Letting your feet roam on autopilot and your brain in a hazy daze. You soon found yourself before the same humble Ramen-ya that is usually filled with the regular customers. The same ones who would come back again and again, ordering a dish and almost staying there for hours on end.
It surprised you that Minato-san didn't mind them holding up their seats for long periods a day.
With a droopy sigh and slumped shoulders, you walked in. Greeted by the ever-so-bright smile of Arata the orange-haired assistant. The same orange-haired pupil of the stingy chef, Minato.
"(Y/N)! How're the extra classes going?" he asked with the same caring smile he had given you. Just like the one he gave on the first day you met.
The first person to actually see through you and notice your discomfort. He is also one of the first few people outside your family to openly worry about you.
'Oh.. yeah, I also told him about me transferring to the hero course the other day...' you sadly thought 'I didn't have anywhere else to go though...'
Already quick to read your eyes, Arata quirked his brow worriedly. "What's wrong? Did something bad happened?"
His attempts to call you forward while looking back and forth whether to risk jumping over the counter and get scolded or passing through the long way and may unintentionally have you run away made a small smile grace your lips.
Though older than you, he was very quirky like the students in U.A. His childish acts usually had him beaten with a ladle by his mentor.
Deciding to save him from the trouble, you waddled to your favorite seat, where you noticed that it had been decorated with a different colored cushion than the store's usual aesthetic.
"You like the pattern?" the man shyly asked as he scratched his cheek. "I don't know what kind of pattern you'd like, so I just picked ones with Sakura branches with a crane in the background. Since in the festival you were literally flying through the matches as if it were nothing!"
"But Cranes also mean good-fortune and longevity, as well as happiness and eternal youth..." you remarked looking teasingly at the man saying.
"Are you calling me old?"
"H-Hey! Cranes aren't just for elder people. You know that! D-Don't go mocking it around." Arata lightly huffed with his own version of puffed cheeks. It in turn made you laugh when some of the regulars playfully battered Arata for calling them 'elder' when they clearly still had some spunk in them.
"Moving on..!" he yelped out calming his red face to see you getting comfy on your new, personalized seat.
"Are you sure you're okay? You really had me worried when you didn't come bursting in through the flaps with your usual bouncy self."
You sighed softly knowing well Arata isn't one to beat around the bush when it comes to you. His concern is always something you expected whenever he sees a frown on your pink lips.
"I..." your voice cracked with anxiety.
'How is he gonna react?' you wondered, 'He was so happy when he found out that I was gonna become a proper hero in training.'
"You can take your time, you know" Arata pat your pink head with a grin, "Why not order something first then tell me."
"Awe! But eating is supposed to be a happy thing! Not something I want to cry away with!" you pout earning a tut from him.
"You may not understand, but good food can bring out the true emotions of people!" He said as he waved his hands in a 'mystifying' way that only made you tilt your head unconvinced.
"Really?"
"Really, Really!" Arata said before quickly shoving the menu at your face. "Go choose whatever you like! It's on me!"
"Hah? You can't keep giving me free food I have to pay, you know--"
"I'll pay! Don't worry! You have to know the magic of great food!" calling this 20-year-old, a man, was a stretch. Every time you look at him, you could imagine a tail behind him swishing as his aura start to come off as sparkles in your special eyes.
"Hmm... If you insist... Then I'll have my favorite"
With a wide grin, Arata closed the menu and quickly strode to the back. You couldn't help but smile fondly at the man though it did make you self-conscious since this was the third time you got free food. By now Arata might get in trouble with Minato-san.
Seeing this, one of the regulars with blue hair and dark eyes, you remember named Naku, laughed waving his hand to try to calm you down. "Don't worry little miss."
"If Arata is giving you free food, he's usually the one making it!" Joining him was a middle-aged man, who had brown hair and grey eyes, named Yuiitsu
"Is it really okay?" You nervously laughed scratching your cheek before noticing a looming shadow. Your face paled when Minato came to view, scrunching his sharp brows at you in the most intriguing way of how define the shape is.
Before you can squeak a word, Arata came into your rescue plopping down a nice steaming bowl of your favorite most kind pf ramen that they could offer.
