085 – Step Up (2)

Is it just me, or am I actually getting a few suspicious stares from Rena?

Today marks the fourth day of WT for the students we are taking care of for this year, and it's really not that surprising to see me become quite considerate to the two students that pulled a minute trouble and suspended them indefinitely which is now lifted. Rena and Rin are placed by the rotation to deskwork to give way to Kae and Yamaha who I've deprived with rights in the kitchen; and whenever the former two meets me somewhere in the back of the restaurant, I can see from the corner of my eye that Rena tends to wear a confused look in her face.

I can at least make an assumption that her gazes are being directed to Rin most of the time, and at me very seldom. I may have solved some outrageous things by working the muscles of my rather observant eyes, but that does not mean that I am exempt to plenty idiocy and times where I am left really dense in my head. And yes, I actually don't know what the reason for Rena’s somewhat cringed reactions is.

▪ ▪ ▪

Yesterday.

It was rather noisy in the Akanami house, but I did not bother trying to interpret what measly noise my ear can catch from this distance. I thought that I really should not mind every little thing around me, so I just continued on hand washing my clothes on the back of my yard. Imagine that this is what I actually do in my day off right after I got home from school. Still, it is quite difficult to dry your clothes out since the air is still very cold. Actually, I have been going through more than half of them and my hands are starting to freeze now. Why did I decide to do my laundry outside again?

Sorry, my househusband (not) lamentation just let out.

But since it's a very bright day today, and the sun is still shining fine and all even at 4 in the afternoon, I decided to dry out the garments on the veranda of my bedroom and use that as an excuse to waste time and look at the view that I can see whatever it is.

And well, the view that I saw from down below the street was Rin walking with wide and quick steps as though going somewhere.

"Oh right… She didn't attend WT today since she had to accomplish her missed acads. Is she going to do overtime tomorrow?"

By overtime, I mean, that she will go to Giotto's early and time out at 5. We at the restaurant will be breaking regulations if we made them stay beyond 5.

It really is cold, so much that I made Haku climb on my lap upon sitting on a chair after hanging all my laundry. I was worried that the wind might catch my clothes away, but regardless, Haku's warmth made up with the cold and… we kind of fell asleep for more than an hour.

…

Unbeknownst to the, of course, sleeping Gin, Rin has come back from her walk carrying several plastic bags on her arms. She now stands just outside Gin's house, staring at the slumbering man on the house's veranda for at least a minute.

It was still quite a distance, but Rin was able to see that Gin was having a tad drool on the corner of his lip. It was obvious from her smug expression that she was thinking of some kind of a payback.

And for some reason, she was carrying an improvised blowgun in her pocket. Regardless of the heft held on her arms, she raised the blowgun to her lips and blew as hard as she can.

An interface saying "Head shot!" almost appeared in her vision upon seeing Gin falling from his chair while Haku, who Rin did not see, leaped away safely from the casualty.

He immediately shot back up and saw the girl standing just before his yard. Before he was even able to step inside, Rin was already making her way quickly inside the house with her spare key.

That was when Gin realized that the Akanamis are on dinner duty.

…

I immediately skipped the steps of my stairs and went down the first floor. By the time my toes landed on the floor, Rin was already taking out the contents of the bags which were raw ingredients.

"R-Rin-san… Are you going to make dinner here?"

She nodded, wordless.

I tried communicating with her several times, but she had immersed herself on all the cooking that she is doing that I was not able to hear a response… but from one.

"Can I lend you a hand?"

"Just a helping hand, please. I want to do most of them."

She was just cooking, but she bore a rather serious face when she replied.

"'She was just cooking…?'"

"Rin, are you…"

I was able to build an assumption of what may be Rin is doing apart from "just cooking". Before I even asked, I deliberately stopped and let out a long exhale on my nose while the corners of my lips arched up.

I placed my hand abruptly on her head, but I saw her slightly flushed cheeks and a subtle smile, perhaps as her response.

"I wish you success."

~ ~ ~

The dinner was finished and the table in Rin's household was already prepared upon our entrance. I nodded as a greeting to her parents and excused myself inside to help out on whatever she needed to be further prepared.

