Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Brave Soldier ❯ Tea Gives Back to the World ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter Fourteen: Tea Gives Back to the World:

Kaori could be unconventional at times. Sometimes, she could get creative. Her talking about edible flowers was a clear indication of this. However, I just dismissed this as one of her quirks. I got a reminder about how she could get creative with unconventional things. I learned this one summer in about… I want to say 1992 or 1993, maybe? Anyway, I think I was at her apartment at the time. We were in the kitchen when Kaori was cleaning up. She had put the tea cups in the sink. I noticed that she left our used tea bags on the counter.

“Are you going to throw those away?” I asked.

“Nope,” Kaori said. She had her back to me as I wrinkled up my face.

“Why?” I asked.

“I can still use them,” she said. There was no hint of joking in that statement. My face dropped.

“How?” I asked. Kaori turned around with a smile on her face.

“You know how I like to take care of plants?” she asked. I nodded.

“The teabags help them grow,” my girlfriend said. “The tea inside make great fertilizer.” I wrinkled my nose.

“Really?” I asked.

“Sometimes,” she said. “It depends on what's inside the tea bags.”

“Do you always use the tea in your plants?” I asked.

“It depends on which tea that I get,” Kaori said. She said that like it was nothing. I leaned back with an eyebrow raised.

“And you can use the tea all plants?” I asked. Her face leaned in closer to mine.

“That's not the only thing that can be used for,” she said. She waited for me to ask. I rolled my eyes.

“Fine, what else can you use used tea bags for?” I asked. My girlfriend giggled.

“Have you noticed how great my skin looks?” she asked. Now this really had me confused. She never used any make-up. I didn't know her to have a beauty regiment. She just wasn't that kind of girl.

“It's not that hard to take care of your skin with used tea bags,” Kaori said. She rubbed on her hands. “My skin is always so soft and I always have a happy glow!” She took me by the cheeks.

“Uh… what are you doing?” I asked.

“Shhh,” Kaori said as she looked closely at my face. She frowned as she took her time.

“Have you been getting enough sleep?” she asked.

“Why?” I asked.

“Hm… You have so many bags under your eyes,” she said. “I know just the thing that will patch them up.”

“You're not going to put tea bags under my eyes, are you?” I asked. My girlfriend giggled.

“Only if you want me to,” she said.

“Nah, I'm good.”

Kaori pouted. “Aw, killjoy.” She let go of my face. I blinked at her.

“How do you use the tea for your skin?” I asked. Her eyes perked up.

“Delighted you asked!” she said. Kaori picked up one of the tea bags and held it in front of my face.

“It's not hard to make DIY face scrub,” she said. “I put the tea leaves in a bowl and mix them with a teaspoon of honey.”

“Honey?” I asked.

“Uh-huh,” she said, nodding. “Wait here.” She turned and ran down the hall. I leaned upward for a better look. When my girlfriend came back, I noticed that she was holding a small plastic container in her hand.

“Ta-da! Here she is!” she said. She looked so pale when she announced that. Kaori said the container down on the table. I looked down at the golden material inside. I could see bit of tea leaves floating in it.

“I make this blend every month,” she said.

“And you put this on your face?” I asked.

“That's right,” my girlfriend said. “I put it on after washing my face, let it sit for five minutes, and then wrinkle it off. My face feels so amazing.” Kaori turned her cheeks and smiled. Okay, I knew she was odd, but this was a whole new level. I noticed her looking into my eyes.

“Are you sure you don't want me to help you with those bags under your eyes?” she asked.

“I'm good,” I insisted. Kaori sighed.

“Fine,” she said. “But it also does a great job of cleaning my hands.” She said that as she looked at her hands.

“You're joking,” I said.

“Nope,” she said. “Tea is useful when you want to get rid of those lingering scents on your hands that even the strongest soap can't get off.” As she kept going on about the many uses that she found in used tea bags, I just had one question to ask.

“How did you come to find so many uses for used tea bags?” I asked. Kaori shrugged after a little thought.

“I was bored one day and did some experiments,” she said. “One of my neighbors told me about what she used all of her used tea bags for. Sweet old lady. Her daughter uses them to clean her hair.” I made a face at her.

“You're kidding,” I said.

“Nope,” Kaori said. “I haven't tried it for myself, though.” She twirled her fingers through her hair. “My neighbor's daughter says that she uses the tea leaves to wash and care for her hair. I have to admit that it looks nice. So red and so shiny. I almost wanted to play with it.” Wait… red hair?

“Are these neighbors foreigners?” I asked.

“Yes,” Kaori said. That would explain everything. I noticed that she had more to say with what she used those used tea bags for. Her eyes dared me to ask her. I rolled my eyes. I decided to humor her.

“What else have you used your used tea bags for?” I asked. She leaned into my face with a grin.

“Cooking and cleaning,” she said. My girlfriend said it like it was nothing. Now, this I had to know more about.

“How?” I asked. Kaori giggled as she caressed my cheek.

“Let's just say that my rice tastes so much better with the tea leaves on it,” she said. I wrinkled my nose.

“Tea leaves on rice? What made you do this?” I asked.

“I was bored and just wanted to see what that would taste like,” she said. “I just put tea leaves in the water, boiled it for a couple of minutes, and put in the rice.”

“And how did it taste?” I asked. Part of me was afraid of the answer.

“Pretty good, actually,” she said. “Rice absorbs the flavor. I've had green tea infused rice and I wouldn't have it any other way.” Kaori gently rested her hand on my cheek.

“I will be more than happy to make you some tea-infused rice sometime,” she said. Her deep brown eyes had a gentle gaze in them. She made it sound so interesting.

“Okay,” I said. She was probably going to make some anyway. Cooking meals for me was her love language, I suppose. Kaori grinned as she remembered something else.

“I want to try and marinate my meat with tea leaves,” she said. There wasn't a hint of joking when she said that. Kaori might as well have been speaking Pig Latin at that point.

“Tea as a marinade for meat?” I asked.

“Oh yes,” my girl said.

“Let me guess, your neighbor and her daughter?” I asked. Kaori nodded.

“So invited me for dinner one evening,” she told me. “Her daughter was the one cooking. Roasted pork, I believe is what it was.” She closed her eyes like she was trying to picture it.

“Mmm! That was the best pork that I ever I had.” She closed her eyes and looked over at me. “My neighbor's daughter gave it to me before I let. I just haven't had the time to try it.” The way she pitched it made it sound intriguing. I almost wanted to try this pork marinated in tea leaves. Almost.

“And how do you use tea bags for cleaning?” I asked. Kaori tapped the side of her nose.

“Have you noticed how clean all the windows and mirrors look in my apartment?” she asked. Her eyes looked so bright as she was dying to tell me.

“No way,” I said.

“Uh-huh,” Kaori said. “They worked better than any glass cleaner that I have ever used.” I could listen to that girl go on and on about how she found many uses for used tea bags. That wasn't the only time that she found new ways to creative with her everyday life. I have to admit that I loved her for it.

Present Day

“Hey, Yumi have you ever infused rice with tea leaves?” I asked. She had a curious look on her face.

“I can't say that I have,” she admitted. “That does sound interesting though. Do you want to try that?”

“Sure,” I said. I couldn't help but smile as I said that.