Author's Note: I removed a small detail in chapter 18 which was about Shinomiya wearing a cologne. Completely forgot he has a good nose and he doesn't trust a chef wearing anything that has a strong scent of perfume or what...

Birthday

All Shinomiya wanted to do was spend a quiet birthday at his place, a do-nothing day before he leaves for Paris.

Instead, his friends kidnap him into spending an overnight at a ryokan that was supposed to be gaining a lot of attention in the region. It shouldn't be a big deal, and dinner should at least be peaceful, but then this happened...

"Thank you for waiting and we're glad to receive praises from such well-renowned figures in the culinary industry." The manager bowed then stepped aside to introduce the chef who prepared the exquisite kaiseki meal they just consumed. "This is our guest chef, Megumi Tadokoro. She's leading the kitchen today in place of our head chef. She was the one who helped revive our kaiseki meals during her stagiare last year, and her effort contributed so much with the ryokan's growth and reputation. Tadokoro-san insisted we prepare something that is off-the-menu for you, but I believe we might already include it in our recipe list given your positive feedback."

Shinomiya and Megumi both eyed on each other. She meekly smiled at him then bowed at him and his friends. "I'm glad you liked it. It's a pleasure to serve you once again."

Of all the places in the world where Shinomiya's friends could take him on a vacation, they coincidentally chose the very same ryokan where Megumi had her stagiare. Perhaps it was fate's birthday gift to him since it has been more than cruel to him recently. It tries to make up for it now with Megumi in a blue kimono, which is an enchanting treat, highlighting her plush grace, the very image their kaiseki meal emanated earlier.

"Kojirou!" Hinako shouted right at his ear piercing him.

Shinomiya poked his kouhai's head with so much impact it made her fall to the floor. "I'm not deaf!"

"You might as well should be!" Hinako sat up again upset. "Aren't you going to thank Megumi for the meal?"

In a blink, Donato was already up holding unto Megumi's hands. "Tadokoro, how have you been? Can we maybe have a night stroll later after this?"

Hinako trapped Megumi in a hug cuddling her cheek to cheek. "Megumi I'm so happy to see you. Let's take a bath together later!"

Please take note that there are communal baths at a ryokan, so that's what Hinako meant.*

"You've improved so much Tadokoro." Mizuhara stood up from their table to approach her. "There is one particular detail I would like to discuss with you on that last course."

Shinomiya watched Megumi being bounced around from one friend to another. Megumi's vision swirled as she hardly caught up with the alternating conversations.

"Not going to say anything, Kojirou?" Donato ended the flow finally noticing Shinomiya not being able to say a word.

Megumi settled herself anticipating for his answer.

"Dinner was good. Thank you." Shinomiya reserved himself from anything more.

"What a jerk. Why are you so cheap in praising her?" snapped Hinako.

Shinomiya karate-chopped her head, then turned to Megumi. "The seafood and vegetables were sliced with precision, you used the right amount of heat on the broth, and you were able to draw out the specific flavors of each ingredient throughout all the courses. It's one of your best so far."

Megumi twinkled obviously divulging into his compliment. "Thank you, senpai! It's not as good your dish yesterday but..."

"That was OUR dish." Shinomiya corrected her irritated. "Are you ashamed of sharing the credit with me?"

"N-n-no senpai! Sorry..." Megumi fretfully apologized. "I just can't believe you would choose my recipe for dinner..."

"Yesterday's dish?" Hinako skeptically questioned.

Now that he thinks about it, he has never opened up to his friends about Megumi. Then again, they were never aware about any of his relationships until a break-up happens. Either that, or they get so nosy they could discover it all by themselves. Besides, Megumi is...

Megumi tried to unhinge the misunderstanding. "Shinomiya-senpai cooked a dish last night. We held a party after the Autumn Elections finals..."

Shinomiya already observed her discarding that detail where they initially had dinner alone together.

Hinako, Donato, and Fuyumi frowned all together at Shinomiya.

"So I guess you postponed your trip to Paris for that party." said Donato full of suspicion.

"I-it was an impromptu party... It was only opened up to a few who were still at Totsuki..." said chibi Megumi acting all defensive. It might have been a mistake for her to mention about yesterday's events.

The manager cleared her throat making her presence felt. "Tadokoro-san, we can take it from here. Why don't you relax and spend the night here with your friends? You've already done so much by coming for us at the last minute, and the owner would be so happy to return the favor in any way."

"Oh, but..." She glimpsed at Shinomiya and blushed.

"Megumi can stay in our room with us girls!" Hinako excitingly suggested. "You'll stay with us, won't you Megumi?"

