Lina's P.O.V.:
"Good morning Inuchiyo!" a 26 year old me greeted happily as my childhood friend, affectionately known as Inuchiyo by me but known as Toshiie to others, stepped into my grandma's restaurant.
"Morning Lina!" he greeted back with a huge grin. "Looks like it's another busy day here eh?"
I tilted my head a bit as I gave him a smile.
"As usual, besides.. today's a weekend. Furthermore, the war has already ended..."
Inuchiyo's eyes softened at my words.
He knows how much I hate the war... I hate it when I see the male family members of my neighbours going to war and never returning... I know what happened to them. I also hate it when I serve my customers and they tell me with a wry smile that they're being sent to fight in the war... I hate serving their food knowing it might be their last meal... Ultimately, according to my grandma, my parents were killed during the war... I never want another war to happen again...
But now I can finally breathe a sigh of relief because Oda Nobunaga, also known as the Devil's Hand, the lord of my province, has managed to sign a peace contract with the other lords from the other province since five months back...
As a result of that everyone is now able to travel freely from one country to another. In fact, the other lords are so in love with my grandma's cooking that they always come regularly to my grandma's restaurant...
However there's one big problem.. Yes they have signed a peace contract but no they don't talk when they're here. Each lord sat with their retainer/s at separate tables...
Like right now...
Katakura Kojuro, the retainer of Date Masamune, nodded to me so I nodded to Inuchiyo who understood and went to seat himself with his usual gang...
"Morning Kojuro sama." I said with a smile as I bowed slightly to him before turning to Lord Masamune. "Morning to you too Lord Masamune."
Kojuro smiled at me.
"I told you to just call me Kojuro didn't I Lina?" he said with a soft smile.
I smiled back at him but Lord Masamune just glanced at me from his left eye before closing it.
Erm did I say something wrong?
Kojuro however saw that...
He elbowed Lord Masamune discreetly but the latter didn't budge.
I was starting to feel a bit awkward before Kojuro continued the conversation.
"Pardon my lord Lina. He's a bit cranky nowadays and I have no idea why.."
I gave another smile before taking out my pad and pen from my apron pocket which was tied around my yukata.
"It's okay Kojuro. So are you both ready to order?"
Kojuro nodded as he replied me.
"Yea can I get one bowl of oshiruko and a dish of zunda-mochi?"
"Yup. I'll send it to your table once I'm done." I answered as Kojuro gave me another smile.
But soon two voices called me. I always try to avoid those two mischievous voices just to annoy them..
"Lina here! We know you've been avoiding us!"
"Yea we know you've been trying to take our order last!"
I sighed as I turned away but I noticed Kojuro's eyebrow twitching in annoyance and Lord Masamune opened an eye lazily to look at the owner of the voices...
"Yes Hideyoshi sama and Ieyasu sama, are you ready to order?" I asked in a bored voice, pretending to be irritated but actually, am quite amused by these two.
They are totally different guys but they somehow look similar to each other and they're always up to pranks and jokes together...
However when they're on the battlefield, they're totally fearsome from what I hear. They're Oda Nobunaga's retainers, along with Akechi Mitsuhide, both seated at the same table... Ishida Mitsunari, a retainer to Hideyoshi is also present. Inuchiyo is also with them as he is Lord Nobunaga's trusted general...
"Come on you know you love us!" Hideyoshi waggled his eyebrow at me as Ieyasu winked.
"How can you not fall for our charm oh dear Lina sama???" Ieyasu grinned as Oda Nobunaga sighed in irritation.
"Stop fooling around the two of you! Mitsuhide and I are hungry already! Hurry up and give Lina the orders!"
Mitsuhide sighed too before looking at me with an apologetic look.
"So sorry Lina you have to go through this almost every morning."
"You need to find a real girlfriend Lord Hideyoshi..." Mitsunari said with no hint of playfulness to Hideyoshi but the latter just laughed it off.
"Why should I? Lina is already my girlfriend!"
"No Lina is my girlfriend!" Ieyasu argued back.
I laughed out loud at the bickering guys before me.
Oda Nobunaga may be the lord of my province but he's a regular at my grandma's restaurant so I'm used to his retainers' antics...
