Kiss The Cook

"Hunger gives flavour to the food."

― Amit Kalantri

It was her eyes that stopped him as well as became the catalyst of the events that if he'd only known what walking down a dank alley would bring, Tsukiyama very well might have turned around in fear that very moment...

The moon was full, the air was fresh and clean from the recent downpour, washing away the scent of blood from all but the most sensitive of noses and hungry ghouls.

His competition for the girl lay lifelessly against the concrete, chucked aside like a child would a toy that no longer held their attention. Such a weak, useless fool… he was an Class A ghoul, nothing like the likes of, the now dead, scrounger.

Her back against the cold wall, the girl, looking up at him and seeing a crescent mask covering the left side of his face—looked at him in such a way that made Tsukiyama pause over her, as if he was some savior. She should know better, he thought. His kakugan shined bright red; even frighteningly so, and the darkness around him accentuated it to make his visible eye the only light shining in the night.

That should've been enough to tell her what he truly was.

He was no savior. Tsukiyama would feast upon her, tonight.

"Are you going to eat me?"

"Oh, but of course, mon cheri."

A chuckle was heard, and yet it never occured that it was from himself...

What a funny human… though, perhaps he also, was unwell? Perhaps she withdrew into the safety of her own mind to escape the terror in order to cope with her inevitable demise? The way she spoke bother him oddly enough, it was too calm. A perturbing outcome to be denied the satisfying sight of fear in your victim's eyes.

Should he wait then? Draw it out, allow the realization to sink in a bit more and have it seep into her core? Delayed gratification always had the best payout; lying in wait inside a fabricated disguise of protection. That's all this was… just another means of prolonging the hunt and marinating the main course.

The smell emanating from her was heavenly, it was tempting him to break his resolve and devour her right then and there. Her eyes, pale and luminescent, were beautiful and he felt a dangerous pull from them. Blood red met stardust.

Moon-Eyes, the would-be-savior named her. Just like the one above them, big and bright against the dark skies of Tokyo. Her dark tresses were the same; like the spun darkness that webbed the lights together and trapped the planetoid.

Once more, the alarming thought that he was looking at the elusive night sky within a sole being was startling. Would a star fall if he killed her, would a planet die? It only seemed logical that she belonged to another constellation, or abandoned by a distant universe unlike this one.

The sudden track of mind that led to the cliche made him cringe, 'what the hell, Shuu?!' Blinking, he returned to the cold indifference that was far more appropriate than contemplating a possible astral being.

Stepping closer to her and inhaling the aroma, he shivered.

Astral or not, she would be perfect for tonight's entrèe.

"It's okay," Moon-Eyes muttered, "if this is how I go, I don't mind." She seemed at peace with her demise now, regardless of the struggle he witnessed not moments before stumbling upon her. "If it is someone like you, I think it'd be best. Besides," she laughed ruefully "it would be a fitting end for me."

Silence hung heavy in the air and it felt like an eternity before the sound of his shoes broke it as he moved towards her and knelt over her prone body. She'd given the invitation, all he had to do now was follow through.

Tearing his eyes away from hers to better concentrate on her flesh, inching closer, hands on the cold, wet stone beside her head; Tsukiyama took a deep breath. A juicy, tangy aroma floated up from her ghost-like skin with the subtlest hint of something sweet hiding underneath. He moaned.

This scent…Her blood is what I imagine fruit to taste like.

"Please, I'm ready now sir."

Sir? He felt bewildered yet amused as he threw his head back in a dramatic laugh, hand going up to his mask. "You speak to me as though I were a gentleman and not some vile creature ready to swallow you down, piece by delicious piece mon cheri!" He exclaimed punctuated by another little fit.

Moon-Eyes simply shrugged from her position beneath him, offering up a tiny smile and a light chuckle of her own. "You speak like one." Lifting a hand to his face her smile grew as she marveled at the softness of his skin. "A monster? No. An angel… yea, a beautiful angel; and your eye…I love the colors. I'm glad I could see something like this before I died."

The look she gave him—it was almost as if they shared some kind of understanding—some secret that he could not even begin to grasp. This-and her eyes-made him believe that she was something far from ordinary.

Startled, he jerked his face away as though her touch burned him when in reality it was her words.

