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.