Hearing that more dia were on their way, the female reporter seized the mont to press for juicier, exclusive material.
Shuichi Chiba played along, answering cooperatively. Being baselessly accused of food safety issues—and reported to the dia rather than regulators—was irritating, but it was also a rare promotional opportunity.
However, the reporter was gunning for a bombshell story about a female chef crushing a male master, and Shuichi wasn’t as easy to manipulate as Akiyama-san.
His responses were deft, neither disparaging Tokyo’s ran champion nor overtly hyping Akiyama-san, just subtly praising her.
Finding his answers too mild for drama, the reporter turned to Akiyama-san, who had just sighed in relief and retreated to the background.
"As a female chef surpassing the top in the ran world, what are your thoughts?"
Akiyama-san tightened her face, inwardly exhausted and bitter. She’d rather be cooking than dealing with this. Looking drained, she said, "No thoughts. Doesn’t matter."
"Representing won and reaching the top in a male-dominated field—don’t you have any reflections on that?"
Akiyama-san shot Shuichi a pleading look, unwilling to answer further, afraid of misspeaking.
But Shuichi thought she was doing fine and gave an encouraging nod, urging her to continue.
Akiyama-san endured, answering honestly, "My ntor always said she wanted to stand up and slap their faces, but I think that’s pretty pointless."
"Oh?" The reporter latched onto the ntor angle, digging for more before asking, "So, what does matter to you?"
"Rest," Akiyama-san replied instantly.
"Huh?" The reporter blinked. "You an... rest?"
"Yeah, I’m exhausted. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t make ran at all," Akiyama-san said, her misery genuine.
If this were soone else—like students at school—they might think the president’s mom was toiling selflessly for her daughters.
But Shuichi, knowing the Akiyama trio well, only twitched his lips.
This slacker mom just wanted to lie around, didn’t she?
Ran or any other trade—it didn’t matter. She was just a pure slacker.
"What? You’re so talented, possibly the best in the country, beating all the male ran chefs as a woman, and you don’t want to do it?" The reporter was floored. Were gifted people this capricious?
"What’s rest got to do with being number one?" Akiyama-san looked genuinely puzzled.
"You don’t have any passion for this craft? Why did you even start in this profession?" The reporter, encountering such responses for the first ti, was both thrilled for spicy material and deeply curious.
Most industry leaders she interviewed were humble and dedicated. Soone as nonchalant as Akiyama-san, treating it like no big deal, was rare!
"My daughters wanted to eat, so I learned," Akiyama-san said.
"..."
Shuichi, watching the back-and-forth, couldn’t help whispering to An, "Your mom’s a natural at humble-bragging. Self-taught genius."
"Humble-bragging?" An didn’t get it. "Is that good or bad?"
"It’s great. She’s got that master vibe. Geniuses are supposed to be unique. With a flavor like hers, no one’s doubting her."
Shuichi had to admit, the president wasn’t just good at being tad—she was a pro at taming others too.
Akiyama-san and An, when push ca to shove, followed Tsuki’s instructions to a T. Outsiders couldn’t see through their act.
The health departnt arrived quickly, just a bit after Shuichi had called the dia. That’s right—he’d spent 100,000 yen to have his all-purpose butler summon these outlets, aiming to turn this crisis into a golden opportunity.
If Akiyama Ran beca famous across Tokyo, winning the TRY Awards or topping Tokyo’s 100 Best Ran Shops would be a breeze. The shopping street would ride the wave, boosting foot traffic significantly.
If this took off, it’d be a huge step toward truly taking over the shopping street, right?
Over the next stretch, several dia outlets, along with the complaining custor, oversaw the entire sampling and inspection process. The result? No issues, of course.
With food safety cleared, the dia’s focus shifted entirely to the female chef schooling the male ran master. They even had headlines ready:
Ran Queen’s Irresistible Flavor Leaves Custors Addicted and Helpless.Ran Champion’s Throne Teeters as the Empress Raises Her Blade.Hopelessly Gifted: "I Don’t Want to Make Ran—It’s Boring."Female Chef’s Disdain: "Slapping Their Faces Is Dull. I’d Rather Sleep."
