Rice Cooker Revenge – Chapter 9

RICE COOKER

Power restores to my extremities bit by bit, and my spirit comes alive with a blaze of electricity. I never used to think that I relied on such a human invention to exist, but I guess all the manuals that come with appliances are true. We do become sick or ill when we need repair, and we can truly die and come back to life at the flick of a switch.

“Ryu?” My voice bounces off the unfamiliar walls, so much smaller than usual, and when my vision returns, a new vista awaits me. An unkempt kitchen with only one counter, a sink full of dishes, and a tiny under-counter refrigerator next to a stove with only two heating elements surround me. “Where am I?”

“Oh thank god you’re back.” Ryu collapses in a heap against the counter next to me and sighs. “I was beginning to think I paid 9,000 Yen for absolutely nothing.”

“No. I’m back. Though it appears I’ve gone to hell.”

Ryu laughs. “I’m sorry,” he wheezes. “My brother is a bit of a pig, and I’d clean up after him if I actually believed he would apologize for being a pig. You’re at my house now, and I just brought you home from the repairman. He said you’d be good as new. How do you feel?”

I cycle through all of my parts. “Everything appears to be normal except for the faint whiff of smoke and some chemical I can’t identify.”

“Fire extinguisher. You went up in flames, and I had to put you out.”

“Oh oh oh, tell me what happened with the The Chef!” If I had legs, they’d be dancing.

“Great news,” Ryu exclaims, throwing his hands in the air. “I quit, I rescued you, and I ran out of money. I couldn’t fix you or afford to fix you, so I came up with an idea.”

“What?”

“I made a business plan for The Chef’s competitor…”

“Natsugawa? Really? And did he go for it?”

“He did! I’m an employee of his now. I get to work in the kitchen, and I’m in charge of all their online presence.”

Ryu pulls a fancy new smartphone from his back pocket and swipes it on, smiling ear to ear.

“In the time you’ve been out, I managed to update their website and get a few friends to come by and review the place. Then I set up a bunch of other things for them too. Business is rolling in. They even took my suggestions on the batter recipe. It tastes much better.”

I’m overcome with emotion, so happy I’m afraid I may short another circuit.

“Why are you so quiet?” Ryu asks, opening my lid and peering in the empty bowl.

“Oh, nothing. I’m really happy for you. Really. If I could cry, I would.”

Ryu inhales sharply through his nose. “I owe it to you. If you hadn’t saved me during that confrontation, I would have gone to jail.”

“I did what I could.”

Ryu readjusts me on the counter. “Well, this is your new home now. We’ll make rice together, maybe some porridge? And I have some ideas for whole meals made just with you. We could even take videos and post them online to promote the restaurant even more! I need to save up to get a better computer, though. Soon.”

I sigh and thank the stars in heaven for giving me the guidance to trust Ryu.

“Sounds like the beginning of a great career, Ryu.”

“I agree,” he says, sweeping his hand over my lid. Slam! Jab! Crack! no more. I’m home.