The Assistant Chef, Part 2
About an hour later, Kirito, Asuna, Eugeo and Yui lock the restaurant and walk over to the side of the pavement to signal a taxi to pick them up. Yui gets inside the passenger seat while the others sit in the back.
"Where to, everyone?" The taxi driver asked as his passengers put on their safety belts.
"Actually, we want you to do as she says." Asuna said, gesturing the driver to Yui. Confused, the driver turns to Yui, who smiles and nods her head to him. She looks back to her front and points her finger forward.
"Go straight for now." Yui instructed.
"Umm…okay." The driver replied as he looks to the front and steps on the gas pedal. He drives his vehicle forward and travels past several blocks for about twenty seconds until Yui suddenly points her finger to the left.
"In 300 metres, turn left." Yui said.
"Oh! Okay!" The driver said in surprise before he quickly turns his steering wheel and moves his vehicle to the leftmost lane. When he reaches the crossroad, he makes a sharp 90 degree left turn before the lights turn red. Yui suddenly points her finger forward again.
"Switch to the right lane and keep going straight. Then in 700 metres, make a right turn." Yui said, pointing her finger to the right.
"Y-Yes ma'am!" The driver said with his eyes still fixated on the road.
"Yui is sounding like a human navigation system." Asuna chuckled as she, Kirito and Eugeo watch in amusement.
"That's my girl." Kirito smiled at his foster daughter.
"Who needs smartphones if people like her exist here?" Eugeo commented.
As the taxi driver continued doing what he was told by Yui to do, the other three passengers look out the car windows and observe the tall, iconic, and beautifully crafted city landmarks that they pass by during their journey such as the Wrigley Building, the DuSable Bridge, the Aon Center, The Chicago Temple Building, and the Willis Tower. Kirito stares at them in awe with his eyes wide and a huge smile plastered across his face. Although he and Yui took a glimpse or paid a brief visit to some of these locations during their first day of arrival, he still cannot help but admire how tall and majestic they look compared to the Emperor's Palace and other buildings and structures back in their hometown.
The cheerful mood slowly fades about twenty minutes later when Kirito, Asuna, Eugeo and Yui find themselves leaving the central business district and entering a community area as they keep travelling southward.
The community area they are now in has less crowded streets and much smaller and shorter houses that are made of bricks and weathered wood rather than steel and concrete. The space between the houses is much wider and many of them look rundown and have not been renovated in years. Most of the trees grown at the sidewalks are dead and lack any signs of greenery, and they could see trash and brown leaves scattered everywhere on the grass and roads. Its residents silently walk down the streets without a hint of emotion on their faces.
"This place…it feels eerie." Asuna said uneasily as the area they are currently in is in stark contrast to the cleaner and livelier districts they stay and work in.
"We are now in one of the poorer community areas of Chicago." Eugeo added grimly.
"I never thought this man would live here." Kirito said sadly as the community area sombrely reminds him of one of the poorer neighbourhoods back in his own hometown where he and his men usually patrol around. To think such places would exist in this world as well.
They arrived at their destination five minutes later and Yui ordered the taxi driver to pull his vehicle over to the curb. When it came to a halt, the four passengers got out of the taxi and Asuna paid the driver.
"Thank you very much, sir." Asuna said to the driver after handing the money to him.
"We appreciate your help in getting us here." Yui bows her head to him with a wide smile. As the four passengers turn around and walk away, the driver continues staring at Yui for a moment.
"What are they teaching our children in school these days?" The driver murmured in bewilderment before he closes the window and drives off.
As the taxi departs, Kirito, Asuna, Yui and Eugeo examine the small house in front of them. It is a single-floor house with a small black tiled roof and a black wooden door. There are two glass windows on both sides of the door and its walls are made of white wooden walls that has clearly yellowed over time. In front of the house are two small yards filled with tall green grass that have grown nearly a foot tall with a lone pavement between them that leads to the door.
"Is this it? Is this really his home?" Asuna asked incredulously as she and Eugeo stare at the house perplexed.
"Correct." Yui nods her head. "I can sense his presence. He is definitely inside this house."
"This place looks like it may collapse at any moment." Eugeo said apprehensively.
"Well then, let us go talk to him. Shall we?" Kirito asked his friends. Asuna and Eugeo glance at each other before nodding their heads to Kirito. They and Yui approach the door and Kirito gestures Asuna to do the honours. Asuna takes a deep breath and presses the doorbell.
"Who is it?" A voice called out from inside the house.
"It's definitely him." Kirito whispered as he and the others instantly recognized his voice.
"Umm…do you have some time to spare? We would like…" Asuna paused for a moment. It's now or never. "To have a conversation with you."
