The Spark Restaurant, Elffire City.
10:08 PM, Thursday, June 3rd.
Down in the kitchen, the heavy dinner service had finally drawn to a close, leaving behind the quiet, methodical rhythm of the nightly cleanup. Even though Theo was the head chef and the owner of the entire establishment, he didn't just walk away; he rolled up his sleeves and helped his crew scrub down the stainless-steel counters, mop the line, and store the remaining ingredients. Within a few efficient minutes, the kitchen was sparkling clean, and the staff was finally free to head home for the night.
"Alright, guys, let's go home!" Theo called out over the quiet hum of the ventilation hoods, unbuttoning his chef's coat as he stretched his tired shoulders.
Five minutes later, he stepped out of the men's locker room, completely changed into his comfortable casual clothes. Coincidentally, the door to the women's locker room opened at the exact same moment, and Ayia stepped out into the hallway.
