December 24th.
Tokyo welcomed Christmas Eve afternoon amidst a heavy snowfall.
On this special day, Tokai Natural's restaurant had seen not a single visitor since afternoon.
Gazing at the empty restaurant, Tokai Natural stood up.
She planned on closing early. Given today's situation, it was unlikely anyone else would come, anyway. Better to close up sooner and rest a bit.
With that thought, she approached the entrance, ready to flip the wooden sign hanging by the door from "Open" to "Closed," when a gentle voice suddenly spoke up.
"Yayoi-san."
"Hm?"
Turning around, she looked behind her.
Standing there was Mejiro Ardan.
Tokai Natural blinked, momentarily puzzled, before quickly realizing why the other girl had come.
"Is there a job?"
"Yes," Mejiro Ardan replied softly. "I was wondering if you could serve as head chef for a gathering at the Mejiro Estate tomorrow?"
"Ah, I see…"
After a brief pause, Tokai Natural nodded.
She had nothing scheduled for tomorrow, so going to the Mejiro Estate was fine.
And as for the restaurant?
Well, foot traffic in the shopping street had declined lately anyway, so a one-day closure wouldn't be a problem.
However, remembering Mochizuki, Tokai Natural paused again briefly before responding warmly: "Yes, of course~"
Having accepted the request, she turned to Mejiro Ardan again. "Would you like something to eat now?"
Mejiro Ardan hesitated momentarily, glancing briefly at the fading daylight outside before returning her gaze to Tokai Natural.
"Yes, thank you."
Entering the restaurant, Mejiro Ardan casually chose a seat and settled in comfortably.
Once seated, she glanced around, curiously observing the restaurant's interior before eventually returning her gaze to Tokai Natural.
Tokai Natural approached gently, placing a menu and a glass of water before her. "Please take your time~"
Saying this, she moved to the door again, flipped the wooden sign to clearly read "Closed," and returned to the kitchen.
Thanks to the restaurant's open kitchen design, Mejiro Ardan could easily watch Tokai Natural's every action.
She observed quietly, making no comments until Tokai Natural returned closer, then picked up the menu placed in front of her.
The menu listed just five items, mostly dishes she'd tasted before.
However…
"There seem to be a few new items..."
"They're mostly snacks, but if you'd like to try one, I could make it—though it'd take some time."
"I see…"
Mejiro Ardan flipped over the menu, examining the dishes listed on the reverse side.
"Hmm…"
She studied both sides carefully for a few moments before finally making her choice. "Could you prepare the saury risotto?"
"Risotto? Of course, please wait a bit."
Saying this, Tokai Natural immediately turned and began rummaging through the storage pantry.
The saury used for risotto had been aged, as Tokai Natural currently couldn't visit the market daily to select fresh ingredients. Without frequent market visits, careful aging was her only method to maintain quality.
While inside the pantry, Tokai Natural didn't remain silent—she raised her voice slightly to ask, "Tomorrow's gathering—is it a family event?"
"Yes, it's our family's Christmas dinner. However, there's no need for particular concern. Aside from grandmother, there aren't any dietary restrictions."
Mejiro Ardan paused briefly before adding, "Grandmother is quite elderly, so something lighter and easier to chew would be ideal."
As Mejiro Ardan spoke, Tokai Natural emerged from storage carrying the saury preserved in rice bran, then started preparations for the risotto.
Tokai Natural's method for preparing saury risotto wasn't overly complicated, especially since it was meant to be a casual restaurant dish. Complexity wouldn't suit such a setting.
Yet this simplicity allowed Mejiro Ardan to closely observe the cooking techniques she had missed the last time.
Watching Tokai Natural's practiced movements, Mejiro Ardan soon came to a conclusion:
"You'd make an excellent wife, Yayoi-san."
Those words momentarily froze Tokai Natural's movements. She quickly recovered, resuming cooking smoothly.
"I suppose so. Many people have said that to me before, but honestly, I don't think I'm especially talented."
Covering up the earlier stiffness, Tokai Natural continued softly, "At tomorrow's family dinner, will there be children?"
"Yes, but most are Uma Musume, so you don't have to worry much."
"I see. Then, I'll focus on carrots tomorrow."
Tokai Natural's thoughtful consideration for children further reinforced Mejiro Ardan's earlier impression.
But this time, Mejiro Ardan didn't comment aloud.
She had noticed the earlier stiffness in Tokai Natural's movements.
Although Natural quickly concealed it afterward, Mejiro Ardan chose not to bring it up again. Instead, she glanced around the restaurant and asked carefully,
"Yayoi-san, do you need an assistant here?"
"An assistant?"
"Yes. Managing an entire restaurant alone must be exhausting, isn't it?"
"Hmm…"
Tokai Natural hesitated briefly, considering Mochizuki upstairs. Mochizuki was calm and well-behaved but would soon need to learn how to talk—another set of hands would certainly help in managing both her and the restaurant.
Yet...
"The assistant's salary would be covered entirely by the Mejiro Family. Yayoi-san doesn't need to worry about that."
The bluntness of Mejiro Ardan's statement struck directly at Tokai Natural's greatest concern.
She looked directly at Mejiro Ardan, who met her gaze without evasion.
"It's a chef employed by the Mejiro Family. Ever since she tasted your ramen that day, she's been eager to learn from you."
"I see…"
Mejiro Ardan's explanation dispelled Natural's lingering doubts.
Finally relieved, Tokai Natural answered sincerely, "I actually do need someone to help out here."
"That's good. However, due to internal procedures at the Mejiro Estate, she can't start until next month—is that alright?"
"Next month…"
Tokai Natural considered the remaining days of this month, confirming in her mind that Mochizuki's care wouldn't suffer over those few days, then nodded decisively.
"Next month is fine."
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T/N: oooh mochizuki