Track 1

That’s your 7th drink already, Raito. Maybe you ought to slow down…

Sorry, Yodaka-san. But I just can’t get through this without a drink.

I know there’s no use regretting what’s already happened, but… sigh.

Good evening, Yodaka-san. Oh, Raito-san, you’re here, too!

Chief?

Hello, Chief. Just getting off work?

Yes. I felt like having a drink tonight, so I thought I’d stop by.

Please have a seat at the counter then. You can sit next to Raito, if you want.

Raito-san, hope you don’t mind if I sit next to you.

Ah, sure.

(...Huh? He seems a little down.)

Did you just wrap up work, too, Raito-san? You look a bit tired.

No... Haha. I did just get off work, but...

It’s nothing serious. Don’t worry about it.

Is that so...?

...Sigh.

(A sigh... From Raito-san, of all people... That’s really unusual.)

(But he told me not to worry about it, so I probably shouldn’t pry…right?)

...

—Ah, that reminds me. Would either of you be interested in a buffet?

Buffet?

A customer gifted me a few complimentary vouchers. I already gave some to Danny and Yuda, but I still have two left. If you’d like, why don’t you take them?

…Well, if you insist. Thank you, Yodaka-san.

Thank you so much. Oh, these are for the restaurant at Hotel Arkura!

Apparently, they’re holding a Chinese food fair until next month.

A Chinese food fair, huh...

(Yodaka-san must have given us these vouchers to cheer up Raito-san…)

(Leave it to me, Yodaka-san!)

Raito-sa—

Chief—

Ah, please go ahead.

Haha. Chief, since we’ve got the chance, why don’t we go together? How does next Saturday sound?

Huh? Ah, yes, I’d love to! Saturday works perfectly for me. Let’s go!

Then it’s settled. I’ll make sure I’m in the mood for Chinese cuisine by then.

(Raito-san actually invited me himself…! Alright! I just hope this manages to cheer him up, even a little.)

Have fun, you two.

Uwaa, Raito-san! These xiaolongbao¹ are so good!

Are they? I’ll have to try some later then. Have you tried the zongzi² over here? They’re delicious.

Oh! Where did you find those? I’ll have to go get some later…!

Mmm~ Everything looks so good, I can’t help taking way too much…!

Yeah. Tailoring a plate entirely to one’s preference is truly one of the greatest appeals of a buffet.

...

Hey, Chief. Something just occurred to me—

Y-yes?

(He suddenly looks so serious… Could this have something to do with why he seemed so down lately?)

A ramen buffet...

Huh.

Wouldn’t it be fun if you could pick and choose your ramen toppings, buffet-style?

And if you choose not only the toppings, but the noodles and broth as well, you’d end up with as many new combinations as there are people…! Hot and sour ramen with a miso base, or maybe salt-and-lemon ramen... Doesn’t that just pique your interest?

The issue would be the ingredient costs, but…if we partnered with ranches and farms to establish a direct supply line, we should be able to cut costs somewhat. Hm, alright, maybe I’ll run this idea with one of my entrepreneur friends from the ramen community soon!

(Ah, nevermind. He’s still the same Raito-san as always.)

…Hehe.

Chief?

I think a ramen buffet sounds like a great idea, too!

(Maybe he’s back to his usual self now. I’m glad.)

Huh? Raito-san sure is taking a while…

(He went to get dessert, but he hasn’t come back for a bit now…)

Maybe I’ll grab some dessert, too. I can look for Raito-san while I’m at it.

…

(Ah, there he is. He’s staring pretty intently at that painting on the wall… Is it a famous piece?)

Oh my, what a lovely painting. I wonder if they’re dancing at a summer resort or something?

This is actually a painting about “romance³.”

(...Romance?)

Take a look. As they dance, the man is leaning in to look at the woman’s face, and her cheeks are flushed, see? Don’t you think it captures their emotions beautifully?

Yes, now that you mention it… It’s almost as if they’re the only two people in the world—how romantic~!

…

(Raito-san…is interested in a painting about romance…?)