Three days passed, the weather was a bit hot with white clouds covering the sun for a while, giving the people some relief.
"So, this is the place? Wanmin Restaurant?" Huo Yuhao muttered, adjusting his collar as he looked up at the wooden sign and down at the restaurant before him with raised eyebrows. "Not gonna lie, I was expecting it to be a little bigger and fancier."
Wanmin Restaurant was a humble shop, two stories tall with a simple wooden exterior. The sound of chatter and clinking dishes could be heard from inside, indicating that the place was bustling with customers. The name "Wanmin Restaurant" was elegantly written on a small sign hanging above the entrance, and a rustic charm permeated the air.
Fortunately he didn't wear anything fancy or expensive(one that didn't reek of blood), and just wore a loose-fitting black jacket over a plain blue shirt that fit closely to his muscular body, black trousers and navy blue running shoes. He couldn't help but feel a little out of place amongst the hustle and bustle of the people around him, most of them dressed in more traditional attire.
"...I feel like a city boy experiencing the countryside." Huo Yuhao muttered.
"Oh stop whining, you look fine! Look at me, I dressed up in similar clothes as you and I'm not looking awkward." Tang Ya grinned, posing dramatically in her own black jacket with pink accents and purple top ensemble, complete with a tight-fitting strawberry colored leggings that showed off her well-toned legs. She wore black leather boots that added a few inches to her height and completed her look with a silver necklace adorned with a pendant in the shape of a lotus flower. "Besides, we're just meeting Bei Bei, senior sister Ma Xiaotao and... her, to eat! All things considered, I should be the one looking all awkward here."
'Well excuse me for living a shitty childhood...' Huo Yuhao thought to himself but didn't say it out loud. He let out a sigh and entered the restaurant, Tang Ya following behind him with a nostalgic look in her eyes.
Huo Yuhao didn't hesitate to walked up to the second floor and got the empty table by the open large window that overlooked the streets that had five seats.
Both Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya sat on one side of the table, leaving the other three seats empty for their companions.
"Hello, welcome to Wanmin Restaurant!" A cheerful waitress greeted Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya as they took their seats. "What can I get for you today?"
"Just apple tea and raw tomatoes for me, thank you." Huo Yuhao replied with a smile. The waiter blinked at him.
"I'm sorry but, uh. Raw tomatoes?"
"Yeah. Uncut, fresh tomatoes. Can you get serve those for me?"
"Uh... I'll have to check with the chef first, but um. Can I get back with you on that?" The waitress nervously said, slightly intimidated by Huo Yuhao. She admits that he looks pretty handsome, though he had a slight on the right corner of his lips, giving him a rugged and alluring look. But his request for raw tomatoes was definitely unusual.
Huo Yuhao waved her off. "It's fine. I don't want to trouble you for it. If you can't, then serve me whatever small meals you recommend."
The waitress sighed in relief and nodded.
"Really? That's all you're going to get?" All Tang Ya got was a smirky shrugged, she rolled her eyes. "Suit yourself. I'll have some Chow Mein with shrimp and vegetables, please."
The waitress nodded and jotted down their orders before scurrying off to fetch their drinks and prepare the food.
As they waited, Huo Yuhao looked out of the window.
"...Yuhao."
"Hm?"
"Why'd we come here an hour early?" Tang Ya said, chewing on a complimentary cookie. "In the first place, I was the one to organize this meeting; I should be the only one to be here. You didn't have to come here..."
"Oh please, don't tell me you thought I came here with you to support you with," He glanced at her with a raised eyebrow. "whatever drama this would become. I know that you want to handle this yourself, you can take care of yourself. No, I came here with a more important issue."
"And that is?"
Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes, "Shrek Academy's stance about the Akatsuki."
Tang Ya widened her eyes, realization flashing across her eyes.
"With you disbanding Tang Sect and joining under a new organization that was created by me, a former Tang Sect member and your former 'disciple', I'd bet that would ruffle a few people's feathers and change their impressions of me. I don't care about anyone's opinion of me but if those people has the power to destroy a city, then it's certainly going to be a problem for me."
Huo Yuhao sighed, clenching his hand. "I'm still too weak to do anything against them. I'm here with you to show the people of the Academy, to that... Zhang Lexuan, that I am not a scumbag that tricked you into all this and planning to use you for some nefarious purpose."
Huo Yuhao looked at the road and spotted the figures of Bei Bei and his companions.
"I promised you that I will stand by your side and help you in your struggles after all." He muttered
"Yuhao..." Tang Ya looked at him, her expression softening as she reached out to gently touch his arm. "Thank you for being here for me, for supporting me through all of this."
Huo Yuhao glanced at her, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Of course, Teacher Ya. We're family."
"Family..."
Before they could delve further into their conversation, Bei Bei and his companions arrived at the restaurant. Bei Bei, with worried expression on his face, rushed towards Tang Ya and hugged her tightly. Tears streaming down his face.
