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Chapter 4 - Izakaya

Note:

1. Izakaya : An izakaya is a type of informal Japanese pub. They are casual places for after-work drinking.

2. Tebasaki : chicken wings marinated in a sweet sauce with sesame seeds, basically a type of yakitori

Chilly wind brushed Cor's cheeks as soon as he stepped out from his car. Fixing the collar of his coat after he locked his car, he made sure that they weren't crumpled before walking away from the parking lot. At least, even though the collar of his coat didn't fully protect him from the cold wind, it still prevented the wind from directly touching his neck.

It was a cold evening, for the autumn would soon be over and the winter would come. The trees had shed their leaves, leaving the lonely branches with a few withered leaves that were waiting for the wind to bring them down to the ground. The sun had disappeared in the horizon an hour ago, and what was above his world was only a cloudy night sky without moons and stars. The heat from the sun wouldn't warm him anymore for today.

Moving his feet unhurriedly, Cor only needed two minutes until he arrived at his destination. A certain izakaya which had always been his favorite place to eat dinner after he finished his job in the Citadel. It was not far from there, twenty minutes by foot or five minutes by car. But, since he wanted to go home after eating his dinner, he often brought his car there. However, unfortunately since he needed to drive his car, he couldn't drink today. Well, unless he wanted to use designated driver service to drive him home with his car.

As his eyes caught the diner entrance, Cor blinked when he saw a familiar figure there. A raven-haired medic was standing in front of the izakaya door, staring blankly at her front. Cor then walked, approaching the young woman before calling her name.

"Eira?"

Eira flinched upon hearing his hoarse voice. Lifting her head to see the figure taller than her, she widened her eyes.

"Marshal?" her voice was slightly choked, perhaps because she was surprised by Cor's sudden appearance.

"What are you doing?" Cor asked, wondering why she was standing outside the diner alone in this kind of weather. It was a windy night, even with a thick coat she was wearing right now, surely it didn't entirely protect her from the cold.

"Waiting. They have no empty seat." Eira turned her head toward the diner, pointing at it with her gaze.

Following her eyes, Cor looked at the inside of the izakaya from the glass window on the door. The place was packed with customers, even the waiting stools had already been seated by the other waiting people.

"How unlucky we are," Cor murmured.

"You also wanted to eat here, Sir?" Eira asked, with her usual mellifluous voice whenever she spoke.

"Yeah, but," Cor peeked at the diner, then rubbed his chin, "It seems that it will take a while."

"Right…" Eira sighed. Looking back at the diner, she muttered, "I've been walking for thirty minutes, though."

Cor glanced at her, catching a disappointment being drawn on her face. Crossing his arms over his chest, Cor asked, "Are you in a hurry? Don't you want to eat at another place?"

"No, I'm not." Eira smiled at him, shaking her head gently then added, "Moreover, I crave for tebasaki in this izakaya. They have the best tebasaki in Crown City."

From the cheerful intonation she made, it was clear that Eira really loved the tebasaki in this place. Her black eyes were shimmering in excitement, but at the same time, there was a gloom in it. Certainly it was because she should wait for a couple of minutes until she could savor the luscious food there.

"Ah... I understand. I also love this place's tebasaki. They're really the best." Cor nodded in agreement. The marshal loved this kind of food, he even visited almost all of the izakaya in Crown City. But, none of those places could win over the deliciousness of this place's tebasaki.

"Right?! Also, they're best to be enjoyed while it's still piping hot! That's why, taking it away and eating it at home isn't recommended." Eira's voice was filled by excitement as she spoke. It slightly quivered though. Probably, the cold was the fault.

The two then began to chatter, starting from the food until the trivial things in the citadel. Cor enjoyed the way she talked. Sometimes she stumbled at her words. Sometimes she stuttered and her voice slightly trembled. However, Cor found her adorable, moreover with slight blushes on both of her cheeks. As he observed the young woman, a thought struck his mind. Wasn't she cold right now? They had been waiting for twenty minutes. Perhaps, it would be better to go to another place than letting her shiver in a cold like that.

However, before he could open his lips to suggest it, the wooden door next to them was opened, followed by a few people who were walking outside from there. Not long after, the waitress walked out and held the door open for Cor and Eira.

"Sorry for waiting. For two?"

Cor was dumbfounded by the waitress' question. For two? No, Eira and he came separately and by coincidence waited at the same restaurant and talked as they waited. But, if he told the waitress that it was only for one, and if he sat on a separate seat, it would be awkward either for him and for the young lady he was talking with until a few minutes ago.

"Yes, for two," Cor replied, deciding by himself without even asking for Eira's opinion. "Oh, non-smoking room please," he added, guessing that the medic would prefer to avoid the unpleasant smoke for her dinner. Also, Cor didn't smoke, and he also avoided smoking rooms considering it wouldn't be good for his lungs. The man was a marshal after all, he needed to put his health as priority. All of it so he was always in prime condition to slain his enemies on the battlefield.

"Eh?" Eira gasped, curving her eyebrows and looking at Cor with eyes that conveyed thousands of questions.

"Let me treat you. If you wouldn't mind?"

"E-Eh?"

Cor looked at Eira who was seemingly hesitant about that. Her face was getting redder than before. It seemed that she was standing too long outside.

"Two customers incoming!" Before Eira could react, the waitress had already told her partners inside and gestured to the two to follow her.

Cor stood at the entrance, holding the door and waited for Eira to come inside the restaurant before him. Eira bit her lower lips then followed the waitress. Closing the door, Cor walked after her and also followed the waitress who led them to their seat.

"Welcome!" The waiters and waitresses inside the diner greeted Cor and Eira at the same time, without even stopping their current activities.

