He looked at picture of 7-year-old him with his deceased parents. "We'll see each other again one day. One day..." He vomited in his bucket. "BLAAARGH!!!" He gulped a bit. "Why did I eat the boerwors yesterday..." 

A knock on the cherrywood door echoed through the room. Kuro murmured, "It's probably the neighbourhood kids pranking me again."

Alfred opened it, only to see Taiga with a purple thermos filled with the soup she made. "Oh, it's you. Come in, but do be careful -- his stomach virus is NO joke." 

She tapped on Kuro's room door softly. "Hullo? Kuro?"

"Come in," he groaned. Taiga came in, doing so. 

"Oh hey, Taiga. Shouldn't you be at school?" 

"I was. It was a half-day. I made you some shrimp-and-miso soup. It's not the best, but..."

He took it and sipped the hot, shrimp-and-soybean concoction. "Mmm. Needs chili sauce." She handed him a bottle of chili paste. "It also has peas and beans." 

"Uhhh, Kuro?" she stammered, nervously. "There's something I gotta tell you. I-I-I Have fuh-fuh--fuh-feelings for you..." Kuro just stared at the nervous chick. She continued, "Do you wanna be my boyfriend?"

He grabbed her shoulders. "Sure. We can make it work." He tried to kiss her; she pushed back, laughing. "You're sick, remember?" Kuro leaned back. 

"So, there's a dance next week, and I was wondering if you wanted to..."

"Sure. If I get better though. The doctor says I have to stay in bed all day today..."

"Well, I'll see you then." 

"Sure, and thank you for the soup. It's really good!"

"You're welcome! Lotta my friends didn't like it..."

"Just needed some chili paste is all." 

Taiga hugged him. "I'll see you at school soon." She walked off into the hallway with her thermos. 

He said to himself, "Boy, do I have a keeper."