Chapter 15: At The Ramen Shop
"Welcome. How many persons?" Asked the server when Loriel and Elise entered the ramen shop.
Loriel wanted to roll his eyes when he heard the question which he considered stupid.
'Can't you see? Don't you have eyes? There's only me and this stunningly beautiful princess here! Iisshh... So, of course, it's a table for two!'
However, Loriel didn't want to give a bad impression in front of Elise, so he smiled sweetly and replied to the server's question by raising two fingers. "Two people, please."
The server batted her eyes for a few seconds when she realized this was the same man who often came to this ramen shop to eat alone and always had a curt expression on his face.
Yet, today he looked beaming and very friendly?
What sorcery was this?
"Yes?" Loriel's voice moved the server from her reverie.
She cleared her throat, stole a glance at Elise, and put two and two together. She motioned them to follow her. "This way, please."
"This way," Loriel repeated the server's words to Elise with a big smile. The girl smiled back and walked following the server's steps. From the looks of it, Elise seemed to never set foot inside a ramen shop before.
Ahh.. Loriel would see if she liked ramen, he would take her to Japan to enjoy the real thing. He couldn't wait to show this new world to Elise.
Yes, he hated the humans currently occupying the earth, but for someone who came from the past, like Elise, this world was very different from what she was used to and it would be interesting for her to explore it.
And who would be a better tour guide to show her around than Loriel? The man had spent over fifteen centuries exploring this earth from end to end. He knew every single corner like the back of his hands.
He could also speak most of the languages, so Elise wouldn't have to feel troubled, trying to communicate with the people they would meet wherever they went.
"Uhm.. we are here," Elise whispered to Loriel who was busy with his own thoughts. He was sorting through his favorite places. Which one should he show to Elise first?
Ahh.. he had so many places he liked. Well.. actually he was bored already, visiting those places over and over, but now that Elise was with him, it would feel like a new experience. He felt excited.
That's why he didn't notice that they already arrived at their table. The man quickly pretended that he was not daydreaming. He opened the chair for Elise and motioned her to sit.
"Please have a seat," he said sweetly. Elise smiled, mouthed her thank you, and sat on the chair. Meanwhile, Loriel waited until Elise was properly seated, before he opened his own chair and sat.
Everything that unfolded before her made the served dazed.
This couldn't be the same curt guy that often came to their ramen shop and barely talked, right? Now that she could hear him speak to this lady, this server realized the man had a very pleasant, though authoritative, voice.
This man was truly an enigma, she thought.
"This is the menu, Sir," the server handed the menu to Elise and Loriel. The shop was only half-full, so the server was not in a hurry. She stood beside their table patiently, waiting for the couple to order.
"What's your suggestion?" Elise whispered to Loriel. She didn't want to repeat that she had never tried ramen before, in front of the server. So, she hoped by giving hint to Loriel, the man would help her with her order.
Loriel was not dumb. He understood what she was thinking because... well, he knew her inside and out.
The man smiled and opened the menu and pointed at several dishes that he knew Elise would like.
"This, and this. What do you think?" he asked her. "See the pictures and read the ingredients."
Elise nodded. "Looks good. What about this one, next to it?"
She asked while pointing at one dish. Loriel tilted his head to check and quickly shook his head. "No, you wouldn't want that."
He knew Elise hated mushrooms and that particular dish had it.
"Why wouldn't I want it?" Elise looked at the man with interest.
Loriel swallowed. 'Because you hate mushrooms, Honey.'
However, he could only say that in his heart. With his lips, he replied nonchalantly, "Well, we can try it, but don't blame me if you don't like it."
Finally, Elise nodded. She thought it was rude to question Loriel's suggestion since the man had offered some dishes that he thought she would like. She pointed at the dishes Loriel suggested originally. "Okay, I will have this and this."
Loriel turned to the server and mentioned several ramen and side dishes in perfect Japanese.
The server almost fainted due to shock. So, not only this man could act polite and friendly, he also could speak Japanese?
What the...?
Usually, whenever Loriel came here, he wouldn't bother talking. He would only point at dishes he wanted and then ate quietly.
There was almost zero interaction.
So, hearing him speaking Japanese without an accent to order their food, impressed this server greatly.
Damn! This woman must be super important to him that this curt guy tried so hard to impress her, was what the server thought.
And it worked.
Elise looked at the man in admiration. She asked him with widened eyes. "I didn't know you speak Japanese. How many languages do you speak?"
"Ahh.. it's nothing," said Loriel with a smile.
Actually, he wanted to show off. He could speak 70 languages and 100 accents. However, he knew better than to admit such a thing since it would only make people suspicious.
So, he had to hold back his desire to show off before Elise.
The server returned five minutes later with their order, and the couple ate dinner heartily. Elise was curious and she tasted this new dish with great interest. After several scoops, her face looked radiant and she smiled happily.
"You are right. I love these dishes," she commented. "Thank you so much for this lovely dinner."
"Ah, you really love it?" Loriel asked her to confirm.
"Yes, yes. I love it! I can eat this every day!" Elise gushed.
"Ah..." Loriel nodded. He secretly took out his phone and typed another message to his 'great nephew'.
[Haruka Ramen Shop in Midtown. Buy it.]
***
Marc squinted his eyes in confusion when he read the new message from Loriel.
'Eh? Now he wants me to buy a ramen shop? What is he going to do with it? Why is he interested in small businesses now?'
.
.
>>>>>>
I love this couple!
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