When it ca to stoking drama and overhyping, these dia folks were pros. After Akiyama-san treated them to a round of ran and they tasted it, their exaggerations went wild.
What was worth a 1, they’d hype to a 10. Now a 10 was being touted as a flavor so divine it could conquer aliens!
The complaining custor, after the inspection confird no issues, kept muttering, "Impossible, there’s definitely sothing wrong."
But facts were facts—she had to concede, grudgingly apologizing.
Then, while eating the free ran Akiyama-san provided, she complained, "Even if it’s safe, isn’t your ran’s calorie count too high? It’s so good, it’s unfair to people trying to diet."
Akiyama-san didn’t know how to respond, feeling frustrated. She’d already explained during the dia tasting that the broth’s oil was filtered, and they offered lighter chicken- or fish-based options for those avoiding greasy food.
If you’re dieting, just control your cravings...
Why bla the food for being too delicious?
So annoying...
Shuichi wasn’t fazed. In the service industry, you et all types. Biological diversity, right? You get used to it.
Normally, this would be the perfect mont to plug the gym across the street, but the Ogawa sisters’ small operation didn’t need or want the publicity.
Which was fine—it ant Shuichi didn’t have to hold back. He sized up the custor’s figure and asked with a professional smile, "May I ask what you usually order?"
"Usually a signature tonkotsu ran, a soy sauce ran, a portion of chashu..." The heavyset custor lived up to expectations, rattling off a long list like she was reading the nu.
Everyone, including Shuichi, stared. Eating like that and not gaining weight would be a miracle—yet she blad the ran for being too tasty and caloric?
Shuichi smiled brightly. "I’d suggest a hospital visit. A doctor’s intervention might be best for your situation. For your health, I’ll ask the ran shop to stop serving you to avoid further risks."
The crowd instinctively glanced at the custor’s figure. Yeah, that looked risky...
She froze, incredulous. "You an... the ran shop won’t serve anymore? You’re blacklisting ?"
Shuichi kept smiling, shaking his head. "It’s for your health."
"You..." The custor was livid. "This is retaliation for reporting to the dia, isn’t it?"
"If that’s how you see it, there’s nothing we can do. It’s genuinely for your health. After all... refusing service hardly counts as retaliation, right?" Shuichi spread his hands.
"..."
The custor was fuming. This high-and-mighty excuse was clearly revenge—and a jab at her figure!
"With all these dia here, aren’t you afraid this attitude will be exposed and drive away custors?"
Shuichi stayed calm, smiling. "I trust the dia here will report fairly."
His words sparked a chorus of agreent.
The female reporter, brought by the custor, glanced around and stayed silent.
She had no real tie to the custor—just ca for the scoop.
Plus, after proving the food was safe, disrupting business this long, complaining while eating free ran, and blaming it for being too good? That was a bit much.
Seeing everyone united in calling her unreasonable, the custor stord off in a huff.
But before leaving, she chugged the broth from the free ran Akiyama-san served, shot Shuichi a fierce glare, and left.
Even the reporter thought this lady was sothing else.
With the custor gone and the dia team departing, Akiyama-san hung a "temporarily closed" sign, wiped the sweat from her brow, and collapsed onto a barstool.
"That was terrifying. Thank goodness for Chiba-kun. But was it okay to handle her like that? It felt satisfying, and I don’t want to serve her anymore, but will the reporters write bad stories?" She asked, worried.
"No worries," Shuichi shook his head, unfazed. "Aside from the initial reporter, the rest were my contacts. They know how to spin it."
From the renovation crew to the PR team, the all-purpose butler’s reliability was proven. Pay up, and the job’s handled.
"Chiba-kun’s so dependable," Akiyama-san said, relieved.
An happily threw herself into Shuichi’s arms, nuzzling his stomach. "See? I told you Chiba-kun’s great, but Nee-san keeps badmouthing him."
"What’re you saying about behind my back?"
Tsuki Akiyama pushed through the door, her eyes landing on her sister sprawled across Shuichi’s lap.
That familiar pose... her eyelid twitched uncontrollably.
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