Fiery Red Colours

Chapter 9: (Side Quest) Revenge is a dish best served cold

This is a skippable side quest so yeah~

After the training incident, word spread like wildfire and now your food souls were buzzing with excitement.

"Are they dating?"
"That's so romantic~"
"Is that even allowed?"
"Good thing he didn't go for Jello."

All this attention is making the fiery red head annoyed and very embarrassed. His little kiss on your hand was totally spontaneous and although it sent tingles down his spine, he regretted not doing it in a more private setting. Steak was not a social butterfly.

Out of everyone, he was most embarrassed to interact with you. He didn't stay long enough to witness your full reaction to his little stunt and he really wasn't prepared to hear your potential disapproval. This resulted in him avoiding you for a few days.

You on the other hand, were growing frantic at the distance Steak had put between you two. Had you done something wrong? Was your temper tantrum that horrible that it lowered his fondness towards you?

As you were pacing in the restaurant's dining hall, you heard the door open and in came the very food soul that was troubling your thoughts. You made brief eye contact but he quickly glanced downwards and hurried to his room with a slight blush that went unnoticed.

He won't even look at me!!
You mentally sulked even harder.

The more you thought about it, the more upset you got with Steak. What did you even do? He was the one who kissed you and acted all seductive in front of everyone, not that you didn't like it. But this was his fault and now he's giving you cold turkey!

Deciding that some shopping would ease your burning anger, you put your jacket on and bid your food souls goodbye as you left for the market to buy some ingredients. On the way, you also picked up some other food for dinner.

"Hmm what to eat tonight..." You hummed quietly to yourself. Then your eyes drifted to a butcher's store. A light bulb turned on in your head and you smiled maliciously. Full of evil intent, you paid for the food and placed it into your bag.

"Looks like we're having steak tonight."

-Time Skip-

It was around 7 pm and you were happily making your dinner in the restaurant's kitchen. Since it was Sunday, the place was closed so you had everything to yourself.

The steak was sizzling on a pan and you added some seasoning for flavour. Although you sucked at almost everything else, cooking was something you were amazing at. Ever since you were a kid, you've had a knack for making delicious yet simple cuisines that required minimal effort. Hence earning the nickname Lazy Master, a name that you embrace fully.

Ume Ochazuke wandered into the kitchen for a quick snack and saw you hard at work. "What are you making Master Attendant?"

You turned around and saw your cheeky food soul looking at you with her bright curious eyes. Thinking you can trust her, you told her your amazing plan. Her eyes lit up with a glint of mischief "I'll do whatever I can to help you with this!"

You smiled "can you make sure no one else comes in the dining room while I do it then? No one but Steak. I might need your help with luring him to the room though."

"I've got you covered, Attendant." She saluted.

The two of you continued to go over the steps for the plan to succeed. Ume's job is to casually stand guard at the entrance that led from the restaurant's dining hall to the rest of your residence. Then, she is to bait Steak down to where you were with some freshly made exquisite tofu rolls.

"Make sure he sees me." You whispered the most important part of your plan. "It's most crucial that he does." she nodded in understanding.

Then the two of you sprang into action.

You carefully transferred the steak from the pan to a plate and decorated it with condiments. Making sure to add the sauce from the pan as well just to make it more juicy.
Then you set the table for one and sat down.

You glanced at the connecting entrance where Ume was stationed at and gave her a thumbs up. Ready.

Ume did a final glance around the premises and quickly dashed up the stairs to Steak's room. She knocked on the door and the red head promptly opened it.

He quirked an eyebrow, he wasn't really close with Ume Ochazuke but she was nice enough for him to not hate her. "Hey did you need something Ume?"

Ume Ochazuke smiled her sweetest smile and pointed to the kitchen "there are exquisite tofu rolls in the dining hall. Thought you might want - !" She couldn't even finish her sentence because Steak was already halfway out the door when he heard "tofu roll".

You heard heavy and hurried footsteps down the wooden staircase and quickly prepared for your own part. Preparing your knife and fork, you pretended to innocently look up when Steak ran in.

"Master Attendant! Where are the tofu... rolls..." Steak's vocal chords stopped working when he saw what you were doing.

With a dangerous expression, you violently but slowly cut your steak into little pieces. Steak cringed, slightly horrified at what you were hinting at. He then gulped at the redness oozing from your piece of protein.

This is what you get for being a dick to me for the past few days.

Then your expression shifted from pure death to a seductive smirk as you stabbed a piece of steak with your fork and brought it up to your mouth.

And this is for being a tease that day.

Steak watched incredulously as you brought your tongue out to lick your dinner.

WOMAN WHAT THE FUCK! Steak was dying inside.

Eyes wide and face red, he stood unmoving as you continued to finish your juicy meal. After you were done, Steak was at his breaking point.

"I'm sorry." Steak's usually steady voice had a slight tremble.

You dabbed your mouth with a handkerchief and stood up. As you passed the still unmoving Steak you looked at him angrily and said "don't ever give me cold shoulder again, you hear me??" Steak nodded obediently. "Or I will be cutting up more than the edible kind of steak."

Steak was starting to get over his shock of what he just witnessed. He realized that tonight's dinner held multiple messages but what were you implying other than cutting him up??

He turned to you, face still red as a tomato. You decided to deliver one last blow.

"By the way, there are no exquisite tofu rolls. Only regular ones."

You high-fived Ume Ochazuke after you heard Steak's colourful string of curses.

Poor Steak. You were so hard on him! He was only embarrassed smh so evil.