It had been two months. Two long months since Hana last saw Ryo. His absence weighed heavily on her heart, pulling her into a spiral of uncertainty. The ramen shop was busy, as always, but Hana couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness. She missed him—more than she ever thought she would.
One evening, as she stirred a pot of broth, her eyes caught sight of the empty seat at the counter. The one where Ryo always sat. It was strange—how quickly she had come to associate his presence with comfort. She had thought about him every day, but today, the sadness in her chest felt unbearable.
The tears came without warning.
Hana quickly turned her face away from the customers, trying to hide the sudden wave of emotion. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, but it was no use. The tears kept coming, one after another. She felt so helpless. Ryo had been a part of her routine, and now that he was gone, she felt lost. The messages she sent him went unanswered, and each time her phone buzzed, she hoped it would be him. But it never was.
She told herself not to cry. She couldn't. Not here, not in front of the customers. She quickly regained her composure, wiping away the last of her tears and forcing a smile, but it didn't feel right. Something was missing—something she couldn't put into words.
Kenta, who had been working in the kitchen, noticed her shift in mood immediately. Mei, too, had been watching her carefully all evening. They could see it in the way she moved, the way her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Hey, Hana," Kenta called, walking over to her with Mei right behind him. "You've been kind of down lately. Is everything okay?"
Hana hesitated, glancing at the counter where Ryo used to sit. "I'm fine, really. Just... tired, I guess."
But Kenta wasn't convinced. He exchanged a look with Mei, and they both stepped closer. "You've been more than just tired," Mei said, her voice soft but concerned. "You've been missing someone, haven't you?"
Hana's heart skipped a beat. She didn't want to admit it, didn't want to show how much Ryo's absence was affecting her. But the words came out before she could stop them.
"I miss him," Hana whispered, her voice cracking slightly. "I miss Ryo. I don't know why he hasn't come back. I'm worried... I'm worried something happened to him."
Kenta and Mei exchanged another glance, their expressions a mix of sympathy and concern. Hana had been trying so hard to hold everything together, but they could see how deeply she was affected. They couldn't just stand by and watch her suffer alone.
"Let's close the shop early tonight," Mei suggested. "You need some rest. We'll take care of everything."
Hana looked at her coworkers, surprised by their sudden kindness. "But the shop isn't even closed yet..."
"We'll manage," Kenta assured her. "You've been pushing yourself too hard. You need a break."
Hana hesitated for a moment, but then she nodded. She didn't have the strength to argue. She felt exhausted, emotionally drained. "Okay," she said quietly. "Thank you."
Kenta and Mei quickly worked to wrap things up, making sure to clean and prepare everything for the next day. Hana stood off to the side, still feeling the weight of her worry for Ryo.
Once the shop was closed, Hana stood at the door, ready to leave. She stared out into the darkened street, her heart still heavy with concern. It had been so long since she had seen Ryo. She thought of all the times he had been there—sitting quietly at the counter, his dark eyes focused on her as she prepared his bowl of ramen. Now, it felt like that part of her life had been erased. And all she had left were the unanswered messages, the empty seat, and the gnawing fear that Ryo might be in trouble.
"I'll try to contact him," Kenta said as he approached her. "Maybe Kai knows something, but... it's been hard to get a hold of him, too."
Hana nodded, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over once more. "I just... I just want him to be okay."
Kenta gave her a sympathetic smile. "We'll figure it out, okay? We're here for you, Hana. You don't have to go through this alone."
Mei stepped in beside them. "We'll help you find him. Don't worry."
As they walked out of the ramen shop and into the cool evening air, Mei's mind was working overtime. She glanced at Kenta, her brow furrowed in thought. She had been watching Hana closely for a while now, and it didn't take a genius to see what was going on.
"You think she's in love with him?" Mei asked quietly, her voice barely a whisper.
Kenta didn't answer immediately, but after a long pause, he sighed. "I think she has feelings for him, yeah. I mean, the way she talks about him—she's obviously worried sick. It's been over two months, and she hasn't stopped thinking about him. It's hard to ignore."
Mei bit her lip thoughtfully. "I get that she's concerned, but... I don't know. It's just so strange that he hasn't even sent a message. What's going on with him?"
"I don't know," Kenta admitted. "But Hana's been distracted ever since he stopped coming around. She's not herself lately."
They both glanced at Hana, who was walking ahead of them, lost in her thoughts.
"I hope he's okay," Mei murmured, watching her friend with a sad expression.
"Me too," Kenta said quietly. "But whatever's going on with him, I think it's affecting Hana more than she wants to admit."
Mei nodded. "Maybe she should just tell him how she feels when he comes back. It's obvious that she cares about him more than she's letting on."
Kenta shot her a quick look. "You think so?"
Mei raised an eyebrow. "I mean, come on. She hasn't stopped thinking about him, and you can see it in her eyes. I think she's in love with him."
Kenta sighed again, feeling the weight of their shared concern. "Yeah... I think you might be right."