The bell chimed softly as the door to the café opened. Isora turned around and saw a busty, caked-up woman. She was dressed up in a pale red dress. He knew the moment he saw her face why she was here. Still, he gave her his service smile and greeted her with the usual line.
"Hello miss, I'm sorry to say, but I'm not open for the day yet." He said.
"Oh, um, I'm… I'm not here to eat. Well, not yet anyway. I actually wanted to um speak with you." She replied shyly.
On the outside, Isora maintained his charming persona and gave the woman a nice smile. On the inside, Isora was sighing and mentally preparing himself for what came next.
Step 1: Listen to the confession
"If that's the case, how may I help you?" The chef asked, motioning for the woman to take a seat at a nearby table. She smiled at him as she sat down. Isora took the seat across from her.
"I'm not sure if you know, but my name is Hayami. I come here to eat every once in the while…" She said, trailing off.
Rule #3 for Step 1: When a woman trails off, she is asking for you to enter the conversation
"I remember you." He said, calmly. "You like to order the okomiyaki, right?"
"Yes!" She replied, beaming. "I have order it so many times, you have given me three recipes so far. Anyways… I am glad you remember me. I came here today because I think I have fallen for you Isora. You're charming and such a nice guy. I'd love it if you would consider going out with me."
Step 2: Apologize but make it quick
"I'm sorry, Hayami. I'm afraid I don't reciprocate your feelings. It wouldn't be fair for me to go out with you."
"Oh…"
"I'm sorry."
"This is so embarrassing," she choked, fighting back tears.
Step 3: Acknowledge and thank the woman for her courage
"I know it took a lot of courage for you to come here today and confess your feelings. I admire your actions. Thank you for sharing how you feel." The chef said softly.
Despite saying such a rehearsed line, Isora's words flowed naturally with a certain charm that made them well received.
A weak smile tugged at the woman's lips.
Step 4: Offer a small service to ease the pain if the woman doesn't flee the scene
Rule #5 for Step 4: Never offer a hot beverage
"Would you like a glass of juice? It's on the house." Isora asked.
The blonde nodded as she grabbed a napkin from the table to dry her eyes.
"You rejected me, yet here you are offering me a drink. Why are you being so nice?" She asked when Isora set a glass of apple juice in front of her.
"Like I said, I admire your courage. I may not feel the same way, but that does not mean I have to treat you poorly."
Hayami took a sip of juice, avoiding eye contact with the chef. After finishing the juice, she stood up to leave.
"Thank you for the juice. I better get going now," she said politely.
Rule #1 for Step 4: Never ask a woman if she would not come back to the café for a meal
"I hope your day gets better, Hayami." Isora said as she opened the door.
The woman offered Isora one last smile before walking away.
As soon as the door closed, Isora sighed in relief. The confession rejection had gone smoothly.
Isora walked over to the mirror. He eyed his uniform. His look was not quite right.
"At least this time, I did not have to change…" He mumbled as he rolled up his white sleeves.
Isora readjusted his tie and looked into the mirror again. His face clearly expressed his annoyance.
He was getting tired of the confessions. It was almost the same story every time. Every woman that came in to confess would eat at his café several times and suddenly confess her feelings without ever trying to have a proper conversation with him.
There was barely any small talk when they came in to eat, and what annoyed him the most was that they never really tried to get to know him. In their eyes, he was just a charming chef.
Isora couldn't exactly change his café persona. He didn't like to admit it, but he owed some of the café's success to his charm. His cooking skills could only get him so far.
As much as Isora appreciated the routine business of many of Okunezato's townspeople, their visits were not enough to keep him in business. It was the repetitive visits from his female admirers that secured the roof over his head.
Isora did try dating a few customers before, but it never ended well. None of those girlfriends ever cooked for him or gave him small presents to show their affection. They expected him to cook for them and for him to treat them like princesses nonstop.
It was exhausting, and dating them made him unhappy.
What Isora really wanted was just one quality girl. He would happily trade all the attention of his female customers for someone special. Someone that would ask him how his day was, someone that would offer to help him when he needed it, someone that would equally give and take.
Someone like Ichiko.
Isora banished that thought as soon as it entered his mind. Ichiko was with Yuzuki, of all people. Yuzuki, the sour, mean, stuck-up heir of the damn town that could likely have his pick of the girls in town decided for Ichiko.
