Between Worlds: The Story of Ike Eveland and Vox Akuma

Chapter 10: The Hunt Begins

As Ike and Vox arrive at the restaurant, Vox quickly pulls up to the front of the building and parks the car. As Ike reaches for the door handle, Vox jumps out of the driver's seat and moves to open the door for him.

When Ike opens the door, Vox is right there, waiting for him. He looks at Ike with a warm smile on his face and leans in for a quick kiss on the lips.

Ike is caught off-guard by the sudden intimacy, but he leans into it and kisses Vox back. As they pull away, Vox opens the door the rest of the way and leads Ike inside the restaurant.

They make their way to the reception desk and Vox asks for a table for two, and the hostess shows them to their table. As they sit down and begin to look over the menus, Ike can't help but feel a sudden sense of shyness and embarrassment.

He turns to Vox and says, "Vox, I-I just wanted to say thank you again for the earlier. I didn't expect it, and it really meant a lot to me."

Vox nods, "It meant a lot to me too, Ike. I'm glad we could have this moment together. Let's enjoy our date and focus on the present."

As the waiter approaches the table, Vox and Ike quickly look over their menus and decide on what to order.

Vox turns to the waiter and says, "We'll start with two appetizers. I'll have the chicken dumplings, and Ike will have the fried rice."

The waiter nods and writes down their orders before turning to Ike, "And for your main course, sir?"

Ike's eyes light up at the choices, but he quickly settles on a dish. "I'll have the lemon soy chicken. And can we get water to drink, please?"

The waiter nods and walks away to place the order with the kitchen. As they wait for their food, Vox leans in and whispers, "This is turning out to be a great date, don't you think?"

Ike nods, feeling a sudden sense of joy and excitement wash over him. "It really is. I can't believe this is all pretend. It feels so real."

Vox grins at him, "It does, doesn't it? But that's what makes it all the more enjoyable. We know it's not real, but we can still play pretend and have fun. That's what this is all about, right?"

As Vox and Ike wait for their food, Vox leans in close and whispers in his ear, "Ike, you know that you're absolutely beautiful, don't you?"

Ike blushes at the sudden compliment and looks down at his lap. "W-Well, um, thank you, Vox. You're not too bad yourself."

Vox laughs and says, "Oh, trust me, I know. But I still think you're the prettiest person I've ever met."

Ike looks up from his lap and meets Vox's eyes, feeling the warmth of his words wash over him. "You really mean that, Vox?"

Vox leans back in his seat and takes Ike's hand, giving it a soft squeeze. "I mean every word, Ike. I want you to know that you're important to me, and I'm thankful for this time we have together."

Ike smiles at Vox, feeling a sudden sense of gratitude and emotion wash over him. He can't help but feel a strong connection with Vox, even though they're still strangers to each other.

As they continue to flirt and chat, their food is brought to the table. The chicken dumplings and fried rice both look delicious, and they dig in with enthusiasm.

Throughout their meal, Vox and Ike continue to flirt and joke, making each other laugh. It's been a long time since Ike has felt so comfortable and at ease with someone. He can't help but hope that this fake date will lead to something more.

As they continue their meal, Vox keeps up his flirty demeanor, winking at Ike and making subtle passes at him. Ike tries to focus on the food and ignore the flirting, but it's becoming harder and harder as the night wears on.