"Get out of my kitchen."
Walking aimlessly down the street, Tadokoro Megumi's mood plummeted to rock bottom as she recalled Kojiro Shinomiya's angry roar from not long ago.
"Hoshino-kun… I feel like I can't keep going."
Hugging her knees and leaning against the wall, squatting on the ground, tears flowed freely. Tadokoro Megumi muttered to herself, her entire state at its worst.
Her body trembled uncontrollably, and she even lost the strength to stand up.
"Hey, big brother, look ahead, isn't there a girl squatting over there?"
"There really is!"
"Damn, we hit the jackpot today! Wandering out so late, she's really asking for it! Shouldn't we take her back and have some fun?"
"Let's check her face first. I don't want anyone too ugly."
"Come on, you're still picky? They're all the same with the lights off!"
"She seems to still be crying."
Noisy discussions came from not far away, along with footsteps. Tadokoro Megumi was too sad to notice until several people walked up and surrounded her, and only then did a look of panic appear on her face.
"You… what do you want?"
"Miss, did your boyfriend dump you? Why are you crying here alone?"
"Exactly, to leave such a beautiful young lady on the side of the road, that guy really has no taste."
"We're different. We'll take good care of you, miss. But this place won't do. Come with us."
With a lewd smile, he reached out to grab Tadokoro Megumi's arm. At this moment, Tadokoro Megumi was terrified to the extreme, her body trembling slightly, opening her mouth but unable to utter a single word.
A faint feeling of despair spread in her heart. Facing the hand reaching out to her, she didn't hesitate to raise her hand and swat it away. This was the only thing she could do now.
"Oh, she's a little firecracker."
"Damn, you bitch, how dare you hit me!"
The man who was hit raised his hand to teach Tadokoro Megumi a lesson for daring to resist. Tadokoro Megumi closed her eyes as she watched the hand about to come down, instinctively shielding her face. However, the expected slap did not fall.
Opening her eyes, she looked at the towering figure standing in front of her. All the grievances welled up in her heart, and tears streamed down uncontrollably.
"Get out, all of you! Don't let me see you again, or next time it won't be your right hand that's broken."
There were four enemies, and he was the only one on his side who could fight. But he usually exercised regularly, and his body had been strengthened multiple times by Gourmet Cells.
He threw three punches and two kicks, unleashing immense power on the troublemakers. In just a few hits, he knocked them down, unable to get up, lying on the ground wailing.
Especially the one who tried to lay hands on Tadokoro Megumi earlier was now clutching his right hand and letting out a pig-like shriek. But Hoshino Sora didn't care, his eyes filled with indifference.
If he hadn't been so worried about Tadokoro Megumi and rushed over immediately after work, it's hard to say what might have happened today.
But Kojiro Shinomiya was really something, just leaving a girl on the street like that, and at night no less. It somehow felt a bit unethical.
His face showed no emotion. Just as Hoshino Sora stood there deep in thought, Tadokoro Megumi suddenly reached out from behind and hugged him, her body trembling slightly as she sniffled.
"Thank you."
Without many words, she just whispered her thanks. After seeing the thugs struggle to get up after being beaten and then flee in a panic, Tadokoro Megumi's heart found a brief moment of peace.
"Let's go to the hotel I rented first. It's alright now."
He turned around and embraced Tadokoro Megumi, simultaneously gently stroking her head.
At this moment, the girl was like a kitten driven out of its home, her whole state was at its worst. Hoshino Sora patiently comforted her, thinking to himself that it was truly good that he came.
Hoshino Sora had been following Tadokoro Megumi since she was kicked out of the restaurant, but he hadn't approached her because he wanted to see her reaction—whether she would give up or muster up courage again.
Unfortunately, before Tadokoro Megumi could recover from her sadness, those thugs appeared, forcing him to show himself.
…
"Hoshino-kun, am I very useless?"
"How could you be? Xiao Hui is amazing, it's just that restaurant was blind to talent.
But, what are you going to do next?"
Walking towards the hotel, Hoshino Sora held Tadokoro Megumi's hand. She kept her head down and didn't speak, only asking that question after a long time.
In response, Hoshino Sora just gently comforted her, then hesitated for a few seconds and asked another question.
"I don't know. I want to try again, but my efforts lack direction. In that kind of environment, I'll only be a hindrance. It'll probably be hard to help them in a short time."
Hearing Tadokoro Megumi's words, Hoshino Sora fell silent. Yes, Xiao Hui's inherent weakness was there; she couldn't learn efficiently like Soma Yukihira, and her abilities were relatively weaker.
Having basic knowledge of French cuisine should be Tadokoro Megumi's only advantage.
Speed and coordination couldn't be significantly improved in a short time.
Unless...
