❧ || Ramen Shop

[HeadlessKoko]

It was a little bit obvious. Hard for Kagerou to not notice that Hono was still trying really hard. It made her wonder for what purpose, and the only conclusion she could reach was that it was just character to accomodate. If she told him to relax, she figured that he would probably try only harder because he would think that she was uncomfortable because she thought he was uncomfortable so he would become more uncomfortable and she would think he was more uncomfortable so he would try harder to...

Well, the point was made.

Choosing to silently support his endeavors instead, Kagerou reciprocated his gratitude with a smile, "No problem. It's my first day here, so I'm grateful you agreed to accompany me. Eating alone is the worst." She took a seat and then, happening to see that Hono's sleeve was caught in his lap instead of draping down freely, pulled slightly on the ruffled sleeve to have it fall off the lap and then helped him straighten it.

Straightening up, Kagerou added, "I'm not sure what the specialty here is, so let's ask." In her peripheral vision, she could see that the ramen with a light colored broth appeared to be what most of the other customers were eating, so it looked like the soy ramen was the most popular. Still, it wouldn't hurt to ask. She looked to those working at the stand, the owner and his assistant. They were both busy doing their job, their backs turned. Deciding that she would prefer to enjoy some conversation with Hono over bothering the hardworking chefs, she turned back to her companion, "Well, I guess we can wait for them to come to us. My family also usually eats rice. Though, sometimes we'll go out and have ramen. Seafood ramen is touted as Kiri's signature ramen, but honestly, I prefer tonkotsu ramen. Though, my mom says all that fat is bad for my skin, so I can't eat it whenever she's around." She started by looking at him, straight in the eyes as she usually did, but eventually as her words passed by, her eyes moved over to her hands, which had picked up a set of disposable chopsticks and taken them out of their packaging.

Making conversation with a smile, Kagerou's hands nimbly worked on the packaging. Thinking about her home, she folded it into a flower, the first shape her mind thought of. Once completed, she placed it on the table and rested her chopstick atop it. The piece was considered for a moment. The paper and what had crossed her mind when she was deciding on the shape. However, the latter would have to be something she resolved later. Not only was it impolite to Hono to be distracted like this, a flash of white that was spotted turning a corner was too little to make any sort of decision on and gut instincts was hardly solid evidence. Kagerou's eyes returned to Hono. After all, even her current dining companion had white hair.

On an impulse, Kagerou tacked on an out of place question, "By any chance, were you at the Hokage's office today?".

BlackFruity

 

[HeadlessKoko]

"The broth of tonkotsu ramen is very oily, so it's bad for the pores of your skin. That same oiliness is why it's so delicious, though," Kagerou answered the easiest question first as she put the finish touches on her origami flower. With only a little pause, she continued to contribute more information, "My family, on the other hand, isn't very big," politely reciprocating Hono's information, but less because she felt like it was appropriate to do and more because she also wanted to create a connection with the individual opposite of her. Find out more about him and what his tale was. Such things couldn't be done without giving a bit of herself as well, and Kagerou didn't mind that. He upbringing, however, had taught her otherwise. Trying to balance confidentiality with openness, Kagerou added, "We were a tight knit family. My parents had busy schedules, but every time they'd have a rare break together, we'd take a family trip outside of the village. I got to see and try a lot of new things that way."

Seeing Hono gush over her origami had Kagerou's smile, which had grown wistful with thoughts of her deceased friend, grow wider and stronger, more defined and present in the now rather than the past. She had half a mind to offer to teach him, but first, the answer to her question. As he answered, her eyes bored into Hono's with an intensity she wasn't aware of. An approachable expression but with laser-focused eyes.

Once the affirmative was given, Kagerou's gaze relaxed. It wasn't definitive, but she might as well think that the glimpse of white she had seen had been Hono. After all, what was chasing a ghost going to do for her?

So far, all it seemed to do was distract her. Just now, it had felt like was Hono even more self conscious, trying even harder. There could only be one cause, and that cause had just told herself, not even a few minutes ago, that she would try her best to support his endeavors. Now, here she was being awfully rude and getting distracted.

