Chapter 2 – Together at Cafe Cioccolatini


Summer holiday wasn't about throwing all the class notes away, booking trips to go home or much-needed holidays, organising end of semester parties and beach days or even just plain relaxing. No. If a student of Tootsuki thought they were done with all those soul-sucking training camps, washed their hands of cooking assessments and critical taste tasting and duelli, they were utterly wrong.

Utterly, utterly wrong.

It was unfortunate that this was far from over for the unlucky students at risk of failing the next semester, and so were forced by their conscience to stay back at Tootsuki and sacrifice their holidays.

For them, summer holidays meant they were damn well expected to roll their sleeves all the way up to their armpits because crunch time was about to begin. One would be a fool not to realise it was the opportunity to gain as much skill and experience as possible and find every which way to make their culinary skill outshine the next person before the new semester started. Fix all those minute mistakes, deep-fry that 'E' into an 'A', experiment and invent new dishes to tow themselves over the pass-fail line. That way a Tootsuki student would be worthy for whatever acid-spewing death trap awaiting them in the next semester. Takumi Aldini, the Italian chef extraordinaire of Tootsuki and Trattoria Aldini really pitied most of the unlucky bastardi who had to stay back at Tootsuki with its ironclad gold standards. They were the ones who had failure breathing down their necks, ready to be tossed out of the prestigious academy should they botch up their first cooking task of the next semester.

Takumi Aldini wasn't one of them, but then again, he was no fool either.

The blue eyed Italian carted his trolley behind him as he strolled across the grounds of the campus.

'Heh, looks like everyone is pulling out their portable stoves after all'

Squatting students littered the grounds as far as the eye could see. The health inspection was done on time, but the next issue on the agenda was causing the most headache. Sitting on the ground outside with a portable stove, a chopping board, a small rubbish bag and a basket of ingredients wasn't the ideal way to cook in most people's opinions. This unusual display only seen on television cooking programs was thanks to the delayed maintenance on the school kitchens. Everyone wallowed in their despair once they received notice that a gas line issue was discovered, meaning all the gas to the kitchens had to be shut off for a period of time before it could be fixed. That left students to run amuck, stranded with no means of cooking. Takumi could roll his eyes at their ridiculous behaviour.

Dio mio! There were other ways to cook without the kitchen stove. Nobody died from using charcoal or camp-fires to cook their meals, they themselves were testament to that as their ancient ancestors survived long enough to produce them and their ridiculous sense of principles. But of course brats born with a silver spoon in their mouths wouldn't appreciate ancient cooking skills, let alone functional ones. He remembered Yukihira was always hovering over a metal bucket with holes cut out the side, filled with hot coal, concocting whatever disgusting hell-spawn crossed his fancy and then went around harassing people with it.

Thankfully, Takumi had a semi-sane friend by the name of Tadokoro Megumi who was kind enough to convince the dorm mother of Polar Star dormitory to allow him to use their Polar Star kitchen in the meantime. It just so happened that their gas wasn't connect to the mainline, but had an independent one which saved them a whole lot of ordeal.

Takumi resumed chopping and changing different Aldini recipes on the top of this head. He decided his latest collection of recipes would be perfect to test and see if it had the deliciousness to colpo Yukihira into next year.

'Just you wait! Rival of mine…'

Takumi finally made it onto the property of Polar Star. The first time he had been here was for an after party with Isami, hosted in honour of completing the Autumn Elections. Isshiki Satoshi wasn't kidding the first time when he said he had to walk through a small forest to make it to the big house. Luckily there was a well-traveled path to save him the agony. He still struggled to haul his trolley full of ingredients up the stairs but he made it.

Knock, Knock.

The sound of muffled shuffling feet reached his ears.

"Hello?" the familiar head of Megumi-san popped out.

"Sorry, I'm a bit late. I had to send a text to Isami before I left" he bowed to her to assert his apology.

"No, it's perfectly fine. I wasn't worried at all. How is Isami-kun?" She asked. Megumi-san insisted on helping him pull his trolley to the kitchens, much to Takumi's refusal. Her generosity was enough that he was allowed to use it in the first place. She was so kind, bless her heart.

"Fine. He's been busy helping in the kitchens with Pappa. My uncle caught a cold and will be out of action for a while. So it's just the two of them" Takumi replied.

"Oh no. I'm sure your brother and father can still maintain the pace of the restaurant" Megumi-san continued to help him after he relented to load all the ingredients onto the counter top. "My, you brought a lot of things today. You have a few recipes to try out?"

"Of course! I'm not going to let my guard down just because Yukihira isn't here" Takumi rolled up his sleeves and helped himself with gusto to prepare all the pots, pans and kitchen utensils he will need.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" asked Megumi-san.

"I'd asked for you to taste test if you're not busy". Takumi inspected the pots and pans, making sure he didn't get one that was faulty in some way. He wasn't intentionally being offensive to the residents of Polar Star, but safety in the kitchen was a must.

"Absolutely!"

Megumi-san looked super-excited, but there was a mix of sadness behind her eyes. He guessed the reason why she was still on campus was that she wasn't doing too well in her subjects. He didn't want to ask to save her dignity. It was too bad because she was the most hard-working person he knew. He had known many who would've given up a long time ago, but not her. She was still here and kicking all because of her resilience and her talent. Talent that everyone saw in Block B of the Autumn elections when she gutted and filleted that hideous and infamous monkfish to perfection. She had the potential to be a shining star in duelli if her results against Kurokiba were anything to go by.

"What are you making first?" asked Megumi-san after trying to guess from the ingredients on the table.

"Panzanella with prawns, then chicken arrabbiata, butter and sage gnudi and lastly, Sicilian chickpea stew with couscous" he said.

"Oh wow! I can't wait to try"

Now that he thought about it, she had never tried his food before. She was always going on and on about Yukihira's food as she had tasted it many times, so that meant that she would be the perfect gauge for him to see if his food could beat his.

'Grande!'

Takumi took out his folded white & orange chef's uniform and asked her permission to use the bathrooms to get change. After that, he made quick work on preparing the vegetables and soared through the kitchen.


"Buon appetito!"

Megumi-san's eyes glittered at the rainbow hues the panzanello exhibited. It was an interesting salad which Takumi explained was one of the pride and joys of his home city Firenze. Every chef in Firenze must know this starter dish. However, Trattoria Aldini had created their own twist on this well-known Italian bread salad by adding succulent and sweet prawns to it. It was the first dish he made as soon as he learnt how to use a knife at the age of five. Megumi-san gave a quick itadakimasu before digging in.

