Chapter 163 - Not Friends

Outside the import shop, the tanned Hunter quietly watched the crowds as they began to pick up for the day. He leaned against the wall next to the import shop’s door, standing in the shade, motionless as a statue.

At present the door creaked open and Char Char stepped out. She had a heavy expression on her face, her eyes far away as she was deep in thought.

The thin, grouchy clerk exited behind her, keys jangling noisily as he locked the door behind him.

“You’re closing up?” Reid asked, finally moving from his spot. “It’s a bit early for lunch, isn’t it?”

“Shop’s closing for a week.” The clerk replied gruffly. “Management’s taking off.”

“Wait, a week?” Reid frowned. From what he knew all the import shops in Noga were managed by the same Keeper. If this was the case… “Who’s going to handle the job listings?”

“I ‘unno.” The clerk shrugged dismissively, “Go somewhere else.”

The clerk walked away without looking back.

“Somewhere else…” He muttered, “What does he want me to do, go out of town?”

Reid glanced over to the pretty Kumin girl, who was still standing at the side of the road deep in thought. Well, whatever she’d learned when she’d gone into the shop, it was none of his business. Reid sighed as he glanced up at the import shop sign, then turned to leave.

“Wait.”

Char Char’s voice called out to him. He turned around to see her facing him with a serious look on her face.

“You’re a Hunter.” Char Char said, “Does that mean you can find people?”

“If the job calls for it.” Reid shrugged, “My services are not cheap, though.”

“I have money.” Char Char replied, unfazed.

“Something to do with your business at the import shop?” Reid asked.

“No, not really.” Char Char shook her head, “But it’s been on my mind since I first saw you earlier.”

“I’m a busy person.” Reid shrugged, “Who is it that you’re looking for?”

“Hakuya.” Char Char replied.

Reid frowned as he heard the name, though he wasn’t surprised to hear it.

“The last time I saw him, I warned him not to get too deep into this mess.” Reid said. “Did he end up saving those girls?”

“He saved the daughter, but the mother died. He disappeared shortly after.” Char Char said.

Reid nodded, scanning their surroundings habitually before gesturing to Char Char, “Let’s not talk here. Follow me.”

~

As Char Char and Reid left the market district, Yuzu was just arriving. She and Xiang had made the walk from their home all the way to the central district. Though Yuzu would have liked to travel by rental cart, she didn’t have a rich companion to pay for the tab. Even for the relatively short trip from her house to the market, renting a carriage in the city was costly. Even a cheap one would charge around six marks for the half hour ride. It really was a luxury reserved for the upper middle class.

Carts rumbled noisily on the cobblestone street beside them as they navigated the increasingly busy roads. A steady stream of people was starting to form crowds as they drew closer to the market district.

As they walked, Xiang kept glancing down at his sister. She was wearing a large brimmed sunhat so he couldn’t see her expression. For the entire walk she was quiet and deep in thought, barely uttering more than a word or two to him. He’d spent most of the journey wondering if she was in a bad mood.

Was she feeling weak? Would she rather have stayed at home? Did she only come along because he insisted?

The words of Dr. Baolan continued to echo in his mind. Yuzu’s condition was incurable… She might only have days to live.

At times Xiang felt a knot well up in his throat and he looked away. At these moments he was glad that Yuzu’s hat hid her eyes from seeing his pained expression.

“There’s the noodle shop.” Yuzu said as they turned the corner. She pointed to a noodle cart that had been set up at the corner of a square. The walls at the corner of the adjacent building were removed and tables were set up for customers in the open seating area within.

It was extremely crowded, with a long lineup making loops around the order cart. Though it was even busier than the last time Yuzu had come here with Char Char, Yuzu felt like there was something subtly different about the overall mood of the restaurant.

“Golden Noodles.” Xiang said, looking at the sign, “Looks like they’re really busy, we might have to wait for a while. I can stand in line if you want to sit down in the shade somewhere.”

“Let’s take a seat first.” Yuzu said, leading the way toward the seating area without waiting for Xiang’s response.

As luck would have it, just as they approached the tables, a couple stood up to leave. Yuzu casually sat down, gesturing for Xiang to take the seat opposite her.

Xiang eyed the bowls that had been left behind by the couple, “Let me clear the table first.”

“Just sit.” Yuzu said.

Even as they were pulling out their chairs to sit down a busboy came by with a cart and started tossing the empty bowls into a bin.

“See, the service here is really good.” Yuzu said nonchalantly.

Xiang eyed his sister with a confused look as he sat down. The idea of an outdoor noodle stand like this having good service was really strange.

