Chapter 43: Wish

Day Three

He was here.

Back at the place where it all happened years ago. Only this time things were going to be different, things would change. He would make it so that chefs were no longer bound to undue stress and rigmarole. Past tragedies could never again occur and irreversible change the careers of future chefs.

Azami Nakiri, né Nakamura, sat at a corner table inside the small restaurant of the current third seat of the Ten, observing the chef himself cook from the other side of the serving kitchen window. With only one kitchen staffer to help him. The food he had been served had been exquisite, poised and spoke volumes of its creators innate skill. More so, seeing the looks of sheer pleasure on the faces of his fellow customers, at the other six tables, they clearly all felt the same.

Azami hadn't used his real name when he had walked into the restaurant and handed over the required amount of pine tickets as payment for a seat and food. His name would set alarm bells ringing in his targets mind before he could even properly recruit him... and need him Azami did.

He already had the required majority on the Ten to enact his planned revolution, yet he had been all but begged to not shove aside Kensuke. Or even to let him fall by the wayside by, Rindō and Tsukasa who had both refused to fully go along with his reforms should Kensuke be sidelined or expelled.

Looking at the third seat, and seeing him for who he was: a quiet, socially awkward and emotionally uncomfortable chef, Azami had been about to write off. Telling Rindō and Tsukasa that Tōtsuki had no need of someone who appeared to be this lacking in social skills, yet he was then given the first plate of stunning six course dinner. And as a result, Azami was thankful that he had heeded the first seats advice:

'Don't write him off immediately. The fog of awkwardness becomes less obvious when Ken cooks, and his food does more talking than he ever could'.

The third seat was good, more than good. An exemplar chef, even if he was socially inept. He really was what the critics and gourmands gave him the moniker, the 'Silent King'. Taking another forkful of food from his plate, Azami allowed himself to bask in tranquil deliciousness before becoming aware of a few people letting out yelps of surprise.

Opening his eyes, and looking up from his plate, he smirked as he realised that his version of the 'burst' had inadvertently stripped the customers at the adjacent two tables of all their clothes. Leaving the two tables occupants; two men and two women entirely naked amidst the dining rooms other shocked, gawking and confused customers.

Standing up from his table, Azami made his way over to the service counter where the third seat was currently finalising the plating of two more orders. As he got closer he expected the chef to lookup and acknowledged his presence, yet instead Kensuke remained completely oblivious.

Had Tsukasa not warned him about this chefs extreme social anxiety, then the older man would have felt annoyed by the seeming lack of respect and response shown to him. He would have taken it as cold indifference but Azami had Tsukasa's words, so he knew how to approach the third seat.

Moreover, as he looked upon the chef before him, Azami could see another student that he could save from the extreme pressures that Tōtsuki placed on its student chefs. The failed teaching methods that Senzaemon peddled in and was aided and abetted by his 'stupid professors', were the way chefs needed to be taught: constantly challenging themselves towards creating their own specialties... Folly.

These methods had caused the downfall of many a talented chef. And Azami refused to allow any more Tōtsuki students to suffer under Senzaemon's tutelage.

One of the best things that had happened to him, since his exile from Tōtsuki and expulsion from the Nakiri family, had been travelling the world and setting up business ties with similarly minded culinary figures that wanted to slow the pace of cooking and narrow the curb. Not seeing his daughter, or more appropriately having her education furloughed, and replaced, by her grandfather was a sting to bare.

Yet, Azami was confident that upon his return, as well as publicly making his pronouncements, Erina would willingly return to his side. And if she put up any form of resistance then he would have to play hardball and push back against her until she eventually caved to him. Walking forwards, Azami made his way over to the serving window. To get to know Kensuke Tadokoro.

"Ehem", he lightly coughed, once the waiters had moved away, leaving him watching Kensuke wiping down the surface with paper towels. Upon hearing the noise the third seat looked up, flinching instantly, upon meeting the gaze of a pale faced, black haired suited man before him. The expression that the man wore was in between a pleasant smile offering up praise and a smirk bordering on Machiavellian.

"C-c-can I h-h-help you?" Kensuke asked, trying and failing to remain confident. His sister probably would have smacked this man for making him this nervous. "Oh nothing special", the man replied, running a hand through his hair. "I only came over here to congratulate you on your festival restaurant and your exquisite menu".

Brightening slightly, and feeling his anxiety lessen, Kensuke removed his glasses and placed them into the top pocket of his chefs' blazer before bowing his head in appreciation, of the man's words. The third seat then responded, "the honour of cooking for you is all mine", he spoke calmly.

He was about to return to the kitchen, and cook the remaining dishes when the man spoke again. "I wonder if we might have a chance to talk... after you've finished cooking for tonight?" A look of confusion passed across Kensuke's face as he tried to ascertain this man's objective. "You see I've recently returned to Japan after a lengthy period of time away. Yet, once I landed back in Tokyo, I met up with an associate of mine who told me about your culinary skills and how you find it difficult being around so many people when you cook".

