Chapter 3 : A Quite Moment

The evening rush had settled down, and the ramen shop was quieter now, the soft clink of bowls and the low hum of the air conditioner the only sounds. Hana wiped down the counter, her movements automatic. The door chime rang, signaling the arrival of yet another late-night customer. She didn't have to look up to know who it was. Ryo.

He entered as usual, his tall figure cutting a quiet path through the room. Hana felt her heart skip a beat, the familiarity of his presence comforting, yet still, something about him unsettled her. She tried to shake the feeling off as she greeted him.

"Late night, huh?" Hana said with a smile. "Same order?"

Ryo gave his customary nod. "Yes, please."

As Hana turned to start preparing his ramen, her eyes flicked to the clock. It was just after closing time, but she always kept the shop open for a little while longer, just in case someone else needed a late meal. Most of the customers at this hour were regulars, people who had come to rely on the warmth of her food and the solitude the shop offered. She didn't mind the quiet moments after the rush—it gave her time to think, to breathe.

Kenta and Mei had already left for the night, their noisy bickering fading into the distance as they walked home. Hana couldn't help but smile at the thought of them—Kenta, always tripping over his own feet, and Mei, with her sharp tongue and quick wit. They'd become like a family to her over the past few months.

But now, in the quiet of the shop, it was just Hana and Ryo.

Ryo sat at his usual spot, his back to the window, and as always, his eyes seemed distant, like he was somewhere far away. Hana tried not to stare as she worked, but she found herself drawn to him, to the way he carried himself with such effortless calm.

As she set his bowl down in front of him, she couldn't help but ask, "You've been coming here for weeks now, and you never tell me anything about yourself. Are you always this mysterious?"

Ryo's gaze lifted, and for a moment, their eyes met. The silence stretched between them for a beat longer than it should have, but then he shrugged, the corners of his mouth lifting in a ghost of a smile.

"There's not much to tell," he said simply, his voice as quiet as ever. "I'm just... passing through."

Hana couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment at his words. There was something about him—something more than just a "passerby" that she couldn't quite place. She wanted to know more, but she couldn't push him. Not like this.

"You always seem so calm," Hana said, trying to change the subject. "Like nothing ever fazes you."

Ryo looked at her, a flicker of something in his eyes—something she couldn't quite read. "I've learned how to keep my emotions in check."

His words hung in the air, heavy and filled with an unspoken weight. Hana frowned, sensing that he was holding something back. It wasn't like her to push, but she couldn't help but wonder what was really going on behind that cool exterior.

"Must be nice," she muttered, more to herself than to him. "I wish I could be that calm sometimes."

Ryo looked at her, his expression softening just a little. "You seem like you have a lot on your plate," he said quietly. "Running this place by yourself must be tough."

Hana chuckled, the sound light and easy. "It's not so bad. I've gotten used to it. And, honestly, it keeps me busy. Keeps my mind off things."

She paused, realizing how much she had said. There was a part of her that felt strangely comfortable talking to him, like she could trust him. Maybe it was the quiet understanding that passed between them, or maybe it was the fact that, in his own way, Ryo seemed to understand the weight she carried.

"I lost my parents a few years ago," Hana added softly, surprising herself. "Ever since, it's been just me and the shop. I don't really have anyone else."

Ryo's gaze softened, and for the first time, Hana saw something in his eyes that wasn't so guarded. It was subtle—just a flicker—but it was enough to make her heart race.

"You're doing fine," he said quietly. "This place is... special."

Hana smiled, a warmth spreading through her chest. "Thanks," she said, feeling an odd sense of gratitude. It was rare for someone to see the shop for what it was, to appreciate it the way she did. "I try to make it that way."

There was a long silence between them then, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Ryo ate his ramen slowly, savoring each bite, and Hana busied herself cleaning up. But every so often, she would catch him glancing at her from across the room, and each time, her heart would beat a little faster.

She wanted to know more. She wanted to understand him. There was something magnetic about him, something that drew her in despite the layers he kept between them.

"Ryo," she said suddenly, surprising herself again. "Why do you come here every day? I mean, you're always alone. Don't you have other places to go?"

Ryo's eyes flickered to her, his expression unreadable once more. He set his empty bowl down, his fingers brushing the edge of the table in a thoughtful motion. "Maybe I just like the quiet," he said. "And the food. It reminds me of... home."

Hana stared at him for a moment, unsure of what to say. She didn't press him further, sensing that whatever the real story was, it was something he wasn't ready to share. Not yet.

But as the night wore on, Hana couldn't shake the feeling that they were getting closer—that there was something more between them than just the occasional exchange over ramen. Ryo wasn't just another mysterious customer. There was a depth to him that she couldn't ignore. And for reasons she couldn't explain, she wanted to be the one to uncover it.