As Aiden packed up his things, he turned to Noah with his ever-present grin. “Wanna eat?”
Noah blinked, caught off guard. “Eat? Dude, you’ve been snacking non-stop since morning. You had like, what, five meals already?”
Aiden shrugged, completely unfazed. “It’s called a balanced diet. Five meals is just the warm-up. Gotta keep my brain fueled. I mean, come on, we had exams. That’s serious work.” He rubbed his stomach dramatically. “Besides, I’m starving now.”
Noah shook his head, half-laughing, but also not at all surprised. “Sure, why not? Let’s go eat. Though I’m not sure you’re ‘starving’.”
“Don’t focus on the details” Aiden said, patting Noah on the back as they walked toward the gate. Then, suddenly remembering something, Aiden’s eyes lit up. “Oh, by the way, you remember what I told you about my dad and that deputy manager job at An’s Gourmet?”
Noah nodded. “Yeah, I was gonna ask about that. What did your dad say?”
Aiden slapped his forehead. “Right! I totally forgot because of the exams and, well… the hunger.” He quickly regained his composure. “But yeah, my dad said he’d love to check it out. He’s just got this thing about wanting to see the place and the work environment first, you know? Wants to make sure it’s a good fit.”
Noah smiled. “Makes sense. Can’t blame him for being thorough. Would he be able to check it out now? We could grab some food and he could check out the place at the same time.”
Aiden’s eyes gleamed as if Noah had just offered him the Holy Grail. “Bro, that’s genius! I’ll call him right now.”
As Aiden dialled his dad, Noah stood there, shaking his head in amusement. Noah overheard parts of the conversation, and before long, Aiden turned back to him with a thumbs up.
“He’s on his way. Said he’ll meet us there in like 15 to 30 minutes.”
“Perfect,” Noah said, pulling out his phone. “I’ll order an Uber. Walking there would take too long.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Aiden interrupted, looking at Noah as if he’d just suggested swimming across the ocean to get to the restaurant. “Why aren’t you using your Lamborghini? Dude, you’ve got a freakin’ Lamborghini, and you’re calling an Uber?”
Noah raised an eyebrow. “I don’t drive it everywhere. Plus, it’s not exactly convenient to park it near my house. Gotta keep it somewhere safe.”
Aiden looked at him, incredulous. “If I had a Lamborghini, I’d drive that thing to the toilet! Heck, I’d pick up girls from school every day in it! You’re weird, man. I mean, why aren’t you using it to live the dream?”
Noah laughed, shaking his head. “I don’t need a car to pick up girls, Aiden. And yeah, it’s a cool car, but it’s a hassle sometimes. I’ve been thinking of getting my own place soon, just for convenience. Somewhere I can park it without worrying.”
Aiden’s mouth dropped open. “Your own place? Man, you’re really living in a different world. If I had your life, I’d have parties every weekend. You know, like those wild mansion parties in movies where everyone’s dancing and the music’s so loud it shakes the neighbours’ houses?”
Noah smirked. “You’d be kicked out of the neighbourhood within a week.”
Aiden pointed a finger at him, dead serious. “Worth it.”
Noah just shook his head, still amused by his friend’s antics. “Well, until I get my own place, I’ll stick to Uber for now.”
Aiden groaned, but then his attention shifted back to food as the Uber pulled up. “Alright, fine. As long as we’re getting food.”
They soon hopped into the car and the driver drove toward An’s Gourmet.
“Just think, man,” Aiden said, nudging Noah with his elbow. “You pull up to the drive-thru in a Lamborghini, order like a 99-cent burger, and watch the cashier’s face. That’s peak comedy right there.”
Noah chuckled. “Yeah, I’m sure they’d be real impressed.”
Aiden grinned. “See? You get it.”
The Uber driver glanced back at them through the rearview mirror, clearly intrigued by their conversation but doing his best to keep a straight face.
As they pulled up to An’s Gourmet, Aiden stretched, yawning like he’d just finished running a marathon. “Alright, time to feast.”