"Wait a minute…that voice…" Asuna and the others could barely hear him from outside. They soon hear footsteps rushing towards the door, followed by a chain lock sliding to the side, and finally the doorknob being unlocked. The door swings open to reveal the bandana-wearing man, looking dumbfounded by the presence of Asuna and her employees standing right outside his home.
"I knew it! I knew it was you!" The man cried. "But how on Earth did you find my address?"
"What else? We followed you." Kirito shrugged with a lopsided smirk.
"That…doesn't really answer my question…" The man arches an eyebrow at them before narrowing his eyes. "But still, what are you doing here? Don't you have a garbage pile of a restaurant to run?"
"Like I said earlier. We want to have a conversation." Asuna said calmly.
"Yeah man, no hostilities." Eugeo added with his hands up.
The man snorted with a lopsided grin. "And why the heck would I want to chat with you bozos?"
"Because we now know where you live." Asuna replied sternly as she folds her arms. "We can take a photo of your home and post it on our social media right now, along with your address, to let our regular patrons and other people on the Internet know exactly where you live and what you have been doing to us. Once this information comes out, your house will be bombarded by an angry mob every day and you may never dare to set foot in public ever again."
The man widens his eyes and gapes his mouth open in shock and horror as he listened to her response. But a few seconds after she finished, he throws his head back and clutches his chest as he breaks into maniacal laughter. The man grins mockingly as he looks back at Asuna and her employees.
"Yeah, right! You're no Addie and Teddie! You guys won't even think of doing it at all!" The man chortled.
"Won't we?" Eugeo smirked as he holds up his phone. Kirito, Yui and Asuna smiled back at the man as well. The man laughed again for a few moments, but when he sees all four of them still smiling at him, his grin disappears as he widens his eyes again.
"Wait…you're serious." The man uttered. The four visitors nod their heads. "Then that makes you no different than them!"
"Like you said, what makes you think we are any different?" Asuna smirked.
"So, here's the deal." Kirito said as he approaches the man. "Why don't you let us into your home so we can have a proper discussion with each other, or we can take a picture of your home and show it to everyone on the Internet right now?"
The man narrows his eyes and grits his teeth at them. He hated the fact that the people whom he enjoyed harassing are now the ones who have gotten him into a corner. However, he knows that they are right. If people were to learn about his home and address, regardless of the fact that the restaurant he enjoys targeting is ran by a pair of lunatics, he can say farewell to his privacy for good. The man lowers his head for a moment and replied grimly, "No. Nothing but the latter choice…" He lets out a sigh before looking back at them. "Fine. I'll let you guys in, and we can chat."
"And whip up some lunch for us while you're at it too." Kirito smiled brightly at the man as he places his hand on his shoulder. The man stares blankly at him for a moment before nodding his head.
"Sure. Whatever." The man replied before he turns around and walks back into his home with Kirito, Asuna, Yui and Eugeo following him from behind.
Upon entering, the four visitors take a good look at the interior of the man's house. The walls are filled with blemishes and mysterious stains, showing that the owner has clearly made no effort in taking good care of his home. On their left is a two-seater sofa placed against the wall and on the other side is a small flat-screen television placed on top of a drawer that looks like it could fall apart at any moment. Beside the television on the left is a dining table with only a single chair, and a small kitchen which consists only a sink, a refrigerator and a small wooden table with a portable stove, a microwave oven, a wooden chopping board and a pair of shakers placed on top of it. On the other side of the kitchen is a small restroom, and finally between it and the sofa is a staircase that leads to whatever is down in the basement.
Placed against the stairs' fencing are several new signboards that the man had finished designing and ready to be used the following day. Asuna and Eugeo frown as they read the messages that are written on two of the signboards. One of them says 'Down with The Sunshine Garden! More like The Diarrhoea Garden!', while the other reads 'If you had a dollar for every brain the owners of The Big Shoulders' Steakhouse don't have, you have one dollar!'.
"Guess we're not the only ones who are targeted by him." Eugeo whispered to Asuna, who nods her head. As the man now stands behind the table, he turns back to his visitors and see the troubled and bewildered looks on their faces.
"Let me guess. Just by looking at the state of this place, you guys must be thinking inside your heads…" The man grins as he imitates them. "Wow, look at how awful this man's house is! Heeheehahaha! What a garbage dump! Unlike the nice and fancy restaurant we are happily working inside! And to think this man still has the audacity to come down to our place and mock us. Ahahahahahahaha!" His smile disappears as the man looks back at them with a growl.
"Well…kinda. We do think your house looks terrible, but not the mocking part." Yui replied concernedly. The man snorted at them before he turns to the refrigerator and opens it.
"You have no idea what it's like to be in my situation." The man muttered as he grabs four eggs and a cold pack of butter.
