Ronin (Overwatch X Male!Reader)

Chapter 3: Ramen

Japan. 

The land of the rising sun. Or so that's what they called it. 

You didn't care, it didn't matter. 

Just another pit-stop on your seemingly endless, and certainly directionless journey. You had seen many exotic lands, and you weren't expecting this place to be any different. 

Expectations, however, are often unmet.

You began to peel one of the many tangerines that rested in the crate with you, oblivious to the fact that this wouldn't be your last time smuggling yourself to a foreign country in a crate full of fruit.

You popped a segment of the orange citrus into your mouth, feeling a slight jolt as a couple of workers picked up your crate and loaded you onto the port. You heard a couple of Japanese workers chattering a few metres away, recognising the language from all the Anime you used to watch when you had enough spare time to steal DVD's and play them on your old beat-up laptop in whichever hidden den you managed to find or make for yourself. Those really were the days... Things were different now though, you didn't have time for things like that anymore.

You peered through a crack in the crate, judging by the amount of daylight, and how little sleep you managed to get, it was probably around 5 AM. Perfect time for a loud and swift escape. Kamikaze style. Minus the certain death. Hopefully. 

You kicked the lid off your wooden vessel and heard it clatter on the concrete ground beneath you, leaping out shortly after it. You spotted the workers, along with the shocked expressions on their faces.  

You swiftly ran past them before they managed to comprehend the situation, climbing and vaulting over the closest metal fence you could find, and running further into some woodland ahead. 

'As simple as always...' you thought to yourself as you smirked smugly, there weren't many who could match their reflexes to your moves, but you weren't complaining. 

You walked for a couple more miles before finding your way to a highway, 'I'll follow this road to the next town, hopefully I'll be able to snatch a bite to eat there...'  you thought to yourself. You would be willing to pay, if you had the coin, but this was a foreign land with a foreign currency, and you would only be able to rely on your wits and charismatic nature to get your way.  

You continued walking down next to the motorway in your scraggly clothes, looking at the road signs and billboards, wishing that you could read at least a little Japanese, you thought that you probably wouldn't get the opportunity. But most of all, you were admiring the countries landscape. Dense forests sprawled over almost mountainous hills, with unique foliage and funny sounding insects. It was peaceful, yet surreal. 

After a couple more hours of walking you ended up coming up to the outskirts of a town. You read the word "Hanamura", written in English of course. 'Huh... At least I can understand this...' you thought. 

As you got further into the city, you heard your stomach growl. Seems like it's about time to find some breakfast! Worrying about your lack of funds could come later. As you neared the centre of the town, a quaint little ramen shop caught your attention. 'Ramen for breakfast? Why the hell not.' you pondered to yourself. In all honesty, you were curious to experience the real thing for yourself, you'd only ever had the cheap packaged stuff before.

"Welcome to Rikimaru Ramen!" came a voice from behind the counter, you gave a smile, and sat down next to an older looking Japanese man, who didn't even spare you a glance, slurping down on his noodles intently. "I'll try the miso ramen, please?" you said to the chef, thankful that he could speak and understand English, and slightly guilty that you had entered his shop without any money to spare. "Coming right up!" he sang, retreating back to his kitchen area. You watched him as he cooked, how swift and decisive his movements were. 'He must have spent countless years refining these skills out of necessity...' you thought, it reminded you of yourself.

You began to slurp your ramen down as you took note of the patron beside you, the older Japanese man. He had short silver hair with a few scars running down the side of his scalp, and although he was intently slurping down his 2nd bowl of ramen, he had an aura about him that seemed like he was taking note of everything in the restaurant.

You began to chow down on your freshly cooked ramen, and you had to admit that it was just right. You slurped down and down, the broth slightly burning your mouth, but not enough to cause any significant discomfort. You eventually finished it, full and satisfied. 

"That'll be 600 yen, please." before you could even respond, or even attempt to make a run for it-"The kid's bowl is on me." You sat there frozen and taken aback, looking beside you to the man you had been taking note of earlier. The chef smirked "Sure thing." he said, taking the money from the man. 

He began to slurp back down on his noodles, as if nothing had happened. "Why did you pay for my food?" you asked him. "I have an even better question." he stated "Why do you come to buy food when you have no money to buy it with?"

You sat there, still shocked, "How did you know that-" he cut you off, "The way you walk, how you talk, how you sit, and most of all, the way you keep your hands under the table like a scared child who's about to bolt out of the door. You have penniless orphan written all over you."

You both sat there in silence for a few seconds longer. Who the hell was this guy?

...

"You didn't answer my question. Why did you pay for my meal?"

"Why not?" 

"Yeah, but why?" 

"Perhaps I wanted to strike up a conversation with a fascinating stranger." 

"Fascinating? What do you mean?" 

"Your clothes, your demeanour, your expression... You've been many places, and you've seen many things that most people your age wouldn't dream of..."

"So what? What does that have to do with you?" 

"In all honesty, nothing. However, you remind me of two of my old students."

"Students in what?" 

"Many things." 

"Who were they?"

"Brothers of a noble family, both talented, in their own ways. And both with very different, yet very valid outlooks on life." 

"But... How do I remind you of them?" 

"Chef! Two more bowls of miso ramen!"

...