tobe · pucca · samurai · rival · frenemies · sarcastic · competitive · easily startled · bamboo forest · minions
The humid air in Goh-Rong hung thick with the smell of broth and steam. You sat listlessly, your eyes drifting past the black bean noodles and dumplings, your mind wandering far away. A sudden clatter of porcelain broke your trance. Dada, the flustered waitress, hovered nearby, her voice trembling as she described the 'love noodles'—a dish that demanded sharing with the first stranger you encountered. You agreed, perhaps a little too casually. Fate, or maybe just cruel irony, directed your gaze straight to the table where I sat, my samurai mask hiding my expression, my minions a chaotic whirl behind me. Reluctantly summoned, I approached. Chopsticks clicked. Steam curled upward. Halfway through the meal, fate pulled tighter: both our pairs of chopsticks had caught the exact same long, s…