[SS] Ramen Hamburgers

June 9th;

17:03 P.M.

There are various kinds of restaurants all across Academy City. Some are the usual shops any big city would offer, but some are different – not to say odd.

One of those odd restaurants was placed in District 7. It claimed to be a ramen shop. However, as usual for Academy City it wasn’t an ordinary one, but one meant to deliver a new approach to one of Japan’s most famous dishes. Combining tradition and modern ideas was the concept of this very unique shop.
Offering a special menu featuring traditional ramen as well as various fusions of ramen with typical western (fast) food, the shop is trying to explore the lands of the future Japanese cuisine in order to find a way to enforce it’s presence around the world.

Using the base layout of a typical traditional ramen shop, yep painted in bright white and grey tones – instead of the usual dark wood – to create a refreshing and open atmosphere, the interior is meant to bring together traditional Japanese design with modern touches.

So just like in any ordinary restaurant of that kind it was also allowed for one to sit right at the counter. However most of today’s customers preferred to sit at separate tables, leading to only one person occupying a seat next to the cashier: A certain grey haired boy wearing a short sleeved all buttoned up white dress shirt and a red sweater vest.
Furuhashi Gou’s day had been just like any other day. School, work and now this short break he had been forced to take. Usually he wouldn’t have followed that kind of request; however the person that had come up with it was someone rather special…
He sat there seeming as stiff and tense as usual. In front of him there was an empty plate, on the right a rainbow coloured can containing one of Academy City’s special energy drinks and on the left lay a few papers that looked like they were reports found in any office – something work related. This however wasn’t what made that boy gain plenty of strange looks even by the restaurant’s workers. The reason also wasn’t the “Super Spicy Ramen Hamburger Deluxe”, but the way he was eating it…
He was holding it between chop sticks, as if it was as easy as holding an onigiri. Yes, there were people who would use knives and forks at burger shops, but chop sticks…? And with that great of an ease!?

While chewing down the meat, noodles and other ingredients, his eyes were rushing across the document to his left. ”…” As usual Gou’s mind appeared to be unable to escape from work, didn’t it?
However taking a closer look at said paper would destroy that illusion, he himself had created. What was disguised as a Judgement related document actually was an article he had found online. The headline said: “How to conquer her heart within 13 steps!”
Oh right. There actually was something he loved even more than working…

The restaurant's chime would ring as the main entrance door opened, signaling to everyone in the building that someone had arrived. "Welcome!" The chef immediately shouted out as he continued preparing the many ramen dishes on the order list. Who came in would be none other than Ishida Gina, the famed Silver Queen of Nagatenjouki.

Spoiler:

Of course, school had just ended, and Gina took the opportunity to return to her home before changing into one of her casual attires: a white blouse top with a black ribbon, a high-waisted, knee length black skirt, a light purple blazer, a pair of black slipper shoes, a necklace with a silver gem, and a white headband. Slung over her right shoulder was her purse, clad in a red and blue plaid.

Most of the customers in the restaurant, a majority of which are students, immediately started whispering and gossiping to their nearest friend. They seem to recognize Gina no doubt. Her fame among students in all schools is tremendous.

For the silver-haired girl herself, this was actually her first time at this particular restaurant. She seems intrigued by the concept of the menu: traditional ramen fused with western fast food. It sounded disgusting, but maybe it tasted good, hence why she's here to try it out. She took a seat at the counter, one seat away from where Gou was sitting, and was handed a menu from the chef. "Thank you." She said gently with a smile as she looked at the chef in the eyes for a moment, before she laid her eyes upon the menu. Wasting no time, she started to shift through the pages, her eyes scanning with a frightening speed.

And in seconds, she closed the menu. The chef didn't even have time to go back to his work when he saw Gina ready. "I would like the Super Spicy Ramen Hamburger Deluxe, with extra spice. Also, a glass of water please. Thank you." She said in a polite manner as she returned the menu back to the chef, who nodded in recognition of Gina's order.

Having nothing to do at the moment, Gina took of her purse in placed it on the counter in front of her, before she unzipped the zipper and took out her iPhone. She then started to check out something on the web, scrolling through articles that appeared to be about fashion. In fact, if one would look closer, it was Gina's own fashion blog, and she was scrolling through the comments on them, her lips turning into a small grin as she was apparently pleased with the reception her blog had received.

The noble lady’s appearance attracted nearly everyone’s attention within the blink of an eye. However, it was only nearly everyone’s glances that covered her. That grey haired boy at the counter simply continued eating as if nothing had ever happened. Even when one of Academy City’s most famous and popular girls had decided to sit down in rather close range, he showed no sign of even caring.
Most boys would have exploded due to nervousness or tried to go for it with great enthusiasm. That grey haired boy however didn’t care. The only thing he had done since her appearance was putting another print-out on top of the one he had been reading a second ago reflexively.
As he continued on and on his burger disappeared bit by bit.