He got to his feet and retreated further away as the conflict within himself intensified. He knew he had to leave, but it didn't make sense! She was willing! She wanted to die, why didn't he just eat her?! Walking backwards even more, his back hit the wall. Tsukiyama watched as she sat up and her face contorted into utter despair, she reached out for him! It was absurd, but it was like she was begging him not to go, not to leave her alive.

"Pardonnez-moi ma dame, et bonne soirée." He bowed as his mask mocked her pain. Though there was no smile on his face. Sweeping is arm back up elegantly, he leapt into the sky and out of the alley of the dark, dank, and pitiful.

Only one thought remained: Farewell Moon-Eyes.

Three months later

"This is still cold in the middle! Who cooked this?!" Yuri roared storming through the back end of the kitchen of her restaurant. It had only been open for a couple of months but after good business and rave reviews from renowned critics, it had quickly reached acclaimed status. Thus came a reputation that had to be maintained. Being the head chef and owner, she ruled her kitchens with an iron fist and a sharp eye; keeping her staff and their entrees' to standard. Anything that was subpar never touched a server's hands and should such a travesty occur, there was hell to pay.

"Well? Anyone want to fess up?" She shouted as her tightly bound hair snapped behind her like a silk whip.

Out of the den of sizzling food, clattering pans and singing knives came a rather timid and embarrassed voice. "Uhh…M-ma'am I-I did…" A young man with shaggy, auburn hair stepped forward.

"Harada…" she sighed deeply "why am I not surprised? Honestly, despite me telling you multiple times the correct temperature to cook steak you somehow still manage to screw it up. I don't care that you're a newbie here, if I tell you something more than once, I expect it to be done right!" She barked throwing the practically mooing slab of meat at his feet. Stalking over to the counter she grabbed two slices of brioche and slapped them against the sides of his head. "What are you Harada?!" She demanded as he began to quiver, his eyes shut tight in humiliation. The other cooks either giving him pitying looks or averting their gazes.

"A-an idiot sandwich…"

"What was that? I couldn't quite hear you." Yuri smirked.

"AN IDIOT SANDWICH CHEF!" He cried loud enough for the whole kitchen to hear.

"That's right," she smiled removing the brioche from his ears "and until I see a proper meal produced from your hands that'll be your name. Is that understood everyone?!" She said as poor Harada nodded to a chorus of, "yes Head Chef' from everyone else in the kitchen as he slunk back to his station.

Shaking her own head in exasperation Yuri cast her eyes skyward as though asking for strength. She'd just about had it with that rookie. She'd been babysitting him for over a week now and he was constantly making mistakes; no more competent than a toaster that kept burning bread. "At least a toaster actually cooks the damn bread though." She snarled returning to her own food to make the final touches.

The calming white noise of whisks in bowls, pans thudding against stoves, and plates being passed from person to person as she reached her station helped to cool her temper. Everyone in the kitchen was giving her a wide berth now and she took a deep, settling breath. Since she had recently fired a young woman a week before they were terrified of her.

It hadn't been pretty...their fear was justified, but that woman had been let go for good reason. She was a terrible, pathetic excuse for a cook. When Yuri had explained this to her professionally during her termination, said bitch had snapped and resorted to calling Yuri's own culinary skills into question. Enraged, the argument had only escalated; and Yuri almost turned it physical by slapping the uppity little wrench right across her face. The nerve of that–

Clenching her fists and closing her eyes she took another even breath. It didn't matter anymore. Focus on the food. That was what was most important. With her center restored, she returned to the task at hand.

"Head Chef, there's an order for the 'Midnight Special' on table eight." A server called through the window.

"Alright! I'm on it soon as this is done." She responded throwing a dash of salt onto the plate of duck breasts. Finishing it up with a garnish and arranging the vegetables she passed it off to another server before disappearing into the back to procure the ingredients for the special order.

The meat, as well as the dish, was a family secret; or so was her excuse. She guarded them both tightly and refused to share her knowledge. None other than her would ever prepare the meal all her customers applauded. Another stipulation for working here of course; and if someone couldn't accept that, well then, they were out.

