139 Vol. 3 pt. 9 Patch 2.0: Babies and Burgers (2/2)
They make it across without any problems.
”Come on, I'm hungry,” Cassandra says, tugging a bit more on Ryouta's arm as she speeds up.
”So impatient. It's right here,” Ryouta teases now that he's calmed down. It's not that he's never crossed a road ever since that day, but it still digs up bad memories. Having Aiko here with him makes those memories even stronger.
”Let's just hope the big guy doesn't talk to us.”
”Who?”
”Marco, the owner. He's a scary guy and really loud. People always complain about how loud he is when he's walking around and talking to tables.”
”Sounds annoying, but I guess I'll experience it myself if he's that loud.”
The group walks in and is immediately helped. It's just late enough that the dinner rush is over, but the restaurant is still mostly full as people finish up. ”Booth or table?” the worker asks.
”Uhh, what do you all like?” Ryouta asks them. This is the first time he's been out to a restaurant with them, and while he personally prefers booths, he doesn't have that strong of a preference for them.
Aiko and Cassandra answer with booth as well, but then Ryouta realizes that they have a problem. How is a wheelchair supposed to fit inside of a booth?
”Booth, please!” Alice answers.
Well, Ryouta doesn't know how this is going to work, but Alice must know something that he doesn't.
”Oh, hey! I almost didn't see you there, Serra,” the worker says, waving at her.
Serra waves back and attempts signing to him.
”Sorry, I still don't know any of that. Want your favorite spot?”
Serra nods while Aiko glares at the man.
Ryouta doesn't know what Aiko's deal is, but now that he's seeing another man smiling and acting all nice toward Serra, even he feels a tiny bit jealous. But, he knows that there's nothing going on and that the guy is just being friendly, so there's no need to be jealous.
The group gets led to Serra's favorite booth which ends up being right next to the kitchen's entrance.
”Here are your menus, and a waiter will be over to help you in a moment. Enjoy!” the worker says.
Aiko waits until he's gone before saying anything. ”I hate him so much. Every time I've come here with Serra, he's always smiling and trying to be nice and stuff to us.”
”Well, that is his job,” Ryouta says.
”I don't care! I don't want any guys but my Ryouta looking at me!” Aiko explains, earning odd looks from those at nearby tables and booths as they sit down in the booth.
He looks at Alice to see what she's doing. Rather than try to fit into the booth, she just rolls up to the end of the table and stops there. ”Is something the matter, my hero?” she asks Ryouta.
”Nothing. Just realizing that I overthink things,” Ryouta explains.
Everybody's stomachs growl as their hunger quickly increases. Sitting right by the kitchen means that they can easily smell all of the delicious food being prepared in there, but there is a problem with this.
Between the cooks shouting at each other, servers asking for updates on food and delivering new orders, and music playing in the kitchen, this has to be the loudest and most annoying spot in the restaurant to sit at.
”Why do you like this spot so much?” Ryouta signs to Serra.
”It smells the best,” Serra signs back.
It takes him a few moments to realize that because she's deaf, she's immune to the constant noise coming from the kitchen.
Now it makes sense.