"Trust me. I do." Kirito said flatly as he walks up to him. The man closes the refrigerator and turns to him. "So, what are you preparing for us?"
"Scrambled eggs." The man replied.
"Interesting! I've never seen that before!" Kirito said with his eyes wide in fascination.
"What? You don't know what the heck scrambled eggs are?" The man asked incredulously.
Kirito shook his head and asked, "Care to show me how you make them?"
"Umm, sure." The man replied uneasily before he turns to the stove and places the eggs and butter aside on the table. He turns his head to Asuna, Eugeo and Yui who are still standing near the dining table. "Find whatever chair to sit on to make yourselves comfortable while I prepare food for you guys, alright?"
"Okay." Yui replied.
"Sure." Eugeo added before he and Yui walk over to the two-seater sofa.
"Asuna, care to watch?" Kirito asked, gesturing Asuna to come over to the kitchen as the man grabs a bottle of cooking oil.
"Alright." Asuna replied as she walks over to them. Meanwhile, Eugeo and Yui sat down on the sofa together.
"So, while our host is preparing food for us, what do you think we should do to pass the time away?" Yui asked.
"Want to watch whatever is on TV?" Eugeo asked. Yui however lets out a yawn.
"No thanks. Kirito, Asuna and I spent the last night watching E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. My eyes still need a break." Yui said.
"I see." Eugeo momentarily rubs his chin until an idea hatched inside his head. "I know. Let's play Mary Mack."
"Sure!" Yui said cheerfully, but her smile flips downwards only a second later. "What's that?"
"It's a clapping game that I used to play with my siblings when we were kids. Just follow my actions and say the words with me." Eugeo explained.
"Okay." Yui said. When she sees Eugeo crosses his arms and places his hands on his chest, Yui did the same thing as him on herself.
"Miss…" Eugeo said.
"Miss…" Yui repeats what he said. Eugeo now pats his own thighs and so did Yui.
"Mary…" They both said in unison.
They now clap each other's right hands, then their left hands, and finally both hands together. "Mack…Mack…Mack…"
Both Eugeo and Yui chuckled as the blonde-haired man said, "Keep up with me now."
"Okay!" Yui replied before they start singing together and follow each other's actions. "Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack, all dressed in black, black, black…"
While Eugeo and Yui are playing, Kirito and Asuna watch the man pours a bit of oil onto the pan above the stove as they stand beside him. He pulls out the left drawer to reveal several vegetables including mushrooms, chives, garlic, and small round tomatoes.
"Convenient. Though I suggest you should put your vegetables in a more spacious storage and separately from each other if you can." Kirito said as the man takes out some chives.
"If I had the time and money to get a bigger drawer, I would, genius." The man said icily to him as he closes the drawer.
"Right." Kirito simply nods his head. Asuna frowns at the man for his rudeness towards her employee. After placing the chives on the chopping board, the man carefully breaks the four eggs he grabbed earlier and pours its contents onto the pan.
"What is your name by the way? I'm Kirito." Kirito asked.
"And I'm Asuna Yuuki." Asuna said.
"And I'm Mr. Shut-The-Hell-Up-And-Just-Stand-There-Like-Idiots." The man responded icily as he glares at the both of them.
Asuna scoffed as she folds her arms and turns her head away from him. Kirito however keeps his warm smile on his face as he replied, "Okay. Nice to meet you, Mr. Shut-The-Hell-Up."
The man rolls his eyes as he grabs the butter, places it on the chopping board and uses a knife to cut a small portion of it. He carefully picks up the portion with the blade of his knife and throws it into his pan.
"Why add butter into it?" Kirito inquired.
"To give more flavour to the taste of the eggs." Asuna replied as the man places the knife down.
"That's right." The man added as he grabs a wooden spoon.
"Interesting." Kirito commented as the man breaks the egg yolk and stirs the contents inside his pan for about a minute. When he is done, he places the spoon aside and grabs the salt and pepper shakers.
"What is the salt and pepper for?" Kirito asked.
"They serve as seasoning for the scrambled eggs." The man replied as he sprinkles the salt and pepper into his pan of egg yolk.
"I see." Kirito said. When the man puts the shakers down, he turns on the stove and the contents in his pan begin to fry.
"Keep the heat at medium low as you don't want to rush it. Eggs are extremely easy to fry after all, but you want your scrambled eggs to be soft and fluffy." The man explained.
"Got it." Kirito nodded as the man grabs the spoon and began pulling the cooked edges of the scramble toward the centre of the pan. "Ah, and this is when you start pulling the edges of your scrambled eggs toward the centre repeatedly before you start breaking it up to make them fluffier!"
"That's right." The man chuckled, glancing at Kirito. "You actually remembered."
