So... Ramen? [Kaya]

[Vico J. Kim]

[atrb=border,0,true][STYLE=float: left; padding: 60 5 0 5; font-size: 9px; margin: 5px; text-align: center; width: 100px;] [/style][STYLE=float: right; width: 60px; text-align: left; font-size: 8px; margin: 10 -65 0 0; padding: 8 0 12 4; text-transform: uppercase; border-left: 1px dotted;]Tags: Kaya Notes:[/style][STYLE=width: 350px; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; padding: 5px;] Staring up to the dark sky, Vico leaned forward on the counter with his chin on his palm. Business in the ramen stand has been decent, considering how small it was. With only five stools, a simple wooden counter, and a decent kitchen, it's surprising how such a small business dwarfed by all the other competition could survive. The only workers there were Vico and a couple in their late 60's. The owner, or the old man from the couple, pat Vico on the back, making him turn around. "Kiddo, mind locking up? I made enough noodles for three people, just in case some poor soul needs something to eat." Vico smiled and nodded. "Sure thing old timer. You oughta just teach me how to make the noodles and I can take over the business." The old man just chuckled and left, closing the door loudly. After a moment, Vico walked into the kitchen and took out a can of soda before walking back to the counter. He opened the can with a fizz and took a quick sip as he looked up at the starless sky. "Wonder if someone'll actually come? I don't want those noodles to go to waste." [/style]

[SAWADA KAYA]

[atrb=width,460,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=C0C0C0][atrb=style, padding: 20px; font-family: verdana; border-top-left-radius:2em; -moz-border-radius-topleft:2em; border-top-right-radius:2em; -moz-border-radius-topright:2em;] [style=color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; margin: -25px; text-indent: 30px; letter-spacing: -2px;]cause it's not too late, it's never too late[/style] [style=background-color: #efefef; font-size:10px; line-height: 12px; color: #333333; text-align: justify; padding: 10px; font-family: verdana;]Anything to get out of that accursed house. The praise. The high expectations. She preferred to be wandering around the town at night than staying in a room she didn't feel was hers. She had left her house later that evening, telling her parents she had something to pick up for school and that she would grab a bite to eat while she was out. She technically lied, but it didn't matter. She would be getting something to eat, though nothing for school unless she could think of something she actually needed for class. So technically, it was the truth. Instead of justifying the lie, she decided to hurry up and grab a winter jacket. Putting it on, she left the warm confines of the house and walked out onto the streets with a set destination. Ramen sounded good. Something that normal people ate, instead of the fancy meager meals that her family put on the table. Hell, the meals weren't even home cooked. No one slaved over a hot stove to give their loved ones a meal, only a Chef slaving over a hot stove to get his weekly paycheck instead of cooking for his own family. She sighed once again, feeling the cold air leave her mouth. She was about ready to stop in the middle of the road and scream, or possibly punch the nearest wall. But she didn't. She walked down the housing areas with a fast pace until she reached the shopping district, looking around as the lights from stores brought this area to life. A nice family-ran ramen stand appeared in the corner of her eyes. Ramen sounded quite good to her tonight, so why not? She walked towards the stand, pulling the curtain that enclosed the seating area as she let herself in. She gave the young man who stood at the counter a small nod. She wasn't really good with speaking to others without getting irritated but she guessed she could try at least once tonight. "Hey, is it too late to order anything?" she said lightly, avoiding eye contact with the young man as an irritated expression appeared on her face. It was a natural expression she made, one she wasn't too aware of. [/style] [style=background-color: #efefef; font-size:8px; line-height: 12px; color: #333333; text-align: justify; padding: 10px; font-family: tahoma;]WORD COUNT: 000 NOTES: TAGS: Xana CREDIT: AERIE OF OTE[/style]

[Vico J. Kim]

[atrb=border,0,true][STYLE=float: left; padding: 60 5 0 5; font-size: 9px; margin: 5px; text-align: center; width: 100px;] [/style][STYLE=float: right; width: 60px; text-align: left; font-size: 8px; margin: 10 -65 0 0; padding: 8 0 12 4; text-transform: uppercase; border-left: 1px dotted;]Tags: Kaya Notes:[/style][STYLE=width: 350px; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; padding: 5px;] Vico was about to sip from his soda again until a girl walked in. He took a glance at her and quirked an eyebrow. She looked no older than 15, which is really odd. Then again, he'd stay out late and chill when he was in high school, but she didn't seem like the type of person who'd just waltz around at night. She looked irritated too, which isn't gonna end well if he somehow manages to piss her off. He smiled and took off his jacket, tossing it on a chair on his side of the counter. "I usually leave at around this time. Luckily for you, I haven't eaten anything yet and I have some noodles left over for 3." Vico walked back into the kitchen and found three portions of cut, uncooked noodles, wrapped in a damp cloth. He sighed as he filled up a pot with water and poured in some salt before placing it on a stove and turning it on, leaving the water to boil. He then filled up a pot with some stock and other ingredients to make the soup and placed it on another part of the stove as he turned around and called out. "Oi, hope you don't mind waiting a bit. Gimme a couple minutes and I'll get the food out." After 10 minutes, Vico came out with two decently big bowls of ramen. He laid them both down, showing a simple ramen bowl with a couple slices of meat and some dried seaweed sprinkled on top. "It isn't much, but I hope you like it." He walked over to the fridge again and took out another can of soda, placing it in front of Kaya, smiling. "Don't worry, it's all on the house. Now dig in while it's hot." [/style]

