"I know I'm too weak, but I just can't help it," Sonoka sighed.
She understood that she needed to be more decisive and assertive, but sometimes she simply couldn't summon the courage.
"I believe in you, Senpai," Sui encouraged. "During this time, I'll do everything I can to help you."
"Really?" Sonoka's eyes lit up, her expression softening. Her large chest trembled slightly as she gripped Sui's hand. "Then I'm counting on you, Sui-kun!"
"Of course," Sui replied, noting how soft her hands felt—like cream, smooth and almost weightless.
"With Sui-kun's help, I'm sure the restaurant will improve," Sonoka said, gently stroking her cheeks with both hands. As she moved, her ample chest swayed again, creating ripples of motion.
Sui couldn't help but glance at her again. Despite Sonoka being only around eighteen or nineteen years old, her figure was incredibly developed—surpassing even Tohru's in comparison.
Noticing Sui's gaze, Sonoka's cheeks flushed a deep red, and she lowered her head shyly.
Time passed, but no other interns showed up. Sui soon realized that he was the only intern this time around.
Normally, restaurants and other institutions take on several interns. After the first round of field training, some are eliminated due to unsatisfactory performance, leading to a shortage of people for the second internship.
Before long, it was the lunchtime rush.
This time, Sui personally oversaw the dishes, working alongside Sonoka and not allowing the other chefs to interfere. As a result, the food was very well-received by the customers.
"I heard the food here is usually inconsistent, but this is much better than expected."
"Indeed, the texture is delicate, and the flavors are so refined. This is truly a masterpiece."
"Why isn't this restaurant more famous? The food is amazing."
Given Sonoka's skill, she could have easily found a place in the high-end culinary world, but her passive personality had allowed her own staff to take control. Fabre's frequent unauthorised changes to the recipes caused inconsistency in the dishes, leading to negative reviews and damaging the restaurant's reputation.
For Sonoka, it was the first time she had seen her restaurant's food so highly praised. Her heart filled with joy and gratitude toward Sui, convinced that he was the reason for the restaurant's newfound success.
"The new intern is really impressive."
"Yeah, since he came, the restaurant has transformed. He seems perfect for the role of deputy chef."
"He's so young but already more skilled than the head chef!"
The chefs and waitstaff began to look at Sui with a newfound respect. Initially, they were skeptical of his promotion to deputy chef, but now they could see the drastic improvement in the restaurant's standing.
In fact, the only time the restaurant had seen this much success was when it first opened, six months ago.
This revitalization motivated the staff, knowing that as the restaurant's reputation improved, so too would their fortunes.
"You did well this afternoon. Keep it up," Sui said to Fabre.
Fabre's expression soured. Sui had changed the entire dynamic of the restaurant in a single day, and it made Fabre feel humiliated.
By evening, the restaurant saw even more customers than it had at lunch—many of them returning guests.
At this rate, Sui knew it wouldn't be long before Shunkatei turned a profit and found its way back to success.
"Sui-kun, today's success is all thanks to you. Business is much better than usual, and the feedback from customers has been overwhelmingly positive," Sonoka said at closing time, bowing deeply to Sui with a grateful smile.
As she bent over, her chest swayed again.
Sui smiled. "I'm just doing my job as an intern—to make my mark in the restaurant."
"I'm really going to rely on you from now on, Sui-kun," Sonoka said softly.
"By the way… about where I'll be staying tonight…" Sui hesitated for a moment, unsure how to bring it up.
Sonoka froze for a second, her face instantly paling. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stammered, "I—I completely forgot to arrange your accommodations! I'm so sorry, Sui-kun!"
She bowed repeatedly, her expression filled with panic and guilt. "I'm really, really sorry!"
Sui was speechless for a moment. It was her first time hosting an intern, so he couldn't blame her for the oversight.
"It's fine. I'll find somewhere to stay on my own," Sui reassured her.
"No! Please let me reimburse you for your hotel tomorrow. I feel terrible about this," Sonoka pleaded, her face flushed with embarrassment. "You've helped me so much today, and I even forgot something so basic!"
"It's okay, really," Sui said, trying to calm her down as she looked on the verge of tears.
Afterward, Sui took his luggage and left Shunkatei, heading for a nearby hotel where he had stayed before. It was close to the restaurant and had a pleasant atmosphere.
However, the room he had previously stayed in was now occupied, so he opted for the room across the hall, which had been Megumi's.
To his surprise, as he approached the room, someone stepped out of the room opposite his.
It was Hinako.
"Hinako-senpai?" Sui asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Hinako, equally startled to see Sui, turned bright red and stammered, "S-Sui-kun, why are you here?"
Does he know what I've been up to? If so, how can I ever show my face again!?
Seeing Hinako's panicked, blushing face, Sui was puzzled.
"Oh, I'm interning at a restaurant nearby, so I'll be staying here for a while," Sui explained.
"Is that so…" Hinako let out a huge sigh of relief. It was just a coincidence.