He raised his hand and opened the Reputation Mall. Currently, there were 1300 remaining reputation points. These were the 1000 reputation points the system rewarded him when he completed the first task of the practical training.
Unexpectedly stingy.
Perhaps it was because the task difficulty was too low.
He was currently undertaking the second task.
[Task]: Successfully pass the second stage of practical training
[Task Description]: Through your efforts, you have successfully passed the first stage of practical training with Tadokoro Megumi, but this is far from enough. The second stage is the true purpose of practical training!
[Task Requirement]: Successfully meet the assessment requirements, build Akikubo Sweets Co., Ltd.'s products into a star brand, and gain the approval of the final judge, Akikubo Momo.
[Task Reward]: 3000 Reputation Points
If there was one thing Hoshino Sora needed most at this moment, it was undoubtedly reputation points, because the items randomly rewarded by the system were too random; whether they could be useful depended entirely on luck.
But reputation points were different. Reputation points could be spent in the Reputation Mall, and the items in the Reputation Mall could be chosen by him, making it convenient to deal with various situations.
Just like now.
After searching in the Reputation Mall for a long time, Hoshino Sora finally found a suitable item.
Item Name: "Reaction Capsule"
Item Effect: Can significantly increase reaction ability within a week, and after the effect wears off, a certain amount of reaction ability can be permanently increased based on the amount of practice during that period.
Item Value: 1000 Reputation Points
Looking at the item in the Reputation Mall, Hoshino Sora's face showed surprise. This was truly a great bargain; not only was the price within his budget, but it was also very useful.
Without any hesitation, Hoshino Sora exchanged the item. The next moment, a small medicinal capsule appeared in his system backpack.
"As long as you want to do it, and you do it with all your might, even if you fail, it still has value, doesn't it?"
Noticing the confusion on Tadokoro Megumi's face, Hoshino Sora tightened his grip on her hand, looked into her eyes, and said earnestly, word by word.
To allow her to have confidence matching her strength, Hoshino Sora did not plan to tell Tadokoro Megumi that he would help her. He wanted her to feel that she solved things by her own strength.
But before that, he needed to understand what Tadokoro Megumi truly needed. If she didn't want to continue challenging herself, he wouldn't force her.
In other words, it still depended on her choice.
"You're right, Hoshino-kun, I'll go beg them, beg them to give me another chance. This time I definitely won't mess things up!
But before that, can you practice with me first? No, you also have your practical training assessment. I can't let you lose your qualification because of me."
The expectation in her eyes quickly turned to disappointment. Tadokoro Megumi muttered to herself, saying that she couldn't let Hoshino Sora lose his assessment qualification because of her.
She was, in fact, already halfway out the door of Far Moon, only remaining because the practical training hadn't ended.
"It's okay, I have a way to take a leave of absence. I will fully assist you all day tomorrow, and I will definitely raise your coordination level by a notch!"
Hearing Tadokoro Megumi's reply, Hoshino Sora's face showed a relieved expression. He had indeed not misjudged her, and now things would be simple.
"The hotel is just ahead. You can sleep in the same room with me tonight."
"Ah?"
"Don't worry, I won't do anything to you. I just want to hold you while I sleep, like the day before yesterday."
Seeing Tadokoro Megumi's flushed face, Hoshino Sora explained softly. He wouldn't make a move on her, at least not now. It wouldn't be too late to do so after the practical training was passed.
A slight smirk played on his lips. Now it was up to Kojiro Shinomiya. He hoped he wouldn't be too uncooperative, or Hoshino Sora really didn't know what kind of drastic actions he might take.
Matters of chefs should be resolved with cooking.
Calming his anger, Hoshino Sora silently repeated this phrase. Using violence was not a chef's means of survival. If he wanted to teach Kojiro Shinomiya a lesson, he would choose to open a more popular restaurant next to his.
Although with his current culinary skills, it was unlikely he could contend with Kojiro Shinomiya, how would he know if he didn't try? Maybe Japanese people would just like his style.
Hmm, why does that sound strange?
Soon, the two returned to the hotel Hoshino Sora had rented. Hoshino Sora took a shower first, then waited for Tadokoro Megumi on the bed.
The young girl was quite shy, coming out hesitantly after her shower, wearing Hoshino Sora's borrowed white shirt, as her own clothes and luggage were still at "SHINO'S".
So, no matter what, she had to go back!
"Come here, let me give you a massage. Go to bed early tonight, and we'll start reaction training tomorrow."
"Let me give you a massage today. You've also worked hard."
Tadokoro Megumi stepped forward somewhat hesitantly. She had spoken grand words yesterday morning, only to be dismissed by "SHINO'S" tonight. To be honest, even she felt ashamed.
"Okay, I'll take off my clothes."
