“This is where you will find the toilets and showers,” he said. “You are now permitted to exit your rooms to use these facilities.”
Now? Only now? You mean to tell us up until this moment, the bathrooms were off limits? What’s next, rationing our food?
The moment Kanshisha-san finished speaking, everyone took off like the Wicked Witch of the West avoiding a downpour. I made a beeline for the nearest open stall, slammed the door shut, and finally—bliss. When I came out, I spotted Kenji leaning casually against the wall.
“Feel better?” he asked, his kind brown eyes sparkling with amusement.
“Much,” I said with a dramatic sigh.
He slung an arm over my shoulder and pulled me close, lowering his voice. “Good, because you’re really going to hate the shower situation.”
Kenji led me to the far side of the building, where the showers were. My stomach dropped. It was a single open space with showerheads lining the walls. No stalls. No curtains. No privacy. It was like something out of a high school locker room.
“How am I supposed to bathe?” I exclaimed, my voice rising slightly in panic.
Kenji grinned. “Before you explode, I have a solution.”
“Oh, this should be good,” I said, folding my arms.
“We’ll come here after everyone else is done. I’ll stand guard while you shower and make sure no one tries to peek.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “And what’s to stop you from sneaking a peek?”
“Nothing,” he said, smirking.
I jabbed him in the bicep with my finger. “How convenient for you.”
“Look, Akiko, you know you can trust me. And if I recall correctly, we’ve been naked in front of each other before. Remember the neighbor’s onsen when we were kids? I’ve already seen all your bits and pieces.”
“Kenji, our bits and pieces look very different now,” I said, trying not to laugh.
“Yeah, I know.” His grin widened. “But seriously, do you have a better idea?”
I didn’t. As much as I hated to admit it, his plan made sense. And truthfully, I did trust Kenji. The idea of him standing guard eased my fears more than I expected.
“Fine,” I said, rolling my eyes. “But if you even think about sneaking a peek?—”
“You’ll throw a sushi knife at me?” he finished, raising an eyebrow.
“Exactly,” I said with a grin.
Kenji chuckled and slung his arm around me again. “Deal. But just so you know, I’m not thrilled about being anyone’s lookout. I’m sacrificing part of my shower time for you.”
“Oh, please. Like you wouldn’t want the same thing if you were a woman.”
He tilted his head, pretending to think. “Fair point.”
I shook my head, but I couldn’t help smiling. As frustrating as this whole situation was, having Kenji here made it bearable. Enjoyable, even. He had grown into a handsome man, and for the first time, I caught myself wondering whether our friendship might turn into something more.
Kanshisha-san’s sharp call snapped me out of my thoughts. I hurried out, still feeling a small, nagging knot in my stomach. My eyes swept over the group of apprentices gathered outside, and there he was—Jiro.
His gaze was locked on me, his expression unreadable. Part of me wanted to believe he didn’t recognize me and that I could somehow play it off like I was just another face in the crowd. But deep down, I knew better. And the longer he stared, the more obvious it became.
To make matters worse, judgmental eyes fell on me. With all the apprentices gathered, I stood out like a sore thumb—the token female. Every glance felt like their eyes were collectively weighing my worth. I straightened my back, keeping my chin up as I followed Kanshisha-san like a soldier on a mission.
He led us into another building, this one housing a pristine kitchen. It wasn’t as extravagant as the one in the restaurant, but it was still sleek and modern—stainless steel everywhere, with stocked shelves, polished counters, and all the tools a chef could ever dream of.
My heart fluttered with excitement. This was why I was here. This was my dream. I exchanged a quick look with Kenji, and the grin he gave me was all I needed to push aside the unease brewing from Jiro’s presence.