"Mmm! The prawns are so lovely and sweet and the tangy heat from the pickled chilies really adds a good kick to it, it just makes you want to eat more and more!" Megumi-san gobbled up the rest of the salad.

"So… what do you think? Enough to beat Yukihira?!" Takumi slammed his hands on the kitchen counter leaned forward, itching for her verdict.

"Umm… this is only a starter dish but it leaves a distinct impression on the palate. Possibly?" said Megumi-san.

Takumi clenched his fist and faced the stove, fire burning in his eyes "Merda! Again!"

"Waaah… It looks delicious, Aldini-kun!" said Megumi-san from her seat.

The whole kitchen was immersed in the fragrant aroma of cinnamon, smoked paprika and cumin. Takumi presented to Megumi-san a plate of steaming, fluffy couscous and spooned for her a ladle-ful of the famous Trattoria Aldini Sicilian chickpea stew on top. He could see her mouth water from the sight alone. The stew took on a vibrant yellowy-orange thanks to the sweet pumpkin he roasted and the spices. The stew glistened under the kitchen lights, smothering the couscous and soaking it with its flavour.


"Buon appetito!"

He watched as Megumi-san blew gently on a spoonful of the couscous and the stew. She placed the spoon in her mouth and he watched as her face broke out into a warm smile. After she swallowed she let out a sigh that reminded him of his dear brother whenever he was drinking cioccolata calda.

"That was delicious! The roasted pumpkin was so sweet and I can taste the cinnamon and paprika enhancing the natural glutamate of the tomatoes. I could really enjoy this in any season, despite it being a stew. The chickpeas add a really good texture to it and are cooked perfectly. They are a great source of protein in this dish for people who have worked hard on the farms. The olives added a nice touch of acidity too which balances out the whole dish. Your couscous was also cooked to perfection. Did you add butter to it?" asked Megumi-san after her soulful critic.

"Sí, it makes the couscous richer and more flavoursome" he smiled. Then his expression turned maniacal "It's good enough to beat him right? RIGHT?!" He leaned closer to make sure there would be only truth in her eyes.

Megumi-san stilled for a minute. "I'm not really sure… I mean Souma-kun's food is so good and yours is marvelous too. I would say equal?"

Takumi slumped over the kitchen counter and groaned, his head weighed heavily in his hands.

"It's not good enough… VAFFANCULO YUKIHIRA!" he wailed.


"Buon appetito!"

The chicken arrabiatta had better be the clincher for Yukihira's downfall. He served Megumi-san's first. He made sure the chicken was moist and tender to leave a nice silky texture in the mouth. It was covered in an angry, rich, red coloured sauce that was the tell-tale sign of a good sugo all'arrabbiata. He dished out roasted whole cherry tomatoes along with it and he sprinkled freshly chopped parsley and a handful of arugula for the final garnish with a flourish, confident that it will be the one.

Megumi-san looked intimidated by the redness, clearly already making assumptions about its spiciness. She sliced it carefully, pleased that her fork stabbed the chicken flesh with little resistance. She placed it in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully before puffing out steam from her mouth.

"Wow! That was delicious! The chicken was perfectly seasoned and really tender, the heat just takes your breath away" Megumi-san continued eating it with a gusto, easily enjoying the finest of Italian foods.

"Well?"

"You already had a spicy starter just before so… to be honest, I can still taste the heat from that one. But it's still great!" Megumi-san slotted another compliment hurriedly.

"Alright. Last one, and I promise you, this will be THE ONE!" Takumi renewed his vigour and made the last marathon run for the final dish of the day.


"Buon appetito!"

"It looks like gnocci, but it's not right?" Megumi-san prodded the little round white hand-rolled balls with fascination. She stared amazed at the elegant presentation. Earlier all the other dishes showcased the vibrant colours of Italian ingredients and flavours, but now this dish showed off the simplicity of stripped-back Italian cooking.

"You're not entirely wrong though. It's butter and sage gnudi. It's a type of gnocci but it's made from ricotta cheese and a bit of flour" Takumi said proudly from the other side of the counter. "This is the Aldini style butter and sage gnudi"

"Well, you can't go wrong with butter and sage, that's for sure" Megumi-san gave him an encouraging smile. She blew the first Italian styled pasta dumpling until it was cool enough for her tongue.

"Eh? The texture is so… light. Not only that, it's creamy and fluffy. Fuaahhh…" Megumi-san raised a hand to her cheek, her face the painted picture of pleasure and contentment as she indulged in the beauty that was gnudi.

'Grande! This must be the winner of today' Takumi did a massive fist pump from behind the counter top.

"The butter and sage creates the perfect harmony of flavours which suits the complex texture of the gnudi" she continued. "It's a marriage of flavours"

"Glad to hear it" Takumi beamed, puffing his chest out.

"I really think we have a winner over here" Megumi-san gave him a peace sign.

"Ha! I'll teach that dog-faced Yukihira. I'll show him a duello he will never forget" he declared loud and clear. His mind was working overtime. This had certainly been a productive day and he was so glad he asked Megumi-san to lend her kitchen and borrow her time. He felt his blood boiling to the point of no return, excitement cascading through every nerve in his body and the prospect of defeating his arch-rival. He could almost froth at the mouth. He could taste the victory and it was delizioso.

"You get so… excited…haha…"

"Ah!...Thanks for all your help, Megumi-san. Please feel free to keep as much as the food I made for yourself. That's the least I can do for your kind spirit" he said, suddenly remembering that he was a guest and that it wouldn't surely do to let his overly-dramatic side to take over his mind in front of his host.

"Really? I can? I'm honoured. Thanks! And I'm glad to be of service anytime" she smiled gently.

Both Takumi and Megumi-san worked together to clean up the kitchen. Takumi made sure that he handled all the kitchen utensils and pans he used, and wiped down the kitchen benches, sink and counter top while Megumi cleaned the dishes and cutlery since she already sprang on them. They drifted into a tranquil conversation about just general everyday life. What made them laugh and what made them tick that had nothing to do with Tootsuki. Just plain unabashed conversation about each other. While Megumi-san regaled about her joyous times in her home port town in the Tōhoku region and her family's Shōkeien Ryokan, Takumi recounted his childhood life with Isami and their culinary journey in Firenze and Trattoria Aldini

It was almost evening and Takumi set the last of the knives to dry on a tea towel and took off the double breasted studded front of his uniform.

How odd, the top button on the left side wasn't coming off as it should. Takumi screwed his brows in confusion. He never had trouble with his uniform before. So he tugged a little bit more but it still wasn't coming out. He gritted his teeth and tugged just a little bit harder in frustration.

