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taking the pots back into her hand kiku busily started making the evenings dishes. Boiling a pot of water kiku began with the miso soup. After adding the miso paste and some small slices of tofu kiku let the soup sit on the stove at a low flame to keep it warm until all were ready to eat.

Next kiku started Yakizakan (fried fish) and placed it nect to the soup when it was finished. Then followed kiku's own personal faveorite....fried rice with a bit of chicken and mushrooms. It was also kiku's mother's fave dish and kiku could remember countless times when she had sat and watched her mother prepare it. Her mother loved cooking and though they had people who gladly prepared their food for them her mother thought it was very important for kiku and her sisters to know some basic recipies. Her father highly disaproved of this activity to the point they had to keep their culinary classes a secret. This too was placed next to the miso on the stove. Pausing for a moment to settle the anger and animosity kiku had towards her father she moved to grab the near by kettle and filled it with water. Putting the kettle on the stove to boil kiku left to grab the dishes from the cupboard they would be using tonight and placed them on the counter. Then sitting on a nearby chair kiku. A few minutes later she was lost in thought reliving memmories of Her mother's soothing voice, her sister's giggles, and the not to often food fights that would occasionaly take place.

#26 ( ahem....don't look know...but i think we have a bot.)

Kiku jumped slighlty coming out of her trance.

"Oh sorry. I seem to have driffted off. Seems we didn't need the search party afterall." kiku laughed lightly as she stood to turn off the now whitling kettle. Reaching into the nearby pantry kiku pulled out three tea sacks and placed them into the overly large kettle. Leaving the tea to steep. Kiku turned and looked at Chunche and nodded towards the dishes on the counter.

"You can place the dishes from the tray into the dish pan and we'll worry about them later. After that would you mind helping set up the dinning room? Oh, and i hope you like Yakizakan, and Chick/mush fried rice it's one of my personal fave's." Said kiku as she started stacking dishes so they were easier to carry.

#27

kiku paused as she was about to lay the last utensils on the table.

"you know, i have absolutely no idea." said kiku laughingly.

"well...there's you and me, Okaa-san but she never comes out of her room, the operator from the telephone booth but i have yet to see her leave the booth, and if they come home soon meme, Iyasu and her two maiko's. All together that makes about 8 people so we'll have plenty if you want to go back for seconds and thirds." Kiku laughed lightly as chunche's face lit up at the words seconds and thirds.

"while i set up the tray for okaa-san feel free to start with out me. i'll be back in just a minute." said kiku as she turned to enter the kitchen.


#28

Entering the kitchen once again kiku began bringing all the pots into the dinning room. After bringing in the last pot kiku sat just across form chunche. Smiking at the hungry look on chunche's face kiku poured both of them some tea and began serving both of them food.

"You know i used to cook with my mother and sisters before they left, but i only know a few basic foods. Is there anything you exspecialy like that you want me to make?" I could try my hand at a desert if you want." Kiku became very excited at the thought of more cooking projects and eagerly awaited and answer.

#30

Kiku's face broke into a warm smile as she snagged a bite of her fish. Chewing and savoring the taste kiku reluctantly swallowed.

Its been a while since i've made Yakizakan but this is the best try yet.

Kiku smiled as Chunche listed a few of her fave deserts. At the sound of rakugan kiku's face lit up as she immediatly went through the mental list of ingredients they currently had in the kitchen. Smiling kiku realized they only needed two things to complete the dish and she had yet to go into the small cellar on the side of the Okiya.

"Are you kidding....i haven't cooked with somebody in so long i realy miss it! I'm pritty sure we have everything to make rakugan but i have to check the cellar for a few things. If we don't have them i don't think okaa-san would mind if we asked to run an errand to the store. I have a feeling she has a sweet tooth." Kiku laughed lightly as she spooned some miso into her bowl.

#31

kiku blushed and paused for a second to think.

"hmmm....well i do a little bit of everything realy. My mother was quite the enthusiast and she taught us every thing from flower arranging to cooking; from dancing to playing instruments. Though I must say I enjoy painting, dancing, and playing the koto the most."

kiku laughed lightly as she remembered one particular incident,"In fact, I remember when i was about six when my mother all taught us a small play and later that night performed it for our father. He and mother were laughing so hard by the time we were done they had tears streaming down thier faces."

"Those are the times I miss the most." kiku said solemly. "I miss them so much sometimes, but...there's nothing i can do....they're gone...and so now i must live for them." Kiku glanced at her still full miso bowl and was determined to finish it. "Well enough with the dreary mood, now i have the same question for you. Do you have any hobbies? Or is there something your interested in that you'ld like to know about?"

#32

After a long night out at the teahouse with her younger sisters, Yokome entered the okiya. "Could someone please bring a cup of hot tea to my room?" she said. "Also, Akyio-chan and Yokohana-chan, would you join me in my room? I have some exciting news."

"Well..." she said, turning to Yokohana. "I've decided that it's time for you, Yokohana, to move up to the rank of a geisha." Yokome said, anxious to see what Yokohana's reaction would be.