"You're home very late, Carl. Where have you been?" Leona greeted me at the door.
As usual, she was wearing her oversized t-shirt with very short shorts. So short that it looked like she wasn't wearing any pants when Leona stood upright.
I sneered. "Didn't you tell me not to come home at the same time? And also this afternoon... Ah, never mind." I put the tablet on the wall where the tablet holder was.
Tablets in this world function as books, bags, or replacements for other work tools like laptops. Usually, adults have their own holographic tablets compared to the regular tablets children use for school. This is because adult tablets are designed for work or research, unlike children's tablets which are designed for learning or studying.
I looked at the tablet storage on the wall near the shoe rack. *Aunt Hana isn't home yet? I still don't know what Aunt Hana's job is.*
"Leona."
"What." Leona snapped back rudely. Even though I only called her name. She was still standing in front of me with her hands on her hips.
"What is Sis Hana's job? When will she be home?" I asked while pointing to the tablet storage. There should be Aunt Hana's tablet too, but seeing that her tablet wasn't there meant she wasn't home.
"Sis Hana usually comes home quite late at night. She works as an artillery weapon assembler."
"Artillery weapon assembler? I thought Sis Hana had left the military."
"She left the military, but she still likes weapons. That's why she works in the artillery weapon department as an Armorer. Her job is to assemble better artillery weapons and also provide their ammunition. These weapons will later be used as armaments for soldiers to explore the outside world.
"The mutated creatures outside are becoming more diverse and can threaten the city. That's why soldiers are sometimes assigned to re-explore our new world."
Everyone knows that part. I just nodded in agreement.
"I just know that Sis Hana works as an Armorer. Even though her physique is like a soldier, I don't see any artillery weapons here."
"That's because she hides them. I once saw her carrying a sniper rifle from her room."
I briefly said "oh" then went to Aunt Hana's room to change clothes.
"Carl... Wait."
I was just about to step into Aunt Hana's room. Leona called me while looking down.
"What?"
"This afternoon... I accidentally fell and made you faint... I'm sorry." She said it shyly and cutely, while wringing the fabric of her pink oversized t-shirt, her feet restlessly rubbing the floor. She was wearing room sandals with cute rabbit pictures. Just like the logo on her oversized t-shirt.
"Is that all?" I turned to look at her blankly. Is that all she wanted to say? Even though I had willingly become her body's landing pad this afternoon. I fainted because of her!
"Erm... Also, thank you..." Leona said softly. But I heard it clearly. I smirked slightly.
"What? I didn't hear it~"
"I already said thank you for saving me, hmph!" Leona crossed her arms over her chest while turning her face away. Her reaction was quite cute too. I chuckled softly.
"Alright, I'm going to change."
Groowwlll...
A rumbling stomach sound was heard. Leona blushed as I turned to her.
"I-it's because I haven't eaten anything since this afternoon. It's because you wasted my time this afternoon, Carl! So I didn't have time to buy food at the school cafeteria during lunch break."
I put on a blank face. While gaping in surprise. *Couldn't she buy food on the way home from school at another store outside?*
"Just go buy some outside." I waved my hand dismissively.
Suddenly, my hand was held by Leona who had approached.
"I-it's not that I'm scared or anything, I just don't want to buy food outside alone." Leona held my hand while turning her face to side. I could clearly see her flushed cheeks and her small pouting lips and puffed-up cheeks.
I let out a soft sigh. Seriously? How troublesome.
"I want to change clothes first. After that, let's find something to eat outside."
Leona glanced at me then turned her face away again as soon as I released her hand. I still looked back a little. That's why I knew Leona was constantly looking for opportunities to peek at me. I don't understand what's going on in this girl's head.
"Do you want to watch me change or what?"
I started taking off my uniform after standing in front of Aunt Hana's wardrobe. Opening my suitcase, I took out a t-shirt and black trousers.
"P-pervert!"
Thud!
Leona slammed the door hard. I shook my head while letting out a soft sigh.
After finishing changing, I hung my uniform in the wardrobe, which could make my clothes neat and fragrant like freshly washed in a few minutes.
Oh yes, in this era, we no longer wash clothes using water. To save water, we developed wind technology that can produce non-wet steam.
With that steam inside the wardrobe, the clothes inside can be clean, fragrant, and neat again as if freshly dried after washing.
That's because the steam used has fragrant molecules that also eliminate bacteria that cause clothes to smell and wrinkle. In addition, these steam molecules function to relax the fiber atoms of the clothes so that the clothes can become softer and neater than before.