"Merda!"

"Hmm?" Megumi-san was just about finished drying when Takumi almost stumbled trying to chase after the dratted button that came loose, rolling on the floor just near Megumi-san's feet.

"I'll get that" she said.

"Grazie" Takumi stared at the button she deposited in his hand forlornly. His mama had hand sewed the buttons on his uniform. Not only was three quarters of his dishes today sub-par to Yukihira, but also his mamma's hard work was ruined thanks to his impatience. He sighed.

"I've got a sewing kit you could borrow if you'd like. I could get it" said Megumi-san as she placed her wet dish towel over the oven handle to dry.

"Would you?" Takumi looked up in surprise.

Megumi-san nodded and jogged upstairs to retrieve it. Takumi sat on one of the kitchen stools and placed the button onto the counter. Luckily mama had taught both himself and Isami how to sew. It was just something all Italian mothers taught their children regardless if they were sons or daughters. It definitely came in handy for those times in his younger years where he accidentally tore his uniforms when working in the family trattoria kitchens.

Bzzzzt!

His phone buzzed from the trolley. He went to retrieve it, glad that it was another text from Isami.


'Ciao!

Sucks for you that Tootsuki's closed all
its kitchen. What will you do now?
Pappa and I have just closed the trattoria
for the night. Uncle is still trying to get
over his cold. But with the way he
keeps trying to drink, I don't think he
will get better anytime soon.
I hope everything is fine with you.

Anything else interesting down your end?

-Isami


Takumi chuckled. That was so typical his uncle. Anything else interesting, eh?

'I wonder if I should tell him…'

Takumi tapped his phone against his chin. The clinking of his new keychain swung too and fro, brushing slightly against his wrist. When he got back from Karakura high school a two days ago, he tied the keychain to his phone since it made sense to put it there. Ever since then, every time he looked at the keychain he was instantly reminded about the bella he saw at the café and eventually spoke to. Her green eyes resurfaced in his mind.

And of course, her… interesting… eating habit catapulted to the forefront of his vision. Before he knew it, he was no longer tapping his phone against his chin.

Instead he was resting Kanda Ayame's keychain against his lips. He felt his face flush immediately when he realised what he had done.

"I found it!" came Megumi-san's voice coming down the stairs.

"Ah!" Takumi dropped his phone on the metal countertop with a deafening clatter. He quickly picked it up and ran his fingers across every surface, in case he damaged his phone or keychain, or both.

Megumi-san was already by his side and placed the small sewing kit next to him.

"Oh, where did you buy that keychain? It looks interesting" Megumi-san said eyeing the keychain on his phone with fascination.

"U-u-umm… uh-uh" he wanted to smack himself stupid for getting a brain fart for a simple question. "Nowhere…" Oh yes that was an incredibly intelligent reply.

"What?"

"No! I mean I got it from… a-a friend…" he tried to look everywhere else away from Megumi-san's face.

"Right… she's important to you isn't she?"

"We only just met, so I definitely wouldn't say—APETTA! APETTA! How in the Diavolo did you know it was a she?!" Takumi jumped up from his seat a mile high. His face was full blown radiating heat and his heart was hammering in his chest at that ridiculously prophetic assumption. This girl here was the one who always got overtaken by nerves and anxiety and now she had just inflicted the very same thing onto him.

"Just the way you were caressing that keychain just now and that obvious expression on your face. I could tell. Girls' sixth sense you know" Megumi-san giggled behind her hand. He was so glad she wasn't making a big deal over this like cooing and gushing to further embarrass him. Then again, it wasn't in her nature anyway.

Takumi stared at his hands as if they sprouted fur. His mouth gaped open and close like a fresh fish in the markets until he decided it was best to shut his mouth if he didn't have anything coherent to say. Takumi Aldini had just downgraded from doing-before-thinking into doing-without-thinking. Had Kanda Ayame really permeated his thoughts to the point where he didn't realise it until it was too late? It wasn't like it was unpleasant. The thought of her made his blood stir and it brought a ticklish sensation in his gut. The way she smiled, talked, ate, it made him feel… like he wanted to see more.

And that made him anxious. This was the first time he felt anything like this aside from cooking.

"It's ok, I won't tell anyone" Megumi-san smiled again and patted him on the arm. He felt a huge load was slid off his shoulders, but the embarrassment still reigned supreme. Then he felt guilty.

Guilty that he didn't tell his brother about this first, even though it was an accident that Tadokoro MegumiTadokoro Megumi found out before he got the chance to tell him.

He stared at the keychain and the delicate mechanical gears that made up the design. He never saw it until now, but it looked a bit too chunky for his phone. He would need a more suitable place to attach it. He sighed, retrieving the needle and thread from the box whilst Megumi-san tried to trim the area that frayed causing the button to fall out in the first place (again not taking no for an answer when he assured her that she didn't have to).

He had an idea.

Takumi unhooked the keychain from the phone. At the back there was a butterfly pin which he had never thought of using. He guessed that was what Kanda Ayame wanted to tell him before they were rudely interrupted. He initially thought it was odd that she added this little feature to it. He tugged and tugged, this time being gentle and slow. It was a very tight pin and given that Kanda Ayame was into the mechanical things, she would have chosen the good kind of butterfly pins that were secure and steady. He took his uniform back from Megumi-san and thanked her for her troubles to which she replied that it wasn't a problem at all. She continued to talk about her family and how much she missed them as he listened intently while sewing his button back on.

Once he finished sewing the button in place, he took the unclasped keychain in his hands, deciding he would leave the leather strap part on his phone as 'half a keychain' and pierced the fabric on the double breasted studded front of the chef's uniform with the pin of the keychain. Finally he fastened it in place with the butterfly clasp.

Only the keychain-turned-pin was back to front.

"Oh? That's a clever idea. So that you can have it on you while you are cooking just like a good luck charm!" Megumi-san beamed at him.

"I guess…"

"Ano… You have it backwards"

He pinned it back-to-front for a specific reason. On the outside, the onlooker would just see an odd looking metal thing which was the butterfly clasp on the outside of his chef uniform. On the inside was the actual keychain-turned-pin. His opponents wouldn't know what it was and only he would.

It would be his secret.

That bella was clever to make her keychain so versatile.

"Well, I'll be taking my leave now. Thanks again for letting me borrow your needle and thread too. My mamma had sewed my buttons on long ago. You have no idea how much it means to me" Takumi gave her a grateful smile.

