Chapter Text
It's a hot day, and Taiju Shiba's establishment is beginning to see a surge of customers. This restaurant is a veritable institution in town. Everyone has heard of it, but few people can boast of being able to afford a meal there.
Lots of rich families, lots of rich people's children, lots of tourists' families... And among the customers, lots of young women. A population that can be explained as soon as the young waiter, who has been working here for some time, emerges from the corridor with a platter. Quite well known among women, and men too.
Always dressed in a handsome black three-piece suit, with a burgundy tie, the customary attire in his father's restaurant. As soon as he approaches the tables, the girls start giggling. It has to be said that a boy of his stature and looks is unlikely to turn on them in the street.
Kai Shiba has all the makings of a bad boy. A huge tattoo covering his neck and throat, one on the back of his neck, and a sleeve on his entire left arm (which is hidden by his costume). But his right hand is tattooed, and his knuckles are inscribed with numbers and symbols. Short, slicked-back hair, with white streaks here and there. Big yellow eyes and a smile as carnivorous as it is charming. His build is imposing: at 21, he must be 1.93 m tall and weigh 88 kg. His body is sculpted to near-perfection, with broad shoulders, a thick neck, beautifully shaped and imposing arms, a broad, sculpted back, and muscular legs that don't clash with the rest. A very handsome boy, for those who like muscular, bad-boy men.
But who wouldn't like them, if they were facing Kai.
Kai sets the tables with care, white tablecloths, plates, glasses, silverware... He takes care to scrub each piece of crockery and sets the tables with great meticulousness. To the millimetre. Once this has been done and checked, once by him and once by his father, Kai writes the menus on the establishment's various slates. His handwriting is quick, unpolished, but surprisingly harmonious. However, he knows full well that his aunt will come and rewrite everything. Taiju doesn't like his son's handwriting at all.
"Already here, Kai? Hakkai smiles and enters the restaurant.
- Uncle Hakkai? What are you doing here? Did you book a table? Kai wipes his hands after wiping the slates with his fingers.
- I need to talk to your father. Hakkai looks at the slates and grimaces: You should really let Yuzuha do that...
"Fuck you! I'm already being exploited."
Hakkai looks at his nephew with amusement and leaves for Taiju's office, leaving Kai to complete the last tasks. The young man watches his uncle walk away and goes off to find a ladder.
"Kai! Yuzuha comes to take her nephew in her arms.
- Auntie? Kai frowns: Oh, you brought your hotties too.. He smirks.
- Book us a table for five. Yuzuha smiles and kisses Kai on the cheek: We'll eat here with Hakkai and Taiju.
- Okay. I'll put you at the big round table by the aquarium.
- You're such a sweetie, my dear."
Yuzuha slams her bag over his chest and heads off to Taiju's office with Hinata. Senju stays with him, being well aware of what Kai is about to do. She sits on a chair and watches as the tall young man brings the ladder near the aquarium, grabs three buckets full of offal and leftover meat, then climbs that ladder.
"Take care, Kai. Senju smiles and encourages him.
- It's okay Senju, I know what I'm doing."
He reaches the top of the ladder and opens the food dispensary. Through this hole, Kai watches the sharks swim. They all gather on Kai's side, as he tosses the pieces of meat into the aquarium one by one, then climbs down the ladder and watches the sharks devour their meal voraciously.
He sits down next to Senju and enjoys the spectacle, making sure that none of the walls are stained with blood. Otherwise, he will have to clean up.
"Yuzuha was wrong, we'll be six to eat. Mitsuya joins us. Senju smiles.
- You're all pissing me off."
Kai gets up and goes to prepare the bar before it opens in 15 minutes. Senju, once the sharks have gone about their business, leaves to join his wives and brothers-in-law in Taiju's office.
When the restaurant opens, Kai stands at his lectern, ready to welcome customers.
Taiju, decked out in his finest suit, Hakkai, Yuzuha, Senju and Hinata, take their seats at the circular table. The empty seat between Taiju and Hakkai is that of Mitsuya, who should be arriving shortly.
The first customers arrive and Kai greets and seats them, under the strict eye of his father, who makes sure his work is well done. Kai, standing at a height of 93 meters, is sure to attract a lot of attention from the young girls who walk through the door, or the disapproving glances from their parents, silently telling him to stay away from their beloved daughters.
The restaurant is impressive: naturally dark, it is lit by candles placed on the tables in crystal chandeliers, and some on the ceiling of the same material, which diffuse a subdued light. The aquarium also diffuses a pleasant light, not too strong, and illuminates the faces of those near it.
