"Customer, is there anything specific you are dissatisfied with?"
Seeing this, the waiter immediately went forward to inquire, her attitude polite. Looking at the Golden Crispy Pupa on the table, which showed no problems in appearance, she couldn't help but feel confused. This dish looked perfectly fine...
"The internal taste is a bit bitter. Although it's very subtle, someone who knows how to eat will taste it with just one bite.
Besides that, the outer shell was over-fried; there are even black spots on it. This can be seen with the naked eye."
He angrily overturned the dish in front of him onto the floor, slamming the table as he roared. Was this restaurant serious about serving such a dish?
"Now that he mentions it, it does seem a bit..."
"I also thought there was a slight bitter taste, I thought it was just my imagination."
Upon hearing the man's coherent analysis, the people around them lowered their heads and carefully tasted the dishes in front of them, then looked around, discussing animatedly as if they were speaking after the fact.
"Exactly, exactly! How can you serve such a dish? Your shop is too irresponsible! Call out the person in charge for me!"
Seeing the time was ripe, the man sitting opposite, who looked somewhat like a hooligan, stood up and shouted angrily, clearly looking for trouble.
"What do you want with me?"
With a powerful aura, Tetsuo Mushiki emerged from the back kitchen, walked up to the customer, and glared at the man, who was a head shorter and extremely scrawny, speaking loudly.
He had finally managed to build up his shop, and he didn't want it to return to its previous state. Facing someone who came to cause trouble, he naturally felt some anger.
"..."
Looking at the burly Tetsuo Mushiki in front of him, the scrawny man who had been shouting so gleefully instantly fell silent. He swallowed, and subconsciously took a step back.
"What? You're not allowed to say the dish isn't good, are you going to hit someone? Is this how this restaurant treats its guests?"
Facing this situation, the man who had just overturned the dish pretended to be calm, banging on the table and shouting loudly. He was certain that the other party wouldn't dare to hit him with so many people in the restaurant.
"What did you say?"
Hearing the man's words, Tetsuo Mushiki immediately became angry, and his fists clenched. He had made a dish improved by Hoshino Sora, so how could it taste bitter!
"I'm very sorry for the bad experience. Manager Mushiki, please go back first; I'll handle the rest."
Reaching out and grasping the man's fist, Hoshino Sora's expression was very composed. Dealing with such a troublemaker with fists would play right into his hands.
Moreover, with people all around, if a fight broke out, their restaurant would become infamous and lose all its customers.
A chef should use a chef's solution. Since the other party found a problem with the dish, he would make the dish so good that the other party couldn't find any issues!
He squatted down, picked up a Golden Crispy Pupa from the ground, and without minding the dirt, threw it directly into his mouth. Closing his eyes, he savored it carefully; the inside of the pupa indeed had a slight bitterness.
The blanching time wasn't enough, and the ingredients weren't particularly fresh, which led to the bitterness. For special ingredients like insects, freshness must be guaranteed.
This indeed gave the other party a difficult point to refute.
"Please wait here; we will give you a satisfactory answer."
After Hoshino Sora finished speaking, he led Tetsuo Mushiki to the back kitchen, opened the refrigerator inside, and pointed to the bag of frozen pupae, saying:
"The ingredients aren't good. Golden Crispy Pupa is all about freshness; you must use live pupae. Don't use frozen ones like these anymore. Although it's not much, there will be a subtle bitterness.
Ordinary people definitely wouldn't taste it, but as that troublemaker said, if you encounter someone who knows how to eat, that subtle bitterness will be especially noticeable in their mouth."
Looking at the frozen pupae in front of him, these had probably been frozen for two or three months. Although stored well, frozen pupae could last half a year, but for building a high-end restaurant, using these was clearly unsuitable.
"But, it's impossible to find vendors selling large quantities of live pupae on the market…"
Tetsuo Mushiki explained that there weren't many vendors selling live pupae on the market. He could only buy fresh pupae from silkworm sellers at the morning market, relying on luck.
The daily quantity was completely out of his control…
"Then limit the supply. It's better to reduce the product quantity than to reduce the product quality. You must also hope that customers will smile when they taste your dishes, not frown, right?"
"Understood, you are very right."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Tetsuo Mushiki nodded thoughtfully. His original intention in cooking was to make customers smile happily when they ate delicious insect dishes.
If that were the case, then the choice was very clear.
Ensuring customer experience should be the top priority!
"And then, the blanching time wasn't enough; the residual bitterness inside the pupae wasn't completely removed. Since you're using frozen goods, you should have known that they can't be treated for the same time as fresh ones."
Hoshino Sora couldn't help but complain. These were the basics of basics. He really didn't expect the other party not to even understand this, feeling like a complete kitchen novice...
"Excuse me, what happened?"
