Chapter Text
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Isamu asked hesitantly. At that exact moment, he was questioning every single choice that had led him here—specifically, the moment he had decided to listen to Yasu.
"Positive! It's just one bite, I promise you won't regret it!" Yasu encouraged, leaning across the wooden table of the ramen shop. His eyes were practically sparkling with pure anticipation.
Between them sat two bowls of ramen that looked less like food and more like cauldrons filled with bubbling lava. The broth was a deep, menacing crimson, and the heavy steam rising from the bowls literally stung Isamu's eyes.
He swallowed hard, his hand shaking slightly as he gripped his chopsticks. Glancing up, he noticed Yasu was already dug in, happily enjoying the meal despite the tears welling in his own eyes. Isamu couldn't tell if it was just from the steam,.or if Yasu actually liked the pain that much.
Isamu looked back down at his own bowl. Not wanting to seem weak Infront of Yasu, he took a deep breath, picked up a thick bundle of noodles with his chopsticks, and took a massive bite.
Instantly, his tongue felt like it had caught on fire. Grabbing a glass of cold water nearby, he chugged it down in one desperate gulp, but it did absolutely nothing to fix his poor, burning mouth.
He started frantically fanning his face, trying to make the agonizing spiciness disappear while simultaneously gulping down glass after glass of water. His eyes were watering uncontrollably, and his pale face quickly flushed into a violent shade of pink. The water wasn't helping him at all.
Across the table, Yasu had been yapping non-stop about school and the food, completely missing Isamu's immediate distress. But when Yasu finally looked up from his bowl, chopsticks still in hand, he froze.
He was greeted by the sight of a pink-faced, teary-eyed Isamu furiously downing water without stopping.
Yasu instantly stopped talking and dropped his chopsticks, panicking as he tried to figure out how to calm the fire in Isamu's mouth. He frantically flagged down a waiter and begged for a glass of milk, all while Isamu continued to suffer.
In a desperate haze, Isamu tried to refill his cup, but his shaking hands betrayed him. He accidentally knocked the glass completely over, spilling ice-cold water all over his own lap. Isamu stiffened, thoroughly embarrassed.
Yasu cursed softly to himself. Without a second thought, he slid out of his seat, unzipped his jacket, and gently draped it over Isamu's wet lap to cover the mess. While they waited for the waiter to return with the milk, Yasu spotted a small dispenser of tissues on an empty table beside them. Grabbing a handful, Yasu leaned in close.
Without thinking, he gently began to wipe the stray tears and sweat from Isamu's flushed face. The sudden, tender proximity made Isamu freeze, his heart hammering against his ribs. The sheer awkwardness of Yasu being so close made Isamu blush even harder than the level five spice ever could.
Thankfully, the waiter finally returned with a tray. Isamu practically snatched a glass of cold milk and chugged it down in one long go.
As the dairy finally coated his throat and the burning sensation began to die down, Yasu looked at Isamu’s red, messy face and let out a loud, relieved laugh.
Slipping into the empty space on the bench right next to Isamu, Yasu wiped a tear of laughter from his own eyes. Isamu crossed his arms defensively, pulling Yasu's jacket tighter around himself as he wiped the remaining sweat from his forehead. Despite the lingering burn, he couldn't help but let out a small, breathless smile at the fond look on Yasu's face.
"Next time, let me choose the place to eat," Isamu muttered, his voice still a little raspy from the spice.
Yasu stopped laughing, nodding quickly with a bright grin.
"Yeah, definitely. Next time, let's get something that won't actually kill you."