The moon was at a quarter and growing steadily over the nights. It was a hot night, as if the village was still recovering from that day’s sun. The wind however brought with it a cool breeze that made the climate more bearable. Still however, Erai was hungry but due to her lifestyle, she had no food in the fridge. So she decided to head to one of her favorite restaurants here in Iwagakure. It was wasn’t as well known as some other places in the village, but they served the best ramen in town. This was great, considering Erai had no money to her name. She made her way down a dark alley that was dimly lit by street lamps that were spaced too far apart. Her flips flops were the only thing making noise down the alley. She dressed casually, wearing a pair shorts that came just above her knee. Along with her shorts she wore a loose fitting black t-shirt.

In no time at all she found herself at the small restaurant. She could smell the different broths before she could even walk in all the way. She pushed the small doors out of her way, causing them to swing back in place after a few swings. The chef greeted her as she sat at the counter. “I’ll take the Hiyashi ramen.” The chef nodded as he began to make it. Looking around, Erai could see that other than an old drunkard, she was the only one here tonight. She watched as the chef applied his years of training into her food. Elegantly flipping, cutting, and rolling her dinner about skillfully. In watching it, she found it relaxing to watch. “Maybe I’ll take up cooking one of these days.” Erai said to herself.

(WC: 296)