Romance doesn't have a age limit (ShoXCandira)

Reko sighed, eating her meal alone again. She smiled at her patrons and watched as Zack came in. She smiled as he came to a table and waved at him, motioning for him to join her. Maybe she'd been a little upset earlier, but she was all right now. She poured a cup of sake for herself and started to eat some of her rice.

Zack saw Reko at a small table made for her. Clearly while others were with family or friends, Zack was a solo traveler as he walked to Reko. He exchanged friendly greetings with the others who never met someone outside of Japan in this region. He sat with Reko and nodded as he began to eat. "Very good" he commented.

"I'm glad you like it. I don't make everything, but it's all my recipes," She said with a smile, taking some of her miso now. It was nice to not eat all by herself, and she liked to think that she gave him good company as well. "What are you doing tonight?" She asked, curious.

"Writing" he said to her as he ate. "Good recipes" he added with a smirk. he ate gracefully as he asked for more and said, "What are you doing tonight-" he watched as she drank more sake.

"Oh, you know me," she teased, "Some wild parties and a one-night stand." Of course, by that she meant she would probably go out once her shift was over, but it wouldn't be anything risque. She would go out for a drink, maybe do some late shopping, perhaps she would go dancing, but then she would be home. Unless he wanted her to stay.

"Of course, I could be persuaded to take you with me, or even to stay here. I hear there's a good movie on tonight, and since I do have good recipes, I can arrange for something to go along with it."

"Sounds fun" he said smiling.


**later that night**



"My god why did you say yes to those guys?!?!!" Zack asked yelling as he helped her back into the inn. She smelled like nothing but sweat, alcohol, and shame.



***back into realistic life**


Zack stopped smiling as he then asked. "Do you drink a lot?" he looked at the sake actually pouring himself something. At her age, he didn't know how often she drank but....

"Which part sounds fun? The party or the movie?" she teased, going back to her foods. At his inquiry, her eyebrows raised and she smirked a little as she swallowed some soup. "Do I detect a hint of disapproval in that tone?" she asked, chuckling. "I don't drink to excess, but a little everyday with a meal, or perhaps if I'm at a function I'll partake in more. Nothing extraordinary, like some of the things I hear Americans do."

She smirked and added a devilish little, "Not that I'd be afraid to try." The inn keeper glanced at the other tables to see if her guests were in need of anything, but she saw no one of the sort. Her eyes came back to the young man across from her and she continued to eat her meal, taking a piece of her fish.

"And what about you, Zack. Do you drink a lot?"

"Believe it or not, the drinking age is 21 back home..." he said taking a slip of sake. "So I don't get to drink often...." he answered honestly. "Although I've tasted very strong drinks." he added as he then added, "I don't judge others by what they do for a hobby" he said looking at her with his eyes.


he finished his seconds and asked, "Is there actually a movie theater here?" he asked suripised.

"In a manner of speaking," she said with a chuckle. "Perhaps you haven't seen everything we have to offer after all," she suggested before finishing off her meal and collecting the plates. "If you'll be ready in two hours or so, I'll take you to the place. Is there any sort of food you would like me to bring? Aside from popcorn."

((um, I am kinda having a writer's block *RARE* right now.


Do you think that it be nicer if they just talked yet they drank some more and she drank too much? Or something?

"Can we do tomorrow? With all due respect, I actually have to call my editor tonight and discuss some things with him....it'll be the only time I can reach him" he explained sighing as he thought about how he didn't have a idea for another story so he would be force to continue on just his current work.

Reko was a little disappointed, but she admired his work ethic. "All right, tomorrow it is, then," she said with a little smile. The bus boy came over and collected the empty plates, leaving those that were still full before Reko stood. She gave an elegant bow to her guest and smiled. "I wish you luck with your editor. If you need anything, just call the front desk."

That said, she took her leave and started to help in the kitchen once more. By the time she was finished, it was later and she was sweaty from the steam of the dishwasher and the chore of washing dishes and preparing food for tomorrow's breakfast.

She kept all the left overs in the fridge in case guests wanted any reheated later on. They rarely lasted through the morning. Once she was all finished, she left the kitchen and headed back to her room. It had been a relatively long day, actually. Sighing, she sat on her bed for a few moments. What would she do now? A shower seemed like a good plan, but she didn't want to stand, her feet hurting. Another outdoor bath would work wonders on her.

