The restaurant Henry had chosen to entertain the two Eternals wasn't one of those Michelin-starred establishments obsessed with formal dining etiquette. It was simply a Russian restaurant he'd discovered with exceptionally delicious food. There weren't many rules to follow—you just had to enjoy the meal.
To be honest, in his earlier years, Henry had been instinctively averse to anything related to the former Soviet Union. His first impression always started somewhere below zero, with points added only if something managed to earn them. If nothing deserved credit, then his attitude was simple: never have anything to do with it.
After he'd finally settled the burdens that had weighed on his mind, that stubborn fixation seemed to disappear like smoke. He no longer rejected everything connected to that land as fiercely as before, and could view it much more calmly.
Russian cuisine originated during the era of Imperial Russia. Influenced heavily by Western Europe, it borrowed extensively from French court cuisine before gradually incorporating elements from Italian, Austrian, and German cooking. Combined with the harsh northern climate, these influences eventually developed into what people now recognized as "Russian cuisine."
Among its signature dishes, borscht was impossible not to mention.
Made by simmering beef together with beets, tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables, it was traditionally served with a generous spoonful of sour cream stirred in just before eating. The sweet-and-sour flavor was wonderfully appetizing.
It was this very dish that had first opened Henry's heart to Russian food.
Then there were Russian dumplings, meat pies, and aspic—dishes whose unique flavors left lasting impressions on anyone who tried them.
Russian caviar, meanwhile, stood alongside foie gras and truffles as one of Europe's three greatest delicacies. Spread over blini or crackers, its rich, luxurious flavor blossomed across the palate in a way that was nearly impossible to forget.
Come to think of it, making a reservation here had taken some effort.
The restaurant was divided into an outer dining area and an inner section. Certain off-menu specialties were reserved exclusively for VIP guests who had access to the inner rooms—not just anyone could order them.
Although the aroma had naturally attracted the Kryptonian, Henry wasn't the type of customer who would throw a tantrum just because he couldn't eat something.
That was when he'd happened to meet John Wick.
Only then did he learn that the restaurant was one of the Tarasov family's legitimate front businesses.
With John Wick leading the way, Henry had finally been able to sample the restaurant's complete menu. Today's reservation had likewise been made under the name of that melancholic Slavic heartthrob.
Before dinner, however, Henry had one more task.
He needed to pick someone up at Grand Central Terminal.
Unlike speedsters, Gilgamesh and Thena weren't especially specialized in speed, yet as Eternals, they could still outrun over ninety percent of Earth's vehicles.
Even so, they neither owned nor rented a car during their travels.
Instead, they relied almost entirely on public transportation, wandering all over the world.
Learning to drive would've been effortless for them, but for international travel, owning a car often became more of a burden than a convenience.
Should they leave it behind?
Or somehow transport it to the next country?
Neither option was appealing.
Besides, they weren't ordinary tourists who sought out remote ruins tucked away in mountains.
Having lived on Earth for over seven thousand years, there weren't many ancient buildings older than they were.
What interested them most was experiencing life in the brand-new twenty-first century.
Naturally, they had little interest in disappearing into isolated villages or forgotten corners of the world.
Major cities had well-developed public transportation.
So the two Eternals—who often behaved like country bumpkins discovering modern civilization for the first time—simply took whatever transportation was convenient.
Wherever buses, trains, or airplanes happened to stop became their next destination.
Henry had learned all of this through his conversations with Kingo and Gilgamesh.
Although Thena's vibranium jewelry helped suppress the symptoms of Mahd Wy'ry, the quiet and tranquil disposition she'd cultivated over countless years wasn't something that could be changed overnight.
She remained the same aloof woman of few words, leaving practically every mundane matter to Gilgamesh.
After parking the car, Henry entered Grand Central's waiting area and pulled out one of the era's legendary technological marvels—
The Nokia 3310.
The phone with the mythical reputation of being able to stop a bullet and still work perfectly after falling from a dozen stories.
He had only recently switched phones.
Naturally, this particular Nokia had been modified by a Kryptonian. It could connect directly to his own satellite, allowing it to route into telecommunications networks even when there was no local cell signal.
He wasn't taking it out to play Snake.
He was simply waiting for the two Eternals to call.
Before long, the phone rang.
Moments later, a towering man and woman appeared in the main concourse, standing out from everyone around them.
Though Thena wasn't taller than most men, her height of nearly one hundred and eighty centimeters still made her stand above the crowd.
Combined with her gleaming golden-blonde hair and breathtakingly cold beauty, she instantly became the center of attention.
Whether male or female, anyone whose eyes landed on Thena found it difficult to look away.
Even more eye-catching, however, was probably Gilgamesh.
His West Asian features, combined with his nearly two-meter-tall frame and heavily built physique, made him impossible to ignore—especially in the current social climate.
Gilgamesh dressed fairly casually: loose-fitting clothes, jeans, and an extra jacket for the winter weather.
Thena, on the other hand, wore flowing robes and billowing trousers. Although she wasn't wearing a headscarf, her attire carried a distinctly Middle Eastern aesthetic.
A massive West Asian man accompanied by a white woman dressed in Middle Eastern-inspired clothing...
The pair attracted stares wherever they went.
Not far away, several police officers were already looking tempted to approach and question them.
Henry immediately got to his feet and walked over.
"Gilgamesh. Thena. It's been a long time."
Henry's long hair and full beard had become recognizable throughout the NYPD, especially among officers who had participated in the World Trade Center rescue operation.
Before approaching the pair, he deliberately greeted the nearby officers first, which immediately caused them to abandon the idea of stopping the two Eternals.
Truthfully, Gilgamesh and Thena hadn't recognized the bearded man calling their names.
Gilgamesh paused for a moment before remembering the Kryptonian he'd spoken with over the phone.
"Henry? Is that really you? What happened to you?"
Setting his large travel bag down on the floor, Gilgamesh mimed stroking a long beard beneath his own chin.
Even Thena regarded Henry with open curiosity.
Smiling wryly, Henry explained,
"I injured my eyes, so I couldn't shave myself. The only way to get rid of the beard would've been to pull it out by hand. I was too lazy—and it would've hurt too much—so this is what happened."
Gilgamesh gave Henry an enormous slap on the shoulder and burst into laughter.
"I've got to say, if you clean up that beard, you'll look a lot better than before. Back then you were so clean-cut you looked like some delicate pretty boy who'd blow away in the wind. This suits you much better."
Henry nearly felt like coughing up last night's dinner from the sheer force of the slap.
Looking resentfully at the Eternal, who clearly had no concept of holding back his strength, he muttered,
"Have you been bottling things up for too long? Was that your way of letting off steam?"
Gilgamesh reached over with one huge hand and ruffled Henry's already messy hair into an even greater disaster.
Laughing heartily, he said,
"You took one of my punches before and acted like nothing happened. That little slap was just a greeting. I was worried if I hit you any lighter, you wouldn't even notice."
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