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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The next day, Hideo was nowhere to be seen. Another one of our fellow apprentices had fallen, leaving just six of us. Kenji and I had an alliance. Taka and Dori were inseparable, always scheming together. That left Kaiyo and Jiro. Jiro had always been a lone wolf who thrived on his own. The idea of him forming an alliance with anyone was laughable.

Even at university, Jiro had been self-reliant. It was one of the qualities that drew me to him back then. He had an enigmatic presence, as if he didn’t need anyone. Now, in this environment, that quality felt more dangerous than alluring.

After lunch, Kenji and I were heading to the library when Iron Face intercepted us. He didn’t even glance in my direction. “Kenji, with me,” he ordered before spinning on his heels. Kenji followed, casting a concerned glance back at me.

But I exhaled, relieved to have a moment alone. As much as I liked Kenji, his constant hovering was wearing on me, and I’d begun to wonder what he’d be like outside this nightmare of a competition. Would he still see me as someone who needed shielding from the world?

The sound of voices up ahead snapped me out of my thoughts. Taka and Dori were walking toward me on the narrow path. I hoped we’d just nod in passing, but Taka stopped dead center, blocking my way.

“Akiko,” he said, a sly grin spreading across his face. “Where are you off to?”

“The library,” I replied, trying to sidestep him, but Dori blocked my efforts.

“All alone without your boyfriend, Kenji?” Taka ridiculed.

“He’s not my boyfriend. We’re just friends,” I said, my words clipped.

“Just friends?” Taka shot a glance at Dori. “Hear that? She’s single and ready to mingle.” He ran a finger down my arm. I slapped it away, hitting the bandage around his wrist.

“Ouch!” He cradled his hand.

“Iron Face’s whipping still hurting you?”

“No, but if you keep acting like a stuck-up bitch, you’ll find out how it feels.”

I tried to sidestep Taka again, but he blocked me. I turned to back away, only to bump into Dori and catch a whiff of his sour breath.

As I fought to repel my nausea, I noticed Jiro in the distance, leaning casually against the wall outside the library, watching. Was this a setup? Had he put them up to this? The thought lit a fire in me.

I shoved Taka with all my strength, catching him off guard. He stumbled back and fell on his ass hard. He growled, his face twisted in anger.

Before I could react, Dori grabbed me from behind, his arms locking around me like a vise.

“You want to play rough?” Taka sneered as he got to his feet. “We can play rough.” His gaze dropped to my chest, and my stomach clenched.

Dori’s hands started roaming, and I kicked back at him, struggling against his grip. Both men laughed as though there were nothing wrong with their actions.

“You know what prize you get if you win the game we’re about to play?” Taka grabbed his crotch. “The chef’s special.”

Dori clamped a hand over my mouth, muffling my scream as they dragged me off the path toward a cluster of blossoming cherry trees. My heart pounded. I feared what would happen next if they got me out of sight.

I drove my elbow into Dori’s ribs repeatedly, but his grip didn’t loosen. Taka grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking me forward. The cluster of trees loomed closer.

A low growl broke through the chaos, and then Jiro slammed into us like a freight train. We all went down hard, and I was free.

Jiro was on his feet in an instant, positioning himself between me and them. “Touch her again, and I’ll destroy you,” he said, his voice ice cold.

Taka and Dori hesitated, their eyes narrowing as they sized him up. Dori mock-charged, testing his reaction. Jiro didn’t flinch. He snapped forward with a punch that sent Dori stumbling back. Taka stepped in next, fists raised, but Jiro was faster. He unleashed a brutal combo. Taka reeled, his head snapping to the side. For a moment, his eyes went blank, dazed.

Dori lunged forward, trading sharp jabs with Jiro, who didn’t back down an inch. Taka staggered to his feet, eyes darting between them, and for a moment, it seemed like they might team up against Jiro. But he was bigger, stronger, and radiating rage that dared them to try.

Taka grabbed Dori by the arm, yanking him away. “You’ll regret this, Jiro. Watch your fucking back!”

