Chapter 6: Ramen, a Kid, and a Public Safety Devil Hunter

Around noon.

Deep in an alley a little ways off the city center stood a shop whose sign had half its lettering peeled away. A young man with an old backpack slung over his shoulders stopped before its door.

"Ramen for lunch today."

Without hesitation, the young man opened the door and went inside.

Jingle—

With the small chime of a bell came a rush of oily smells and the hot, soy sauce-based aroma of broth. Since the proper lunch rush had already passed, there were only three or four customers inside.

The young man took the seat at the end of the counter and ordered.

"One ramen. Miso."

"Sure."

The owner gave a brief reply, then silently dropped noodles into a pot. The sound of boiling water, a ladle striking the pot, and the whirring exhaust fan all blended together.

Resting his chin on his hand, the young man looked around the shop. Faded posters on the walls, news playing on an old television, sticky tables that made him wonder whether they had ever been wiped down even once.

It was a quiet, unremarkable shop, but one that held the marks of time intact—a place that reassured him that some things would never change no matter how much time passed.

Funny. I really like places like this.

With a faint smile, the young man took a sip of cold water.

"Here you go."

A steaming bowl was set before him. Glossy broth, noodles artfully loosened apart, finely chopped scallions, and chashu pork.

Perfect.

The young man picked up his chopsticks.

"Thanks for the meal."

He lifted his spoon and took a mouthful of broth. Its salty umami lingered in his mouth before sliding down, leaving behind a warm aftertaste.

Nodding in satisfaction, he then slurped up noodles thoroughly soaked in broth. Properly cooked, springy yet soft noodles slid pleasantly down his throat.

Delicious.

That was when it happened.

Clatter—

The shop door opened again, and the bell rang noisily.

"Mister! I want ramen!"

The piercingly bright voice made the young man turn his head without thinking. A child who looked about five years old was marching in alone, dressed in a red shirt and yellow shorts, his cheeks plump and round.

"Shinnosuke, how can you run off by yourself like that?"

A woman who came in after him grabbed the child by the shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. If you fuss over every little thing, you'll just put on belly fat."

Seemingly unbothered, the child scampered up onto the stool at the end of the counter.

"I have to sit here!"

It was right next to the young man.

"You're bothering someone while they're eating. I'm sorry."

The child looked up at Eigo and tilted his head. His eyes seemed to ask, Can't I sit here?

Eigo hesitated for a moment, then smiled faintly.

"It's okay. You can sit there."

"You're nice, mister."

Without the slightest reservation, the child sat down beside Eigo. He swung his legs and drummed against the stool.

"What are you eating, mister?"

"Ramen. And I'm not a mister. I'm a big brother."

"Shinnosuke! You shouldn't say rude things like that!"

Though she looked embarrassed, she brazenly took the stool the child had been sitting on as if it were only natural. The child's mother did not seem all that different from him.

She ordered an extra-large bowl of ramen, then very naturally let her gaze settle on Eigo.

His hair was grown out in a messy tangle, his shirt hung loose, and an old backpack had been carefully set down by his feet. He had not made any effort to dress himself up, yet he was handsome enough to make her look twice for no reason.

At this hour, he doesn't seem like a student.... An office worker? Or a freeter? Maybe one of those wandering artists that are trendy these days...?

The mother's gaze slowly drifted down, then returned to his face. Eigo noticed it but pretended not to as he ate his ramen.

Picking up a clump of noodles, the child's mother spoke in a voice meant to sound as casual as possible.

"Oh, I'm Misae. Nohara Misae. And this one is Shinnosuke."

"Uh... right. I'm Eigo. I don't have a family name, so just call me whatever you're comfortable with...."

Misae's eyes sparkled.

"Oh, then Eigo, are you a student right now...?"

Eigo...?

I said to call me whatever she was comfortable with, but isn't she closing the distance a little too fast...? Eigo was caught off guard for a moment, but he continued as though calm.

"Ah, no. I did go to school, but I dropped out. It just wasn't for me. After that, I spent a while traveling from country to country...."

"Oh my, traveling?"

"Yes."

Eigo spoke as though it were nothing and took another spoonful of broth. At that moment, Shinnosuke cut in beside him with a startled expression.

"Whaaat? You've been to other countries too, mister? Are you rich?"

"Shinnosuke!"

Misae lightly tapped the child on the forehead and shot him a glare.

"It's rude to suddenly ask about money."

"Then is it okay to talk about someone's face?"

"That's not okay either."

Eigo snickered.

