1. Koizumi-san!
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2. Misa, Jun, and I are going
over to Wacky D's now.
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3. Want to join us?
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4. No, thank you.
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5. Rejected again!
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6. You don't give up, do you?
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7. What's so great about her, anyway?
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8. You're really asking that?
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9. We're talking about
Koizumi-san here! Koizumi-san!
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10. She just gets to you.
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11. You can't help but want to get close her!
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12. I can't relate.
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13. All she seems to care about is ramen, 24/7.
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14. Now that you mention it, I've only
ever talked to her about ramen, too.
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15. And still...
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16. Why? Why you two?
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17. Why what?
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18. I've tried so many times to
invite her, only to be rejected!
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19. So why do you two get to be the ones to
eat ramen with her like best buddies?
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20. W-Well, that was just...
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21. how things played out.
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22. No fair! No fair! No fair! No fair!
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23. No fair!
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24. Well, maybe inviting her to
Wacky D's wasn't the best idea.
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25. That's right.
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26. I mean, does she even eat
anything other than ramen?
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27. Y-You're right!
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28. Koizumi-san!
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29. Hey, have you ever been to Wacky D's?
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30. It might not be your kind of place,
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31. but it's nice every now and then.
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32. You know, while you hang out and talk.
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33. I go there sometimes.
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34. What? You're kidding!
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35. This was two months ago.
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36. Excuse me.
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37. I'd like one saimin, please.
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38. Mm-hm. Would you like chopsticks or forks?
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39. Chopsticks.
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40. Okay. Anything else?
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41. No.
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42. Give us a second, please.
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43. Thank you for waiting.
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44. Not at all.
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45. Wait a second!
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46. Wacky D's doesn't sell ramen!
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47. They do. But only in Hawaii.
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48. They sell a noodle soup called "saimin."
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49. For real?
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50. There are a lot of Japanese
ramen shops in Hawaii.
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51. I had no trouble finding
ramen while I was there.
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52. Ezogiku, Tenichi, and Santouka
aren't the only places.
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53. The flavor at this one place that opened
recently really hit the spot for me.
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54. It might not be an exaggeration to say that
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55. after loco moco and macadamia nuts,
Hawaii is famous for its ramen cuisine.
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56. Wow...
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57. Wait, no! I was trying to find out
if you've ever eaten a hamburger!
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58. I have.
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59. I had one at Tenichi.
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60. Uh, that's the ramen shop
we went to that one time.
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61. They didn't have hamburgers.
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62. They do.
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63. I don't know why, but it was an item limited
to the Kireuriwari location in Osaka.
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64. Seriously, why?
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65. And that's some name for a restaurant!
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66. The taste was good, the portion size was good,
and the price was good.
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67. Of course, I enjoyed it as
part of a combo with a ramen.
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68. Wow...
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69. Wait, no!
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70. Er... What were we talking about?
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71. K... K... Kireuriwari...
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72. No... Noeuchindai?
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73. Kizurikamikita?
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74. Koizumi-san!
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75. Are you free Sunday?
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76. Want to go somewhere together?
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77. No.
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78. Why not?
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79. I want to spend time alone.
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80. Oh, the Kouenji location is out of soup.
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81. Then I'll go to the Shinjuku location.
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82. But you're friends with Misa and Jun!
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83. I can't accept that I'm the
only one you're so cold to!
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84. I don't recall becoming anyone's friend.
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85. Can't we just be more friendly?
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86. We're human beings! We're all one family!
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87. Noodles are my only family.
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88. We can go anywhere you like!
Just take me with you!
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89. If you're okay with meeting,
and parting, at the restaurant.
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90. Really?
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91. Yes! Thank you!
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92. That's totally fine!
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93. All I need is a foot in the door.
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94. Once I'm in, we'll be close in no time.
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95. Koizumi-san!
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96. Why are you wearing your uniform?
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97. I wanted to see you in your regular clothes!
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98. I'm going in.
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99. Huh?
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100. Where do we sit? And where are the employees?