Even with such strict rules in place there was a lingering curiosity regarding the dish among her employees. Some still wondered about why only she could make that order. After all, it couldn't be that difficult, could it? They wanted to question her but after seeing the first few brave ones who did get the boot for it, they didn't dare.

It was mostly out of pride that Yuri told her underlings they were prohibited, but there was another very specific reason behind her warnings. The truth of the matter was that she simply didn't want them knowing that the secret ingredient in the special was human organs.

The organs used would always be pre-chopped off-site and in easily concealable containers, which she then brought into work and placed in the fridge; kept in a metal safe in the back of the cooler which only she possessed the keys to. After all, walking out of the cooler with a bucket containing a whole heart resting on ice wouldn't go over well. Hence the reason she did all the chopping at home and returned the carefully disguised, innocent looking pieces to work the next day.

'Midnight Special' though cliché, provided the perfect lack of information regarding the contents and her customers seemed to love it. She also wasn't that imaginative when it came to naming her dishes, so it worked out.

Her customers loved it so much so that it was the second most requested order on the menu so she had to keep the portions small. If she didn't, she'd be running out on a regular basis and that would cause problems in more ways than one.

People would always ask what exactly it was that filled their stomachs and it was always a bit of a thrill. She never gave a straight answer, instead smiling politely and replying "it's a family secret" before heading back into the kitchen after thanking them for their kind words. No one was ever the wiser or realized what it was they had just consumed.

The kick she got out of serving humans to themselves was a rush and it was that excitement that had her putting the dish on the menu in the first place. The adrenaline surge she got from the risk of being found out was like nothing else and then the satisfaction of seeing her customers enjoy the most sinful of sins and get away with it; she wanted to smile like a madwoman every time they complemented her.

The key to everything was caution. She did not need any Doves on her doorstep and carelessness would certainly bring them knocking. She wasn't a Ghoul by any means but as she prepared her ingredients for tonight's dish, she thought there really wasn't much that separated her from them. The one thing she lacked was the abilities and advantages that came with being one. She still killed and consumed her fellow man and that would be all the Doves needed to hand down a death sentence or lock her away for the rest of her life.

Making her selection, she grabbed a small container of diced lung. A bit of seasoning and cooked medium-well, it would look like any other animal organ. It wasn't a hard task, making human look like dead animal. After all, humans were animals weren't they? Cow, sheep, goat; she could do it all. As long as the customers didn't complain. there was no reason to suspect.

The meat began to brown to a proper color, leaving the inside just pink enough. She added the last of the spices for the presentation and began to plate. This dish would remain simple and elegant.

Each meal was like a ballet, each element a dancer, musician a part of the stage. Complimenting, and strengthening... adding what other did not, making up for what another lacked. Occasionally Yuri felt like adding a spice ruined the natural flavor of the meat she worked with but alas, it was necessary to disguise her cooking.

"Order up!" She yelled, placing the food on the rolling cart ready for table five.

"Oh Tsukiyama you are just too much!" The bright red headed woman beside him laughed. Julie, a tourist vacationing in Japan, had run into her dashing date for the night two weeks ago and been instantly smitten. With his flair for the finer things in life and his elegant manner he'd treated her like a noble lady from a fairy-tale and who was she to deny her girlish fantasies? Besides, she was only going to be in Japan for another couple of weeks before returning home anyway.

"Ah, but Mon petite, it's is most definitely true!" Tsukiyama smiled as he took her hand in his, kissing her delicate fingers which made her giggle and blush.

"Excuse my intrusion but your food has arrived." The clean cut maître'd informed as the platters of food were placed before the couple before silver domes were removed to reveal the dish beneath. Steam wafted up to their noses, Julie inhaling and sighing blissfully as she appeared to drool. However, Tsukiyama seemed visibly startled, smile falling from his face and eyes zeroing in on the innocent looking food on his plate.

"This smells divine, thank you," lifting her fork and knife Julie began to eat. Cooing with delight as the first bite of succulent meat hit her tongue she smiled and closed her eyes to savor the taste. Swallowing she took a few more bites before she noticed her date wasn't eating. "What's wrong? Aren't you going to eat?" She asked curiously.

