Rika and Masaru

A young man with short gray hair sighed as he watched his customers eat. "They lack the palette to truly appreciate the food," he glared.

"Come on, you should know like a majority of the world's population aren't gourmet food critics. They just want a good bite to eat. Besides, they're gobbling up your dish with big smiles on their faces," an orange-haired woman smirked.

"Rika, you know that dish is best eaten at a slower pace."

"Yeah, but people can eat how they want. Stop thinking about Makihara's words."

"But he is the center of the culinary world."

"Yeah, and you were shown that not everyone agrees with him when you lost that cook-off to me."

"Don't remind me. It was humiliating to lose to that mochi dish you concocted."

"You know you could be a little nicer instead of trying to copy that ass Makihara."

"I'm proud to copy him."

The two chefs bickering were Masaru Ryono and Rika Komachi. They were a pair of 19-year-old chefs that had graduated from Japan's most elite cooking college, Tabemono Gakuin, a few weeks prior. Masaru had graduated as the top student of the class of 2016, while Rika had graduated second, however, both were world-class chefs. Masaru was dedicated to his craft and was completely serious when it came to food and culinary matters while Rika was more playful and carefree.

Today, they were celebrating the grand opening of their restaurant, Ryokoma. The restaurant was renovated from the ruins of an abandoned mall, but currently only consisted of a single floor large dining room complete with luxury seating, cooking stations, and even a nice stage for performances in addition to the kitchen. That said, more renovations such as a second floor were in the plans.

"You should pay more attention to me," Rika pouted as she pressed her breasts against Masaru's arm.

"RI- RIKA WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Masaru stuttered as he became redder than a tomato.

"You were scaring the customers with your glare," Rika smirked.

Masaru broke free and immediately retreated to the kitchen.

"Sorry, he's just a little shy around people," Rika smiled.

While Masaru was one of the most serious and skilled chefs, his social skills were not the greatest. Rika on the other hand was more outgoing and good with people, but a bit more eccentric.

Rika then retreated to the kitchen to find Masaru calming himself at his workstation. "Rika, you didn't need to do that," Masaru grumbled as he intently prepared a dish.

"If the chef is scowling at the customers, no one’s gonna wanna eat here no matter how good the food is," Rika teased.

"Ugh, I communicate via food. Now prepare the Asiago shrimp bisque for table 7."

...

"And here's your Asiago," Rika smiled as she served the dish to a customer.

"This is good," the customer nodded as he ate.

"Want me to add some spice to make it even better?"

"I guess. Couldn't hurt."

Rika happily pulled out some spice and sprinkled it into the dish. "Just mix it around then give it a taste."

"...! THIS IS AMAZING! How did the flavor become so much better with just a little spice?" the customer beamed.

"Well, I can give you the complex sciencey answer or just leave it at your taste buds loved the mix of spice I added to the dish," Rika smiled as she walked back to the kitchen.

...

As the closing hour grew closer, Masaru began to close the restaurant as the last few customers finished their meals and left. 

"We're still open for 5 more minutes," Rika pouted.

"And you think anyone is going to come in the next 5 minutes?" Masaru retorted.

Suddenly a group of delinquents burst through the doors. "We're hungry give us some take out!" one sneered.

"What you want boys?" Rika asked.

"Oh, we'll take YOU sexy," another delinquent cooed.

"Sorry, not on the menu boys," Rika smiled as she skillfully twirled a cooking knife in her hand.

"Heh heh, just remembered we don't have enough money for this place, let's scram," the leader nervously chuckled as he dragged his buddies away.

"And you complained about ME scaring the customers," Masaru glared.

"Nah, that was just me showing off. After all, tomorrow I'm gonna start cooking the food live in front of people," Rika smiled.

"Please just cook. Don't do any weird acrobatics that would disgrace the meal."

"Boo! People enjoy the knife flips!"

"What about me? I'm going to be alone cooking and serving while you throw knives everywhere!"

"Seriously? Where is your mind coming up with that stuff? Heck there were plenty of folks back at Tabemono Gakuin that did performance cooking. It was even a class."

"That Makihara-sama rightfully deemed unnecessary and abolished."

"Wish you weren't such a gourmet elitest. The world doesn't revolve around eating and appreciating gourmet food 24/7."

...

Once the restaurant was properly closed, Rika quickly changed into casual attire before heading out. "See you tomorrow. I'm off to swing by 5-22," she smiled.

"Wait Rika, you barely even cleaned. Ugh, I guess I'll lock the door and clean on my own," Masaru grumbled.

Paying him no heed, Rika skipped down the street until she arrived at a convenience store. She then entered and moseyed up to the green-haired girl at the register.

