Golden sunlight poured generously onto the streets, flowing without restraint. It filtered through the gaps in the leaves, leaving dappled spots of light on the pavement and adding a touch of poetry to the ordinary streetscape.

The time was 3:30 in the afternoon.

After finishing his prep work, Ryohei didn't even take a break. He immediately set out with Yurine and Jashin-chan to open the stall.

Back when he was just temporarily staying at Yurine's apartment, earning a net income of over 300,000 yen a night, he had felt pretty proud of himself. After all, who wouldn't be proud of earning more in one evening than most people make in a month, and with relative ease? He was just an ordinary guy before all this.

But then came the reality of renting a house. The massive down payment had completely wiped out both his and Yurine's savings. And they still needed to buy furniture, save up to open a proper shop, and get a car. The need for furniture, in particular, was pressing. A sense of urgency had settled over Ryohei.

Slacking off was no longer an option. For the time being, he was determined to work as hard as he could.

(ー`´ー)

"Alright, Chion, don't be so down."

On another street, Hanane Shiori, dressed in a sharp office lady suit that accentuated her generous curves, walked beside her junior colleague, offering words of comfort. "Work is never going to be smooth sailing all the time. It's normal to run into a few setbacks."

"I know," Katori Chion replied, mustering a weak smile. The two had just lost a deal and were on their way back to the office.

"Hoo~," Shiori exhaled, then gave Chion a bright smile and a thumbs-up. "Don't look so glum. Let's go for a drink tonight. A little bit of alcohol is the best way to wash away your worries." Besides, she wanted a drink herself. They didn't have work tomorrow, so they could sleep in as late as they wanted.

"Okay."

"And I feel like good food is also a great cure for a bad mood… huh?" Chion's spirits lifted slightly. As she was speaking, she caught a glimpse of a familiar food stall across the street, along with Ryohei and his crew. She blinked in surprise. "Are they out this early today?" She instinctively checked her watch. It wasn't even four o'clock.

Shiori saw them too and was just as surprised.

They were supposed to be heading back to the company, but upon seeing the stall, they both unconsciously changed direction and followed them.

"Konchiwa~," the two office ladies said, a gust of fragrant perfume announcing their arrival as they approached Ryohei's side. Shiori had initially been wary of Yurine, thinking her quite vicious. But she had since noticed that Yurine was perfectly friendly to everyone else, and only punished the snake-girl when she was being deliberately provocative. Shiori had gradually let her guard down.

"Chef Ryohei, why are you out so early today?" the mature onee-san asked, elegantly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, her beautiful face filled with curiosity.

Ryohei glanced at the flirty woman. "We're short on money," he said with blunt honesty. "So we'll be starting earlier from now on."

…Short on money? That direct? The mature onee-san was slightly taken aback. Her junior colleague was also stunned.

"No way," Shiori said instinctively. "I feel like you must make a lot of money. How could you be short?" With the prices he charged for his food, his income had to be substantial.

"I've only been doing this for a few days. Is it so strange to be short on cash?" Ryohei replied. "That's why I have to work harder." He paused, then skillfully changed the subject. "We have a new item today. Would you like to try it?"

"What is it?" Shiori's attention was immediately diverted. Chion also looked on with interest.

"Molten Chocolate Treasure Chests," Ryohei announced. "800 yen each."

"'Treasure Chests'!?" Shiori was amazed. That sounded incredible. And 800 yen was actually cheaper than his usual specialty items. Has the Chef finally found his conscience?

"We'll take two!" she declared. She then turned to Chion. "Let's split one?" One cake each was probably enough, and it would save some money.

"Okay," Chion, who had been thinking the same thing, readily agreed.

"You'll have to wait a little bit, they're not ready just yet," Ryohei said with a smile. He always timed his cooking so the food would be perfectly ready just as they arrived at their spot.

"No problem," the two women nodded, happy to wait. They looked at the containers on the cart, sniffing the air. It does smell a little different today… I wonder what the new item is like? They were filled with anticipation, the earlier disappointment from their failed business deal completely forgotten.

By the time Ryohei, Yurine, and Jashin-chan arrived at their usual spot, they had already gathered a following of regulars and a few curious passersby drawn in by the aroma. The regulars were thrilled to see them, and ecstatic when they heard about the new item. Some even immediately got on their phones to call their friends, telling them to hurry over to avoid the lines and the risk of selling out.

The other stall owners nearby were also surprised to see them so early. The area had become a hotspot thanks to Ryohei's popularity, and several other vendors had moved their own carts over to take advantage of the increased foot traffic. Their business had indeed improved, but they were still incredibly envious of Ryohei. His food was ridiculously expensive, yet it was always in high demand. Every day, a huge crowd would rush over to line up the moment he appeared. He could close up shop in two hours and go home to count his money. It was the kind of life they could only dream of.

Under the envious gazes of the other vendors, Ryohei and his crew began their service for the day. First in line, of course, were the two office ladies. When they saw the "Molten Chocolate Treasure Chest," they paused, a look of confusion on their faces.

"This… isn't this just a small cake?" Shiori asked, her red lips slightly parted in disbelief. It was a perfectly formed, single-serving chocolate cake in a small paper cup.

Seriously! It was called a "Treasure Chest," so she had been expecting something grander. And it turned out to be this tiny thing. She felt a mixture of amusement and indignation. "I thought you'd finally grown a conscience, Chef! Give me back my fleeting moment of joy!" She wasn't angry, just slightly let down. This single cake was the "treasure"?

"Whoa! What's the deal today, Chef?"

"You call this a 'Treasure Chest'?"

"I knew it! A new item for only 800 yen sounded too good to be true! This was the catch!"

"This is a new type of scam!"

"..."

The customers in line behind them began to murmur.

Ryohei just smiled innocently. "But the treasure is inside," he said, handing them two small spoons. "You have to open it."

Shiori and Chion exchanged a look. They were skeptical, but also very curious. Shiori took her spoon and gently cut into the top of the small cake.

Instantly, a river of warm, molten, glowing chocolate flowed out from the center.

The crowd gasped. "Whoa!" "So the treasure was the chocolate inside!"

Shiori stared, stunned, and then burst out laughing. "Okay, you got me, Chef. I take back the 'scam' comment." She took a bite. The rich, warm chocolate and the light, fluffy cake were a perfect combination. It was heavenly. She had been completely and utterly won over.