-Another Chance-
by Plain-ahsie-Simple
Beta: Sadisticdarkbitch
Warnings for this chapter: Generally safe, however, don't blame me if you suddenly go craving for Ramen n_n
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Gi Oh or its characters. Don't own them, sorry.
Chapter 1: Ramen
"Welcome" a voice sang out. The brown eyed youth then moved to seat the newly arrived customers.
"What would you like today Mr. Hirashigawa? The usual?" the young waiter continued once his customer was comfortably seated.
"The usual it is blonde boy," the man in a stripped shirt replied. Then the blond went to place the order with the chef.
"Ah, Welcome" the youth said as he saw more workers on their lunch break enter the shop looking around for vacant spots. Serving Mr. Hirashigawa his 'spicy beef Udon in pig bone broth with a hard boiled egg and Japanese radish', he rushed off to serve the ladies that had just seated themselves and was gesturing for him to come.
Soon more customers came pouring into the Ramen shop round the corner of Domino city. Like every lunch hour on weekdays, the place was crowded with a queue out side the sliding doors.
Back and forth the hazel eyed teen went, taking orders then giving them to the chef who prepared the meals right on the spot. Up and down, the youth went clearing away empty bowls and chopsticks; Cleaning messes, wiping tables and refreshing empty chopstick containers.
"Phew!" Jou sighed; wiping the sweat off his forehead, lunch hour was finally over.
"Take a break Jou," the shopkeeper, Mr. Akira Nassau called out from behind the bamboo print curtain that separates the kitchen from the main dinning area.
Taking off his bandana and pocketing it, Jou ran a hand through his hair. After placing the tray which he was holding back in its place, Jou headed for the kitchen, towards his own lunch.
'Yum' Jou thought, picturing a steamy bowl of 'Ban Mian Ramen', 'Lunch, lunch, here I come!'
Pushing the bamboo print curtain aside, Jou stepped into the kitchen, untying his apron.
"Good afternoon!" Someone called out from the dining area behind him.
Jou groaned inwardly, 'Customers first' he thought and regretfully retied his apron strings, walking back out to the shop as he adjusted the bandana back on his head.
"Welcome," the young waiter greeted them bowing even before he saw the faces of his customers. "What would you like today?" he said repeating the well-practiced line with a fake wide smile till his eyes were n-shaped slits.
"Jou?" the same voice exclaimed, a tone of pleasant surprise. The said raven-haired boy burst into a huge grin upon seeing a familiar face.
"Ah? Mokuba!" brown eyes went wide with shock, but recovered quickly. "Hey kiddo, 'ya having lunch here? No school?" Jou asked the wide smile returning to grace his features, addressing the younger one with a more personal tone.
"Nope, school ended earlier today. I decided to check this place out. My friends kept going on and on about how great the Ramen is" the shorter boy chirped, sticking his thumbs up in the air to show his point. Jou had bended down on his knees to look at Mokuba eye to eye.
"Well, your friends were right 'ya know. This place was full 'ta da brim durin' lunch hour! In fact, we were so very busy just round half hour ago." Jou said, widening his eyes and increasing the volume of his voice to emphasize his point. "Ya just missed 'da crowd luckily, or else, I'm sure 'ya would have 'ta queue!"
"WE wouldn't have to queue. Only common office workers would do that." A snide cold voice butted in unexpectedly, killing the joyous mood the two younger boys had created.
"Oh, sorry Jou, I forgot to mention I asked my big brother to come along." Mokuba added, grinning sheepishly at the teenaged waiter kneeling down in front of him.
Jou had stopped breathing at the sound of that voice, but he froze over at the words 'big brother'.
Seto Kaiba was in the vicinity. The reactions of his body and common sense told him so.
'Just great,' Jou thought grudgingly, 'this couldn't get any worse.'
"Oh? Is this how the waiters of the famous Ramen shop behave? Keeping silent on the floor when a customer arrives?" The older Kaiba said in a tone that daunted the kneeling figure.
Abruptly, Jou got up mumbling an apology and took a step back. Mokuba shook his head at his brothers' stance of arrogance towards Jou. 'Honestly,' the little one thought 'just what is he playing at?'
Taking a breath, Jou looked up.
"Welcome to Akira Ramen Corner, may I take your orders sirs'?" he said formally, pronouncing each word carefully as he bowed again, the practiced smile on his face.
An uncomfortable silence followed soon after, interrupted gratefully by Mr. Nassau Akira himself.
"Good afternoon Mr. Kaiba! It's such an honor to have you here," Mr. Akira appeared suddenly in front of Jou. Blocking Seto's perfect view of the blond. Who, by the way, looked so damn good in the green apron and bandana, which contrasted against his tan skin and golden hair.
With his elder brother snorting in response, the younger Kaiba decided to take hold of the talking.
"The honor is ours Mr. Akira. I have been told certain interesting things about this corner ramen shop of yours." Mokuba began stepping up to face the shop owner, despite his shorter height, the way Mokuba carried himself made him seem taller. More superior, which he was, in fact - being a Kaiba.
"Thank you Mr. Kaiba," Akira said inclining his head slightly, "May I ask what these interesting things you have heard of?"
As Mokuba began his explanation, Jou blended into the background. The way that he went about it made it seem like they were discussing the explanation of a complex problem on the managing board.
There the CEO stood, his eyes seemingly focused on the pair to the front of him. In between the little gap of the two animatedly discussing pair, he could clearly see the standing figure of the hazel eyed teen.
Decked in his usual pair of faded jeans, white t-shirt with the band of green across his chest, a maroon and emerald green apron with hanging form his neck, the logo of the shop printed in lime green in the centre to where the strings were. Tied firmly around the teens' lithe waist, accentuating the blond boys' own slimness and his fragility, slowly, without knowing it, Seto Kaiba was once again getting lost in the sight of his arch-enemy.
Jou
"Big Bro?" a familiar accent reached his ears.
'Huh?' Seto thought, his train of mind snapping back into focus. Lowering his hand that was unknowingly fingering his chin to rest in his pocket, Seto turned to look at the source of the voice.
"Big Brother?" it came again.
"Yes, Mokuba?" he said in a tone that showed no hint of being surprised, or caught of guard. Something he was getting better at, it seemed so.
"Oh, I was asking if you would like to have one of the workers cook our meals right in front of us. They have that kind of services here at this shop." He repeated a touch of confusion in his voice. Wonderment at the sight of his brother's attention straying off which was an impossible feat in itself.
"Sure, whatever." Was the brunette's cool response, his stance composed, no emotion showing in his face nor eyes.
"Okay then," Mokuba said turning back to the Akira, eyeing his bother suspiciously. Seating himself at a square shaped table, with a huge space in the centre and a gap at the side, making the square incomplete. "We'll have that then." He said finalizing the order.
To Be Continued…
And that's the end of chappie 1!
Guesses as to who will be the one who cooks the meals for them?
Hehehhehe nn
How was it?
Boring? Oh hope not… xX
But don't worry, this is just a beginning of the introduction, it is not the end! (duuh)
And I promise, loads of emotional, heart-felt chapters ahead! (much ahead, bear with me, you want the good parts, they will come, but not that soon)
But keep reading anyway!
And please…. REVIEW! (if u want to, I ain't taking a knife n pressing it to ya throat or anything) ,
Criticism most welcomed
uhhh hmmmm okay nn
FLAMES why not? Go ahead! Coz it's a form of criticism anyway ; D
Praises why thank you bows nn I have no shame
"gimme an Update!" alrighty coming up!