There was always a certain exhilaration and suspense while watching both our families in their first bite. It was always such a bliss to see their contentment, now knowing that the food that you made, or the one you helped to make turned out very successful once again. Finally, Rin's stern expression has been washed away from her face, and was replaced with joy.

We have been doing this large dinner once a week for more than two years now, and it will be extremely weird not to have chats and catching up with things or share anything that we want to share when the meal is slowly sinking in on our insides. But I am very ashamed that I have missed so many of the dinners because of how I was in my head.

Anyway, the tiny strange things resurfaced on my mind, and it just so happened that I was sitting next to Rin's father.

"Uncle, can I ask you something when I am obviously asking you right now?"

"That's a witty question, musuko."

"Thank you very much."

"Anyway, what is it?"

"Do you know why Rin suddenly up and made tonight's dinner in my kitchen?"

"Ahh… Do you mind what she did?"

"Nah, that's fine. I'm at least used to her using my kitchen by now."

"You sure you don't mean that in a different way, musuko?"

"Uncle Shuu, I am still 20 and I'm aware of what I'm saying right now."

"That aside… dear daughter volunteered to do the dinner for today and said that she wanted to do them in quiet. That's why she jumped in to your kitchen immediately after going back from the market."

"I see… did she tell you any other reason?"

"Only that."

"…"

"Well, even I think that there's a reason why she wants to cook in a quiet environment. But if she continues to do that, do we have your consent?"

"That goes without saying. She's free to use my kitchen."

"I give you my thanks.

…

Actually, musuko… you usually eat dinner on your own when you're not at work, right?"

"Y-Yeah…? Usually on my day off. I don't eat out a lot, though."

"If Ringo continues to use your kitchen, why don't you just join us for dinner at those times?"

"Ah… I don't really have anything against that and I'm happy to join you. But I will feel like I'm imposing a lot on you."

"Then musuko, remember how many times she has opened your door without notice."

"…

I guess that closes the argument…

But doesn't this feel like I'm courting you and Aunt Sumi to marriage for your daughter?"

"Heck no, kid."

And here I am carelessly talking about tying the knots again…

…And again.

Subsequent to the first time Rin used the full potential of my kitchen (excluding the contents of my fridge), the same thing was repeated for another four days in which Haku reports the times when Rin borrows whenever I am at work. And at the start of the week, I came home from work with a plate of food under a cling wrap on my dining table. That much was seen before I even opened the lights of my house, and upon illumination, I saw a note on top of the wrap.

"You have two new episodes of anime to watch today so eat this while you watch!" is what the note says before a drawing of an apple with a smol and cute face.

I froze up on my standstill, but my legs decided to fold to a kneel. My lips trembled as I tried to cover my face with my two hands, and my thoughts verbally leaked out.

"Apples, stop making me blush…"

…And again.

The days where the restaurant was accompanied by work training students have finally come to a close. With that, there were less careless people that I will be thinking of kicking out of the kitchen if need be, although I wonder what Jean is going to do now that he has successfully leaped over one of the greatest hurdles of our second year in SHS.

Meanwhile, I am idly lying prone on the couch in a Sunday morning while patching up my back and shoulders that had gone sore from all the work now that there are five less people in Giotto's crew again.

But as usual, a clink was sounding outside the front yard and the door opened with the loud unlocking of the knob. It was not even noon yet, but once again, Rin has come by with a few bags of grocery with her.

"Ojamashimasu~"

"Nice timing. I just sharpened all my knives."

"You mean… all of these?!" she pointed on a large bar of magnet situated on the wall with twelve knives stuck on it.

"I wish I have a belt sander."

"If you were Teardrop, you would be overusing it, but you're not him."

"Yeah… it was literally raining knives.

Anyway, what are you going to make?" I finally got up.

"How do you like your karaage?"

"No bones, all meat. I'll at least make the rice, mademoiselle."

"I guess the leftover from the wings can be used for a stock. Hmm?

Where's the apron that I was borrowing from you, Potato?"