Hearing Tadokoro Megumi's words, Hoshino Sora didn't refuse, but quickly took off his clothes, revealing his muscular physique. This scene made the young girl blush slightly.
"Can I sit on you?"
Tadokoro Megumi asked softly, her cheeks turning even redder. The main reason was that she couldn't apply force in that position; only by straddling him completely could she achieve the best massage effect.
"You don't need to ask me about such things. Just do whatever you find convenient."
"Mmm~"
Hoshino Sora pointed to his well-trained back. Tadokoro Megumi hesitated for a second but still got on. As her soft body pressed down, the young man immediately made a strange sound.
"I... I haven't even started massaging yet."
"But I'm already starting to feel comfortable."
Hoshino Sora said with a double meaning. The feeling of her soft little hands moving on his body was truly captivating, a tingling, pleasant sensation.
Squinting his eyes in enjoyment, gradually, Hoshino Sora felt drowsiness creep in, and he fell asleep without realizing it.
When he woke up again, it was morning. He was covered with a thick quilt, and Tadokoro Megumi was sleeping beside him, tear stains at the corners of her eyes, clearly not truly relieved.
Seeing her like this, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but feel a little heartache. Although Tadokoro Megumi lacked confidence, she was definitely not a crybaby. For things to have turned out this way, she must have suffered a considerable blow.
"Time to get up! Let's go to the market first to buy ingredients we might need."
Looking at Tadokoro Megumi, who was groggily opening her eyes, Hoshino Sora said with a sunny smile. As he spoke, he sat up, still shirtless.
"Hmm, are you sure it's okay for you not to go to your company internship?"
Looking at Hoshino Sora, Tadokoro Megumi's eyes showed worry.
"Don't worry, I called my workshop leader yesterday and told him I needed to do market research. He needs something from me right now, so he won't say anything."
Speaking while changing his clothes, Hoshino Sora and Tadokoro Megumi then went to the market and bought a large quantity of vegetables.
This was because Kojiro Shinomiya was skilled at using vegetables, so vegetables made up a larger proportion of the dishes on the menu. Another reason was that in French cuisine, the vegetable preparation steps are more complex.
Borrowing the hotel's kitchen, the two began to show off their culinary skills.
Because he wasn't sure about the work pace at "SHINO'S", Hoshino Sora had to cook as quickly as possible and then assign tasks to Tadokoro Megumi.
At noon, Hoshino Sora, on the pretext of preventing seasonal colds, had Tadokoro Megumi take the "Reaction Capsule." In the afternoon, the girl's reaction speed and cooking speed significantly improved.
The best manifestation was that Tadokoro Megumi gradually kept up with Hoshino Sora's rhythm. By evening, she could even anticipate his requests and prepare ingredients in advance.
As a result, Hoshino Sora was unable to keep up with Tadokoro Megumi's speed.
Seeing this, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but be surprised. Was this little pill so powerful?
"What's wrong? Did I do something wrong…"
Seeing Hoshino Sora suddenly stop, Tadokoro Megumi's expression was hesitant. She shouldn't have made a mistake, so why did Hoshino-kun suddenly stop?
"It's already perfect. The work is not only well done, but also highly efficient. There's nothing to criticize."
Looking at the ingredients Tadokoro Megumi had prepared, Hoshino Sora gave a thumbs-up in praise. The ingredients were truly impeccably processed, extremely delicate, and it was hard to imagine she could process them to such an extent in such a short time.
"How can this be… I was so far behind this morning, but this afternoon it feels like I've opened up my meridians. My processing speed is clearly faster, and my thoughts have become exceptionally clear."
Feeling her own changes, Tadokoro Megumi's face showed a hint of confusion. She couldn't quite understand why she had made such progress after only practicing for one morning.
"Maybe Xiao Hui is a genius."
Hoshino Sora praised her with a smile.
"Don't treat me like an idiot, okay? It must be that pill at noon. What exactly was that?"
Recalling events from noon to evening, if anything special happened, it might be the cold prevention pill Hoshino Sora gave her.
"You can't be fooled by that. That's a secret family medicine passed down in my family. It can increase a person's reaction ability, but only for a week.
During this period, as long as you try to adapt to this reaction speed, even if the medicine wears off, you can still get a great improvement. Don't worry, I took it when I was a child too, and there are absolutely no side effects."
Seeing Tadokoro Megumi's serious expression, Hoshino Sora knew he couldn't deflect any longer, so he began to explain. A secret family medicine, it should sound quite credible, right?
"Is it really okay to give such a precious medicine to someone like me?"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Tadokoro Megumi's eyes showed concern. Although she didn't know the value of this medicine, she had clearly seen its effects.
A special medicine with such effects, no matter where or in what field, could be sold at an exorbitant price!
