Black & White-English Version

7-Chishiya's plan

Author space for a news:

From this chapter forward, to emphasize some scenes, I'll ask Alexa for a little help. Here are the "instructions" for how to best enjoy the experience:

*Alexa play* put on headphones, go find the song and start it from the minute indicated. P.N. Maybe you'll finish reading the part before the music finishes, so I suggest you wait, enjoy the song and imagine the scene while listening to it, THEN read on. Or if the music ends earlier, you can always hit the replay button ;)

*Alexa stop* from now on, what happens is no longer connected to the song.

Easy peasy, right?

The canteen was huge, full of tables and with lots of windows looking out onto the outside.

"So, what do you prefer?" Chishiya asked me.

"Anything, as long as it's hot."

"Follow me then."

I smelled an inviting scent in the air and assumed it was coming from the kitchens. It was just after lunchtime and my stomach ached; I hadn't eaten for a day because I couldn't find any food.

We arrived at the kitchens, where to my astonishment I saw two cooks.

"I can't believe this!" I said with my mouth still open in surprise.

"They're Players too." Chishiya clarified. "But in our world they were cooks and that came in handy."

He waved to them and they gave him two plates of ramen. He took them and guided me at the closest table; then he put the plate in front of me.

"Lunch is served." Chishiya sat in front of me.

"Shall we eat with our hands?" I asked smiling and holding back a laugh.

"Right, the chopsticks." And he got up to get them. That scene made me laugh a lot, because despite his attitude of all mystery and zero direct answers, he was still a human.

"What's so funny?" He asked me, smiling.

"You." I said, trying to stop laughing. "You are funny."

"I've never been called funny, but I think I can take that as a compliment." He said starting to eat.

I imitated him and for a while it was "everyone for himself with their food".

It didn't take me long to finish it.

"Well, I have to say you look really composed and elegant when you eat." He said, grabbing some noodles, but staying serious.

I bursts out laughing. I must have looked like a wild beast for the way I gobbled my noodles.

"You're funny too, then." And this time he smiled broadly.

It was the first time I had seen him smile like that; my heart didn't like it and increased the beat. I tried to calm down, not letting him see that his presence, sometimes, made me a little...well, I still didn't know how to define thas new sensation.

He finished his noodles with all the calm in the world and I tried not to stare at him too much (especially after realizing that under the hoodie, which he now wore half open, he wasn't wearing a t-shirt).

I decided to break the silence with a question that had been buzzing in my head for a while.

"So, I take it you also have hid-" I said, but before I could finish, Chishiya put his hand over my mouth.