"Never mind it. I got you a new one."

Now here I am standing dazedly in front of a girl that is wearing a pastel red apron with a print of a black cat on it which coincidentally looked like Sakamoto.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome.

…

Wait, Sakamoto talks too, right?"

"…

Are you talking about Nich*jou?"

"Meow. (We're similar, but we have our own caveats, Aruji.)"

"I guess there are some."

And then the cat came and went.

…

I wasn't even trying to conceal my actions at this point. I am literally resting my backside on top of the kitchen counter while I closely watch Rin cooking. She had returned exactly eight confused gazes at me until she was finally unable to get me out of her senses while cooking.

"You've been staring me for quite a while now."

"Yeah."

"…?"

"Say, you're doing all this in your preparation for CCI's admission, right?"

The question that I have been itching to ask for a few days has finally escaped my throat and was asked out loud.

"…Mhm."

"I have one extremely honest opinion that I really don't want to say since it might affect your preparation and that can potentially hurt you even if not so much, so I still would not rather say it."

"No. I want to hear it knowing the consequences."

"A-Are you sure?"

"I am."

"…

W-Well, you see… you've begun regularly cooking here in my kitchen regardless if I'm here or not for the purpose of getting in to CCI but…

…

I just can't take away the feeling that you actually look like [a] great wife…"

It already took me a few seconds of a pause just to utter those words. I was having a hesitation between my conflicting thoughts as my nerves refused to move my mouth. But my external voice managed to revise the statement of my inner voice—which originally says "my" instead of "a".

"It's really hard to tie your future thoughts when the circumstances somewhat go against you…"

I have been exchanging gazes from her unseen visage covered by her hair then to nothing back and forth for tens of times, but my lively eyes came to an abrupt halt after taking a very quick glance of her reddening ears. Still, she showed no signs of dropping or even stopping the ladle on her hand.

"H-Hey… umm…"

"…?"

"Apples, did that make her mad?"

"You see… I also have one extremely honest thing to say…"

Even if she wasn't looking, my eyes blinked with a curious look while I was still in a fluster. This time, I was the one who responded with silence.

"You and Dad… were too loud when you were drinking here…"

For a very short moment, I thought I was hearing myself because of how those words were delivered. I am a person very fond of omitting meanings and context with my vague words, and I wasn't even surprised that Rin was also able to talk like that now. But what is making my heart race is the fact that her ears picked up our serious discussions with the company of booze. What makes my embarrassment worse is that she knows for a fact that I have never succumbed to the great influence of alcohol, thus, she also knew that I am wide-awake at that time.

"Oh my… word…

…

Can we just set that aside for now…? I feel like my blood pressure's rising up…"

"S-Sure… The heat of the stove is making me sweat…

But still… it's a no…"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…!!!!!!!!"

It was then. I felt that it was the time I was put the closest to death… and it was from extreme embarrassment to top it all off.

▪ ▪ ▪

January 23.

The past few days were incredibly stressful for funny reasons that I think my hair is starting to white out.

Something definitely felt wrong in that statement, at least only for me.

I just got my hair trimmed very slightly as I noticed from my scalp that black hair is once again growing on my head. Such thing is still not subject to my own set of research as I am very sure that my hair returns to black with a sequence, hence at random.

And if you thought that things were still a little awkward for me and Rin, you definitely got that right. Nagi immediately noticed that something is weird, if not wrong. I just said that even I wasn't worried about it, and I can never tell him that I am set to proposing to Rin in a much later time. He will definitely go nuts and he might even break my neck if I told him now.

While Nagi has noticed our goof and floof, I also noticed a very minute detail. Jean is a very organized person, and I can easily support that statement after having seen his room that looked like an inventory that was sorted out over the top. Even if he's not the greatest in doing schedules, he can follow them especially when it comes to things after school, and yet he went home five minutes before club activities ended. But since there aren't many commissions in our backlog, we just decided to go with it and wrap up the day. But that also means that I will be able to go to work a tad early.

~ ~ ~

I swear that my hair will seriously turn white now.

