The glass door swayed gently as Alaric pushed it open, letting the spicy aroma of Samyang broth waft through and welcome them into the restaurant. The little boy he held by the hand glanced to the right and left, hesitant, as if unfamiliar with a place like this.
Alaric leaned down and offered him a reassuring look. The boy gave a small nod, as if to say, "It's okay, let's go." Slowly, he followed, his steps small and cautious, but Alaric's steady grip gave him courage.
As they stepped fully inside, the clattering of pots from the chefs' stoves rang out, and the spicy scent of the seasonings grew stronger, enough to make anyone's stomach rumble.
Alaric led the boy toward an empty table in the corner. He let the child sit down first before taking his own seat, setting down a bag of bread beside his chair without much attention to it.
