As the afternoon sun dipped toward the horizon, business at Chishimaya was as bustling as ever. The potent, savory aroma of cooking wafted out into the streets, catching the attention of passersby and resulting in a long queue snaking outside the shop.
"Yuika-chan, another beer over here!"
"Right away, please wait just a mont..."
"Kaiko-chan, another serving of edama on this end!"
"Coming right up."
Kondo Yuika and Sakurai Kaiko moved with practiced agility through the shop. They had beco a unique fixture of Chishimaya, earning a fair share of sympathy and admiration from the regulars.
A frequent custor sitting right at the counter glanced at Yuika and her partner before turning to Chishima Akishin behind the workspace with a grin. "Haha, Chishima-sensei, business is as booming as ever! Why don't you think about hiring a few more hands?"
"Murakami-kun, you hit the nail on the head. What can I get for you today?"
Akishin replied casually. Many custors asked the sa thing every day; they didn't actually care about Yuika and Kaiko's workload—they were just looking for an opening for small talk.
While busy preparing dishes, he kept the conversation flowing. For those seated directly at the counter, the chef could slide the food straight to them, making the whole process incredibly efficient.
"The usual. Besides, it's not like there are a ton of options on your nu, Sensei. Haha, just kidding! Don't get mad."
"No, no. It's my fault for the limited selection... Here, your Kani Miso Yaki, and the Tamagoyaki as well."
Between opening the shop every day to the public and his frequent appearances in the newspapers, news of Akishin managing an Izakaya had spread far and wide.
Many people showed up out of pure curiosity, which often led the old regulars to grumble under their breath.
Unfortunately, Chishimaya's capacity was finite, and the majority of the nu consisted of quick-prep dishes. No matter how many custors flooded in, the revenue didn't see a massive spike.
The regulars only dared to complain a little without actually blaming Akishin; they simply accepted the crowd in silence.
As for the curiosity seekers, they generally lived quite far away. Even if they wanted to return after one try, the logistical hurdles of work and travel eventually thinned their numbers.
Last week, so reporters even stopped by for an interview. Akishin had pulled out his high-end ingredients and charged them a premium. They all ate happily, the money changed hands smoothly, and by the ti they realized how much they'd spent, they didn't dare show any frustration.
A Kendo tournant champion cooking for you personally? Who would dare complain about that?
In short, after a brief period of chaos, Chishimaya had returned to its normal state. For the most part, it was the loyal custors who ca to eat, ordering familiar dishes and discussing the usual topics.
Akishin chatted with them as he always did, occasionally sharing a drink and laughing loudly. There was absolutely no trace of the "Kendo Master" aura about him.
If you hadn't read the papers, you'd never guess that this Izakaya owner was both a famous figure and a teacher.
After seeing off one group of custors and welcoming the next, a familiar figure took a seat at the counter.
Dressed in a sharp, handmade suit with his hair slicked back perfectly and an elegant Casio watch on his wrist, the man looked every bit the high-level elite from a bank or a major trading firm.
"Ryuichi-kun, it's been a while since you dropped by. What's the plan for today?"
The man in the luxury suit before him went by Ryuichi. He only ever shared his given na, keeping his surna a mystery. Other than that, nothing was known about him. He was a loyal custor who had been coming since the shop first opened.
Back then, Akishin wasn't famous yet, and Ryuichi had fallen in love with Chishimaya's cooking after just one al. Since then, he visited once a week—the timing was unpredictable, sotis a Monday, sotis a Sunday.
Every ti he ca, he was incredibly generous with his tips, often leaving amounts ten tis the price of the food he ate. Most importantly, despite the expensive suit, he was blunt and lacked that typical "superiority" often found in the upper class. Over ti, Akishin had co to consider him a friend.
He hadn't shown up last week, likely because the shop had been too crowded. Now that things had cald down, he was back.
"Yeah, it's been a while. In the blink of an eye, Chishima-kun has beco a Kendo Master. Truly shocking... One serving of sashimi, and I'll leave the rest up to you."
Ryuichi sat back comfortably. There were still a few leftover plates on the table from the previous custor, which Kondo Yuika noticed imdiately. She scurried over to clear the ss, wiping the table and setting out fresh utensils.