I am sure that my eyes weren't playing fire with me when I just saw Jean enter from the back door of the restaurant wearing a maroon shirt with Giotto's logo on its right chest.

For such rare occasions, my head went overload and turned goof without floof.

"Hiro…"

"Haha. Is he going to ask about Jean?"

"Have I ever mentioned to you that I told your father-in-law that I've made up my mind to ask Rin's hand for marriage in a few years' time?"

"…

Can I shove this pestle into your mouth right now?"

"I am already aware that that will make your veins pop, Nii-san."

Unsuccessful Hiro may be in getting the pestle down to my throat, Jean however saw the great endeavor happening inside the kitchen upon his entrance while the other cooks mind their own business.

Standing in front of us, his eyes twitched with an amazingly disgusted face and spoke up.

"I-I was already expecting you to be surprised with this, sous chef… but I didn't think that you would go insane again…"

"Uhh… Can you say that again, but directing to head chef?"

"I didn't think you'd go-"

"At least don't get trolled by this idiot…!" Hiro screamed.

"Geez… Since when have you been employed here, Jean?"

"Just… yesterday."

"Goodness me…

We wasted too much time. I'll do Table 08 and you do Table 19. Let's do this in 11 minutes!"

"11 minutes?! I'll move! I'll move!"

Anyway, it was very surprising but I am very glad to have Jean on the team for good.

Still… you don't see two very young guys getting employed full time in a restaurant. It would be dishonest in my part if I said that I didn't have any worries for him.

Even I've had many hard decisions made because of this.

▪ ▪ ▪

January 26, Sunday.

I was generously handed of Uncle Shuu's car for this day for a very special and nerve-wracking reason.

Today marks the very first day of entertaining applicants in Cotona Culinary Institute, and it just so happened that Rin was scheduled for this day with application number 19.

Via connections, I was informed that the school will only entertain 50 applicants per admission day, as there are three phases on the admission. The student will first go through a specialized written exam, an interview, and lastly, a practical assessment. With that system, it now makes sense as to why the institute only accepts that few per day.

"Oh, right. When will you be able to get your results, Rin?" I asked with my eyes on the road.

"There's still no fixed date, but I think it will be quite early since I am in the first batch. It will be posted on their site anyway."

"I see… Then that just makes me more nervous."

"What, you actually have the ability to get nervous?"

"This potato got it back a year ago or so, you know."

But being the empty me, the words unconsciously exited my throat.

"Well, being nervous most of the time means that you are thinking or being afraid that mistakes might happen…

If that's the case, I really shouldn't be so nervous, right?"

From the rear-view mirror of the vehicle, I saw how her complexion brightened up.

"I'll do my very best!"

The wheels of the car then came to a halt in the parking space of CCI. Rin looked at her wristwatch and prompted to speak.

"Did we arrive too early, Potato?"

"Well, this is also the first time I went here by car so I didn't expect the travel time to be short. I'd say that you can jog from your house to here without getting late."

"You sound like I'm already accepted here," she said in a chuckle.

"I'm just being optimistic. Still, I'm stating facts about you not getting late so easily."

"Hehe. You're still nervous."

"Hahh… I am.

But it's Sunday today! Let's tour around the place since there are only a few people around."

"Y-Yeah… This place feels like two times bigger when it's not so populated."

And so we did.

We also discovered that CCI's system slightly differs from other schools such as universities. It is indeed a school only for culinary arts and management, but it was split into two divisions in which the first one is preferred to students that has prior experience or have been immersed with culinary while the other is for the students who wishes to pursue the course and improve their birth of skills. It is something like the general education of CCI.

But the latter division has the privilege to move up to the former division if requirements are met. As much as I hate to say, it was a necessary hierarchy to avoid needless discrimination and inferiority and superiority.

But with all things considered, CCI is still a school with adequately tall standards with attitude and aptitude.

~ ~ ~

"Aaaahhhhhh…"

I have lost sense of how long I have been inside this large campus. The only thing that I can recall is that I had my lunch with Kobana in one of the stalls inside, and I can definitely say that this is not a culinary school for nothing. But that's as far as what my dung of a head can remember as I have been staring to nothing for probably a couple of hours while my company is doing paper works on our seat.