"We're not bozos after all." Asuna smirked.
"While I'm at it, don't mind helping me cut the chives at the same time?" The man asked as he looks back at his scrambled eggs and continues his cooking.
"Of course." Kirito said as he grabs the knife. To the man's amazement, Kirito swiftly cuts the chives into multiple tiny pieces with the knife within a few seconds.
"Amazing…" The man murmured. "I mean, pour the chives into the scrambled eggs now."
"Sure thing." Kirito holds up the chopping board and uses the knife to slide all the chopped chives into the frying pan. Kirito resumes watching the man continue gathering his scrambled eggs to the centre of his pan as they fry, this time with a smile on his face.
"Eventually, any uncooked part of the eggs will no longer flood around the pan as you successfully gather all the scramble to the centre of the pan, but it will still be slightly runny in texture. That's when you start breaking it." The man explained. Kirito and Asuna widen their eyes as the man moves the scrambled eggs around in his pan as it finally starts to take its proper, fluffier form.
"Don't mind if one of you help me get a plate at the side of the sink?" The man asked with his eyes still fixated on his scrambled eggs.
"I'll do it." Kirito said as he hurriedly goes over to the sink located between the bathroom and the refrigerator. On the side of the sink are a few porcelain plates and a mug with a toothbrush placed in it. He grabs the top plate, washes it under the sink, and walks back to the man who just finished the breaking process. He places the wooden spoon aside and turns off the stove before he turns to his right and sees Kirito standing beside him again. He holds up the pan and pours the scrambled eggs onto the plate. Kirito smells the fragrance of the food before letting out a blissful sigh. He passes the plate to Asuna who smells the food as well.
"Not bad, sir." Asuna said to the man.
"What's that?" The man arches an eyebrow as he holds up his hand behind his left ear. "Are you actually complimenting me?"
"Yes, I am." Asuna replied as she passes the food back to Kirito, who places it down on the table.
"We think they're delicious." Kirito commented as the man turns back to him.
"Thank you." The man said as a small smile appears on his face, causing Kirito to chuckle.
"You look nice when you smile like that." Kirito said.
"Wait, really? I'm smiling right now?" The man widens his eyes in shock. When Kirito nods his head, the man groans and slaps himself on the forehead, causing him and Asuna to laugh. The man sighs in defeat before looking back at Kirito with his warm smile again. "Yeah, I feel good whenever I cook. Especially while I get to impress someone."
"You seem to have talent in cooking, Mr. Shut-The-Hell-Up. I can tell you are really putting in your effort and passion into doing this while I was watching you." Kirito said.
"Yeah well…as much as I enjoy terrorizing restaurants…I'm actually quite the chef myself." The man said admittingly. "Ironic, isn't it?"
Kirito nods his head again before the man extends his hand to him. "My name…my real name…is Tsuboi Ryoutarou."
"Nice to meet you, Tsuboi." Kirito said cheerfully with a grin as he shakes his hand.
"It's a pleasure to know you." Asuna said as Tsuboi turns to her, and they both shake each other's hands as well.
After spending another seven minutes to cook another set of scrambled eggs, Tsuboi called Eugeo and Yui to come eat their lunch. Due to the fact that there is only one dining chair in the entire house, everyone unanimously decides that Tsuboi, the owner of the house, should sit at his usual dining table. With the plates of food in their hands, Asuna and Yui sit together at the sofa while Kirito and Eugeo choose to stand up.
"Bon Appetit, guys." Tsuboi said to his guests.
"Itadakimasu!" Asuna and Yui both said cheerfully.
"Yeah, what they say." Eugeo said before everyone in the house begins eating their food. After stuffing the food into their mouths, Kirito, Eugeo, Asuna and Yui widen their eyes in awe.
"It's tasty!" Kirito exclaimed.
"Delicious." Eugeo added.
"I love it!" Yui cried cheerfully.
"It tastes so soft and creamy, just like how scrambled eggs should be. Great job, Tsuboi." Asuna admitted as she turns her head to the bandana-wearing man.
"Thanks." Tsuboi grins at her. "I'm not who you think I am."
When everyone finished eating their food, Tsuboi pushes his empty plate aside while Kirito, Eugeo, Asuna and Yui walk over to his table and stack their own empty plates on top of his.
"Thanks for the meal, Tsuboi." Yui said as she and the other guests bow their heads to him.
"Yeah, you're welcome." Tsuboi replied, stretching his arms out before placing his hands behind the back of his head. "I'm just glad to satisfy you lot."
"I don't understand. If you have the knowledge and talent for cooking, why aren't you respecting others in the same class as you are?" Eugeo inquired.
"Hmm?" Tsuboi arches an eyebrow.
