Karot strolled along, stopping now and then, until he arrived at Ichiraku Ramen. The shop was full of memories for Naruto fans.
Karot drew back the curtain and stepped inside.
"Welcome!"
Uncle Ichiraku greeted his customer with a broad smile. But the moment he saw Karot, his expression turned bleak, changing faster than an actor in a Sichuan opera.
"Hey, Uncle Ichiraku! Long time no see."
Karot greeted him warmly. Ichiraku Ramen had left a deep impression on him. Uncle Ichiraku was one of the few kind souls who had treated Karot to ramen. He'd only done it once, though.
"When I see you, I'm not very happy."
Uncle Ichiraku recalled the painful memories of that time. He'd once treated Karot to ramen and spent the entire afternoon working, kneading dough nonstop without a moment's rest. After Karot finished eating and left, Ichiraku had gone straight to a hand specialist. It took a full half-month of rest before he could cook again. Needless to say, Karot had left a lasting impression.
"Uncle Ichiraku, I'll have a bowl of ramen to wet my whistle."
Karot placed his order.
At Karot's words, Ichiraku stumbled and nearly fell. He thought,
Damn brat. Wet your whistle, huh?
Ichiraku looked as if the sky had fallen. But Ayame was delighted to see Karot. After all, he'd been her taste tester. When she first started making ramen as a child, she'd used Karot to test all her recipes. The two of them were very close.
"Ayame, you've gotten even prettier. I hope your cooking gets just as many compliments as your looks."
Karot casually greeted his friend.
"Oh, stop teasing me every time you come by. Don't worry, I'll give you a big serving."
It was a little secret between them: whenever Karot complimented her, she