And yes, he is working in a Sunday for the sole purpose of accommodating this day.

"Kobana, did you educators also undergo a test of some sort?"

"In my case, I just applied normally with my portfolio. I am currently teaching in Division 2, you know."

"I really thought that you were in Division 1.

Wait, no. You may have applied normally, but your records aren't normal. No wonder you got admitted so easily."

"Hahaha. Don't say that.

Oh, look there, Gin."

Immediately, I saw Rin walking ordinarily with a neutral face. In my anxiety and excitement all at the same time, I may have put too much force in my legs that I immediately closed the distance between us. I then finally looked at my pocket watch that said 5:14 in the afternoon.

"H-How was it…?"

"Uwaaahhh…? You're still nervous?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"…

It was expected that the exam was rather difficult. But my nerves really got the better of me when I was having my interview!"

"Lemme guess, you got better when you were in a kitchen, right?"

"Yeah! It really helped earlier."

Rin was still wearing her neutral expression, but contrary to what Gin is seeing, a chibi version inside of Rin has been leaping in celebration for who knows how long already.

~ ~ ~

Rolling back a few hours…

Rin had said that the written exam was difficult as she expected. It was no lie, as she almost didn't plot all of her answers because of time pressure. However, she was confident of her answers.

Her interview came, and it was a bad idea to imagine that the interviewers had a head of a potato. If it were people that she already knew, then her heart would not race, and her limbs would not stiffen. However, she was confident of her performance.

But all of her nervousness disappeared as if it was dust that was swept away by the wind. She disregarded the presence of the observers and let loose having the image of Giotto's kitchen and the certain kitchen she used for a few weeks prior to this day.

With that, she was confident of her output.

She came back to the waiting room together with the other anxious applicants. She is not a student of this school, therefore she was not present on the final assessment of the application.

However, fifteen minutes haven't yet even passed and…

"Applicant No. 19, Ms. Ringo A. Akanami, please return to Room 306."

A female voice from the broadcast sounded in the room, making her shoulders flinch in shock.

It was unavoidable that she would have negative thoughts, as the only thing she can think of is that she had done something wrong. Still, she didn't want her confidence to wane away, and so she looked and stepped forward, even if her fingers are trembling relentlessly.

She entered the said room, and came to see that the interviewers, which were also her observers sitting in a panel table, as if another interview is going to happen anew.

"Please have a seat, Ms. Akanami."

Large beads of sweat poured down from her forehead to her cheeks as she sat on a chair three meters away from the assessors.

"Please relax a little," one of the panelists hesitantly raised his hand with a soft voice.

"I-I'm sorry."

…

"Ms. Akanami, you applied for Division 1 after being oriented, right?"

"Y-Yes…!"

"Then by any chance… have you experienced working, at least part-time?"

"Very recently, I accomplished the required hours of my work training this month. I have already experienced working as a trainee in a restaurant nearly two years ago."

"Oh… can you specify what the name of restaurant is?"

"…

I-It was the second branch of Giotto's situated in Kyoto…"

"…!"

"I was given a chance to work in their weeklong soft opening and it yielded fruitful outcomes for me."

"Giotto's North… I see. I have gone there once, and it was a very busy place. Was it the same scene in its opening?"

"Yes. The work was frankly something that made my legs gave out from exhaustion, but it only implies that the restaurant was received by the Japanese upon its very opening."

"By chance, did you also do your work training in Giotto's main branch?"

"Yes, that is the case."

Afterwards, the people after the table discussed in the least sound so as to not be heard by anyone but them. Three minutes of stagnation passed on Rin's mind, but then…

"First of all Ms. Akanami, we would like to commend you for having such an astonishing experience and having them for such a young age."

"…"

"You see… the results of the applicants' endeavor were immediately processed on the same day, but they are announced at a later date because we would like to give it further scrutiny and officially decide. There however are very occasional instances where…

No, before anything else… Apart from this institute were you or have you applied to other academes?"

