Chapter eighteen:
Lorine continues to follow after the woman really hoping that she will end up going to the exact spot that she is staying. She pauses noticing her go into a ramen place. She smiles softly as a plan forms in her head of how she can get close to the woman to maybe figure some things out. She hangs back for a bit making sure she can't be seen from any of the windows. After a little bit she heads to head inside and takes a quick glance around like a tourist. She spots the lady she needs to be able to get close to in order to find out more. Luckily for her it is a choose your own spot and the lady is sitting at the main counter. She heads over and takes a chair that is beside the lady though with a single chair between them. She notices that the servers are a little busy. She has a few minutes so she glances to the lady. "Hello." She sees the lady turn to her rather confused. "Have you eaten here before?" She mentions casually with a kind smile directed towards the woman.
"I've eaten here a few times." The lady admits to her in which Lorine nods her head.
"What do you think is the best to order? I haven't been here and I don't know about what kind of things they do to make one, or how it makes one greater than the other." Lorine mentions with a true smile on her face. She is relieved to see the lady relax a little bit. She knows that she has knocked down the first wall that she needs to be able to knock down to get close enough to the lady.
"I would suggest their duck mildly spicy one." The lady informs Lorine who nods her head to this. "They cook the meat so well and they add the perfect amount of spice. It just sings in your mouth."
"Thank you so much. I think I will do that one." Lorine agrees and turns as a server approaches her. "Can I get one of your mildly spicy duck ones?"
The server nods her head and turns to make sure that the order is known then turns back. "Anything else ma'am?" She questions wondering if Lorine had come to get more than one.
"Not right now." Lorine assures the server who nods then turns to deal with some other things while the bowl of ramen is being made. She glances to the lady who slightly glances around as if taking in the surroundings being bored. "I am sorry for bugging you more." She mentions in which the lady turns to look to her once more. "I was just wondering something. Since earlier I saw like a limo going along. I think that rich people are just the worst. They feel so entitled and that they are so much better than us. Trying to hold all of that over our heads. Do the people around here feel the same?"
"Well I don't know about everyone. I just came back after awhile. But I must say that I do agree with you on that rich people are the worst. Mainly those who have grown up with all of the wealth." The lady groans and rolls her eyes. "So annoying and entitled. Almost like they own the world."
"Couldn't agree more." Lorine tells the woman managing to keep her face casual as she knows that Kaoru is rich, though she actually likes him. She does get some good jobs from rich people as well. "I once walked into a store to get a new purse with money I saved up. There was a teen who got so upset at a woman at talking to her about payment instead of just taking care of it. Or giving that to the helper that she had to seemingly help her with her shopping. I thought that if I was that girl's mother I would be so disappointed in her."
"Yeah. I usually see them out here and there. I think that they should just have their own times to shop or something. Because no one wants to have to witness them throwing their temper tantrums." The lady agrees and Lorine nods her head.
"Well if you're going to be staying here then it'd be great to run into you again. I feel like we have things in common."
"Yeah. However I am only here for a few days. So you probably won't see me around after this." She slightly glances up and gives a polite thank you to the server that has served her the food that she had ordered a little earlier.
"Aw dang." Lorine taps her hand on the counter as if disappointed. "That is okay though. It was really nice to meet you. Maybe we could talk a little before we go our separate ways."
"I suppose we could." The lady agrees no realizing what Lorine's true intentions are. She eats some of her food as Lorine lets her do so then she glances back to her. "What do you think we should talk about?"
"Well I was thinking that maybe you could tell me a bit more about what you know. Since I probably won't see you again might as well ask what are the places to go to here? Like ones that are really worth it? I really wanna get a feel for this city." Lorine slightly raises her hands clenching them softly to emphasize her point before lowering her hands, as well as unclenching them, to the counter. She continues to give a smile directed towards the woman.
"Well I mean there is a huge market. That can bring some excitement as you might find something you're not expecting." The woman continues on with things that Lorine should go and check out.
Lorine nods her head and listens mainly for any clues that might be given about ways that she can find or target the woman. "Those really do sound like good places to go." She mentions as the woman comes to a finish about the spots that she should totally check out. She glances to the server thanking her as she is given her food. She then turns back to the woman. "I especially liked your suggestion about the part with the art that was made there that is on display. I think art sitting outside for the world to see is amazing. Just so great to the communities and just people who love art in general."
"Yeah. I can give you directions." The woman offers and Lorine nods her head.
"I would gladly take directions to get to that park." Lorine goes quiet to listen to the directions that the lady tells her. She is glad that she is breaking one wall after another. She can see with how the woman's shoulders are slumped, her eyes gentle with friendliness in them, and the way that she leans forward in her chair that she is comfortable with Lorine herself. She keeps the same relaxed posture. "Thank you so much for those. I'll have to remember them."
The two take a break to eat some of their food before resuming in conversation.
Hikaru walks along an area only to pause as he spots blood on the ground. He approaches it and looks at it wondering if it is human blood or if it is animal blood. He crouches to take a closer look however he still can't be sure as he is no expert. He glances around for any signs of a blood trail that he can follow.