a cartoon character

Chapter twenty two 

Ezekiel stared at his surrounding with great distaste. He checked the watch strapped on his wrist for the fourth time in the past three minutes, and his frown grew. 

The hustle and bustle of the crowd milling about did something else to to his sense and made him want to rip his tie off his neck. He didn't like anything that was random or uncoordinated. 

He glanced to the narrow corridor where the kitchen was supposed to be, he could smell the greasiness and oily smoke from where he sat. 

His cousin was many things, including dumb and unassuming at times, but he didn't think it's gotten this far. He stared at the dirty napkins on the table and his mouth soured. 

"Why are we here?" He asked quietly. He could feel the gaze of several people drilling holes into his skulls. 

He couldn't blame them though. They were standing out too much in their expensive suits and the wristwatch. 

"To eat," Lu Chen grinned an idiot grin. He looked like a cat with a saucer full of milk. 

"Spit it out." He made a motion of checking his wrist once again, "I have important places to be. And I'm sure you don't expect me to eat this greasy and calorie loaded food." 

Lu Chen scoffed. "Calorie loaded food my ass. They have the best noodle you're ever going to taste." The smile on his lips was as oily as the smoke wafting from every angle.

Soon, a waitress stumbled to them. She had this veil that was made out of a tablecloth? It seems like it. She awkwardly adjusted the scarf and smiled widely. So widely it's almost scary.

Her demeanor reminded Ezekiel of someone he knew. He couldn't exactly placed the demeanor or face or whatever, but it's like randomly seeing a cartoon character on YouTube ad. 

"What would you like to order sir?" She asked,her voice muffled. She really was doing her best not to meet his eyes, so he did what he excel at. 

He leveled her a glare and made sure to stare into her eyes. His breath came in quick rush as the sunlight shafts through her eyes and they were the most gorgeous set of brown eyes he'd ever seen.

Now, he was tweaking. 

"Is something wrong miss?" Lu Chen asked. His signature smile on his lips. 

Ezekiel scoffed. It was a natural reaction for Chen to try to charm the panties of any XX gender. It was some habit he had long since cultivated. 

"No! Nothing at all. Just some head cold is all." She stammered, avoiding eye contact at all cost.

"I'll take the wheat Ramen and some pickled salad. No coriander. Oh and some beef stew." He recited off the menu things he thought might be edible and has some nutrients no matter how small. 

Lu Chen was looking way too smug, and it sent a feeling of dread through Ezekiel. His cousin couldn't he trust to maintain a normal circuit of brain functions, so he didn't like that smile on his lips. Not one bit. 

"I'll take the same thing as him." He announced. 

"You look really familiar." The words were out before he could think better of it. 

Her eyes widened and she hiccupped, she bobbed a quick bow and scurried out in a flurry of apron and soapy suds.

Damn. Some restaurant this was.

"You didn't have to scare the poor lady." Lu Chen said.

Ezekiel sighed. 

"What do you have to say?" He prodded again. He was getting tired of all the silly all knowing grins. 

"I'm half way through the process of finding a mother for the twins. But I'm also thinking of doing something for you." He rubbed his palms together enthusiastically. 

Ezekiel's brow almost disappeared into his hairline. His glare was enough to have frozen an ordinary man. But Lu Chen was immune to tactics as such. 

He pinched his forehead, and loosened his tie. 

"I'm not sure if your brain is redundant or if you have selective hearing. But I'll say it again for your benefit, I do not want a wife. I only wanted a mother for my children." Ezekiel said tartly. Lu Chen was so talented when it comes to talking nonsense and saying things that'll grate his nerves like ice cubes. 

"Run me through it, what's the difference?" He asked, his eyes gleaming with a maniacal glint. 

The much needed respite came in the form of the bustling waitress with her ridiculous veil. 

It was made him fairly itch to snatch it off her face. 

Her slight form swayed a bit as she approached, and she placed the food on the table with a bow. 

"Enjoy your meal sirs," she sounded everything but sincere. Like she wouldn't mind if they actually choked on their food. 

"Is there anything else you'd like me to get you?" She paused, her lips tucked inside her teeth. She looked like she'd rather be anywhere else but near them.

The feeling was mutual. Ezekiel would rather be anywhere else but here. 

"It's fine." Lu Chen waved her off. 

Ezekiel took the spoon and tasted some of the broth. The instant the broth was down his throat, he knew something was wrong. 

"Hey you!" He pointed to a lanky waiter, who scurried to their side looking worried. As he should. 

"I'd like to summon the lady that just finished serving us. She had a ridiculous veil on," his voice was flat and commanding.

The waiter swallowed and nodded, he was off in a second. 

And in a second, the itchiness and the tightness of his skin began to get more uncomfortable. 

Lu Chen didn't seem to noticed as he was immersed in slurping his noodles. 

"Can I help you sir?" She squeaked. 

Ezekiel said nothing, his icy blue eyes burning a hole into her skull. She swallowed once again. 

He stood up, and she took a cautious step back. He admired her adequate response. 

Lu Chen was staring at his cousin as if all's not well upstairs. Even the crowd had quietened down and they were now whispering. 

He took off his suit and he heard a sharp intake of breath and the lady's eyes widened with alarm. Lu Chen chuckled raucously. 

His chuckled was dead halfway was he realized the angry red bumps and the quick scaliness of his skin. 

"Fuck!" Lu Chen cursed. 

"This is an allergic reaction. Do you know what caused it?" He said in that menacing cool voice. The crowd had gone deathly silent. 

"There is coriander in my food." He enunciated slowly and watched with perverted glee as her eyes dilated with pure fear.