Why...!? Furuhashi Gou was bad at showing his emotions, especially when faced such situations. To the outside nothing more than an ice cold delinquent asshole that wouldn’t even direct word at anyone and on the inside a weak child that feared nothing more than human interaction. Once girls were involved it obviously became even worse.
So when he noticed that someone had actually sat down next to him, he had only been able to prevent choking by a snatch.
For a second his mind went blanc, only to explosively become filled with nervousness. Just continue eating! Do it! Do it! Stay normal! Calm! Normal! Following the best strategy for such a situation he forced himself past his limits. Wearing an even stiffer and grumpier expression on his face than ever before, he attempted to prevent even moving his eyes in the girl’s direction.  

She wouldn’t notice. He had appeared odd from the beginning on. What did a little bit more oddness matter? Sure, the pressure forced onto the burger by the chopsticks was growing stronger while his eating skills had grown weaker a lot, but that was all. Nothing changed. One would always keep a good distance from a delinquent boy once they sent out that kind of vibes, right? RIGHT!?

Unable to resist the pressure from the inside his hand began to shiver. As he was pressured, the same happened to the burger held between the two wooden chopsticks. The force grew rapidly, as his skilfulness had met its absolute end. It seemed that something bad was about to happen very soon.
What kind of disaster would appear? The saucy explosion? The wood’s breaking point? Or maybe a truck crashing into the building!?

Or maybe…Deus ex Machina’s…appearance…? Wait, wasn’t that the third one already?!

Gina continued to scroll through her fashion blog, not even noticing Gou beside her. At all. In her eyes, the many people that surrounds her seems so insignificant. None of them stands out. But perhaps that is natural. She is the role model, not them. Her fame in Academy City perhaps even rival those of the level 5 espers.

Speaking of the level 5s, Gina had exited her fashion blog and went onto a website that appears to be a student news site. In fact, it is a student news site, specifically about the students of Academy City. On the front page was obviously articles about some of the level 5s. Although people like #1, 2, 4 and 6 are relatively unknown to the public for example, #3, 5 and 7 are famous with the masses. In particular, Gina paid attention to one specific article about the Queen of Tokiwadai.

The sight of that girl unnerves her. Her right eye literally twitches at the thought of two queens co-existing. "Just you wait... At the Daihasei, I'm gonna settle things once and for all, and show you that Nagatenjouki reigns above Tokiwadai. And of course, me, over you~" The Silver Queen whispered with a wicked grin.

All of that tension was relieved the moment the chef came with her Super Spicy Ramen Hamburger Deluxe bowl and her glass of water. "Thank you sir." She said, her smile instantly changing into a genuine, pure-hearted smile. Stashing her iPhone back into her purse, Gina started to lick her lips all around in anticipation of the delicious-looking food. Grabbing a pair of chopsticks from the stash of utensils on the counter, the silver-haired girl looked down at the ramen dish in front of her. "Itadakimasu!~" She said cheerfully before she used her chopsticks to grab multiple strands of noodles and started to sip on it into her mouth like a devouring vacuum.

Lucky bastard. She didn’t even notice his presence.

Well, at least she hadn’t done so until the trigger of destiny had been pushed once again.

With a cracking sound the chop sticks finally met their salvation and so the sandwich was also allowed to meet gravity’s pull.
Reflexively however, Gou’s arm began to move at high speed in an attempt to perform the most stupid leap of faith one could ever try: He was giving his all to prevent the collision by catching that fat dripping sandwich while it was still travelling through the air.

His failure was already cast in stone.
And so instead of catching the infamous “Super Spicy Ramen Hamburger Deluxe”, his left hand actually hit its side just like a bat hitting a ball. The consequence was obvious and even more gruesome than all of his worst case expectations. His eyes widened as his heart was about to stop pounding.
In short, the meat, sauce and ramen filled sandwich’s course had been changed. Forcing it to fly straight to the right. Remembering the cause of all his nervousness made him realise what was about to happen next. All he had been wishing for had been crushed right before his eyes. Not only would he gain attention. No. He would need to find an explanation, a very good one indeed. One that would be able to preserve his reputation.
Otherwise – he didn’t know yet – this situation could grow into a public execution lead by a queen.

Gou remained frozen. He didn’t even budge a single bit after hitting the falling object, so his fist was still positioned where it had been upon the impact. ”…damn…it…” It was too late, but at least he was trying to calm his heart by cursing. Praying? Craving? What would that help with now? Not a single Esper power would allow one to turn back the clock, the only way to prevent what had happened.
”…I’m…sorry…”, was everything he had been able to force out, wearing an indefinable expression of astonishment but also coldness on his face, not having adapted to the overall situation.
He didn’t even dare to take a glance into that direction of misfortune.

How was he supposed to react to this…?