Chapter Text
Kiryu Kazama raised a finger.
“A seat for one, please.”
“Kiryu-san! Welcome back!” The waitress had a nametag now (Koike). She was still the only waitress in the restaurant, which was far busier than the last time he’d been in.
Koike showed Kiryu to a counter seat in front of the kitchen. He pored over the menu. “Chilli and duck soba?” he murmured. “These Kansai chefs…curious.”
He decided to try his luck and placed the order with Koike. She bowed. “I’ll tell Kizumi-sensei you’re here.”
Kiryu’s meal came out within minutes, surprisingly quick considering how busy the place was. The businessman sitting beside who was still waiting on his food, gave Kiryu a withering stare. But the man didn’t cause trouble.
Once Kiryu had finished his food, Chef Kizumi sauntered into view across the counter.
“Good to see ya, Kiryu-san!”
“How’s business?”
“Boomin’, I tell ya what. The whole kerfuffle brought some attention to the store. Rotten journalists from every tabloid in Tokyo linin’ up fer days. Couldn’t wait to ask questions ‘bout how one Osakan chef embarrassed the Metro Government.” He leaned in. “A course, I left yer name out of the story, Kiryu-san. You ain’t a businessman, I can tell that much.”
“I’m grateful.”
“‘Tis the least I could do. I also may have told a few fibs here and there, like how there ain’t never been no rat in my kitchen, and how all accusations of unhygienic practices was fabricated! Which is only half a lie. The rat problem’s stopped completely since you gave Nikaido and Rokuhari the what-for.”
A metallic clang from the other side of the counter sounded, somewhere out of Kiryu’s sight. Kizumi’s face twitched. Kiryu glanced down at his empty bowl, hoping he wouldn’t spot tiny footprints in it, but he managed to force himself to look up at the sweating, grimacing chef.
“I’m glad to hear it, Kizumi-san…”
(Maybe I should buy some rat traps for my flat, too…)