"Eat up and tell me the problem!" He was quick to get himself comfy. You pursed your lips with uncertainty.
'Should I really just babble on about this? I mean it's not gonna change anything...'
You thought with a sigh. Taking the chopsticks you took in your first bite. And your walls crumbled completely.
[--]
"--and he just walked away!" You cried to yourself as you slumped on to your seat. Already on your third bowl, Arata nodding while he listened away.
"I barely even started and now I have to quit? I don't wanna go home and disappoint Shoto or my dad..."
"You really must be having a tough time, " Arata chuckles as you groan into the table.
"Can this day get any worse...?" You mumble to yourself. But with sharp ears, Minato peaked from under the flaps at the kitchen entrance saying; "It can, you owe me two bowls worth of ramen."
You double-take almost shouting in shock. "I thought these were also on the house??" You squeaked remembering how much Arata pestered you to take the second bowl before you evidently took the third bowl without a single thought.
"He didn't pay me yet so, hurry up!" the old man scold urging you to place the money on his open palm.
You frowned deeply, before running a hand through your hair frustration. Taking out a few hundred yen to give. Only to have the old man smack the top of your head with the same money.
Your face was so priceless. You had no idea what you did wrong.
"Are you really that disrespectful to free food?" The old man then said confusing you even more. Looking at your bewildered face as you held the top of your head.
"Not you too!" You complained hitting your head on the wooden counter not minding that you landed on the paper money that Minato placed down.
"What is everyone trying to tell me today? I don't get what you people want from me. I'm trying to do what everyone wants me to do! And yet they're getting upset that I DID do what they wanted me to do and I'm confused! I--ugh!!!!"
Minato looked at you expectantly. But you just sat there in defeat and despair. Arata worriedly looked between you and his sensei before trying to reach his hand out to comfort you, but Minato caught it shaking his head to his student gesturing him to serve more regulars who have recently arrived.
Arata sighed silently and nodded giving you one last hopeful glance before disappearing to the back.
"(Y/N)..." Minato started only to receive a small grumble from you, with another muffled sneeze following after.
"Did you know that it was Arata who made your food?" He talked slowly. Trying to gain back your attention. Eventually, he did, with you looking up like some kicked puppy.
"That's what the misters said..."
"He made it or you cause he wanted to. Arata would have gotten scolded by me since he was giving free food as if we don't need the money to buy more ingredients. He willingly chose to pay it with his own money even if he worked here because he wanted to."
"I don't get what you're saying, Minato-san..." you mumble fiddling with your fingers.
Seeing this Minato ruffled your hair roughly that had you whine. "Why do you bother to come here? There are plenty other ramen-ya that are closer to either your school or home."
"Because I want to." you quickly answered fixing your hair with a pout.
"Why do you keep coming here to have a bowl of ramen when you can cook some at your own home?" Minato asked crossing his arms
"What? Because I want to eat the ramen you make!"
"You said once before that you weren't allowed to use too much of your quirk. Yet you used it during the festival."
"Because I want to give my all just like everyone else there!"
Minato was confusing you greatly. This entire day is confusing you! Why are people asking you this? Why are they questioning you about this sort of thing? You don't get why, but it was frustrating you to no end that they keep on doubting you. First Sekijiro, then Minato. What happens when Shoto or your dad ask you the same?
What is it you are missing that people can see but you can't!?
"Why are you giving it your all when you aren't even part of the course they are in?"
"BECAUSE I WANT TO BE A HERO!"
"Then what's stopping you?"
Was his statement as he looked at you softly with proud eyes. You blinked stupidly, all amount of frustration leaving your head as quick as the ocean falling still. It took time for you to process but your air-headed look only amused the people in the store.
Like a bolt of lightning, your eyes beamed with the sense of realization, color coming back to your gloomy cheeks. Unconsciously, your lips moved mouthing the answer racing in your head to Minato's words.
"... Nothing"
[A/M: Hoowei!! I had writer's block on this part. Hopefully, it's not confusing or fast paced. This was the part that had me take the longest to come back to. Blame this chapter for being so motivationally draining XD
Just to not confuse, sometimes I write chapters in advance. Also during my hiatus I was also still writing before I decided to start publishing them again.]