Megumi shyly agreed, not even sure what she got herself into.

"I will tell the staff and make all the necessary arrangements for you. Thank you once again, Tadokoro-chan. To our wonderful guests, please enjoy the rest of the night." the hotel manager bowed at them before walking out of the room.

Shinomiya grew up not asking much for his birthday, especially when he spent it alone in Paris, but today, he gets to be surrounded by friends, and this country bumpkin who is such a handful but thoughtfully says and does the right things to stir up his life. To top it all off, he once again experienced that taste of comfort from her cooking, which is what he has been craving for months, and it even improved by miles since their training in Paris.

Last night, he and Megumi might have left each other with a dead air between them, but fate offered him more time with her.

"S-senpai..." Megumi tugged unto his sleeve. "Happy Birthday... I wasn't able to prepare a gift, but I hope you liked the kaiseki meal I made... I didn't expect you to be here, but, I was thinking of you while I was preparing all the courses..."

Tadokoro-san insisted we prepare something that is off-the-menu for you...

Again, she thoughtfully says and does the right things enough to stir him up.

Last night after Autumn Election Finals...

"What's wrong?" Shinomiya got caught off-guard with Megumi clinging unto him.

"I... I don't know, senpai..." Megumi hardly released his arm until a tear rolled on her cheek that needed to be immediately wiped off by her sleeve. She forced a cordial expression. "I guess, I felt really sad about you leaving..."

"You're talking as if I'm about to die." He grumbled.

"T-that's not what I mean, senpai!" Megumi denied shaking her head then sheepishly avoided his eyes again. "I was really wishing I could remember everything that happened between us... I... I can't help but wonder what kind of memories we had before the accident..."

Shinomiya scratched the back of his head. "If you want to know... This afternoon, was a glimpse of how it used to be... every moment of it." he said uncomfortably being sentimental.

His sudden switch to a forlorn expression intrigued Megumi. This afternoon can be interpretted in so many ways.

"Oh... Then maybe you can fill me in, senpai..." Megumi conspicuously squeezing out information from him.

Shinomiya chuckled. "If it were only that easy..." He grabbed the top of her head shuffling it a couple of times.

"Let's leave that for next time... If you can remember a few more things, then I'll tell you. Can you take care of yourself enough 'til then?" Shinomiya bargained.

Megumi hesitantly nodded.

He stroke her hair then held her face with both his hands, mentally taking a picture of her, who seems to be growing much more beautiful these days despite her sleepless nights showing under her eyes. It's proof of her effort, and thankfully the world is now rewarding her for it. "Don't let some random wannabe chef make you cry anymore, alright?"

Shinomiya pulled back then once again held unto the handle of his car glancing back at Megumi who might stop him again. She stood still, wearing her yearning as if it's their last, but Shinomiya could not be more certain that her mind may be ruminating an idea. It was written all over her.

He would be leaving the country soon. He already confirmed a flight earlier. What should be a proper farewell until they meet again? Regretfully, there couldn't be anything else more fitting for now, and with that, he got into the car and drove off.

Megumi, Hinako, and Mizuhara dipped themselves into the outdoor bath together. Hinako's fondness over Megumi hyped up as the latter exposed her flawless skin fully from head to toe. Mizuhara tried to put a leash on Hinako reasoning out that they can't fend off an extra hand for their little suprise birthday plan for Shinomiya.

"So you'll help us out? You only need to distract him for a while until we're all set to surprise him." said Hinako after disclosing the details.

Megumi nodded. This could be her only contribution to her Shinomiya-senpai's birthday celebration. She has been stocked up with school activities, that she forgot to remind herself that it was her senpai's birthday today according to his profile.

When she found out that today's special guests were Shinomiya and his friends, she instantly snatched the opportunity to change the courses and heighten the quality of the kaiseki meals more than the usual.

Last night ended awkwardly, and much to her confusion. She also didn't finish the party, and went straight to the shower then got to bed early. She browsed over profiles about The Magician of Legumes, and all the news she could find about him, plus a few women he dated who all commonly complained about his brash personality and his undivided attention to his career.

Nothing of which could further supply anything from last night's...

"Megumi?"

Megumi retrieved her presence back to the relaxing outdoor bath. "Sorry, Inui-senpai... Come again?"

"Kojirou said you have visited his restaurants to polish your skills. You're welcome to do the same at Kirinoya." Hinako invited.

"Thank you. I think I'll do that next time." Megumi accepted. Inui's restaurant is closer to her style of cooking, which is more focused on local cuisines.

"Again, call me Hinako."

