Absent From Class, Present In The Kitchen

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Today, I've chosen to skip my class, or rather, I've opted to be absent from my class for the next few hours.

As I make my way towards the Home Economics classroom, I encounter another problematic woman, whose presence is as striking as the ice sheen. She asks, “Mr. Reverren, where are you headed? Don't you have an electronics class today?”

It's Ma'am Iris. Oh how I miss her voice. She's been ignoring me as well. A lot is being cold to me lately. Is that the new trend nowadays?

“Hello po ma'am, fufufu. You're as beautiful as ever,” I say gently.

“Go to your class,” she says with a blank expression. Then, without another word, she turns and walks away, her steps echoing in the hallway, leaving behind a sense of authority tinged with indifference.

Bloody hell, they're all so cold.

Whatever.

I'm about to walk away when Ma'am Iris calls out for me, “Wait.”

I walk back to her like a curious puppy, “Yes po ma'am?”

“Well..” Ma'am Iris seems hesitant, “How are your wounds?”

“I'm doing well po ma'am,” I say briefly.

“.............” Ma'am Iris says nothing. She looks really hesitant. “Good. Please go to your class. Don't wander around.”

“.............” I say nothing. I simply watch her leave. I feel like she has something she wants to get off her chest. But held herself back.

Looks like there's an issue I'll have to address with Ma'am Iris as well.

For now, though, my focus is with Elizabeth first.

After a brief walk, I arrive at the room for Home Economics. Girls in our class are here.

“Good afternoon, ladies!” I walk inside.

Obviously, they all look surprised to see me. They stopped whatever they're doing to stare at me with dumbfounded expressions.

“Reverren? Ms. Hecate is in a meeting, you know?” that certain seatmate of mine says so while peeling a potato.

“I'm not here for her,” I shrug off my shoulders. “I would like you girls to teach and help me cook a meal.”

“““.............”””

“Huh?” my seatmate expresses everybody's astonishment. “What? What are you talking about?”

“Your teacher is out right now isn't it?”

“That's not the problem! Why would you even cook here?”

Because the only kitchen I can use is here? Or what? Should I go to the canteen? Then won't I have to bring my mom to the guidance office tomorrow?

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“Oh hell, you have so many questions. Will you help me or not?”

“Answer me first!”

“I will cook something for Elizabeth.”

“You call her Elizabeth now? And you haven't given up on her yet? Didn't she humiliate you earlier?” she retorts, a hint of irritation in her voice.

“Well, we're having some lover's quarrel. I want to get her back.”

“You're not lovers. She rejected you. Get a clue!” she says with a mocking tone. But she sounds a bit pissed off.

What's wrong with this girl? Is it that time of the month?

“If you don't want to help, just say so,” I reply, turning around to ask for help from another classmate.

“Geez! Don't bother them, I'll help you!” she rolls her eyes on me.

I would have asked Mary and Rose for help, but they're with Elizabeth. Mae is also not a good choice to ask for a favor. Especially because I'm cooking for Elizabeth.

And if she finds out that I asked Mae for help, Elizabeth will get jealous. It will just worsen the situation.

“What do you want to cook anyway?”

“.............” I shrug off.

“.............” my seatmate is speechless. “Are you fucking serious right now?!”

Everyone laughs.

“Well, I don't know how to cook. I don't know any recipe— oh, I know the recipe of my mother's tinola..”

“Uhh, I wonder if we have the necessary ingredients.”

“I could go out and buy it.”

“In class hour? You'll be in trouble if they catch you.” My seatmate smiles smugly, “Aren't you being too devoted here?”

“I'll write down my mom's recipe. Go check it out,” I take a piece of paper and begin writing.

“Hey, don't ignore me, Reverren.”

It didn't take long to write down the recipe. Afterwards, I give it to my seatmate.

“Hmm. I think we have everything here. Good for you. There's no need to go out.” She smirks all of sudden, “You better treat me for something!”

“Sure. So what do I do now?”

My seatmate looks surprised, “You're willing to really cook? Even though you're dumb about it?”

“Being called dumb is a bit... And yes. What would be the point otherwise?”

“Ooohh. I didn't know you were such a sweetheart,” she winks at me. “If you do this to me, I will fall deeply for you, you know?”

“I wonder if Elizabeth will react the same way,” I muse.

She retorts with a roll of her eyes, “Hmmp. She's out of your league. You should give up.”

“Not yet.”

“There's a delinquent courting Elizabeth you know. It started when you were in the hospital.” She adds, “I heard he's part of a gang.”

“I see.”

“Wow you're not even scared...” She pulls out some vegetables from the fridge, “Here. You do this. I'll prepare the chicken meat.”

“Yes, madam!” I begin by washing the vegetables meticulously, ensuring they're clean and ready for preparation. Following that, I select a high-quality, sharp knife to facilitate precise slicing and dicing.

*Slice*

“Err...” I look at the knife with a confused expression. “Hey, I think...”

“Huh? What's the problem? I'm done rinsing the mea— Whoah! What the hell happened?! Your finger is bleeding!” my seatmate overreacts. “Gosh, let me see!”

“Bloody hell.. Stop screaming. Everyone's looking at us,” I give her my hand.

“Shut up! Don't you even know how to cut vegetables?! You're really a sheltered boy aren't you?” she says seemingly irritated while tending on my wounds. “Geez. I'll do the vegetables.”

“Then I'll have nothing to do,” I chuckle. “It's a minor wound. I'll go cut the onions first to get the hang of it.”

“Fine, do whatever you want,” she says with a sigh.

As I take the knife and begin to cut—

“No, not like that! Keep your fingers tucked in—No! Use your knuckles to guide the blade! You're being incredibly clumsy, don't you think?”

She's quite assertive, isn't she? I didn't know she had this side to her.

In any case, I can't believe I, of all people can't even use a kitchen knife properly. I guess it's because I'm not really used to this. But I mean, this doesn't make any sense. I have rather great knife skills yet... Oh hell.

After almost an hour, we— or rather she, finally finished cooking. She let me taste it and I think it's not that far off from mom's cooking.

“How is it?”

“Impressive.”

“I still doubt Ms. Hecate will fall for you with this. You're just really not her type. I think you should give up,” she advises.

“Thank you for your help. I'll just take some and you girls can take the rest,” I begin packing some of the tinola into the lunchbox I brought with me.

“Are you ignoring me?”

“Fufu. Anyway, thank you again. I owe you one.”

She scoffs, “You better remember this day.”

“Sure.”

After saying goodbye to the girls, I leave their room and start walking towards the SSG office.