A Moment With You

CHAPTER 7 | A Good Memory

Everyone has a story to tell
and every sidewalk has been a witness to such stories...
every laughter shared, every tear secretly shed,
every anxious walks, and excited skips...
Sometimes repeatedly witnessed
and some only left as a memory of days passed.

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Where to begin? Perhaps it would have been better if they just settled for a cup of coffee at the bookstore. The idea of walking around town and enjoying ramen together seemed like a good one. But now, there was only silence as they sat opposite each other.

"The ramen tastes good." Ray started.

"hmmm," Irene replied in agreement as she slurped her soup.

Ray just nodded, smacking his lips together as he looked around the family restaurant. When they first came in, Irene immediately took the seat near the glass window and stared at it silently. It was only when they ordered that she spoke. Other than that, she didn't say a word. She just quietly looked at her hands, the window, and the menu. There were moments she would just nod or answer Ray -- totally different from earlier.

"Should I order us some beer?" Ray asked.

"Hmmm." Irene smiled and nodded. Ray ordered two cans of beer.

Once the beers arrived, Irene gently took one and gulped it. Ray was surprised at how she drank it and did the same.

"Thank you." Irene suddenly spoke.

Ray stopped drinking and placed the can of beer down. "You're welcome."

"You're pretty quiet." Irene told Ray.

Ray stared at her. Wasn't she the one who's been quiet all this time?

"You've been pretty quiet too?"

"No, I wasn't."

"Yes you are. I've been trying to talk to you but you were just quiet."

Irene went silent and started wondering. "You were quietly eating your ramen."

What does that supposed to mean? Ray thought.

"You were so engrossed with it I can't disturb you." Irene explained. "You only talked to me when you were finished with it."

Ray then looked at his clean bowl. Not a drop of broth was found. Was he that engrossed.

"Was I that engrossed eating this ramen?"

Irene smiled, "Don't worry, you were fun to watch."

Ray suddenly was caught in disbelief. He scoffed while Irene suddenly let out a small laugh.

"Do you want to try their dumplings?" She asked, "It's a must try when you're here. Plus it's good with beer."

Ray shook his head while letting out a laugh. Here she was again seemingly playful while earlier she looked gloomy or perhaps because she didn't really want to disturb him?

"Sure." Ray said and Irene called for the waiter to get their order including another two cans of beer.

"Wouldn't that be too much for you?" He asked as the waiter immediately came back with their beer.

She shook her head as she took a sip of her second can. "It's good to drink after that much work." She said.

She's right. Ray had owned a pub and knew this well. He would always enjoy a drink with the people he worked with whenever they closed shop.