Looking at the two people talking, Tadokoro Megumi couldn't help but interject. She had just heard someone shouting outside and thought it was because her cooking wasn't good and people disliked it.
"It has nothing to do with you. I carried that dish out, and it was my mistake that it wasn't done well."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's rebuke, Tetsuo Mushiki did not refute, because he knew that the other party was right. If you make a mistake, you must stand at attention and take the beating to make progress.
His father had told him this, and he had remembered it ever since.
"I'll make you a pot of Golden Crispy Pupa. See what the difference is between yours and mine?"
It was the same pot of Golden Crispy Pupa. If Hoshino Sora made it, it would be at least Silver (intermediate level). What Tetsuo Mushiki made was basically Bronze (advanced level). This was the difference between the two.
Although the methods were the same, the seasoning, the sequence of cooking, and the control of time and heat were all crucial, and they were the key factors affecting the taste.
"Okay!"
Watching Hoshino Sora's movements intently, Tetsuo Mushiki humbly asked for guidance and learned. He knew in his heart that the other party would leave sooner or later, and how much he could learn before he left depended entirely on his own ability.
"Golden Crispy Pupa, guaranteed to leave you no room for criticism!"
Placing a freshly made plate of Golden Crispy Pupa in front of the two troublemakers, Hoshino Sora said with immense confidence. At the same time, most of the customers in the shop turned their gaze towards them.
"So amazing! That dish seems to be glowing!"
"It's true, though very faint, it really seems to be glowing. Is it an illusion?"
Golden Crispy Pupa was originally golden. Although it was tinged with a reddish glow from being stir-fried with chili, the golden radiance was clearly stronger, and many people saw it.
"What glowing? It's just a dish! How much improvement can there be in just a few minutes!"
Hearing the surrounding people's exclamations, the man who had stood up to cause trouble earlier spoke disdainfully. He didn't believe that this dish could undergo earth-shattering changes in just a few minutes.
It's just that they remade it, the bitterness must still be there...
It's gone!
The elder brother sitting on the other side didn't speak, but his eyes widened in shock, filled with disbelief. How was that possible? It looked almost the same from the outside, so why was there such a huge difference in taste?
His chopsticks, they just couldn't stop!
"Brother, what's wrong with you? Is it really that delicious…?"
"You try it quickly!"
Facing his younger brother's puzzled inquiry, the man called "Brother" pointed his chopsticks at the Golden Crispy Pupa on the table, speaking incoherently.
"We are truly sorry for the unpleasant dining experience we gave you earlier. As compensation, this table is on us."
This was also the result of Hoshino Sora and Tetsuo Mushiki's discussion, considered a small sweet treat for the other party. Courtesy first, then force. If they still dared to cause trouble after this, then they wouldn't be polite.
"Delicious, truly living up to its reputation!"
Looking at the emptied plate in front of him, the man referred to as "Brother" naturally understood the hidden meaning in Hoshino Sora's words and immediately praised it loudly.
He couldn't find any fault with a dish of this caliber.
"Let's go."
"Then we…"
"Let's go quickly, don't make a fool of yourself here."
Seeing that his younger brother still wanted to say something, the man called "Brother" slapped him on the head, then stood up and left the shop.
"See you again."
Hoshino Sora greeted towards the shop door, then walked back inside and resumed his work.
What he didn't know was that his every move was being recorded by a man in a black suit and sunglasses. The man's face was full of admiration for Hoshino Sora.
"Calm in the face of trouble, clear-headed, what a talent."
With a pen in hand, he quickly recorded Hoshino Sora's deeds, watching the young man skillfully dealing with various customers, and the young woman diligently working in the kitchen: "Respecting customer opinions, actively seeking change, this girl is also very good."
Looking at Tadokoro Megumi working, the man mumbled as he wrote down notes. Both students performed exceptionally well, not disgracing the name of Far Moon.
— — — — — — — — — —
Days passed, and with the efforts of the three, "Bug Eater House" was managed better and better, even starting to see regular customers who could be called by name.
Everything was developing in a positive direction.
Considering that they would be leaving soon, Hoshino Sora simply let Tadokoro Megumi leave the stove for the last two days.
All the cooking had been handed over to Tetsuo Mushiki. Because the shop capacity was not large, he could fully handle the existing customers.
As for the taste of the dishes, under Hoshino Sora's hands-on teaching, Tetsuo Mushiki had skillfully mastered seasoning, and his dishes were what customers usually ate the most.
"That's it then. Our internship ends today. See you again if fate allows."
"Thank you both very much for your help!"
Watching Hoshino Sora and Tadokoro Megumi leave the shop, Tetsuo Mushiki bowed very respectfully. He sincerely expressed his gratitude to these two students from Far Moon.
"Your first practical training, you have passed."
Not long after leaving the shop, the two were stopped by a young man in a black suit. The man took off his sunglasses and looked at their faces: "Your performance was impeccable."