She gathered her bath things into a little basket and took off her clothes, replacing everything with a silk robe, towel, and a pair of flip flops. As she was about to leave, the thought of drinking again came to her. Why not? It wasn't as though she was on the clock anymore. Yes, a nice evening with a bottle of sake and the outdoor bath would be nice. She got herself what she needed and then took it out to the part of the bath that was coed--hardly anyone chose to bathe there anymore.

It was deserted when she arrived, so she hung her things where she liked them and then got into the bath, her two baskets floating with her as she bathed and drank. "Mmm...."

Ironically, Zack was already in the spring bath. The hot steam kept him against a rock close to the enterance as he looked at the stars. He had trouble not falling asleep since it was so relaxing as he knew it wouldn't be healthy.


(How long have I been here?) he wondered. He remembered after dinner coming straight here and hanging out with a few others who wouldn't stop staring with the 'oh yes, we hear how big american people are!' which bothered him alot. (That's just a stereotype....right?) he wondered. He sighed as he closed his eyes again. He moved his body a bit relaxing as he heard someone come in a while ago but didn't feel like talking.

Reko was unaware of Zack's presence since she hadn't seen him when she walked in. She leaned against the wall of the spring bath, and just soaked while she drank some sake. She hummed a little soothing tune and wondered if Zack had gotten in touch with his editor. In the meantime, she was left to her own devices. There were plenty of ways to have fun in the country, but very few of them were fun when one was alone. She sang a little and continued drinking, deciding that it was all right if she got a little tipsy.

He thought he heard singing but he didn't realize that it was near him. "OK I am done" he said to himself as he raised up on his feet. Of course, he made noise with the movement with water and streched yawning.

Once she heard the water splashing she gasped and stopped singing, looking for the cause of it since she had started to take off her towel. "Who's there?" she asked, sitting up as she looked around...and then she saw Zack getting out of the spring. "Oh...it's you, Zack," she said, releasing the hold on her towel, satisfied that it was tight enough to stay put.

Zack turned quickly to see Reko on the other side of the rock. "Reko!" he said embarrassed as he realized that she had a towel yet he didn't. Although lucky for him, the rock and fog hid that fact as he then causally said, "I didn't know that anyone else was here" he lowered down his body back into the water although he couldn't see her.

She chuckled at his embarrassment. "Well it's funny meeting you here," she said with a chuckle. "I'm surprised you didn't hear me a moment ago. I was singing a little loudly," she said a little embarrassed herself. She blushed a little and cleared her throat. "Were you finished?" she asked, tilting her head. "Or would you like to stay a bit?" she asked, the sake in her body starting to take affect.

"Not much to do..." he answered honestly. He didn't bother to move that close but just enough against the rock to hear her better. "I wouldn't mind staying..." he added as he moved along the rock. The water was deep so he was sure that the fact that if he was at shoulder level with the water, she wouldn't notice as much.

Reko kept her eyes respectfully on his face as he came near. She smiled and took another sip of her sake, enjoying the night sky and the soft glow of her paper lanterns. "Mmmm, it's always nice to have a little company," she said with a smile. "Would you like to sit with me?" she asked, sitting on the little bench portion of the wall of the spring.

"Sure...." he said to her as he came closer. In truth, HE DID wanted to see her naked but she had the towel on. Either way, he had nothing better to do tonight. He sat next to her while bending a bit low. He then asked, "how many bottles have you been drinking?" joking around with her, he poured himself a amount and drank.

"Oh, just the one," she said with a chuckle. "But one's enough." She smiled and just soaked for a bit, drinking with him, getting a little tipsier as time went by. "Did you ever call your editor?" she asked, tilting her head, some of her pretty hair falling from the bun she'd put it in.

"I am going to once it gets later; the timezone in New York is 13 hour difference so I am going to have to call them in the afternoon...which would be near mid night here." He explained enjoying the drink. (this is nice) he thought enjoying the sake.

She nodded, considering that for a moment, but he could have still watched the movie with her if he'd really wanted to. With a shrug, she decided to not look too much into it. Instead, she looked at him and blushed a little. "Do you promise not to peek at me if I wash myself?" she asked chuckling a little. Reko didn't actually care if he saw or not, but she wanted to finish bathing without having to worry about him staring at her while she did so. Or if he did, she would at least know he was watching and not some random pervert.

"Um..." he said as he then said. "it's hard to see" he answered. Although not completely, he thought of that being the most reasonable answer considering how strong thickness the fog was along as with the heat making things more tense.