Just Your Average Joyride

Police Stop - Zeed POV
This journey was long. Two to three... even five hours' ride, actually. No, we could even reach a day at this point, especially since we had to keep stopping at the toll rest area.

"Fuck me! I still have a stomachache."
"Your loss, Tasyah", I said to Tasyah, who was currently driving the RV. "Remember when I said we had to stock drugs for THIS exact scenario."

She gave me a frown... A big one at that.

"What? Now you're mad at me?"
"Shut up, ZEED!"
"Make me!"

She couldn't do it since she had to focus on the wheel... Or so I thought.

"Autopilot on"

I heard an AI voice come out of the machine. I forgot. Harold did say that this is his acquaintance's newest RV. As I was awing, Tasyah was right in front of me; her face looked annoyed and mad.

She punched me... but...

"Huh... You called that punch?"
She became angrier. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

We quarreled in front of the ride. We didn't even realize it, but Harold did.

"YO, why are you fighting? The police could be watching from the front window!"

And that was exactly what happened. Tasyah quickly took the wheel back, obeyed the police, and pulled to the side of the toll road.

"This is your fault, Zeed."
I said it quietly, "Woman!"
Unfortunately, she heard it. "I heard that, dimwit! We're in a small space!"

She changed her expression to talk to the police. She opened her window and said, "Good day, officer. How can I help you?"

He stared at us with such a look and replied, "Really, now?"

I turned away to ignore them, but then he commented on us, "Also, kind of shocking seeing the wife riding the ride here. What are you? A wimp? Can't even drive a vehicle and give it to the woman?"

I took offense at that, but then Tasyah defended me: "Sir, we don't want to hear that from someone who doesn't even have a wife."

I held my laugh, and I could hear him feel offended. "Fine! I'll..."

Before he could say anything, Tasyah quickly whispered something to him. I was curious what that whisper was, but it worked. The officer backed out and just drove away.

Tasyah answered my confusion, "Rian Kandorjo. A new officer in his division."
"... What?"
"My dad is working with the officer, remember? Big G. He knew... My parents' names are in the history book. He's kind of a big deal, you know?"

Ow... So basically an abuse of authority.

But then a realization struck in: "Wah, wait. What? But how do you...?"
"I looked up his name in my Memory Library. It didn't come up, so it's natural that he is new."
"No! How do you know...?"
"He has a nametag, idiot! Pay attention!"

Tasyah continued driving, and Harold came down to the front and asked, "How was it? I heard the officer backed up."
I answered, "Abuse of authority."

He looked at me, then Tasyah. He commented, "Well, as long as it was resolved, I'm okay." He went back and didn't comment much on Tasyah's abuse of authority.

Before I could ask, Harold already answered, "Thanks for the save there, Tasyah. I haven't been able to complete the payment to my acquaintance."
"No problem."

So, that was what it was.

"There is more you need to understand in the real world, closet boy."
"You make me sound weird."
"You ARE weird."
"..."

I gave her the looks, but she didn't flinch; instead, she was smiling.

Another Food Disaster - Tasyah POV
We were about to have dinner. I felt a little hesitant, and so I asked Wiwin.

"... Win, we're not going to..."
"No. Harold took over."

I shouldn't have asked that; now Wiwin cried. I knew my stomach wasn't as strong as Harold's, but I should at least appreciate the food... right?

Then I noticed, "Yo... where is Zeed?"

Wiwin cried, "He would rather eat from the food stall outside than my meal or Harold."

Of course, he would. I thought I might want to catch him, but then I felt a bit bad for Wiwin.

"Don't worry, Win. I'm going to cheer you on. I know how hard to do something outside your comfort zone."
She sniffed and thanked me, "Thanks, Tasyah. Baby."
"Huh... Been a while since you called me that."
"You're my... favorite little sister, you know."

I smiled and joined her and Harold while the others ate at the food stall. Harold was finally finished cooking, and it smelled delicious.

Harold looked at me and commented, "You didn't join Seiza and Zeed? You might still get food poisoning, you know? I just tried my best to make these old foods edible."

I was shocked to hear that. I replied, "You... what?"
"I cooked old food... Well, actually, I cooked old instant foods. I don't want to waste them, and Wiwin agreed we would eat these."

I... regretted my decision.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to throw away instant food this old?"
"Like, I said, I tried. Not that I want to save these instant foods. I experiment with it."
"You sounded like Seiza all of a sudden."

We laughed at the joke I made.

But then the mood changed again when Harold said, "Thanks for the joke, but no. We are for real eating this tonight."

I thought, "Fuck me. I won't be sleeping well tonight."

Harold gave a bowl full of instant noodles to Wiwin and me. I looked at the bowl and commented, "I mean... You did make the smell delicious."

Wiwin took offense and asked, "Huh? Mine didn't?"
I bluntly answered, "Yeah. Sorry, Win."
Wiwin bowed his head in sadness.

"Smell isn't everything." Harold pointed out, "The matter is the taste, right?"

And that was why I tasted it first. I hesitated to grab the spoon. I raised my hand, sweating like hell. Slowly but surely, I reached for the spoon. I grabbed it, still sweating. I spooned the soup. The soup wasn't that much on the spoon, but it still felt like a lot. I raised the spoon to my mouth. I still did it slowly, and it finally reached my mouth. I closed my mouth and gulped the soup.

"How was it?" Harold asked.

"... Hmm... It's... okay, I guess."

Spoiler alert: It wasn't. I ended up eating the whole thing and went to the toilet at midnight. AND SOMEHOW, Wiwin and Harold weren't affected. What the fuck, man?