After returning to Sector C, Leo first invited Amanda over from next door to have lunch with him in an hour, before heading to his own apartment to cook for her.
He decided to make a simple and comforting meal that his mother used to make on Earth, which was a delicious vegetable stew and soft bread, which was by no means a luxurious dish, but was still something that he missed the most during his time on the Arc Ship.
Since the ingredients for that dish were all present in this week's supply of food, Leo decided to make that dish for Amanda, since he knew that she would appreciate his mother's recipe.
*Chop* *Chop* *Chop*
Since it was his first time chopping vegetables in over a year, Leo was shocked to see just how much his chopping skills had improved, as with his body assimilating with his in-game character, his dexterity had increased dramatically.
Using his new-found skill, he was able to chop the vegetables to such a fine degree that they became almost translucent and so thin that they dissolved instantly when coming in contact with the heat of one's mouth, giving a delicious taste.
"Mmmm…. Not bad" Leo muttered, as he tasted one of the vegetable slices.
Since they were millions of miles away from Earth, he half expected the vegetables to be stale and dry, however, to his pleasant surprise they were quite juicy and delicious.
Next, he added the chopped vegetables to boiling water to create the stew and let it simmer over high heat, filling the small apartment with a rich, nostalgic aroma.
Meanwhile, as the stew simmered, Leo began preparing the bread dough with practiced ease.
The rhythmic kneading of the dough brought a sense of calm, reminding him of simpler times back on Earth.
As the bread baked, Leo set the table, ensuring everything was perfect for Amanda's arrival.
He even went above and beyond and made a few origami flowers out of paper, arranging them in a small paper vase to add a touch of color and create a romantic atmosphere, since real flowers were unavailable on the Arc Ship.
And just as he was about to finish up, a soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
Leo walked to the door and opened it, his heart skipping a beat at the sight of Amanda standing there with a warm smile spreading across her face. "It smells amazing here," she said, stepping inside, clearly intrigued to try Leo's cooking for the first time ever.
"Thank you," Leo replied, returning her smile and pulling her into a gentle hug. "It's my mom's recipe. I hope you like it."
Although Leo said nothing, he felt his heart skip a beat when he looked at Amanda who had put-up actual make up for this lunch meet, showing that she took it as seriously as he did.
Back in their old apartment in sector D, Amanda never had the time nor the space to ever properly get ready, however, today she seemed to have prettied up for Leo, which he greatly appreciated.
As the duo sat down to eat, the conversation flowed easily between them as they enjoyed the hearty meal.
Amanda, feeling astonished by Leo's excellent cooking skills, complimented him wholeheartedly, as they both reminisced about their lives on Earth, sharing stories and laughter.
"This tastes just like home," Amanda said, reaching across the table to squeeze Leo's hand. "I'm so lucky to have you here with me."
Leo smiled, feeling a warmth in his chest that had been missing for a long time as he replied saying "I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was nice to have a little piece of home, even here….
I cooked for the first time in forever and it was a very enjoyable experience, although I'm not sure if I'm going to do it regularly"
As they finished their meal, Amanda leaned back in her chair, a contented sigh escaping her lips.
Her happy expression told Leo just how much she enjoyed this, as after cleaning the plates, Leo leaned in towards her for a kiss.
*Smooch*.
The couple looked at the clock and saw how they only had a few minutes worth of time before Leo needed to report for his half-day evaluation and hurriedly kissed each other a few times before stopping.
"Guess you have to go–" Amanda said, sounding slightly out of breath as Leo nodded and began tidying up his clothes.
"Oh, by the way, have you figured out the reason behind the empty rooms in our apartments having higher mana concentration?
It wasn't this way when I was previously in sector C, back then it was just an empty room I used for doing Yoga.
But now I'm feeling that it has some specific purpose…." Amanda inquired before Leo left for duty, as Leo too felt perplexed about the same.
Amanda had started as a C class passenger, so she had lived for a week inside sector C before being demoted to Sector D after the first evaluation and hence she knew exactly what the apartments in sector C looked like.
However, this change seemed to have surprised even her.
"I have no idea what it is, babe, but I'll ask Luke for you….. maybe he knows, or Cervantez does.
I think Cervantez probably does, because that guy knows everything–" Leo replied, shrugging his shoulders as Amanda chuckled at his response.
Amanda knew that Leo both respected and despised Cervantez at the same time and the relationship that the two shared was almost 'cute' for her.
Both of them were talented individuals however, one was oil and the other was water and hence they did not mix well at all, although individually they were both great men.
"Alright thanks love…. Have a good time at work!" Amanda said, as she almost cringed immediately after saying this dialogue, feeling as if she had already become a housewife although she wasn't actually one.
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/// Chapter 3/15…. Keep it rolling! ///