Inside, there were also many of Aunt Hana's clothes. Among them were various types of large bras. Well, considering her indeed large breasts, H cup, it's natural, but she only had three pairs of black underwear. I think Aunt Hana has no taste in fashion. Even so, Aunt Hana is already beautiful without any makeup.
I gently patted my cheek. What was I thinking? I remembered last night's incident again. Remembering it made me blush.
I cleared my throat for no reason. Closing Aunt's large wardrobe.
"You should move your things to my room, Carl."
"Whoa!"
I was startled to hear Leona's voice right behind my back. I didn't realize it because I was just daydreaming about Aunt Hana.
I turned around with an awkward smile.
"Since when did you come in here, Leona? And what do you mean by moving my things to your room?"
Leona puffed out her cheeks for no reason while crossing her arms for the umpteenth time. Turning her face away with an annoyed expression.
"Hmph! Stupid. Come on, I'm so hungry."
"Yes, yes, spoiled princess."
"Huh? Who are you calling spoiled?"
Thump!
Leona hit my waist for no reason. See? This girl is really troublesome for me!
***
We both went out for dinner. Our apartment is located in the middle of the city, so it's easy to find restaurants, cafes, or fast-food places here. Just walking out of the apartment building, we were already presented with a view of various stalls selling food and other things.
Beriu City has its characteristic food, which is an Eastern culture from ancient people. That is my favorite food! Ramen!
I invited Leona to eat at a ramen stall whose smoke alone made my mouth water. Not too far from the apartment, I saw this ramen stall when I came home from school earlier.
Leona—she was more obedient than I expected. I thought she would choose to find food elsewhere.
We both sat at the ramen stall's table. Still the same as old age, the ramen seller cooked live in front while we, who were eating, sat on long chairs and tables attached to the kitchen view.
The interior decoration of red lanterns outside with the word ramen from old Japanese. Noren curtains at the entrance, a wooden menu board that still used traditional methods. Wooden chairs and a long counter table. A small bell as a sign to order. Creating an inexplicable sense of nostalgia amidst this futuristic era.
"Aiyo, what would the pretty girl and handsome young man like to order, hm?"
The chef asked for our order, there were two people working there. A girl and the chef, who was probably her father, with a distinctive Eastern face. I didn't clearly see the face of who might be his daughter or just a part-time worker, but she wore glasses and had jet-black hair styled in a typical Eastern girl's cut.
"Ah, I'll have one Shoyu ramen. How about you, Leona?"
"I'll have one Miso ramen."
"Aiyo, coming right up, folks." The chef winked. It seemed the elderly chef, wearing a white hat and a white apron stained with various marks, had a cheerful and friendly character. I smiled faintly at him.
Leona didn't even glance. She... had been trying to avoid eye contact with me all this time. It was the same during the way here. She walked beside me but her gaze was fixed elsewhere.
"What's wrong, Leona? You've been avoiding my gaze all this time."
Her arms were crossed over her chest. From that alone, I could tell she was annoyed with me. But what made her so unreasonably annoyed like this?
"Hmph."
I put on a lazy face. Ugh, instead of thinking about her, I should recall what happened in the infirmary and at school today.
Actually, I still don't understand how Apollo's curse—which Artemis told me about—works. She said I was cursed to be easily loved. I still don't understand what that means, it seems I should ask her about it tomorrow at school.
Also about Lilia. We both agreed to keep what happened this afternoon a secret. If a rumor about her and me being intimate in the library spread, my life would be 100% ruined.
And also, she said she wanted to make me responsible by making me one of the candidates for her future husband? It seems my life will be even harder than usual in the coming days.
I still have four years until I graduate from school and go to university. And the junior high school I attend is integrated with the high school. So even if I graduate from junior and move up to high school, I'll still be attending the same school.
I don't know how to solve this problem. A problem I accidentally got into just because I saw Lilia masturbating in the deserted library. Hah, I should have fought back when she cornered me there. Then what happened this afternoon wouldn't have happened and I could have lived a peaceful school life, maybe.
"One Shoyu ramen and one Miso ramen are ready, osu!"
The chef returned with two bowls of ramen with different broth colors and toppings. Mine was browner compared to Leona's, which was lighter in color. There were pieces of chicken fillet, seaweed sheets, fish cake, a soft-boiled egg, and chewy yet tender noodles! Leona's was more or less the same, except she had an extra sprinkle of sesame seeds on her noodles.
"Enjoy your meal!"
I picked up the chopsticks available in the spoon and fork holder. Clapping my hands before eating, a typical Eastern style. My father also often did this when he was about to eat ramen.
Clap!
"Bon appétit!"
