Bright and early the next day, Jin was already standing before the restaurant where he would begin work. Jin always believed that being punctual leaves a good impression but he'd outdone himself this time, arriving 30 minutes before his shift was due to start. It would've been nice if Nishikawa were on the same shift on their first day of work, but no such luck as Nishikawa as slotted into the night shift. Shaking away his regrets, Jin made his way into the kitchen, hoping to find someone who could tell him what to do.
The kitchen was quiet as Jin made his was around. Just when he though that there wasn't anyone else there, a head popped out from beneath a steel table near him. Taken aback, Jin stared at the boy and didn't quite recover until the boy spoke out.
"Who are you?", asked the boy.
"My name's Jin. It's my first day of work here. Can you tell me what I should do?"
"Ho, really…Got a uniform yet?", the boy replied disinterestedly.
"Err…yes…", Jin hesitated, sensing a slight annoyance on the boy's part.
"Go get changed. I'll talk to you after that."
Having said that, the boy turned around and busied himself with some other work, ignoring Jin. Taking that as a sign for him to hurry up, Jin made a beeline for the lockers and returned to the kitchen the moment he's changed into his uniform.
By then, the kitchen had come alive with cooks and assistants who were rushing about preparing the ingredients for the day's business. Glancing around, Jin didn't see the boy from before and decided to ask another waiter for some help. Satisfactorily instructed on his duties for the day, Jin began his day, thoughts of the curt boy disappearing far from his mind.
As he worked on setting a table, the amiable manager from the day before arrived and quickly briefed Jin again.
"Welcome to the team. You're new, so I'll assign someone to guide you. Look for Ren in the kitchen. I've already told her to help you today. Don't worry, just try your best", the manager gave Jin a quick smile and left.
Following the manager's instructions, Jin found himself back in the kitchen, looking for his teacher for the day. There was, just one little problem. He didn't know Ren and had never even seen her picture before. Deciding against guessing, Jin asked aloud. "Hi…Is Ren here? Nakamura-san asked me to look for her…"
"I'm Ren."
Jin could feel his face flushing up in embarrassment and surprise. This was Ren? The same "boy" that he'd spoken to in the morning turned out to be Ren! It was really too difficult to tell earlier. Her closely cropped black hair and boyish features really fooled Jin earlier. It was several moments before Jin got a grip of himself.
"Ah, yes…I'm Jin. Nakamura-san asked me to follow you for today.", Jin finally managed to blurt out.
"Yeah, I know. Wait here. I'll go change into my uniform first.", muttered Ren as she walked to the lockers.
Ren hadn't quite expected Jin to look the way he did. Well, all Nishikawa had told her was that Jin was one heck of a basketball player. Because of that, she'd imposed the image of a large, burly young man onto her image of Jin. And here he was, a slim and refined-looking young man with the most beautiful eyes…almost girlish eyes…
Jin, too, was thinking about his friend's friend. No, Ren certainly didn't seem quite as friendly as Nishikawa had made her out to be. In fact, she seemed a little rough and rude. Shrugging his thoughts aside, Jin waited for Ren's return.
(6 hours later…)
Jin was glad that the day was finally over. Ren knew her stuff and did guide him through but she'd rattled off the information at breakneck speed, leaving Jin to struggle to keep up with her. The work itself was demanding, even for a fit athlete like himself. Setting tables, clearing plates, pouring tea and serving dishes. Not a moment to rest in the hectic environment. No, Jin was definitely glad to have finished his shift as he changed out of his uniform in the lockers.
"Hey, Jin!", came Nishikawa's voice.
"Here for your shift, Takumi?", replied Jin tiredly.
"How was it? Your first day here?", asked Nishikawa while slipping into his uniform.
"Really busy. It's incredible. Anyway, I met Ren."
"Really? Great. I won't have to introduce you guys then.", said Nishikawa who was in the midst of packing his belongings into a locker.
"Well, she seemed a little impatient with me..and I actually mistook her for a boy at first…", Jin explained, giving Nishikawa an embarrassed look.
