The Rockstar Below The Surface - Runaway

1: Live Stream

Ramen's POV

It's pretty busy at the restaurant that I'm working at. It's not like the typical everyday shift. It was really, really, busy. We're recently short staffed, since some of them took days off at work. Unfortunately for me, I'm stuck with the rest of the remaining people in this establishment.

At this point, sometimes I just wish things could get better.

"Excuse me, waiter!" a woman's voice echoed from the far corner of the room. I turned my head and walked over to them, to a group of 5 middle-aged women with the brunette waving at me. "Good evening, ladies. How may I serve you today?" I ask them with a friendly tone. I can feel my body becoming weary by every second. As much as I wanted to flop down on the cold floor, I got to stay up and keep working and pretend I'm enjoying this.

I'm not.

I wrote down their order on my notepad, and boy it was a big one. The 5 of them wanted a large portion, the family size portion, as if they were starving for days. I tended their food and served it to them hot and fresh. 

Not gonna lie, my serving skills almost gave up on me when I was walking. I balanced 2 large noodle bowls on 2 trays on each hand, with the 5th one on my head that's also on a tray. They were impressed and gave me a big smile, or else they'll see how I'm embarrassingly struggling with myself.

My friend and I felt exhausted when we took our stuff at the storage room. We fixed and cleaned some areas outside to help the others before our 8 hour day shift ends. "Wanna get some drinks at Batson's tonight? I heard they're trying out their 24 hour shift" Logan Eisenhart asks me while resting his chin on the tip of the broomstick. Staring at me with his gray-ish blue eyes with his fluffy black hair covering his eyebrows while grinning.

We've been friends for a year now and he drinks way too damn much on some days whenever we go to a bar. I can't stand dragging his drunk-ass on the sidewalk anymore, but I don't know if he knows that. "Not today, Lo. My cousin is dropping off Oyuki at my place and I can't back out of that. I also heard that she's going somewhere, so yeah." he then replies back to me with a short sigh and a disappointed face. I think I might have seen him roll his eyes too.

 "Seriously? Just like last time?"

"I know, I know. She gets busy most of the time and seems like it's the same today."

"Can't she look after Oyuki for a while?"

"She's a busy woman, but hey! At least the kid has a reliable uncle!"

"Whatever. You're turning into your niece's dad..."

"I heard that, dumbass."

"I know, noodle head."

We shared a small laugh before we packed our bags and prepared to leave. We left the restaurant and went our separate ways, and I climbed down the concrete staircase that lead me to the old bus stop. The brown rust from the railing clung on to my palm so I rubbed it off on my black slacks, hoping no passerby would notice. 

Oyuki Saito is my 8 year old niece that my cousin drops off at my place very often. I sometimes think to myself, why can't they hire a nanny to look after their kids? I care about Oyuki, but babysitting a kid that's not mine for that long doesn't sit right to me.

I don't know what's going on with their lives, but I know that she's always busy. She pays most of my rent so it's the least I could do to repay her kindness. 

I stood under the shed at the bus stop and hopped on to the first one that arrived. The sky was dark and gloomy with the soft rain pouring down on the drive way. The colourful neon lights on the side of the streets made the place seem brighter though. People flooded in an hour later, and I got squeezed within the crowd of passengers. Fortunately we arrived at the next bus stop and I got off, allowing myself to breathe in the city air once again. Finally out of that tight space I was in.