Nell, holding Ember's hand in his own, walked into a restaurant, and the aroma of delicious food filled their noses.
"Mmm... It smells good." Ember mumbled, her nose sniffing the air, and her stomach rumbling.
"Yes, it does," Nellas nodded, his eyes wandering around the restaurant, searching for a vacant table.
It was a big and expensive-looking restaurant, with white, marble floors, crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and a lot of luxurious tables and chairs.
The customers were rich people, wearing expensive clothing and jewelry.
And the staff were dressed in uniforms, serving the customers.
'I hope, my memories aren't betraying me,' Nell thought as he guided Ember towards an empty table and helped her sit down.
Then, he took a seat opposite her.
But, just as he was about to call a waiter, he noticed that Ember was fidgeting with her fingers.
She was obviously nervous.
"Ember, what's wrong?"
"N-nothing." She replied, her voice wavering, and her cheeks turning pink.
Nell frowned but decided not to push the topic.
"Okay." He gave a single nod, because, somehow, he knew that it wasn't 'nothing'.
It was clear that Ember was feeling uncomfortable.
'Maybe she is embarrassed. Or, maybe she doesn't like to be in a restaurant.'
Regardless, he didn't want to make her feel bad, so, he just continued to sit there, waiting for a waiter to arrive.
After a while, a waiter approached their table.
He was a young man, with short black hair, blue eyes, and a handsome face.
And, judging by the looks of his uniform, he was one of the head waiters.
"Welcome to the 'Blue Dragon Restaurant', how can I help you?" He greeted them, his voice cheerful and friendly.
"Can I have a menu, please?" Nell asked, smiling.
"Certainly." The waiter nodded and then placed a menu in front of him, and another one in front of Ember.
Just then, the waiter froze, his gaze falling upon the red-haired girl sitting across from Nell.
His eyes were wide open, and his jaw dropped.
"Wow," he breathed, unable to hide his surprise, "You are really beautiful."
Sitting in front of the waiter wasn't a girl anymore, no, now, the person in front of him was an enchantress.
The rags had vanished, her red hair was no longer messy, it was neat and shiny, and her face was clean.
Her leafy eyes were still lifeless, but they were shining with a strange glow.
Her body was slim, and her skin was fair.
In addition, the dress she was wearing fit her perfectly, accentuating her curves and highlighting her beauty.
And her smile... it was the most beautiful smile the waiter had ever seen.
The waiter was stunned.
He had never seen such a beautiful woman in his life.
"T-thank you," Ember replied, her cheeks flushed, and her hands clenching the fabric of her dress.
A moment ago, after saving her from the abusive lady, Nell had given her enough food to eat so that she wouldn't be starving. He had also brought her to a hair salon to cut her hair, and also to take a bath, and to change her clothes.
Nell had told her that he would pay the cost and she didn't have to worry.
He even bought her a beautiful, green dress, and also a pair of shoes.
Ember had wanted to refuse his generosity, but Nell had insisted, telling her that it was the least he could do for her, and that he wanted to bring her to a big restaurant as his partner, so that she could have a decent dinner.
Ember had finally agreed, but her shyness and embarrassment had not disappeared, instead, they were growing stronger by the second.
'She is really adorable,' the waiter thought, his eyes still fixed on her.
Nellas noticed the way the waiter was looking at Ember, and he felt a twinge of jealousy.
He cleared his throat, interrupting the waiter's thoughts, and forcing him to shift his attention back to him.
"Hey, what are you staring at?"
The waiter's eyes widened, and his face reddened.
"Uh... sorry, I just..." His voice trailed off as he lowered his head, trying to hide his embarrassment.
"You," Nell began, "If you want to keep your chin, I suggest you look somewhere else. Or I'll make sure to break it."
"Y-yes," the waiter gulped, nodding his head vigorously, "Sorry."
Nell gave him a hard stare, "Go and bring me every single dish that's written on the menu."
"E-every?" The waiter repeated, his mouth agape.
"Do I have to write it down for you to understand? Yes, every. Now, get lost."
"Y-yes!" The waiter quickly replied and then rushed away.
'Good riddance.' Nellas thought, a vein throbbing on his forehead.
He turned to look at Ember and noticed that her cheeks were still red, and her eyes were downcast.
"You okay?"
"Mm-hmm," Ember nodded, her lips curved upward, "Thank you, Nell."
Nell felt his heart skip a beat.
Ember's smile, her voice, her expression, everything about her, was making him feel strange.
However, he wasn't sure why.
It wasn't like he had any feelings for her.
"It's nothing," He replied, forcing a smile, and ignoring the strange feeling, "You are also helping me."
"I-is that so?"
"Well, it's like I told you, I wanted to have a decent dinner with a beautiful girl, and I couldn't find anyone other than you."
Ember's face turned scarlet, and her heart started pounding.
"D-do you mean I am pretty?"
"You are more than just pretty," Nell said, "You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen."
"R-really?" Ember stammered, her cheeks growing warmer, and her heart beating faster.
"Then," She whispered, her voice low and hesitant, "I-is it..."
"What is it?" Nell prompted, leaning forward.
"Is it... a date?" Ember's voice was barely audible, and her head was bowed low.
"A date?" Nell blinked, surprised by her question.
"Well," He started, rubbing the back of his neck, "If you want to call it a date, then, yeah, it's a date."
"Ah."
A small, satisfied sigh escaped her lips, and her shoulders relaxed.
'It's a date,' Ember thought, her mind going blank, and her heart fluttering with happiness.
The two of them sat in silence, waiting for the waiter to return.
Nell watched her silently, his mind trying to figure out what was going through her head.
'Why is she so happy?' He wondered, confused.
"Is it your first time going on a date?" Nellas asked, breaking the silence.
"Y-yes," She answered and nodded slightly, her fingers playing with the hem of her dress.
"Mine too," Nell admitted, chuckling softly.