Taste of Japan

A little short story about two college buddies reuniting and going out for dinner at a new Japanese restaurant.

Kemper opened the door to find his old college roommate grinning from ear-to-ear.

“Hey, buddy!” the young man yelled.  “Long time, huh?”

The friends shook hands and hugged.

“Good to see you again,” Kemper replied.  “How’s the folks?”

“Mom’s okay.  She’s upset though that I came back for a visit.  She says four years of university in the States is plenty.”

Kemper elbowed Chikato in the ribs.  “Momma’s boy!”

The pair laughed and punched each other.

“Dad’s glad to see me though.  I’m spending the summer with him before I go back to Tokyo and start my new job.”  He looked around the apartment living room.  “Where’s that sexy sister of yours?”

Waving a hand, Kemper laughed again.  “She moved out, man.  She got married.”

“Married?  D****t, she was probably the one that got away.”

Chikato Norman was a ladies’ man.  Women flocked to him.  Kemper had to admit the guy was a good-looking fellow.  His emerald-green eyes were slanted Japanese-style, his skin was a tanned olive.  Dark, dishwater blonde hair lay thick and full across his forehead.

“You up for some teppanyaki?” Chikato asked.

“Teppan-what?”

The taller man sighed.  “Did you learn nothing bunking with me?  Teppanyaki.  Teppan means iron plate and yaki means grilled, broiled or pan fried.”

“Oh, all that slimy Japanese junk I had to choke down back in the day?  Yes, I remember.”  Kemper rolled his blue eyes and scrunched his nose.

“C’mon Farnsworth.  Go with me over to Taste of Japan, that new place over on Eastland Avenue?  My cousin’s one of the cooks and tonight’s his first night.”

“Is he a mutt like you?” Kemper teased.

Chikato’s father had been stationed in Japan while in the military.  The tall, lanky American had planned to sow some wild oats during precious downtime but the oats never turned wild; they were romantic, loving and caring instead.

Chikato’s mother was a Saki Server in a small restaurant and the American soldier was instantly smitten with her beauty, petite body and gentle movements.  He was head over heels.  The young woman’s family forbade the romance though.  Disobeying orders, the couple sneaked around town, meeting in secret when they had opportunities to spend any length of time in each other’s arms.

Once they discovered Chikato was on the way, the lovers married and moved to the States when the soldier’s stint in the military ended.  They divorced just a few short years later and Chikato’s mother returned to Japan, her rambunctious, green-eyed son by her side.

“No, Akio isn’t a ‘mutt’, goofball.  He is my mother’s sister’s boy.  He just moved here a few months ago for college.”

“Can he cook?”

Shrugging his shoulders, Chikato groaned.  “I suppose.  They hired him, didn’t they?”

Walking into the restaurant, Kemper noticed it was about half-full.  The lights were dimmed but he could easily see the paper fans and Japanese-themed pictures adorning the walls.

A short man in a Kimono led them to their table.  Kemper and Chikato sat on one side of the long rectangle, a family of four perched on the opposite side.

Akio, dressed in a white smock and tall, puffed chef’s cap, laid several sharp knives on a small ledge before the hot griddle.

Placing an assortment of vegetables onto the flat surface, he chopped and diced quickly.  Greens, reds and yellows turned into a bright blur.  He flipped the knife into the air, caught the handle, tapped it on the ledge and then spread a thin layer of shrimp onto the heat.

Flipping the prawn one way, searing its tenderness and then flipping it the opposite direction, Akio bent slightly forward, flipped one piece into the air and watched as it tumbled into his shirt pocket.

The diners clapped at the magnificent performance.

Pointing his knife blade at Kemper, Akio opened his mouth.  Kemper did the same.  Another shrimp was flipped into the air.  The chef tipped its end with the blade and it sailed, with ease, into Kemper’s gaping maw.

Everyone giggled and cheered.

“Wow!  He’s better than I thought he’d be.”  Chikato’s eyes gleamed and he grinned, proud to be related to such amazement.

