Adrenalize Part 3 -America X Reader-

"(Name), I won't be home till late, so I'll bring you dinner... At 3 A.M in the morning... Actually, I bring breakfast I guess... Love you too, bye." He said as he heard the beeping of his phone as he hung up.

"American boy, father say put this on!" YoungSoo, the owner's youngest son said, tossing him a white apron. He wrapped it around his back, tying it just the right tightness. "Now, he be here soon, be patient." He said as he said as he went back to the front of the counter. Alfred stood in the kitchen, behind the decorative curtain.

"You're going to like working late," A British accented voice said as Alfred turned around, he seeing Arthur.  "Crazy shit happens; the other night, some woman came in and had her kids tied to her with ropes. I won't be surprised if something strange happens again tonight." He said making Alfred grow slightly uneasy. "One time, late at night, while YoungSoo was about," He put his finger on his chin, looking up at the ceiling. "Maybe when he had just turned fourteen, that's when he first started working the counter, the store got robbed. The old man, Yao's wife was at the front of the store and took the hit protecting YoungSoo, and that's why she's not around anymore." Alfred gulped heavily.
"Don't worry," The French man, Francis assured. "I'm sure that won't happen anymore. There are more police officers out at night, and that doesn't happen much around here. What does happen is prostitution, and boy, you see a lot of pimps coming in and out of here with their ladies." He finished, he and Arthur laughing loudly.

Then came out Yao, his eyebrows rose back to his forehead, seeming to push the two men away from Alfred.

"You two!" He started, taking a ladle , putting it up to one of their throats. "I thought I say get back work!?" He said as the two pushed away from him, mumbling something under their breath. Yao have them a harsh look as they walked out and once they did, he turned around back to Alfred. "Those two jealous." He started as he took a wok out, setting it on the stove. "I no take them under wing, they were set free. I have hopes in you, I actually like new worker!" He said with a smile. "I heard they talking about my wife. That happen, but they try scare you, she in a better place, though." He said as he looked back up at Alfred who still had the uneasy expression. "Ok! We no just make Chinese food, we make all Asian foods. So, right now, I teach you how make Mapo Tofu." He said as he grabbed something wrapped in a paper towel. "I pre-wrap this, you need do this to get rid of water, only need 20 minute but I do over night. It always be here." He said as he grabbed some garlic, chopping it up after he crushed it with his knife. He then took some ginger, chopping it up thinly. He then chopped up garlic chives in little blocks, quickly. "You need be quick. Can you add potato starch to water, just a little?" He asked, Alfred nodded his head, grabbing the starch and a little cup, taking a teaspoon into the box. He dumped the teaspoon in the bowel, filling it with water than stirring it.

"What will we thicken?" He asked, Yao smiled.

"The broth." He said as he poured oil into the wok, heating it up  and tossing the ground pork into the wok. He then began to chop up the block of tofu. Once he saw that the pork was worked, he added the garlic and ginger. He tossed it together, than added a teaspoon of two sauces. "Sauces be here, not hard to see. Add a little, or it be too spicy." He said as he stirred it up, the sauce coating every part of it. He then added the broth, soy sauce, and a little sake. " Make sure when add the tofu, it no break up." He said as he added it in, he separating the cubes. " It won't be pretty if does. " He increased the heat. Once it boiled, he turned it down, adding the garlic chives and the starch. He swirled it around in the wok, then pored it in a bowl. "Tada!" He cheered as he grabbed the pot of boiled race, draining it and then putting it in a small bowl. He took a spoon, pouring the mapo tofu over the rice. "You try?" He said as he gave the bowl to Alfred. He took the spoon, taking a bite of it with the rice. Alfred's eyes light up.

"Delicious! That's really good, Mr. Yao." He said as Yao chuckled, grabbing a tuber ware container, putting the rice and the soup like dish in  it.

"Glad you like." He said as he stuck it in the fridge. "Take to wife when you leave." He said as he looked up at the clock. "Ah!" He cried loudly, walking away from Alfred with a slight growl. "Francis! Run next door, get more garlic! We have four cloves!" He said as he watched him walk out of the restaurant. "We like family here," He started as he turned back to Alfred. "Welcome to family, we one big happy one."
~
It was now late;very late and as YoungSoo had promised, it was packed. Everyone was in the front of the restaurant as eager hands reached for menus and phone rings echoed through the whole restaurant; it was chaos. The front was heated by body heat while beyond the curtain was scorching with the ovens, stoves and fries were ablaze.

Francis, Yao, Kiku and Alfred were all in the kitchen while Arthur answered phones with YoungSoo how also was working the front counter. No one was sitting down to eat; which was fantastic. Alfred tried hard to stay out of their way since he still didn't fully understand what happened in the kitchen but that wasn't a good enough reason for Yao who held Alfred around him at all times, showing him the works. And once the food was done, he'd send Alfred out from the curtain and gave the bag to YoungSoo or even Arthur who would call out their name almost as loudly as Yao and YoungSoo would speak to each other when they were in the same room and the only ones talking.

At around 1:45, everything started to calm down. There were about two people sitting down and eating , so that meant Alfred would have to sit out there with YoungSoo.  And like Francis and Arthur had said, it'd be an adventure.
One man came up to the counter with a complaint saying that this was not what he ordered. He talked to Alfred, out of all people, and let his completes leave his lips freely with nasty language that followed. He was obviously intoxicated.

"W-Well what did you order?" Alfred asked, YoungSoo chuckling beside him.

"I, I, I, ordered a number 72, and this shit, this shit, this just isn't right." He slurred his words. YoungSoo looked at the man, grabbing a menus and pointing to the highest number, which was 25 on the paper menu.

"Sir, there only be 25 number, where you get 72?" YoungSoo replied, Alfred making a sigh of relief.

"I just don't like the food." He said as YoungSoo reached for the container, he opened it while he noticed it had nothing but a fork in it.

"That why you eat it all! Go, you no get money back!" He said but the drunk man rubbed his face, looking back at YoungSoo and Alfred sheepishly.

"But, but, but, but it came that way!" He shouted loudly. Alfred heard heavy footsteps come from the kitchen, seeing Yao leave from behind the curtain like a storm. Alfred looked up at him, seeing he had a butcher's knife in his hand, holding it higher than the lucky cat's paw that was on the curtain behind him. His knife like eyebrows rose high, once again.

"You better leave now, or I'll chop you up!"  He said as he took YoungSoo's spot, slightly shaking the knife around the man. He quickly left, not wanting to be threatened by the Chinese man any longer. Yao turned around, looking at Alfred with an innocent smile. " You can go home know, five minute till close. Don't forget food for girlfriend!" He said as he grabbed it from the fridge. He heard the knife drop on the floor, Francis yelling.

"Yao! It's stuck in the floor!" He cried, he rolled his eyes, passing the food over to Alfred on the other side of the curtain.

"You no know how to use elbow grease." He said as he pulled on it, he then stopping after ten minutes. Alfred had stayed behind trying to get the large knife out of the floor. Alfred tired, Yao, Kiku, YoungSoo and even Arthur all tried, but it didn't work.

Yao looked at the knife in the flooring, scratching his head.

"Look like we have something to look out for when we walk by." He laughed slightly.
~
He took out his keys, knowing (Name) had locked the door. Once he entered he saw her passed out on the couch, covered up in blankets with the T.V on. He smiled, setting the container in the fridge then coming back into the living room, picking her up. He carried her bridal style up the steps and into their bedroom. He sat her on her side of the bed, smiling.

"Good night, beautiful." He whispered as he kissed her ear.