Ever since the first day Ryo had stumbled upon the hidden ramen shop, it had become a place of comfort for him. Hidden away in a less populated alley, the shop was nothing special to look at—just a small, run-down place with a faded sign. But the food, the food was something else entirely. From the first bite, he had been hooked, and now it had become a regular stop for him.
Sometimes he had to wonder whether he was getting addicted to this place.
"Welcome back, mister!" chirped the little girl who often served him. She had a bright smile that made her seem older than her years, though Ryo guessed she couldn't be more than ten.
"Good to see you, Kaede," Ryo replied, settling into his usual spot by the counter. The girl quickly handed him a menu, though he hardly needed it.
"Shoyu Ramen and gyoza again?" she asked, already knowing his answer.
Ryo nodded with a smile. "You got it. You know me too well."
The girl giggled and rushed back to the kitchen. Ryo leaned back in his chair, glancing around the shop. There were only a few other patrons, all regulars like him. The place never seemed to attract a crowd, despite the incredible quality of the food. He had come to know some of the other customers, nodding to a few familiar faces as they ate in comfortable silence.
Then there was the woman behind the counter, the one who made it all happen. She was always in the kitchen, working tirelessly to prepare the food. Ryo had learned that she was the mother of the little girl, and while she didn't say much, her cooking spoke volumes. Every dish was made with care, each bowl of ramen a evidence to her dedication and talent.
"Kaede's mother," he thought, as he watched her moving around in the kitchen. "She doesn't have much on the menu, but what she does, she does right."
Ryo couldn't help but wonder why the shop remained so low-key. The food was excellent, but it lacked the flashy presentation or gimmicks that often drew customers to more popular places. "It's a shame," he thought. "With some attention, this place could really take off."
But when he was thinking about the things he could possibly do to increase the sales of the Ramen shop, his mind went back to the night where he had his first night with Akemi. It was a not a fond memory for him, despite appreciating Akemi's body but he knew, now that she became the first woman without including the Shrine Maiden, he would have to always make sure she stayed close to him.
Name: Ryo Harada
Title: Host of Yamato Curse
Sex: Male
Age: 25
Skills: Apprisal, Fast Hands
Relationships: 1. Shrine Maiden (80%)
2. Akemi Nano (70%)
3. Emi Nakamura (55%)
"This power! I can't wait to try it?" Ryo thought, as he looked at the new power he got from having sex with Akemi. He got few choices, but what he found most useful was nothing other than a power called 'Fast Hand'.
"Hmm~ maybe this will be useful in a different way, I should check just in case,"
As he sat there, lost in thought, he didn't notice the little girl returning with his order. She was carefully balancing a tray with his ramen and gyoza, trying to be as professional as possible. But just as she reached his table, her foot caught on a loose tile, and she tripped.
"Ah!" she cried out as the tray flew from her hands.
Ryo quickly caught the little but the steaming hot ramen and gyoza crashed down onto him, splattering his shirt and coat with broth and oil. He winced as the hot liquid soaked through his clothes, but his first concern was for the girl.
She was on Ryo's arms, her eyes wide with shock and tears welling up as she realized what had happened. "I'm so sorry!" she sobbed, scrambling to her feet.
Ryo waved it off, offering her a reassuring smile as he began wiping the mess off his clothes. "It's alright, kid. Accidents happen."
But before he could do much more, the woman from the kitchen came rushing out, her face pale with worry. "What happened?" she asked, her voice filled with panic as she saw the mess. "I'm so sorry! I—"
She muttered, but her first concern was Kaede, who seem to be crying.
Ryo cut her off with a calm wave. "Really, it's fine. No harm done."
The woman looked at his soaked clothes, her worry deepening. "No, it's not fine," she insisted. "Your clothes... they're ruined. The oil... it's going to stain and there are some burn marks on your body."
Ryo shrugged, still trying to ease her concern. "I'll just take them to the dry cleaners. No big deal."
But the woman wasn't having it. She glanced around the shop, noticing that there were no other customers and the people that were already there left, she made a quick decision. "Please, come with me. We need to clean those before the stains set in and put some ice on the burns."