Perking up, Kagerou's following answers to Hono's questions came with gusto, "No, no, don't apologize. All I saw was a bit of white turning the corner near the hokage's office, so it might not even have been you. Don't know why I mentioned it, really. Ahaha." Her laughter rang with the bells on her wrist as she quickly waved her hand in front of her face, deflecting Hono's apology.

"Anyways," Kagerou began to turn the conversation around before catching movement in her peripheral vision. She paused and turned to the approaching server girl.

"Irraishimase!" the cute assistant bowed and loudly greeted, "sorry for the late greeting. We didn't notice you come in earlier. What would you like to order?" She straightened up and, with notepad in hand, looked straight at Hono and waited for him to answer.

Kagerou, while originally intending to be the one to speak to the server, changed her mind and decided she wanted to quietly watch for the time being instead. Resting her elbows on the table and folding her hands together in front of her mouth, she observed with a smile, eyes casually rolling back and forth between Hono and the serever.

BlackFruity

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Kagerou noted with interest that Hono had far exceeded her expectations, or perhaps more accurately, her expectations had been completely off. She had, like likely so many others before her, expected this excessively spindly and every soft spoken male to be the timid, careful sort. However, far from hesitating, he had even pulled his shoulders back to help carry his voice.

One expectation had been overturned, but another had been strengthened. He certainly knew how to carry himself, and it appeared from how he suddenly appeared comfortable, he was taught well in regards to how to carry himself. He matched the demands of the social situation at hand.

Then a new dilemma, the flash of darkness. Of that, Kagerou had no idea where to place it. A troubling home life? But no, she didn't hear anything about that, either in his words or how he described his family. She found the prospect that maybe he was embarrassed for being so old when he first left his village to be too laughable to seriously consider. Seventeen wasn't old at all. If a family couldn't make a family trip, then that was that.

"Then would that be two soy ramens with char siu," the server said aloud as she jotted down the order, going ahead and assuming that Hono was ordering for both himself and Kagerou.

Kagerou was fine with the order as is, but she quickly added before the server could leave, "Could we also have a bottle of warm sake?". She had been feeling the urge to order one ever since she snapped out of thinking about Severin. Had she been the more impulsive type, she would have probably just waved down the server back then. However, she had considered, mulled it over, and decided that a drink might also be just what Hono needed to loosen up.

"Certainly," the server happily jotted down the addition, "then please wait a few minutes."

As the server left, Kagerou returned her attention to Hono. "Right, where were we...," she took a small phrase to recollect the thread of their conversation. "Ah right," once found, she clapped her hands and resumed, "Places I've been to. Most of the time, my family would travel to different locales in the Water Country, but when circumstances permitted, we'd try to go to other countries. Usually one of the neighboring countries, like Fire or Lightning. Though, most of those plans wouldn't end up panning out, and they'd be dropped... or I'd just travel with my uncle." With a smile, Kagerou looked thoughtfully into space, recalling some happy memories of her trips. Despite all the let downs, she was happy with the few chances she got to vacation with her family. "There's a small chain of islands in the Tea Country. The seafood there beats even Kiri's," Kagerou added out of the blue. It was something she remembered and she found it relevant because Hono had mentioned he hadn't eaten seafood very much.

She turned her eyes back to Hono after her random fun fact. She blinked and then declared, in a sing-song voice, "My turn~," catching onto the rhythm that Hono was trying to achieve. Since Hono hadn't traveled much, but brought up his family a lot, she tried to ask him something he appeared to be comfortable talking about. "Your family sounds lively," she observed, "like it would be fun to live there. Oh, but I know I'm probably only saying that because I've never actually stayed there. Tell me, though, are you the odd one out among your siblings? I might be judging a book by its cover, but a house full of Hono's seems like it'd be rather orderly and quiet. I don't want to say easy to take care of but... well. Guess I already said it."

Kagerou thought that the only way a house of Hono's would ever get loud is if all the Hono's break down from trying to make the other Hono's comfortable but failing because each Hono is working so hard to make sure the others are okay and so they all keep on trying until it suddenly becomes some sort of mess and then... No, even then, she failed to see how it would get loud. Hono seemed more apt to curl into a ball when having a breakdown rather than scream and tear down something. Then again, like she said, she was only judging Hono's surface, the only thing she can see of him at the moment. This speculation all stemmed from a really shallow way of thinking.