So… he doesn't know anything about my situation after all.
Sui was nowhere to be seen all day, and for some reason, Hinako felt an emptiness within her, accompanied by a sense of loss.
Although she wanted to call and ask where Sui was interning, she hesitated. The significant age difference between them made her worry that people might gossip, especially since Sui was already close with Megumi.
After debating with herself for a long time, Hinako decided to go and sit in the area near Sui's residence. She didn't fully understand her feelings or what this decision truly meant, as she had little experience with love.
Now nearly thirty, Hinako's life largely revolved around managing her restaurant, Kirinoya. Having spent so much time alone, it wasn't difficult for her to develop feelings for a remarkable man. And Sui—bright, young, and full of life—had suddenly entered her world, effortlessly capturing her heart with just a small opportunity.
Moreover, Sui reminded her of the young Kojiro Shinomiya, someone she had admired in the past—handsome, vigorous, and confident. Back in her school days, she had harbored a vague crush on Shinomiya, as many girls do. However, their relationship had never gone beyond the realm of classmates.
After graduation, Shinomiya had moved to France, and although they still kept in touch from time to time, their connection remained purely platonic. When they did meet, the dynamic was more akin to that of a sister doting on her younger brother.
But with Sui, it was different. The feelings she had for him were unfamiliar—both frightening and exhilarating at the same time.
"By the way, Senpai, what brings you here?" Sui suddenly asked.
"Eh? Well…"
Hinako's face turned bright red. How could she possibly admit that she had come just to be near where he lived?
"I thought there might be other interns, so I wanted to make sure there were enough rooms prepared."
"Oh, I see," Sui replied without giving it much thought.
"Would you like to come in and sit for a while?" he asked.
Hinako hesitated briefly, then nodded. "Thank you. I'll take you up on that."
Inside the room, Hinako sat on the sofa, feeling a bit uneasy. This was her first time in a young man's room, after all.
"By the way, Sui-kun, where are you interning now?" she asked, recalling the question she'd wanted to ask earlier.
"I'm working at Shunkatei," Sui answered.
"Oh, Sonoka's restaurant. I've heard it hasn't had the best reputation lately. She's a talented chef, but her personality doesn't seem well-suited for managing a business, does it?" Hinako remarked.
"Yeah, she's too kind and gentle. It makes her an easy target for others to take advantage of," Sui agreed.
"Sui-kun, please keep supporting her. When I first opened Kirinoya, I faced similar challenges," Hinako said with confidence in Sui's abilities, certain that with his help, Sonoka's restaurant would thrive.
"Of course," Sui replied with a smile, remembering how Hinako had opened Kirinoya right after graduation. She used to cry frequently back in school, and he imagined the early days of running the restaurant must have been tough for her.
As the conversation flowed, Hinako gradually relaxed, and they began chatting as comfortably as they did back at Kirinoya.
"By the way, Senpai, I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you yesterday," Sui said sheepishly, suddenly remembering.
"Hmph! You're such a troublemaker. Do you know how much hassle you caused?" Hinako teased, pretending to be upset. "You did something outrageous!"
Despite her words, there was no anger in her expression—if anything, she seemed amused.
They continued talking, and before long, it was almost midnight. Hinako finally stood up to leave.
Sui walked her out of the hotel. "Thank you for visiting, Senpai."
"It's nothing. Please keep working hard, and good luck with everything," she said, smiling warmly.
Standing on her tiptoes, she gently patted his head in a sisterly gesture of affection.
Sui, enjoying the conversation, asked, "Senpai, could you drop by more often? I enjoy chatting with you."
Hinako was taken aback but quickly smiled and replied, "Of course."
---
The next day, Shunkatei welcomed even more customers than the previous day, and many were repeat visitors.
"It's incredible. The restaurant's doing better and better, all thanks to you, Sui-kun," Sonoka said gratefully, watching as her restaurant's fortunes improved. She couldn't help but feel deeply appreciative of Sui's contributions.
The other chefs also regarded Sui with newfound respect and enthusiasm, inspired by the restaurant's turnaround.
Fabre, on the other hand, wasn't pleased. He had assumed that Sui, an intern, would struggle with the responsibilities of a deputy chef and eventually fail. However, Sui had proven him wrong. He was adept at every aspect of Western cuisine, from ingredient preparation to back-kitchen management.
Furthermore, the restaurant's food had earned high praise from customers, and business was booming. Though Fabre found it hard to accept, there was little he could do.
In his spare time, Sui continued learning Western cuisine from Sonoka. While eastern cuisine remained his strongest skill, he was rapidly improving in other areas under Sonoka's tutelage. Her expertise, particularly as last year's runner-up, made her a valuable teacher.
Sonoka, impressed by Sui's dedication and quick learning, shared her knowledge openly, helping him master the intricacies of Western cuisine. Sui's progress was so remarkable that even Sonoka herself was amazed by his natural talent and ability to absorb new techniques quickly.
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