"He's right. Instead of wasting your time away harassing restaurant owners who are trying to do their jobs, why not work for one of them or run your own catering business as well?" Asuna asked sternly with her hands on the sides of her hip. "Stop being a nuisance to everyone and actually do something productive in your life."
Tsuboi scoffed as he sits back up straight on his chair. "You think I've never done anything productive in my life? I did for Pete's sake!"
"So why aren't you still doing so now?" Asuna asked calmly.
"I…well…" Tsuboi falls silent and lowers his head as he struggled to answer her question. Kirito walks closer to him.
"Tsuboi…" Kirito said. "I can tell you feel ashamed to share with us the truth. But if you don't, you will never be able to let out what's been hurting inside you for so long."
Tsuboi curls his fingers on his lap as he contemplates what Kirito said. A few moments later, he stands up from his chair, walks past his guests and over to the staircase. He turns around and gestures them to follow him.
"Come with me." He said to them.
Kirito, Asuna, Eugeo and Yui obliged, and they follow Tsuboi down the stairs. They soon arrived at the basement of his home and the guests could barely make out anything inside the currently dark room. Tsuboi turns on the switch on the wall beside them and as the lights on the ceiling now illuminate throughout the entire basement, Kirito, Asuna, Eugeo and Yui look around in awe. On the right side of the room is a washing machine, a portable air conditioner, and a wooden framed bed with a mattress, pillows, sheets, and a laptop that is currently attached to a wire connected to the nearest electrical socket. The objects at the left side of the basement are more intriguing to the visitors though as placed against the wall are four tall wooden shelves, and between them and his bed is a workbench with tons of stationary and a table lamp. Two of them are filled with folded cardboard boxes, ready to be used and recycled as signboards. The third shelf is filled with many other finished signboards that Tsuboi is preparing to use sometime later this week, and most rows of the final shelf is filled with metal containers of acrylic paint tubes, markers, stencils, scissors, and paintbrushes of various sizes. Only the bottom row of the final shelf consists of books, most of them being art references.
"So, this is the place where you work your magic into your arts and crafts." Asuna said.
"Yes. But that's not the main reason why I brought you all down here. Wait here." Tsuboi said.
Kirito, Asuna, Eugeo and Yui stand where they are as they watch Tsuboi walking over to the final shelf. He kneels and pulls out a red photo album from the bottom row. After wiping off the dust from the cover and edges, Tsuboi walks back to his guests and hands the album to Asuna.
"Still think I have never done anything productive? Think again." Tsuboi said flatly.
Asuna takes the album from him as Kirito, Eugeo and Yui gather close around her. She flips open the album and the four of them gasp. On the first page is a large portrait photo of Tsuboi dressed in a plain white chef's uniform, folding his arms, and smiling for the camera.
"Tsuboi 'Klein' Ryoutarou. Chef de partie, grilled foods. Le Concorde, New York City." Asuna reads the captions below the portrait aloud.
"Le Concorde is a five-star restaurant!" Eugeo said surprised before he, Asuna, Kirito and Yui look back at Tsuboi. "You once worked in a five-star restaurant?!"
"That's right." Tsuboi nodded. The four of them continue looking through the album, seeing various photos of him with his former boss and co-workers, as well as several cut-out newspaper articles of them and Le Concorde. After Asuna closes the album, she and her employees look back at him again.
"You were such a talented chef. How did you end up like this?" Yui inquired. Tsuboi walks over to the left side of his bed and sits down. After a few seconds of silence, Tsuboi sadly turns his head back to them.
"When I was a kid, I was always picked on by others in school. Their constant bullying gave me a lot of emotional stress, and I would often leave the place feeling sad and depressed. Thankfully though, every time I come back home, I would see my mother in the kitchen preparing dinner for me, and it was her delicious food that made me forget about all my troubles." Tsuboi sighs blissfully. "I can still remember the wonderful taste and aroma of her scrambled eggs…her macaroni and cheese…and her Hamburg steaks. And it was her cooking that inspired me to become a chef myself."
'His mother was his inspiration…just like me…' Asuna thought sadly.
"After my college graduation in 2018, I finally got my wish when Le Concorde in New York City accepted my job application. I waste no time packing my stuff and hopping on a flight from Chicago to the Big Apple where can I live my lifelong dream. For the next three years, things went pretty well for me. I put in a lot of effort and dedication into my job at a five-star restaurant, I made a lot of friends, and my boss is impressed with my performance as a station chef. It seems at this point, I can do no wrong, and I can finally move on from my childhood trauma. But you know as they say, one wrong move and everything you ever build up can instantly crumble into pieces." Tsuboi said grimly.
"What happened?" Kirito asked.
