BEN Drowned | Hopes And Dreams

Chapter XXI

"Ohh, I see now!" That same raven haired boy muttered as we were finally served like regular customers inside the small shop.

Hot and steaming ramen sat before us as we chatted with the chef's son, Tsubaki. "I thought you were his girlfriend!" Tsubaki, the raven haired teen told me. Laughing rather humorlessly, it sent shivers down my spine as he kept a sharp gaze at me.

Ben sat across me as Tsubaki stood beside our table, near Ben. "Uhm, do you want to sit down?" I offered and Tsubaki nodded. I scooted in my seat only to see him plopping himself on Ben's lap.

Ben jolted, followed by a surprised groan as Tsubaki gazes at me intently. I gave the both of them an awkward smile as I dug onto the ramen in front of me. I heard Ben complaining that he couldn't eat his ramen this way and that it might go cold. Tsubaki gave up and got off of Ben.

His eyes continues to linger on my frame as he trudges begrudgingly back to the kitchen. Ben and I were now quietly eating our ramen, feeling tension under the gaze of Tsubaki peering by the counter.

"Hey," Ben called, his face merely inches away from his bowl of ramen. I look at him using my eyes as we both hid our conversation from the piercing gaze of Tsubaki. "Are you alright?"

I gave him a smile and nodded lightly. "Sorry, this may seem weird. But I think Tsubaki has a crush on me."

I stifled a chuckle as I rest my back on my chair. "Who wouldn't, though?" This caused for the tension of Tsubaki's gaze to waver as well as the reddening of Ben's cheeks. Ben's lips formed a small conspicuous smile as he watched me giggle.

It took a while for us to finish our ramen and we were engaged into a deep and meaningful conversation.

"Still, don't you think they all deserve better?" Ben asked once our conversation hinted its near end.

I nodded, smiling at him kindly. "They do. All of us do." He mirrored myself and called for the check. He paid for the both of us and when we both stood, Tsubaki and his father was already beside us. Giving us a curt bow as they asked for us to come back again.

As Ben and I strolled our ways to Japan, I couldn't help but ask, "How come you know Japanese?"

Ben, looking at me sideways, portrayed a mischievous smirk on his lips as he replied, "There's a lot you don't know."

I pouted my lips as he didn't really answer my question. I tried again, rephrasing it. "When did you meet Tsubaki and Mr.Minashima?"

"Well," Ben started, lost in his thoughts as he tried to recall. "They're not who they seem to portray." He told me wondrously.

My eyes widened as his words sunk in, "Wait.. Are they-"

"Yokai." He finished for me with a small smirk, when I scrunched my eyebrows, he explained, "It's basically like a ghost or phantom.. But in Japan." He whispered the last sentence as if it was something secretive and magical.

"I didn't know that." I gaped as Ben chuckled.

"Then they're doing a pretty good job at hiding it." With one swift movement, he dragged me in an empty and secluded alleyway. "Let's get us home."

-

If I had known, I wouldn't have gone.

Ben and I sat side by side inside Slenderman's Study. Both of our heads hanging low in shame as the tall and slender mansion owner loomed before us. Hands on his hip, the atmosphere tense and heavy as he continued to scold us.

"How irresponsible could you get?" His voice was calm and reserved, deceitful from the atmosphere he was emitting. No one dared to crowd the open doorway, nor did they dare to walk pass the hallway as Slenderman's aura seem to circle inside the mansion itself.