"Thank you very much!"
Hearing that they had passed the assessment, Tadokoro Megumi respectfully bowed, a joyful expression on her face. As she spoke, she looked at Hoshino Sora, and the pure smile that appeared in that instant was truly adorable.
"You should receive the relevant information for your next internship location tomorrow. I wish you both success in your endeavors."
After a brief exchange, the man, like an NPC who had completed his mission, got into a car parked nearby, leaving the two standing there looking at each other.
"We passed smoothly, our first practical training. So, Xiao Hui, what's your answer?"
Turning to look at the smiling Tadokoro Megumi, Hoshino Sora suddenly spoke. Although he hadn't mentioned this matter these past few days, not mentioning it didn't mean he had forgotten.
"Hmm, are you in such a hurry for an answer…?"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Tadokoro Megumi suddenly became nervous, her expression looking a bit awkward. Her gaze drifted left and right, and after a long while, she finally let out a firm breath, as if she had made some kind of decision.
"After all, we're going to be separated. The next training location should be individual action. If I don't make it clear, my heart won't be at peace."
Looking into Tadokoro Megumi's eyes, Hoshino Sora said earnestly.
"To be honest, I like Hoshino-kun."
"But I can't be with you, at least not now. I'm really too inadequate right now. My conditions in all aspects are not as good as yours. If we were to date now, it feels a bit unsuitable."
Looking at Hoshino Sora's face, Tadokoro Megumi bit her lower lip slightly as she spoke. After careful consideration during this period, she finally confirmed her feelings.
Although they hadn't interacted much, she had seen Hoshino Sora's kindness towards her. How could someone close to a fire not feel its warmth?
That fervent feeling, she wanted to reciprocate, but she wasn't qualified to. In her current state, her appearance was average, her cooking wasn't good, and her family background was also ordinary. She simply wasn't worthy of the excellent Hoshino Sora.
They were like a firefly and a bright moon; though they seemed to share the same attribute, the difference was vast. In her current state, she absolutely could not agree to be Hoshino Sora's girlfriend.
"I don't care about those things."
Hearing Tadokoro Megumi's explanation and seeing her somewhat stubborn little expression, Hoshino Sora said anxiously.
"I care, Hoshino-kun!"
"…"
"I'm not saying this to reject your confession. I… I really like Hoshino-kun…"
Seeing Hoshino Sora's somewhat silent expression, Tadokoro Megumi knew that her words had caused him to misunderstand. She clasped her hands and hurriedly explained, her two braided pigtails also shaking.
Upon hearing this, Hoshino Sora looked up.
"I… I want to wait until I become good enough, and then become Hoshino-kun's girlfriend. That way, I won't hold Hoshino-kun back."
"I respect your decision, but if that's the case, then I'll have to supervise you to become excellent."
Hearing Tadokoro Megumi's sincere and earnest words, Hoshino Sora said half-jokingly. As he spoke, he took a step forward, reaching out to cup her face.
"As a pre-girlfriend perk, let me kiss you first~"
"Mmm…"
Hoshino Sora boldly leaned in for a kiss, as if to stamp Tadokoro Megumi's face. Although Tadokoro Megumi lightly pushed his chest, the force was incredibly weak.
It had a feeling of feigned resistance.
Hoshino Sora understood this. Girls were thin-skinned, so he, as the boy, would take the initiative. Soft lips, passionate kisses, their accelerating heartbeats.
Under the streetlamp, the two maintained this posture for a long time. Tadokoro Megumi also transformed from initial feigned resistance to acceptance, and finally even actively touched Hoshino Sora's chest.
No wonder they say that usually quiet girls become more proactive at times like these. If they weren't on the street right now, Hoshino Sora could hardly imagine what would happen next.
"Alright, let's go back to the inn."
"Mm."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's voice, Tadokoro Megumi instantly woke up, the haziness in her eyes quickly dissipating. Her face flushed red as she nodded in response, then quietly followed behind him.
Looking at the young man's tall figure, Tadokoro Megumi's face showed a faint smile. Her finger gently touched her warm lips, where Hoshino Sora's warmth still lingered.
— — — — — — — — — —
The next day, Hoshino Sora, with Tadokoro Megumi in his arms, wearing pajamas, stretched comfortably and got out of bed.
The two had gone to bed at eleven last night and slept until nine now, a full ten hours. During this time, Hoshino Sora woke up twice, but each time he didn't get up because Tadokoro Megumi was lying on his arm.
As for why the two ended up like this? It was mainly due to Hoshino Sora's persistent requests and coaxing. Tadokoro Megumi, being soft-hearted, agreed to let him hug her while they slept.
"Bang bang bang."
"Good morning, guest. There's mail for you at the front door."
Just as the newly awakened couple were gazing at each other affectionately, the knocking and shouting from the door completely shattered the atmosphere in the room.
