A Recipe for Survival

Kiyoaki felt the thrilling freefall as the bus crested the last hill towards Whiskerwell and began its final descent into the sun glistened valley, his hands fidgeting around his lap in an attempt to manage his nerves as head chef of his very own-and-first restaurant. 

To his side his cat-companion Fuku was basking in the intermittent sunlight as the bus danced its way down the winding road inevitably descending further and further into the valley. Kiyoaki sighed as he gave Fuku a slight pat under her chin in an attempt to wake the cat in a gentle manner as their stop was a few minutes away. 

His rucksack between his legs and a lightly packed suitcase stowed in the hold, was all he had to his name. The bus started to brake, and Kiyoaki’s body finally gave in to the emotions as it tensed up, “This is really it”, he thought to himself. 

He gave Fuku some rougher scratches to signal their departure and stood up just as the bus came to the station, as the bus doors swung open Kiyoaki gestured to the driver with a gentle nod of thanks as he set foot in Whiskerwell for the first time. 

The fresh and cold air filled his lungs, soaking in the atmosphere of his home for the next year! 

A formal welcome could be heard to Kiyoaki’s right as he turned his head and saw the esteemed Chef Michell and his ginger cat Salem greet them upon their arrival, 

“Welcome Kiyoaki to Whiskerwell, isn’t it lovely here?” Michell boldly exclaimed with no expectations of any reciprocation from the clearly overwhelmed young chef, as Michell shook his hands and Kiyoaki formulated a hasty reply “Thank you Chef for this opportunity.”

Michell in turn laid a key in Kiyoaki’s shaky palm, wished him luck and gave him a note with the address of his Mansion all the while boisterously exclaiming Kiyoaki was expected for dinner this very evening. His voice was a deep boom that bordered on a shout and Kiyoaki didn’t entirely look forward to the vocal guide he was simultaneously handed, on how to reach and open the restaurant. Salem gave a loud yowl and looked demandingly at Michell with pulsing eyes as he snuggled up against Kiyoaki’s leg. Fuku, who up to this point had remained quietly hidden behind the bus wheels hissed, unimpressed by this new invader into her life.

“Oh and Salem will be staying with you for a while, he really wants to help”  Michell muttered, clearly not enthused at the thought of his companion leaving with Kiyoaki so soon. Salem, all the while, was running circles around the new chef in town and was clearly ready for a new, exciting adventure. With the greetings concluded, Michell bid farewell and tapped his chauffeur on the shoulder, signalling that he was ready to leave. The all too expensive car glided away leaving Kiyoaki, slightly stunned from the encounter where he had uttered what barely felt like a grunt. 

Kiyoaki’s emotions were running at an all time high, which gave him the energy and motivation to get acquainted with his new home. Without a second to spare he traversed down the cobbled street, with a suitcase that bobbled its way through the cozy street. After leaving the bus station, he knew from Michell’s directions that he’d have to make a right turn at the next crossing, and then he’d be at his restaurant. 

There it was, a little dusty on the outside, but it just needed a caring hand! Kiyoaki took the key from his jacket, and pressed it into the keyhole. A reassuring mechanical thunk made Kiyoaki aware that he could now turn the key and that he did…

The old doorbell gave a welcoming ring as Kiyoaki took a look inside the dark, tired room. A few hexagonal stools were stacked in the corner and a beautiful cerulean blue carpet taking up the floor. To the left, his kitchen was in surprisingly good shape. He pulled his suitcase with a curious Fuku and Salem on top, and walked towards the creaky wooden staircase in the back, leading to his very own room. 

As expected his room had all the necessities, but Kiyoaki knew that to get the most out of his first day he should put his suitcase on the desk and acquaint himself with the hamlet a bit more before his evening visit to Michell’s mansion. He made sure to ask Fuku and Salem if they wanted to join him and whilst Fuku was already on his shoulder, Salem seemed uninterested and made a leap to the bed, trying to find the right warm spot to snuggle up. 

So he backtracked his way to the town grocer, a charming store, with neon lettering and some fresh wares outfront. Fuku seemed excited, so much variety to make sushi with, most of all with the vast array of fish on offer, laid out in trays filled with ice that glittered in the afternoon sun.

It seemed every shop had a doorbell in this quaint outpost, as Kiyoaki set foot inside, and was greeted by two hands holding a newspaper. Startled at Kiyoaki’s voice, as he failed to recognise it, the shopkeeper quickly swung the paper down. Kiyoaki once again bowed respectfully as the grocer shook his hand and welcomed him to the humble store, enquiring about his journey. 

The variety on offer was incredible for such a small hamlet, and the grocer explained their secret was the neighbouring towns. The hamlet has always been a tourist spot for food-fanatics thanks to their love of food, but over the years the talented chefs of Whiskerwell had to move to the bigger cities, to follow their aspirations and thus the restaurants had been left empty..

“But Michell saved us, or well- in this case you will save us” the grocer said in a serious tone that completely contrasted his words, as his face frowned upon the interior wall for a few seconds before resting his eyes on Kiyoaki again. A sense of fright overwhelmed Kiyoaki but the grocer took his hand reassuringly and nodded to Kiyoaki “My poor boy, you will be fine, just do what you do best, you must be great at it otherwise Michell wouldn’t have invited you”. 

Kiyoaki left the towngrocer with seaweed, sushi rice, vinegar, soy and two delightful cuts of salmon and a whole halibut that the grocer had insisted he’d try. Slightly worried and confused as to what caused the melancholy haunting that suddenly overcame the grocer, he started the walk back to his new home. 

In the end Kiyoaki did in the end decide that his initial worries so-far might be more easy to overcome than expected, just look at all the progress he had made so far! Fuku meowed agreement as she gnawed on a fishbone she had pilfered from the shop.

As Kiyoaki and Fuku decided to take a different route home, they wandered down the remaining cobbled streets of Whiskerwell, taking in the scenery and internally mapping their surroundings. After a short standstill as Kiyoaki got distracted by some cloudberries in the roadside shrubbery, Fuku started to mewl and cowered closer to Kiyoaki, about to ask Fuku what was wrong, he abruptly realized that they were surrounded by cats! 

After a tense standoff the clowder shook off their initial fears as friendly purrs were exchanged and upon further rounds of investigation by the feline party, they deemed Kiyoaki and Fuku welcome guests to their abode. As the cats snuggled against Kiyoakis legs and introduced each other by gently bopping Fuku’s nose, the tense atmosphere became a happy snugglefest.  

After a while the cats dispersed and Kiyoaki and Fuku arrived at the restaurant to get ready and dressed for tonight’s dinner at Michell’s mansion. 

Evening had arrived and Kiyoaki was caught off guard, as evening made the well lit valley suddenly dark. Both Kiyoaki and Fuku suddenly became very aware of the fact they hadn’t brought a light, and both were very relieved to see a taxi awaiting them outside the restaurant and Kiyoaki’s excitement began to grow for what kind of meal the world famous Chef Michell would greet him with.

As the taxi drove up the hill an uncanny feeling kept Kiyoaki unnervingly still in the seat, as a deer in headlights, just waiting for something terrible to happen. He reassured himself that this was a good day, and nothing could take that away, but through it all the uneasiness in the body still crept up his shoulders as he came closer and closer to Michell’s Mansion. 

The end~|