The restraunt's new amenities

Rebelle smirked as she finished tasting Benihime's dish.

"Well what do you know, it barely passes the minimum standard set by the Tabemono alumna association. You may now be considered as a candidate to become the next headmaster of Tabemono Gakuin," Rebelle sneered.

"Did you expect any other result?" Benihime huffed.

"If the committee deems you worthy, you'll advance to the top 100 in late July. There, you'll need to pass a written test and a cooking test to be considered for the next stage in August. There, the top 50 will display their culinary skill before a judging panel. Top 10 will advance to the final stage that will occur in mid September. There, if you made it, you'll be engage in series of cook offs against the others."

"It seems I will be busy training then."

"Speaking of training, I should check on the gym that just opened up," Rika thought.

                                                                                  ...

On the second level, an outdoor pool and nice indoor gym had been renovated next to the restaurant's second floor seating.

"There's even a pool. Perfect. Now we can have poolside seating and swimming," Rika giggled as she went into the gym.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAH!!"

The Kuramori's were naturally giving the machines a workout, with the exception of poor Emeri who was slumped over on a bench. Her hoodie was down, exposing her now smooth shiny bald head.

"What's with the chrome dome?" Rika asked.

"Swim season, UGH!" Emeri groaned as she covered her shiny bald head with her hood.

"Going bald makes ya swim faster," Eika chuckled.

"But I look like a freak! I hate getting laughed at, especially when I come in last too! UGH!"

"It'll grow back along with your eyebrows once swim season's done."

"Yeah, and by the time it grows back, it'll be swim season again and I'll be kicking and screaming again as I'm shaved again!"

"Ya could just wax and laser it all off like I did," Koki grinned.

"HELL NO!" Emeri shouted as she attempted to storm out, but was too tired to do so.

Rika sighed and decided to save the poor damsel in distress.

                                                                            ...

"Why are you carrying me like a princess?" Emeri groaned as her face went red.

"Most efficient way. You don't look that bad bald either," Rika replied.

"It gets 10x worse at school. My parents shave me down to the follicle on the delusion that I'll somehow get faster; then when I flop into the pool, I get a distant last and everyone laughs at me. Worst of all its shave, flop, repeat until swim season's over. But my hair takes FOREVER to grow back! And when it does, I'm tied up and shaved bald again for swim season. I hate swim season, SO MUCH!"

"You're more the esports athlete right?"

"Hmm, guess in a sense. Though I don't really play any of the major esports games, nor do I have friends to team up with."

"Well, since you don't seem to enjoy those new amenities, how bout this one instead?"

Rika opened the door to the arcade section that had been renovated.

"Even got a laser tag section..." Rika trailed off as she noticed Larry Maxwell and Von Sigmund running into said area.

"Er, we got arcades THIS way," Rika nervously smiled as she headed in a different direction.

She then plopped Emeri down on a motorcycle arcade game.

"Wanna race?" Rika asked as she hopped on the one next to her.

"Game," Emeri replied.

                                                                              ...

"Rika, you've been gone for hours," Masaru glared.

"I- er, got invested," Rika nervously laughed as Masaru dragged her away from the arcade machine.

"Guess that's it. I'm not sore anymore," Emeri smiled as she hopped off and looked at her phone.

"Whacha lookin at?"

"Motorcycles. I think I found a new hobby," Emeri grinned as her eyes lit up.

"Glad you did. Just watch out for the two old guys messing around in the laser tag arena."

"Already took care of em," Waki grumbled as she dragged a sleeping Larry Maxwell out.

"And the other?"

"Got away," Mimi angrily smiled as she emerged covered in soot.

"Seems we'll have to have a staff meeting regarding the arcade," Masaru growled.

"Second!!" Waki and Mimi chimed.

                                                                            ...

"Mmph ngh," Rika grumbled as she sat bound and gagged wearing a bald wig while the staff meeting began.

"We don't need the laser tag arena becoming a war zone between spies. It was built for our patrons, but I don't want to have to stand guard all the time. Just look at what happened to me!" Mimi argued as she pointed at her soot covered face and hair.

"I also don't want the staff to be fooling around in the arcade while on the clock, nor being forced to deal with rowdy trouble makers," Masaru stated.

"Maybe we could put a deterrent like a scarecrow or a no spy fights allowed sign," Zuina suggested.

"A bouncer or guard could deal with the trouble makers, but it might scare customers away," Itsuki sighed.

"Zuina's plan... might work," Mimi groaned.

                                                                             ...

"Oh, well that's a shame," Larry sighed as he looked at the sign on the arcade.

"Vats Vrong Maxvell?" Von Sigmund asked as he lowered his gun.

"It says "fights among spies STRICTLY PROHIBITED!" in bold."

"Vell guess ve go elsevere."

"That we do," Larry stated as Von Sigmund began firing at him again.

"I can't believe that worked," Rika groaned.

"Now for the second order of business," Masaru glared.

"Yes sir," Rika moaned.

Rika was forced to do unpaid overtime for all the hours she spend in the arcade.

The next day...

"So who are you?" Rika asked as she stared at a girl in a motorcycle helmet.

"Me," Emeri replied.

"So I guess this replaces the hoodie?"

"Yeah. Easier to talk with strangers with this on too. Can't wear it at school though."

"Speaking of which, you've gotten a lot more comfortable speaking with me."

"Guess I have. You've been registered as friendly so I can talk more easily with you."

"Glad to hear that," Rika smiled.