"Yes, it's super precious. But, since Xiao Hui has given herself to me, it's not my style to hide good things. If I don't give it to you, who needs it most right now, I won't be able to rest easy my whole life.
Moreover, if it were Xiao Hui, she would probably give the special medicine to me in such a situation, right?"
"I…"
Listening to Hoshino Sora's words, Tadokoro Megumi felt incredibly touched. Even though she hadn't agreed to date him, he had given her his precious treasure.
And to keep her from worrying, he even acted as if it were a trivial matter.
If Tadokoro Megumi before this had only decided to like Hoshino Sora because she had a good impression of him, and he was handsome and treated her well,
then now, she seemed to have truly fallen in love with the young man in front of her. It was a love that came from the bottom of her heart.
There was no direct statement, no action to express it, because her love was not a fervent and joyful magma; her love was a steady stream, a profoundness revealed over time.
"Thank you, Hoshino-kun."
Tadokoro Megumi said earnestly.
"It's getting late. I heard that 'SHINO'S' has its soft opening in the evening, right?"
"Yes, I will definitely succeed."
With determination in her eyes, Tadokoro Megumi said earnestly. Perhaps from this moment on, she had truly transformed.
After a simple dinner, the two rushed to "SHINO'S" without stopping. At this time, the shop had not yet opened. Tadokoro Megumi took a deep breath and stepped forward to knock on the door.
"Are you here to pick up your luggage? Everything is ready for you. Come in, grab it, and leave. Customers will be arriving soon."
The person who came out to open the door was Kojiro Shinomiya. The man's face was deep, his brows slightly furrowed. From his expression, one couldn't tell his emotions. No, it was certain that he didn't have the emotion of joy.
"No, I'm here to beg you! Let me try again! This time, I will definitely complete all the tasks you assign!"
"Huh? Do you not understand human language? There won't be any growth in just one day. You'll only be a hindrance in my kitchen."
"I can do it!"
"You can't. Hurry up and take your luggage and get out!"
Looking down at Tadokoro Megumi, who dared not look him directly in the eye, Kojiro Shinomiya spoke with disdain.
"I can do it!"
Tadokoro Megumi gritted her teeth. She didn't want to disappoint Hoshino Sora's expectations, nor did she want to just go back like this.
Therefore, even if the other party spoke harshly, she had to seek this opportunity. Even if she had to die trying, she had to enter the kitchen one more time!
"Today's workload is several times that of yesterday. You made countless mistakes even with yesterday's tasks. No one will clean up after you today. Why can't you understand?"
Kojiro Shinomiya was getting a bit impatient. He wouldn't let the kitchen he built be ruined by such a person. If you're incapable, you're incapable. Help that's full of mistakes is worse than no help at all.
"This time, there will definitely be no problem!"
"Suit yourself. If you want to stay outside, then stay outside."
Looking at Tadokoro Megumi's stubborn appearance, Kojiro Shinomiya sighed helplessly. He simply ignored her and closed the door, entering the restaurant.
Half an hour later, "SHINO'S" began its operation.
"Welcome."
As Kojiro Shinomiya's voice came from inside, the shop immediately became busy. Looking at the scene inside, Tadokoro Megumi said nothing, simply chose a less crowded spot, and waited silently.
Watching Xiao Hui's performance, Hoshino Sora stood not far away, his expression cold. He really wanted to go up and punch Shinomiya, but he couldn't, so he could only vent his strength into the air.
Time passed bit by bit. Tadokoro Megumi steadfastly waited outside, watching customers come and go, her eyes incredibly firm.
"Bang."
Thunder seemed to be gathering in the sky. Hoshino Sora frowned, looking at his phone. This rhythm looked like it was going to rain.
He hesitated in his heart whether to pull Tadokoro back. Anyway, if Xiao Hui was expelled from the practical training, he also had a way to bring her back.
As long as he became one of the Elite Ten, and then cultivated those around him to rise and occupy six of the Elite Ten seats, he could overturn the decision to expel Tadokoro Megumi, and then she could come back.
But, was that really the result Tadokoro Megumi wanted?
Hoshino Sora wasn't sure. He waited patiently in place, praying that the rain would come a little later.
After spending this time together, he had a deeper understanding of Tadokoro Megumi: kind, simple, frank, gentle, and very good to him, very enthusiastic.
She often faced him with a bright, sunny smile. How could he not like such a girl?
"Drip, drop…"
Reaching out his hand to feel the raindrops falling from the sky, Hoshino Sora looked at Tadokoro Megumi in the distance.
At this moment, she was still standing firmly at the entrance of "SHINO'S," showing no sign of backing down even as a downpour was imminent, exuding an astonishing aura.
-------------------------
Thank you for following my story. If you want to read it first, please visit my Patreon — there are about 40 chapters waiting there. Your support really motivates me to continue to release more stories!
👉[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]