Chapter 4 Hidden Places and First Meal Together

"There’s a place near the river… kinda hidden. They don’t get a lot of people, but the food’s good." She glanced away again. "They… don’t really like adventurers."

A small grin tugged at the corner of Kai’s lips. "Sounds perfect."

The girl nodded and started walking ahead, leading the way. For a moment, Kai watched her. She was small — younger than he initially thought. Probably had no business running with those other adventurers.

As they made their way through the winding backstreets, the noise of the busy marketplace faded behind them. The scent of fresh water and cooking meat filled the air.

Kai stuffed his hands into his pockets and exhaled. He had come here to escape. To hide. But for the first time since he arrived… maybe he didn’t mind the company.

She stopped several feet before the restaurant and pointed at the door. "It’s there," she said softly.

Kai glanced at her, then at the modest building tucked near the riverbank. It wasn’t much — weathered wood, a slanted roof, and a faint hum of voices from inside. He shrugged and walked past her. "Much obliged."

As he reached the door, he noticed she hadn't moved. She stood awkwardly in the clearing, shifting on her feet, tail flicking nervously.

Kai sighed. He wasn’t sure why he cared. Maybe it was the way her ears drooped slightly, or how she kept glancing at the ground as if waiting for permission.

He pushed the door open reluctantly. "You coming or what?"

She hesitated for half a second longer. "I... I don’t have any money," she admitted.

Kai rolled his eyes with a small smirk. "I’ll pay for you."

Her ears perked up instantly. Without another word, she hopped toward the door, a spring in her step. As soon as she crossed the threshold, the rich aroma of grilled meat, warm bread, and simmering stew hit her like a wall. She inhaled deeply, eyes wide with delight.

They slid into a dark booth at the back corner of the room. The place was quiet, cozy even — a few patrons scattered about, mostly keeping to themselves.

A barmaid approached their table with an easy smile. She had long, dark hair tied loosely over one shoulder and striking green eyes that sparkled in the dim light. "What can I get you two?" she asked warmly, her voice carrying a gentle lilt.

Kai leaned back against the booth. "Something filling. And keep it coming."

The neko girl practically bounced in her seat. "Do you have fish?!"

The barmaid chuckled softly. "Fresh-caught this morning."

Kai snorted. "Of course."

As the barmaid jotted down the order and left, Kai caught the girl staring at him from across the table.

"What?"

She blinked, then shook her head. "Nothing... I just... thought you were different."

Kai arched a brow. "Different how?"

"You don’t seem like an adventurer. You’re not loud. You’re not... mean."

Kai exhaled, resting his chin on his hand. "That’s because I’m not."

For a moment, neither of them said anything. The distant sound of the river outside mixed with the warm chatter of the other patrons.

Maybe it wasn’t such a bad day after all.

The two ate in silence, the crackle of the hearth and the quiet hum of distant conversation filling the gaps. Kai ate slowly, savoring the warmth of the mead that dulled the edges of his thoughts. Across from him, the neko girl tore through her meal like a starved beast. Three plates vanished in rapid succession, each bite more ravenous than the last. She barely paused for breath, chasing down the last of her bread with a gulp of cider.

Kai leaned back in his chair, tilting his cup slightly as he watched her with mild amusement. He took a long sip before speaking.

"Little girl," he said with a teasing edge to his voice. "Is the food good?"

She froze mid-bite, cheeks puffed like a chipmunk. Her eyes narrowed. "I’m not little," she mumbled through a mouthful of bread.

Kai smirked. "You’re not big either."

She swallowed hard, ears flicking in irritation. "I’m sixteen," she shot back defensively. "I’m not a kid."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Right. And I’m the king of the realm."

Her tail bristled slightly, but instead of snapping back, she huffed and returned to her plate. She stuffed another bite into her mouth, glaring at the table like it had personally offended her.

Kai chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Well, whatever you are… you eat like you haven’t had a meal in weeks."

She paused again, this time for longer. Her gaze dropped slightly, the edge of her ear flicking downward. "Maybe I haven’t," she admitted quietly.

Kai's smile faded. He stared at her for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly against his cup. He wasn’t good at this — comforting people. Hell, he could barely keep his own life together. But there was something about the way she spoke… the way she wouldn’t meet his eyes.

"Those adventurers… they don’t take care of you, do they?" he asked.

She shrugged. "They give me a cut of the loot. When there’s loot."

Kai sighed. "And when there isn’t?"

She hesitated, then looked down at her empty plate.

"Figured as much."

The barmaid returned, gathering their dishes with a polite nod. Kai handed over a few coins, more than enough to cover the meal. As she walked away, he glanced back at the girl.

"You don’t have to keep tagging along," he said. "You know that, right?"