Ryo hesitated, but the thought of going home and dealing with Akemi's reaction to his ruined clothes made up his mind. He nodded, following the woman as she led him through the back of the shop and into her home.
The place was small, much smaller than what Ryo was hoping to be, but it was clean and tidy. The walls were lined with family photos, giving the space a warmth that made it feel lived-in. As he took in his surroundings, the woman hurriedly closed the shop, apologizing the entire time.
"Please, take off your clothes and wear this," she said, fully serious as she handed him a shirt. "This belongs to my husband... it's old, but it should fit."
Ryo accepted the shirt with a nod and began unbuttoning his soiled one. As he handed it to her, along with his coat, she quickly set to work trying to wash the stains out. But no matter how hard she scrubbed, the oily patches remained stubbornly in place.
The woman's anxiety grew as she examined the label on Ryo's coat. Her eyes widened in recognition. "This brand... it's expensive, way too expensive for someone like me to compensate." she murmured, her voice filled with dread. "I can't... I won't be able to repay him for this."
Ryo, now dressed in the simple shirt she had given him, wandered over to a small cabinet filled with framed photos. He picked one up, examining the image of a young couple—clearly the woman and her husband, but what caught his attention was there indifferent looks.
"Hmm~ maybe things aren't going too well for her,"
She returned to him, her hands shaking as she held out his clothes. "I'm so sorry," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I couldn't get the stains out. I don't know how I'm going to repay you..."
Ryo turned to her, setting the photo back down. He could see the genuine worry in her eyes, the honesty in her voice. It was refreshing, in a way, compared to the deceit and manipulation he often encountered from Akemi to see a honest woman.
"It's really alright," he assured her, but she shook her head.
"No, it's not," she insisted. "I'll find a way to pay you back. I promise."
Ryo couldn't help but chuckle at her determination. "You're one of a kind," he said, more to himself than to her. An idea began to form in his mind—a way to turn this situation to his advantage. He decided to test the waters.
"What if," he began, his tone casual, "instead of paying me back, you let me sponsor your shop?"
The woman blinked in confusion. "S-sponsor? What do you mean?"
Ryo leaned against the cabinet, crossing his arms. "I think your cooking is incredible, but this place could use some attention. If you let me invest in your shop, we can make it more popular. More customers, more business, and in return, I'll consider the debt paid."
She stared at him, her mind racing to comprehend his offer. "But... how does that benefit you? I'm the one who owes you, not the other way around."
Ryo smiled, seeing that she was still skeptical. "It benefits me if you succeed. Let's just say I'm a businessman who enjoys seeing potential realized. If you're willing to put in the effort, I'm willing to help. I also want to experience more variety of cooking from you."
He pulled out a business card and handed it to her. "Think it over. If you're interested, give me a call."
The woman took the card with trembling hands, her eyes scanning it before looking back up at him. "My name... it's Sagari Hana," she finally said, introducing herself properly for the first time.
"Ryo," he replied, offering her a smile. "I am Ryo Harada. Nice to meet you, Sagari-san."
Hana nodded, still holding the card as if it were something precious. "I'll think about it," she promised, though the uncertainty in her voice was still evident.
Ryo pushed himself off the cabinet and reached for his coat, slinging it over his arm despite the stains. "Good. I'll be waiting to hear from you."
As he headed for the door, Hana followed him, still looking conflicted. "Thank you... for being so understanding," she said, bowing slightly in gratitude.
Ryo paused at the threshold, glancing back at her. "Just keep making that ramen as good as ever. And don't worry about the clothes—really."
With that, he left the small house, stepping back into the alley where the shop was. The cool evening air greeted him, a major difference to the warmth of Hana's home. He began walking, the small smile still lingering on his lips.
As he walked away from the shop, Ryo couldn't help but think about the possibilities. There was something about Hana's honesty, her dedication to her craft, that intrigued him. And though he wasn't sure where this partnership might lead, he knew one thing for certain—he would be coming back to that shop again and again.
And maybe, just maybe, something more than just good food would come out of it.