Within the bustle of the crowd and the clamour of the busy streets, the people are on about with the noises as it choruses in a messy cacophony. Street peddlers lay beside establishments to make a living while the rushing office workers take a swing nearby to fill their hungry bellies.
There was never a lack of restaurants and hotels that spread across the city. It towered one after another that crossing the streets would bring about the fragrant, mouth-watering smell of food meticulously crafted by chefs. And in the world of gourmet, a flavour-packed aroma topped with a dish to serve the stomach, dazzles almost anyone else to submission. This skill that is only mastered by a few and craved by many, unfortunately fell into the hands of a washed-up chef.
Going far from the rumpus is an alley between two high-rise buildings that is so barren you could see dust rolling with the wind. At the end of the alleyway when you turn left, there stands an ashen restaurant with an eerie ceiling light that flickers on and off. An ominous sign hung above it with letters boldly written in red as 'THREE TREASURES RESTAURANT'.
Silence engulfed the place. Only the ticking of the clock and the buzzing of a fly that flapped around with its tiny wings resounded. It went on for minutes that she had to slam her hands on the table to break the silence.
Bam!
"I shouldn't have taken the offer!" Suddenly, a young woman pulled a stool from the restaurant and begrudgingly dragged it outside. She sat down basking under the heat of the morning sun with a finger stuck up on her nose, reminiscing of the good times she had cooked for others.
This young woman is Elaine Figren who was once a hopeful chef. She dreamed of topping the gourmet industry with her cooking but hopeful as she was, her business has never gone smoothly. She may have been a culinary student of the renowned Chefs Scholastica Academy but her horrible business aptitude dragged her down from the spectrum.
She was offered by a salesman to rent a store on the alleyway just right when she was starting her culinary business, but it led to her current situation of piling debts to pay for its rent. The salesman was a con and now he is pressuring her to pay for the money she has yet to give, but how would she be able to pay for the rent when the shop has been so desolate? Elaine wished nothing more than to send a punch flying towards the salesman if she ever met him.
"Screw it! Screw it!" Elaine scratched her head in frustration, blankly staring into the blue canvas that spread over the horizon. It has been over three months since she opened the restaurant but not a single customer has gone by. Though, there was a cat that bummed off meals whenever she tried to make one and it would always leave with a bulging belly and a satisfied smile.
She had no idea where the cat came from but like a flash, it would scratch the door of the restaurant whenever she finished cooking food for herself. This happened several times that it became a habit for Elaine to feed the cat. Often at 10 o' clock in the morning, Elaine and the cat lounged together inside of the restaurant to eat their breakfast. She would leave a portion of the cat's food on a corner while Elaine would delightfully take hers behind the kitchen counter.
Tick. Tock. Any moment by now.
"Meow!" yelled the cat as it wiggled its tail and walked towards Elaine with a daunting stride. It rubbed its head on Elaine's leg that she couldn't help but to notice it. She reached her hands out and the cat leaned closer to her palms. This put a smile across Elaine's previously miserable face.
"Alright, alright, little guy. I heard you. Let me just hop over this chair and prepare our meal for today." Elaine stood up and stretched her arms. She looked at the dilapidated state of the restaurant in front of her and with a sigh, she muttered, "It's always just you and me in this godforsaken place, little guy."
She hobbled back inside, dragging the stool that creaked along the steps she made. Despite the outside of the restaurant looking like someone had tried to demolish it, Elaine still felt that the neat and clean interior of the store makes up for it. There was a small bonsai plant that sat beside the cashier's front. The glass windows were all opened and bright and a painting of a cherry blossom hung on the right wall.
She placed the wooden stool into an empty spot around the only circular table that was in the middle of the restaurant, then she made her way towards the kitchen.
Elaine swiftly put an apron on and tied her hair into a bun. She looked at the mirror that was strewn at the corner of the counter top and a narcissistic smug crept on her face. She nodded her head in satisfaction about her look and said, "Yes, yes. I look good in this!" Then she began to bustle around.