Not to say she was beneath him, much to the contrary. Ichiko was spirited, skilled, extremely cultured, beautiful, and, above all else, kind. Yuzuki was conceited and cold, and most times Isora had difficulty trying to name a quality of his.
Ichiko and Yuzuki were in love, and his boss and landlord had made sure Isora knew it. Just last Wednesday, he forced him to serve breakfast in the garden, as a date with his beloved girlfriend. The whole time, he had to stand there while they were gushing about each other right in front of him.
Despite Isora's mild disgust and his profound jealously, he really hoped that Ichiko would be happy, and he could admit Yuzuki held advantage as a husband over himself. He was wealthy and powerful, and did not have to pimp himself out to his business afloat.
Besides, Ichiko is not that stupid. There should be something that Yuzuki did right to be chosen. She had her pick of the boys in town as well, even if she did not notice it all that often.
Of course, Isora never mentioned or even hinted at his feelings to either Ichiko or Yuzuki. He was afraid of going through the same rejection procedures he doles out to girls, and that would be too ironic for his tastes. As for Yuzuki, he is pretty sure the man knows, hence the power play, but if he were to confess, he would find himself banished from town the next night.
As if on cue, Hino walked into the café. Isora looked at the clock.
"Isora, I'm starving." Hino cried.
After Ichiko decided to return to Okunezato after college, assuming the position of hotel manager as Yuki moves on to another trainee program, Hino decides to follow her, occupying his deceased great-aunt's house in the north district and taking a teaching position at the school.
Hino would say that he wanted to move away from the bustle of city life, that he liked the mountain climate at Okunezato and he needed to take care of his deceased aunt's estate. If anyone would to ask him, however, Isora would say the former athlete did it to remain close to his childhood friend, probably due to hopes of catching her eye eventually.
"I don't open for another seven minutes." Isora replied, trying hard not to sound amused.
"Don't do this to me, man. I gotta eat something, or I'll pass out!" Hino moaned. "I just came back from my run."
"Five minutes." Isora replied flatly.
"ISORA!"
"Fine, tell me what you want." the chef said as he walked to the kitchen.
"Mitten crab soup."
"Pick something on the menu."
"Please?"
"No."
"Oh, well, it was worth a shot. I'll take a slice of apple pie."
Isora raised a brow. "I thought you said you were hungry? Shouldn't you order something that isn't a snack?"
"Nah, the sugary goodness of your homemade apple pie will give me back my strength." Hino said with his fist raised shoulder-level and a fiery look in his eyes.
Isora shook his head but started working on pie anyway. Fortunately for Hino, Isora had already prepped the dough and apples last night. All the chef needed to do was put them in a pan and bake it.
"Your total will be ¥460."
"It should be a crime for pie to be this expensive." Hino said, while completely emptying his right pocket.
"I have to stay in business," Isora replied.
"I know…" Hino said as he begrudgingly handed over his money. "You know, the forecast said it was going to snow tonight. Ichiko and I are planning a snowman-building contest. You could help judge."
"Ichiko is the winner."
"Hey! We haven't even built the snowmen yet!"
Isora let out a small chuckle. The bell rang as a woman with long wavy strawberry-blonde hair entered the café.
"Welcome, how may I help you?" Isora asked.
"Table for one, please." The woman replied.
Isora smiled and motioned for her to take a seat. He slid a menu onto the table.
"Just let me know when you are ready to order." He said. The blonde nodded.
"Is my pie ready yet?" Hino moaned.
"Not yet, it'll be a few more minutes." Isora answered.
"Pardon me, I'm ready to order." The woman called.
"What can I get for you today?" Isora asked sweetly.
"I'd like a baked fish, a mushroom spaghetti, and a cream puff." She stated.
"I'll get those started right away. Please let me know if there is anything else you need." Isora said. She nodded.
Isora walked over and got to work on the orders. In between seasoning the fish and preparing the pasta sauce, he took the pie out of the oven.
"Finally!" Hino rejoiced. "I'm ready for my pie!"
"Please wait a few more minutes. It needs some time to cool," Isora stated. Hino groaned and put his forehead to the table. Isora mentally rolled his eyes.
