User blog:Elhana 4stars/Chapter 4 - Dinner for a Hare and her Monkey

Chapter 4 - Dinner for a Hare and her Monkey

The girl ran across the marbled floor of the River of Stars hotel looking at her clock piece in panic.

“Oh no, This is awful, simply awful! I’m late! So late!”

Her long fluffy bunny ears flopped madly along with her baby pink curls as she desperately sped towards her destination. She finally reached it, the Eizon restaurant within the hotel, and paused breathing hard, clutching her small handbag. She was dressed in a cute brown dress with pinkish white folds which matched her long curls and bunny ears.

March Hare glanced in hopefully and saw him already seated at one of the tables. She heaved a sigh of relief and walked towards the table.

“Sorry, sorry! I am so sorry, Wukong! Thank goodness you waited for me! I was worried you had left already! You said it was a formal dinner, so I took some time to get ready. I had to choose a nice dress, but I couldn’t decide between whether I should wear that a Yukata or a dress, and I didn’t know if a yukata was too informal for such a restaurant…”

March Hare slid into the seat opposite still rambling away, in her flustered state. Across her sat a striking young man with brown hair wearing black leather with red cloth. The black leather had many beautiful ornate silver designs all over its surface. A long brown tail slid over from beneath him to twirl around a cup of tea and bring it to his lips for a sip even as he waited for the flustered March Hare to finish. When she finally stopped for breath, he grumbled good-naturedly.

“You are always late, Marchy! I was mad the first few times, but now I am used to it already. Well, I ordered first so that we don’t have to wait even more. Your punishment for being late … you have to eat whatever I ordered for you. It’s a very expensive roast chicken, so you must make sure you finish every last bit!”

Wukong smiled sardonically after he said it and gleefully took in March Hare’s flabbergasted expression.

“Roast … chicken? I … I am a hare, how do you expect me to eat roast chicken!”

March Hare’s horrified expression had Wukong giggling away and as she contemplated the thought further, her face turned a slight shade of green.

“I can’t eat that! Oh please don’t make me…. Wukong, you don’t even eat meat yourself either! How could you order meat for me, you … meanie!”

March Hare’s ears were really drooping rather low now. But it was too late as the waiter came and placed their order on their table. She quickly hid her face in her hands, not wanting to be faced by a roast chicken in front of her. Her boyfriend’s amused chuckles made her peek through her fingers and she realised then that he had ordered Fruit and Vegatable salad for both of them.

“Oh… you tricked me! You…. Monkey!”

March Hare said, blushing. She was smiling though now with relief and she had put her hands down. Her boyfriend was known by many titles, including the grand sounding Qitian DaSheng, but when he played a trick on her, she would always call him monkey.

“Yes I did… You didn’t really think I would order meat for either of us did you, Marchy? Are you hungry? Let’s dig in!”

Wukong laughed even as he took a generous portion for March Hare and placed it onto her plate before taking some for himself. March Hare smiled at the gesture, and started eating. Her boyfriend was a prankster, given his nature, but he spoiled her silly because he adored her. She had wanted to have a quick dinner before going to the Tanabata festival, but he wanted to start them off with something more formal. So they had agreed to meet at the Hotel’s restaurant for a formal dinner first before joining the festival.

Through the dinner, Wukong would alternate between teasing her and then joking around in his wry sardonic way and soon, warm peals of March Hare’s laughter floated from their table. Wukong looked back from his plate at the laughing March Hare with fondness. She had been blushing so red the flush had reached even her long floppy ears and yet she was also laughing now at his latest joke. He loved how they were now perked up happily even as she recovered from her fit of merriment.

“Hahaha! I… I can’t eat anymore, Wukong. I think I have laughed until I am full already!”

“I am full as well, but one thing first before we leave.” Wukong said, as he got up and went over to help pull the chair for March Hare.

“You have a little smudge here, Marchy.” Wukong leaned over and used the napkin to slowly wipe off a little smudge from March Hare’s lips. He leaned especially close while he was doing so, and March Hare blushed again as she saw his piercing eyes so close up even as she felt the smooth touch of his napkin over the corner of her mouth.

Then, Wukong sneakily took the opportunity to drop the napkin and kiss March Hare on the lips while he was so close. It was a quick, but searing kiss that took March Hare totally by surprise, and stole her breath away. She felt a little dizzy as heat rose up her cheeks, and she closed her eyes. Then, just as quickly, Wukong broke away, stood at one side and bowed low with a flourish.

“And now that we have eaten… and kissed! Shall we go? After you, sweetheart!”

Though his head was bowed low, he kept one eye on March Hare’s expression.

March Hare’s eyes was still looking glazed and unfocused, and she finally drew a quick breath and gradually came down to earth. Then she realised what just happened, and her eyes darted up to see the next table’s couple looking at them and grinning. She blushed a deep red and desperately lowered her head, letting her baby pink curls and floppy ears partially hide her burning face.

“Wukong…”

She managed only a feeble protest because she was still recovering from both the passionate kiss as well as the embarrassment after.

Wukong remained in his butler pose and just grinned. March Hare looked utterly adorable right now, with her mussed curls pooling around her flushing face and her long bunny ears quivering a little. He held out his hand to her, and after a long moment of collecting herself, she finally recovered enough to take his hand and stand up.

“I am so going to punish you for that, Wukong!”

March Hare muttered to him. However, she pulled herself close to him with both hands and hid her face on his shoulder, feeling the cold ornate leather cool her face. Wukong laughed merrily, and placed his arm around her. Before they walked away from the table, he stole a quick glance back and saw March Hare’s brown handbag lying forgotten on her seat. Without breaking a stride, his long brown tail snaked back and hooked the handbag up even as he led March Hare away.

He smirked as he thought about how he was going to have lots of fun later when she discovered that she had forgotten her handbag. Keeping the little handbag carefully hidden, he reached out and smoothed her pinkish white curls back from her face. As they exited the restaurant, they could see the bridge over the river of stars which the hotel was named after. And just at that moment, they beheld the sight of the two anima spirits Ohina and Odairi running fleetly along the railings, with Odairi calling out to his beloved to be careful. Wukong’s eyes widened with delight.

“Hey look Marchy! Wow, that looks so fun! Lets go and run on the bridge railing just like that couple did!”

He exclaimed, already pulling her along towards the bridge.

“What…. Noooo! No way! Wukong, I will never forgive you if you tried that stunt with me on that bridge! I am serious here! Ahhh!”

March Hare’s many protests floated through the door of the restaurant much to the merriment of the guests within and was carried away by the stardust laden wind. Wukong’s laughter and March Hare’s protests mixed in with the general busy sounds of the interstellar Tanabata Festival.