As Yuri sets about to retrieving a handful of tea leaves I recede back to her living room and take a seat. From what I am aware after spending more time with Yuri is that tea making is complicated. And as it looks as though Yuri is brewing some form of oolong tea my help would probably fail to do more than pour water, if that. Sitting myself down in one of the white leather couches instinctively facing the television despite it being the size of a computer monitor. As my pupils begin to wander I explore the decorations of Yuri's walls.

It would seem as though she likes art with many well layered oil painting placed evenly around the dining room and living area. Two of the paintings are Flowers one in a vase next to some bottles on a shelf and the other a Lilly covered in pink blossom on a lake. The price tag and name still attached to the bottom: $285 - Yuri. The other three all depict blades of a sort. Though two of the three are a letter opener and a sword one is without a doubt a still image of a curved knife, mean and twisted as much as I knife could be yet shining with a tint of gold, sharp.

In the middle of my brief artistic exploration I hear Yuri slowly edge out of the kitchen. Carefully she maneuvers around her tables and a sofa before handing me some steaming, yellowed tea, complete with a delicate china cup and saucer. I take it but do not see any other drinks either in her hand or in the kitchen. "Yuri, where is your's" I ask. "Oh, I might join you after dinner. But, but I think I need to make that now!" Yuri says as much as gasps rather flustered. As Yuri hurriedly returns to the kitchen you decide to take a sip of your tea.

It is quite hot, but otherwise sweet, earthen and smooth as usual. For around 10 minutes you sip at your tea while you watch Yuri cook. She doesn't exactly have the professional feel of Natsuki at baking but she isn't exactly hopeless either. Her feet and long legs twist and glide a lot in a graceful manner as she attends to several culinary tasks at once.

After finishing your tea you proceed to make your way to the kitchen and deposit the china next to the sink. Yuri is still very busy cooking and doesn't seem to notice you at all. So based on all that has transpired I sink back down into the couch to read. Besides my watch I did bring my backpack which though never becoming apparent until now has many interesting things in it.

Most importantly something to entertain myself while Yuri prepares her Quiche. Shuffling over, once again to the doorway I unzip the back and look inside. Sifting through all my other bits I manage to obtain a novel (The esprin chronicles) which was one of the only books I bought. Then at last I sit down to read as the calming sound of a billowing oven and folding pastry transpires in the background just as my pages turn, one by one.

Roughly 30 minutes into my novel and the plot had just begun to pick up when I heard a glass pitcher 'chink' against the wood of a table. Reluctantly gazing away from by book I saw Yuri laying a lemon water pitcher and a salad across her dining table. Seeing her struggling with some glasses, knifes, forks and plates I rush over to help. In a swift movement without words or delay I pull most of the load from her hands and decorate the table with it in no time. Yuri may be slightly taller than me and in no way am I a muscular person but honestly to put it lightly Yuri's strength suits her delicate demeanor. Seeing Yuri's biceps and shoulders stop wobbling under her equipment's weight gave me a small sense of happiness and pride.

Not for long however was this feeling as Yuri returned, arms trembling once again with some sort of pie (the Quiche) and a platter of vertically sliced ciabatta both in very heavy porcelain dishes. With a small groan Yuri finally manages to lift the load onto the table completing the meal. "You can sit where you like" Yuri murmurs, a little out of air. There are three seats at the table, two at the heads and 2 more on the sides. Yuri waits still for you to chose a seat. You eventually go for one of the heads closest to the living room despite the awkward 1 meter rift it has created between you are Yuri, her deciding to sit at the opposite end of the table.

Scanning the tables contents Yuri had produced quite a lot for both of you: The quiche has a solid brown crust with a yellowed egg with a cheese top. Pieces of bacon and sliced cherry tomatoes poke out evenly through the eggy contents. Then their was Yuri's salad which seemed a basic lettuce, tomato, carrot and leaf vegetable blend with a dressing of olive oil and fine diced feta. Lastly a glass pitcher of lemon water to fill our empty glasses. "Is everything  o-okay?" Yuri questions, having seen me quizzically inspect her dinner. "I think it looks great Yuri!" I reply enthusiastically "Im sure it will be delicious!".

As Yuri sits she pulls a small silver lighter out from her pocket and lights the candelabra in the middle of the table to provide a bit of light in the dim dining room. Being as courteous as possible by my standards I let Yuri take her pick first of what was on the table. She began by pouring a glass of water but stopped midway through "I-is there something wrong?" she asked, pitcher and glass still in hand. "Oh no I was just waiting for you" I replied. "Don't" she said, surprisingly rather bluntly "I mean, you, p-please just eat" she finished in a similarly flat tone. I could tell what she meant and so I decided to take a bit of everything: A large slice of Quiche, two servings of salad and a large piece of ciabatta. 

As I went to eat I noticed something rather odd. Yuri's cutlery was a standard patterned metal with the glasses being clear glass and the plates a simple china. But the knifes, the knifes were designed for steak, large with decorated handles and a very sharp blade. Yuri didn't seem to see anything odd and began eating. Looking at her portion I was not surprised she remained so thin. All she had to eat was a wafer thin slice of quiche, a spoonful of salad, no bread and a glass of water. She also took such dainty mouthfuls, her table manners were pristine but very concise, only a tiny dab of food entered her mouth at a incredulously slow pace. And she chewed with lips closed with little effort, as if there was no food in her mouth at all.

Myself I began to tuck in. Immediately I noticed something, Yuri may be no Natsuki when it comes to baking but everything was wonderful. The quiche tasted light and fluffy, the pastry flaked and crumbled to a uniform degree and it bustled with flavor. The salad was well dressed and hydrating and the bread was a perfect accomplice to the dish. We sat in silence for several minutes, me gorging away my entire plate and Yuri having only chipped at her small portion. When I finished my appetite was pretty well sated. I looked over at Yuri and saw her eyes looking upwards, thinking, still chipping away at her plate which looked much the same as how she severed it.

She didn't really look to be in the position the create any conversation so I decided to make some. "Yuri?" I asked. Yuri popped her head towards me with a subtle little "huum" a small piece of carrots barely poking out between her pursed lips. "I-I" -Jesus that was cute "H-hu-hum-uhm...". Taken off guard once again by how adorable Yuri can be. Re-gathering my thoughts I was able to ask: "Yuri, what did happen to your head?" this time I did sound more genuinely concerned which I was pleased with, but the look on Yuri's face did not look good. Swallowing the carrot immediately, and whole, she shot up right from being relaxed to red, her muscles clenched and eyes widened, alike scared prey. "It really is n-nothing, I, I mean, I will, AM!, fine...".

Yuri's reaction was a little angry but primarily frightened. "Yuri I really need to know, it looks really painful" you state quite worried. The wound looks deep with dried blood lightly crusting its border. "I, was walking, and then I h-happened to fall down my stairs. I was hou-holding one of my. m-my..." "One of your books Yuri?" I interrupted, I had to help, I hated seeing her like this. Immediately Yuri perked up. "Yes, o-one of my books, I was reading it, I wasn't looking where I was going and I feel down the stairs and the spine scraped my, i-it cut the side of my head". Yuri looked really hopeful as I nodded to accept her answer, now alleviated from stress she tried to resume dinner, but by now there was no point. Her food had gone cold.