21st Century Necromancer-Chapter 903 - 897: Tacit Agreement

Chapter 903 -897: Tacit Agreement

A bowl of seemingly ordinary, steaming hot ramen, paired with a cup of iced oolong tea, its glass adorned with beads of condensation.

That was the “usual” Minami set before Inomata Naoki.

Yet, this seemingly ordinary bowl of ramen brought Naoki a kind of warmth, a feeling long missed, especially when Minami placed a small dish of marinated seaweed by his hand.

“This is a special treat,” Minami said with a smile as Naoki looked up at her.

This method of marinating seaweed wasn’t something Minami knew before. Though her family ran a late-night diner, she was never good at cooking. But after returning from Kyoto, she somehow inexplicably understood how to make ramen and marinate seaweed this way.

This not only surprised her boss, but even Minami herself found it puzzling. She didn’t understand what had happened in her dreams to teach her these things.

But today, when Naoki appeared in front of her and she casually said “the usual,” she suddenly understood—this was prepared for Naoki.

This realization filled Minami with mixed feelings, a mix of unease, fear, and concern. Yet, above all, there was a sense of relief and a kind of warm comfort born from habit.

It was a peculiar feeling, as if Naoki were someone she knew intimately—a silent understanding between them so profound that no words were needed, just a glance to convey every thought. Within this familiarity lingered a faint, yet deeply rooted emotion.

It felt as though they had shared an eternity together, their bond like aged wine, mellowed and enriched by time—steady and profound.

Gone was the fiery, passionate intensity, and absent was the cloying sweetness of inseparability. What remained was a gentle, almost imperceptible connection, tender yet soul-soothing.

This was a paradoxical feeling, but Minami found herself deeply enjoying it.

It was as though, after this dream, she had seen through the nature of the world and come to understand—loving someone doesn’t always require expressing it or being with them. Sometimes, it’s enough to bury those affections in one’s heart and share a simple smile.

Facing Minami’s smile, Naoki also smiled faintly, picked up the chopsticks on the table, and naturally took a small piece of marinated seaweed, placing it on the ramen before taking a bite.

The ramen’s flavor was indeed ordinary, like the kind of ramen you’d find on any street corner in Japan. But somehow, it evoked a completely different sensation.

The broth’s taste was rich and hearty, immediately revealing the care put into its preparation—something distinct from other places.

What was most extraordinary, however, was that when Naoki effortlessly paired the seaweed with the noodles, the ramen’s flavor seemed to awaken, becoming remarkably savory, as if the seaweed had been crafted specifically for this dish.

Moreover, this savory taste felt strikingly familiar to Naoki, like a hidden memory—something he had eaten countless times, tasted from countless bowls.

“It’s still this taste. No matter how many times, it never gets dull.” Though it was his first time eating it and he had no recollection of it, the familiarity felt as if he’d been eating it his whole life. The words came naturally to his lips.

To Naoki’s remark, Minami simply smiled and gave a small nod. “Please enjoy. There’s no extra if it’s not enough.”

“No need. This bowl is just right.” Their exchange was odd, yet Naoki replied without the slightest sense of strangeness.

At this moment, the emptiness and disconnection that had been vexing Naoki earlier completely vanished. It was as though everything disjointed brought on by a dream he couldn’t remember had found its resolution upon seeing Minami, as if she were the source of all these emotions.

By now, Naoki no longer wanted to decipher where these feelings had come from or what he had experienced in that dream. To him, none of it mattered as much as the bowl of ramen in front of him.

In the small shop, Minami continued warmly greeting other customers while Naoki quietly ate his ramen. Though they seemed to remain separate, there was a harmonious and serene atmosphere between them—as if they formed a perfect whole.

Neither spoke nor exchanged any further words, yet they could both keenly sense each other’s presence. There was no need for dialogue to achieve understanding.

Much like when Minami walked over and handed Naoki a napkin just as he finished the last sip of broth in his bowl. He accepted it seamlessly, wiped his mouth, and reached into his pocket to take out his wallet to settle the bill.

There was no verbal communication between them. Minami hadn’t even been paying much attention to him before walking over—it was as if she instinctively knew when he’d be finished and that it was time to hand him the napkin.

This kind of tacit understanding was something that could only come from years of familiarity, requiring nothing more to complete it.

“Thank you for the meal.” After wiping his mouth clean, Naoki stood up and expressed his thanks to Minami.

Minami naturally took the change he handed over, smiled, and said, “Thank you for your patronage. Please come again.”

They shared a parting smile, exchanged no further words, and Naoki left the small shop.

Walking down the road back to the hospital, his mood lightened, and his steps became noticeably quicker.

Although his heart still carried inexplicable emotions, Naoki no longer allowed them to trouble him because he had found the answer he needed.

Even though he couldn’t recall what had transpired in the dream, simply knowing that these emotions were real—that they came because of Minami—was enough for Naoki.

Though the memories were lost, the emotions remained.

They were an accumulation, an unspoken bond and sentiment, refined by the passage of time.

There was no need to trouble himself further about these feelings nor to dwell on the person behind them. The tacit understanding between them was enough to sustain it.

This wasn’t love, yet it was more comforting and warm than love.

It was a connection that could only be forged through the test of time.

Naoki didn’t reject any of this. Neither did he believe he had fallen in love with Minami, betraying his girlfriend.

He simply had a dream, gained some inexplicable feelings, and formed an unspoken understanding with someone who had shared the same experience. That was all.