Siena gasped. "Eat? No… I… I'll eat later."
"Will you?" Dravin countered, setting out another plate. "Will you eat that instant food again? Is it really that tasty?"
"Um… I'm just used to it," Siena mumbled, head bowed, then her stomach growled again.
Dravin kept plating for her, smirking at her stubbornness.
"Looks like your stomach can't wait. And your power is still out. Forget it, I've cooked enough. Just need to fry an egg."
From the corner of his eye, he caught Siena frowning, clutching her stomach in shyness. No doubt she was cursing it inside.
"Want it sunny side up or cooked through?" he asked.
"Um… you can just give me anything."
"So sunny side up?"
She kept her head down, looking too shy to answer.
"Cooked yolk then?" he pressed.
Her gaze flicked up to meet his, and she nodded.
Ding!
The notification flashed before his eyes. His corner lip twitched. This was a big gain, ten times what he'd lost earlier.
Siena was like a damn roller coaster. He'd never met a woman this timid before. Her anxious negativity was so strong it was almost contagious, draining his energy.
A few minutes later, Dravin set her plate on the table and sat across from her.
Back in his old life, he'd avoided women like Siena because they were too pure, too dense, too painfully innocent.
The type that made simple things complicated with endless overthinking. Still, his belief held true: he'd never once failed to impress a woman with his food.
"Let's eat," Dravin said.
And there she went again. Even with her eyes practically drooling as she gulped at the food, her fingers still hovered, hesitant to touch the fork.
"Don't worry. It is lower calories than your diet instant food, and tastier too. Just try a bite," he coaxed.
"Ah… yes. Thank you for the food."
Dravin dug into his own now-soggy toast, watching Siena closely. He wanted to see if his effortless cooking could affect her Pleasure Index.
But as Siena ate, bite after bite, even as her eyes widened in awe with every chew, the percentage didn't budge.
So it really had to be her favorites, then? He thought, disappointed, finishing his breakfast with his mind elsewhere.
"Dravin, what do you want to say to me?" Siena asked.
"Ah, that's… you need to report to security to cut the power line to the outlet you used for the microwave. The plate inside melted. If you switch the central PCB back on, it could short out."
Dravin was half-lying. The real reason he'd invited Siena for breakfast was to test her Pleasure Index. And he had guessed wrong.
"Ah, right, I'll do that. Thank you, Dravin. I owe you."
"It's fine. That's what neighbours are for. Don't be shy if you need help."
"Yeah… I just don't like troubling people. But I think I learned the hard way today. If I'd asked for help last night with my new microwave, this wouldn't have happened."
"Last night?" Dravin's mind reeled. "Ah… was that why you came to my place?"
"Yeah. But I saw you with a guest, so I didn't dare disturb."
"I see. Well, it's fine. As long as you're safe now."
As he drained his glass, Dravin noticed Siena's face sink again, guilt written all over her.
"Siena, how's my food? Do you like it?" Dravin had the urge to change the subject.
Her beam widened, and she nodded. "It tastes like egg bread, but with spices and a crust. I've never had it before."
Dravin smirked. "The spice is nutmeg powder I mixed into the custard before soaking the bread. And that crust on the edges, it's from frying in butter mixed with vegetable oil."
"We do have egg bread… but the dipping mix isn't just eggs. That's why it tastes richer than the usual egg bread."
Siena listened intently, like a model student in class. It made Dravin chuckle.
"You listen so well. Why? Planning to cook it later? I can give you the recipe." Siena froze. "No… no, that's not necessary. I can't cook anyway."
Dravin arched an eyebrow.
"Is that why you keep eating instant food? From my experience, if you're dieting, it's best to cook for yourself."
Her expression tightened at once. She sipped her water nervously, grip faintly trembling.
"Ah, I'm sorry. Did I cross the line? I know you're dieting from that diet instant food packaging." He paused, observing the slight relaxation on Siena's face.
"Sorry if that came out blunt."
Dravin kept staring at Siena like his gaze alone could burn a hole through her face. She couldn't meet his eyes. If she avoided this talk, Dravin would only grow frustrated with her. Should she open up? But what if it only made him think she was weird?
"Siena… you don't have to force yourself to share something you're not ready to. It's just—" he gave a small smile, "isn't it nice to have a real meal once in a while like this? I'm a decent cook. You can tell me what you like, and I'll try to make it."
She stared at him intently. Why was he being so kind to her?
"Why? Why would you want to cook for me?"
"Because we're neighbours." He said it with a smile.
But that only left Siena more confused. Do neighbours usually cook for each other? She'd heard apartment dwellers were far too individualistic to care. No one had even welcomed her when she'd handed out jars of candy her first week here.
Still, Dravin's offer left a warmth blooming in her chest. She smiled, eyes curving into half-moons as she looked at him.
"This egg bread is delicious. My grandma would've loved it too."
Dravin smirked. "Then pretend I'm your grandma. She'd definitely say, 'Oh Siena, this is so tasty. I'm so happy.' And the two of you would laugh together while eating it, just like us right now."
Siena's smile widened. "Should I really do that?"
They burst into giggles at their own silliness. Dravin was relieved, she wasn't gloomy anymore.
But when Siena lifted the last bite of French toast to her lips, her eyes turned glassy as she looked at him.
"Grandma, this is so tasty." She smiled widely, slipping the toast into her mouth as tears spilled down her cheeks.
The air thickened. Dravin's jaw fell open at the sight—her pleasure index had jumped to twelve percent.