"Ugh, I was hoping you wouldn’t show up, er Welcome to 5-22,” the girl groaned.

"Oh, hey Matcha, how's the 5-22 gig going?" Rika asked.

"Lousy. I wish I could cook again, but thanks to that damn cooking school, working in a convenience store is the closest I'll ever get to a culinary profession."

"Wanna work for us? We're short on hands."

"Like I'd work for you two. Thanks to your boyfriend and his Makihara fanatics at Tabemono Gakuin, I was expelled and blacklisted from the culinary world."

"But I beat them in a big cook-off and now Makihara's forced to allow those that don't agree with his gourmet elitist ideology to pass."

"Yeah, but I was unfairly expelled long before that!"

"Hey, you lost fair and square to Masaru."

"Like it was fair having an average chef like me compete against an elite like him just to pass a test!"

"And that's why I'm saying the victor gets the spoils. I beat Masaru, who beat you. So wanna work for us?"

"NO! Even if I wanted to, I can't because of the blacklist. Besides, Masaru wouldn't let me so much as window gaze. You know how he treats those that get expelled. Why do you even flirt with an ass like that?"

"He's just sheltered. I figure the restaurant will truly help him improve his social skills and ease up on his gourmet elitism," Rika stated as she grabbed some snacks.

"You were head of the rebel faction, but you still flirted with him even then. Why? What do you see in an ass like that?"

"Hi-mi-tsu," Rika smirked.

"Whatever, just pay and leave."

...

As Rika walked home, she was surrounded by the three delinquents from before. "Not on duty now, how about you give us our takeout," one sneered.

"Want me to whip something up? Sure, I got ingredients," Rika smirked.

"Huh?"

Rika grabbed the food she bought and turned it into a meal in minutes. "Fish n chips, though more like nagiri on chips with a little mayo and rice," she smiled as the three tried it.

"It's... It's... AMAZING!" one cried.

"Please marry me and cook for me every day!" another cooed.

"Sorry but I’ll pass on that. Though now we square?" Rika asked.

The leader of the group scowled as he gobbled down his portion. "You idiots! We're supposed to kidnap her!" he growled as he threw his meal to the ground.

"But boss, the food is too good!" one of his men pleaded.

"Yeah, let her leave," the other pleaded.

The leader glared before pulling out a knife and slitting the throats of his men in seconds. 

"Oi, what was that for? They were enjoying a meal," Rika glared. 

"No one should enjoy a meal from you! Korosekai... your little charade is over," the leader glared back. 

"Why so bold? I thought I spooked you back at the restaurant." 

"That's because you were twirlin around a sharp kitchen knife, now you don't have it!" the leader grinned as he inched closer. 

"And you're saying that knowing who I am... What a shame, but I hope you enjoyed your last supper." 

"Huh?"

Before the leader could react, Rika vanished. Blood immediately spewed out of the leader's neck before he fell to the ground and died seconds later. Rika didn't even look back as she shook the blood off her knife and walked away.

Rika Komachi was an elite chef. However, unbeknownst to many, she was also an ex-assassin known as Hitokiri cutlet, hailing from a family of assassins known as the Korosekai family. Rika was easily one of the most talented killers from it, however, she didn't enjoy killing and following the orders of the higher-ups and eventually, managed to find an out.

Convincing her father to let her attend cooking school under the guise of improving her assassination skills, and getting close to and kill high profile targets that might eat her food, Rika soon found herself enrolled at Tabemono Gakuin. It was there that Rika met Masaru and discovered her natural talent for cooking as well as feelings for him. Thus, she truly resolved then and there to win over his heart and abandon her bloody past. However,  the past wasn't quite ready to leave Rika. 

"Damn shame. His men looked like they were won over, but he just had to be ruthless... Just hope Masaru doesn't suspect anything. I couldn't bear to have him reject me," Rika thought as she vanished from sight.

...

As Rika arrived at Ryokoma the next day, she was confronted by an angry Masaru. "I had to do all the cleaning last night. I'm also not keen on you using our establishment to disgrace cooking with acrobatics," he glared.

"Why? I think more people would enjoy a live cooking performance," Rika smirked.

"Why are you so adamant about being with me? The only reason I agreed to open a restaurant with you was because it was my punishment for losing the big cook-off to you," Masaru sighed.

"Because I love you Masaru. You were the first guy to appreciate my skills as a chef. That's why I want you to get a better view of the world so you can be a little happier and nicer. Following Makihara will only get you scorn and resentment. Don't worry, I'll stay by your side," Rika smiled as she kissed Masaru on the cheek.

Masaru went red and freaked out as he fell to the floor. "RI-RI-RI-RI- KISS!?" he stuttered before passing out from shock.