"Really, you don't need to treat me, Sir." Eira said soon after she sat across his seat.

"You always treat the crownsguard. It's time to return the kindness." Cor took the menu that was handed by the waitress.

Eira giggled, "That's a different treat, Sir. Moreover, it's my job."

A soft chuckle escaped from his throat. Opening the menu book in his hands, Cor then said, "Order whatever you want."

Eira seemed still reluctant, but not refusing his offer anymore. She looked down at her menu, flipping the pages one by one and looked like she was contemplating about what she was going to order.

Cor also did the same, but sometimes glancing at the young woman on his front, watching the way she tucked a few strands of her hair behind her right ear before placing her hand in front of her chin as she read the menu. He found her reddened cheeks were adorable. She was really weak toward the cold, eh? Even after she entered this warm eatery, the crimson hue on her cheeks didn't seem to disappear.

Returning his gaze at the menu, Cor flipped the page to his desired section before talking to the waitress to order his food. After he finished mentioning his order, Cor turned his head toward Eira who was staring at him, patiently waiting for her turn to place her order.

"Decided?" he asked.

"Um… Yes." Eira nodded then ordered her food to the waitress.

After the waitress confirmed their orders, she left, and it was only Cor and Eira on their seat. Cor leaned against his chair and placed his eyes on the young woman who sat with her back straight and her shoulders stiff.

"I still feel bad about being treated," Eira mumbled, hands on her lap and being hidden from Cor's sight.

"It's okay." Cor said, trying to make her stop feeling bad about him treating her, yet couldn't find any other words to speak.

They went silent as they waited, unlike what was happening a few minutes ago outside the diner. Staring at her for a long time was an impolite thing to do, so Cor decided to look at anything he could find. A promotional brochure, menu that was written on small boards on the wall, to a group of old men on another table, and then to a couple who was talking with sheepish grins on their faces.

A couple.

Fuck, Cor.

He turned his head to face the young woman who was fiddling with her fingers. The creased on his forehead got deeper after he noticed how it would be uncomfortable for Eira to sit with an old man like him. What if she had a boyfriend? Or what if people think that they're a couple? Or worse…

But it already happened. Cor was so clueless, he couldn't realize that it was not that Eira didn't want to be treated. Surely, she wouldn't want to sit with him, right? Moreover, it was only the two of them. Cor didn't know whether he should apologize or not. Also, he didn't actually know whether she was uncomfortable or not. If only he could understand women better.

"Thank you for waiting." A voice from the waitress averted Cor's attention. She placed down their orders one by one while confirming it. And after all of their menu had been served, she walked away from there, leaving Cor and Eira alone for once again.

"Dig in." Cor took a pair of chopsticks and gave it to Eira.

"Thank you." Eira smiled, taking the chopsticks from his hand.

They began to eat, and Cor quietly watched her as she took her tebasaki. Her black eyes were sparkling in excitement as she blew the hot chicken wing. And when she took a bite of her long-awaited tebasaki, she let out an "Mmm" while closing her eyes.

"Finally eat your favorite tebasaki, eh?" Cor raised a corner of his lips, amused seeing how happy Eira was as she savored the food she was waiting for more than twenty minutes.

"Yes! It's so delicious. Worth waiting." She grinned widely before taking another bite.

"Great." Cor stared at her for a few seconds before moving his hand to eat his own meal.

Funny. It had been a long time since someone accompanied him for dinner. Usually he sat here alone, silently enjoying his meal while staring blankly at his front, thinking about his next mission or the training program he would give to the crownsguard. Even if there was someone who recognized him, they would only greet him as formality and didn't talk with him for a long time. His workmates always returned home right away, eating dinner with their family. He didn't have one. And even if he went home, he would eat by himself.

"Do you usually eat dinner here, Sir?" Eira suddenly asked.

It surprised him, now Cor's heart was beating slightly faster than usual. Just slightly. He just didn't expect that she would initiate a conversation with him.

"Once or twice a week," he replied. Placing his chopsticks on his bowl, Cor reached for his drink and sipped it, trying to calm down the small ruckus in his chest.

"How about the other days when you're not eating here?"

Cor placed his glass then took his chopsticks back, "Eating in another diner or cooking at home."

Eira widened her eyes, looking at him in amazement. "I heard that you were the King's chef when you accompanied him to Altissia. So, it's true?"

Cor nodded since his mouth was already full with his food and busy munching it.

"I wonder what the marshal's cooking tastes like," Eira looked back at her food while murmuring. She was talking for herself, but Cor could catch her words even in the midst of this noisy eatery.

"Curious?"

"Eh?!" Eira raised her head, cheeks were reddened as she blushed. "No! I-I mean… It's impossible, isn't it?"

"Wanna try to borrow the kitchen in the citadel?" Cor suggested, half joking, half serious.

"No, no, no. I'm just kidding!" she was flustered and Cor laughed at her response. He found her reaction was refreshing. And now, deep down in his heart, Cor was grateful to be able to eat with her. His night was never this lively before.

They began to chatter as they ate, and the awkward atmosphere that shrouded both of them a while ago had melted. He saw how she relaxed her stiff shoulders as she spoke and Cor thought that it was okay to assume that Eira didn't hate it to eat dinner with him.

Eira told him her stories, mostly about her experience as crownsguard medic. And Cor loved hearing her voice, it was so soft and mellifluous. He also liked the way her eyes shimmered as she spoke and the way she smiled as she talked.

Usually it was hard for Cor to interact with women. At first, his interaction with this particular medic was also an awkward one. But this time, after talking with her while waiting to enter this izakaya, and after sitting in front of her and chatting with her, there was a foreign feeling that sipped into his heart.

… and he didn't know what it was.