"Trust me, I do. Come back again soon!"

Takumi packed up his trolley and folded his chef's uniform into his trolley, leaving him only in his plain black t-shirt that served as his undershirt and his chef pants. Takumi managed to carefully drag the trolley down the wooden steps out front before Megumi-san could get a chance to help him.

"I hope you bring her around some day, Aldini-san" Said Megumi-san, her hands clasped behind her back, rolling on the balls of her feet.

The Italian student blushed and dipped his golden brows into a frown. "We've only just met…" he muttered lowly, pulling on the collar of his shirt.

They bade each other goodbye and he made his way down the footpath. Before he forgot, he pulled out his phone and resumed thinking about what he was going to say to Isami as he pushed his trolley along the beaten track, leaving Polar Star property.


'Ciao Isami,

Sorry to hear about what happened to uncle.
In regards to anything interesting?
I met this girl the other day…


Karakura High School

Ayame stared at Kuchiyose-kun. Ever since they encountered the handsome, blonde half Italian the other day, he was unusually silent. He was staring out the window a lot more than usual in the direction of Tootsuki academy. He was always staring out at Tootsuki academy. His chin rested in his hand and his hazel-brown eyes were half lidded. Although Kuchiyose-kun was usually not very talkative, his behaviour was a bit worrisome. He responded less to conversation if he ever did and he now ate so slowly chewing on average twenty-one times before swallowing. He now walked ahead of her and Chizuru-chan when going to class and no longer side by side. If he bumped into anyone, he didn't apologise or even noticed for that matter. He was still meticulous in taking class notes, but it seemed like he was on autopilot, scribbling things down without actually paying attention to what he was writing.

Something was up.

She sighed. They were on lunch break now and she already finished hers. Ayame released the hair tie from her hair and let it sway against her back. That felt so much better. She didn't want her hair falling out prematurely or an irritated scalp.

"Kuchiyose-kun, what grade do you think we'll get on our physics exam?" asked Ayame.

"Dunno"

She felt the life energy leave her.

"Yoho! What's up my homies?" Chizuru-chan strutted into the class.

"Did you get the melon pan?" Ayame cheered up immediately in seeing her friend, eyes searching for the elusive school canteen snack. She was still peckish.

"Here, you glutton. Do you know how many guys I had to flash at to give me way to the beginning of the canteen line?" huffed Chizuru-chan, handing Ayame the tasty treat.

"You didn't…" she scowled at her whilst, tearing the packet open.

"Course not. No one here can handle these babies" she arched her back and rubbed her hands over her breasts up and down. "Damn, still no reaction from him? It's been like what, two days already?" Chizuru-chan scowled at the Kuchiyose-kun.

He still stared out the window, not paying the slightest attention to his friends. Ayame shook her head, munching on her melon-pan.

"He'll tell us what's bothering him when he's ready" said Ayame.

"Anyways, had any luck in trying to scope out Ferrari?" asked Chizuru-chan turning her attention away and devouring her super-spicy yakisoba-pan.

"Seriously what is up with all these nicknames? First it was Stallion and then Valentino, Golden Chef and last… really… gelato?" Ayame licked her fingers one by one, making sure she got the exact amount of sugar the nutrition label promised.

"Because I wanted to lick him?"

"Chizuru-chan!" Ayame's face turned bright red.

"Joking! Joking!" Chizuru-chan cackled behind her hands. "Still no reaction from him?" She asked, glancing at Kuchiyose-kun.

"He just switched hands" said Ayame after calming down.

Kuchiyose-kun had indeed switched from leaning his chin on his right hand to his left hand, but his eyes remained glued out the window.

"I chose 'Ferrari' this afternoon because he looks like the type who will definitely drive one, one day" she continued.

Ayame laughed loudly at Chizuru-chan vain attempt to make a connection with Takumi Aldini-san's Italian heritage with the infamous Italian sports car. She soon settled herself and wiped the tears of mirth from her eyes.

"Well, have you?" Chizuru pressed further.

"No, I haven't see him yet..." she sounded more dejected than she meant to.

That Italian place in the café district had fantastic Italian pastries. She had been going there every day after school for the past two weeks trying to see what other sweet treats she should try. So far, she had the canoli, tiramisu, and the pana cotta. Other times she wanted a savoury snack like her all-time favourite Italian bread with a side of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a slice of frittata or even rosemary and cheese focaccia. So far, four and a half out of five for her books!

But now the new reason for the established daily visits was to have another chance encounter with Takumi Aldini-san. So far she had no such luck to her disappointment. It had been only two days so realistically she couldn't expect him to pop up again so soon. He sounded like he could be a really interesting person to get to know. His arctic blue eyes held some keen knowledge that no other boy his age held. Since he was studying under a prestigious culinary academy, he was a lot closer to the working force than any other high school student, unless they had part time jobs. But those students at Tootsuki were taught professional skills between the ages of fifteen to eighteen years and were guaranteed careers as soon as graduation. Whereas, high school students were destined to endure another four or five years of university to be considered ready to join the professional work force and by that time they were in their early twenties.

In the eyes of the Kamodo-no-kami or the Japanese kitchen deities, he was pretty much set for life.

Oh the knowledge he could share with her!

"So umm… Chizuru-chan, do you want to go to that Italian café with me today?" asked Ayame as she packed her bentou box and took out her school books. She calculated that they had about four minutes and thirty-six seconds until the bell rang for end of lunch.

"No can do. I have detention today" she sighed dramatically.

"Again…?" Ayame rapped her nails on Chizuru-chan's neighbouring desk, giving her, her most disapproving look.

"You make it sound like I land myself in it on purpose" she said taking out her school books too.

"Don't you? With the rate you're going… Anyway, just be nice to the teacher" Ayame leaned back over her desk, giving Kuchiyose-kun another look just be sure he was aware with everything happening around him. He was busying himself with his pencil case. At least he wasn't fixating anymore.

"Always" Chizuru-chan winked. "I have a feeling you'll have better luck meeting him in that favourite café of yours today"

Ayame looked out the window in the direction of Tootsuki just like Kuchiyose-kun had done.

"I don't know what made you say that, but I do hope so"


The afternoon temperature had dropped to a comfortable twenty-one degrees Celsius and Takumi couldn't find a better time to revisit the shopping district area of Karakura town.