Blinking away his shock he chuckled and smiled charmingly over to her. "Of course my dear," flipping his napkin out over his lap he lifted his utensils over his plate "but to truly enjoy a gourmet meal such as this one must first admire the presentation." He explained which seemed to be reason enough for her as she went back to her own meal.

Eyeing the plate before him once more Tsukiyama speared the meat with his fork and lifted it to his lips. There had been something odd about the scent that rose from this particular plate and it lingered still as the morsel came nearer and nearer to his mouth. Why did his mouth water at the sight of this particular dish?

Past the barrier of his lips as they closed over the polished surface of the fork to drag the bite off and into his mouth the answer became clear and it took every scrap of his willpower to keep from letting his eyes roll back into his head and groan as the flavors exploded inside his mouth.

HUMAN! This was HUMAN FLESH! Cooked and seasoned as if it were steak but this was far from some fattened cow. It tasted like food! Real, divine, delicious food! It didn't taste like shit, like he expected it to. A small sound of delight escaped him anyway and his date chuckled."I see you've stopped admiring it and finally tried it. Good isn't it?"

"Good simply does not do such a marvelous, culinary experience justice…." He breathed while eagerly taking another bite and shuddering. Tres Bien! Yes that was the taste! Masked and cooked to fool the human tongue with salt and pepper but this was no mere cow's lung which would have turned to ash upon his tongue! The chef had cooked it to perfection and for the first time in his life, he was eating with humans without fear of searching for a bathroom after. If he had to hazard a guess this organ belonged to a deliciously young woman.

A sudden, powerful and gluttonous urge nearly overtook him as he began to eat faster than he had intended. Savoring the food was practically forgotten in favor of simply eating. Bite after bite was consumed with no one wise to the beast that lurked among the innocent flock.

'I'm feasting on this delicious flesh, and none but I know it!? This is truly comical!'

He had always dreamed of enhancing his dining experience in a similar fashion as humans. Thus why the Restaurant exists, it was a fetish of his, he supposed; to play human was hobby of sorts. He watched the way they cooed and fawned over their fancy dishes and exclaimed over the subtle hints of this flavor or that spice and longed to taste them upon his own tongue and here he was, getting to experience that and the added thrill of doing it with them...

He watched his date continue to eat utterly oblivious and a manic glee overtook him. The fool was eating human and she didn't even know! What would Julie taste like cooked, he wondered? He'd been imagining her taste raw since they had been going out. Sweet and full, heavy like the cloying scent of a bouquet of lilies but now he wondered…would it change to something more robust and savory if cooked? Spicy even? Squeezing his legs together under the table he took a deep breath to calm himself as he chewed, masking his fantasies as he enjoyed the texture and flavor of his dinner.

Normally Tsukiyama did not indulge in dates unless it was to woo a particularly divine piece of prey into his hands or to keep up appearances. This time had been a bit of both since a foreigner could easily disappear and the Doves needed to see him being human after all.

The restaurant choice had been random off of a list of many that were up and coming but had yet to be tried. Now? Oh this one was going to be a repeat favorite. A restaurant with a chef that served human to humans? How truly divine!

"Ahhh that was delicious…" Julie sighed laying her silverware daintily across her now clean plate and dabbing at her mouth delicately "and it looks like you must have thought so too! You've nearly cleared your plate too!" She exclaimed brightly.

"I suppose I did." He chuckled slightly not even having to feign embarrassment at her comment. Between his enjoyment of the food and his wandering mind all but the vegetables had vanished and those he was hesitant to consume. If he did he knew what would come next and vomiting up such delightful morsels into a toilet would be a crime.

"Not a fan of vegetables Tsukiyama?" She asked.

He was saved from having to explain himself as the waiter arrived to collect the dirty plates. "Can we interest you in desserts? We have a wonderful Crème Brule?" He offered.

Julie looked over to Tsukiyama hopefully and was about to say yes, but he was ready to end the night. He'd had a lovely evening and didn't wish to ruin it by extending it further. "Thank you but I believe we will have to pass on that offer." He replied as Julie pouted and the waiter bowed and left with the dirty dishes.

"You didn't have to turn down dessert so quickly…." Julie mumbled swirling her drink around as she regarded him over the top of it, pouting.