Leona looked at me before following my action.
Clap!
"B-bon appétit."
We both slurped the delicious, savory, salty, chewy noodles in broth!
"Delicious!" I accidentally exclaimed after slurping a mouthful of noodles with my chopsticks.
Leona nodded slightly in agreement.
The chef in front of us, seeing us eat, laughed broadly, happy to see his food praised.
"Of course, our ramen is the best in this city!"
"Dad, stop saying embarrassing things like that."
The girl beside her father brought soy sauce and two glasses of tea for us. I accidentally made eye contact with the girl. She looked surprised to see me, but I didn't remember ever seeing her anywhere.
She then hurried back to the kitchen after placing the soy sauce and two glasses of tea in front of me and Leona.
"Is there only one ramen shop in this town? I tried one in Arcan city, but it wasn't as delicious as this one." I tried to make small talk with the shop owner. He had nothing else to do but watch us eat, as there were no other customers besides us at the moment.
"You're from Arcan city, kid? That's an amazing city, isn't it? Well, this is the number one culinary champion in the Zordia plains! Although I still haven't been able to create the special ramen from my homeland."
"Huh, there's something even more delicious than this?" I slurped my noodles. Then I chewed them while talking.
The chef nodded. "Yes, currently we are not recognized as the best ramen shop in the world, but legend has it that before the great genocide, there was a ramen that could make anyone faint from its deliciousness." The chef said it very seriously, as if revealing a secret truth of the world.
"Fainting from the deliciousness of eating ramen? Is that possible?" I asked skeptically. It's impossible for someone to faint just because of food, isn't it?
The chef nodded deeply. "Yes, according to legend, the clothes of anyone who ate that ramen would explode due to its unparalleled deliciousness."
Leona spat out the contents of her mouth upon hearing that the clothes of the person who ate that special ramen would explode. She giggled, feeling a hot sensation in her throat and nose. Snot ran from her small, pointed nose. Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment from suddenly spitting food onto the table.
The chef laughed heartily before handing Leona a box of tissues. Leona thanked him as she took them.
I shook my head slowly. Not because it wasn't funny, but because I felt sorry for Leona. She looked pained, trying to hold back her embarrassment from the recent joke.
"Aiyo, you're not laughing, young man. Yet ramen tastes even better when you eat it with a big smile."
I chuckled softly. "That's true. But that joke wasn't enough to make me laugh, uncle." I calmly slurped my noodles again.
Leona was still blushing, even though she had cleaned the table and the snot from her nose. She was still embarrassed because she wanted to laugh but couldn't, and instead spat out the food she was chewing. Luckily, there were only three of us in the shop. Otherwise, Leona might have gone home early without finishing her meal. She continued to sip her warm tea.
"But, I'm serious about that special ramen."
"Stop joking, uncle. Otherwise, it will make my cousin spit out her food again."
Thud! Leona stomped hard on my foot under the table.
"Ow, I was just kidding, Leona."
Leona gave me a threatening look.
"She's your cousin? I thought you two were a couple."
I shook my head. "We're still in junior school, uncle. And she's my very annoying cousin from my mother's side. She likes to get angry for no reason."
The chef touched his thinly bearded chin.
"Then it's just like my daughter. She's always cynical and cold towards me. I don't understand women's hearts at all."
I nodded in full agreement. A woman's heart is very complicated.
"What about your wife, uncle? Isn't she a woman too?"
The chef nodded, smiling warmly this time.
"She passed away five years ago. Although she was as cold as my daughter, her warm love was warmer than her cold nature. In fact, it was that very nature that made her seem more special and precious than anyone else in this world." The chef said with a wide, gentle smile. From his eyes, it was clear he missed his wife. He reminded me of my father.
Leona and I were silent for a few seconds. We also had loved ones we missed because they had passed away. The chef's smile just now reminded us of our parents.
After a few minutes, my bowl and Leona's bowl were completely empty. After paying and saying goodbye to the chef, we returned to the apartment.
"Don't forget to stop by again!" said Uncle Chef after we both left his shop, smiling broadly and waving. Leona and I waved back.
"Carl..."
Leona suddenly touched my hand. I turned back slightly.
"What?"
Leona slowly shook her head then removed her hand.
"Nothing. Next time, let's invite Sister Hana to eat at that ramen shop too." She said that with a faint smile.
Seeing Leona's strange smile, I mean, she doesn't usually smile like that. Usually, she smiles cynically or sarcastically rather than that sweet, faint smile.
"Yes, I'll tell Sister Hana that you spat out food when you heard the chef's joke too."
Thud!
"Ow!"
***