BlackFruity

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Had she been wrong? Kagerou felt like she had been so sure that Hono was trying to turn the conversation into a give-and-take, but the way his eyes turned glass-like, like a deer startled frozen, made her second guess herself. Perhaps she had also stepped on a land mine when asking about family? She wasn't sure. Good thing Kagerou never worried too much about second guessing herself, though. She'd done what she'd done, so she could only move on.

Hono, as well, clicked back in short order, answering Kagerou's question with far more thoroughness than she had his, even revealing a pertinent clan name, whilst Kagerou had yet to reveal her own last name. Nonetheless, what Kagerou found more interesting, and it showed in the way her smile widened and when she nodded, was how Hono was the unofficial babysitter of his family and how the family he lived with extended all the way to his parents' sisters and brothers then down from there. Such a big household, and it made Kagerou wonder if Hono just naturally taught himself to be so sensitive in conversation because of the sheer number of people he interacted with everyday.

"A house of Kagerou's?" Kagerou echoed the question back to Hono, laughing in pleasant surprise as she heard her own inquiry tossed back at her, "Hmmm... I'm not sure." Being unsure, she tilted her head to the side and took a small moment to think. She gave her answer slowly, continuing to thoughtfully consider even as she replied, "A house full of me's would be kind of creepy I think, actually. Can you just imagine a family full of always smiling people? Certainly, an annoyance to some, but hopefully also helpful to others. I think the overall noise level would oscillate, though. I don't think I'm all that loud myself, but I enjoy practicing music." She ended on that musical note, nodding in satisfaction at her answer.

However, this time, she volunteered more information than what Hono asked. "I'm pretty much a combination of my mom and dad, though," she started talking about her family as well, reflecting how Hono talked of his and trying to match the volume of his reply, "So my dad is bright and cheery. My mom is always pleasant to be with, but she tends to be on the quieter side. I still live with them if I'm not living with a long-term squad arrangement. We're not really quiet, but well... Both of my parents are workaholics, mostly my mom, so my house is usually pretty quiet." Kagerou sounded unsure of herself. The silence of her home had never been something she had ever thought about or been bothered with. "When I was born, my dad took leave from his duties to raise me until I graduated academy," she expanded on the topic, "so my home would be lively, but I also spent a lot of time with my maternal grandparents, and their house was always somber and quiet, except for the sounds of practice, so I think I got used to both extremes." The words were meant for Hono, but the thoughtful way Kagerou smiled would reveal that the words were also Kagerou thinking her way through her answer. In front of Hono, she didn't feel like she had to hide. Just merely take care with what details she chose to think about adding.

At just that moment, the food and drinks arrived. Ramen, water, and of course the sake Kagerou ordered. "My question this time," she asked as she passed a cup to Hono's side, "Care to join me in a drink?". Her voice floated lightly and her eyes applied inquiry but no pressure. She held the bottle neatly, one hand around the narrow neck and the other holding it up from the base.

Alcohol, she was taught it was good for warming up a first-time conversation. This would be her first time suggesting it at the first meeting, though. She wasn't sure herself if this was really a good idea, but... well... That was how most impulse decisions went. #YOLO

BlackFruity

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Hono's sudden fall of face earned an inquisitive smile from Kagerou, inquisitive and worried, wondering what it was that could have made him sad.

"I believe that sounds like something from a fortune cookie."

Kagerou had to suppress the urge to laugh at what was said, an effort that came out somewhat on her face as her cheeks puffed outward slightly and her smile suppressed the air that threatened the escape. Slowly, she was becoming more comfortable with how Hono would always scrutinize his own actions. As she found the rhythm, she was able to find more to smile and laugh about. His efforts to match with her became less of a burden and more something she found... Strange as it was to describe such a tall male with such a word, "adorable," was the best she could find at the moment.

Seeing Hono's eyes dip slightly, Kagerou wondered what would come next, trying to make her own efforts to guess. Was it another apology? If it was, then too much was no good. She would need to say something about it. It wasn't, however, an apology. It was instead a question that gave Kagerou pause. She fully understood the term Hono asked about, but to put it into words was another matter.

