[Free Time - Jurou]

I found Jurou hefting a bag of rice from the pantry to the kitchen, singing to himself. The way his head bobbed, you’d think he was singing a cheery folk song, but when I got closer…

Jurou sings to himself.
Jurou
…he said son… when y’grow up… wouldchu be… th' saaavior of th' broken… th' beaten an' th' damnt…
Jurou yells.
Jurou
Oh, howdy!
Timaeus smiles.
Timaeus
Hey Jurou, whatcha up to? I thought Honoka was making supper…
Jurou laughs.
Jurou
I know! But I found stuff t’make proper sushi fer lunch t’day! I know a trick fer cookin' the rice just right!

He grinned, shaking the bag of rice at me like a crotchety old man.

Jurou speaks.
Jurou
Wanna help?
Tim laughs nervously.
Timaeus
Um, I-I don’t really know anything about sushi–
Jurou thumbs his nose.
Jurou
Well I figured that much, yer an American! But I’ll show ya! I’d like the company, too!

He waved me into the kitchen, so I followed him inside, and took a stab at making my first sushi roll… He’d already made four by the time I finished, and uh, let’s just say I don’t have much of a future in the culinary arts.

Noon was approaching pretty quickly, so I decided to stay out of his way, instead making small talk as he threw together roll after roll of all different kinds of sushi– some with salmon, some with crab, some just filled with the fresh vegetables that had appeared on the countertop that morning.

Tim looks awed.
Timaeus
How do you make those so fast?

Jurou laughs.
Jurou
Lotsa practice, hahaw! Gotta make a dozen a day fer lunches back home!
Tim thinks.
Timaeus
A dozen? That seems like a lot…