SailorStar9: After getting the prologue out, this is Chapter 1 of this fic. And yeah, I figured out how to continue this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.
Pairings: Zen/Past Life!Ami, present day Rikuo/Hotaru
Disclaimers: This fic idea and the Rikuo/Hotaru pairing belong to Pavel123; I only own the plot idea and the main pairing. Anything else belong to their respective owners.
Chapter 1: The Princess of Herbs
Time passes...
As word about Bunko's medicated food spread, the eatery started gaining more customers plagued by assorted aliments and causing the young food medic to have to hire a female server to deal with the increased workload.
"Welcome." Yamauchi Hisako looked up at the sound of the noren curtain being moved. "Zen-sama..." she bowed in greeting. "Ryōri-chō, Zen-sama is here."
"I understand!" Bunko shouted back. "Hisako-san, please open up a reserved table."
"Understood." Hisako replied. "Zen-sama, this way."
"It's more crowded than usual." Zen looked around at the almost filled eatery.
"Yes," Hisako agreed, serving Zen's usual ginger tea. "Word has spread about ryōri-chō's healing prowess ever since her medicated chicken broth healed Hisao-san's illness. The usual order then, Zen-sama?"
"Yeah." Zen nodded. Kaya nu Hima, huh? He mused, turning upwards to the kamidana located on the wall where a small shinzō statue of Kaya nu Hima was enshrined within the kamidana. "I thought eating houses like yours usually enshrine Inari Okami in their kamidana." he remarked as Bunko served up his set lunch.
"Normally, that would be the case." Bunko admitted. "But for me..." she gave her customers a glance-over. "It's the well-being of the people who eat my cooking that is the most important."
"Oh yeah, didn't you know?" an elderly customer looked up from his plate of gyoza. "Bunko-chan's parents were..."
"A physician and a chef?" Zen echoed after the elderly customer gave the rest of the gathered customers a brief rundown about Bunko's family history.
"Kunio-ji-san, you speak too much." Hisako gave the talkative man a sweet smile, refilling his tea cup when she noticed her employer's strained smile.
"Right, right, Hisako-chan." Kunio chuckled.
Later that evening...
"Hisako-san," Bunko looked at the younger server girl as the two females closed the eating house for the day. "Please enjoy yourself at the Aoi Matsuri."
"Ryōri-chō is not going?" Hisako asked in confusion.
"I won't be going." Bunko smiled. "After all, that day happens to be my parents' death anniversary."
"I see." Hisako whispered. "I'm sorry, ryōri-chō."
SailorStar9: So, thoughts, reviews, anyone?
