if it’s written with an alternate set of kanji (二親), it means “two parents.” Tazukuri (田作り) This dish is sardines boiled in soy sauce. Historically, sardines were used to fertilise rice fields, and this word means “rice field maker” in Japanese. Symbolically, this food is eaten in the hopes that the coming year’s harvest will be plentiful. Kohaku Kamaboko (紅白かまぼこ) Kamaboko is a kind of fish cake, and kohaku means red and white. The colours represent Japan (most easily found on the country’s flag), and are generally considered to be good luck. According to some, the red colour is meant to prevent evil spirits, while white represents purity. Incidentally, Kohaku Uta Gassen is one of the most popular TV shows that Japanese people watch on New Year’s Eve, and it’s a singing competition between two teams comprising of the most popular singers in Japan — the white (male singers) and the red (female singers). Datemaki (伊達巻) This is an omelette mixed with mashed shrimp or hanpen (fish paste). It tastes a little bit different from the tamagoyaki that you might be used to, but it’s rolled into a similar shape, which happens to look like a scroll from the side. That’s why this particular food is associated with learning and scholarship. Kurikinton (栗きんとん) These are sweet dumplings that are made from chestnuts. Because they’re yellow in colour, they’re associated with gold, and eating them is meant to bring financial prosperity in the year to come. Kobu (昆布) This is a type of seaweed, and this word is closely connected to the word yorokobu, or happiness, which is what this food is meant to bring in the New Year. Tai (鯛) Sea bream; the symbolic meaning here is something of a play on words. Tai is part of the Japanese word medetai, meaning happy or joyous. This fish is often eaten on special occasions, and it’s one of the dishes that is served as okuizome, the traditional food that a baby is fed about 100 days after he or she is born. In osechi, it’s meant to bring joy and happiness in the new year. Shrimp (海老) The kanji for shrimp mean “old man of the sea,” playing on the sea creature’s bent back and antenna that look like whiskers. This food is meant to bring longevity. Satoimo (里芋) Also known as taro root, this dish is eaten in the hopes that the family will be blessed with many children — just like many small taro tubers grow off of the main tuber. Renkon (蓮根) Known as lotus root in English, this vegetable has very distinctive holes when it is cut in cross sections. Because you can see clearly when you look through these holes, this food is eaten in the hopes of having a future with no obstacles — or at the very least, obstacles that you can see clearly. Just as it goes with any tradition, not every dish is eaten at every household, and some dishes fall out of favour over time – sometimes because younger people don’t particularly enjoy eating them, or because tastes change. (One newish item that you’ll find in osechi ryōri spreads, although it doesn’t have any special meaning yet, is roast beef.) The osechi dishes are, for the most part, served in elegant lacquer boxes known as jubako. Some families prepare the osechi themselves, while others choose to order theirs from department stores or convenience stores. For those who wish to purchase a beautifully crafted osechi for their New Year’s celebrations, department stores like Takashimaya and Keio stores offer fantastic options — though they certainly don’t come cheap!

#Japanese New Year #Osechi Ryori #お節料理 #Osechi #Japanese Cuisine #Sanganichi #Japanese Tradition #New Year #Osechi Ryōri #Japanese Food

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