“Oh! Yuzu! You’re back again so soon!” The boy smiled, grabbing a rag and wiping the table after seeing who was at the table. He turned, waving to the cart, “Mr. Marchant, over here!”

A black haired man with long limbs and a chef’s coat looked over from the cart, a smile blooming on his face as he quickly came over to greet them.

“Good morning, Spider.” Yuzu nodded politely to the noodle shop owner.

Xiang blinked, surprised at the personalized service that they were seemingly getting. Yuzu didn’t say anything, but of course this was all thanks to her control of the strings. Arranging such a scene was as easy as breathing for her at this point.

“Yuzu, oh, I’m glad to see you in good health!” The old man beamed, turning to Xiang, “And Xiang, what a surprise to see you out here. How many years has it been?”

“A bit.” Xiang nodded, looking around with a mild look of surprise, “I didn’t know you owned a noodle cart.”

“Then you really haven’t been out for a while, I’ve had this cart for at least two years now. Yuzu’s been here many, many times. But I suppose that’s because she’s been handling the market visits for your pawn shop, eh?” Spider gestured animatedly as he spoke, “Have you ordered yet?”

“No.” Yuzu said, “Can we have two specials?”

“I’ll do you one better!” Spider said, placing his hands on the shoulders of the two siblings, “Spider’s Super Special Sage Soup!”

Yuzu’s nose wrinkled ever so slightly, a reaction that the old man didn’t miss. He chuckled, not offended in the least, “Come now, I remember someone saying that the only thing worth having on the menu is the special. Please let me defend my honour as a chef.”

“I just want the regular special, no spiders needed.” Yuzu replied curtly.

“Ah-“ Xiang spoke up, sensing a tense mood settling in. He forced a chuckle as he said, “The special spider soup sounds good. I’ll have that one, please.”

“That’s the spirit, my boy!” Spider beamed, clapping enthusiastically, “Alright, let me get the cooks on it. Just sit tight.”

With a cheerful bounce to his step the shopkeeper turned and headed over to the cart.

As he walked away the busboy pushed his cart over beside them, “You know, Mr. Marchant has been working on the soups since you said only the special was good.”

“Is that true?” Xiang said, looking across the table at Yuzu, “How can you just insult a man’s livelihood like that?”

“It’s fine if it’s true.” Yuzu shrugged, “And anyways I didn’t say it to his face.”

“That’s not the point” Xiang frowned.

“The special didn’t change, did it?” Yuzu asked the boy.

“No, but if you ask me-“ He leaned over to Yuzu with his hands cupped around his mouth to speak into her ear, “I think the other soups are way tastier now!”

The edge of Yuzu’s lips curled up slightly as the boy ran off to continue working. The smile on her lips faded as she saw Xiang looking at her with a strange look in his eyes.

“What?” She asked sharply.

“Nothing.” Xiang said with a smile, “I didn’t know you had friends at the market.”

“They’re not my friends.” Yuzu replied, looking away.

A few minutes later Spider showed up with two large bowls of noodles as he personally delivered them to the table. In front of Yuzu he set down a bowl of white noodles in a golden broth with lamb medallions, and to Xiang he presented a bright yellow broth with thick flat noodles, strips of white meat and a bed of crispy sage leaves on top.

“It smells good!” Xiang said as his mouth began watering.

“Please, enjoy.” Spider said, “And let me know what you think, I spent half the week experimenting on this new special.”

“I’m surprised you have time to work on new dishes.” Xiang said, “It’s been crazy for us at the pawn shop.”

“Ah… yes. Business has been a bit tough.” Spider nodded, “In some ways, we’re busier than ever, but in others it’s a struggle. We were lucky that none of our workers got sick… but people have been scared to go out.”

He looked around the restaurant. There was a healthy din from the many conversations all around, but even so he leaned in and lowered his voice, “The main thing to watch out for are people who are wearing long sleeves. They might be covering up devil eye sores. We usually turn away customers unless they can show that their skin is clear.”

“That’s a good point.” Xiang said thoughtfully, glad he was wearing his usual outfit of short sleeve shirt, vest and shorts.

The two men glanced over to Yuzu who was wearing her typical outfit of a long skirt and a long sleeved cardigan.

She glanced at the two of them in turn before casually sipping a spoonful of broth.

They averted their eyes, looking back at each other with awkward grins.

“Of course, there’s no law forcing people to wear certain clothes.” Spider forced a chuckle, “And you know, sometimes it feels awkward to ask people to roll up their sleeves, so we don’t always do it.”

“Right, that would go too far.” Xiang said, slurping up some noodles.

“Too far, too far.”