Rino and Me in Cheese

When Y had a big event a few weeks ago, her first Sports Day at Jr. High, I made her a bento (lunch box).  I asked her about how many onigiri  (rice balls) she'd like and she said to leave the rice to her.  She'd make her own "onigiri" (an onigiri is a rice ball that is a 'staple' in sports day lunch boxes).

She asked me for some nori (toasted seaweed that wraps around the rice) and a scissor.

Scissor?  I asked.

Yes, she said, and being the humble assistant that I am  when I sense she is about to do something creative with her cuisine, I obliged and got her the scissor.

She then took out a photo of her favorite idol J-pop star, Rino Sashihara.

(note:  Rino is a member of the pop phenomenen AKB48 and the newer offshoot group "Not Yet".

She is also from Oita, the city where we live, and Y has developed a great love for her.)

Back to the rice, Y then proceeded to trace the photo of Rino and then to cut the outline in nori (the toasted seaweed).  She carefully cut the shape of the hair, the eyes and the eyebrows.  Even though I watched her carefully, I still couldn't believe how she could get such lines out of the crumbly sheets of seaweed.  Then I realized--

True Love!

She was able to make a wonderful likeness of her favorite pop star in seaweed, and then place it over a piece of cheese to make the lines pop out.  She then put it over the rice and we packed it together with her lunch box to take to Sports Day.

I told Y that Rino is lucky, and that I wished that one day Y would make me in cheese.

This weekend I had a Yoga Dance event that I was excited about and at the same time a little nervous.  I had to wake up early for the first morning yoga session so I went to bed before Y.  She saw that I was in a 'mood' and that I was nervous about teaching my coming event.  She said good night and good luck (I'd be gone to catch an early train even before she wakes up ) and asked me for a picture of me.

I grumbled that I wanted to go to sleep and she said forget it, she'd find one.

The next morning when I woke up there was a plate with two little mini pieces of bread, topped with...

you guessed it!  Me, in Cheese!!!

Not only me, but also a "tomare" and a "J", the two symbols of 'me'.

With a note wishing me luck in my day!

I packed them on top of my bag and took them with me along with my music and my (tomare) yoga mats.

No longer nervous about the day, I took off on my bike at 5:30 for the train station, the cheese in my bag and the love in my heart!

'me' in cheese

Rino Sashihara Onigiri (by Y) and Bento (by me)

ai ♡kawarazu

jgy