“Noodles, tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and olive oil. We’re planning for spaghetti today.” She chuckled and nodded.

“Great! I look forward to trying your family’s recipe. I know you probably would prefer homemade noodles, but we can start making them homemade when the community garden is done. Then we can open your family’s restaurant. Once we get foot traffic there, then we can start opening more shops and create more jobs. How’s the school doing?” We’re going shopping for ingredients? I thought. Romano smiled more.

“It’s doing wonderfully! Everyone is really enjoying it! The children are enjoying reading the fiction books, and the adults are doing their best in the career and technical programs! We have quite a wide variety of interests. We even have a few kids teaching each other other languages in their free time.” Rosine nodded and looked out the window.

“Good, it’s best for their skills to be diverse so they can make it in the world when they grow up. They need as much knowledge at their disposal as possible, so they can make their own money when they get old enough. That’ll be much better than just giving them the money for what they need or want every time.” I paused for a moment, thinking about that.

“... But no matter how much knowledge they have, it doesn’t matter if no one gives them a chance. Sometimes, people aren’t allowed jobs simply because of how they look, where they live, or who their parents are.” Rosine just stared at me for a moment, then her expression soured and she crossed her arms.

“Fa schifo! That’s so stupid though! Why?!” I couldn’t help but chuckle, a little amused at how… innocent she seemed, though it was a little bittersweet.

“I’m not sure, I’m guessing simply just because of classism? I do agree, though, it is stupid. How do you plan to resolve that issue?” Rosine hesitated, seeming to flounder for a moment, then Romano butt in.

“Hey, don’t pressure her. She’s trying her best, and this is new for her. She could work with Liam Ga-” My blood boiled and I glared at Romano.

“Don’t say HIS name. The bastard doesn’t deserve to have his name spoken by anyone but the devil himself!” I almost growled out, my chest heaving with rage at the very mention of the devil of a man. Then… I noticed how quiet it was. I blinked and looked around, only then noticing the looks on their faces. Romano looked scared, I was used to that look. But Rosine… Rosine looked… concerned. And I hated how that hurt more than anything she could’ve said. “... Sorry. I… I didn’t mean to yell. I just… He’s not who you think he is. Don’t… Don’t associate with him. Trust me.” They both looked at each other for a moment, then nodded a little and Rosine put her hand on mine, though I instinctively pulled away, she didn’t seem to mind.

“... We won’t. I promise. I’ll tell Father to stop associating with him as well, okay?” I felt my shoulders untense, and I sighed softly in relief, hesitating before I nodded.

“... Okay. Thank you. I… I appreciate that. You… You don’t know what he’s done. What he’s hidden.” Rosine snorted and rolled her eyes playfully, probably trying to lift the mood.

“Oh no, who would’ve guessed? A rich person screwing over someone of a minority. Who could’ve ever predicted? That’s never happened before, nope, never.” I couldn’t help but laugh feeling like a weight was lifted off my shoulders before I responded.

“Y-Yeah, that’s true… But… Still, my point still stands. Just… Don’t trust him, okay? He’s… He’s horrible, even when compared to other rich people. I… I don’t want to say what he did yet, but… I will. Eventually. Okay?” Rosine looked at me carefully, then nodded. When she spoke again, her voice was much softer than I expected, like I was fragile, rather than like I was a wild animal.

“... Okay. I’ll wait. But you need to keep your promise.” I nodded and smiled, then the car stopped outside a big box store and I looked up, fidgeting with the edge of my sleeve. Rosine noticed and got out first, then looked at me and smiled. “Come on, big guy. I need my guard dog, don’t I?” I couldn’t help but snort, but I nodded and followed her out of the car.

“... Yeah, you’re right. Someone’s gotta protect you. Your father told me about the mugging.” Her face flushed and she puffed out her cheeks as she crossed her arms.

“Shut up! That guy deserved it!” I snorted and followed her, Romano behind us as I teased her.

“He deserved to have his nose broken by a shoe? I mean, probably, but I’m just imagining that guy in jail. ‘Oh, buddy, how’d they catch you?’ ‘Ah, it was a long car chase, hours and hours of outrunning the cops, I jumped a bridge at one point. They had to use a helicopter to catch me. What about you?’ ‘Oh, uh…. A 150 cm woman hit me in the nose with her heel and I passed out.’ That’s one way to discourage crime in your city. At this point, it’s not even your father’s city anymore, everyone knows it’s your city.” Rosine snorted and started laughing, making my heart swell with pride. Her laugh didn’t sound like tinkling bells, like in novels, but I found I preferred her laugh, it sounded more genuine. “There’s plenty more where that came from. But we should probably go inside and get those ingredients.” Rosine nodded and looked at me. 

“You’re going to be carrying most of it, since you’re the strongest. You chill with that?” I rolled my eyes playfully, but I nodded, following them around as Rosine pushed the cart, Romano read off what we needed, and I put the ingredients in the cart. 

“We’re getting a lot more ingredients than I expected.” Romano chuckled before responding to me.

“Well, we are feeding over 100 people, men, women and children. We need a lot of food for that many people.” I just stared at him in surprise, then looked at Rosine, who rolled her eyes playfully.

“I’m not cooking. I’m not allowed.” Romano chuckled.

“No, you cannot. Last time you tried to make grilled cheese, I could’ve sworn, it begged me to kill it. And last time you tried to grate cheese, I could’ve sworn, you were trying to make a blood sacrifice.” Rosine rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him, but we continued to gather ingredients.

“Hey, Romano, do you think they’d enjoy it if we brought the ingredients for cannoli, or gelato more?” Romano thought, but before he could answer, Rosine shrugged. “Whatever, let’s do both.” I chuckled softly.

“Could you guys teach me how to cook?” I asked Romano, and he looked at me, seemingly surprised.

“You don’t know how to cook?” When I shook my head, he hesitated. “... Why don’t you?” I shrugged a little before responding.

“Not much cooking you can do in an abandoned building. Most of the cooking I did was in a gas station microwave.” Rosine and Romano just stared at me for a moment, and I avoided eye contact. “... Anyway, let’s get on with this. Will you teach me or not?” After a moment, Romano blinked, then nodded.

“Y-Yeah… Yeah, I’ll teach you.” I smiled and nodded as well.

“Great. I figured I should learn so Princess doesn’t burn her house down.” I teased Rosine, and she huffed.

“Shut up! I wouldn’t burn the house down!” She said, though I noticed a small smile she was trying to hide.

“Sure you wouldn’t, Princess. You want me to shine your tiara too?” She rolled her eyes.

“Sit, guard dog.” She said sarcastically, and Romano responded before I could.

“Careful, he might enjoy that a bit too much.” I just snorted and rolled my eyes.

“Whatever, you weirdos.”