"Wahahhahaha!!!! Are you serious? Hehe. Give her some time, I'm sure you guys will warm up to each other. Don't worry!", Nishikawa managed to say out in between chuckles.
"Ah, whatever. I'm going now. See you tomorrow.", said Jin as he left the lockers and headed home.
The kitchen was quiet as Jin made his was around. Just when he though that there wasn't anyone else there, a head popped out from beneath a steel table near him. Taken aback, Jin stared at the boy and didn't quite recover until the boy spoke out.
"Who are you?", asked the boy.
"My name's Jin. It's my first day of work here. Can you tell me what I should do?"
"Ho, really…Got a uniform yet?", the boy replied disinterestedly.
"Err…yes…", Jin hesitated, sensing a slight annoyance on the boy's part.
"Go get changed. I'll talk to you after that."
Having said that, the boy turned around and busied himself with some other work, ignoring Jin. Taking that as a sign for him to hurry up, Jin made a beeline for the lockers and returned to the kitchen the moment he's changed into his uniform.
By then, the kitchen had come alive with cooks and assistants who were rushing about preparing the ingredients for the day's business. Glancing around, Jin didn't see the boy from before and decided to ask another waiter for some help. Satisfactorily instructed on his duties for the day, Jin began his day, thoughts of the curt boy disappearing far from his mind.
As he worked on setting a table, the amiable manager from the day before arrived and quickly briefed Jin again.
"Welcome to the team. You're new, so I'll assign someone to guide you. Look for Ren in the kitchen. I've already told her to help you today. Don't worry, just try your best", the manager gave Jin a quick smile and left.
Following the manager's instructions, Jin found himself back in the kitchen, looking for his teacher for the day. There was, just one little problem. He didn't know Ren and had never even seen her picture before. Deciding against guessing, Jin asked aloud. "Hi…Is Ren here? Nakamura-san asked me to look for her…"
"I'm Ren."
Jin could feel his face flushing up in embarrassment and surprise. This was Ren? The same "boy" that he'd spoken to in the morning turned out to be Ren! It was really too difficult to tell earlier. Her closely cropped black hair and boyish features really fooled Jin earlier. It was several moments before Jin got a grip of himself.
"Ah, yes…I'm Jin. Nakamura-san asked me to follow you for today.", Jin finally managed to blurt out.
"Yeah, I know. Wait here. I'll go change into my uniform first.", muttered Ren as she walked to the lockers.
Ren hadn't quite expected Jin to look the way he did. Well, all Nishikawa had told her was that Jin was one heck of a basketball player. Because of that, she'd imposed the image of a large, burly young man onto her image of Jin. And here he was, a slim and refined-looking young man with the most beautiful eyes…almost girlish eyes…
Jin, too, was thinking about his friend's friend. No, Ren certainly didn't seem quite as friendly as Nishikawa had made her out to be. In fact, she seemed a little rough and rude. Shrugging his thoughts aside, Jin waited for Ren's return.
(6 hours later…)
Jin was glad that the day was finally over. Ren knew her stuff and did guide him through but she'd rattled off the information at breakneck speed, leaving Jin to struggle to keep up with her. The work itself was demanding, even for a fit athlete like himself. Setting tables, clearing plates, pouring tea and serving dishes. Not a moment to rest in the hectic environment. No, Jin was definitely glad to have finished his shift as he changed out of his uniform in the lockers.
"Hey, Jin!", came Nishikawa's voice.
"Here for your shift, Takumi?", replied Jin tiredly.
"How was it? Your first day here?", asked Nishikawa while slipping into his uniform.
"Really busy. It's incredible. Anyway, I met Ren."
"Really? Great. I won't have to introduce you guys then.", said Nishikawa who was in the midst of packing his belongings into a locker.
"Well, she seemed a little impatient with me..and I actually mistook her for a boy at first…", Jin explained, giving Nishikawa an embarrassed look.
"Wahahhahaha!!!! Are you serious? Hehe. Give her some time, I'm sure you guys will warm up to each other. Don't worry!", Nishikawa managed to say out in between chuckles.
"Ah, whatever. I'm going now. See you tomorrow.", said Jin as he left the lockers and headed home.
