Chapter Seven: Working the Kitchen:

The group met back at the destination meeting place. Noiz looked at all of the people in our circle.

“So,” she said. “What all did you get?” The people held up their purchases. Noiz and I looked at the fish, vegetables, spices, and even fruit they bought. My cousin’s lips curved into a smile.

“Perfect!” she exclaimed. “We will have a great lunch this afternoon!” I tilted my head at her.

“How?” I asked. She shook her head, patting my shoulders.

“Oh Brianna, dear,” Noiz said. “You have to stretch out your imagination in the kitchen!”

“Huh?” I asked.

“Just come with us,” she whispered in my ear. She pulled me along before I had the chance to ask questions.

“Come on, everyone!” Noiz shouted. “We’ve got work to do!” She led everyone back to the house.

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Kyoko stood in the doorway of her house, waiting. Noiz waved her arm in the air.

“Yo!” she called.

“What did you get?” our host asked. The group held up their purchases.

“Oh wow!” she gasped. “That’s a lot stuff!” Noiz bowed her head.

“Please allow us to use your kitchen,” she said. When everyone in our group bowed down, I did the same as quickly as I could.

“Please!” we all shouted. Kyoko clapped her hands together.

“Of course!” she said. “Go right ahead!”

“Thank you!” we all shouted. Our host led us into the kitchen. Noiz’s attention turned to me.

“Ready to get to work?” she asked.

“I guess…” I mumbled.

“Follow my lead,” she whispered. My cousin stepped ahead of me to lead the pack. Out came the wok on the stove. Noiz plugged up the rice cooker. We wasted no time getting the oil and sake. One of the men took the center of the kitchen.

“Okay!” he said aloud. “Mosh, Yu, and Makoto, to the vegetables!”

“Yes!” they said.

“Tommy, Akira, to the meat!” the man ordered.

“Yes!” they replied. The head cook turned to the girls.

“Ladies, get to the stove and the spices,” he commanded us.

“Yes sir!” we said. He clapped his hands together.

“Great!” our kitchen leader said. “Let’s get to it.” We all hurried to our stations. I nudged Noiz in the ribs.

“What exactly do I do?” I whispered.

“Kyoko’s manning the stove,” she answered. “Yui and I will handle the mixing and soaking.”

“Okay, what about me?” I asked.

“You just hand us the spice and things,” Noiz answered. She walked over to the counter to get right to work. I stood there, shrugging my shoulders.

“Alright…” I mumbled, feeling out of place. “Can you at least tell me what we’re making?”

“A specialty of the island!” Noiz said over the clinging of knives and pot forks. She put a pot in the stove and filled it water.

“Which is?” I asked. She cut off the water when the pot was almost full.

“Shabu-shabu stew!” Noiz announced. Mosh walked past me with a cabbage in his hand.

“Huh?” I asked.

“You, girl!” Yui barked. “Don’t just stand there! Get to work!”

“She wants you to come and help,” Noiz explained.

“Oh! Yeah, yeah!” I said, nodding. I pushed my way through the men with the meat and vegetables walking through.

“Hand me the garlic powder,” Noiz ordered me. “You can find it in the cabinet above the rice cooker over there.”

“Alright,” I said. When I reached up for the cabinet, I found myself too short to reach the knob. “Uh… where’s a foot stool?”

“Check the broom closet near the back door,” Noiz said.

“Thank you,” I replied. I walked over to said-closet and returned with a little red foot stool. I handed my cousin the garlic powder.

“Thank you so much,” she said.

“Now what?” I asked.

“Stay on stand-by until I tell you to. I will translate what the others need for you.”

“Okay.” I basically played errand girl around the kitchen while everyone else was hard at cooking. I know it wasn’t as entertaining, but by the time they were done cooking, even my mouth was watering from the smell and the spices.