First Meeting with Belle

 A ramen shop using illegal ingredients to boost the eater's strength.

A coffee shop brewing illegal blends that refresh the mind.

A department store dealing in contraband goods.

A music shop illegally synthesizing and dismantling battle boosters (Drive Disc).

A Bangboo shop conducting unauthorized modifications.

And of course, the legendary Proxy "Phaethon" running a video store, along with a retired godfather-level mobster and others.

This place was seriously criminal.

Since it was late, there were hardly any pedestrians left on Sixth Street. Most of the shops had closed, and only a few homes still had their lights on. Here and there, shadows moved faintly behind windows.

However, one store was still brightly lit, its yellow glow casting a small pool of light across the empty street.

"Noodle Shop..."

"Maybe I should give it a try?"

Zane's eyes lit up. Ever since leaving the Hollows, he hadn't had a proper meal. Although he wasn't exactly starving, his taste buds had been "hungry" for far too long.

As he approached the noodle house, he saw General Chop busy preparing ramen for another customer—a worn-out salaryman, judging by the exhaustion on his face.

When General Chop noticed Zane approaching, he barely reacted, just sighed heavily, lost in his own worries.

Poor guy.

"Another customer," General Chop said, glancing up at Zane.

"Take a look. Anything on the menu, I can make. Even stuff not on the menu."

Zane nodded and politely stepped aside to scan the hanging menu.

Char siu ramen, 500 Dennies.

Chicken broth noodles, 460 Dennies.

Wild mushroom noodles, 480 Dennies.

Cold soup noodles, 510 Dennies...

Huh?

These ramen types and prices didn't seem right.

Raising an eyebrow, Zane looked up at General Chop, who was still cooking, and said,

"I'd like something that's not on the menu."

General Chop's hands paused mid-motion. He gave Zane a closer look, realizing he was a new face, and immediately shook his head.

"I don't make anything that's not on the menu."

"Huh?"

Zane widened his eyes slightly, put the menu back, and sat down in front of the noodle bar.

"But I really want that kind of ramen."

"What kind?"

"That kind."

"And that kind is?"

"The one with special effects."

"What special effects?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Even after the back-and-forth, General Chop wouldn't budge, so Zane decided to play a bigger card.

"Chef, I'm actually really good friends with the brother and sister who run the video store next door. They're the ones who told me about this ramen."

"I just want to try it. I'll pay whatever it costs. Look, I even came at a time when no one else is around. You're not going to make me leave empty-handed, right?"

Zane casually pulled Belle and Wise into his story, even though they hadn't officially met yet—this was already the second time he'd done it.

He cleverly blamed the timing on himself to make the lie sound more convincing.

General Chop eyed him skeptically, handed off the finished ramen to the other customer, then leaned in and asked,

"If you say you're friends with those two, you must know what they do, right?"

Zane gave a small smile and said lightly,

"Of course. They rent and sell videos... but they also have another job. Hollows investigators, although it's unofficial—"

"Alright, I believe you," General Chop interrupted, then bent down behind the counter where customers couldn't see and handed Zane a secret menu.

Zane glanced at it and nodded slightly.

This was more like it.

Though technically... it was still a menu. Just a secret one.

Without hesitation, he ordered a black-bowl seafood cold noodle soup and handed the menu back.

While he waited, a voice rang out nearby, breaking the quiet of the night.

"General Chop! I'm off today, so bring me a bowl of seafood ramen!"

Zane turned his head to look.

The newcomer had short hair that faded from blue to violet, and wore a black shirt emblazoned with the words "Rainbow Collective."

"Hmmm..."

Belle raised one arm lazily, stretching after just waking up from a nap on the sofa. Clearly, she needed to loosen up a bit.

But halfway through her stretch, she caught Zane staring at her.

Her movement froze. A faint blush rose to her cheeks, and she hurriedly lowered her arm, feeling thoroughly embarrassed.

This was seriously awkward.

It wasn't even normal dinner hours—who would come to Sixth Street in the middle of the night just to eat ramen?

The moment Belle saw him, she knew Zane wasn't a local. She'd lived here long enough to recognize almost everyone.

Besides, this guy was being a bit rude. Who just stares at a girl like that?

Still... her first impression of him hadn't been bad.

Thinking all this, Belle purposely sat a little farther from Zane. She'd already ordered, after all—no point leaving now.

"Belle, here again? Skipping out on cooking today?" General Chop called out.

Belle nodded and explained,

"Just woke up and felt a bit hungry. My brother's busy, so I didn't want to bother him. Figured I'd just handle dinner myself... Sorry for the trouble, Chef."

"Haha, no trouble at all," General Chop laughed, his hands moving skillfully.

"By the way, thanks to your recommendation, your friend came here especially for the ramen. Don't worry, I won't disappoint him!"

Hearing this, Belle blinked in confusion and looked at Zane—General Chop clearly meant him.

But...

If they were friends, why didn't she remember him at all?

"Belle, long time no see," Zane said, giving a small wave.

A day's time probably counted as "long" by now, right?

After all, he was in a completely new identity.

"Uh... long time no see," Belle replied awkwardly, frowning slightly.

Had she really forgotten him because she met too many people?

She patted her head, trying to recall—but nothing.

Blond hair, blue eyes, a young man with a calm presence... no matter how she searched her memory, there was no trace of him!

Watching Belle mentally scramble, Zane couldn't help but chuckle softly.

That's Belle for you.

Instead of suspecting him, she was blaming herself for forgetting.

"What's wrong? Really that forgetful? We went through so much together, and now you can't even spare a memory for me?"

"Or... was I really so meaningless to you? You acted all close before, but now you can't even remember?"

Zane let the smile fade, putting on a touch of sadness as he lowered his head and sighed deeply.