"Alright that's enough! Have some respect for the lady!" Inuchiyo scolded Hideyoshi and Ieyasu... "She's already busy as it is!"
"*sigh!* Okay Lord Nobunaga wants konpeito, Mitsuhide wants onigiri, Inuchiyo wants ohagi, Mitsunari wants manju, I want bekko-ame and Ieyasu wants ichigo daifuku." Hideyoshi prattled off.
I was about to write everything down but didn't write a single thing as I frowned at Hideyoshi.
"Why can't you just say the usual?"
Ieyasu gave me a wide boyish grin.
"Well we just want to talk longer to a pretty girl like you!"
I rolled my eyes at the two guys...
"Nee chan! Are these zunda-mochi and oshiruko for table 18??" I heard a boyish voice called out as I turned to look at my younger brother, Yahiko.
"Yea Yahiko! It's for Lord Masamune and Kojuro sama! Remember the green teas also!" I called back and I heard Kojuro's voice...
"I already told you Lina it's Kojuro!"
I smiled without turning to look at Kojuro before calling out to my younger brother again..
"Yahiko table 21 with Lord Nobunaga wants the usual, whole set for six! Help me pass to grandma and serve the food!"
"Hai!" Yahiko replied back..
The bell attached to my grandma's restaurant door tinkled and I turned to greet the new customers..
"Oh morning Lord Shingen, Yukimura sama and Saizo sama!" I bowed.
Takeda Shingen along with his retainer Sanada Yukimura and with his retainer, Kirigakure Saizo, I know it's confusing but that's just the way it is, decided to sit at the far corner of the restaurant, which is actually their usual table.
"Morning little lady." Saizo greeted me as Lord Shingen gave me a wide grin.
"Seeing a woman who can cook never fail to put a smile on my face."
I grinned back as I led them to their table.
"Really now? So you will marry a woman who can cook?" I asked as the three guys sat down.
"Yes of course!" Lord Shingen replied with laughter in his eyes.
"Well then... I guess you and my grandma make a perfect couple!" I gave a sincere smile as Saizo burst out laughing.
Lord Shingen looked confused before I continued my sentence.
"Because my grandma is the one who cooks your dishes all these while. Not me. I only do it sometimes." I giggled as Lord Shingen scowled playfully at me.
"Don't cheat my feelings like that Lina. For a moment I thought I had a chance with you."
I laughed at his jokes but my eyes suddenly met Yukimura's blue ones.
He has been awfully quiet nowadays when he sees me... I wonder why...
The moment our eyes met Yukimura quickly looks away.
Wait, is that a blush I see on his face...
"Lina..." Lord Shingen called me and I blinked my eyes before looking at the red headed lord.
"Huh?"
"I said we're ready to order." he repeated and I blinked a few times at him before nodding my head.
"Uh yea so what will it be?"
Saizo was staring intently at me and I met his gaze.
"Yes?"
"Nothing little lady."
I frowned at the silver haired ninja.
"Really now Saizo sama. What is it.."
Saizo looked away from me too...
Strange... What's up with Yukimura and Saizo today...
"Lina, a kinako-mochi for me, donuts for Yukimura and dango for Saizo here."
"Make it as sweet as you okay little lady." Saizo's deep voice interrupted my writing as I wrote down the orders.
"Erm... Is that supposed to be an attempt to flirt with me or a real request order?" I shot back as Yukimura, who has been quiet all this while, burst out laughing. Even Lord Shingen laughed at my reply.
"Aww come on little lady, there's no need to be so harsh with Saizo..." Saizo smiled at me.
I rolled my eyes as Lord Shingen spoke.
"Make the donuts for Yukimura as sweet as you too. In fact I think you should make the donuts for him, he'll appreciate it more if it's..." Lord Shingen never finished his sentence as he suddenly shouted in pain.
My eyes widened as I bent down to look at him.
"Erm are you okay Lord Shingen?" I asked worriedly as he nodded his head, gritting his teeth with eyes closed tightly.
"Yep... Yep I'm fine..."
"Erm... Okay..." I said slowly as I turned to the kitchen to help my grandma prepare the dishes...