She blinked, startled by the sudden shift in tone. "I know," she said softly.

"Then why are you?"

She looked away again, ears lowering slightly. "I don’t know," she admitted. "I guess… you don’t treat me like they do."

Kai leaned back, exhaling slowly. "Well, don’t expect much," he said. "I’m not looking to make friends."

The neko girl gave a small nod. "Me neither."

And yet, neither of them made a move to leave.

"Hey, Ms. Barmaid! Um… excuse me. Ms?" Kai's voice carried louder than he intended, drawing a few side glances from nearby patrons.

The neko girl stifled a giggle behind her hand, her tail flicking playfully behind her. She had been watching him with growing amusement, noting how awkward he became when addressing others. In her head, she had already started calling him *the loner* — fitting, given how he kept everyone at arm’s length.

Of course, he didn’t know her name either, and she had no plans to offer it. Maybe it was better that way.

Kai remained oblivious, or at least uninterested in her amusement. He leaned slightly over the table, waving to catch the barmaid’s attention again. The woman finally noticed, offering an apologetic smile as she approached.

"Need something else?" she asked kindly.

Kai scratched the back of his head. "Yeah… uh, I was wondering… what's your name? I'd like to address you properly."

She blinked in mild surprise before smiling. "Helena."

Kai nodded. "Alright, Helena. Can I get another mead? And maybe some dessert… for both of us? Whatever you've got."

Helena nodded. "Coming right up."

As she walked away, the neko girl burst into another fit of giggles. "You’re really bad at this, you know."

Kai glanced at her, brow raised. "At what?"

"Talking to people." She propped her chin in her hand, grinning. "You’re so awkward. It’s like you want to hide under the table."

Kai rolled his eyes. "Maybe I do."

She laughed again. "You’re funny, Loner."

"Loner?"

She shrugged. "I don’t know your name. What else am I supposed to call you?"

Kai leaned back in his seat, letting out a breath. "Don’t see why you need to call me anything."

"Well, I’m not gonna call you *nothing*." She smirked. "Unless you want me to just start calling you *Hey, you*."

Kai sighed. "It’s Kai."

Her ears perked up slightly. "Kai, huh?"

He nodded. "And you?"

She tilted her head, as if debating whether to answer. After a moment, she grinned mischievously. "Maybe I’ll keep that to myself."

Kai gave her a flat look. "Seriously?"

She chuckled. "What? It’s better that way."

Kai shook his head with a small, tired smile. "You’re a pain."

"And you’re a loner."

Helena returned with two plates of dessert. They ate in silence for a while, but as the neko girl wolfed down her portion, she murmured softly, "Skye."

Kai blinked, looking at her incredulously. "What?"

She glanced up, cheeks puffed full of dessert, and swallowed. "Skye," she repeated more firmly. "My name is Skye."

Kai nodded slowly. "Skye, huh? Alright."

They continued eating until Helena returned, gathering the empty plates. "If you need somewhere to stay tonight, we have a few rooms available," she offered.

Kai thought for a moment. "Do you have a bathhouse?"

Helena shook her head. "Unfortunately not."

Kai frowned slightly. "What if I made one? If I can get an ironworker in town to build and deliver what I need, would you let me stay a few nights in return?"

Helena tapped her chin thoughtfully before nodding. "Deal. If you can pull that off, you’ve got yourself a place to stay." She winked playfully. "And by the way… it’s Helena."

Kai chuckled softly. "Yeah. I remember."

Skye and Kai stepped out of the restaurant and back onto the well-trodden path. The sun hung low in the sky, casting warm hues over the dirt road.

“Well, Skye,” Kai said casually, glancing at her.

“Well, what, Kai?” she shot back, turning to get a better look at him.

He stood at an unremarkable height with a lean, balanced build. His dark hair was short and slightly messy, matching the deep brown of his eyes. His skin bore the marks of a life spent outdoors — sun-kissed in some places, pale and untouched in others. He wore a sturdy coat made from coarse canvas-like material, with matching pants tucked into black, calf-high boots. There was no sword at his side, only a pair of peculiar sword handles holstered on his belt.

Skye’s gaze lingered a little too long. She blinked when she realized it, her cheeks flushing softly. She quickly turned her head, hoping he hadn’t noticed.

But Kai was already walking ahead, as if nothing had happened.

“Kai glanced down at Skye as they walked. ‘Skye, do you know any blacksmiths around here?’

She perked up. ‘Yeah… sure I do. The one we used to—’ She stopped mid-sentence, her voice faltering.

An awkward silence hung between them.

Kai raised an eyebrow. ‘The one you used with your team of a-holes?’

Skye sighed, shoulders slumping. ‘Yeah… them.’”