Takumi took some time to get his head around the municipality system of Japan to make map-reading easier for himself. First there was 'prefecture' which took up regions of Japan such as Hokkaido. Then there were big cities like Tokyo which was its own prefecture in some way, but was officially labelled as a 'metropolis'. But there were other prefectures surrounding it such as Chiba, Yamanashi, Kanagawa and Saitama Prefecture. Further in the Tokyo metropolis were numerous towns and cities such as Karakura town and Naruki City located in the Western Tokyo district. Within Karakura town were 'wards' which he likened to suburbs in the Western countries. One such he was currently visiting now was Karakura honchou a popular shopping and eating area which was north of Minamikawase, another ward where he caught the bus to get to. Instead of visiting Minimikawase ward, he took a direct bus from Tootsuki to Karakura honchou.

It was around peak hour in Karakura town and it made him feel almost at home. This was more like it. The chaotic pace of traffic brought a sense of excitement in him but not as much as he would have hoped because it wasn't exactly the same as the Italian roads.

He no longer relied on his map to explore Karakura honchou. The Italian student had been dropping in and out of other cafés tucked in straight lines in the same café street he visited since the beginning of summer holidays. Pleasure filled Takumi as he remembered each new café he tried out in the past three days. They were certainly unique and gave him a sense of adventure that only the Western-emulated Japanese eateries could offer.

He had decided to try all the cafes at least once and see which one had the best food and coffee. So far, a handful of them were French-styled which were pretty good and there were lots of caffè italiani, but so far none had espresso that could compare to Cioccolatini. There were a few more to go. The only cafés he would never step foot in were the controversial maid cafés and that popular cat café. The last time Isami dragged him to a maid café in Akihabara, he was mortified.

Takumi decided to dress in black skinny jeans, a simple white short-sleeved dress shirt and a burgundy coloured waistcoat. He had a pair of sunglasses sitting on top of his blonde hair instead of his usual fedora. The sun relentless rays had disappeared, leaving behind softer colours for the eyes.

He strolled down the street and his eyes landed on Cioccolatini. He deserved some good espresso this afternoon. He pushed open the door and 'buon pomeriggio!' rang out just like it did the first time he was there. He responded with a 'buon pomeriggioanche a te' with the same enthusiasm which got the waitresses blushing. A red-headed waitress approached him and gestured towards an empty seat, but something caught his eye.

He looked over the waitress's shoulders spotting the vibrant green eyes of a face he had longed to see.

'Kanda Ayame!'

She saw him too and smiled brightly and waved excitedly in his direction, signalling him to come over and sit with her. He politely apologised to the waitress, noting the slight disappointment before sauntering towards the bella while she set aside her books.

"Fancy meeting you here, properly this time. I knew it was going to be you as soon as I heard the Italian" she said. Her mirth was almost tangible.

"Nice to see you again Kanda-san, I trust you've been well" Takumi took his sunglasses off his head and folded it, tucking one of the handles into the front of his dress shirt. He took a seat directly opposite her, facing the earthy coloured brick facade.

"Just call me Ayame! Yeah, thanks to you I think I'll past my physic's test. Do you want to order something with me?" asked Ayame.

"Ah" Takumi waved the waitress over and asked for an espresso.

"Of course, sir. Would you like a refill on your cioccolata calda, dear" said the waitress turning to Ayame Kanda.

"No thanks, but could I order a raspberry semifreddo please?"

"Sure" The waitress removed Ayame-san's empty plate with leftover olive oil and balsamic vinegar and went back into the kitchens, leaving the two teenagers in peace. The relaxing and soft cafe music wafted through the air, too softly for Takumi to discern the Italian lyrics.

"Do you often study in the cafe?" Takumi curiously asked, reading the titles of the pile of books plunked on the seat next to her.

"Yeah, I find it relaxing. Like you know, snacking and studying at the same time" she shrugged her shoulders. "So Tootsuki huh? How did you manage to get into that place?" Ayame-san laced her fingers under her chin and rested her elbows on the table. A soft smile graced her pink lips and her eyes sparkled under the lighting of the cafe.

She looked as pretty as when he first saw her and her skin was as pale and smooth looking as he remembered. Maybe she looked even prettier today because her glossy long hair wasn't tied up and laid loose against her back and shoulders like a small waterfall.

"It was pappa and my uncle's doing actually. My twin brother and I have been working in our family trattoria in the city Firenze back in Italia since I could remember. They wanted the both of us to enroll in Tootsuki to further sharpen our skills as chefs so that we could make our Trattoria the best in Italia" Takumi felt his pride swelling in his chest as her smile widened.

He didn't feel the churning in his stomach just like the first time he spoke to her. Takumi felt unusually calm sitting in front of her. He had been so nervous the first time he met her and the more he thought about it the more anxious he got. But now that he was in her presence in a nice cafe with food and drinks at their finger tips.

"Wow! So you've been working in the kitchen even before you started high school. You must be a very talented chef"

"Of course! My brother Isami and I are set to inherit the trattoria as soon as we graduate" Takumi folded his arms and leaned forward too. She certainly was pretty. Probably the prettiest he'd seen in Japan. She had a demure and shy atmosphere around her and by the way she swayed a bit from side to side whilst talking, she must be an easily excited person.

"My pappa is Japanese and my mamma is Italian. She manages the restaurant in terms of finances and she's very supportive, along with my pappa, of my me and my brother's destiny to be a successful chef. Grazie"

The waitress came back and placed his cup of espresso in front of him and a small plate of a beautiful slice of raspberry semifreddo decorated with fresh raspberries, a sprig of mint and some raspberry coulis. He held his breath and watched as Ayame slid the spoon across the creamy, pink semifreddo. She lifted the morsel to her lips and clasped her lips around the spoon. Time significantly slowed for Takumi as she slid the spoon from between her lips, a bit of the Italian dessert dotted the corner of her mouth. A pink tongue slipped out to catch the droplets of semifreddo and she hummed in delight, an angelic hum clearly engrossed with the taste of the raspberry. Her eyes closed serenely and Takumi's remained transfixed as her jaw moved up and down. He could imagine her tongue pumping inside, letting the frozen dessert cover every one of her taste buds, savouring the sweetness and creaminess. Finally, she swallowed and released a contented sigh.

"This is really delicious. Want to try some?" she finally opened her eyes, offering him the second spoon the waitress had given her.

Any calmness and tranquility the handsome half Italian felt at the beginning and the relaxed state and the confidence he was in, were all shot to hell.

Takumi released a shaky breath and he could feel his hands tremouring. He quickly declined and lifted his espresso to his lips, hoping the rim of the cup could temporarly hide his growing blush. Once again, he was unusually affected by the way she was freaking. Eating. Semifreddo. He was sure the Roman gods were pointing and laughing and him. He was glad that he wasn't there when she was eating pana de casa with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which he could tell from the empty plate the waitress took away. He didn't think he would be able to maintain his composure to see her devour two Italian dishes in a succubine way.

