Interrogation

A young woman with grey hair walked into to the restaurant. She looked to be in her mid 20s and wore a black business suit. Masaru glared and immediately approached the woman.

"And what are you doing here?" he glared.

"I'm here for business," the woman glared back.

"You are blacklisted from the culinary world Himawari."

"I'm not here for a job you ass! I've got a successful non-culinary job thank you very much."

"Then do you think you can eat here? A disgrace like you is not welcome in our establishment."

"Disgrace!? I'm Superintendent of my station asshole!"

"I meant to the gourmet world."

"Want me to drag you in for-"

"Are you a fine guest? Table for 1? Right this way," Benihime smiled as she waved her palm.

"I'm not here to eat either."

"Then get out," Masaru glared.

Himawari glared and pulled something out of her pocket. It was a police badge.

"Then shut down early, I need to talk with all of your staff regarding a case."

Many of the patrons turned and stared at the exchange.

"Shit, bad timing girl. We're in peak business hours," Rika thought as she emerged.

"What's the problem?" Rika asked.

Himawari glared at Rika and scanned her with her eyes.

"I overheard something about wanting to talk with our staff? I'm sorry, but we can't just close early for that. You are welcome to have a seat and interview them over a fine meal," Rika offered.

"I refuse to serve her," Masaru glared.

"Don't mind him, he's just in a bad mood. I'll serve you whatever you want."

"Very well, I'll start my questioning with you then," Himawari glared as she sheathed her badge.

                                                                                  ...

"Now who exactly are you?" Rika asked.

"I'm superintendent Himawari Ryono- Rikuma of E-station. I am here to investigate a murder," Himawari stated.

Rika's heart began to beat a little faster, as she tried to remain calm.

"Ryono? Wait are you related to Masaru?" Rika asked.

"Irrelevant. Now regarding the murder, a young woman named Hinari Nozomi was found dead in her apartment. I heard she had recently completed a remedial course with some of the women working here. She was reported to have died two days ago, however, a careful examination determined she actually was killed nearly a week ago. Before she supposedly was present at the remedial course. I was wondering if the women who were with her during the course might know anything."

"You're not making any sense. What do you mean she was killed before she appeared?"

"She did not die two days ago. Her body was preserved to make it look like it though, which makes me suspect foul play rather than the presented suicide."

"What does she look like?"

Himawari flashed a picture of Hinari on her phone.

"Sorry, haven't seen her recently."

                                                                                        ...

"She has passed? I am saddened beyond words. She helped point me in the right direction to pass the remedial course," Benihime stated.

                                                                                        ...

"She was really shy and nervous. Easy to forget about. I don't mean that in a malicious way. It's just, she does kind of fade into the background," Matcha stated.

                                                                                     ...

"Not sure. My eyes were focused on Matcha's sexy bod, and passing of course," Waki stated.

                                                                                    ...

"I was not present, nor do I recognize this woman," Itsuki stated.

                                                                                  ...

"I found it odd that she didn't join us for our celebration here after we passed," Zuini stated.

                                                                                  ...

Mimi nervously sat as Himawari glared at her.

"ID now," Himawari demanded.

Mimi handed over her ID.

"Mimi Hanazawa. This card looks quite new."

"Well, I kinda lost my first and had to get a new one, well I accidentally threw it out in the trash," Mimi nervously laughed.

"Don't harass her too much. She just got back to full health a few days ago," Rika glared.

"I don't care. My instincts are telling me she's suspicious. You are as well," Himawari glared as she returned the ID.

"Come to think of it, we still have no clue as to where Kazuya Takeda disappeared to, though it was reported that he was last seen here where he launched a widescale lawsuit against many of the restaurant's patrons as well as you. Then as soon as he disappears, all the cases vanish. And speaking of cases, a woman that reportedly looked very similar to Hanazawa was apparently stolen from a cryogenics facility a few days after Takeda disappeared."