“Didn’t you just eat, like, an hour ago?” Noah asked, genuinely curious how Aiden hadn’t exploded from overeating yet.
Aiden looked at him with a completely serious face. “Bro, I’ve been training for this my whole life. This stomach is a finely tuned machine.”
Noah shook his head, laughing again. “Let’s go inside before you start writing an autobiography about your stomach.”
As Noah and Aiden entered the room, the attendant recognised Noah and rushed to serve him.
As the attendant approached, he spoke respectfully, “Boss, the VIP seats are ready for your use.”
Aiden, who was halfway through checking out the place, froze mid-action. He looked between Noah and the attendant, clearly confused. “Boss?” he echoed, his eyebrows furrowing. “Wait… Boss?”
Noah gave a small smile, not saying much at first, but the way he looked at Aiden confirmed it.
As they sat in the VIP area, Aiden couldn’t stop thinking about it. Suddenly a realisation hit him.
Aiden’s eyes widened, and he leaned back in his chair. “Don’t tell me…”
Noah shrugged, still keeping that small, knowing smile. “Yup.”
Aiden blinked several times, then dramatically threw his arms up. “You own this place? Noah, man, I thought we were best friends! Why am I always learning something new about you every day? First, you’re taking exams like it’s nothing, and now you’re telling me you’ve got a fancy restaurant? What’s next, you’re secretly a superhero?”
Noah chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Well, technically, I did tell you about it. Maybe you just didn’t believe me.”
Aiden scoffed, still trying to wrap his head around it. “You did not tell me you own this place!” He gestured wildly around the upscale restaurant, the soft lighting reflecting off the polished floors.
Noah laughed. “Well, it happened quite suddenly.”
Still shaking his head in disbelief, Aiden looked at the menu again. “Man, I don’t even know how to order now. Everything looks so fancy…”
Noah gave him a teasing look. “Order whatever you want, but just don’t waste any food. If you do, I won’t invite you to eat with me again. I hate wasting food.”
Aiden stared at him in mock horror. “Waste food? Me? How dare you accuse me of such a crime! I would rather lash myself than let even a crumb go to waste.”
Noah smirked. “Just making sure.”
Before Aiden could respond, Noah turned to the attendant. “By the way, if anyone comes looking for Aiden or Noah, please bring them to us here. Politely.”
The attendant nodded swiftly, his professional demeanour never faltering. “Of course, sir.” Noah then took a $50 bill out of his pocket and handed it to the attendant as a tip. The man’s eyes lit up, and he bowed slightly, clearly grateful. “Thank you very much, sir.”
As the attendant left, Aiden leaned in closer, lowering his voice as if they were in some kind of secret meeting. “You sure know how to handle things like a real boss, don’t you? I swear, I’m starting to feel like I’m hanging out with some mafia kingpin.”
Noah grinned. “Maybe I am.”
They both shared a quiet laugh before Noah added, “By the way, do you want to call your dad and ask what he wants? I don’t want to order anything he might not like.”
Aiden shook his head, already scanning the menu like it held the answers to life. “Nah, don’t worry about him. My dad’s not picky. He’ll eat anything, as long as it’s edible.”
Noah raised an eyebrow. “That’s a relief.”
Aiden nodded sagely. “Yep, I’ve seen him eat things that would make a grown man cry. Trust me, whatever you order here, he’ll love it.”
Noah laughed quietly. “Alright, then. Let’s see what we’ve got.”
As they continued to browse the menu, the atmosphere became more relaxed.
Soon enough, the attendant returned, leading a middle-aged man who walked with humility. Aiden glanced up from the menu, his face lighting up as he realized it was his dad. Noah immediately rose from his chair, out of respect, greeting Aiden’s father with a warm smile and a firm handshake.
“Uncle, thank you so much for coming,” Noah said, his tone respectful. “Please, have a seat.”
Aiden’s dad, a man who had seen many years of hard work, looked around the restaurant with appreciation before sitting down. He gave Noah a nod, clearly impressed by the atmosphere of the place. “Noah, thank you for this opportunity. The place already feels like a great environment. You’ve done well here.”
