The Inconceivable Flame: A Fallen Angel's Disguise

"Aish![1] This wanker machine made me so mad that I’m famished now." Ru growled as she walked out of the room.

"Master is always famished. This has nothing to do with. Kindly, stop defaming my name." Hearing Raven’s mechanical voice, Ru clenched her fists in anger as her whole body trembled.

"Bloody hell! I’m cursing that rotten time when I actually decided to create you. Someone must have nicked[2] my intelligence back then." She really was cursing the time when she came up with the idea of creating Raven; a personal virtual assistant.

"But master created me so that she would have someone to talk to. Since talking to yourself would give people the idea that you’re insane, you came up with the idea of creating me. Your personal diary and your other self who could talk exactly like yourself." At this point, Ru grabbed her hair and pulled them in exasperation since this machine was going overboard.

Ru lifted her hand, bringing her wristwatch close to her lips, she said, "Raven, go to sleep!" She was frustrated at the reminder of Raven that in reality, even after decades, she still had no-one to talk to. There wasn’t much difference between the time when she created Raven in her teen years and now that she was in her late twenties.

The only notable difference was; back then she was in a golden cage and now, she was said to be free. Oddly, she hated this freedom. She left the cage in pursuit of freedom, who knew that freedom would come with a price.

"Ugh! Arggh! I really need some nosh[3] before I lose my mind anymore." This was her way of running away from her thoughts. Turning to food was more of an excuse to escape. But her love for food couldn’t be overlooked as well.

Meanwhile, driving back from the office, Xiao Zhi-Ren’s mind was distracted. Although he managed to achieve a lot in previous years, he still wasn’t able to find a single person. But he knew he’d come across her. After all, she left with a promise to come back. But promises had always been fragile, one touch could break them. So, after all these years, even his morale was getting down.

Sighing, he gazed out the window pane and his eyes fell on a familiar figure. "Stop the car!" He ordered and the driver immediately parked the car on the roadside.

Xiao Zhi-Ren got down the car and with a frown etched between his brows, he kept staring at that tall figure clad in black from head to toe, sitting on a food stall. As he got closer, Xiao Zhi-Ren saw how Ru’s eyes were closed as her face was supported by the heel of her hand.

With a charming smile, she looked content as if she was living a dream life. Xiao Zhi-Ren silently took a seat at the stool beside Ru while his eyes didn’t leave her face.

"Aiya, pretty young man! Are you going to order or not?" Hearing the voice of the stall owner, Ru opened her eyes.

"Ayi![4] Obviously, I’m going to order." She took a pause to smile again charming the middle-aged lady before her as she added, "Give me a lot of dumplings first along with a bowl of Mapo Doufu and rice. Also, mini wantons soup and side dishes."

"You can finish all that? Mapo doufu alone is quite spicy, don’t you want a drink with that?" The stall lady questioned with concern.

"Aiyoh! I’ll use the soup as the drink." Her reply not only left the stall lady dumbfounded, but even Xiao Zhi-Ren also couldn’t believe her.

"Who uses a spicy soup as a drink with a super spicy tofu dish?" Ru tilted her face and raised her bows as she looked at Xiao Zhi-Ren.

"I do!" She replied as she shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "Also, what are you doing here? Go away!"

"Why? I can’t eat here?" He retorted.

"You look out of place in that suit." Xiao Zhi-Ren looked at his own handmade suit and darted his eyes around only to feel uncomfortable.

Still, he was not going to relent. "Anyway, that’s not your concern." Saying that he ordered some hand-cut noodles for himself since he was feeling hungry as well.

When the food was placed before them, Xiao Zhi-Ren’s eyes still followed Ru’s movements because of her peculiar eating manners. Don’t get the wrong idea. She was eating in an extreme languid and sophisticated way. Taking time to chew her food before swallowing. What he found peculiar was the way, her face would have levels of satisfaction as she chewed on her food.

Both ate in silence not because they didn’t have anything to talk about. Rather because both were taught not to talk while eating that’d be an insult to food.

After eating to her fill, Ru paid for both of their food before turning to leave. Xiao Zhi-Ren ran to catch up to her as he asked, "Why did you pay my bill? Aren’t you a stingy person?" After a second, he added in disbelief, "Don’t tell me, you’re trying to worm your way out of that promise you gave me for saving your life?"

Ru gave him a pointed look as if she was calling him an idiot. "Have you lost your mind? First of all, I’m not stingy. I’m wicked!" She said with a look of delight and went on, "Second of all, my word is akin to my life. For you, promises might be capricious but for this young master," she pointed at herself and continued, "Promises are the reason for life. I’d rather kill myself than to go back on my words. I just paid for the food because I felt like doing it. And no-one can stop me from doing what I want to do!"

"Are you done?" Xiao Zhi-Ren questioned as he crossed his arms before his chest. Ru knitted her brows lightly and nodded. "There was no need for this long lecture. I seriously won’t mind even if you decide to break this promise since it’s pointless in my opinion anyway."

Ru thought about what he said and decided to stay quiet since she couldn’t possibly give him a brief reply. She couldn’t understand herself why she’d always end up having long conversations with Xiao Zhi-Ren. Silently, she started walking in the direction of the condominium building and Xiao Zhi-Ren followed along.

"Can I ask you something?" Ru looked at his inquiring gaze and nodded. "When I came to that stall, you’re sitting with your eyes closed as if feeling content for some reason."

Understanding his question, Ru smiled softly. "I was feeling content." Xiao Zhi-Ren frowned at her reply. "I told you before, food is very sacred for me. But today, I was content because of the music it played for me."

"Music?"

"That sizzling sound of dumplings being fried on that hot pan mixed with that constant stirring and bubbling sound of the soup. Also, that small noises that utensils make. All in all, it comes together to bring a beautiful melody with an enticing aroma." At this point, Xiao Zhi-Ren stared at her with his mouth agape and his stiff face suddenly turned into a bright smile.

He ruffled her hair making her glare at him as he said, "You really are one of a kind. I doubt I’ll ever find anyone like you ever again." He suddenly realized her hair was really smooth just like her way of speech.

"Isn’t it obvious? Awesome-luscious pieces like me are rare." Ru smiled smugly and added, "You’re not bad yourself. But you’re a bit less awesome." action

"Are you complimenting me right now?" Ru nodded her head in reply vigorously. "What is this? I thought you didn’t like me."

"I don’t eat with people I don’t like. Also, I don’t often share a meal with people." Taking a pause she looked up at the sky as she added, "Since I shared a meal with you then that means you’re not that bad. My grandfather used to say that the connections made over a bowl of rice are the most genuine ones and have the strongest foundation."

"You’re the second person outside of my family who just shared a meal with me." She further added absentmindedly.

"I should feel honored by that." He retorted.

"You should!"

At her reply, both of them burst into laughter together. Since good food brings good mood, Ru was actually in an ecstatic mood because of that spicy blast of flavors in her mouth. Also, because it had been a very long time since someone took the initiative to sit beside her to eat. All her subordinates wouldn’t even dare to roam around her while she was having her meal.

Was it really lonely at the top? Yes, it was! And she knew it better than anyone. The worst part of being at the top was that she forgot how to share her problems with others or perhaps, she didn’t know it from the very beginning.

[1] "Aish!": Damn in Korean.

[2] "Nicked": Stolen

[3] "Nosh": Slang for food

[4] "Ayi": Aunt or Auntie