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101. I'll get kaedama today.
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102. I know what kaedama is!
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103. It's when you can get an extra
portion of just noodles, right?
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104. I saw it on TV.
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105. I'm getting mine with kaedama, too.
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106. Whee! My first kaedama!
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107. Seats, hmm...
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108. Looks like the two ends have openings.
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109. A map of free seats?
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110. What is this?
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111. See you when we're done.
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112. Uh, do we sit in the back?
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113. A cubicle?
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114. This is like a study booth or something!
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115. Koizumi-san is so far away!
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116. Talk about being forced to sit alone.
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117. "Let us know your preferences"?
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118. Might as well get the standard,
since it's my first time.
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119. All right. Done.
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120. I wonder where the wait staff is.
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121. I'm so bored.
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122. Pardon me.
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123. I've reviewed your order and
it will be coming shortly.
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124. Y-Yes, sir!
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125. There was someone back there?
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126. I'll get my usual.
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127. Noodle firmness...
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128. They don't do yugedoushi or konaotoshi here,
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129. so I want to get the firmest one they offer.
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130. But since I just had a bowl at
the new place by the station,
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131. I'll order "soft" now.
It's easier on the stomach.
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132. Aw, man... What was even
the point of coming here?
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133. Thank you for waiting.
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134. Pardon me.
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135. I-It closed again...
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136. This tonkotsu looks amazing.
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137. Time to eat.
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138. These thin noodles are so good!
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139. Now... what about the extra noodles?
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140. I guess I do this.
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141. Thank you for waiting. Here's your kaedama.
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142. Wow!
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143. It felt pretty sad at first,
sitting here all alone,
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144. but ramen is great even
when you eat it by yourself!
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145. That was great.
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146. Goodbye, then.
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147. Yeah. See you at school!
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148. We didn't talk at all.
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149. The ramen was delicious, though.
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150. By the way, those partitions can be moved.
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151. Koizumi-san, next time we totally
need to sit next to each other!
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152. No, thank you.
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153. My brother won't be home today.
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154. Let's do something simple...
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155. I'm thinking ramen.
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156. I wonder if Koizumi-san has a
favorite brand of instant ramen.
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157. She's always eating it at school.
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158. Someday, I want to make ramen for
Koizumi-san and have her eat it.
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159. I wonder if she likes to add her own touches.
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160. Oh, I bet this would be good with it.
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161. It's delicious.
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162. Oh, my...
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163. One day, I'll use my skills from home ec
club and being on kitchen duty
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164. at home to make something for Koizumi-san...
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165. Thinking about Koizumi-san
made me get all this.
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166. Oh, well...
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167. It'll get eaten.
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168. Thank you.
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169. I wonder what kind of ramen
Koizumi-san is eating right now...
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170. Koizumi-san?
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171. Should we call an ambulance?
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172. Koizumi-san, what's wrong?
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173. I can't believe I did this.
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174. This place is always closed today.
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175. You collapsed because you're starving?
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176. I don't really know what's going on,
but I'll carry you to my house.
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177. It's close!
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178. Actually...
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179. I think this is the first time
I've ever touched her.
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180. Now isn't the time for that!
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181. Hang in there, Koizumi-san! It's not far!
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182. Such passion.
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183. Where am I?
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184. Oh, you're awake.
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185. I was thinking I should
probably wake you soon.
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186. By the way, it's evening already.
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187. Huh?
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188. You collapsed by that ramen place nearby.
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189. Do you remember?
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190. I forgot which day they're closed.
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191. I hadn't eaten anything since morning,
so all my strength left me.
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192. I'm sorry for all the trouble.
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193. Hold on!
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194. Why don't you eat before you go?
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195. I was just making dinner.
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196. You might not think it,
but I'm actually good at cooking.
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197. Both my parents work,
so I've been doing it since I was a kid.
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198. I'm even in the home ec club.
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199. Not that I ever attend, but...
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200. What's this?
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201. My famous mock Italian ramen.
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202. You can use any soup for the base.