Noah smiled, waving off the praise. “Don’t worry about it, Uncle. I’m just happy to help out.” Then, with a thoughtful look, Noah added, “Would you prefer to eat first and then check out the place? Or, we can take the tour now and eat after—whichever is more convenient for you.”
Aiden’s dad, still thinking he was troubling Noah, hesitated. “I think it’s better we check out the place first. I don’t want to take up too much of your time.”
But before Noah could respond, Aiden, already eyeing the menu like it was a treasure map, chimed in. “Dad, don’t worry about it! Noah owns the place! We’re not in any hurry. Let’s eat first!” He prioritized food like it was a life-or-death situation, completely brushing off the seriousness of the job opportunity at hand.
Aiden’s dad froze mid-motion, turning to Noah with a look of pure shock. “You… you own this place?”
The older man stared at Noah, clearly impressed. He had known Noah since he was a kid and was well aware of his family’s struggles. To see him come this far, juggling school, helping his parents, and now running a high-end restaurant? It was nothing short of remarkable. “Noah,” he said slowly, “you’ve done a lot of work to get to where you are. I have to commend you for that.”
Noah smiled, brushing off the praise again. “Thank you, Uncle. It’s been a journey.”
Noah, ever humble, gave a slight nod. “Yeah, I do.”
The older man stared at Noah, clearly impressed. He had known Noah since he was a kid and was well aware of his family’s struggles. To see him come this far, juggling school, helping his parents, and now running a high-end restaurant? It was nothing short of remarkable. “Noah,” he said slowly, “you’ve done a lot of work to get to where you are. I have to commend you for that.”
Noah smiled, brushing off the praise again. “Thank you, Uncle. It’s been a journey.”
Just then, the food arrived, and the sight of the gourmet dishes instantly caught Aiden’s attention. Without wasting a second, he clasped his hands together, muttered a quick prayer, “Thank you, God,” and dove into his meal with all the enthusiasm of a starving man.
Aiden’s dad chuckled, shaking his head at his son’s antics, but soon joined in, savouring the dishes in front of them. The food was excellent, and the atmosphere made the moment feel special. Even Aiden, for all his usual jokes and quips, seemed content just enjoying the meal.
After they were finished, Noah called over the attendant once again. “Can you bring the manager here, please?”
The attendant nodded swiftly, “Yes, boss,” before hurrying off.
Soon enough, the manager arrived—an older man who had clearly worked in the business for a long time. He walked in with a slight apprehension, knowing he was still on thin ice after the previous incident where Noah had fired the deputy manager he had hired. Noah had rejected every suggestion for replacements since, so the manager was extra cautious now.
“Yes, boss,” the manager said, standing before Noah with a respectful bow of his head. “How can I help you?”
Noah gave him a small nod, his tone calm but firm. “I’d like you to show Uncle here around the place. Walk him through what the job entails, but don’t be too strict on the requirements. After you’ve done that, if he’s happy with everything, prepare a contract for him. He’ll be our new deputy manager. His starting salary will be $3,000, plus bonuses at the end of the year.”
The manager’s eyes widened ever so slightly. The starting salary Noah was suggesting was generous, higher than the usual $2,500 for such a role. But Noah was the boss, and his word was final. Swallowing his surprise, the manager nodded. “Understood, boss. I’ll take care of it right away.”
“Boss, you will also receive this week’s profit dividends into your account.” He then turned to Aiden’s dad, gesturing for him to follow. “Sir, if you’ll come with me, I’ll show you around.”
As Aiden’s dad stood, he gave Noah another grateful look. “Thank you, Noah. I really appreciate this.”
Noah smiled warmly. “No problem, Uncle. I’m sure you’ll do great here.”
With that, Aiden’s dad followed the manager, leaving Noah and Aiden alone at the table. Aiden, still picking at the remnants of his meal, looked up with a satisfied grin. “Man, I never thought science could lead to this.”
Noah laughed, standing up and grabbing his jacket. “Well, I better get going. I got to head out.”
Aiden will nod his head and say goodbyes to Noah since he planned to wait for his dad first then go home with him.