A/N Ok, this chapter is when he finally goes to work..........but first, he gets trained by Tae to become a waiter......

Sano walked into the Akabeko with a smirk plastered on his face about the job. He approached Tae who said "Gomenasai Sano-san, but I don't think that you can eat here for free anymore because your tabs are getting higher and higher and plus we're going to be out of business soon."

Sano then replied, "No Tae, it's not about food. It's about that notice-sign that you put up outside the Akabeko about hiring a waiter. I decided that I should get a job instead of freeloading off you and jou-chan all the time. So can I please get the job?" Tae sweat dropped at the thought of him serving all the customers politely, as he didn't have any manners.

"Hai, you have the job. But later at 7 in the evening, I'll teach you how to be a waiter, and you also need some manners," replied Tae softly. Sano scratched his head and then said "Um....ok....I'll be there at 7." And then he headed out of the Akabeko.

Later at 7 in the evening, Sano strolled over to the Akabeko as he had promised Tae that he would. They started off the lesson with what Sano doesn't have.....MANNERS.

"I do have manners Tae, so it should be no problem," said Sano casually, who was busy chewing his fishbone and digging his ear. Tae heaved a sigh and said "Ok, start by throwing away that fishbone and get that dirty finger out of your ear. After that, go and wash your hands."

Sano did as he was told and right after that, Tae taught him how to greet customers and take their orders and all that stuff a proper waiter should know. After that, she taught him how to balance a tray and then how to balance one on your head also.

Sano was pretty good at balancing the trays, but he still needed to work on his bad language which he ended up blurting out anytime he tried to be very polite. "Ok Sano-san, you know how to balance the trays without dropping them and you seem to be a pretty good waiter, but the problem about you is that you end up swearing and that's how you lack in your mannerism. And don't chew that fishbone while you're at work and also don't do anything disgusting," said Tae sternly.

Sano nodded his head and then Tae continued "Smile at your customers when you greet them and don't swear at yourself or at any of them if something goes wrong, ok?" Sano nodded again and then Tsubame, who was in the kitchen washing up the pots and pans, helped Tae to train Sano to be a waiter by acting as a customer.

Sano plastered a friendly grin instead of a lazy one or a smirk like he usually did and walked up to the 'customer' and said in a friendly manner instead of his usual lazy manner, "Hello, welcome to the Akabeko! Let me find an available seat for you." Tsubame nodded and Sano led her to a small booth.

"What would you like to order? May I suggest for a plate of salmon while you wait for your meal?" Said Sano in the same friendly tone. "Yes, that would be lovely. And I would like to have today's special with some green tea, please," replied Tsubame. Sano pretended to note it all down in a notepad and then brought over a tray with the invisible salmon and invisible green tea and then later, he brought the invisible food Tsubame requested for.

Later, he asked if she was done eating and she nodded and then Sano asked her politely for the bill. She gave him the invisible money and Sano told her to come again.

Tae looked shocked and for a moment and then Sano said "What? I'm not getting the job? Oh well, so much for..." "No it's not that, Sano-san! I was just shocked at what you just did! You were perfect, you've got the job! Tomorrow, be here by 8 and no later than that, got it? Oh and remember that you've got Wednesdays and Fridays off," said a smiling Tae.

"Here's your uniform, Sano-san. You have to wear one while you're at work," she continued as she handed him his uniform. It was a baby- pink apron with frills on it and there were flowers, hearts and teddy-bears all over it. "I am NOT going to wear that, there is no way that you're going to force me to do so," said a not very happy Sano, as he seemed pretty embarrassed at the thought of wearing it.

"Fine, if you don't wear it, I'll sack you," said Tae. "Ok, ok I'll wear it," replied Sano with a pout.

*The next day at the Akabeko*
A certain rooster-head was sulking because he had to wear the apron Tae had made him wear. A group of men stepped into the restaurant and spotted out Sano, who plastered a fake smile on his face and greeted them in a friendly manner as he was trained to do so. The group of men cracked up laughing at the sight of Sano and one of them even said "Hey, is that guy in the apron really the famous ex-gangster for-hire Zanza?"

Sano clenched both his teeth and fists but held his anger back by widening the fake smile, but anyone could tell that he was really mad as his eyes showed it. He then said through his clenched teeth, "Welcome to the Akabeko and yes, I am the ex-gangster Zanza and I just felt that I should get a decent job so that's why I'm here gentlemen. Please follow me." They did as they were told and when at they were seated at their table, they continued to make snide comments about the ex-gangster.

Sano brought up his fist, but as soon as he saw Tae glaring at him, he heaved a sigh and brought down his fist, then unclenched it. He silently muttered a couple of curses under his breath which luckily no one heard. He took their orders and headed for the kitchen to tell the cooks what the group of men wanted.

*4 hours later*
Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, Megumi, Genzai-sensei, Ayame and Suzume headed over to the Akabeko for tea later that evening. 'I wonder why Sanosuke wasn't at his place today...must have gone gambling......oh well, at least I can have the rest of the food, hee hee hee.......today's my lucky day...' thought Yahiko with a smirk pasted on his face.

They had a look at the menus that Tae had handed them and then she told them that she'd be in kitchen because she had to serve some food to a table and that someone would take their orders. Suddenly, someone appeared in front of their table and a deep, masculine voice said politely, "Hello there, what would you all like to order? May I suggest today's special? It also comes with a sashimi roll." Right after the voice had finished saying his sentence, the group looked up at who the voice belonged to and all their eyes bulged out of their sockets and they all fell to the ground in anime style as soon as they realized who it was, except for Gensai-sensei, Ayame and Suzume who just smiled at him.