Soma: The Phantom Seat (Abandoned)

Chapter 31 Second Week Stagiaire

"So a Totsuki Student is going to come to my restaurant for the Stagiaire." In the restaurant located in Tokyo, Shinomiya Kojiro asks through the phone. "Why would I have to deal with it?"

"I know you'll cooperate willingly, as long as it's a request from this pitiable Totsuki Employee." Dojima says as he ends the call. Shinomiya mutters as he hears the doorbell, "If it is someone who isn't in the finals of the Autumn Elections, I'm going to kick them out immediately..."

But as he opens the door, it is no other than the Phantom: Yukihira Soma. He smiles and says, "I'll be in your care, Shinomiya senpai."

"You've got to be kidding me..." Shinomiya mutters. "I won't accept anyone who didn't at least get to the finals of the Autumn Election as Stagiaire...but of all the people, it had to be you, Yukihira."

"I was really surprised, too." Soma says.

"Well, that's fine. I also told the school affairs division I would kick out anyone useless." Kojiro says as he gives Soma some cleaning supplies, he says, "There's carpentry work, and the finishing touches to the interior. Come on, get moving! We're going to get this done by tomorrow!"

"Wait, you're still at this stage?" Soma yells in shock. One of the employees, Lucie Hugo, says, "Chef Shinomiya, we need to work on the menu too, you know."

"She's right." Another chef, Gao Wei, says, "We should just hire some contractors!"

"Considering the remaining budget, we have to do the rest by ourselves." Shinomiya mutters. "The interior design, chairs, tables, cutlery, and wine...I was pretty particular about which to choose...we have to do what we can by ourselves."

"If it's you, you should be able to get as many sponsors as you want, shouldn't you, chef Shinomiya? You've won the Pluspol Medal, you know." Lucie says.

"Almost every single one of them was really opposed to opening a new restaurant." Shinomiya says.

Soma sighs and says, "Opening a restaurant sure is hard, well, I feel very lucky for getting to train in senpai's restaurant."

"Once again, it's nice to meet you, Yukihira-kun. We're all part of Shino's main restaurant's staff." Lucie says.

"We're here to help at the Tokyo Branch until things settle in!" Gao Wei says.

"And that man there is the Sous-chef de cuisine for the main restaurant. You can say he's chef Shinomiya's right-hand man."

The man named Abel Blondin shakes hands with Soma as he says, "Nice to meet you, well, do your best."

But the greeting is interrupted by Shinomiya, who asks Soma to help him carry the stuff. Soma asks, "Anyway, Shinomiya senpai, why did you want to open a new restaurant? And in Japan, of all places? It was even on the T.S...that it's odd for someone aiming for three stars to open a new restaurant."

"Stop the pointless chatter and move those hands." Shinomiya says.

"I was just wondering why you did this..when its a time you need to put your back into working on the main restaurant in France?" Soma asks while working on the light bulbs.

"I can ask the same of you, what did you mean by what you said before? You feel lucky to get to train in my restaurant...you say? You would be able to clear this more easily if you went to some random small restaurant." Shinomiya says.

"I want to create another new dish for myself." Soma says. "I want to step into a new world and shed new light on my cooking."

Shinomiya sighs and says, "The reason why I'm opening a restaurant in Japan is that it's something I need to do to reach new heights right now."