And really, who said Akishin hadn't added more staff? He had specifically recruited an older woman to handle the dishwashing, paying her the sa hourly wage as Yuika and Kaiko. Due to family obligations, the dishwashing auntie finished her shift at nine p.m.
"Even as a Kendo Master, I still have to cook for Ryuichi-kun. How about we start with a portion of chilled tofu?"
Akishin didn't detect even a hint of genuine shock in the man's voice. This person's status was likely even greater than he suspected, but Akishin didn't mind.
It was a strange bit of psychology—on one hand, you make big changes, but on the other, you hope people treat you exactly the sa. It was unavoidable, really; just a quirk of human nature.
"That sounds perfect."
Ryuichi ate the neatly prepared dish with a look of pure enjoynt, chatting with Akishin occasionally. Akishin's hands never stopped moving. Once the orders for the other groups were served, he raised a glass to share a toast with Ryuichi.
Ryuichi set his glass down, took another bite of tofu, and smiled. "I really didn't expect it. Chishima-kun, it turns out you're also a teacher at Sobu High."
"Oh? What do you an by that, Ryuichi-kun? Is your child a student at Sobu?" Akishin placed the sashimi in front of Ryuichi, adding soy sauce and wasabi. He cleaned the leftover fish bones, tossed them into a soup pot on the side, and began slicing radish.
Ryuichi gave off a unique vibe to Akishin. He had the dignity and aura of a superior, but beneath that polished, proper exterior, there was a faint trace of that classic Japanese delinquent spirit.
Maybe Ryuichi was once a rebel who worked his way into a high position. Or perhaps he was a wealthy, rebellious kid who eventually inherited the family business. Even with the weight of a leader, his true essence remained.
This was all just Akishin's speculation. After all, who said delinquents had to co from the lower class? Being a "delinquent" in so contexts is a mindset—think Crows Zero.
"That's right. My second daughter is currently a second-year at Sobu High." Ryuichi nodded, picking up a translucent slice of fish, dipping it in the soy-wasabi mix, and placing it in his mouth with a look of delight. "Her na is Yukino Yukinoshita. Do you know her, Chishima-kun?"
"Yukinoshita!" Akishin was genuinely surprised. He looked at Ryuichi and the pieces finally clicked into place. "Of course I know her. I never would have guessed that Yukinoshita Yukino was your daughter. In that case, you must be..."
Akishin trailed off, simply looking at Ryuichi with a knowing smile.
Ryuichi set his chopsticks down, placed both hands firmly on his thighs, and looked Akishin in the eye. "Chishima-kun, let's introduce ourselves properly. I am Yukinoshita Ryuichi."
"Haha, Yukinoshita-kun... Actually, let's stick to Ryuichi-kun. It's more comfortable. You really caught off guard!"
Akishin shook his head with a laugh. Even though he hadn't gone out of his way to research the Yukinoshita family, he knew the current head was a mber of the Prefectural Assembly (Ken-giin).
In Japan, a Prefectural Assembly mber is a significant role. With the Yukinoshita family's influence in Chiba, holding such a position was only natural.
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TL Note: Regarding Yukino's Father: The father of Haruno and Yukino. Born into an ordinary, non-wealthy family, his original surna wasn't Yukinoshita; he took the na after marrying into the family (muko-yoshi).
In his youth, he was quite the rebel with a grudge against the world—skipping school, smoking a pack a day, and frequenting mahjong parlors. How he t and fell for the high-born Miss Yukinoshita (the mother) remains a bit of a mystery, but they started dating quite early. During their youth, she was incredibly strict with him, often dragging him out of mahjong parlors by the ear. Under her watchful eye, he finished school and university, dropping most of his bad habits (he quit smoking after Haruno was born).
When he proposed, the condition was that he marry into the house. He agreed. Shortly after, his father-in-law retired, handing over the family's external affairs to him. This man, both incredibly lucky and perhaps a bit pitiable, beca the formal head of the family, managing the business and the assembly seat. At ho, his status is the lowest; the family wealth is managed by his wife, and he obeys her every word. He absolutely dotes on his daughters and can't say no to them. He refers to his wife and daughters as the "Three Goddesses of the House."
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