After a few more minutes, Isora slid a slice of pie towards Hino. The teacher's eyes grew wide, and he eagerly scooped up a bite of the golden goodness with his fork.
"So good! Isora, you're the best."
Isora gave his friend a smile, before getting back to work on the woman's meal. He soon finished the order and set the items onto her table.
"For the lovely lady, here is one baked fish, one mushroom spaghetti, and one cream puff. I hope everything is to your liking."
"Oh my!" She gasped. "This looks great. Thank you."
"It's my pleasure."
A few more customers came in, and Isora took their orders.
"Psst!" Hino tried to get his attention. "Isora, that woman won't stop staring at you." He whispered.
Isora glanced over at the blonde. She gave him a smile and returned her attention to her cream puff.
Not another one.
"You think she likes you?" Hino asked like an excited puppy.
Isora shrugged and handed Hino a napkin.
"You have crumbs on your face." Isora stated, changing the topic.
"I do?" Hino asked in shock. Why is he so surprised? "She's staring again. What do you think she wants? Is she another one of your adoring fans?"
"She's a new customer. Don't you have class soon?"
"Yeah… I guess I better go. See ya, man."
"Bye." Isora replied.
He glanced over at the woman, who was motioning for him to come over.
"How did you like your meal?" Isora asked her.
"It was just as charming as you," she said, smiling. Charming again. She raised her hand towards Isora. "My name is Yoshino, Yoshino Suzuki."
"The food critic?" Isora asked in surprise, shaking her hand. She nodded.
"The meal was quite lovely. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be giving your café a formal review." she replied. "I usually don't tell the chefs, but I made an exception this time, since your café is on par with the ones I visit in Nagano."
"Thank you for your praise. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed your food."
The Charming Chef of Okunezato
If you want a tasty meal and want to be served by a charming host, look no further than the café at Fuurinkan Hotel in Okunezato (60km from Nagano). The current owner of the café inherited the establishment from his mother and is successfully maintaining the café's glowing reputation.
I tried three dishes, and I was not disappointed. The baked fish was seasoned with just the right amount of lemon and…
Isora kept reading the article. Overall, he was satisfied with the review, but he had this unsettling feeling.
While the critic had highlighted the quality of the dishes, she still had made it a point to emphasize his charm.
He sighed. He was not really sure why it bothered him so much. After all, it was not a bad thing. Isora tossed the paper to the side and headed out towards the inn. The town was blanketed in pure white snow.
"Why, hello, Mr. Charming Chef!" Yua greeted, swing her blue scarf around.
"Hello, Yua." Isora replied, greeting her with a clipped smile.
"Glad you could make it!" Yua said, smiling.
Then, appearing next to her, it was her best friend and the only reason why he would leave the house in such cutting cold.
"Congratulations on the review. I'm sure you'll be getting more business." Ichiko said, smiling brightly and supporting.
Oh, how much he loved her.
Isora frowned for a split second, but Ichiko still noticed.
"Is something wrong?" She asked.
Yua looked between Isora and Ichiko. "I'm going back inside to get my mittens!" The young maid chimed as she took her leave.
'It's not a big deal…" Isora stated.
"You can still tell me if it's bothering you."
Isora looked at Ichiko. He had known her for so long, ever since they were infants, not that she remembers. Her face was kind, and her voice was sweet. He knew he could tell her anything.
"I guess I'm a bit worried about people only seeing me as… Charming."
"You're so much more than that!" She said, poignantly. "You're a hard worker. I know for a fact that you work really hard every day. You're kind. I know you opened your café just for Hino, and you always make us soup when one of us gets sick. Charming is just one of your qualities and there is nothing wrong with it. Oh gosh! I didn't mean to go off like that I'm sorry."
Isora looked at Ichiko again. Her face was flushed, and he thought she looked rather cute.
"Thank you, Ichiko."
Isora gave her a smile. After a moment of silence, he stepped closer to her and looked into her eyes.
"You look cute today." He said softly. Ichiko's hands rushed to her red cheeks.
"Eeep!" she squeaked. Realizing the noise she had made, she rushed inside. "I'm going to find Yua."
Isora watched her run off in amusement. Ichiko's words had improved his mood.
Besides, being charming did have its advantages.