"I simply wished to continue our evening elsewhere dearest," reaching to capture her hand he smiled disarmingly at her "'for the night is young and so are we?' Is that not the saying my dear?"

Julie blushed prettily and all grumpiness over missed desert was forgotten as the waiter returned with their check and Tsukiyama whisked it up off the table before his date could even try to peek at it. As the waiter turned to leave he realized he was losing his only chance to ask about the mystery meal as well as the cook behind it, and raw panic shot through him. No! He had to know!

His hand was on the young man's arm before he even realized it and both waiter and Julie were staring at him. "Ah, please excuse my rudeness good sir, but I must ask you-that is…the 'Midnight Special'—the chef who made it? Please, I need to know!" He nearly begged. "A name…?"

Flashing Tsukiyama an almost knowing smile the young man looked at his arm silently asking to be released. When he was he replied. "Chef Miyoushi did, sir. She's the head chef and owner of this establishment."

"I see…" Tsukiyama murmured as Julie crossed her arms and glared at him from her seat. "May I request to see her and offer our compliments?" he asked eagerly as he walked over to Julie and offered her his hand. "My date and I simply adored the dish tonight and it would not feel right leaving without saying so to the owner!" He proclaimed.

The waiter regarded them both as the woman stood to join her date, clearly less enthused than he was and thought about it. They clearly weren't going to leave until getting what they, he, wanted and sighed. "One moment." He said before heading into the kitchen.

"You've got another one, boss," the waiter who had just returned from Tsukiyama's table said to Yuri as he brushed past to place the dirty dishes in the washer "table eight. Two of 'em. The man was asking and he seemed a bit strange," heading back towards the line to take the next table their plates he stopped by Yuri "even grabbed me to make sure he could ask about the chef that made the special. Could have just asked when he paid the bill…."

She had been expecting that very question as soon as the order had been placed but that didn't mean she liked handling it during a rush."Tell them I'm too busy, I'm sure they'll live," she snapped but paused when his words sunk in. Setting down her knife she turned to look at him. "Shiki, he grabbed you?"

Shiki nodded and a new wave of anger washed over Yuri. It was one thing to be a little rough with each other in the kitchen. Even the 'Idiot sandwich' thing earlier was considered a rite of passage and after it happened she had heard some of the others joking with Harada about their rookie nick names. A customer laying a hand on her staff or vice versa did not happen, not on her watch.

"Table eight, yes?" She repeated voice flat and unamused.

"Yes chef." Shiki replied a smile on his face as he watched her head for the doors that lead into the dining room. Pushing back his sleeve he looked at his arm where the customer had grabbed him and frowned. There were red, angry hand marks imprinted on his skin. A few of them were already starting to deepen in color and bruise.

The clatter of paying customers and low conversation was the charm of the Suiren. The ambiance of tinkling wine glasses and attractive evening laughter assisted the mood-many traveled far and wide to Yuri's proud little restaurant. The orange glow of the lamps bounced off the rustic paint imitating a summer sunset; warm color schemes had always been her favorite despite the fact that she was a winter not a fall.

The aura of the dining floor had always been relaxing and romantic, however walking out of the kitchens she realized today things were not as they should be. Instead of the hum of pleasantries and subtle laughter, distinct loud voices that exceeded the proper etiquette for fine dining carried over everyone else.

Table eight.

So these were the people causing the disturbance, a color blind dandy and a screeching harpy? Oh, joy…

She walked purposeful and steady with her fists clenched at her sides. From where she could see, the man in the abhorred violet suit wasn't the one causing such a ruckus so much as it was the camilla sitting in front of him. Everyone around her kept glancing behind them. Rude. All of their eyes screamed it, and she could tell by the grimaces that the candle-lit mood had been spoiled.

"Good evening, I was told you had requested to see me…?" Yuri looked to both the man and woman, sizing up the man who had the balls to pry her from her work. She'd wished it was the female, she wanted to unleash her passive-aggressive furry onto her greatly.

"Ah Chef Miyoushi," The man rose and grasped her hand. Her nerves spiked and her face flushed as he kissed her flesh. "I simply must bestow a kiss upon the talented hand of the one who has charmed and presented this...Ce délicieux palais!" Sharp eyes hypnotized her from beneath his bangs as he bowed gentlemanly before her. "I consider myself a bit of a gourmet you see, a connoisseur of all things refined and I am constantly in search of new things to amaze me. Your cuisine has certainly done that and more." He smiled.