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203. You boil the instant noodles in tomato juice,
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204. then you stir-fry garlic,
leftover vegetables, and meat.
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205. For meat, you can even use bacon or wieners.
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206. Before serving, you season with fresh ground
pepper and a sprinkle of cheese, and it's done.
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207. If you put that much work into it,
it can't really be called "instant" anymore.
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208. But it's super easy!
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209. It's totally instant!
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210. I usually settle for something much simpler.
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211. Take soy sauce ramen,
dump on tempura flakes,
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212. grated daikon radish,
and shaved bonito flakes.
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213. Take miso ramen, dump on
crumbled potato chips
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214. and melted cheese, and season
to taste with Tabasco sauce.
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215. Take salt ramen, and dump on
canned tuna and dried nori.
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216. Lately, there are many types
of ramen that are loved for
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217. their non-instant feel and
compatibility with simple ingredients.
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218. It's very helpful.
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219. She only dumps stuff on!
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220. But that aside, is it all right if I eat now?
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221. Please go ahead!
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222. Time to eat.
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223. Exquisite.
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224. May I have some more?
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225. I'm so glad!
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226. You always eat at ramen shops,
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227. so I was worried you might say,
"This isn't ramen," or something.
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228. The beauty of restaurant ramen and
homemade ramen are completely different.
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229. It's meaningless to argue over which is better.
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230. You're absolutely right...
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231. On that note, I'll make you some more.
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232. What kind would you like?
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233. I could do Chinese, Taiwanese, or Thai flavors.
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234. If you'd like to switch it up,
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235. mixing crushed noodles with rice
to make chicken fried rice
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236. or a soy milk risotto can be quite good, too.
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237. Those things don't have much left to
do with ramen, but they do sound good.
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238. Anyway, I'll try all of those.
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239. Okay, got it!
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240. Just leave it to me.
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241. This is so strange.
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242. I'm here at home, and everything is like
it always is, except Koizumi-san is here.
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243. It's almost like we're...
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244. I started with a soy sauce base, added egg
and veggies, then thickened it with starch.
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245. Hot and sour noodles!
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246. If you like, go ahead and add vinegar!
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247. Sweet and sour...
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248. Next, a miso base, with an added can
of mackerel and some curry roux!
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249. It's mackerel miso curry ramen!
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250. The uncanny alliance of miso and curry!
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251. And there's still more!
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252. Start with a tonkotsu base, add bacon, milk,
and a poached egg for carbonara-style ramen!
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253. The still-runny yolk mingles
with the tonkotsu!
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254. And on top of that!
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255. To finish, a dish prepared cold!
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256. Ochazuke-flavored ramen with
ground chicken and pickled plum!
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257. Strong green tea ties the dish together.
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258. So how was it?
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259. Are you full now?
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260. I am very satisfied.
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261. That's good to hear.
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262. I will definitely make this up to you.
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263. Oh, you don't have to...
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264. Good morning.
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265. Good morning.
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266. Good morning!
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267. Why are you grinning at this hour?
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268. You look happy, but it's also... scary.
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269. Oh, I just had a wonderful day yesterday.
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270. What's all this?
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271. Ramen coupons?
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272. Where'd they come from?
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273. No idea...
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274. Oh, Koizumi-sa—
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275. To thank you for yesterday.
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276. She ran away!
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277. Koizumi-san!
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278. Does this mean you want to go eat with me?
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279. It does not.
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280. Please enjoy them by yourself.
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281. Oh, come on!
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282. You're coming with me, aren't you?
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283. No, thank you.
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284. I'm so excited!
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285. Who knew there were this many coupons?
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286. Lately, these things are mainly
put up on social networks,
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287. but there are still a lot of
paper coupons out there.
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288. So, Koizumi-san, you can
actually speak English?
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289. Enough to have a conversation.
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290. How did you learn it?
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291. Do you go to cram school, or one
of those language schools by
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292. the station, or do you have someone
around you to practice with?
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293. It's a secret.
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294. Another secret, huh?
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