"I-I have not, but I plan to…"

The three stood up with a smile on their faces and looked directly at Rin whose eyes widened from shock while seeing them stand.

The man in the middle spoke up with a hint of delight.

"Congratulations, Ms. Ringo Akanami. Your results and skills showed your accomplishment to the required criteria… or rather, you went past it. We have decided to expedite the results of your admission, and you are now clear for enrollment anytime.

We will be grateful if we see your presence in this school in the near future."

Silence. The strong impact received by her mind was not able to make her respond in the deafening silence.

The other interviewer then repeated the earlier words in summary.

"Ms. Akanami, you passed with flying colors."

A slap sounded upon covering her mouth that let out a loud heave that sounded concretely inside the confined room. She abruptly lowered her head and placed her hands on her lap with an astounding grip. But then, she raised her head with a stern look that directed to the interviewers.

"Sirs, I would assume that you have caught wind of Blue Ink High School's current system that was introduced by Principal Taketo Juushiro."

"Why, yes. NED, really had a hard time processing it but in the end it passed with Mr. Juushiro's endeavor. It was like a historic change in this country, I daresay. I have heard that your school has prod-

Nevermind that… do you have some kind of implication?"

"Yes. But before I continue, can I once again confirm the state of my admission?"

"You are free to enter this school as a student in June, Ms. Akanami."

"Then… Can I please request for what happened here today to not be disclosed and appear that I was admitted in a normal way?"

"Can we hear your reason?"

"The values that Blue Ink taught have been instilled on me, such that I have insights that there might be instances where students might have varying opinions as this is a very rare case.

And personally… I never really wished to be regarded with great credit just because of the performance I displayed this day. What I wished for is to have a humble presence in this school once I decide to study here.

…

I hope that we can come to an understanding."

To her desperation to consider her requests, she lowered not only her head but her entire upper body.

"…

Please do not worry, Ms. Akanami. We appreciate our students'… or rather our potential students' well-being with high regard. If need be, we will be willing to lower ourselves to reach mutual compliance.

If ever you choose to study here, rest assured that you will just be considered a normal student-

No, you are indeed just a normal student through and through."

Rin had thought if they are aware of the implications of the statement said about humbling themselves. Her impressions may have changed for the better, but she was worried that those words can be easily exploited, knowing how crooked this world can be.

Nonetheless, she stood up and once again bowed.

"No words can express my gratitude to you…!"

~ ~ ~

"Actually, Potato…"

"Hmm?"

"Can we go to the camping restaurant we used to eat at? I feel like ordering takeout for dinner."

"Sure."

"I'm paying this time, so join us for the meal later!"

"What the… I'm pretty sure that you are slightly stingy or that you'll insist to split the bill… not that I'm complaining though. But that's news to me that you're treating me and your family."

"That's just a given," she pulled down Gin's shoulder and caved her hand to a whisper.

"I just want to celebrate a bit for me passing."

Gin felt a powerful shudder in his entire body as he stepped back. His eyes popped out of its sockets and the great shock of a news that his ear heard in a very close proximity.

"Are you fluffing serious, Rin?!"

"Shhh…! I don't want anyone to hear!

But I think Yuka Kobana already has an idea of what happened…"

On Rin's background, she saw Kobana with wide open eyes and trembling lips.

"Hold on… This is too unprecedented…

Does this mean that the other two of the triumvirate can have the same result?!"

"No, hold on! How come you know about that?! But even if your wife said that to you, she herself is very much qualified to the requirements!"

"I know already that my lovely wife's home cooking is the best… But this is the first time I have encountered this in my time here…!"

"Well, of course you haven't been this long here!"

"And don't brag about Rena! Don't make me too eager!"

"Can you stop that, Potato?!"

"Pff… AHAHAHAHAHA…!!!!

What are we even saying here…?!"

Chapter Message:

Are entrance exams held on Sundays normal? Years after I took mine I'm just asking the question now.

Thank you for reading!

Next

086: More entrance exam dread let's goooooooooo (GInji edition)