Eat or Be Eaten (MewGulf AU)

🌻Chapter 13

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Chapter Six

"You've been going to that restaurant of yours pretty often, haven't you?" Alex began casually at their first meeting in several weeks.

Gulf was shaken by this observation, but didn't show it and smiled ruefully at the idea that his father  had leaked the secret.

"I'm not going there to eat. It would be more correct to say I'm working there." Gulf corrected Alex as he stirred his cappuccino with a spoon.

"Working there...how?"

Alex's eyes widened in surprise.

"It's just what it sounds like, Mister Alex. My idiot son has taken half his vacation time to go work as a waiter at this restaurant so that he and the chef can get to know each other better."

"'Idiot son' is a little strong." Gulf objected.

"It's the truth," his father retorted with a laugh.

"You understand that if he rejects the offer, you'll have wasted an entire month?" Alex voiced this perfectly reasonable concern, but Gulf only shrugged.

"I don't do my work expecting it to be a waste of time."

"I suppose not. But if you end up looking like an idiot, don't say we didn't warn you." His father flicked the ashes from the end of his cigarette.

Gulf was meeting with his father and Alex in the lounge of the hotel that housed the Grand Royale. It was Wednesday, so he didn't have to go to Individu.

"Don't you think it's about time I found out who'll be running my restaurant?"

"Please be patient."

Alex smiled, and Gulf evaded his request with his own smile.

"I'm not sure I can."

"It's against the rules of my job to discuss anything not yet contracted. You left the matter of selecting the chef to me. I need you to be patient just a little longer."

"You're a tough one, Gulf."

"My son gets his stubbornness from me, my know. You might as well give up."

His father spoke as if Gulf wasn't even there.

"Even if my idiot son did take half of his vacation to work as a waiter, I'll never reveal where!"

"There's no way around it. I haven't even begun negotiations."

"But just thinking about the taste of that bread you brought me gives me some hope to hold onto."

Alex nodded at Gulf 's father's words.

Gulf smiled at the two of them. They were talking about the bread he'd brought them after his first day at Individu.

Ashizawa had heard that Alex had bad taste, too, thanks to his father, but this was the first time he heard his reaction.

"The recipe belongs to the chef, but it was baked by the sous-chef."

Anyway sous-chef who can make bread like that gets my respect."

"He told me he's better at making bread than the chef is."

"Oho." Alex sounded truly impressed.

"You can tell a lot about a restaurant from its bread. The food must be something special."

"I guarantee it," Gulf declared fervently. Alex laughed cheerfully. "Where there's a good chef, there'll be a good staff and good customers. and that improves the restaurant. When the restaurant groves, the customers and staff feel more relaxed, and that improves the food. It seems that sort of synergy is in full effect at your restaurant."

"Yes Yes, that's exactly it!" Gulf agreed, his fist bunching with his enthusiasm. He was so glad Alex understood what he was trying to say.

"I'd never felt that before, but I felt it in this restaurant. That's why, if possible, I'd like to enlist the entire staff for the next restaurant. Of course, given the new scale, more staff will be necessary, but since they'll be working with the chef they need to be people he can trust."

Since starting work at Individu. Gulf had come to understand this.

Without Mew, the restaurant wouldn't work, but Mew wouldn't prosper on his own. The restaurant succeeded because of everyone.

"Of course, even if he moves to the next restaurant, I don't think he wants to lose his old one. I've had a lot of trouble coming up with a solution to that particle problem."

"Oh, to be young again." Alex murmured earnestly.

"I'm sorry. I can't tell you who it is, but just talking about this project gets me excited."

"Don't worry about it." Alex laughed.

"I think it's wonderful you've met a chef you feel so passionate about. If you feel that strongly about hi, he must be something special. You can mention my name to him, if it helps." Gulf's surprise showed on his face.

"But we still don't know if he'll accept it or not."

"But you expect him to, correct?"

"Yes, of course." Gulf answered without hesitation.

"Then I need to show some good faith, too. I hope that by revealing my name, this chef agrees to be part of our project."

Giving Gulf permission to reveal his name showed how much Alex trusted him, Gulf recognized that and took it seriously.

This wasn't a game. This was a job for both of them, a serious gamble.

"I'll do everything I can to that end."

Gulf had established a good rapport with Mew after helping him all day on Saturday.

That was the first time he'd been allowed into the kitchen, and Tong had joined them to prepare the food. Gulf's experience with cooking was
limited, so he couldn't do very much to help. All he did was cut vegetables and stir the soup, but even that was satisfying.

When he'd asked questions about the food, they answered him. But when Mew smiled at him, that Gulf made happier than anything else.

The way Gulf prepared himself every time he talked to Mew and the fact that he loved seeing Mew's smile made him feel like a high school girl, which embarrassed him. But part of him couldn't deny those impulses. He wanted to understand Mew, and that desire was something like love.

"How about you, Gulf?"

Gulf's heart had flown off to Mew and
he'd stopped listening to the conversation.

"I'm sorry, I was thinking about something else. What did you say?"

"I was thinking we could all have dinner together."

"I'm afraid I have to decline today." Gulf glanced at the time.

"What's wrong? It's so rare for you to give up a chance to eat at Mister Alex's restaurant."

"I haven't had Saturdays off for a while, so I was planning to go shopping. Plus I'm not dressed for it. I think I'd really better not."

Gulf indicated the casual cotton pants that clothed his legs.

Suits were too elaborate for going to work at Individu. He wore jeans or cotton pants with a sweater and a jacket, and that was enough.

He was afraid he would start getting used to it, since he had dressed for the restaurant even though it was closed today.

As a consequence, he had met with Alex in his casual clothes. Perhaps aware of his wardrobe, Alex and his father had only extended the invitation out of politeness.

"Well, the next time we talk, I expect an update!"

"I'll do my best to provide you with one."

Alex had applied a slight amount of pressure with that last comment. But since he was the client, it was only to be expected. Gulf was just glad he was willing to wait long to find out who the chef of his new restaurant was going to be.

TBC