"It was September 2021 when my boss decided to promote me to Sous-chef. Me and my friends were overwhelmed with joy by the news that after work, we held a party for me at a local pub. We laughed, cheered and partied hard like there was no tomorrow, and who can blame me? Wanting to become the second-in-command of a five-star gourmet restaurant is something that I've worked so hard for throughout my life. But when the party is over, I sat in the backseat of my friend's car with four other co-workers, including the boss's son. And unfortunately, on the way back to my apartment, my friend crashed against a lamppost, and we were all knocked out unconscious. The next thing we knew, we all woke up in a hospital, and we were bedridden for a month. And after we were discharged, my former boss fired me and my three friends for injuring his son. Although I wasn't the one driving the car, it was me who came up with the idea to have a party for my promotion after all. My three friends return to their hometowns, and we never made contact with each other since. I chose to stay in New York for four more months, hoping to find a new job at another restaurant. But I never did, because it turns out my former boss contacted every known gourmet restaurant in the city not to hire me. Finally, on February 2022, having no other choice and nearly running out of money to pay my bills and rent, I finally decided to accept the fact that my dream of being a chef is over…and I return home to Chicago." Tsuboi finished with a heavy sigh.
"Was there anyone who can help you after coming back here? What about your family?" Yui asked concernedly.
"No." Tsuboi shakes his head dejectedly. "I lost all my friends back in New York. My father passed away a long time ago, and I had no siblings and cousins."
"What about your mother?" Eugeo asked.
"She's still around. But I never contacted her since." Tsuboi takes a gulp as he fails to push back some tears in his eyes. He wipes them away before looking back at his guests dishearteningly. "Because how can I face her…and tell her that her worthless son has lost his dream job? I felt so angry and frustrated with myself for the next seven days because I cannot find anything to help me."
"And that is why you decided to vent out your feelings by harassing Addie, Teddie and every other restaurant in this city." Kirito said.
"Yeah…" Tsuboi replied softly after wiping away a few more tears. "I eventually discovered how much negativity Addie's Baking Company was receiving online, realizing that I'm not the only one who has problems. It soon came to me that if I can vent out my anger and frustration on others who are in a bad situation like I am, I could feel a lot happier. I never did, and it didn't stop there. I eventually grew to feel jealous of everybody else who still has a job in the food industry, unlike me. And I began targeting other restaurants besides Addie's Baking Company. That is when I realized that this is supposed to be my fate then. I was a victim of bullying when I was a kid, and I tried to get away from the cycle of hate by focusing on getting my dream job. But when I did, reality came to bite me in the ass that I was never meant to be a successful chef. And that is why it brought me back here…" He paused as he now looks down at the floor. "To help continue the cycle that I left behind years ago."
Kirito, Asuna, Eugeo and Yui stayed silent for a few moments after hearing his story. But the restaurant manager soon narrows her eyes and walks up to Tsuboi.
"Well, aren't you a fool then?" Asuna said flatly, much to the shock of Tsuboi and Eugeo.
"Excuse me?" Tsuboi asked in disbelief as he glares at her.
"Asuna!" Eugeo cried apprehensively as he tries to go over to her, but Kirito and Yui hold up their arms in front of him. He turns his head to Kirito, who simply nods his head to him.
"You seriously believe in that garbage? That you are destined to be a harasser and a failure for the rest of your life? Enough of this nonsense already!" Asuna scolded. Tsuboi could only stare back at her in shock. "My mother was in a similar situation as you are. After losing her job and friends, she became depressed and demoralized just like you. But you know what she chose to do instead of making others suffer the same pain as she does? She chose to find herself a new job because she knows that her daughter still needs her to further her studies and prevent our family's finances from declining any further! Our situation still has not improved since. But that is why I'm now here to run my own restaurant and make everyone including my mother smile again! We may have lost so much, but we can always start all over, and you can too."
Tsuboi stares wordlessly at Asuna for a moment before sadly turning his head away from her. "I…I don't know if I can."
"Then let me help you." Asuna replied before extending her hand to him. Tsuboi looks back at her in surprise as the restaurant manager smiled at him. "Tsuboi Ryoutarou, I want you to work for me at Asuna's Baking Company."
The next day, Tsuboi arrived at Asuna's Baking Company on the exact time he was told to come, much to the delight of Kirito, Asuna, Yui and Eugeo who are already there waiting for him. Asuna takes a black uniform from the storeroom and hands it to Tsuboi, who takes a few minutes to go to the male staff restroom to put it on. When he is done, he returns to the kitchen and shows himself in his new clothes to the others.
"Wow, you look great in it, Tsuboi!" Yui said cheerfully as she and the others stare and smile at him.
"Not bad." Eugeo added, nodding his head in agreement.
"You look so much nicer than before." Kirito said with his hands on the sides of his hip.
