a/n: written for a tumblr prompt! feels good to finally write another restaurant au
Yui has her hands over her mouth. What did she just say? What did she just confess?
She hadn't planned on making a move at all on Kent, and she certainly hadn't planned on blurting out her feelings for him-in the walk-in at work no less!
Kent's expression is unreadable. She can't run away, he's blocking the door and is more than a foot taller than her. Yui's stomach is in knots, she has no idea how Kent is going to react; she doesn't even know if she has a job anymore. How often does a waitress tell the head chef she's in love with him? And how often does she get away with it?
Kent's face changes. It scrunches to one side and he glances off away from her for a moment. He straightens up, puts his hand to his mouth, then looks down at her. Yui now recognizes the look as when he's overthinking scaling recipes up or down: calculating, puzzling, trying to figure her out completely.
She lowers her hands. "Why are you...looking at me like that?"
Kent barely moves. "Like what?"
"Like I'm an equation."
"Because what would possess you to confess to me in the walk-in in the middle of service on a Saturday night? And why am I...feeling the way I am about it? What do you have to gain from this, I thought you hated me?"
Yui wrangles her hands together. "It just-it just slipped out. Ignore it! Forget it! We have to get back to work!"
Kent hums. "And now you so easily take it back? Did you mean it at all?"
Yui huffs. "I meant every word! I'm-I'm embarrassed!"
"Why are you embarrassed?"
Yui puts her face in her hands. Kent is so frustrating sometimes. She could normally counter his questions with no problem, but at the moment the stress of service is weighing on her-she has five tables after all!-coupled with being flustered over this whole "confessing to the head chef" ordeal.
"Can we talk about this after we close, Kent?" Yui pleads.
"An argument or a conversation?"
"A conversation."
"...Yes."
Yui sighs. "Thank you."
Yui functions poorly the rest of the night. She drops utensils, writes down orders incorrectly, and stumbles through her words when speaking to guests. Waka descends on her after service and reprimands her; she finds it a miracle she still has a job after her performance.
"You didn't drop any food so I think that saved you," Sawa says as she's folding up her apron. "But man, Yui, what's going on with you tonight?"
Yui groans softly. "I'll...I'll have to tell you tomorrow."
Sawa hums. "Well...weird, but okay."
Yui has to find every excuse possible for why she can't walk out with Sawa tonight, and dodges the prying inquiries from Toma, Mine, and just about everyone else who sees her lingering near the kitchen. Waka is the last to walk past her and he glowers down at her.
"Still here?"
She sighs. "I...have to ask Chef Kent something. I don't want to disturb him until he's done with his business."
Waka observes her. Then he nods. "Admirable."
He leaves through the back and Yui exhales a big sigh of relief. She taps her foot and looks around the empty dining area. It's so strange seeing it devoid of people, they're always crowded during dinner and the pace rarely slows down. It's good for business, sure, but Yui wishes they could take it easy sometimes.
She checks the clock on her phone. Kent didn't give her a meeting time, but she figures by now he should be done doing whatever he does at the end of service. She decides to check in on him. She goes through the kitchen doors, around a corner and sees Kent on his laptop, typing away.
Her heart suddenly starts pounding in her chest. She was fine just moments ago, no anxiety or anything. But now? Face-to-face with him? This was the hardest thing in the world.
Yui clears her throat, wrings her apron in her hands. Kent looks up from his laptop.
"I'm almost done." he says. "I have a lot to order tonight and a better internet connection unfortunately isn't one of them."
Yui giggles. "I wish it was, too."
Kent smiles a little. Yui feels her cheeks flush. How has she been in love with him and never seen him smile? How could love him even more?
She looks around the kitchen proper, at all the pots and pans, the shiny clean counter tops and freshly mopped floors. She wanders behind the line, partially to test boundaries. Kent doesn't seem to mind; he looks up at her but doesn't say anything. She lifts one of the station covers and sees the empty space where she assumes food goes during service, then closes it gently. She walks down the line, past the griddle and the stove, the grill and the fryer. She stares down into the oil and a vague impression of her reflection stares back.
"Yui, I'm done."
Yui snaps back to a world outside of the wonder of being a line cook. She looks at Kent through the window where the cooks pass the waitstaff food, smiling when he bends down to look at her right back.
"I kept myself busy."
"Did you touch anything?"
"Not really."
She makes her way from behind the line, her purse gently thumping against her hip, and when she's finally in front of Kent the butterflies return. He's out of his long-sleeved chef coat an in his short-sleeved t-shirt that fits in just the right places, but any place is the right place for Yui. Kent reaches for his jacket on the counter top and Yui silently bids farewell to his arms.
Kent pushes up his glasses. "About earlier."
Yui bites her lip. "I..."
"I want you to know that, despite that I still believe you actually don't like me, I do like you."
Yui's emotions are torn in about ten places. She doesn't know where to start. "Kent I-I literally told you I love you...but I-you like me, too?"
"Then why do you argue with me and snap at me during service?"
"Everyone does that-we're so stressed and you're so frustrating sometimes."
"See? There's an example."
Yui sighs. "No, Kent, I'm just being honest. I still love you. Everyone is frustrating sometimes."
Kent pauses. He seems to be mulling over her words, so Yui takes the time to change the subject before he can try to get another point in.
"Can we go back to when you said you like me too?" she asks, stepping closer to him, hugging her apron to her chest.
Kent is suddenly alert. Maybe he didn't process his own confession. His cheeks turn pink and he looks away. He can't hide very well at that height, however.
"...I've liked you for some time, Yui. I didn't want to pressure you into a relationship, so I didn't say anything." he says. "That is, in addition to my being convinced you hated me."
Yui wants to hug him. She wants to hug him more than anything. "Well, you don't have to worry about either of those things. I want to date you and I definitely don't hate you."
Kent grunts and finally looks down at her again. His expression is softer, and she sees a small smile forming. "...Of course."
"So...we're dating now, right?"
"Yes, we are."
"So I can hug you."
Kent's blush deepens all over again. "Hug?"
Yui holds her arms out. "You know, like this? I'll be gentle."
"...Okay."
Yui launches herself at Kent and hugs him tight, buries her face in his chest, nuzzling him as she's unable to contain a small squeal of joy. It takes a moment but Kent eventually wraps his long arms around her, holding her close. He pets her back and his hand feels so good and large there. Yui digs into him a little harder and sighs.
This is the best day ever.