I smiled, knowing where this was headed. “Let me guess, you think the program is weird.”
“Weird?” she echoed, her eyebrows shooting up. “Akiko, it’s more than weird. You have to live on-site, and you’re not allowed to leave or talk to anyone. Does that not scream cult to you?”
I laughed despite myself. “Maybe, but it’s only six weeks. I’ll survive.”
“And the NDA? Air-tight, binding for life, and practically screaming ‘Don’t ask questions.’ What’s that about?”
“They don’t want me spilling trade secrets,” I said. “Every person who’s completed the program has gone on to greatness. A lot of chefs who have trained under Chef Sakamoto now have their own Michelin-starred restaurant. This isn’t some gimmick. It’s the real deal.”
Miki frowned, unconvinced. “Give me the paperwork.”
I got up and grabbed the envelope from my desk. “Here,” I said, handing it over.
She flipped through the pages; her expression said it all. “These rules are insane. Listen to this: ‘Rule One: The named apprentice shall arrive at nine a.m. sharp. Tardiness will result in immediate dismissal.’ Harsh much?”
I shrugged. “Punctuality is important.”
“‘Rule Two: The named apprentice will bring nothing but the clothing on their body. No personal items are allowed.’ I hope they’re providing you with deodorant.”
“Miki—”
“Wait, wait, it gets better. ‘Rule Three: The named apprentice shall turn over all electronic devices before starting the program. These will be returned upon completion.’”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her dramatic tone. “Okay, fine. It’s strict. But I’ll manage.”
She shook her head as she continued looking through the paperwork. “All this, and they don’t even tell you what you’ll be doing daily? No schedule, no details, nothing. Akiko, this doesn’t sound like training—it sounds like they’re hiding something. What if this whole thing isn’t what it seems?”
Miki had a point, but I wasn’t about to let my doubts take hold. I couldn’t afford to. This was my dream.
She handed the envelope back to me. “I heard the Sakamotos live in a huge mansion that’s beautiful and luxurious. Living there can’t be that bad, even if the property resembles a prison.” She gave me a cheeky smile.
“I’ll be back here in no time, Miki.”
She shook her head but smiled. “You’d better. I can’t eat this well without you.”
She poured each of us a glass of chilled sake and raised hers in a toast. “Here’s to your dream, Akiko. You’re going to kill!”
CHAPTER THREE
AKIKO’S DREAM – THE BOARDWALK
Later that night, I woke covered in sweat, my blanket tangled around me. I kicked my legs, freeing myself, and sat up, heart pounding. For a few seconds, I couldn’t remember where I was. My gaze darted around the room until the familiar shadows of my bedroom anchored me. Safe. I was safe.
Beside me, Miki lay on her side, snoring softly. Not even an earthquake could wake that girl. I lay back down, staring at the ceiling, and did what I always did after having that dream: I tried to decipher it.
Over the years, the dream evolved, each time revealing more, like a puzzle assembling itself. Lately, though, it had felt…different. As if it was trying to tell me something. For months now, I’d been waking at the same moment, right before it could go further. But tonight was different. Tonight, I saw more.
It always started the same way, at the fish market. I was a little girl, and I always wore the same blue dress, ribbons tied neatly in my hair. I wandered among the stalls, eyes wide with curiosity, keeping track of the seafood I’d tasted and the ones I hadn’t, until I realized I was lost.
I wasn’t lost in the sense that I didn’t know where I was. I knew the market like the back of my hand. But I was separated from my father. Panic set in as I ran up and down the rows of stalls, calling his name. He was nowhere to be seen.
I reached the edge of the market, breathless and scared. Had he left without me? My heart clenched at the thought. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw him. He was walking toward the pier.
“Papa!” I shouted, my voice high and frantic.
He didn’t hear me.
I ran after him as fast as my little legs could, but I couldn’t catch up no matter how hard I tried. He reached the end of the pier, where a small wooden shack sold bait and fishing supplies. The dock was old and rickety, its wooden planks worn thin in places, revealing slivers of the water below. And then he smiled one last time before jumping off the pier.