"It's fine. Big brother's broke. A few changes of clothes and two pairs of underwear are everything I own. Whenever I need money, I earn some and spend it."

"Oh my. How romantic."

Misae propped her chin on her hand and looked at Eigo. Her gaze had grown openly softer.

Eigo swallowed hard. This woman was far stranger than he had expected.

Then the shop bell rang once more.

*

Late lunch.

A car stopped before a ramen shop deep in an alley a little ways off the center of Kasukabe City, its sign half stripped of its lettering.

"It's late, so let's grab something quick."

Makima got out of the car and opened the shop door. A member of Public Safety followed her out of the vehicle.

Jingle~

As the door opened, the scent of hot broth and oily air hung low inside. Since lunch hour had ended long ago, there were only three customers in the shop.

Makima scanned the inner counter, then took a seat furthest from the noisy customers. She neatly arranged her coat and picked up the menu.

"One shoyu ramen, please."

"I'll have the same."

The owner nodded and picked up the noodles. Soon, the ramen arrived.

"Here you go."

With the steaming bowl before her, Makima picked up her spoon. First, a spoonful of broth.

Not bad.

Just as she picked up some noodles and was about to put them in her mouth—

"Excuse me, ma'am. Do you like bell peppers?"

A child's voice came from the seat beside her. Makima turned her head.

The child in the red shirt had somehow approached and was looking up at Makima with sparkling eyes.

"Shinnosuke...!"

Makima looked down at the child and smiled gently.

"No. I hate them."

The child's eyes widened into circles.

"Really?"

"Yes. The texture is weird, and the taste is even weirder. So I hate them."

"See? Even grown-up Eigo and this lady hate bell peppers. So why does Mom keep trying to make me eat them?"

The child complained, followed by his mother's apology.

This lady...?

Makima wore a bitter expression before turning her gaze back to her ramen.

"Wait."

Makima set down her chopsticks and looked at the child.

"Little boy. What did you just say...?"

Shinnosuke tilted his head.

"You hate bell peppers too, ma'am?"

"Yes, that. Other than this big sister, who else did you say hates bell peppers?"

"Um... Big brother Eigo?"

"Right. Do you know Eigo?"

"I've known him since a little while ago. He's over there."

The child pointed to where Eigo was sitting.

*

"Are you Eigo? And you don't have a family name...."

At the sudden question, Eigo only turned his head to the side, chopsticks still between his lips. Makima looked down at him as though appraising an object.

What's with this woman...?

Eigo set down his chopsticks as well, then let his eyes travel over Makima from head to toe.

"Yes."

His answer was calm. There was neither surprise nor tension in his voice.

"So, does a polished office lady like you have some business with me?"

Makima took a notebook from her pocket and showed it to Eigo.

"I'm Makima, a Devil Hunter with Public Safety."

"Ah, right."

Eigo gave a short nod.

"So, do you have some business with me...?"

Makima tilted her head slightly. Then she smiled very gently.

"A few days ago, two very dangerous Devils were discovered on the outskirts of Kasukabe. Two of them, no less."

"And?"

"They were called the Skull Devil and the Landmine Devil... They were quite troublesome Devils. They had killed dozens of private Devil Hunters, so the case was transferred to Public Safety. But even Public Safety suffered casualty after casualty."

Eigo stirred the broth with his chopsticks. Makima continued, still wearing that inscrutable smile.

"But yesterday, a civilian appeared who exterminated both of those dangerous Devils. And what's more... it was someone who had even been interrogated by Public Safety over the Okama Devil incident."

"Ah... yes.... As for suspicion regarding that incident, I was already released without charge...."

Makima returned to her own seat for a moment.

"...Eigo, you are a perfectly ordinary civilian. I already know that. However... for someone who isn't even a private Devil Hunter to exterminate two dangerous Devils is normally impossible, isn't it?"

After putting on the coat she had left on the floor, she returned to Eigo's seat and held out her hand to him.

"Come with me, Eigo. I'll buy you ramen. In return, I'm requesting your cooperation for a second interrogation."

For a long while, Eigo silently looked down at Makima's hand. It was a shame to leave half a bowl of ramen behind, but the atmosphere was hardly one where he could insist on finishing it first.

The Public Safety guy who had been sitting across from Makima had already opened the door and gone outside.... Eigo put down his chopsticks and slowly let out a breath.

"A second interrogation...."

He looked up at Makima as well.

"You're not going to make me do it in nothing but my underwear this time, are you?"

"Excuse me? Underwear?"

"Ah, no. Just a joke."

Comments (0)

Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register