She didn't hesitate to continue consuming her dessert right in front of him. Little bit by little bit.

'Cristo...' he internally crooned.

"What about your brother? What is it like to have a twin?" she asked.

"W-We do everything together, cook together, learn together, help each other out in the trattoria, hang out together. I actually can't imagine my life without my fratello, Isami!" Takumi counted off with his fingers enthusiastically.

"Cool. I don't have any siblings, let alone a twin. I've always wanted to know what it's like. Are you enjoying Tootsuki?" She asked, licking her finger, as she accidentally got raspberry coulis on her finger tip. He felt his soul writhe.

"U-Um, yeah... I am. There are a lot of competitions there to keep everyone in top shape. The cooking courses and assessments are crazy hard, but of course I always succeed. Everyday there are new challenges designed to cull as many students as they can"

"Damn, that sounds brutal and I'm sure as a talented chef you overcame every single one of them with ease" she said, halfway through her dessert.

Takumi felt another blush creep in and smiled and then it twisted into a burning grimace. "Yeah... Also the main and most common challenge that's celebrated in Tootsuki are the duelli or shokigeki. They're cooking battles between students and stakes are put on the line to make things interesting"

"Have you won any?" Ayame was looking more intrigued.

", I've won many, but there are some challenges I have yet to overcome... that bastardo Yukihira Souma and another named Mimasaka Subaru" annoyance coated his words, piquing curiosity from the bella opposite him.

"I have vowed on the name of Trattoria Aldini to defeat Yukihira with my cooking skills. He is arrogant and cocky and I so badly want to wipe that smug look off his face. He is a formidable opponent who have also battled on the front-lines of the culinary world, because he has a diner too. But as an already established chef to another, I have no intentions of losing to someone my age"

Her melodious laughter rang out in the cafe. He looked up.

"What about Mimasaka Subaru?" she asked, still eating her semifreddo.

"I-I lost to him fair and square, but he insulted my brother and that's unforgivable. Next time I see him, I'll be ten, no, a hundred steps ahead! And really show him what it takes to be an Aldini chef. I also lost my mezzaluna to him in that very same competition because we agreed to make it a shokugeki at the same time. It's a special Italian kitchen knife shaped like a half-moon, used for chopping herbs and things. But Yukihira won it back as part of the stakes of a shokugeki. I told him to hold on to it so that I can win it back properly, with my own hands" Takumi coughed into his hand, not meaning to sound a little dark in this moment.

"Wow, I didn't think cooking would be this dramatic and thrilling! Well it's a good thing your father and uncle sent you to Tootsuki because challenges are how we better ourselves" she smiled. She placed her spoon down and picked up a raspberry and popped it into her dainty mouth. "I hope you get your knife back soon".

Takumi shifted uneasily in his seat, trying to avoid looking at her eating raspberries.

"I guess. I've never felt so strongly bonded to cooking until I came to Tootsuki. I think before I left Trattoria Aldini I felt... come faccio adirlo... like I had been missing something. Like something inside me was running out" he brought his elbow up to the table top and rested his chin, studying her face. He noticed pink dusting her cheeks like it did the time at the school.

Ayame cleared her throat "Perhaps that was what your father and uncle foresaw?" she looked off to side in thought.

"Perhaps..." he said offhandedly "But enough about me, how about yourself?" he straightened his back and took his now warm espresso to his lips. His eyes pierced hers as he watched her tap her finger against her lips.

"Hmm... What's to tell? I go to Karakura high school as you know. Haha! I'm really into the hard sciences like physics and mechanics. You see. I want to study to become a mechanical and robotics engineer" she looked down shyly.

"Mechanical and robotica? Isn't that extremely hard?" Takumi widened his eyes.

'Goodness! She has great ambition. There is definitely more to her than meets the eye' he thought. He was quite pleased to her that she had a challenging goal to strive towards just like himself.

"Yeah, it will be but I'm not bothered by that. I want to be like my grandfather. You know, he was a civil engineer during the war. In 1945 when the atomic bomb was dropped onto Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the train lines were still running and fully functional. Unbelievable, I know. They even still transported people on time, like without any delays as it always had. It was thanks to my grandfather and his team of engineers that this was possible. Morale was really important at the time; we couldn't let the enemy know we were spiritually defeated."

Takumi was amazed with her story.

"Ah! I'm sorry, I'm sure you didn't want to hear something long-winded like that" she tucked a black lock of hair behind her ears.

"Nessun problema! I thought that was very interesting. It's not every day you meet someone related to a hero of some sorts" Takumi leaned forward again, giving her an encouraging smile.

Another adorable blushed adorned her cheeks. She continued to pick at the raspberries and popping them into her mouth.

"So, what about your friends at school?" Takumi finished the rest of his espresso and patted his mouth with the serviette, once again hoping to hide his blush.

"I have two best friends, Chizuru-chan and Kuchiyose-kun. We hangout and we study together. Actually they are the only friends I have in school"

"Would you consider me... a f-friend too" Takumi pursed his lips and trained his eyes on the bowl of packet sugar between them, holding his breath.

"Well duh! You helped me out when I needed it most. Of course you will forever be in my good books" she placed her soft hands over his wrist and gave it a re-assuring squeeze and smiled happily at him.

Takumi felt an over-whelming feeling of gladness with a strange mix of giddiness. The warmth on his wrist spread to his face as he realised that she was touching his hand. Again. Before he could react, she removed her hand and placed it on her lap.

"Anyway. Chizuru-chan is a bit of a trouble maker and always getting into detention. But she is very clever and I know she could do so much better in school if she put in more effort. She's always there for me when others weren't and we have a lot of fun together. Although I wished she wouldn't nag me to go out when we have tests and assignments to get on with. Kuchiyose-kun on the other hand... well he's quite stoic and is very athletic. He doesn't talk much but I know he's always patient and listening to people who cared enough to get to know him. The only time I see him not with us is when he's playing soccer with the school soccer team"

"What kind of things do you enjoy?" asked Takumi.

"I like to research stuff about interesting things, especially mechanical and robotic topics. You could probably tell that's a very nerdy thing to do, haha" she chuckled behind her hand.

"No way, I think it's great that you have a passion, which is something I can totally identify with. I don't know anything about mechanics and robotica myself since I dedicate my life to being the best chef and beating Yukihira, but I would like to know more about the things that you know"

"Oh you don't have to say that. But thanks though, it means a lot to hear it, Aldini-san" she said.

