Ch. 24 - Father and son bonding.

Seeing the restaurant so empty like this kinda hurts my heart, I dont like crowded spaces for sure, but I dont feel the same seeing my workplace like this. It feels abandoned and gloomy. I am ways so used of always seeing my friends and being busy cooking several meals for multiple people at once. I always make sure to give my all and cook the best meals to keep every customer that comes in satisfied. I've develop a some what emotional attachment to this place, and I want to inherit it one day.

"Come on Akagi, we need to implement as many dish as we can before your mother picks us up."

He told me as he puts on his apron and walks into the kitchen. I pull down my sleeves and put on my apron.

"Yes, Chef!"

I shouted.

We plan on implementating new type of dishes in the restaurant to attract more customers, I made a research about what western style dishes are popular and affordable among many people.

Just a several minutes in and we're already in full motion, we already prepared all the ingredients that we'll need for our specific dishes. Despite the hissing sound and other noises caused by the food getting cooked. It was still rather far too quite compare to normal work days. I anticipated that my stepmom would arrive at 2 hours, so without thinking for a split second I begun to cook in the same pace during regular working hours, but when I was in the middle of accomplishing my dish, I notice my father was pretty chill, he is taking his time in his cooking. I looked at the clock and its only been 15 minutes. I dont know why im such in a hassle when there's still alot of time and no reason for me to be in a hurry. So I slow down and have some breathing space.

Quitely stirring the food waiting for it to cook, I was suddenly ask by my father.

"Do you have a girlfriend yet?"

He asked, but I was distracted to the sizzling and hissing sounds that our pans are making, I misheard him so I turn around a bit confuse, he was mixing some dough, he just look at me and then repeats the question.

"I said do you have a girlfriend yet?"

I genuinely feel surprised by his question, however this is not the first time he asked me this question, but I though he gave up on hoping i'll ever love someone. I turn around and said.

"No, im still not planning to have one."

"Why not?"

He asked.

"I dont know, I dont want to have one yet."

My reply was rather vague, im sure he'll ask for a much detailed explanation but thats my exact reason.

Masao : "Son, its bad to stay single forever, you'll grew grumpy and impatient if you dont improve your love life."

He must've notice when I was such in a hassle, he knows well I wanted to get things done almost immediately and I never pause for a minute. I need to give him a better explanation about this topic.

Akagi : "But dad, its fun being single! I dont have to worry about managing my time between my work and dating, I'll have absolutely privacy to myself, I can make decisions by myself without someone intervening and I dont have to consult someone whenever I wanna do something. I dont wanna have a girlfriend cause I dont wanna surrender my freedom."

I have to channel all my thoughts to gave him a proper reason, but I know he wouldn't stop here.

"But how are you gonna be happy? You'll need someone to take care of you!"

He told me. At this point I feel a bit annoyed, I was able to be successful and remain steadfast is because I dont have someone to consume my time and spend money on pleasing someone who would literary replace you once she got bored of you. I wanna tell him just how risky and disadvantageous being a relationship is by telling him how I really feel about women. But I dont wanna sound rude and somewhat disrespectful to my dad.

"Dad, I can properly take care of myself, and im currently happy right now, with you, my friends and my new mom."

I try to sugarcoat my words in order to somewhat appease him with a plausible reason and end this conversation.

"Yes, but even so. You someone to cherish and love and be loved in return."

Just as I though it was done.

I sigh and simple said.

"Alright."

Then I continue cooking the meal I think of.

I planned on cooking french croquettes and Pasta Neopolitan. I heard these two dishes are both affordable and classy, a good starter for people trying exquisite western foods. But I am uncertain how it would taste.

I serve the pasta on a deep plate and the croquettes in a small plate. It smells delightful and just looking at me makes hungry, I turned around and check out what my father made. I saw a pair of lobster rolls, a pair of beautiful lobster rolls, such lean and tender looking lobster meat covered in a white substance filling, sandwich between perfectly grilled buns. It looked marvelous and delicious. My mouth is getting watery as the smell of lobster mixed with melted butter and other seasonings fill my nostrils. I had a very light breakfast, I cant help it.

"What did you make, son?"

My father ask as he put down the plate of lobster rolls on the table. I push mine closer to his plate so he can examine it closely, he took a bite out on one of my croquettes. I was nervous about getting bad results but I am also on the look out for flaws so I can get better next time.

"What did you use for the filling?"

He ask while still chewing some in his mouth.

"I just put in cheese."

I replied.

This is not the first time I make croquettes, I make them at home for snacks to eat whenever I watch movies. It taste good to me, but I never got anybody to taste it, so im curious about my fathers reaction.

"How is it?"

I asked.

He finished eating the second one, clears his throat and talks.

"Delicious, the outside is crunchy but the inside is soft. That's all I gotta say but its good."

Its not much of a complement but if he says its good then its a passing grade to me. However, the next step is get more people to taste it. Before that, I gave him my Pasta Neopolitan then I finish off the rest of my croquettes, I love cheese between bread and my croquettes are delicious. Also I am hungry.

As time pass, we just ate the meals we cooked and satisfied ourselves, I saved some for my stepmom in a lunch box. I love these kind of moments were we just spend time together and enjoy the things we made solely with effort. Just satisfies my lack of parental affection that I so desired especially when I was still a kid. But now comes the cleaning, sometimes making delicious and exquisite meals can be messy and alot of utensils and pots are needed to be wash.

"Lets clean this up before your mother arrives."

He said as I was already doing it. I hate washing the dishes, especially when the water just splashes everywhere, I get irritable when the clothes im wearing gets wet.

Minutes pass and we heard the door opens.

"Ah, she's here."

My father wipes his hand with some tissues and went out to greet her, I follow after I wipe my own hands on my apron.

"Good afternoon, my love!"

She said as she gives my father a hug, my father in turn greeted her warmly and with a kiss on her cheek he hugs her in return. Seeing them being so lovely towards each other is somewhat pleasant. I didn't remember seeing my own biological mother ever hugging or kissing my father, I was just a little kid back then, I didn't know why my father only came once or twice every month and why he always have to leave shortly. I thought he was just busy and my mother was always excited to see him return. He was a good person, and I first saw and experienced his kindess when I was in my darkest hour. I also learned his emotional instict as a father when I learned he was searching for me and on how he redeemed himself by providing me with anything I need or want that he couldn't do before. So I am very confuse when I learned that my mother would cheat on him. I was very naive at that time, I thought they love each other, they did. But by that time, what I was seeing at the those moments. Was during their divorced. I didn't realize that love, even marriage, can be so fragile.

I surely learned it the hard way. But its all memories now. As much as I try to forget it, it resurfaces itself whenever I find myself in the same scenario or feeling something that I once felt before. I wonder for how long I can suppress it?