The irrupt introduction caught Yuri off guard and she nearly leapt out of her skin at the sudden contact. His grip was smooth cold, a stark contrast to harden skin of her working hands. "E-excuse me, but you are–"

"If it does any more than that Tsukiyama, I am leaving you with the damn bill and nothing else!" The woman at the table snapped getting to her feet in a huff. "Honestly would you do this to if she were a man?!"

A deep rumbling came from the purplette man, "Oh but of course, mon cheri!" The man caught Yuri around the waist, spinning her about as if she were a dancing partner. A rather undignified yelp came from her, and his date squawked. "A true culinary excavator does not stop at such trivial things as gender, when showing his appreciation to an outstanding artist." He purred tilting his head back at the woman and placing a hand over his heart. He also garnered a number of odd looks and whispers from the other patrons. Yuri's cheeks burnt. What the ever loving hell was that? "Tsukiyama Shuu, mademoiselle." He finally supplied, turning his grin towards her.

"Y-You…!" His date stammered going red in the face but for whole another reason. "This was a nice evening until you ruined it," she hollered, making everyone politely turn their heads away with looks of horror on their faces "we could have just left for the next spot but no. You just HAD to thank the 'chef' and suddenly you're kissing her hand and spinning her around?!" She demanded jabbing an accusatory finger in Yuri's direction. "I don't buy that 'I'd do that with a man too' garbage Tsukiyama! You're doing this on purpose, and I am not a fan!" She hissed.

My God, she's loud… Yuri placed a hand over her right ear and cringed.

"My dearest," Tsukiyama started, turning to face her. "Such an ugly color you wear...jealousy doesn't suit you."

The red on her face got darker, and her eyes squinted hatefully. Julie's screeching became louder, but to Yuri, it faded to white noise in the background.

What was happening!? The couple's display was despicable, the Suiren wasn't small by any means, but their voices certainly carried and filled the room easily. Regardless, the look in the man's eyes as they slid over her, reminded her of a seductive viper. They captivated her... Yuri couldn't remember the last time she encountered such a look, and her heart which raced wouldn't still even after looking away.

He'd touched her. Spun her around like in those corny old movies and it terrified her. The involuntary shaking her hands did was both unsettling and infuriating all at once. Yuri prided herself with her ability to avoid physical contact as much as she could, and this man, broke every barrier—disregarded her personal bubble, without a care or any consideration.

Still, a part of her couldn't deny that there was something in her that...liked it. Yuri's insides had turned and for a time she thought it was sickness, not the flattery. She could still feel where he'd kissed and the more the bitch screeched the happier she was. What was wrong with her?!

She blinked, coming to her senses.

The scene before her was unacceptable in her establishment, scaring her customers! This certainly would make it to Yelp! And if she saw her ratings go down, Yuri would skin them both alive. The jewel tone eyes that burned like fire, slowly lapped at her skin before locking onto the shrieking harpy.

Ok, maybe she'll keep his eyes.

"Julie...dear. Have I not shown you all the courtesies any respectable man would? The dinner dates, the shopping sprees, extravagant suites. I must say, I've shown more promise in my role in this arrangement than perhaps, you, one might say. So I do not appreciate this villainous picture you are trying to paint me." His voice was sweet and melodious, but the bite of his undertone had venom; and like so, Yuri found his movements hypnotic, graceful, like water. She could see why the woman wanted to sink her claws into this one, she'd put an iron grip on him as well if he was hers.

"And I do not appreciate you turning the lovely ambiance of this place stagnant." He rounded to her, capturing her powdered chin in his fingers, "now if you be a dear and bring the car around that would lovely, my sweet. I believe we have outstayed our welcome, unfortunately…" Because of you.

This couldn't possibly be happening. The whole affair had been utterly destroyed and was thrown in her face in mockery. All because of that rat! Julie had never been more humiliated in her life, let alone treated like an unwanted side-dish. Any man would die to wait upon her, and here she was being chastised like an ignorant child by the rich arm candy she acquired during her month long vacation.

