I Wonder

Syn's Half-Truths

The two students stared at the empty bowls in front of them, listening to the crowds around them buzz in the early afternoon air.

"That...may have been some of the best noodles I have ever had in my life," Nuer commented, one hand on his stomach.

He hadn't finished an entire bowl of ramen in years, nor had he ever felt so full off of just one dish.

Listening to Syn rattle off a list of instructions to go with each bowl had been dizzying to listen to, and Nuer knew there was no way that he was going to remember any of it without having Syn repeat it all again. But the waitress seemed to have no probelm writing it down at the same speed to which Syn spoke.

"They do so many different kinds of food here. You really just gotta come here on their ramen days to get the best of it," Syn commented.

"We didn't even get a menu. You just...knew everything."

"Well, yeah. Ramen day only comes once or twice a month," Syn replied, "You remember that little blue notebook the waitress had?"

Nuer nodded, recalling distinctly how she held it tightly in her hand while she scribbled with a pen.

"It's just like filling out a multiple-choice worksheet," Syn explained, "The blue notebook is ramen day, so they have all of the information and she just circles it. You gotta just come here more to get the real gist of it."

Nuer blinked, standing up with Syn as he wiped his hands with a napkin.

"You must come here often," Nuer noted off-hand.

Syn paused, nodded once with his eyes narrowed in thought at Nuer.

Nuer pulled out his phone as he followed Syn back to the university, noting the address in his maps app with a bright yellow star so he wouldn't forget it.

"Why did you come?"

Nuer tucked his phone away, seeing Syn had stopped a bit ahead of him on the pavement and was staring at him.

"I...well, you invited me," Nuer replied, "You think I have an ulterior motive?"

Syn swallowed, his face flushing for a moment before turning on his toes and striding away so fast that Nuer had to almost sprint to get ahead of him.

"Syn, wait, hold on," he stated, putting his hands on Syn's shoulders to prevent him from moving anymore, "I don't want you to think of me that way."

"What way?" Syn asked in a clueless feign that felt so close to lying that Syn was almost sick.

"Like I'm some guy that just manipulates and uses people," Nuer replied, "I'm not like that."

"Yes, you are," Syn interrupted, completely serious, "Ever since I met you, you mean nothing good whenever you are around. You're making Kuea's life harder than it needs to be because you're going to get yourself hurt if you keep sticking around him. You make my life harder because I worry about both of you."

Nuer stewed in the answer, Syn giving him all the time he needed to really grasp what he was trying to tell him.

"I'm sorry that I make your life hard," Nuer answered finally, stepping back and letting his hands drop to the side, "I know I was kind of a jerk at first, but I can assure you that my intentions with you now, with your friends, now, it's not to make your guys' lives hard."

Syn studied the elder for a moment, whose eyes betrayed the strong face he was putting on. Syn hadn't meant for his words to cut, but it seemed like he was going to have to apologize.

"I just want you to know that I care about you," Syn sighed, "My friends, including you, shouldn't try to make each other's lives harder."

Syn started walking forward, Nuer falling into step next to him with one hand on his backpack strap.