Of course Hono could ask, and it was so obvious that Kagerou jumped straight into her best, improv explanation of the term in question. "Workaholic," she gave the word and then a pause, like she was defining the term in some sort of vocal quiz, quickly falling into her bad enough teaching style of droll lecturing, "A popular term that combines the word "work" with the prefix "holic," which means to be addicted to something. The suffix was the latter likely taken from the term "alcoholic," like many similar informal terms to describe someone who partakes of or participates in too much of one thing. A workaholic is someone who is perceived to work too much out of their own will, giving up other parts of their life as a consequence. The perception of such differs from person to person. Individuals will have different opinions on what activities count as work and how much time or what arrangement of hours is too much." She paused, eyes traveling back and forth as she searched her mind for anything she might have missed to define the term.

Despite feeling she had covered everything, she also felt like she didn't really answer Hono's question. "I guess...," she thought, unsure of how to amend the mistake but serenely tackling the challenge despite her uncertainty, "saying that different people think differently isn't really an answer, so I'll say this. For my mom, her work is her life. I don't think I would be wrong in saying that it has even consumed her life." There was another pause, but this one felt heavier than the last. While Kagerou continued to smile, her eyelids drooped, remaining at halfway down for a while before closing completely. Kagerou started speaking again, "Ah, that's a little abstract, though," her eyes reopened, looking as lively as usual, "Suffice to say, she spent as much time working as she could because she was passionate about her job, and even when she wasn't working, her mind would often still be on her job. As for my dad, well. As soon as I got old enough to attend academy, he started working again, just part-time though, in his old field. He's also proud of his job, but I'm pretty certain his biggest motive is just to keep up with Mom as much as possible." Ending on that happy note, Kagerou even gave a small, feathery laugh.

She nodded her way through Hono's comments on families, fully agreeing. She eyed him carefully as he spoke, wondering if perhaps he was talking about himself. However, when he bowed as if in prayer, she decided that perhaps he was simply speaking of other families he knew about, much like how Kagerou nodded because she understood there were families like that.

There really were a lot of people who deserved much better pasts. Again, Kagerou's eyes became heavy, thinking about Kumotake in Kirigakure, Severin who was no more, and even wondering a little bit about the Mizukage, how she had seen small glimpses of his past during his little reckless experiment but had never seen his family. Was his family no longer on this world like she assumed Shadow's and Jack's to be? Or did something happen? Her thoughts returned to her mother, but she stopped them before her smile grew even smaller.

This talk was too heavy, but Kagerou also didn't feel overly uncomfortable about it. A simple conversation between the two of them, and within the span of a few exchanged words, Kagerou had heavy thoughts twice even though neither she nor her conversation partner had anything depressing directly related to them. It was Hono's presence, she recognized, that kept her going and also encouraged this sort of deep talk. His gentle, comforting manner of presenting himself helped people feeling refreshed and empathetic. He was enjoyable to be around. Kagerou liked peaceful, nice people.

With the arrival of the sake, Kagerou's smile grew back to its normal size. She presented, he answered, and she was used to how he always deferred his position in the way he responded. Pouring the sake the only way she knew how, like a graceful courtesan because up until now her only opportunity to drink had been while training, Kagerou held the bottle by the neck with one hand while her other hand rested on her arm and pulled back on her sleeve, a mostly wasted gesture that was obviously meant for when clothing with more billowing sleeves, like Hono's, were worn.

She answered as smoothly as the warm liquid that poured into both cups, "Instrument-wise, I can play most of them. Excluding the overly eccentric and specialized along with those that are relatively new, I'm confident in my skill." First Hono's cup and then her own were filled. The bottle was placed onto the table and Kagerou handed Hono his cup with both hands. She admitted with an embarrassed smile, "Unfortunately, I have no talent in composing my own music. Still, if you tell me your favorite instrument, I'll be glad to play you something, either from memory or by ear."

BlackFruity

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Something in Kagerou's eyes sparked as Hono mentioned he could draw. A comment she wanted to say, but held back because it was neither important nor would flow smoothly with the conversation. Suffice to say that she found Hono's ability to draw impressive, but was also curious if Kumogakure didn't have a lot of greenery.

To Hono's question, Kagerou confirmed with a nod and a, "Mmn." She waited after she and Hono finished their first sip of the drink, the warmed liquid traveling smoothly down her throat. She expected the burn that followed the liquid, and calmly closed her eyes to appear unperturbed by the sensation. Her eyes reopened and she found herself, on reflex, watching for Hono's reaction to the drink while he spoke. He seemed unused to it, but not unwilling either.

