….
Inside the restaurant customers sat in pairs or groups while others sat alone. However, the entire restaurant was bursting with activities. The customers laughed and made small talks as they ate their foods.
Although the restaurant wasn't a really big one, it was famous for it variety of ramen flavors and seasonings. So much so that some big shots even come by from time to time to have their fill.
The restaurant was owned by the Ming family consisting of two old couples and their teenage daughter.
Lin Ming was a teenager who recently got admission into one of the popular colleges in the city. She clocked eighteen today but rather than go out to celebrate with her friends like other teenagers her age she chose to assist her parents with running their family business. Although her parents refused asking her to go out and have fun. They even tried to bribe her off with money but she was persistent.
Her father manned the register while her mother was the chef responsible for making the Ramen. They barely had any time for themselves.
She had told them timelessly to hire some workers but the two old hag refused claiming that they didn't want an outsider as they were afraid of a stranger ruining their business, so the least she could do was assist them by serving as their waiter whenever she had the time.
Her parents had refused her help at first saying that at her age she should be going out, having fun with her friends and meeting new people rather than wasting away at their restaurant but she strongly declined. Before she entered college she would use the little time she had left to assist her parents.
Moreover, she didn't have a large friend group to begin with. Those within her inner circle were her childhood friends, everybody else were just acquaintance.
She had just finished serving another customer and was about to return to the kitchen to place some new orders when she heard the doorbell ring signifying that another customer has just entered the establishment. She turned around to greet the customers as per usual when she stopped dead in her track.
She wasn't the only one, the entire restaurant turned silent as they stared at the two people that had just entered.
Both of them look very suspicious, one was dressed in full black while the other had on a baggy hoodie that was too big for their size with the hood obscuring half of their face.
Mr. Ming who stood behind the register was mere inches away from pressing the alarm button. He would have done so already if not that he felt that the two of them weren't up to something. However, If the two of them tried anything funny he wouldn't hesitate to do so.
After all in this age, day light robbery was a very common thing. Moreover, anyone could get a gun as long as they heard a license. The only reason why he held back was because the man had his face exposed, knowing those criminals they would always put on a facemask to avoid being recognized by their victims.
Naruto who had just entered the restaurant along side Elena frowned when he saw the looks everyone was giving them.
However, he could understand why as his gaze subconsciously wandered off to Elena standing beside him with her hoodie still on. They really do look suspicious with her dressed like that.
Naruto sighed before walking towards a table located at a corner of the restaurant. Elena who was ignorant of the attention she was attracting quietly followed behind him. She sighed in relief when she saw him heading towards the table far away from the other customers.
"You really know how to stand out. Don't you?" Naruto whispered to Elena as soon as she sat down opposite him with her back turned to everyone else.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to" Elena apologized in a low tone. She didn't know that putting on a hoodie to hide her face would put her in the spotlight, she had actually thought that it would help her blend in, since a lot of people loved dressing like this, especially that one female musician.
However, not only had it not work for her but she had even indirectly caused trouble for Naruto as well which caused her to feel bad.
"It's nothing." Naruto shrugged before picking up the menu on the table to check it out. He already knew that she was only talking this much to him because she was comfortable with him.
Elena seeing him brush off the topic also decided to do the same and started checking the menu. However, she already knew what she wanted even without looking at the menu since this wasn't the first time she was coming here to dine.
Because her parents were always busy most of the foods she ate were take-outs. She had stumbled upon this place during one day and decided to try it out, and ever since then she had been coming back for more every chance she got.
She was certain that if she took off her hoodie now the Ming family would immediately recognize her as their number one customer.
Lin Ming hurriedly approached them when she saw the two of them holding the menu in their hands. With a respectful tone she said.
"Good afternoon, and sorry about before. I was completely spaced out."
"It's no biggie, our taste for fashion was just out of place" Naruto joked to lighten up the mood when he saw the girl bowing repeatedly to them.
"Your taste for fashion? The two of you look like thieves!"
Ignoring the giant mass of chakra with a bad sense of humor Naruto pointed at a particular dish on the menu and said. "I will have this if you don't mind"
"Miso ramen?"
Naruto nodded with a big smile on his face. When he first saw this particular dish on the menu he had been assaulted by memories that had been buried deep within his mind from when he was a child.
The last time he heard this name was when that ramen chef back at the village had given him a bowl for free. That was the first real meal that he ever had, he could still remember it heavenly taste.
He had even promised himself that when he had money he would come back for another bowl but unfortunately his life went to hell from there and he never had the chance to.
Now that he finally saw the name again he couldn't help but want to experience that heavenly taste again.
After answering Naruto she turned to the silent and mysterious Elena. She was about to ask what she wanted when Elena turned the menu to face her and pointed at their specialty ramen.
Lin Ming couldn't help but look at Elena strangely as she write down the order.
After writing down both of their orders she turned around and hurriedly headed to the kitchen to deliver the new orders to her mother.
….
Mrs. Ming who was busy cooking dishes in the kitchen smiled lovingly at her daughter as she walked into the kitchen.
"How are you doing Lin? Hope the customers didn't trouble you?"
"Not at all, ma. Some new customers just came in so I am here to deliver their orders" Lin replied with a beautiful smiled on her face. Even though her mother looked slightly overworked she still has a smile on her face as she was happy doing the thing she loved doing the most.
"Oh" A look of realization flashed across Mrs. Ming's eyes as she received the order from her daughter.
Lin Ming watched as her mother's face went through different expressions as she read the order written on the piece of paper.
After reading the orders Mrs. Ming looked at her daughter with a strange expression.
"I haven't seen an order like this in a while"
"I know right" Lin Ming chuckled. However, her expression turned sad.
Mrs. Ming didn't reply her daughter as she seemed to be reminiscing about something. She thought back to a familiar brunette that used to visit their stall everyday. But for some reason she suddenly stopped coming all of a sudden.
Moreover, after she stopped coming nobody had ever ordered the special ramen until now.
Could it be her? Mrs. Ming thought before dismissing the thought. It might just be a coincidence. The last thing she heard about that girl was that she had her family has been involved in some kind of demonic situation.
I hope she is well.
Mrs. Ming looked at her daughter who was still waiting for her response and said. "It's nothing Lin Lin. I will have the order ready in twenty minutes.
"Okay" Lin Ming nodded not thinking much about it as she left her mother to her own devices.
Mrs. Ming looked at the order again and a familiar face flashed in her mind. Elena?
….
Help me out with some power stones guys it helps the story.