"Maybe I should have let Masaru kick her out. This woman's trouble," Rika thought as she contemplated her next move.

"So are you going to order something besides the mineral water?" Rika asked.

"Do you know anything about Takeda?" Himawari asked.

"Shit, no dice. She's not gonna let up. Hmm, maybe..."

"So do you want me to have Masaru come talk to you?" Rika asked.

"No need, I think you are the one-"

"Hey Masaru, your big sis wants to talk with you."

Himawari's eyes went wide as she stared at Rika.

"How!?"

"I mean, you have the same hair as him, plus you two were acting like bickering siblings, that and you initially said your surname was Ryono, just like Masaru's. Now I know everything. You got disowned and blacklisted from the cooking world so you became a cop," Rika smirked.

"Rika, that woman is a disgrace, not my sister," Masaru glared as he appeared.

"No need to be so harsh. I mean, you are related, and might as well introduce me considering how close the two of us are," Rika smiled as she pressed her breasts up against Masaru's shoulder causing him to go red in the face.

"Ri- Rika!? What are you doing!?"

"Flirting like we always do."

"Fl- FLIRTING!? HAVE YOU NO SHAME!?" Himawari shouted as she slammed her hands on the table.

"Why are you so flustered? Are you a bro-con?" Rika teased.

"NO! And why would that ass even look at a woman like that!?"

"I actually respect Rika's cooking skills. Though I don't approve of her eccentricy, I do believe, that unlike you, she is a great asset to the culinary world," Masaru stated.

"What, did that incident with the phantom thief change something? I heard about how you mistook the thief for her."

"Yes, it taught me that I need to pay more attention to Rika so I don't mistake a poser for her ever again."

"Thanks for waiting, here's your meal," Waki smiled as she placed a dish before Himawari.

"I never ordered- You... You... Is this some kind of insult!?" Himawari roared.

"Oh? It seems someone took the liberty of crafting a butter chicken pot pie with naan crust," Masaru mused as he cut a piece for himself and tried it.

"Nowhere near my level, but it will pass. The taste is far better than yours was," Masaru said to Himawari.

Himawari trembled, but eventually gave in and angrily cut a piece and tried it. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes as a swarm of emotions hit her.

                                                                                  ...

"And here is my dish. It's a butter chicken pot pie with naan crust," Himawari smiled happily as the judges tried her dish.

"It is good, but Masaru's dish was just so much better," one judge said.

"A shame, it seems he truly is the one worthy of the Ryono name. This dish is inferior in all aspects to Masaru-kun's dish," Makihara stated.

The final judge angrily glared at Himawari as he placed his fork down.

"This is a disgrace! I thought I pounded everything I knew into you, but your skill is THIS inferior to Masaru's?" he shouted.

"I apologize. I am no prodigy, but I am a good-"

"You are NOT a good cook! You perform like an average diner chef at best! I bent over backwards to try and craft you into one of the finest chefs, yet this is all you can do!? I'm disowning you! You are a disgrace to the Ryono family! Get a new name, and never show your face in a culinary institution or restaurant ever again!"

"But father-"

"I concur with Ryono-dono's words. You are hereby expelled from Tabemono gakuin and thus blacklisted from the culinary world," Makihara stated.

"I'm disgusted you couldn't even compete with me," Masaru scoffed as Himawari fell to the floor in tears.

                                                                              ...

"I WANTED TO BE A CHEF DAMMIT! BUT MY DAMN FAMILY KEPT HARPING ON ME CAUSE I WASN'T UP TO PAR WITH MASARU! WHY!? WHY!? I PUT LOVE AND CARE INTO MY DISH! NOT EVERYONE CAN COOK LIKE A PRODIGY!" Himawari cried as she shoveled down the dish.

"This is on the house, so no need to worry," Waki stated as Rika slipped away to the kitchen.

Himawari completely drowned in her emotions, and ran out as soon as she was finished eating.

"Hopefully she doesn't come back. Good thing Waki was on top of things," Rika thought.