Dinner Talk

Sano and Licca stared at Sakaki humming to themselves. It was moments ago you could swear you were looking at a different man.

The elevator came to a halt and none of the trio had said a word as Sakaki led them down the hallway.

"I don't think you've been on this floor, since you've arrived you've only had Mutsumi's food, but she can't work all day she's a child." Sakaki said as approached a wide door. It automatically opened revealing a spacious room, filled with long tables with seats built into them. Off in the corner was a tray line already started going.

"Welcome to the Mess Hall." Sakaki said.

Once they were in, Sakaki was met with multiple greetings and odd stares along with Licca. Sano never made eye contact with any of the current sit-ins but the sight of his god-arc was enough to scare any of them a few seats down.

"Is the mess hall up to the standards of your prisons'?" Sakaki asked.

"There's no mess hall...we get a tray sent to our cells and we're supposed to eat whatever's on it. Only regular prisons get a kitchen with a cafeteria." Sano replied.

"Oh is that right? I'm not familiar with the current prison system. I'm a scientist at heart." Sakaki said as the other patrons let him cut in line. Or rather they let Sano cut in line, seeing him hold his god-arc.

Licca could only shake her head seeing how oblivious Sakaki was and how much Sano didn't care.

"What's on the menu tonight?" Sakaki asked the vendor, scanning through the glass.

"H-Hello Director, we have fresh ramen, your favorite!" they manage to squeak out.

"Splendid, hope you like ramen. Have you ever tried ramen?" Sakaki asked the inmate.

"What's ramen?" Sano asked.

For the second time since he met Paylor Sakaki his smile broke.

Licca held her forehead solemnly, grimacing his response.

"Here we go..." she muttered, shaking her head.

"Three orders of ramen on the double! Nay, on the Triple!" Sakaki ordered.

"Y-Yes sir!" the vendor stuttered out, quickly preparing three trays. In a flash, 3 trays of ramen with sides and utensils were put before Sakaki, Sano, and Licca.

Paylor wasted no time hurrying the god-eater to the nearest table to indulge in this delicacy. Licca could only awkwardly follow behind given the circumstances. Trying to hide her face in the process.

While still more confused by Paylor than anything, Sano didn't think much as the aroma hit his nose. He set his god-arc against the table and started to engorge the noodles with the chopsticks like it was second nature.

Pleased with this Sakaki prepared his own and slurped up some noodles..

"How's this compared to the food in prison?" Sakaki asked as he got another helping.

"Prison food's only as bad you can tolerate. Not like we're given much anyway. This is a 4 out of 5 for me." Sano said as he bit a piece of meat from his chopsticks.

"This was how it was done back'n my day, a hard day of work, and ramen for the taking." Sakaki let out a sigh of relief taking some rice for good measure.

Sano eyed the older man as he feasted on his simple meal. The earlier conversation seemed to be completely off-topic now. Like he didn't care. They were talking about his god-arc possession and now this.

Was he still being screwed with?

Licca was just as lost, but knowing Sakaki longer she ignored him and ate her food.

All the while the nearby inhabitants whispered around the group.

Is the professor blind!?

I think I know who that is, that's the convict.

He's just letting him pull that god-arc around!?

What's going on over there!?

Licca sighed in more grief, we were supposed to come here to talk, but they were far from the topic at hand.

In contrast to Sano, Sakaki enjoyed his ramen at a leisurely pace. Absent to the world.

Hey Professor.

And people.

"Professor." a familiar voice called from behind him.

Licca turned to see Kota in tow with Kanon. She nudged Sano and he faced them with a mouth full of rice.

"Oh, Sano, hey!" Kanon said with a smile, making Kota notice him as well.

Kota gave him a thumbs up and a smirk.

"(Don't worry we've got your back buddy, Kanon told me everything!)" Kota thought with determination all over his face.

Of course, Sano couldn't read his mind, so he shrugged went back to eating his ramen.

"Dr. Sakaki, we need to talk about our friends living arrangement. I know he's a convict in all, but we think-hey sir are you listening!?" Kota stammered as Sakaki disregarded him for his noodles.

"Oh, Kota hello, grab a seat join us, let's chat!" Sakaki said as he took a sip of tea.

"Uh...That's...what we came here to do, right Kanon!" Kota said trying to sound serious.

"Right! I'm actually pretty hungry let's go!" Kanon exclaimed as she marched with Kota to the tray line.

Licca focused harder on ignoring the antics and eyed Sano's god-arc instead.

Kota and Kanon didn't take long to return with their own steaming bowls.

"So, uh sir about what we were talking about before." Kota said.

"Mhm, Kota have you heard from Alisa lately? Soma?" Sakaki asked, making Kota frown. Kota huffed in a ruffled breath.

"Alisa is all over the place, trying to maintain satellite base sites, she's a workaholic. Haven't really heard from Soma lately, but that's Soma." Kota said grudgingly patient.

"Is that right? I think she'll come by soon." Sakaki said nibbling on some rice.

"Uh great to hear, but can we talk about him for a second?" Kota said pointing to Sano. He was downing the last of the bowl's contents and drunk the glass of water at his side.

This angered Kota slightly.

Meanwhile, Kanon was struggling to handle her chopsticks, she dropped them in her bowl as struggled to grasp the noodles.

As she attempted again Sano grasped her knuckles and re-positioned her fingers. He motioned Kanon's to direct the chopsticks to twirl along with them and pull them up.

To her delight, they hung to the chopsticks for her to eat as she pleased.

"Thanks, Sano! We have forks and spoons, but when it comes to Ramen Dr.Sakaki demands we do it how it was back when this was still the country of Japan." Kanon said as she brought the noodles to her mouth.

"It's the only way to eat ramen! Back then AND now!" Sakaki said proudly with a glare shining off his glasses.

Sano smirked as he let go of Kanon's hands and she got the hang of it thereafter.

Kota however rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, that's great, now about Sano staying in a cell." Kota urged, but taking a few sips of his noodles.

Director Sakaki!

They all, minus the doctor, turned to a determined Erina march down the hall.

"Doctor you can't put Mr.Sano back in a cell! He's a hero, he saved me! He tore me right out of Ukonverasa's jaw!" Erina slapping her hands on the table.

"Ukonvasara, and Erina what are you doing in here!?" Kota said in surprise!

"Yae said to get something to eat, but this is more important! Doctor Sakaki would you really let someone that kind rot in a cage!?" Erina said, starting to invade Sakaki's personal space.

"Oh, Miss Erina, I heard you instigated quite a bit of insubordination. Since you don't want Mr.Shimazaki in a pen, then must mean you acknowledge you deserve to be in one yourself." Sakaki said with a morbid smile.

Erina froze having no argument against this.

"Yeah, Kota did tell her to stay like 3 times." Kanon said.

"(More like 300.)" Kota thought as he leered at Erina.

"Is that right?" Licca said narrowed her eyes at Erina as well.

Erina found herself under the gaze of the whole table. Under this pressure, Erina couldn't help but sheepishly shrink away.

"Eat, then try making your case." Sano said, with some the semblance of pity.

"Uh...right. Be right back." Erina shifted through the aisles to get in line, trying to ignore the gazes at her back.

Sano rolled his eyes, drunk down the last of the broth in his bowl. Along with the ramen was a side of rice and a stock of corn. Sano put them away down his gullet with nary an effort.

The scent of the ramen was still fresh in Sano's nostrils.

"(Wouldn't of minded a bit more, but on to the task at hand.)" Sano thought as he turned to Paylor. Kota was pandering him with questions, but if the man was paying attention it was seldom.

Didn't they come here to talk about his offer? So far they'd only talked about his prison experience and food.