There's a pleasant smell of cedar wood in the restaurant, not too strong, here only to hide the scent of the young waiter, Kai, who, despite the treatment he undergoes, permanently gives off a smell of dark chocolate and wet forest floor. His alpha scent which, fortunately or unfortunately, attracts the vast majority of omegas, most betas and even a few alphas. Taiju, having the same problem, took precautions to camouflage their scents as much as possible.
The door of the establishment opens again. Kai, writing down the order of a young couple, looks up to see who it is. Immediately, his piercing young gaze meets that of the young alpha Kai can smell from here. He's young, at least younger than he is. And the young man grins as he writes down the end of the table order and heads for the entrance.
Having reached his desk, Kai looks at the three men in front of him. Probably an adolecent with his parents, that's the most likely assumption.
" Hello. Kai's gaze wavers between the two adults, then plants his eyes in those of the young boy: A reservation for three in what name?
- Ryuguuji. The taller of the three men looks questioningly at Kai.
- Follow me, please. Kai turns around: My father asked me to give you one of the best tables. Near the aquarium."
The customers follow him, and it seems that both fathers find themselves fascinated by the aquarium and its four sharks. As for the son, his blood runs cold when he catches sight of their host's piercing gaze. He looks down quickly, and a warmth grows in the pit of his stomach and on his cheeks.
Kai shows them to their table and smiles, then waits until they're seated before handing them their cards. The boy takes his card, and runs his eyes over it. Anything to avoid the waiter's gaze.
"Draken, Takemichi."
The big voice behind Kai makes his blood run cold, though he immediately recognizes his father.
"Taiju-kun! You have a beautiful restaurant! Takemichi smiles.
- Do you remember our son, Hiroki? Draken looks at him.
- Of course I do. Taiju looks at the young boy and gives him a smile that makes Hiroki uncomfortable: I'll give you half price discount and offer you the kid's meal.
- That's too much Taiju... We can't... Draken smiles and looks up, but Taiju has already turned back to join his table.
- If the patriach says he'll give you a discount, you accept the discount, otherwise he won't be happy."
Kai smiles, a smile that, unlike his father, makes Hiroki look away. He stands ready with his notebook and pen, nonchalantly writing down the order as the dishes are dictated. His gestures are elegant and graceful. For a second, Hiroki wishes it was on him that Kai was sliding his pen, or his fingers... Then he shakes his head slightly to regain his composure when he sees Kai's eyebrows frown every now and then and clench his jaw as he erases his notes.
"It's a deal. I'll bring you your dishes as soon as they're ready."
Kai steps away from the Ruuguji table, one hand in his pocket, rolling his eyes as his father addresses him when he passes by his table.
Taiju's big voice echoes through the restaurant, and Takemichi can pick up a few words like "Stop" or "Fire" or "Hurry up."
"Taiju-kun is berating his son... Takemichi looks at Draken: I think he's very nice...
- I don't like the look on that kid's face. Draken looks at Kai out of the corner of his eye: Something's not quite right...
- He's a child. You can't say that... Takemichi smiles slightly.
- A child, sure, yeah... Draken clenches his jaw: I can smell it from here."
Takemichi takes Draken's hand. Hiroki says nothing to draw his parents' attention to him. He, too, can smell Kai. And he loves the way he smells. The restaurant is filled with two strong alphas' smells, and he can't pretend they're not there, even though they're camouflaged by the smell of food and lightly scented candles. Kai has a strong smell of dark chocolate, and wet soil... And Hiroki could drown in that smell, breathing it right off this young waiter's body. He grits his teeth and watches the sharks swim around in the aquarium.
Kai slaloms between the tables, with his notebook and pencil, his beautiful smile, his glances and his winks at the young women who instantly start to blush. Hiroki doesn't really try to understand why he's behaving this way, but it's starting to get on his nerves.
Kai Shiba, having finished taking all the orders and given all the coupons to the kitchen, leans over the counter to talk to the bartender, an unremarkable young man with medium-length hair, a tattoo on his arm and a closed expression.
Hiroki can smell him from here, he's an omega. And he doesn't like that one bit either.
The bartender hands Kai several alcohols, cocktails and soft drinks, which Kai takes to the various tables, making sure to serve his father's first, then, surprisingly, Draken's, Takemichi's and Hiroki's, who arrived long after some of the customers.