"Takumi"

"Huh?"

"Call me Takumi since you allow me to call you Ayame-san. Also I'm not quite used to people calling me by my last name so much" he rolled his eyes playfully.

"Takumi-kun, then" she gave him a thumbs up.

"Molto bene" he gave her a thumbs up back.

The both of them burst into laughter and it didn't take long to settle back down into a comfortable atmosphere. Ayame asked him what that mean in Japanese and she tried saying it the way he did, but failing miserably. The articulation of her lips and tongue improved each time to master the Italian phrase, but she soon gave up when he said it was close to being understandable. Takumi felt a pleasant smile take over his lips a he looked at Ayame, and she did the same.

Takumi continued to listen to her talk about Japanese school life carefully and with minimal input. This was what her life was like and these were the types of people she shared a bond with. He would do well to listen and remember these ingots of information. Eventually it looked like she had run out of things to say and began fiddling with her serviette.

'I really want to ask her... just to be sure... I shouldn't make assumptions' he thought sheepishly.

"Wh- what, umm... d-do you think about I-Italian food?" he asked nervously and cursed the Roman gods for his sudden inability to form words like a man.

"Hmm? Italian food? It's the best type of food out there by far! I love Italian food. It's my favourite" she beamed at him.

His heart pounded in his chest cavity, crushing his lungs and right now his face could explode in a display of raspberry coulis. "Well, I—"

CRASH! BANG!

Takumi's words were cut off as both teenagers heads flew to the direction of the café kitchens. Cries and yelling came from within.

"What's happened?" asked Ayame.

The blonde Italian got up from his seat and walked around to take a look but almost got steamrolled by two panicked waitresses who were previously taking customers' orders. They dashed madly through the double doors. Through the flapping doors, he could see more of the wait staff running around like headless chickens.

"Oh my god! Is he alright?"

"Somebody needs to take chef Jirou to the hospital quick!"

"What are we going to do about the customers?"

"It's a Thursday, we don't have any other chefs on duty. Can Kazuma-san manage the rest?"

"I can't! I've only just started as a kitchen hand!"

Takumi had heard enough to know what had happened. Accidents in the kitchen were uncommon in his trattoria, but it did happen. He pushed open the kitchens and looked around catching everyone in there by surprise.

"Customer-san! You shouldn't be in here!" yelled the red-headed waitress.

Takumi ignored her, looking at the head chef of Cioccolatini sitting on the kitchen floor, easily identified by his uniform. His aged face was twisted in agony as he clutched his right hand to his chest. A large and growing brown oil stain covered his white chef's uniform, leaving a trail behind towards the skillet he must have dropped and the bistecca he was grilling lay splattered on the floor.

It was clear as day. The head chef had somehow sprained his wrist.

"Tell me what the customers ordered and I will take over from there" Takumi said with a serious and determined expression.

"W-what are you talking about?" came the raspy voice of the head chef from the floor. He winced in pain.

"I'm Takumi Aldini, a student from Tootsuki Culinary Academy and a trained chef. I can manage things from here so you don't have to close the cafe" he picked up the frying pan and threw it in the sink, and then picked up the bistecca with some paper towels he found on the counter and threw it into the bin. It was a shame because it was terribly good.

"Tootsuki!?" the waitresses and waiters whispered conspiratorially amongst each other.

"Even if you are, b-but this cafe serves only Italian f-food..." said the head chef.

"Well you're just in luck" Takumi stepped around the food preparation counter and grabbed an apron lying around and strapped it on. He then took the first order ticket in line, wedged above the serving window.

"I happen to specialise in Italian food and have worked as a chef in my family trattoria for eight years" he said, holding up and checking the sharpness of the chef's knife a self-satisfied grin on his face.

"Chef..." said one of the waitresses, looking to the captain of the kitchen for his lead.

The noise outside in the cafe rose as the customers were starting to stir. Takumi could hear them ask each other what was happening and when they were going to get their food. Questions started to emerge about the management in the kitchens as the atmosphere was irrevocably disrupted. If Takumi had to guess, they would soon be walking out.

The chef sighed.

"Do as he says. We can't turn away our customers just because I was careless. Our service is dedicated to our patrons and it will do us great dishonour if we abandoned our duties" he said resolutely.

Takumi nodded.

"I sincerely hope you know what you're doing young man, the reputation of my café lies in your hands"

"Leave everything to me" said Takumi.


'Amazing... just incredible!'

Ayame watched gobsmacked as Takumi-kun blitz around the kitchen like a figure skater. Every movement he executed was efficient and he navigated around the kitchen like the lord of his own manor. His hands expertly handled all the knives with such agility that they were a blur when dressing different meats. He was the senior orchestral conductor flicking the baton through the air to lead a symphony. His eyes were a steely blue and his face was pure concentration. He wasn't even sweating! How on earth was he able to make all the dishes without any recipes at hand?! The amazing student chef took advantage of the kitchen hand, shouting him questions and blasting him with orders as he created antipasti, entrees, mains and desserts that looked like artistic masterpieces.

Her heart was blooming with respect for him.

"Finito! The chicken parmigiana with a side of chips and aoili sauce for table five!" he yelled. A waiter quickly grabbed the dish and exited the kitchens.

Ayame snapped out of her thoughts. What could she do? She had to do something to help!

"Chef-san! Wait in the changing room" Ayame yelled. The two waitresses and the chef looked up abruptly as if they didn't even know she was there at all.

Ayame flew out the double doors and retrieved two wooden rulers from her book bag in haste. She always carried two rulers because Chizuru-chan often forgot hers. She ran back into the kitchen, catching a glimpse of Takumi-kun at the stove before finding the changing rooms very easily.

'There must be an emergency medical kit somewhere. There!'

Ayame slammed open the medical kit that was hooked to the wall. Kitchens by law had to be equipped with medical kits that were within easy reach and their contents, easily accessible. She rummaged through them and found the rolls of white bandages she was looking for. Next she ran to the changing room which was also easy to find.

"Here, hold your arms up like this. I'm going to make you a temporary splint to stabilise your arm and prevent further injure to the wrist" Ayame said as calmly as she could. She laid the two rulers flat on each side of the arm and over the hand with the swollen, purple wrist in the middle. Her heart flinched when the head chef flinched also. She asked the waitress to hold them in place whilst she carefully wrapped the bandages around the two rulers and the head chef's arm and his hand, trying to be as gentle as she could. It had to be tight to keep the wrist in place but not too much to hurt him. In truth, she had never dressed a wound this severe. She only read about splints and how they worked and she prayed that this will be enough before he could get to the hospital. Finally, she cut the bandage and tied it off.