"Xiao Ya, I'm so glad you're safe! I missed you, so, so much. I-I didn't know what to do, I thought I was going to lose you! Please, never leave me again," Bei Bei whispered, his voice trembling with emotion.
Tang Ya returned the hug, holding Bei Bei close. Her eyes brimming with tears. "I'm here, Bei Bei. I'm not going anywhere. I missed you too," she said softly, her voice filled with warmth and reassurance.
Ma Xiaotao and the mysterious woman in black, Zhang Lexuan, approached the table. The latter calmly took a seat on the table opposite to Tang Ya. She didn't look at Bei Bei and Tang Ya's direction, she was completely expressionless, almost as if she was coming off as an ice queen.
Ma Xiaotao on the otherhand, while she acted similarly like her as well and wore her red veil to hide her beauty, her expression quickly shifted when she saw the young man sitting by the window and looking at them.
She thought of him as familiar, extremely familiar, and then she recalled that Bei Bei had said that Tang Ya was under the care of a fellow Tang Sect member. He didn't explain further and she didn't ask for it either.
But thinking about it, didn't Tang Sect only have pitiful amount of members? At four, right? And if she remembers correctly...
"Ah! HUO YUHAO!!" Ma Xiaotao exclaimed, her voice carrying a mix of surprise and recognition. She quickly approached the table, her veil fluttering slightly as she moved.
Huo Yuhao turned to face Ma Xiaotao, his expression calm but curious. "Senior Sister Ma Xiaotao, it's been a while," he greeted politely, inclining his head slightly.
Ma Xiaotao's eyes widened as she took in Huo Yuhao's appearance, a myriad of emotions flickering across her eyes. "You... You're Huo Yuhao? W-Why do you look like that?"
Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow. "Look like what?"
"Uh, eh, um..." Ma Xiaotao stuttered, her gaze darting around. "Ehem. I mean... you just look, a little older than before. Hehe."
'You look hot! And handsome, and my fucking type! Holy shit, how could a thirteen year old look this good?! Hubahuba!' She inwardly cried, trying her darnest not to show her true feelings.
Unlike most girls her age that likes the pretty boy types or those with a lean figure and a gentle personality, Ma Xiaotao felt attracted to the manly type of men. Those with courage and without fear on their faces as they stare at death in the face, but most importantly they rippling, jacked muscles and stone-hard abs that you could grate cheese with.
She liked them rough.
"Huh." He blinked, looking slightly surprised by what she had said. He didn't care much about his looks, sure he liked being good looking but he never thought much about it beyond that. "Well, I just... lifted, simple as that."
"It's only been a few months since we've seen each other!"
Tang Ya couldn't help but chuckle at Ma Xiaotao's reaction, noticing the subtle change in her demeanor. "It seems like Senior Sister Ma Xiaotao is quite surprised to see you, Yuhao," she teased lightly.
Huo Yuhao gave a small smile, acknowledging the observation. "Seems like it," he replied casually.
Ma Xiaotao blushed and quickly sat down, thankful she had her veil on so she didn't embarrassed herself in front of her juniors.
Unfortunately for her however, they seen through her veil with their abilities. Huo Yuhao with his powerful eyesight due to his Sharingan, both Tang Ya and Bei Bei practiced the Purple Demon Eyes, and as for Zhang Lexuan... she's called a once in a few centuries genius for a reason.
Meanwhile, Bei Bei, who had been exchanging tearful reunions with Tang Ya, finally composed himself enough to join the conversation. "It's good to see you again, Yuhao," he said warmly, engulfing him into a hug.
Huo Yuhao returned the hug with equal warmth, smiling. "Likewise, senior brother. It's been too long."
After their heartfelt reunion, the group settled into their seats.
As Bei Bei asked for the waitress to get their meals, someone spoke up.
"Since you've had your lovely reunion," Zhang Lexuan slowly said, looking up at both Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya with an icy stare. "can you explain to us of what happened at the Ironblood Sect?"
'Is it just me, or is she staring more intensely at Teacher Ya than me?' Huo Yuhao thought as he bit into his tomato.
Oh and yes, they do serve raw tomatoes.
....
AN: I might've forgotten to say this, but I put up a poll a week ago about a special chapter to commemorate a near 100 chapters for this story. There four options to choose:
1. Future Reaction: The original cast, Huo Yuhao without Sharingan, during the second continental competition gets unexpected guests from an alternate timeline. They're the probable future children of this story's Huo Yuhao.
2. Multiversal Madness: As he was training his use of the Absolute Domain, Huo Yuhao accidentally gets transported into another world.
3. What If? Byakugan: What If Huo Yuhao got the Byakugan instead?
4. Pure Nonsense: I just write pure nonsense omakes, degenerative or wholesome. It's purely non-canon(maybe) and chaotic.
You know what won? What If, got the most votes followed by Future Reactions. The other two had zero. So I'll be posting the What If special chapter soon, the future reaction will be later on. Peace.
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