A/N: This is now in Kazuki POV.

Because of this new seating chart, our teacher gave us. Koemi and I are now sitting together. Having her sit next to me is like laying down on a bed of nails. Every glance she threw my way made me feel uncomfortable. It happened because she caught me playing this one game on my phone and because of it, she hasn’t been looking at me the same before. As I sat silently, I took a quick glance at Koemi as I hope that I have a chance to apologize to her once Mr. Tanaka was done talking. 

As I wrestle with my thoughts, Mr. Tanaka’s voice begins to speak silently to everyone's chatter. “Alright, class, listen up. We have an exciting project coming up for chemistry. All of you folks will have a week to prepare and, at the end of this week—Friday—you will have to present your findings.” 

Everyone began groaning, but Mr. Tanaka raised his hand to quiet us. “And you’re wondering…” He continues, a small smile plays on his lips. “The people sitting to you from this new seating chart will become your project’s partner.” 

My heart sank. I glance at Koemi, who looks just as horrific as I am, too. Of all people, why does it have to be her? Mr. Tanaka, out here causing trouble between both of us!

This project announcement is such a cruel joke. I could already imagine the awkward silences and forced conversations. I just hope we could get through it without embarrassing ourselves.

~~~

The bell rang, dismissing us from school. I can already feel this awkward tension hanging between us. As we silently walked, I could already feel the weight of this evening scroll pressing down on me. 

“This is amazing,” Koemi mutters, kicking a loose pebble on the sidewalk. “A project. Just what I needed after coming back from this long weekend.”

I glance at her, asking her a question. “Hey Koemi, are you still mad at me?”

She sighs, her shoulders slumping a bit. “Koemi, no… It’s just… Having to balance school and this restaurant. Can get stressful, you know?” 

“I’m deeply sorry about what happened this morning. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable sitting with me!” 

Koemi slows down her pace and turns to face me, her expression softening. “No, I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have reacted like that. I should’ve just asked what you have been doing instead…” 

As we stood there for a moment, the air between us whispered with unspoken words. I took a deep breath. “Look, I understand our start is rocky, but we must work together to make this project work. Maybe, we can use this to build each other's trust.”

As she looks at me, her eyes search for mine. “Yeah, you’re right. Maybe we’ll even do a better job if we put the trust in each other.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. “Yeah”

As we continue walking down the path to the restaurant, I can feel the tension seem to ease. The awkwardness of earlier begins to melt away as we start talking about how we felt about the project. Having both of our ideas bounce back and forth, some serious, others silly. But I felt this is a good start, at least.

When we reach the restaurant, seeing the familiar sight of the building brings a sense of comfort. “Are you ready for the shift?” I ask her, trying to lighten the mood with a smile.

Koemi nods, a determined look on her face. “Heck yeah. Let’s do this!” 

Watching Koemi enter the restaurant, the door swinging shut beside her, I pause for a moment, this evening breeze ruffling my hair. A sense of something new and fragile growing between us, something that this project needs. It feels good, as whatever happens. We’re in this together. 

~~~

The evening shift at the restaurant has begun as customers are waiting to get their food. Koemi and I have fallen into this rhythm, working side by side, understanding the assignment. It feels good, feeling natural. 

As I’m wiping down one of the tables near the kitchen entrance, something strange catches my eye. Out of the corner of my vision, I notice a faint glow coming from the kitchen. The light isn’t harsh but rather a soft, pulsating shimmer that seems to be absorbing into the surrounding surfaces—the shelves, the walls, even the floor beneath it. The glow has a mysterious quality, as if it’s alive, drawing in everything around it. It's like the light is being absorbed into the very air, making the surrounding space look slightly hazy.

Curiosity gets the better of me, and I set the cloth down, making my way toward the source. As I approach the kitchen, I notice the glow is more concentrated near the storage shelves. I pause, trying to listen for any noise. There’s a faint humming sound, barely audible over the clattering of dishes and the sizzling of food on the stove. It’s subtle, but it's there—a low, almost rhythmic pulse that seems to resonate with the light

“Hey Koemi, do you see what I’m seeing?” I ask, pointing her to the source of the light.

