Chapter Text
The prep room always felt warmer in the late morning.
Many pots started to build up steam throughout the kitchen, with such a busy atmosphere, it's almost impossible how each cook manages. Beneath it all, Fan Ba worked in silence, sharpening knives that were already slim and delicate, even contributing his own fair-share of advice onto the dishes. His motions were smooth, almost thoughtless, yet his mind was ready to prepare everything with detail throughout the day.
The detectives had arrived an hour ago.
They hadn’t introduced themselves, but Fan knew. The tall man himself doesn't seem to be too thrilled to be in this place of work, and the woman who quickly glances everywhere, asking too many questions about the lunch menu— they were definitely not here for their food.
Mr. Inference and Ms. Truth, such ridiculous names. Even the disguise itself doesn't seem to be so trustworthy. Fan had watched them from the kitchen window, attempting to know their reason for their arrival. Xie Qi had greeted them personally, smiling in that soft, serious look towards them. His adoration for him won't ever change, but it's nothing that's worth telling in his eyes.
Behind the pass, Fan could tell something about had tensed between the group, almost like it's just beneath the skin. It wasn't enough to raise alarm, but it was too risky to stay there any longer. Mr. Fan headed back to the kitchen and immediately went back to work.
He returned to slicing, already focusing over the ingredients prepared in hand. Behind him, one of the younger chefs dropped a box of spoons. The clatter echoed too loudly, and Fan turned.
"S-sorry, Mr. Fan!" the boy stammered, his fear of him was obvious while hurriedly picking up the leftover utensils as much as he could.
"Be more careful," Fan said, "We have guests here. We can't afford to do mistakes right now."
The boy nodded quickly and returned to his station, avoiding his gaze.
Fan turned back to his board to clean his blade, and finally switched to liver. With such precision he handled the liver carefully, leaving behind a pool of blood beneath the organ, dark and smooth. Immediately, his eyes decided to stare at the mess he created. It reminded him of something.
A memory he’d recalled too many times. It rarely brought terror, but when it did, it settled deep onto him. There's always been a huge theory that Fan Ba had thought off when this first happened.
His first victim to be more specific.
It had been last year’s competition.. Back then, the only real problems were uninvited guests pressing against the windows and paparazzi desperate to catch a glimpse of the ordeal. There wasn't really an issue with the food, but the trouble came from the Mélodis family, an uninvited guest of a different kind. Their ripper, Tuberose. Fan Ba eventually ended up taking care of him under the restaurant's hidden basement, with Xie Qi trying to continue the competition to make sure nothing goes wrong.
But something caused the whole event to stop, a chef. Hard to say which culinary section he's from, but the way Xie stared at his confrontation of the restaurant made him more or less annoyed.
"My food wasn't up to your taste!? These skills are more than enough to satisfy the judges!”
Xie was just only finishing up an interview, his mannerisms while going down the staircase was elegant, raising his fan with slow grace, he responded. "Is that so?" He scanned the area, only meeting with silence and the fearful stares of everyone else. No one else dared to speak. His reputation has been well-known for years, that the fool who went against him was only met with a stare.
Keeping his composure, Mr. Xie smiled and reached for the ingredients section. His voice was calm, almost bored. "Pass me the pans there, along with the utensils." The assistants, damped with sweat immediately went to grab what he asked. He then looked back at the chef, "If your way of cooking truly surpasses mine, then prove it. Take what you need." He rolled up his sleeves and grabbed the materials provided, "Make whatever you prefer, and let us be the judge for today."
"I-If you're serious, then I'll make sure to go beyond than just taste." The chef responded, he turned and began pulling ingredients with shaking hands, grabbing at whatever he could reach. "I’ll prove it," he muttered under his breath. "I’ll make sure of it..."
Beneath the restaurant, Fan Ba has been dealing with his own issues. Ever since opening this place, the weight of past mistakes which lingered was nonetheless, a hassle.
Tuberose lunged, claws aimed not at Fan Ba himself, but at the box beside him. Instinctively, Fan Ba stepped back, cradling the box in his left arm while drawing his umbrella with his right. "How long will it take for you to realize I no longer answer to you?"
Tuberose froze, still fixated on the box, "Of course, as long as you let us collect the box you have in hand." He pointed towards him, "Hand it over, and there’s no need to cause more trouble."
"Then this would all be worthless to me, wouldn't it?" Fan Ba responded. Tuberose chuckled, almost feeling amused. Then steadily, he lunged again, faster this time. He aimed not for Fan Ba’s body, but for the umbrella, claws catching the sharp point in hand. Fan Ba swiftly changed his aim, redirecting the blade of the umbrella toward Tuberose’s side.