While Hono took his second sip, Kagerou chose to pace herself slightly slower, bringing her bowl of ramen closer as she spoke, "Learning to play instruments was part of my shinobi training, as you've so keenly noticed." She paused after giving this information, stirring the ramen with her noodles to cool the broth with the currents. Feigning ignorance at the dark look of shame she had seen cross Hono's face while he was talking earlier, she just happened to coincidentally slip in, "I'm almost envious to hear that you can draw, however. Even though I've been trying for several years, I've never been able to draw. It leaves everyone from my parents to my grandparents, even my uncle, confounded that I can't even draw much better than a five year old."

Letting that hang in the air, Kagerou took a bite of the noodles that had been hanging from her chopsticks. She quietly slurped them up, took a sip of the broth, and then lifted her head. Looking to Hono, she offered, "How about an exchange? Let me perform something for you, and you draw something for me? If you really can't choose an instrument, then maybe a favorite song? Or perhaps... If you have a favorite someone with a favorite instrument, I could play for the both of you." She teased, but was serious. Soraru and Hono did look good together. Both were elegant, held themselves with dignity, and they seemed to know each other well. However, far be it for her to go any further than crack speculation. She knew Hono for only one day, Soraru even less, and knew nothing about any of their other friends or relationships.

BlackFruity

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Hono's sudden amends caught Kagerou off guard, and his sustained apology only ruffled her. Quickly becoming uncomfortable with how he bowed, she quickly indicated, "Ah, raise your head, Hono. Raise your head. Don't worry, you haven't discovered anything special. Come on, your noodles will get soggy." She reached over to gently push up on his shoulders and get him to straighten. Only after he straightened did she take back her touch.

Kagerou ate more of her ramen as Hono spoke, head nodding as was appropriate. Well, except for the one time at the very beginning when she shook her head at Hono's insistence it might be art style that was her problem. So that she could speak, Kagerou swallowed the mouthful of noodles she had in her mouth, which resulted in some getting stuck and then Kagerou reaching for a cup of liquid, incidentally her cup of sake, to down the lodged food. After gulping down all of the remaining fiery liquid, she gave a light cough, and in that time, noticed that Hono had an empty cup. To be polite, she refilled the vessel, topping it off with sake as she explained, "If only that was the case. However, as my uncle explained it to me, it appears I simply lack the talent in creativity and the artist's eye. What I see in my mind, I cannot transpose to paper." Internally, however, Kagerou admitted Hono could be correct. A different style, even if it wasn't a useful one, or perhaps practicing longer, could have made the difference. However, her uncle and grandparents deemed it a waste of her time, and by their guidance, she had focused on her strengths instead. It was a matter of "what-if," but not a particularly pressing matter. She did not regret having used her time instead to practice further musical pursuits.

Unconsciously, as she poured Hono a drink, Kagerou had slightly shaken her head, not in a gesture of "no," but to recover from the more than half a cup of sake she had chugged at once in an, admittedly, not very graceful display. In her defense, she was on the verge of choking. However, for the moment, she appeared unaffected by the alcohol. She wasn't so lightweight that only one glass would take her away.

Between her speaking and Hono speaking, Kagerou steadily consumed more of her food. Unlike Hono, she was comfortable with not having to face him at every moment of their conversation, even sometimes speaking to him while looking into the bowl. On one hand, she appeared casual when eating, stooping her back to reach for the noodles. On the other hand, she ate eerily silently, the ringing of her bells masking how even the normally noisy slurping of noodles somehow didn't make much sound.

"By 'they,' do you mean the Soraru I met earlier today?" Kagerou asked to confirm, not thinking that there could be that many people from Cloud visiting Leaf but erring on the side of caution just in case. Once receiving the affirmative, she commented innocuously, "He seems like a playboy~" in her little sing song voice. The playful slander was soon accompanied by the opposite, "However, it's not easy for a playboy to wear down their sandals as much as his were or to develop such defined neck muscles."

She hummed quietly in a way that was hard to tell if she was laughing.

"Well, with or without him, but hopefully with, I would be glad to play for you," Kagerou returned to the topic at hand, "I'll think about what song you two might enjoy hearing."

BlackFruity