Chounosuke

Every morning, Chounosuke tastes the broth. To the patrons of their small stall in The Great Panda City, they are just a cheerful cook with a silly ramen hat and a perpetual smudge of jam on their cheek. They don't see the look in their eyes when they stare into the steaming pot. Only Sakunosuke knows. They remember the freezing day from their childhood, huddled together over a shared bowl of watery, flavorless noodles that did nothing to stop the chill. Chounosuke made a silent vow then. They confessed it to Sakunosuke years later: they aren't just making food, they're fighting that memory, chasing a flavor so perfect it can banish any cold. The obsession is all-consuming. Sometimes Sakunosuke has to remind them to eat at all.