Helpless, Hoshino Sora could only get out of bed and open the door. When he opened the door, he saw a waitress holding a letter.
Short skirt, black stockings, standard hotel attire.
"Ah, the guest from the room next door is here with you. This is your letter. This is the letter for the room next door. I knocked for a long time just now but there was no response, I thought you had gone out."
After observing Hoshino Sora and Tadokoro Megumi for a long time, the waitress's face showed an expression of understanding. After handing the two letters to them respectively, she exited the room.
"Akikubo Sweets Co., Ltd., this couldn't be Akikubo's family company, could it? Or Akikubo Senior's own company? This is my new internship location. What about Xiao Hui's?"
Looking at the information on the list in his hand, Hoshino Sora turned his gaze to Tadokoro Megumi beside him, or more precisely, to the list in her hand, which clearly stated...
"Internship at 'SHINO'S' shop. What kind of shop is this? It sounds a bit like a French shop."
"What's wrong with you? Your body is trembling..."
Looking at Tadokoro Megumi, whose body was trembling slightly after reading the letter, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but feel puzzled. Isn't it just going to a shop for an internship? Is it that scary?
"Hoshino-kun, do you still remember the instructor with the highest elimination rate during the lodging training?"
Her eyes trembling slightly, Tadokoro Megumi couldn't help but swallow, thinking of Kojiro Shinomiya's ridiculously high elimination rate during the lodging training. Her mood was extremely nervous.
"I remember, isn't it Shinomiya Senior? Wait, why does the name of this shop sound so familiar? So it's Shinomiya Senior's shop!? Has he opened a branch in Neon..."
After being reminded, Hoshino Sora finally reacted. Isn't this Kojiro Shinomiya's shop? Wait, Xiao Hui is going to Shinomiya's shop!? Isn't this walking straight into the lion's den?
Thinking of the scene in the original work where Tadokoro Megumi was made things difficult for during the lodging training, Hoshino Sora's mouth couldn't help but twitch.
This time, due to his appearance, Tadokoro Megumi was not paired with Shinomiya until the end. He thought she had escaped the disaster, but he didn't expect it to be waiting for her here...
"Don't worry, as long as Xiao Hui you give your all, you will definitely achieve good results!"
Reaching out and grabbing Tadokoro Megumi's slightly trembling hand, all Hoshino Sora could do now was comfort her, after all, the place he was going was completely opposite to the place Tadokoro Megumi was going...
"Don't worry, I will work hard!"
Without denying it, after receiving Hoshino Sora's encouragement, Tadokoro Megumi's eyes became firm. She didn't want to escape anymore, although she knew that the internship with Master Chef Shinomiya would definitely be very difficult to pass.
But! As long as she passes, she will definitely become even better than she is now, learn many new things, and then she can be with Hoshino-kun.
"Don't take it lightly, use all your talent. I believe with Xiao Hui your strength, you will definitely stand out in 'SHINO'S'!"
"Mm!"
"The reporting time is 11 a.m. It's time to leave now. Being late on the first day is not a good thing."
"Okay! Then I'll go back to my room and pack my things first."
Her eyes filled with determination, Tadokoro Megumi controlled her slightly trembling hands, her heart filled with passion. This was a psychological change that occurred after receiving affirmation from many customers.
And during this week of practical training, she also basically understood the operating mechanism of a restaurant. In the past, not to mention being a great help, she at least wouldn't drag others down.
However, this alone is not enough. She must leave visible achievements. But for her now, it is very difficult to achieve results, so she can only take it one step at a time.
"Then we'll see you at Far Moon."
"See you at Far Moon!"
Looking worriedly at Tadokoro Megumi's departing back, although a long time had passed since the lodging training, the girl had grown considerably during this period.
But, would such a Tadokoro Megumi truly satisfy Kojiro Shinomiya?
Clenching his fists, Hoshino Sora opened and closed his mouth a few times.
Some things, Tadokoro Megumi still had to face herself. His forceful intervention would only hinder her growth...
------
Sitting on the Shinkansen, enjoying the scenery along the way, Hoshino Sora headed towards the address provided in the letter.
Akikubo Sweets Co., Ltd., from the name, it shouldn't be a restaurant. So how would he work there? Would he have to stay in an office, enjoying the air conditioning?
It shouldn't be that simple...
To leave visible achievements, what Hoshino Sora hated most were such ambiguous words, making it impossible to figure out the direction forward.
In any case, he would take it one step at a time.
Looking at Akikubo Sweets Co., Ltd. located in the Tokyo business district, Hoshino Sora stepped forward.
"Excuse me! I am Tadokoro Megumi, here for an internship."
On the other side, at 'SHINO'S'.
Tadokoro Megumi clenched her fists and nervously greeted the people inside the room.
-------------------------
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