The smell of ramen noodle broth wafts in the air. Steam rises from bowls set on the counter waiting to be picked up. Yuuto and Senji sat at a table nearby. The ramen shop Senji had brought Yuuto to was decently sized, it had very plain decorations, such as a large plant and T.V in the corner. A few scattered drawings and posters which advertised coming events. There were a few other people around scattered about. Yuuto’s eyes wondered for a moment looking past the counter where the shop owner would place the readied ramen bowls. The smell of delicious ramen noodles was intoxicating, Yuuto drooled for a moment before he wiped his mouth.

“The ramen here looks like it’s gonna be pretty good.”

“Yeah, the ramen here is actually pretty good. I’ve come here a few times. So I’ve tried a lot of their selections.”

“Mhmm. That’s cool. Can’t wait to dig in. Wonder how long it’s going to take before our ramen is ready?”

Senji was about to respond when a young man around their age walked up to their table holding a tray.

“Here you go. One Miso bowl regular.”

The young man placed the tray on the table then went away. Senji grabbed a pair of chops sticks and broke them apart preparing to dig in when he looked over at Yuuto.

“Oh. Sorry. I should probably wait…”

Yuuto put out a hand cutting him off.

“No, it’s alright. If you’re hungry you should eat. Plus I’m not so sure I’d wait if the roles were reversed.”

“Really that’s kinda mean.”

Yuuto responds by chuckling with his eyes closed while he scratches the back of his head.

“Hey, Senji?”

“Yeah?”

Senji looks up from his bowl of ramen, slurping a strand before he replied to Yuuto.

“You were able to summon a magical creature. So, you must have pretty good control over magic, right? Is there anything in particularly that you did to get…

Senji waves his hand in front of his face frantically.

“No, no you misunderstand. I have basic control. I was using a totem. Um, totems are usually more durable than the one I had. But they are used to supplement certain spell procedures when it comes to summoning. It’s like having a magical object that is infused with a ready to use spell. All you have to do is make an offering of magical energy and sometimes something of yourself like blood for example.”

Yuuto blinks twice, staring at Senji blankly. The young man from earlier returns with another tray. This one held two bowels both twice the size of Senji’s.

“Here you are. One Miso special with extra boiled eggs, seaweed and pork. And one Tokatsu special with eggs, ginger, and narutomaki. Enjoy.”

The young man glanced at Yuuto then looks over at Senji with his purple eyes. A curious expression goes across his face while he turns around heading back to work. Senji looks over at the man for a second seeing his short purple hair bobbing as he walks.

“Yuuto did you no….”

Yuuto grabbed a pair of chopsticks then began diving into his ramen a second later. In a manner of seconds, he pulled large amounts of ramen into his mouth while Senji stared blankly. Eventually he starts eating out of the second bowl drinking the soup when he is finished then Yuuto goes back and drinks the soup from the first.

“Aaah. That was so tasty. Huh, is something wrong you barely touched your ramen?”

Yuuto pointed at Senji’s ramen with his chopsticks. Senji’s eyes slowly glanced down at his bowl.

“Oh yeah you’re right. Uh you really ate all that kinda of fast.”

“Yup. I was hungry. So totems are quick and easy magical tools then. That’s good to know.”

Senji makes a weird face for a moment.

“Not quite. I mean they’re not too difficult to use. But making one can be a pain you have to crave all the sigils yourself it takes a lot of time and effort.”

Yuuto nodded.

“Hey. Since you asked about my totem. What about you? I know you told me you work out and all. But that can’t be the only reason. How come you’re so strong?”

Yuuto was so caught off guard that he freezes for a moment. His eyes looked around as if he was searching for a distraction. On the wall to the right of him he can see a poster advertising a new shop at a mall. "Possibility to get free stuff for the first hundred customers." The store actually looked like a place Yuuto would shop at so in that moment he made a note to himself to go there on the weekend.

“Hey look. This store is gonna have a grand opening we should go.”

Senji looked over at the poster for a moment seeming genuinely distracted.

“Sure I don’t see why not. But Yuuto.”

“Yeah Senji.”

“You didn’t answer my question. Is it a big secret, I won’t pry if it is?”

Yuuto sighed then slouched slowly sinking in his chair.

“Well sort of. I mean it kind of is and it kind of isn’t my mas….”

A strained look goes across Yuuto’s face. It looked like he was suffering from a strange mixture of sickness, anger, and fear.

That horrible, horrible man! Wretched creature! Vile monster! I hope he gets run over. I hope he gets buried alive in quicksand. I wish he would choke on whatever he was eating right now. That man. That despicable man. The worst kind of person, the….huh why is Senji just staring at me?

“Oh. Right uh well to answer your question.”

Yuuto paused for a moment while the expression on his face changed to a more normal one.

“Well let’s see. Depending on how I answer this might answer your question or not. Uh I guess…wait I know it’s because of magic.

Senji just stared at Yuuto with a confused expression on his face.

“You’re right that doesn’t answer my question at all. Well, whatever if you don’t feel like telling me it’s fine. It’s just a little strange that’s all?”

Yuuto laughs awkwardly for a moment.

If it keeps up like this it will probably be better just to tell him. Then again it doesn’t seem like he intends to pry. I guess only time will tell.