"Here we go. Kai places the orders in front of each of them: Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything, the orders have gone to the kitchen.
- Thank you very much, Kai. Takemichi grabs his cocktail and smiles at it, full of color.
- Thank you... Hiroki grabs his glass and glances at Kai, who graces him with a toothy grin.
- Thank you, Kai. Draken grabs his glass and waves goodbye."
And after one last smile and a glance at Hiroki, he leaves.
A moment later, everyone is served, and the dishes begin to come out. Kai takes care to serve his father's table first. The food coming out of the kitchen looks delicious, all of it. Hiroki looks at them, but his eyes are always on Kai, who carries them as he slaloms nimbly between the tables.
Eventually, he comes to serve the dishes at Hiroki's table, bringing all three plates at once.
"Bon appétit."
Kai winks and walks away, finishing serving the tables before moving away to the bar counter and removing his apron. He grabs a microphone, runs his hand through his hair with a charming smile, and walks into the restaurant among the tables.
"Hello everyone, and bon appétit. Kai scans the restaurant for Hiroki's gaze: I'm Kai Shiba, your waiter. My father's a cheapskate, so I'm in charge of the entertainment."
Several laughs erupt in the room, including Takemichi's and a muffled chuckle from Hiroki.
"Kai."
Taiju's eyes are fixed on his son, shining with a menacing gleam, but Yuzuha grabs his arm to calm him and beckons his nephew to continue.
"I have certain talents, but most of them aren't suitable for indoors, or even for public performances. Kai smirks as Taiju is about to snap: Anyway, I get paid to take orders and serve food, and I'm asked to sing voluntarily."
Everyone looks at him, not quite understanding, intrigued by Kai's words. Music starts up, music everyone knows and loves. And Kai begins to sing the words of Louis Armstrong; What a wonderful world.
Kai's voice is deep and cavernous, he has a perfect English accent and plays with the notes. His tone is suave and harmonious, and the customers hang on his every word.
Hiroki too. Honestly, he could never have imagined that Kai could have such a powerful voice, so clear, so...
Beautiful.
The young man, seated at his table, is unable to take his eyes off Kai, even if he wanted to. This boy is impressive.
Kai can't help looking and smiling at certain young women, which might make Hiroki jealous, if Kai wasn't looking at him too. Sitting at his table, he feels like a groupie at a boy band concert. He glances at his dad, who is also enjoying the music, his hand in Draken's.
All the better if they don't mind him.
Kai, his charming smile revealing his pointed canines, doesn't take his eyes off Hiroki for a good two minutes.
The songs continue and the plates are emptied. The customers enjoy the music and the singing, without paying much attention to the singer now. Hiroki chats with his parents, casting furtive glances at Kai, and another waiter comes up to them to ask if they'd like dessert, slipping them the menus with a smile and indicating that he'll be back a few minutes later.
Scanning the menu with his eyes, Hiroki thinks it all looks very good. And for a second, he wonders if one day he might share one with Kai. He chooses and places the menu back in front of him.
"Did you choose Hiroki? Draken looks at his son: I'm not sure what to have, I've always preferred savory to sweet...
- I'll have a caramel cheesecake... Hiroki looks at his father, who can't make up his mind: Why don't you have a dark chocolate fondant... It says it's low in sugar...
- No... I'll just have a coffee.
- I'll have a cheesecake too. Takemichi smiles and Draken beckons the waiter over."
The desserts are served quickly and are apparently unanimously appreciated. Kai finishes singing and puts on his apron again. He proceeds to clear the tables and hand out the corresponding bills.
Finally arriving at the Ryuuguji table, Kai takes out his pen.
"Thank you very much for the meal, and for the singing too. Takemichi smiles.
- No problem, I'll pass your compliments to the chef. Kai smiles: And for the singing, thank you."
Kai's smile doesn't return to Draken, who refrains from commenting and watches the young man write on his notepad.
"So... Father said half price, and your son's meal on me. And then I'll offer you coffee. It's not a real dessert... Kai makes his calculations and hands the bill to Takemichi: For payment, it's at the bar..."
He turns back after a quick glance at Hiroki and heads to the kitchen with the cleared plates.
Taiju stands at the reception desk to thank and greet the customers himself. He smiles at Takemichi and Draken as he bids them farewell. As he leaves, Hiroki looks back one last time and sees Kai talking to his father.
He smiles and turns to get into the car, and once out of sight, Kai smiles as he looks outside.