Chapter Two

“Koki! What took so long? You were supposed to be here like half an hour ago?”  Koki’s father asked as Koki came around the corner pulling down the nearest apron and made his way to the stove to help with the orders.

“I was at the library working on a project since it opened back up since Christmas is over. Sorry I lost track of the time.”

“That’s okay, but you need to get going. I’m behind on five orders.”

“HAI!!” and Koki got to work. He worked as quickly and as efficiently as he had been trained and in about fifteen minutes he was able to help the other workers getting them back on track with the orders. As he worked he felt guilty leaving his father and older brother to man the shop. But he knew that his father wasn’t upset. Education came first in their household and he knew that his father was proud of him earning his way into the prestigious high school of Horikoshi High and how hard he had to work to keep his scholarship; but Koki also didn’t want to leave all the chores and responsibilities that were assigned to him undone even if he had a valid reason.

The ramen shop that his father runs is actually quite a popular place in the neighborhood that they live in.  It was actually a family institution, as his great grandfather in the 1930s opened it during the second world war. Many Japanese soldiers and military personnel would come and eat from the modest shop and it was said that there at Tanaka’s Ramen that a person could get the best ramen in Tokyo. The success of the shop extended beyond the store and in the 1960s he passed it down to Koki’s grandfather and in then to his father. Before long it would become his elder brother’s, which suited Koki fine.

Koki was studying to be a veterinarian.

It was becoming late in the afternoon and still it wasn’t letting up with the amount of customers coming in and out of the shop. Thankfully two other cooks/servers were coming in at the moment.

Just as Koki was about to go out back on break, a very beautiful thin female walked into the shop. She was of average height, her hair was a vibrant auburn red color and her skin was a milky white. She was without a doubt highly attractive as could be accounted by the many stares that she received from the male patrons.

Koki’s father noticed who she was and called out to her.

“Kazuya-chan! What brings you here? Oh, here to see your boyfriend Koki?”

To that question there were a lot of disappointed faces at the news that she had a boyfriend.

“Tanaka-san, you know Koki and I aren’t like that. But I did come to see him.” Kazuya smiled indulgently at Mr. Tanaka. Ryuunosuke Tanaka was a lifelong friend of her father’s. Her and Koki’s father’s had know each other since they were elementary students. They went to high school together and even when Isumu Kamenashi  went to college and Ryu did not they kept in touch. Of course when life began to get hectic the two of them lost touch. It wasn’t until Kame and Koki themselves were in middle school that Kame and Koki were introduced to each other when life threw the two families together.

As the years went by Kame and Koki grew up together and were as thick as peanut butter and loved each other as brothers and sisters do. Although it was no secret that their fathers hoped that the two of them would fall in love and marry when they got other; but as of yet they were having no such luck.

“Well, Kame-chan you came just in time. Koki was just getting ready for break.” Ryu turns towards the storage room calling out to his son. * KOKI!!! You future wife is here!!”

Koki walked out of the storage room carrying a large box. Making his way to the counter behind the Hibachi grill he placed the box. Turning to Kame he smiled (he paid no mind to his father, he was immune to his father’s hints) 

“Hey, Kame! What’s up?”

“Koki! You’re going on break, right? I need to talk to you.” Kame said her eyes twinkling in excitement.

“Yeah. Meet me out back”  Koki said. Taking off his apron he placed it next to the box. He noticed that his father and older brother have goofy smiles on their face. “What now?”

“Oh nothing…just the two of you look so KAWAII!! Why don’t you make it official?” Koki’s older brother Haru asked.

“Whatever. She’s like…our sister!!”

“Hmm…you know you are wasting a golden opportunity, son. Me and Isumu will be so happy when the two of you get married. I would have such beautiful children. Ya know, to make up for your crabby face.”

“Hey!! I’ll have you know that all the girls want a piece of me Old Man.” Koki laughed heading to the back where he told Kazuya to wait for him.

“Yeah, all but the most important one!”

***

 Koki opened the wooden door and headed to the back.  Behind the restaurant was a mini garden that his father Ryu had credited for his late mother when he was six years old. It was something that you wouldn’t expect. The space was 8 feet by 8 feet square but it was natural paradise. His mother had loved it when he was alive and Koki believed a part of her heart was still in this garden and when he wanted to feel her the most this was the place that he would head to.

“Kame! What’s up? What’s got you all hyper?”

“I got us a job! At least for one night?”

“SERIOUSLY?”

Kazuya & Koki were working students. Being as they didn’t come from families that had a lot of money and were going to prestigious EXPENSIVE private schools they were always looking for work to help fund their education and save for college.

‘Yes!  We have to be servers at some elite New Years party. You don’t have any plans, right?”

“How much?” Koki asked

“Sit down first.”

Koki sat down.

“There will be four servers totally working with the caterer…she is offering us 175$ each for five hours hours!”

“Seriously?!” Koki’s mouth dropped. “How did you swing that?”

“I just have skills thats all you need to know. Are you in or not. I need to let the Caterer know.”

“Hell yeah! I’m in. Who is hosting the party?”

Kazuya looked up into the sky in thought, then the name popped into her mind. She snaps her fingers in remembrance.

“Oh, I remember Ueda, Ueda Yoshi. Some kind of corporate god, from the way the Caterer was talking. All I know is he is old money, the family fortune goes back centuries”

“Well, It really doesn’t matter. Except we are about to get paid!” Koki and Kazuya bumped fists and did a little dance.

“All right. I’ll call her and get more details and call you tomorrow, ya!” Kazuya looks at her watch. “Man I am so late, Madam Rosas is going to make me work overtime just or being late. Gotta go!” Leans over and gives Koki a hug before running out.

A/N I know that this is starting off slow. Please bear with me...remember this is going to be a long one :)