She glances up, following my gaze. Her brow rose in confusion. “I don’t know… I had never seen that when I first arrived in the kitchen…”

Koemi glances up from the stove, following my gaze. Her brow furrows in confusion as she notices the strange light. “I don’t know… I’ve never seen that when I first came into the kitchen.”

We both approach cautiously, our steps slow and deliberate. The closer we get, the more pronounced the glow becomes, as if it’s reacting to our presence. It’s coming from a small, sealed container on one of the higher shelves, tucked away behind jars of spices and cooking oils. The container itself is unremarkable—a simple glass jar with a tightly fitted lid—but the light seeping out from around the edges is anything but ordinary.

Koemi hesitates for a moment before carefully reaching up and taking the jar down from the shelf. The light pulses gently as she holds it in her hands, casting an ethereal glow over her face. She turns the jar over, inspecting it closely. The glow seems to be emanating from a substance inside—a viscous, swirling liquid that shifts and changes color, from deep blue to a vibrant green, then to a soft violet.

“It looks like… Some kind of chemical reaction,” as she carefully analyzes it, her eyes widen more. “But why is it here?” 

I shrug, equally puzzled. “I think Grandpa Takeshi might be a scientist.” 

Koemi shakes her head slowly. “It can’t be… He’s a perfect cook, why on earth does he need chemicals to enhance his flavor more?” 

As we stood there thinking, an idea began to form in my mind. “Koemi… Maybe we could use this as our chemistry project?” 

She begins to look at me, in intrigue. “You want us to investigate what this is and find out what it does?”

“Yeah,” I said, feeling a surge of excitement. “This is perfect for what we need. We can experiment with it, figure out what’s inside of it, and present our findings. Plus, I doubt that anyone in our class has something like this!”

Her eyes lit up with enthusiasm. “Hey… Maybe you’re right!” 

“Let’s do this!” 

After the restaurant has closed. Koemi and I sit in one of the booths in the dining area with this mysterious container between us. The old lady, our first customer of the day, is still at her table, slowly savoring her meal. The atmosphere is quiet, only hearing Tetsu’s gentle movements. 

Koemi stares intently at the small, sealed container resting on the table. “Kazuki, I think I can get it open.” She says, her brow furrowed in determination.

I lean closer, suppressing a yawn. “You got this, Koemi,” I encouraged her. “But be careful.”

Koemi grips the container tightly, twisting and putting it on the line. It didn't budge at first but didn’t give up and kept going. She is now putting her weight into it.

“Open up!” She huffs.

Tetsu, sensing her frustration, hops over to her side, barking softly as if cheering her on. “You can do it!” I cheer her on, lightening the mood.

With one last determined twist, the lid pops off, and the contents of the container spill out onto the table, filling the air with its distinct umami aroma. We all lean in closer, staring wide-eyed at this fine, white substance. 

“What is that?” I ask, feeling both intrigue and nervous.

“Is that salt?” Koemi replies, “Monosodium Glutamate?” 

“MSG?” I repeat, recalling a conversation I’d overheard about. “What does he use to make his food taste good?” 

“Yeah…” She exclaims. 

The old lady, who has been listening intently, smiles. “You know, when I used to often visit his restaurant, back in the day. I always see him put that to all the dishes he cooked!” 

Koemi nods, as she begins writing down her note. “Let’s figure out how we can incorporate this into our project. We can maybe set up a taste test…”

As we brainstorm ideas, the old lady finishes her meal and stands up, her eyes twinkling. “I can’t wait to see what you two come up with! You remind me so much of Takeshi. Keep it up!” 

As she left the restaurant, we spent the night working on the project. With every passing minute, the sense of partnership between us strengthens, as we try to get this project done before Friday. I just hope the teacher will give us a good grade…