"How does it feel?" Asuna asked with her arms folded.
"Honestly, it feels surreal." Tsuboi said as he looks down at his new uniform. "I never thought I would be wearing something like this again."
"Don't worry. You'll get used to it." Kirito said as Tsuboi looks back at them.
"Right." Asuna claps her hands to get everyone's attention. "Let's get to work, shall we? Eugeo, Yui, clean up the dining area."
"Right." Eugeo replied with a nod.
"Okay." Yui added before she and Eugeo make their way out.
"Kirito, Tsuboi, let's start making sauces." Asuna said to her remaining two employees in the kitchen.
"Hai!" Kirito smiled at her as he holds up his fist.
Tsuboi briefly stares at him before looking back at Asuna and murmured as he holds up his own fist. "Aye."
Asuna and Kirito spend the next thirty minutes showing Tsuboi how they prepare their restaurant's signature tomato sauce for most of their foods. Tsuboi watches both chefs attentively, from chopping the onions and garlics, to mixing and crushing the fresh tomatoes with a blender, to pouring them onto a pan along with their chopped vegetables, and finally stirring them together for a few moments before turning off the heat. The three chefs taste the sauce together and Tsuboi nods his head in approval to Asuna and Kirito over how delicious it turns out. Asuna and Kirito thank him before instructing the new employee to show and repeat the entire process for them. Tsuboi takes a deep breath as he feels a little anxious over the fact that he had not done any cooking in an actual restaurant for a long time. Nevertheless, he walks over to the tables, grabs a knife, and begins chopping the onions and garlic and peeling off their skins, although not as fast as Kirito and Asuna did. When he is done, he pushes the chopped slices away to one side of the chopping board and grabs a bottle of olive oil and an empty pan. He opens the bottle and pours some oil into the pan.
"He may be a little slow right now, but he does have the hang of it." Kirito said to Asuna as they stand by and watch.
"It's been a long time since he had done something like this, but I'm glad it seems like it is all coming back to him." Asuna replied.
After pouring the chopped vegetables into the pan, Tsuboi turns around, walks past Kirito and Asuna and places it over the stove. Tsuboi pours some pepper onto them before he puts two fresh tomatoes into a blender and mixes them. He later pours the crushed tomatoes into the pan and stir its contents around for a few moments exactly what Kirito and Asuna did. Tsuboi leans forward and smells the aroma of his sauce. After making sure the smell is right, Tsuboi turns off the heat and grabs three tablespoons. He passes two of them to Kirito and Asuna and the three chefs taste the sauce together.
"It's good." Kirito smiled with his eyes wide.
"Not bad at all." Asuna added.
"I'm glad you like it." Tsuboi said to them. "I'm still trying to get back my groove here, so I hope you both can help me as much as you can."
"Don't worry. Asuna and I still got a lot more recipes we want to show you, and we have plenty of time to help you before dinner service." Kirito said.
"I appreciate it. And honestly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you…for giving me a chance to prove to you guys what I'm capable of." Tsuboi blushed as he lowers his head.
"And thank you too for deciding to work for us." Asuna said as she places her hand on his shoulder. Tsuboi turns to the restaurant manager and sees her smiling warmly back at him. "After the image of our restaurant is damaged by its previous owners, we were worried that we could never find someone who is willing to work for us. That is until you came along and helped save us a lot of trouble. I hope you and I will get along just fine."
Tsuboi smiled back at her and nods his head in agreement. "I hope so too. And guys, can I ask a favour?"
"What is it?" Asuna asked.
"Would it be okay if you can refer to me as 'Klein'? My former co-workers at Le Concorde call me that because they had a hard time remembering my real name, but I grew fond of it. So, I was thinking if you all can do the same here." Tsuboi said. Kirito and Asuna smile at him again.
"Klein, eh? There's a nice ring to it." Kirito said.
"Indeed." Asuna said. "Welcome aboard to our kitchen…Klein."
Later at 6 pm, Asuna, Kirito, Yui, Eugeo and Klein look through the kitchen window and see a line of diners queueing outside the entrance of their restaurant. They notice many of them conversing with each other as they wait, probably discussing if its food and service have gotten any better or worse under new management.
"I never thought our advertisement on today's papers would get so much attention." Asuna said anxiously.
"I bet many of them are haters of Addie's Baking Company who are just here to see if you are any worse than the previous owners. Just saying." Eugeo said.
"No offense taken. I wouldn't be surprised too." Asuna said.
"Now then, as our leader, would you like to say a few things to us before we open our doors?" Kirito asked his boss.
