It was a dark and rainy night in the middle of summer. Wonho’s stomach was growling as he headed home from the gym. Between the swipes of the windshield wiper, Wonho squinted his eyes to see the road in the blowing rain.
“Ah, this is insane,” he remarked to himself, struggling to focus. He looked for somewhere to pull over and take a break from straining his eyes. He found a spot and parked. He glanced at the area around him and it was rather empty. He hadn’t spend much time in that neighborhood before. His stomach was sending him more reminders of how hungry he was as he rested. Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a half working ‘Open’ sign. He looked up at the store front and discovered it was a ramen shop. His eyes lit up at the prospect of food. He put on his ball cap, got out of the car. and ran inside.

The shop was completely empty besides a man at the counter. He sat there, leaning on his arm half asleep. As the door slid shut, it startled the man awake. He jumped to his feet.
“Can I help you?” He asked, yawning loudly. Wonho scratched his head.
“Are you still open?”

“Ah sure,” the man said. He directed Wonho to take a seat at the counter and set down a menu. Wonho skimmed it then was ready to order. “Tonkotsu ramen please.” The man jotted down his order and passed it through a small hole into the kitchen. The man went back to napping by the register.

Wonho glanced around the restaurant setting his hat on the counter. The place was in bad shape. The paint was peeling off the walls and the booths had patched up holes in the seats. The floor was old and cruddy and the lights were flickering. The sight would fit well with the filming of a horror movie, he thought. The storm outside only supported this atmosphere more.

After about 5 minutes, he heard a bell go Ding! He knew his ramen was ready. He could see the steam rising from the bowl and smell the delicious flavors. His eyes grew wide was the bowl was set down in front of him. He had never seen such a magnificent masterpiece. He grabbed the soup spoon and chopsticks, anxious to take his first taste. He dipped in the spoon to gather broth and he brought it to his lips. As the broth touched his taste buds, it was instant euphoria. The flavors mixed perfectly, with a perfect amount of salt, sweet and spicy. The warm broth was what he needed on this rainy night. He quickly mixed up the noodles and grabbed a large pile. He opened his mouth wide and filled it with noodles. He chewed slowly, savoring every bite. Each ingredient played its role perfectly, giving the ramen a sense of life. The pork belly was so tender, it melted in his mouth while the mushroom added texture. The green onions added lightness to the dish while the sesame seeds played so freely. It was the greatest ramen he had ever had in his life!

He drank the broth and the bowl clean before he finished. He set it on the table and wiped off his mouth before downing a glass of water. He couldn’t believe this rundown place had such an amazing item. He had to meet the chef.
“Excuse me,” he called, waving his hand. The man walked over.
“It seems like you enjoyed it,” he laughed, clearing the counter.
“Would it be okay if I talk to the chef? This ramen was amazing.”
The man cocked his head to the side. “You want to meet the chef?”
Wonho eagerly nodded. He patted his hands on the table. The man looked around the restaurant and sighed. “You’ve been the only customer here in so long. I’m on the edge of going out of business.”
“Ah..” Wonho looked down. “What if I can bring you some business?”

The man smiled a bit. “Let me make a deal with you then.” He concocted the perfect plan to get customers. “If you come eat here for 30 days in a row and bring in some friends as customers, I will let you meet my chef.” Wonho quickly jumped at the proposal, shaking the man’s hand.
“I’ll see you tomorrow!” He paid his bill and left, making his journey home.

The rest of the days, he kept his promise, showing up at almost the same time everyday. Sometimes he would bring s or invite random people on the street. Sometimes he asked fans to come and partake in a delicious meal. He always sat at the same spot, trying to peek through the small window to the kitchen. He wanted to know what his ramen God looked like. On days he was lucky he could see their dark hair sticking out behind their white bandana. Sometimes he’d even see their hands while passing the meal. Even those small things were enough to get him through most days.

Today it was finally Day 30 of his deal. This time he felt like going alone. He dressed up a bit, wearing a leather jacket and a pair of black jeans. He had his white shirt tucked in and he accessorized with a belt. His hair was gelled back slightly, making him look clean and well rested. He even applied some makeup to his face.

He walked in to see the man taking orders from other tables with a huge smile on his face. Wonho took his seat as always, right at the counter. This time he ordered Shio ramen as that had become a new favorite. He patiently waited as he peered through the small hole. Today was the day he knew his life would change. The ramen came out, steaming with its normal amazing aura. He couldn’t wait to dive right in. He tried to pace himself, taking his time with each bite again, knowing he’d regret if he finished it in seconds. As he reached the bottom of the bowl, he slurped the broth down again. He took a deep breath and called over the man. He couldn’t hide his excitement.
“Can I meet the chef today?”

The man cleared his space and chuckled at bit, watching Wonho bounce in his seat. The man finally nodded. “You put my restaurant back on the map. I think you definitely deserve it.” He walked around to the kitchen door and entered in. Wonho fixed himself, checking his reflection in a napkin holder and made sure he looked great. He nervously sat there, picking at the calluses on his right hand, hoping the chef would be happy to meet him. At last, the man emerged from the kitchen.
“They are ready to meet you now.”
Wonho breathed in, slowly walking to the door. As the door swung open, he went inside. The chef was right there, standing in front of him. He almost cried.

“I heard you like my ramen,” they said, with a soft smile. “Thank you for saving our business.”

Wonho dropped to his knees with tears in his eyes, feeling it was almost a dream. He met the person he was waiting for all his life. He reached in his back pocket and pulled out a box as he approached them on his knees slowly. He looked into their eyes, smiling brighter than he ever has before. He opened the box and took their hand. He couldn’t wait any longer.

“Will you marry me?” He proposed.