Sui glanced up to see the class leader, Yuzuki, standing by his desk.
"Sui, are you going to work today? If so, you can come with me," she said.
"Yes," Sui replied. He didn't have plans for the evening, so earning some extra money seemed like a good idea.
"Ah, are you going to work too, leader?" Luna asked, surprised.
Everyone knew Yuzuki came from a wealthy family, so her working part-time seemed odd.
Seeing Luna's curiosity, Yuzuki explained, "I want to become an excellent chef, so I'm training myself."
"Alright then, let's go together," Sui nodded and then turned to Luna, apologizing, "Sorry Luna, I won't be able to go home with you today."
Though a bit disappointed, Luna smiled understandingly, "It's okay, Sui. Go ahead and do your thing."
The three walked to the school gate together, where Luna waved goodbye. "See you tomorrow, Sui!"
"See you!" Sui waved back with a grin.
As Sui and Yuzuki walked side by side past the school gate, their fellow students cast surprised glances. Yuzuki was well-known as one of the school's beauties, and seeing her with a boy caused quite a stir.
"Isn't that Yuzuki? Who's the guy with her?" whispered a nearby student.
"I heard he's a classmate of hers. Apparently, he cooked an amazing dish in class today and was invited by the manager of Kagura Sakaya," another student responded.
"No way! That's impressive," a third chimed in.
Sui remained calm despite the murmurs, but Yuzuki's cheeks flushed lightly.
"Just ignore them," Sui advised.
"Okay," she replied softly. After a brief pause, she asked, "I heard you and Luna have known each other since childhood?"
"Yeah, we've been in the same class since kindergarten," Sui answered, a fond smile appearing as he thought of his round-faced, cheerful friend.
"That's really enviable," Yuzuki remarked with a sigh.
Soon after, the pair arrived at Kagura Sakaya, a quiet establishment nestled in a bustling part of the city, surrounded by trees. Its interior felt more like a cozy café than a typical restaurant, with elegant decor.
This was Sui's first time visiting such a high-end restaurant, and he couldn't help but admire the place. The moment they stepped inside, a waiter familiar with Yuzuki greeted them.
"Miss Yuzuki, here to work again?" the waiter asked politely.
She nodded, and the waiter turned his attention to Sui. "Is this your classmate?"
"Yes, he was invited by the manager to intern here," she explained.
The waiter looked at Sui with a newfound respect. To be invited for an internship at such a young age was a sign of great potential.
"Sui, glad to see you!" a voice called out. It was Manager Mita, who had just emerged from the restaurant's lounge. His eyes sparkled with enthusiasm when he spotted Sui.
"So, you're planning to work here tonight?"
"Yes," Sui nodded.
"Great! I'll settle your pay after we close," Mita said with a smile.
"Thank you," Sui replied sincerely.
After that, Sui followed Yuzuki to the kitchen. It was spacious and spotlessly clean, unlike the backrooms of most restaurants, where grime often gathered. Several chefs were already busy with their tasks.
"Oh, Yuzuki! Here for your internship again?" a curvaceous chef with burgundy hair and a fiery aura greeted Yuzuki.
"Yes, Sister Sakai," Yuzuki responded politely.
Sakai then turned her gaze to Sui, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Is this handsome guy your boyfriend, Yuzuki?" she teased.
Yuzuki, blushing slightly, quickly clarified, "No, he's just my classmate. He's also interning as a chef here starting today."
The chefs in the kitchen stopped what they were doing, intrigued by the new face.
"Hey, Yuzuki, do you have any students in your class as skilled as you?" asked a tall, middle-aged man with curly blond hair, his tone laced with surprise.
"Yes, senior Alpho. Sui is incredibly talented," Yuzuki nodded in response.
"Oh? Even better than you, Yuzuki? How come I haven't heard of him before?" Another chef chimed in—a stocky, middle-aged man dressed in a traditional Japanese chef's outfit with a headscarf, his voice filled with curiosity.
Everyone in the kitchen had assumed Yuzuki was the top student in her class. No one expected there to be someone of her caliber.
"No matter how good he is, he's just a student with no real experience. He can start by washing the dishes," Alpho said dismissively.
As a chef with over 20 years of experience, Alpho naturally looked down on rookies, especially those fresh out of school with little practical knowledge. A few other chefs exchanged looks of mild contempt, clearly doubting Sui's abilities.
"Alpho, don't be like that. The kid is pretty handsome, isn't he?" Miss Sakai teased, brushing her hand across Sui's cheek before blowing playfully into his face.
The sudden warmth of her breath and the proximity of her figure made Sui reflexively swallow, but he quickly regained his composure. Deep down, he preferred the more challenging, tsundere type.
"Don't feel bad, little one. I started out just like you—washing dishes," Miss Sakai added, giving Sui's shoulder a reassuring pat.
Sui nodded, fully aware that in most restaurants, especially high-end establishments, newcomers were expected to do the menial tasks. It was a long road to becoming a chef and creating dishes on their own.
He remembered how the top students at Tōtsuki, even those from wealthy backgrounds, began their internships by washing dishes and mopping floors. Those were the same prodigies from Japan's No. 1 Cooking School.
Even Erina, the proudest of them all, had been assigned to dishwashing duties during her internship. Of course, being the headstrong person she was, Erina had refused to follow the rules and ended up taking control of the kitchen within just three days.
At that moment, Manager Mita walked in and addressed Sui, "Sui, what type of cuisine are you most proficient in? I'll add it to the menu later."