"Right." Asuna clears her throat, causing her employees to back away from her. She turns around and stares solemnly at them. "This is it. This is what we have been preparing for. Tonight, we are starting a brand new chapter for this restaurant that is hopefully for the best. I know all of you are nervous over what the diners will think of us by the end of all this. So am I. But no matter what happens out there, let us stay calm, do our jobs normally, and always put on a smile for the customers. Are we ready?"
"Ready." Kirito, Klein, Yui and Eugeo all said as they nod their heads solemnly to her. Asuna nods back at them and claps her hands.
"Let's do this."
Yui and Eugeo hastily make their way over to the entrance and unlock the glass doors. Eugeo flips the sign around and he and Yui both open the doors for the diners to come inside. Both waiters immediately hear some murmurs from the diners that the restaurant still looks the same to them, but they hope their food and service will make them rethink that sentiment. After the diners have taken their seats, Yui and Eugeo begin going around the dining area to take their orders. Eugeo is the first to walk back to the kitchen window and hands Asuna the first three orders of the night. As the waiter walks over to the cash register to record them, the manager takes a quick glance at all three orders before hanging them underneath the window.
"Alright guys! One Caesar's salad, one cheesy baked rice, and one beef spaghetti bolognaise. Get to work!" Asuna ordered Kirito and Klein.
"Yes ma'am!" Kirito and Klein shouted in unison. Asuna grabs some dough to begin work on the mushroom and olive pizza from the first order. Kirito washes a fresh romaine lettuce at the sink before he brings it over to the tables to chop it. He chops the lettuce within a few seconds and pours them into a bowl. He pauses his work on the salad for a while as he walks over to the stove where Klein is working on the toppings for the baked rice.
"How are you doing?" Kirito asked as he removes the lid from the pot to check on his spaghetti.
"So far so good." Klein replied as he stands beside him and stirs some water, butter, salt, and vinegar in his saucepan.
"That's great. Hang in there." Kirito said encouragingly as he holds up his fist. Klein smiled and bumps his own fist against it before Kirito walks away to continue working on the Caesar's salad. When Klein is done stirring, he removes the saucepan from the stove and walks over to the counter beside it. He places the saucepan aside and starts chopping the onions, carrots, and parsley on his own board.
Back at the dining area, now that Eugeo and Yui have full access to the entire front counter, both waiters are able to serve the drinks to the diners, deliver the orders to the kitchen, and record them into the cash register at a quicker pace. After Yui helps pour some red wine into their glass cups, the two diners who are sitting at a table beside the windows thank the waitress, and she bows her head to them.
"I hope you'll enjoy the food tonight." Yui said to them.
"We hope so too." The man replied while his girlfriend chuckled in response. As Yui turns around and leave, the couple turn back to each other, and the waitress could hear their brief conversation from a distance. "The service seems friendlier than before, doesn't it?"
"It sure is." His girlfriend said before they both clink their cups and take a sip of their wine. Yui flashes a quick smile before walking over to the nearest table.
It only took ten minutes for the staff members in the kitchen to finish cooking the first two dishes of the night. Asuna places the Caesar's salad and beef spaghetti bolognaise on the window and she rings the silver bell.
"Caesar's salad for Table 17, and beef spaghetti bolognaise for Table 6!" Asuna called out to the waiters.
"Understood!" Eugeo responded as he quickly walks over to the kitchen window to grab the dishes. As Asuna walks over to the oven to remove the mushroom and olive pizza, Eugeo places the dishes on the correct tables. As the diners eat their food, Eugeo and Yui could hear them saying their compliments as they serve the other tables. After getting their orders, the two waiters walk over and give each other a quick wink and a high-five before going their separate ways.
Eugeo heads over to one of the tables at the centre of the dining area where four friends have just finish reading the menus.
"Hi there. Have you all decided what you want to eat tonight?" Eugeo asked them.
"Well, we just finished reading your entire menu." The first diner replied in a rather snobbish tone as he holds up his glass of rosemary wine. "And to be honest, we still can't decide what we want to eat."
"If that's the case, may I recommend you all our Reuben sandwich or cheesy baked rice?" Eugeo asked.
"Sorry but we already tried those during our last visit." The second diner shakes her head.
"Last…visit?" Eugeo asked in confusion.
"That was a year ago and the food that was given to us back then was…below satisfactory." The third diner winced.
"We came back here because now that this restaurant is under new management, surely there must also be something new in the menu, right?" The fourth diner asked as she arches an eyebrow.
"Well, umm…" Eugeo grew anxious.
After taking a sip of his wine, the first diner asked flatly, "Tell me sir. What do you have that's new?"
Sovereign: I would like to thank Allfather-Ford, LayLay lives, AquaBluey, MauserTeleri and Palm514 for reviewing, favoriting and following! Thanks everyone! And I hope you all have a great Easter weekend!
Chapter Revised on 24th April 2022