First, she opened the cabinet drawers and the clinking of metal tools could be heard. One after another, a plate of salt, black pepper, butter, and allspice lined next to each other. Elaine looked over the kitchen counter and spotted the grey cat licking her paws at the top of a chair nearby. Seeing this, she shook her head and chuckled.
"Just give me five minutes, dear customer. Your dish would be served in no time!" Elaine said. The kitchen knife in her hand moved to mince an onion finely. In a non-stick skillet, she added the diced onion and half a butter to sauté. Elaine tasted the sautéed onion and when it was up to her liking, she removed it from the pan, poured it on a bowl and let it cool.
Elaine waited for a minute before adding the beef and pork and other ingredients for the meat mixture. She blended it, rolled it into a ball, and fried the meatballs on the leftover butter until golden brown. The wafting aroma of meat and butter lingered around the restaurant that the cat from earlier went near to the bottom of her feet. It stayed in there, patiently waiting for his turn to take a bite.
Elaine took notice of this but she paid the cat no mind. Whenever she cooks, Elaine would be too engrossed with it like a painter drawing a masterpiece on a canvas of his own. She placed the cooked meatballs on a plate with a paper towel to cool. Then she was off to making the cream gravy. Elaine moved around the kitchen full with vigour on creating a delightful dish and when she was able to finish it, she used her arm to wipe the beads of sweat from her forehead.
"And..." Elaine clapped her hands twice and said, "bon appetit! A simple version of Köttbullar's the dish for today." She held a plate of the crispy brown meatballs with the creamy gravy that blanketed themselves on top of the meat. The morning ray shone through the plate, adding to the sheen glow of the meatballs coated in gravy.
She took a small plate and placed a portion of the meatballs for the cat to eat. Elaine moved from the kitchen and the cat followed her suite. She laid the plate down under the cherry blossom painting before stretching her hands to rub over the grey cat's silk-like fur.
"I'll make sure to feed you well, little fat lord." Elaine teased the cat before standing up. She was about to go back into the kitchen but just when she took a step, Elaine heard a knock coming from outside. This made her jolt on the spot, her body shaken from a sudden surprise. From the glass window, Elaine saw a beautiful young woman with her black hair tied in a ponytail. She was dressed in a similar fashion of the highschoolers down the street, past Melbourne's Road.
"Wow! I didn't know that there's a restaurant just around this alleyway." Elaine heard her mutter while the young woman paced around with curiosity. She tapped on the glass window and took notice of Elaine who was rooted on the wooden floor. "Ah! Someone's inside!" Without hesitation, the young woman took a stride forward and opened the restaurant's door to head inside.
This was the first time that Elaine encountered someone on the barren alleyway aside from the cat that she started to befriend. After three whole months, there was actually someone who wandered around these desolate parts of the city. Elaine's heart thumped and she was left with no words to speak.
"Hello?" The young woman called and it took Elaine back from being stupefied. "Ah, ow!" Elaine hit her hip on the side table and the chairs that were scattered about had nearly made her trip. Her foot hit the edge of a stool and she had to hop around in pain towards the cashier's front. It became an arduous task for her to make her way out of being rooted but when she was finally able to arrive behind the counter, Elaine plastered an eager smile on her face. If it weren't for the twitching of the side of her lips, one could be fooled that she was not harmed at all.
"Why, hello ma'am. Welcome, ah!" She tried to hold her toe down, "to the Three Treasures Restaurant. Mother— this thing hurts." Elaine skipped while holding her right hip. "On... On the table is a menu for you to look at. Please take your time and choose a meal you'll certainly love."
"Uh-huh." The young woman nodded her head with a face full of hesitance. Her eyebrows creased and her face contorted. She just saw the magnificent display of Elaine's clumsiness that made her think twice if she should really dine in.
"I... uh, are you okay?" She cleared her throat and asked.
"I certainly am!" Elaine lied as she breathed.
"Please take your time choosing a meal."