Chapter 7 : Waiting For Hana

The clock on the wall ticked loudly in the quiet ramen shop. It was already past the usual time for Hana to arrive, and the shop was looking a little emptier than usual. Kenta, who had been nervously shifting between organizing bowls and wiping the counter, glanced at the door every few seconds, his worry evident on his face.

"Do you think Hana's okay?" he asked Mei, his voice hesitant. "She's never this late... Not even by five minutes."

Mei, who was sitting behind the counter, scrolling through her phone with a bored expression, didn't look up immediately. "Relax, Kenta. She probably got caught in traffic or something. It's not the end of the world."

"But what if something happened to her?" Kenta persisted, his eyes wide with concern. "What if she—"

"She's fine," Mei interrupted with a sigh, her tone sharp as usual. "Hana can take care of herself. Stop worrying so much. You're starting to act like a worried parent."

Kenta shuffled his feet, glancing again at the door. "I can't help it. I just feel... weird when she's not here."

Mei gave a small snort, but there was a hint of softness in her voice when she spoke next. "I know. I get it. But you have to trust that she'll show up."

Just as she finished her sentence, the door swung open, and Hana walked in, looking a little flustered but safe and sound. Kenta instantly let out a relieved breath, and Mei didn't even bother to hide the small smile tugging at her lips.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Hana called out as she walked into the shop, her usual cheerful demeanor not dampened by the delay. "I had to stop by the store for some extra supplies. You guys been okay?"

Kenta rushed over to her, concern still written all over his face. "Hana! You're okay! I was worried. You didn't text or anything!"

Hana laughed lightly, waving him off. "I'm fine, Kenta. Don't worry about it. I just got held up."

Mei, now standing, leaned against the counter with an amused smirk. "I think someone's a little too attached."

Kenta blushed deeply, stammering in response, "I—It's just... it's not like that, Mei! I—I just... You know, I like knowing everyone's okay!"

Mei rolled her eyes, though she was clearly holding back her laughter. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Kenta."

Hana smiled warmly at the playful exchange, feeling the familiar comfort of her team around her. "Well, I'm here now, so let's get to work."

As Hana began unpacking the supplies she'd brought, Kenta continued to steal glances at her, still looking a little uneasy despite her reassurances. Mei watched the whole scene with a knowing look in her eyes but didn't comment. She knew Hana had everything under control, as usual.

But there was something else in the air now—something Hana couldn't quite put her finger on. After the robbery attempt a few days ago, and the strange calmness of Ryo whenever he showed up, Hana couldn't shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, things were about to get a lot more complicated.

The door jingled again, and Hana's thoughts shifted as she turned to see who had walked in. It was Ryo. His calm, imposing presence seemed to fill the room, and even Kenta straightened up, a little in awe of him.

"Ryo!" Hana greeted him with a warm smile, trying to shake off the unease she was feeling. "The usual?"

Ryo nodded, his sharp eyes scanning the shop for a moment before settling on her. "Yes, please."

As Hana turned to prepare his order, Kenta leaned in toward Mei, his curiosity piqued. "Do you think Hana's okay with him being here all the time? I mean... she doesn't talk about him much."

Mei didn't respond immediately, but her gaze followed Hana and Ryo. "I don't know," she finally said, her tone thoughtful. "But Hana's smarter than she looks. If she's keeping him around, there's probably a reason."

Kenta nodded slowly, his gaze still on Hana and Ryo, as if trying to figure out what was really going on between them.

Meanwhile, Hana, who had overheard their conversation, glanced over her shoulder and gave them a playful smile. "I can hear you both, you know. You two are terrible at being sneaky."

Mei rolled her eyes, and Kenta sheepishly scratched the back of his neck.

"We're just looking out for you, Hana," Kenta said earnestly.

"Well, thanks," Hana replied with a grin, feeling a little better knowing her team cared. "But I think I can handle it. Ryo's a good customer. He's just... different."

The conversation drifted as Hana finished preparing Ryo's order, but the thought of Ryo and his mysterious nature lingered in the back of her mind. She didn't know what it was about him, but something told her that her life was about to get a whole lot more interesting.