"Oh... Alright, Hinako-senpai..." Megumi flushed, and with that, Hinako once again hugged her and cuddled on her cheeks.

"Which reminds me, Megumi, would you have any idea who Kojirou is currently dating?" Hinako bluntly shot at her.

Megumi pulled back from Hinako a bit. "No, I don't think so, senpai."

"Hinako, if we don't know, most likely no one else knows." Mizuhara said flatly.

"Hmph." Hinako moued. "I guess... but I won't give up."

"I didn't know Shinomiya-senpai is currently dating." Megumi wondered more, recollecting how he treated her, specifically his small physical advances like a pat on her head, and his very assuring embrace. He does them all to her without any doubt like it's a habit.

"He hasn't admitted anything, but we've known each other well enough to notice he's at least interested with someone."

"But... isn't it normal for Shinomiya-senpai to date and fall in love?" Megumi thought about some of the women in the articles.

Hinako cheekily laughed, and even Mizuhara's poker face broke at the idea giggling.

"Megumi, Kojirou sucks at dating. He's had previous relationships, but we all know he hasn't fallen in love with any of them." Hinako confirmed.

Megumi imagines Shinomiya sneezing over this conversation. (When people sneeze even though they don't have a cold, it means someone is talking about them.)

"This woman he's currently dating seems different though..." Mizuhara cupped some water into her hands then had it flow out like a waterfall.

"I know! It's frustrating! We should find out the identity of this mystery woman." Hinako crossed her arms. "But Kojirou is so good at hiding who she is! His phone is always locked and guarded. Last time we went to his place, Donato and I tried to sneak into his other devices, but he'd catch us before we could do anything."

"Well, whoever she is, Kojirou must be head-over-heels that he's been inspired to cook new dishes again." Mizuhara plunged the lower half of her face into the water.

Megumi's curiosity tickled her. "W-what makes you say that, senpai?"

Mizuhara thought for a second then unsubmerged her mouth to answer. "Every time Kojirou comes home to Japan, we'd get together and try out some of his dishes that are about to be placed on Shino's menu... and recently, his dishes have excelled, but in a different way. They're just as delicious, but... they were more thoughtful and warm, which is far from his signature."

"That's true." Hinako agreed. "Also, last spring we found out he adjusted his own work schedule in the restaurant to spend some time with that mystery woman in Paris. Koujirou would never do that. He'd break up with any woman who would make him choose love over his career."

Two weeks in Paris... Last spring...

Megumi shook her head. Spring is a long time in Paris. It could be anyone really...

"That woman senpai likes must be wonderful..." she commented.

As Hinako and Mizuhara continue to share their guesses and speculations, Megumi squirted on the little yellow rubber ducky she brought to the bath.

Megumi loves hearing any form of romance, may it be in visual novels, TV shows, or in real life. Love stories instill a little hope that it might happen for her too, but somehow, the thought of her senpai, falling so deeply in love with someone, it clinched the veins in her chest, it suffocated her, and so she now asks...

Why would he do those things to me?

Last night again after Autumn Elections

"...Can you take care of yourself 'til then?" said Shinomiya.

I guess senpai must be in a hurry...

She nodded not knowing anything else to say. This afternoon with him, while her fatigue didn't make her fully enjoy it, it has been pleasant, and to some degree, intimate. If moments like these truly existed before that accident, and if her memories about them stayed, perhaps this yearning could boost more courage to ask him to meet with her again when he returns.

Before Megumi knew it, her hair was being gently stroked, then her face was held up with large warm hands, her senpai affectionately carressing her cheek. "Don't let some random wannabe chef make you cry, alright?"

Her senpai being so close to her like it's nothing, and her not bearing an ounce of fear because it feels so safe... though it was brief, the familiarity of it flickered. When his hands slowly separated, the security also moved away inch by inch, and her inner conflicts could do nothing but allow him to get into his car before she could grab him again.

Megumi took a few steps back then had the gates opened for the car to pass through. Stuck on her spot, she let the car disappear in her sight.

For a moment she saw vignettes of him tapping on her head a few times. He has done that once last time in the car when he drove her back to the dorm from Shino's Tokyo. It should be the only instance so far, but that wasn't what she saw. Same action, but in different places, and different times.

None of them made any sense as they came in pieces, mostly incomplete.

Above all that, the last scene that played tangled her. She was standing right infront of her senpai. The design and structure of the walkway where they were, it was surely somewhere in Paris.

Focus on finishing Totsuki for now, and then we'll quickly pick it up from there...

"What do they all mean..?" Once again her heart drummed for the nth time that night as she answers her question on her own.