cigarette; hanma shuji [✓]

one

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THE sun comes down and so the bustling night starts, where adults having drinks and barbecue to celebrate, and dirty teenagers come to have fun. throughout the streets, there comes a ramen shop that was no different from the rest.

"one spicy tonkatsu and one miso for table eleven!" a tall male with an apron, holding onto a notepad and pen, shouts across the shop to the kitchen.

the chef proceeds cooking the meal as fast as he can, sweat dripping down his neck as the hot smoke from the stove surrounds him. he place a freshly boiled noodle with the soup on a bowl and passes it to the front where the other ingredients were added.

there stands kanae mitsou, a woman who was trying her best to live life properly. "there you go, sir. your hot spicy chicken miso is served," she said as she place the hot bowl on the counter, infront of the man who ordered it.

"thank you, kanae," he said before digging in as she smiles at the happy regular.

"it sure is busy tonight," higashikata kou, a close friend and colleague, said to her from behind as he prepares the beverages for the customers. she nodded, letting out a tired sigh.

"ah, kanae! theres a customer that wanted a fresh bottle of beer at table five over there. could you go give to them for me?" he asked her, as he place the tray between them. she raised a brow and shrugged.

"sure can, kou. i'll help with sending the other drinks too." she told him as she grabs another tray with her other hand. she walks out of the counter and to the tables.

the woman smoothly gave them their cold beverages as they all grab them from the tray. she reaches the last table and hands him his drink. "here is your drink," she said before flashing a smile and leaving with the trays held at her side.

soon it starts getting late as the number of customers starts to lessen. kanae was outside, taking a nice breath outside as she finishes a cigarette before going back in.

she slides the door open with her right hand while her left hand takes off the bandana on her head.

her footsteps stopped when a tall customer stood infront of her. "ah im sorry," she apologized as she steps aside, letting the male to walk out first but he just stood still. she doesn't know why but she could feel eyes staring at her from above so she tilts her head up.

her eyes grew wide, her heartbeats faster than usual as her breathing starts to get heavier. she couldn't believe the guy who was infront of her. is this.. she thought to herself as more thoughts comes in.

at that moment, she wished to disappear from the world. she wished to vanish from existence. she just wished she could straight up die.

kanae was sure it was him, those tattoos on his hands that read 'sin' and 'punishment'. she was absolutely sure it was him. the only thing that was different was his hair, it got longer.

"kanae! you can go home, i'll take care with cleaning the place up," kou lets her know as he grabs a cloth to wipe the tables but he stops when he realised that his friend seemed to be stuck in some situation so he walk towards the door.

"whats wrong? is everything okay?" he asked as he peeks from behind the tall male, who was blocking the door. she nodded and looks down.

the woman told him to just continue with what he was doing as he obeys and walks back inside. she gathered the courage to look at the familiar male in the face again.

"what are you doing here?" she asked, coldly.

he only stared at her as the question only went in one ear and through the other. but he did answer her after giving her a wide smile, to which he tried to add in softness to.

his lips curled down back as he realised that she wasn't doing anything but give him a cold stare. "simple. i just wanted dinner." he answered while scratching the back of his neck.

a few seconds passed and he curled up a smile as he looks her at from top to bottom. "you seem to have grown more feminine unlike before,"

kanae scoffed softly enough only for her to hear as she pushes him aside not too roughly and walks inside. she stops to turn her head to the side to view him.

"and you're still the same," he raised a brow at her statement. she walked into the shop more and slides the door close, decided to help kou with the cleaning so he wouldn't have to stay in there for so long.

after an hour of cleaning the shop, they walked out of the place and head home. but something seems to stop them as the same male from before was sitting on his motorbike infront of the shop. when he saw them, he flashes a smile.

only for her to click her tongue at him. "why are you here? shouldn't you be running off to some other place?" she asked him, a serious cold tone in her voice. kou could only watch as he stand there awkwardly.

"i wanted to talk to you,"

"no. go away."

"please, just for a bit."

"you two seem to know each other," kou interfered, receiving a scary glare from his friend. he gulps on his saliva. kanae sighed and told him to go home first and he did as told.

she turns back to the male infront of her as he takes in a puff of the cigarette and exhale the smoke.

they stayed that way for a little longer. after that, she decides to walk away with no word.

but a hand grabbed onto her wrist when she tried to and its grip was tight. she winced at the slight pain. "let go, damn it," she shouted at him with anger and annoyance.

"you ran off to god knows where and now, after twelve years, you were inside the ramen shop ive been working for in the past five years. yeah! i know its just a stupid little coincidence. haha what a small world, right? no! i don't want to see your face, i never even intend to! and there i was, thinking that we could actually have a nice future together but i guess that wouldn't work for a fucking jerk like youー"

he grabs her wrist again but this time he pulled her close to his face. as their faces were only inches away, they could smell the strong scent of cigarette smoke. his yellow eyes pierced into her own as it look like it was glowing.

"im sure we knew what happened before," he said as smoke comes out of his mouth and brush pass her face. "and i had no choice," he continued, only to receive a soft chuckle from here.

"no choice? then what was i there for? i could've helped and cover you. not to mention that you hurt me.." she spat at him as he frowned at those words.

she was about to continue but he pulled her closer to him. his face close to her ear as he whispered to her softly. those exact words almost had her shed a tear but she tried her best not to. she pushed his hand away from her hand.

"im heading home and if i see you here again, i will not hesitate to kick your ass like last time," she threatened him before turning her heels to the other way and start walking down the street.

the same words he said earlier, kept on repeating in her mind like a broken record. as everytime it repeats, her eyes starts watering. it was true, he kept it.

for five years too.

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honestly felt nervous publishing the first chapter but here you go

edit: twelve years was too long so i change it to five years