A frown graced Kensuke's face as he listened to but did not interrupt the man. An action that was picked up by the man who simply smiled back at him. "Oh please don't think that I have designs on you", the man quickly spoke, waving his hands about. "I merely wish to offer you a choice of a new direction of culinary education, that should you help me with, protect the weak from being exploited by heavy handed culinary industry bosses".

With his anxiety rising again, along with a deep seated unease, Kensuke stared at the man before him. All prim and proper looking in his suit and his slicked black hair, with a strand of white going through. Yet, there was something in the man's voice that drew him in... something about the way he spoke about protecting the weak from 'heavy handed industry bosses' as well as stressful working conditions.

Shivering, Kensuke affixed his glasses back upon his face and took a deep breath. "I..." he trailed off before realising that the man had placed a hand on his shoulder. "I will listen to what you have to say, but for now I really have to get back to cooking. My customers are expecting their food".

Nodding his head, whilst releasing the chefs shoulder, Azami smiled and pointed to a small side table. "I'll be waiting over there", he uttered friendly. "I would say good luck in the kitchen but seeing as you're the third seat of the Ten that's pretty much an addendum at this point". Walking away towards his chosen table, Azami ordered a bottle of red wine from a passing waiter before finally sitting down, to watch the rest of the evening. Waiting for his chance to persuade the third seat to join him in his Tōtsuki reformation. The more seats he could ensnare the stronger his rule would be.

Three hours later.

As the last plate of food left the kitchen and was carried out to its awing customer, Kensuke turned towards his trusted kitchen aid: Chise Nakata. Medium in height with striking blue eyes and her brunette hair tied back into a bun, Chise was the sole permanent staffer whom Kensuke had with him whenever he had to travel. "Thank you got for helping me... Chise" he spoke, staying his nerves and anxiety in check. "Can you manage by yourself for a moment, as I promised this man I'd make time to chat with him after the days cooking".

Blushing as she looked up from tidying away leftover ingredients, ready them for tomorrow, Chise felt her heart beat faster as she stared at the chef she loved. "I'll be fine Ken", she replied smiling. "See this gentleman, but you better come back and help me afterwards", she grinned playfully. She just managed to catch a flicker of a smile dance across Kensuke's face before he left the kitchen and made his way towards the aforementioned man.

Watching her fellow second year, and secret crush, approach this man would have filled Chise with pride; as it showed that he might be might making some progress towards getting over his extreme social anxiety. However, the moment she saw the man stand up and reach out his hand, Chise felt as if the air in the room froze. Immediately she felt a cold dread wash over her, it was almost as if she was standing and experiencing an intense polar storm.

This man wanted something, the look in his eyes... she recognised that look. He saw Kensuke as a piece on a chessboard, and Ken was naively oblivious.

"She cares about you", Azami pointed out, as Kensuke sat down opposite him. "We've been working together for nearly the entire time we've been at Tōtsuki now, so I suppose she feels happy here". Azami kept his face neutral despite having his words completely misinterpreted by the boy before him, who seemed totally oblivious to his own aids feelings towards him.

"Anyway, I wanted to talker to you because I've heard that something big is about to be decided by the Council of Ten. And I want you to agree to it".

Before Kensuke could respond, Azami held up his hand and continued. "I know very well the hardships that chefs at Tōtsuki have to go through to reach the top. Some manage to climb perfectly, some falter but take on some suffering in the process, then there are those whom struggle and struggle but never give up. Like you in a way, whilst the rest simply fail and drop out. Does that sound like a fair and just system for chefs to learn in?

Taking a sip from his red wine, Azami noted the look of complete understanding in the third seat's wide eyes. "You know what I mean... we both know that the director means well but his methods leave nothing to be desired. And for someone like you, with extreme social anxiety having a these eyes on you must be challenging", the man continued.

"I may not like it", Kensuke began, "but it's not like I have any other choice to go along with. The teachings at Tōtsuki are what you have to follow if you want to be a chef. People keep telling me to grin and bare it... no matter how much I suffer from anxiety and depression".

"Exactly!" Azami exclaimed. "Senzaemon and his professors don't take into consideration the needs of those who need time and help to become chefs. Those who learn at their own speeds, resulting in hard disdainful and sometimes dangerous situations that the tests presented to you all sometimes result in". A scowl suddenly passed across Kensuke's face as he remembered Megumi's treatment by the restaurant owner at her stagiaire.

"I want your help in pushing for a reformation here at Tōtsuki Academy, a new educational system at that gives students a fairer way into the culinary world?" Azami smiled throwing his arms wide. "Moreover, with the way the culinary world is now, too cramped and too many in competition with each other. True deliciousness is hard to come by! I want to cull the numbers down to a manageable few, that are recognised by me and the Ten. With fewer regulations and impossible high standards to pass, more student chefs will be able to grow".

After listening to what the man had to say, in stunned silence, Kensuke attempted a smile. Although it appeared more forlorn than anything else. "Apart from cooking, I have nothing else going for me", he spoke tentatively.

"All I want... all I want, is to continue working at the one thing in my life that I'm good at... and if your idea can help me stay cooking, despite my awkwardness, and somehow protect others; like my sister from befalling the same sufferings that afflict me. Then I will support your Tōtsuki designs".

R.I.P: Pierre Cardin