"Please keep your arm close to you" she said.

"T-thankyou, young miss" he said shakily, still wincing from the pain. It made Ayame's heart cry.

"Tsubasa-san! Hiro-kun's brought the car around. You can take Chef Jirou out through the back door where the car is. Natsuki-san is going with with him to Karakura Hospital" said one of the male waiters.

"But we'll be short-staffed!"

"I-I can wait tables!" Ayame said hurriedly.

"What? Have you got any experience?" the waitress asked incredulously.

"N-no, but I can certainly try and we don't have any time to lose before the customers change their minds and leave"

Chef Jirou was already out the back door leaving one the waitresses behind with Ayame.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Kanda Ayame" she fiddled with her fingers under the scrutinising gaze of the waitress.

"Okay Kanda-san, my name is Saori. Just follow my lead. Now let's get to work"

"Alright!"

Saori-san directed Ayame to where she could find a fresh set of waitress' uniform and gave her a pen and the order pad.

"Start with the patrons that look a bit pissed. It will be tough, but we'll have to take their orders first. Oh and also offer them a ten percent discount, only for the customers that have waited a long time"

"Yes" Ayame prayed that this will work.

She took the hair-tie from her wrist and tied her hair into a high ponytail, ready for business. She marched with fake confidence and stopped at a table of a couple who already drank half of the table water and with a slightly agitated expression on their face.

"My name is Ayame, I apologise for the long wait. One of our staff have hurt themselves, but they are ok now, we'll still manage. May I take your order?" she said politely, trying not to make her voice shake.

The male counterpart threw her a dubious look and huffed.

"If you say so then... I'll have the chicken and mushroom fettuccine with a Caesar salad" he said.

"And I'll have a veal scalpolini" said the female counterpart.

"Ok. Just to let you know, you will be receiving a ten percent discount for your troubles" Said Ayame, quickly scribbling down their order.

She quickly went to the window and passed through the next order. Takumi-kun automatically took the order with barely a glance and then he back tracked immediately as if someone dropped a bucket of ice water over his head.

"Ayame-san?! What are you doing?" he yelled eyes wide and flabbergasted.

"What does it look like? Helping out and waiting tables!" she hissed back.

His face was frozen for a moment until it formed into a smirk that made her face heat up and her tongue melt to the back of her mouth.

"Alright. Take this to table ten" he placed an exquisite looking plate of bruschetta onto the window counter.

"I'm on it" she found the courage to wink at him.


"Oh. My. GOD! I'm so beat" exclaimed Saori-san as she locked up the front.

Ayame agreed wholeheartedly. She couldn't feel her hands anymore and her legs could give out at any time. The others had already left thanking herself and Takumi-kun non-stop and how forever in debt they were to them.

"Thank you so much, you guys. We were seriously going to close up, but that would've caused more trouble in the long run"

"I'm happy to be of service and also thank you for putting our bills on the house" Takumi-kun said graciously.

"Don't worry, it was worth it. If only you saw the faces and heard the unbelievable praises from the customers! They won't stop raving on and on about your food!" Saori-san fist pumped the air.

"I know" Takumi-kun smiled.

Ayame wholeheartedly agreed again. Takumi-kun's food was an absolute hit and it coaxed out the most erotic of reactions from the patrons. She was even hungry watching the food being pumped out of the kitchens and when serving it to the customers. The aroma was irresistible and spoke volumes in her stomach. Literally. Takumi Aldini was truly gifted.

"What will you and the café do now?" asked Ayame.

"The owner's son is a chef too who works three days a week, so he'll be coming in to take over as head chef for six days a week until his father, chef Jirou, is fit enough to cook again" said Saori-san as the three of them walked out into the open street of the cafe district. "You Tootsuki students are absolutely amazing. I see they have trained their students well and their standards are still golden" Saori continued.

"Oh, I'm not a Tootsuki student, I'm just a regular high school student" said Ayame.

"You're still amazing all the same. This is my car. Do you guys need a lift home?" Saori-san offered.

"No thanks, I live on the campus I can take the bus from here" said Takumi-kun politely.

"I live very close by, I don't need to be home straight away" said Ayame.

"Ok then. Once again thank you so much! I'll have a word with chef Jirou to see what else we could arrange for you two, for saving our bacon" said Saori-san.

"Please don't, I'm just doing what I had to as a fellow chef" Takumi-kun said proudly.

The three waved goodbye and the head waitress drove away in the twilight, leaving only the two teenagers. Ayame looked over at Takumi-kun and suddenly, he looked so... different. She knew his history as a chef in his family diner, but to actually see him in action made her heart beat ecstatically in her chest. The way he handled the food was firm but gentle and it spoke of his absolute passion for the culinary arts. His work ethic was phenomenal. He actually volunteered to help as well and saved the cafe single-handedly. His blue eyes reflected the sunset. This was a sixteen-year-old boy who had been out there and knew what it was like to work and serve. The evening breeze caught his golden tresses, letting it dance around his head.

She never noticed it until now, but he wasn't just handsome like Chizuru-chan put it.

He was breathtaking.

"Ayame-san?"

"AH! Umm, I wasn't staring..." she murmured, shielding her face from him with her hair.

"What?"

"Nothing..." she replied.

"Where do you live?" asked Takumi-kun. She dared another look at him and was instantly mesmerised by his bright blue eyes and charming smile.

"I live in Kitakawase ward. It's only ten minutes away"

"Ah, I'll walk you home" Takumi-kun smiled at her.

"Seriously Mister 'Hero-Mach-Two', you don't have to. I'll be fine on my own" Ayame tried to tease him a bit to hide her nerves.

"What kind of gentiluomo would I be, if I let you go on your own while it's getting dark?" Takumi-kun chuckled lowly back at her. He walked passed her off in the right direction like he knew where he was going.

'He smells like cedar'

He stopped and turned around and looked at her, a cheeky grin on his handsome face waiting for her to follow.

'Urgh... I am absolutely NOT telling Chizuru-chan about this' she thought.


The action is starting to pick up now. I don't know much about service, but I hope that all seemed right. Takumi is just a hot and bothered mess when he is with Ayame haha. What other adventures an elite cooking student and a regular nerdy high school student will embark on together?

I hope you guys have enjoyed the chapter :) Don't forget to review, I'd love to hear from you guys!

See you in 5 days!

Signing-off

-Tripwire-dono