"Will Chef Ryohei be here today?"

"He should be, right?"

"Yesterday was the weekend, but today's a workday!"

"He'll definitely come!"

"I wonder if there will be a new item today. I'm so excited!"

It was the same street as always. Ryohei hadn't even arrived yet, but a crowd of his loyal fans and customers had already gathered, chatting in small groups as they waited.

"I really want to conquer Chef Ryohei… in every sense of the word," a bewitchingly beautiful woman in the crowd murmured. She had brownish, wavy hair tied up in a cute bun, an impressive figure, and was dressed in a black knit top that accentuated her ample bust, paired with a beige high-waisted skirt that showed off her slender waist. She carried an Herve Chapelier bag and exuded an air of refined class.

Kitagawa Sena wasn't the type of person who paid attention to roadside food stalls. To her, they conjured images of cheap, ordinary ingredients and third-rate chefs. She had no interest in commoner food. That was, until two days ago, when her best friend since childhood sent a message to their group chat:

"Have you guys ever seen food that glows?"

Sena had replied with a simple question mark. Another friend asked, "Is it a dish made with firefly squid?"

But her friend, Matsumoto Miyoko, replied, "No, it's something else," and then forwarded several short videos. "I saw it online, it seems to be real. People are saying a 'cooking immortal' has descended upon the earth. It's in Ota Ward, not too far from us. Want to go check it out?"

Out of curiosity, and with plenty of free time on her hands, Sena had agreed. Their other friend was also in. And so, at sunset, Sena and her two best friends had driven to the street in Ota Ward. When they saw the stall, they were stunned. The videos were real. The food was actually glowing, and the aroma was unbelievably tempting, wrapping around them like invisible chains and rooting them to the spot.

Seeing the scalp-numbingly long line, Sena and her friends had unhesitatingly activated their "money power," buying a Katsu Sando and a Chocolate Lava Cake from other customers who had just purchased them. They rushed back to their car and dug in.

Sena's first bite was of the Katsu Sando. The golden-brown, glowing cutlet was a sight to behold. The taste was even more incredible. With just one bite, she felt as if a door to a new world had been opened, her mind going blank with shock. In a daze, she saw an incredible vision, and then, a profound sense of satisfaction and happiness washed over her.

Ever since her husband had passed away in an accident, Sena hadn't felt this happy in a very long time. What was even more surprising was that this feeling was brought on by food. It was truly unbelievable.

That night, Kitagawa Sena became a devoted fan of Ryohei's stall. Her two friends did as well. Unfortunately, when they had gone back the next day, he hadn't opened for business. Today was the third day.

"I'm not thinking about 'conquering' him, but I would love to become very close 'good friends' with him," said Matsumoto Miyoko, the one with the sophisticated, wavy hair and a perfect 'onee-san' vibe. She was wearing a stylish grey off-the-shoulder top and a matching charcoal grey miniskirt, her long legs accentuated by black, high-heeled boots.

"You two…" the third friend, a short-haired beauty named Mori Ekiko, said with a smile. "But to be honest, I'm tempted too. It's a shame my husband is still around, though I feel like we're about to get a divorce…"

"Just divorce him already," Miyoko said. "You said he's cheating on you, why keep him around?"

"Soon, soon," Ekiko replied, a charming but dangerous smile on her face. "I'm already gathering evidence of his affair. I'm going to skin him alive."

"..."

As the three classy women chatted on the roadside, their voices instinctively lowered as they saw a group of a dozen or so men in sunglasses walking briskly toward them. The other customers also quieted down.

Yakuza? they all thought, but on closer inspection, they didn't quite fit the part. They were dressed differently, and had no visible tattoos. Still, they were clearly a group.

"This is the place!" one of the men in sunglasses said excitedly, looking at his phone. "The surroundings match the photo the boss gave us!"

"Let's ask someone, just to be sure. Waiting for nothing is one thing, but missing out on Chef Ryohei's food would be a disaster! I'd regret it for the rest of my life!"

Hearing the word "boss," the customers' suspicions were confirmed. It's definitely the Yakuza! they thought, a wave of anxiety passing through the crowd. What should we do? Should we leave or keep waiting?

"Excuse me," one of the men, Mizutani Hayato, said, taking off his sunglasses and approaching a few of the human customers with a friendly tone. "Is this where Chef Ryohei's stall usually sets up?"

"Y-Yes!" the man replied, trembling slightly. "But he didn't come yesterday, so we don't know if he'll be here today."

"I know he was off yesterday," Mizutani nodded. He tried to reassure them. "Don't be nervous. We're not Yakuza. I'm just a hungry foodie who's come to eat." As he said the word "eat," he couldn't help but swallow hard. The taste of the food Koma-san had brought back two nights ago had kept him up at night. These past two days had felt like an eternity. He had heard the Chef would be open this afternoon, so he had brought a dozen of his brothers from the "Demon Ape" crew with him.

"Hai!" the human replied, slightly relieved by his hungry expression, though he was still thinking, I don't believe you for a second! You're a Yakuza, full of lies! I heard you!

He then began to worry for Chef Ryohei. He's been targeted by the Yakuza. Will he be okay? And then, he began to worry for himself. If something happens to him, will I ever get to eat his food again? A sense of dread washed over him.