[SAWADA KAYA]

[atrb=width,460,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=C0C0C0][atrb=style, padding: 20px; font-family: verdana; border-top-left-radius:2em; -moz-border-radius-topleft:2em; border-top-right-radius:2em; -moz-border-radius-topright:2em;] [style=color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; margin: -25px; text-indent: 30px; letter-spacing: -2px;]cause it's not too late, it's never too late[/style] [style=background-color: #efefef; font-size:10px; line-height: 12px; color: #333333; text-align: justify; padding: 10px; font-family: verdana;]She only nodded to his words, keeping her eyes pointed at the counter as she avoided eye contact. She didn't really like social people when it came to getting a bite to eat, though many people probably liked to have a good conversation as they injured their food. She just didn't. For some reason, she had always preferred to eat in seclusion. Somewhere where she couldn't hear the sounds of gluttony, which came in the form of someone eating without keeping their mouth closed. It was probably best that she ate in solitude, to avoid the anger that came from eating with a group of people that would probably annoy her in the end. At least Mama Cesarina understood that, though she was only one of the few people who Kaya could eat next to without being irritated. She listened as he went into the kitchen, keeping her brown eyes aimed towards the counter. She spent the next few minutes like this, doing practically nothing but deep thinking as she waited, barely even hearing his call for the wait. He returned only ten minutes later, placing the bowl in front of her along with a soda. The steam had risen from the bowl and the scent was delicious to her. She wore a light smile as she placed her hands together, "Itadakimasu!" And dug in, skillfully using a pair of chopsticks. The smile quickly faded at a pair of words. Don't worry, it's all on the house. She gritted her teeth and gazed up, their eyes meeting. "I don't like free meals, especially from a family-run business," she broke eye contact and resumed her meal, softly whispering to herself, "Special privileges always piss me off." [/style] [style=background-color: #efefef; font-size:8px; line-height: 12px; color: #333333; text-align: justify; padding: 10px; font-family: tahoma;]WORD COUNT: 000 NOTES: TAGS: CREDIT: AERIE OF OTE[/style]

[Vico J. Kim]

[atrb=border,0,true][STYLE=float: left; padding: 60 5 0 5; font-size: 9px; margin: 5px; text-align: center; width: 100px;] [/style][STYLE=float: right; width: 60px; text-align: left; font-size: 8px; margin: 10 -65 0 0; padding: 8 0 12 4; text-transform: uppercase; border-left: 1px dotted;]Tags: Notes:[/style][STYLE=width: 350px; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; padding: 5px;] Vico blinked after hearing what she said about special privileges. He didn't mean to hear it, but it was so silent around them. She reminded him of his mother, which caused him to chuckle a little. "Special privileges? Nah, just think of it as a tradition that's been going on for a while. Hell, that's how I got my job here." He took a pair of chopsticks from the container on the counter and began eating from his own bowl of ramen. After eating for a minute or two, Vico looked up at Kaya. Did she run away from home or was she fed up with something and came here to relax? Sure he went through that more times than he could count, but still. A few moments of silence later, Vico stopped eating and put his chopsticks on his bowl. He placed his elbow on the counter and leaned his face into his palm as he stared stoically at Kaya. "So kid, what's up? It's not everyday you see a girl your age wandering around in the middle of the night around this area. Some sorta family problem?" Suddenly, a vibrating sound came from his jacket. He turned to the chair his jacket was on and took his jacket, placing it on the counter. The outlines of his box weapons was visible, along with a shine from a small part of his knuckles that were visible. However, he didn't notice any of those as he took out his phone and looked at the text that came. Hey, you find anyone willing to join the BP? Vico gave a blank stare to his phone as he texted back. No, now stop texting me about it bro. I'll call or text you when something big happens. With that, he turned off his phone and put it in his pocket as he turned back to Kaya with a grin. "So where were we again?" [/style]