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CHAPTER TEN

Within a day and a half, I had gone from hopeful sushi apprentice to designated bathroom floor scrubber. There I was, on my hands and knees, inhaling the eye-watering sting of chemical fumes while scrubbing the tiles around the urinals. Each swipe of the brush brought with it gag-inducing thoughts about what, exactly, I was cleaning.

Focus, Akiko. Just focus and get it done.

The showers weren’t as revolting as the urinals and toilets but felt endless. The sheer size of the area played tricks on my mind, making the task seem overwhelming. My fingers throbbed with every scrub, and the occasional echo of laughter from the hallway only fueled my frustration. It was clear to everyone, and painfully clear to me, that I was taking the longest to finish my chore.

Stay calm, Akiko. This is just another test. Don’t let them break you. Tomorrow, someone else will get stuck scrubbing.

I focused on the task, determined not to give in. But then the bathroom door creaked open, and I froze. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Jiro leaning casually against the entrance to the showers. He had that signature smirk plastered across his face.

Of course. It took every ounce of self-control not to throw the scrub brush at him. He said nothing to me, preferring to watch. Thankfully, he left after a minute or so.

Two hours. That’s how long it took me to finally satisfy Iron Face’s standards. By the end, my hands felt raw, my knees ached, and my shoulders screamed. I consoled myself with the thinnest silver linings. If I ever got stuck with bathroom duty again, I’d know exactly what Iron Face was looking for. Pathetic, right?

There was still some time before lunch. I trudged back to my room, thinking a catnap might help my aching body recover. Just as I opened the door, Kenji popped out of his room, his face lighting up the way it always did when he saw me.

“You’re back! That took forever.”

“Tell me about it,” I grumbled.

Kenji followed me into my room, and I promptly face-planted onto my bed. Without a word, he grabbed my legs, lifted them onto the mattress, and scooted underneath them so he could sit at the edge.

“I didn’t pass the first inspection,” I admitted, flopping onto my back. “That’s why it took so long.”

“Seriously?”

“At least now I know what to do if I get that chore again.”

Kenji grinned. “That’s very optimistic of you.”

Before I could respond, he pulled off my shoes and started massaging my feet.

“Oh my God,” I sighed, sinking into the mattress. “That feels incredible. You realize you’ve made yourself my official foot masseuse for life, right?”

He chuckled, his hands working magic on my sore feet. “Well, you did have the worst chore of the day. You deserve a little R and R.”

I lifted my head to look at him, my lips curling into a lazy smile. “What did I ever do to deserve a friend like you?”

“You lived next door,” he said simply. “That’s what you did.”

Our laughter filled the room, chasing away the gloom of my morning.

“So, should we talk about the elephant in the room?” Kenji asked, raising an eyebrow. “Because this whole situation, it being a competition, is messed up.”

“Totally,” I admitted.

“The only positive I can think of is that the challenges might actually involve training, like those cooking shows where the chef demonstrates a dish and then the students are judged on how well they replicate it.”

“You really think that’s what the challenges will be?” I asked, stretching out my legs.

“What else could they be? How well we mop floors? I mean, I get cleaning the training kitchen after using it, but scrubbing the entire compound? That’s total bullshit. But the real problem is these so-called challenges. We have no idea what’s in store for us. It’s a little infuriating.”

“Kenji, it’s not just the chores or the challenges. It’s the fact that Iron Face has said twice now that only one person here will become Chef Sakamoto’s apprentice. There are ten of us. Nine will go home empty handed.”

Kenji focused his gaze on my feet. “I know.”

“That means you and I…we’re competing against each other.”

“I know,” he said again. He then looked over at me. “But if I had to lose, I’d want to lose to you.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet. Thank you.” I smiled.

“You know you’re supposed to say the same thing back, right?”

I burst out laughing. “I know, I know. I’m just lightening the mood. And I want to lose to you too.”

“Can you imagine if Jiro wins, though?” Kenji muttered, shaking his head.

“Don’t even start.” I groaned.

“I’m serious, Akiko. You need to be careful around him. Now that we know how this program works, he’s got even more reason to mess with your head. If what you told me about your past is true, it’s obvious he’s still harboring some serious resentment.”

“I know,” I said quietly, “but I’m hoping it won’t come to that.”

Kenji leaned closer. “It’s not just him, though. And you know I’ve got your back, but let’s be real—every guy here wants you to fail.”

I considered his words. “Maybe that’s my advantage. No one thinks I’m capable of winning.”

Kenji mulled over my words for a moment. “Interesting strategy. Fly under the radar. Let them underestimate you.”

“Exactly.” I tapped his hand with my foot, prompting him to resume the massage.

He frowned. “Still, enemy number one is Jiro. He’s a charismatic guy, and it already seems like he’s stepping into a leadership role with the others. He could easily turn everyone against you. I mean, more than they already are.”

I sighed. “He’s definitely still bitter about the breakup. But it’s more than that. It’s like he needs to prove something. Losing to me once was bad enough. Losing to me here? That would be unbearable for him.”

We sat in silence for a while, lost in our own thoughts. For me, it felt like life was throwing yet another hurdle my way, as if being chosen for this apprenticeship wasn’t hard enough. It had to be more challenging. Why couldn’t something just be easy for once?

Kenji broke the silence. “Can I tell you something?”

“Of course.”

“I’m a little worried about my skills in the kitchen,” he admitted.

I blinked. “What? Kenji, you said you spent your teens cooking with your mom.”

“I did. But it was different with her. She was always so encouraging, no matter what I made. Honestly? I was shocked when I got accepted into this program. I never thought I’d actually make it here.”

“Well, you did,” I said firmly. “And you beat out thousands of others to get here. That’s something to be proud of.”

Kenji smiled faintly. “When you put it that way, it does help. What about you? Are you worried?”

“Not about my ability,” I admitted. “But my gender? That’s another story. Add Jiro to the mix, plus the others who probably wouldn’t think twice about sabotaging me. It’s a lot to deal with.”

“I don’t believe for a second you were chosen out of pity,” Kenji said. “Chef Sakamoto has a reputation to uphold. There’s no way he picked you just because he knew your father. That’s Jiro talking, trying to plant seeds of doubt. He probably knew this was a competition from the start.”

I smiled, grateful for Kenji’s loyal support. “Thanks for being such a great friend.”

Kenji’s eyes lit up. “I have an idea. Since we trust each other, let’s make a pact. We help each other out, no matter what. Let’s make sure that at the end of this, you and I are the two apprentices with the most points. Deal?”

I grinned and shook his hand with my foot. “Deal, partner.”

A wave of gratitude washed over me. Having someone I could trust in a place like this felt like a lifeline. For the first time since arriving, I let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, I could do this.