Jiro stood firm, keeping guard until they were out of view. Only then did he turn to me. “Are you okay?”

I nodded slowly, my voice catching in my throat. “My wrist hurts a little, but I’m fine.” The words felt hollow. My mind was still spinning from the assault that had almost happened. If it hadn’t been for Jiro… I reached up to the bandage on his neck, the wound from Iron Face’s whip. “Does it still hurt?”

“No.”

We stood there in awkward silence until I remembered.

“Did you set that up so you could come in and be the hero?” I asked, my voice sharp.

Jiro smirked. “I was your hero?”

“I knew it,” I said, shoving past him and stomping away.

He caught my arm, not hard, but enough to stop me. “Akiko. I didn’t set that up. You looked like you were in trouble, so I helped out.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not the biggest asshole on earth, even though I know you think that.”

His words caught me off guard. “Well, thank you. I appreciate it.”

Jiro’s smirk softened. “Is Kenji okay? I saw Iron Face take him away.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Are you always watching me?”

He shrugged. “Call it coincidence.”

“That’s a lot of coincidences.”

“Lucky for you.”

“Why do you care so much about what Kenji is doing?”

“I don’t, really. But this is a competition. It’s smart to keep track of the others.”

“Is that why I always catch you looking at me?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Afraid I’ll beat you?”

“That,” Jiro said with a playful grin, “and because you’re cute.”

“Flattery won’t get you anywhere.”

“It’s not flattery if it’s true.”

“What? That I’m cute?”

“No,” he said, his grin fading. “That you’re the best chef here. You’re the one to beat.”

I tilted my head, studying him. “Maybe I missed it, but did one of them hit you a little too hard back there? You’re talking nonsense.”

He chuckled. “I’m serious. Don’t forget, I’ve tasted your cooking. You were amazing then, and I can only imagine how much better you are now.”

His words threw me off. Jiro, of all people, complimenting me? “You hate me, Jiro. There’s no way you think I’m the best.”

“I don’t hate you.” His smirk faded. “You always had a knack for cooking. You enjoy it, and it shows.”

I searched his face for a sign of ridicule but found none. “Why say this now? You’ve done nothing but tease me from day one.”

“I’m not blind, Akiko,” Jiro said, leaning closer, his voice dropping. “I saw it back then, when we were dating. You cooked all the time. You had raw talent that only needed time to evolve. You belong here.”

His words stirred something inside me. Memories of the early days, sharing that tiny apartment, me cooking for him every night. “You remember all that?”

“Of course I do. How could I forget? Just because we’re not together doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten the good times.”

My cheeks burned, and I glanced away. The intensity in his eyes was too much. It always had been. Back then, it made me melt. Now, it made me…shy.

“Jiro,” I said, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “What exactly are you after here? You’re antagonizing me one minute, and the next, you’re saying I’m the best chef here. What’s your angle?”

“No angle,” he said with a shrug. “I saw you in trouble and stepped in. If your…boyfriend had been here, I wouldn’t have had to.”

“Kenji’s not my boyfriend,” I snapped. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

Jiro’s smirk returned. “You’re right. It’s not my business. But for what it’s worth, I meant what I said. You’re the one to beat. You deserve to win this. But unfortunately, skill isn’t what decides the winner.”

My stomach tightened. “You mean because the points don’t matter?”

“It’s not about points either,” Jiro said. “It’s about survival. That’s why you might lose to the worst chef here.”

My body tensed. “And who’s the worst chef here?”

Jiro’s smirk flatlined. “Your buddy, Kenji.”

At first, his words hit me like a punch, but then I wanted to laugh and dismiss them as jealousy or manipulation. But the look on his face was calm and confident. It rattled me.

“I’d be careful about his real intentions,” Jiro said, his voice low. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you, Akiko.”

That’s two people who have now warned me about Kenji.

With that, he walked away, leaving me confused. I wanted to chase after him and demand answers, but I didn’t. This was Jiro. I had to assume he was playing mind games, trying to drive a wedge between me and Kenji. Still, Jiro had never been one to mince words.