The Ichiraku Ramen Bar was a restaurant nearby, serving the city of Nagoya for over one hundred years. A favourite of many, it always did steady business and there was always a line to get in.
But today, it was different. Quiet, only half-filled. Kakashi had been coming here since he was a young boy, and was stunned at the emptiness. However, he was also pleased. He would be able to speak to Mikuru without having to shout to be heard. He picked a seat near the bar and sat down. Mikuru joined, sitting next to him.
"Ah, Hatake-san," said the daughter of the barkeep. Mikuru estimated her to be no more than twenty-five. "Brought another one of your girlfriends today?"
Mikuru quickly looked over to Kakashi, shocked. "No no, Ayame-san," he responded. "She's my new assistant."
"Mmhmm," the girl responded in disbelief. "So what'll it be today?"
"The usual for me."
"So one chicken...what about you, dear?" Mikuru glanced over at the girl, after realising she was talking to her. "Erm...roast beef," she replied quietly.
"One chicken and one roast beef, coming up."
The girl hustled away, shouting the order to her father. Mikuru then leaned in close to Kakashi and whispered, "girlfriend?"
"Nobody here knows my job," he responded in the same hushed tone. "And I have to say, I didn't exactly lie..."
Mikuru giggled in reply, pulling a set of wooden chopsticks from the cup nearby and pulling them apart. They didn't split right. She thought nothing of it, handing a pair to Kakashi for his usage.
"So, have you thought about your code name?"
"I'm sorry?"
Kakashi leaned in close, whispering, "I work under the code name of "Yaseppochi," to minimize the worry of being caught." Mikuru pulled away from him, gasping.
"So you were the one who—"
"Yes, yes," he said. "Now ssh..."
"Sorry."
"Go on and think about it for a few minutes," he said, this time at normal volume. Their dinner arrived a couple seconds later, as Mikuru still thought. Right as she was about to say something, she looked over to Kakashi and noticed he was without his mask.
"I...er...uh..." she stuttered, quickly turning away.
"Sanaka-san, are you all right?"
"Y-Y-Yes, Hatake-sama," she replied, focusing on her ramen intently. She didn't expect him to look so...attractive. She had to remind herself that he had to atleast be twenty-five years older than her, maybe even thirty. And now her boss. Her. Boss.
"Sanaka-san, I know what's bothering you..." she looked over to him, her face significantly redder than before. "You'd have to see my face sooner or later."
"Y-Yes, Hatake-sama, I know," she said softly. "But I didn't expect it to be so soon. " Kakashi simply smiled at her.
"You're different from my past assistants," he whispered, shaking his head and chuckling. After a few minutes of the two staring at each other, he turned back to his dinner. "Did you decide on a code name?"
"Yes sir," she responded. She then leaned in close and whispered, "Densetsu."
"Densetsu?" he questioned. "Legend?" She nodded, smiling.
"It's kind of a long and dorky story," she replied, finally taking a bite of her ramen. It was starting to get cold.
"Well, there's nothing wrong with long and dorky stories. Now eat up, we have to get started." Nodding, Mikuru began to gulp down the broth from the noodles. Kakashi studied her as she did this. When she finished, a noodle sticking out of her mouth, he stated "I've never known anybody who drinks the broth first."
Mikuru slurped the noodle and responded, "eh, I've never exactly been normal."
The two smiled at each other and continued eating, Mikuru trying her hardest to not pay attention to Kakashi's newly revealed face.