Chewing at the delicious shrimp, Kemper tried not to drool on his chin.  “Ummm, hmmm, good!”

Holding up a hard-boiled egg, Akio tossed the white oval over his head.  As it descended, he took his trusty knife and sliced it diagonally into four pieces before it hit the grill.

“I am thoroughly impressed,” the man in the Kimono who had escorted the young men to the table said.  He had stayed to watch his young, new employee.

Akio bent at the waist, slapping his thighs in respect.

Throwing steaks, more shrimp, beef, lobster and chicken on the sizzling surface, the cook selected two knives from the ledge and began to twirl.  Selecting a third knife, he added it to the others, then a fourth, then a fifth.

“Awesome!”  A red-headed, freckled face boy sitting with the family across from Kemper and Chikato exclaimed.

A scream escaped Akio’s throat and he sucked at his index finger.  One of the knives had nicked his flesh and he stuck the digit into his mouth, sucking at the wound.  The other knives clattered onto the griddle.  “So sorry.  So sorry,” the man said.  “Please, forgive.”

Kimono man frowned.  “There are more knives in the back, Akio.”  Bending at the waist, Akio apologized once more and left his post.

The boss rounded the table, and placed four knives back on the ledge.

Odd how no one noticed the blonde woman, sprawled on the floor behind them, the fifth knife protruding from her back.

Author's Note

Please give an overall review on this short story. Thank you!

Reviews

[alifeacoustic]

Nicely done Melissa. We always miss the obvious when looking intently at something, how else would so called magicians make a living. :)
Nicely told, the dialogue flowed really quickly between the two and the story flashed by in no time flat. You fit a lot into such a short piece. Impressive.

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, alifeacoustic. I really appreciate your kindness. :)

[alifeacoustic]

You are most welcome :)

[annalysiar]

I really like this story. I like the over all setting. Great write.

[Mister T.]

Good job on the dialogue, I felt very natural, the conversations seemed very realistic, the ambience was relaxed. The ending was quite thought provoking. I've never been to Japan before, but you made the surroundings pretty clear. This was a bit different, as you normally write poems, but I think it was very enjoyable. You never let your readers down ;)

[MelissaAndres]

Thanks again, Mister T. I have never been to Japan either. And, just to let you know, I have written all kinds of stuff. I have been sending out Read Requests one at a time because I don't want to overwhelm anyone. Look at my profile any time you'd like to see something you haven't read if you would like too. Again, thanks so much!

[TL Boehm]

What really stood out for me was the dialogue. I found it flowed naturally - the characters moved the story along. I'm curious though about the fifth knife. That was a jolt. Totally unexpected and I almost want the story to continue to find out reactions. (WHOOPS) Beyond whoops. Definitely curious about the moments following

[MelissaAndres]

I just thought I would leave everyone hanging and create an ending in their own minds. Kind of meant to be a creepy, sort of funny thing...but you never know with me. I could always turn this little short story into something longer. You have my wheels turning now!

[Philip Muls]

Hi Melissa, I like it. A good flow, an easy, natural dialogue. Very good description of the restaurant atmosphere. And an unexpected twist at the end.

Well done.

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, Philip! I am glad you enjoyed it! :)

[wordman]

a great short story,i enjoyed it !

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you for reading and commenting, wordman! I really appreciate it!

[Rose Jaeger Kaneki]

i think this is amazing, beautiful, funny and amazing. I love this!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, Shadowfax! I am so glad you enjoyed it! :)

[Rose Jaeger Kaneki]

welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Samuel Dickens]

Okay... I think someone's going to get fired. I knew there was a reason I always wanted a quiet table in the corner, far from all the slicing, hacking, and high temperate stir-frying.

[MelissaAndres]

Haha! I am not much on Japanese-style food myself ... now I know why! Haha! Thanks for reading this. It was just a goofy little thing I came up with. My mind wanders in strange places sometimes.

[Samuel Dickens]

Wandering minds can be creative minds.

[MelissaAndres]

Oh yes! Sometimes my wandering mind can get me into trouble though. Haha!