"You're presence isn't welcomed here, get out." Before he could react, the point punctured clean through the ribcage, and for a moment Tuberose looked surprised. He let go of the umbrella, having one hand pressed to the wound trying to slow the bleeding. "You seem very impatient today." Tuberose said, while gritting his teeth with pain. "I'm not disturbing anything, am I?"
Fan Ba didn’t answer right away. He stared at him at first, "And what does that have to do with you?" Grabbing his umbrella tightly, now covered with blood. Tuberose then stood up, correcting his posture. "You’ll run out of energy eventually. But your partner... he might still be useful-"
Fan Ba moved before the sentence finished, immediately aiming for his head. Tuberose barely raised his claws in time, catching the strike mid-air. Their weapons were locked with a harsh clang, bringing them just inches apart as a standoff.
"Don't you dare talk about him." His face, normally unreadable, was now simmering with something close to panic.
"Ah. So that’s it."
Tuberose pushed back, with his strength faltering. "You’re afraid people will find out, aren’t you?" He hardly has any strength to hold off his umbrella, but the thought of this being his weakness. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at this information. "You're not even supposed to be alive, both of you aren't." His mask was now covered with blood, but you could tell his smirk beneath it.
"No one will ever accept you, Mr. Fan. Not even him."
Fan Ba stopped, then pushed the liver away. Now it really wasn’t the time to think of this memory.
From the dining room there came the hum of conversation. The lunch crowd wasn't too busy today, most likely due to the rumors. From shadows people claimed to see behind the pantry door, to others having their own witnesses to hearing voices beneath the place. For him, these rumors were like steam, they would appear for everyone to hear. But eventually once you try to find out anything deeper, they disappear as if they've never existed.
But the detectives were here. That was real.
He cleaned the board and stepped out of the kitchen. The dining room greeted him with quiet murmurs and the clink of silverware. The two newcomers sat at a corner table, not fully exposed but obvious to the right eye. They were watching. Listening.
Fan’s eyes narrowed subtly.
He approached Xie Qi first, who was checking the register at the front. The man looked up with a faint smile. His fingers were tight around the receipt book.
"Everything running smoothly?" he asked.
"For now," Fan said. Almost looking annoyed, "Are you planning to seat them yourself?"
Xie Qi blinked. "The guests? I already did."
Fan tilted his head slightly toward the corner. "What about those two? Didn’t you notice the way she’s been watching the fire exits?"
Xie Qi’s smile faded, he looked over towards them. "I... assumed they knew what they were doing. There's no harm in looking."
Fan’s voice dropped a note lower. "No. They’re digging. They’re here for something else."
A silence fell between them. Fan Ba didn't seem to be very optimistic towards them, and Xie noticed. He then smiled, giving a sense of ease for him. "Then we act natural," Xie said finally. "We're not obliged to tell them anything if you prefer."
Fan’s lips twitched, almost a smirk. "Natural seems like a stretch." He turned to return to the kitchen but paused. "If they start asking about the storage rooms—don’t answer. Distract them with something else, I’ll handle it." Xie gave a single nod, almost unreadable behind his gaze. As Fan disappeared back into the kitchen, Xie Qi stayed, hands quietly tightening around the register.
The liver has now been removed. The prep team was plating for their lunch hour. Outside, the two detectives have been looking around, asking staff basic questions surrounding the place.
Fan waited. Listening. Watching.
And then suddenly, a knock at the side entrance. A delivery.
Fan excused himself, clipboard in hand. He opened the door to meet the delivery man, but before he could sign the receipt, a faint voice called from behind him.
"Excuse me, Mr. Fan?"
Ms. Truth.
She stood near the walk-in freezer, almost seems like she’d gotten lost.
"I was wondering," she said, glancing at the heavy metal doors. "What’s kept in there? It’s quite the operation you have."
Fan looked her over, his expression didn't change. "Frozen seafood. Poultry. Seasonal ingredients." She nodded. "Mind if I take a peek? I used to work kitchens before this line of work. Always been curious about these storage methods."
He didn’t smile. "Health inspections are scheduled, not casual."
Her smile didn’t waver. "Oh, I’m not with the health board. Just curious."
His voice dropped. "Then satisfy that curiosity elsewhere."
She held onto his gaze. But he didn’t blink.
Eventually, she gave a nod and stepped back. Being watched by him when she left the room.
Once she was no longer in his range, he closed the freezer door slowly. He didn't understand why Xie Qi would allow these people inside this industry, but those questions. It annoyed him.
She has to go.