Nebula

chapter one//the golden dragon

UMIKO;

 

I tried to keep my noise shut as I navigated through the jam-packed street in front of me. Vendors were selling different types of foods on small carts, usually made in some cheap little restaurant in unsanitary conditions. Madame Suki had warned me – however hungry I am, I should never buy from them.

I was so hungry I contemplated breaking that rule.

It had been roughly a week since I arrived in New York by plane. The first few days were rough, I slept on the streets. The day before yesterday, I managed to get a job at Madame Suki’s Golden Dragon. On any other occasion, I wouldn’t have agreed to the job, but this was an exception. I was in dire need of food.

Slowly making my way through the street, I turned to the right and climbed the three steps that led to the Golden Dragon. The glass doors were dirty – Madame Suki would surely make me wash them. Thankfully, I could drag the job out and sleep in the café like on the first day.

I observed the tiny tables that were wrapped with cheap plastic material. A middle-aged man in a wife beater was enjoying some watered-down soup. I could hear some type of commotion from the kitchen. Walking that way, I inhaled the smell of Japanese foods.

Unfortunately, my observations of the Japanese culture were interrupted by a sharp slap to my butt. I turned around.

The middle-aged man was smirking at me and checking me out.

I hauled him up by the back of his neck. He winced in pain. The commotion would have to wait.

He didn’t look Japanese, he looked Korean, so I expected he wouldn’t understand me.

That was another big problem.

I spoke close to no English. In the past two days, Madame had tried to teach me a few words. I tried to use them to my best ability.

“Oh no,” I told the man in a low whisper. Just to get my message across, I slapped him once and dropped him to the floor.

The man scurried out.

I caught up with him and hauled him by his neck, once again, extending my palm. He rummaged through his pockets until he found the needed cash and handed it to me. I let him go off.

Walking carefully over the soup that he spilled in the process, I put the cash on the counter. The commotion was only getting louder, so I pushed the two way door and entered the kitchen.

Madame Suki was arguing with a girl, not much younger than me.

“Look, I can cook, I can wash things, I can do anything!” she exclaimed, trying to prove her point by wiping one of the counters.

“Morning,” I told Madame.

“Hello, Umiko. The uniforms are in the back, as per usual.” she explained, pointing to the back to make sure I understood. “And as for you, I told you already, we don’t have any jobs open.”

With that Madame headed out into the restaurant and assumed her position behind the counter.

The girl sighed and leaned against the wall. I patted her shoulder. From what I could understand, she needed a job.

“It’s okay,” I tried telling her.

She eyed me twice. I could see the little wheels in her head spinning.

“Do you work here?” she asked me.

I nodded.

“Look, I’ll give you a deal. Do you have a home?”