He was supposed to be dotting on her!

"S-Shuu-" Julie stuttered, "you can't mean that! I mean, surely by now you feel more than just an arrangement between us." She begged, placing her arms on his shoulders, trying to sweet-talk him.

Yuri wanted to gag, this was getting to be too much and the scene playing out in front of all of her and she felt so sorry for the poor people present. She needed to end this before she started getting complaints or security involved. For not having the dispute resolved peacefully would definitely leave a bad reputation on her.

Obviously it was more of the woman's sickening display and her banshee-like voice that caused most of the discomfort, and she could tell that this 'Shuu' was trying to minimize the damage, but it was apparent it wasn't enough to get her out.

"Excuse me, sir, madam—I greatly appreciate your patronage; but this is a respectable establishment, and any more of a scene and I will have to ask for an escort to walk you to the door." She cut into the dispute with an even, professional voice, showing that she could take control of any situation, and that she had her guests' interests at heart.

Inside though, she wanted to scream louder than the harpy. What the hell do these people think they were? The Jerry Springer Show?! With all their glamour and flash, you would think they'd have more class than this. Ugh these people make me sick, she thought, biting her tongue to keep from speaking out.

Tsukiyama picked up on the hidden tone, his lips thinned. He was being threatened with banishment with an unfavorable outcome of authorities pushing him out the doors, and it was all because of that woman he catered to!

Damn her!

"Yes, but of course, ma dame. We will leave you and your company peace. Please accept my deepest apologies for our rude disruptions…" Tsukiyama bowed, offering his hand before him. "May I shake your hand once more, madmoizelle?'

Yuri hesitated, she looked over to the woman behind him and saw her face bright red with fury and puffy eyes. She thought against encouraging the well-to-do gentleman, but if anything, the desire to upset his plus-one was reason enough to place her calloused, worked hands into his smooth ones and blushed when they touched his lips. Yuri tried to lie to herself that she hoped he hadn't asked for more contact, that he hadn't tried to flirt with her, in front of everyone. That she didn't want it—couldn't want it...but she did. It'd been a measly five minutes and this...this rich, suck-up SOB already had her pining? No. No of course not. It merely caught her off guard.

"Thank you for coming, I hope you have enjoyed your time here, and that everything was to your liking." She attempted to retract her hand, but the dandy held tightly as he stood up tall once more. What now?!

Tsukiyama smiled brightly and covered her hand with both of his, and that was when she felt something slide under her fingers. "Everything was nothing short of divine, I pray that I will not be turn away at the door upon my next visit, yes? Au revoir ma douce."

Yuri only vaguely remembered nodding and watching the man gather his fussing attachment, who continued to glare daggers in her direction as she was guided out the glass doors; closing quietly behind them (if it wasn't for the man, she was more than certain the woman would have slammed them as hard as she could.)

Oh God...oh God! Everyone was still staring at her and the silence was choking her, everyone had stopped eating to watch the disgraceful (and alarming) event unfold in front of her. Her face burned with anger and embarrassment. At that moment Yuri swore that if she received one, even one bad review, she would make good on her promise to herself.

The chef looked down in her hand saw it was white card with elegant scribbling, she turned it around to find a name and number. 'Call any time: Shuu Tsukiyama.'

When did he have time to write this!?

Yuri scoffed, did he really believe she would give his obnoxious ass the time of day?! She chuckled, yeah right. She walked back to the kitchens placing the card into her apron pockets hoping to forget about it, she would throw it away later.

Later that evening the joys of well cooked meal in a low-lit dining room was savored. Tsukiyama, though starved for the blessed silence that came with fine dining, found himself still perturbed.

Julie tasted nothing like how he wanted her to...

Hello, everyone! I hope the first chapter was to your liking. I've been battling with the story swarming around in my brain fr literally months now, and I've only now just posted the first chapter despite having been writing further one and tweaking every word I write... lol

There have been a lot of contradictory things in the series itself I've been battling with that are small, minor details but nonetheless I feel to be important. Like instance, normal things can't cut a ghoul, but a tea cup cut kaneki... so my thoughts of course go immediately to: If in a fit of desire, Tsukiyama gets scratched or bit, does he bleed? O_o