I was once again sitting outside Victor's office. I know it's wrong to eardrop, but when you have a dragon/wolf side that has sharp senses, your usual senses improve a bit too. Plus, take note of walls and doors if they are soundproof or not. I could hear Victor critic the producer lady's report. Well, I couldn't hear every word, but I'm pretty sure I recognized "idiot". Or was it a "dummy"? Well, whichever it is, he says it a lot.

Okay, now I really feel sorry for her. Is it hard enough that she has faced a deadly situation twice already? Wait a minute? Twice? By Black Swan? I started to remember what I said last time. I think they have a target this time. Could it be her? I wasn't sure yet. But if the third time will be her again, that settles it.

The door opens and the producer lady comes out looking all worried. Nail it. It went bad. By how quickly she went I think she tried to leave fast to let all out without making a scene. Once she disappeared into the elevator, I entered Victor's office.

"Permission to enter?" I asked.

"Granted," Victor replied to me.

"Are you a bit too strict with her?" I asked.

"It's necessary in financial matters. Not every company deserves funding if they can't fulfill their conditions. Especially with TV companies." he cleared me. "In this world, it's survival to fittest with companies."

"So, all that was your way to say to her 'go big or go home'?" I asked.

"Where are you going with this?" Victor asked me.

"You could give "little push" once in a while. Like you did with me." I said to him. He looked at me sternly, for mentioning it.

It happened four days after Victor found me. I was getting better from the cold, so I thought I would be all on my own soon. Then I discovered the building where Victor found me is a restaurant named Souvenir. That's when I met Mills, who works as a waiter in the restaurant. I then learned that Souvenir had quite an unusual reputation. According to reviews, the food is delicious, while the rest... not so good. I was all confused before I knew it, Mills brought me food, all made by Victor. Okay, I figured he cooks, when he made soup for me. But he is a chef. I was out of words. But back then, once more, tears started to fall from my eyes. Each dish was delicious and it made me think of my mom again. When I tasted the dessert, which was a pudding, it was so good that I could actually sense that this had special meaning to him. I know because whenever mom makes dad's favorite dish, my brother and I could taste it too. Once I finished eating, I actually begged Victor to make me his apprentice. Both his and Mr. Mills' faces were mixed with surprise, shock, and amazement. I poured my thoughts out, how I wished to be as good as my mom on cooking and baking and that I only knew how to make desserts. I was pretty sure, he was gonna say no, but instead, he gave me a test to prove myself. He told me to make my best dish to taste. Rest of the day, I studied and got ingredients. And to be honest, I haven't been so nervous, since I tried to surprise my parents on their anniversary. Well, Instead of making one dish, I made two. A royal berry tart, and a chocolate strawberry shortcake. But since I was recovering from a cold, I was found in the corner, feeling dizzy. I of course got a lecture from Victor for not telling him how I was feeling. To be honest it felt like how my dad did when I did something stupid and careless. I thought I was through before I noticed both tart and cake had been cut. He had tasted them, but so was Mills. Victor told me they were good and I still could use some "learning". I started to cry, realizing that I had passed, while he called me a crybaby.

Well,.... back to the present.

"Speaking of it, I need you to go check the inventory in the restaurant." Victor reminded me.

"Yes, sir," I said before I left.

In the following days, I was reading reports, which I got from officer Gavin. According to him, Black Swan has been active for who knows how long. There have been reports of few kidnappings, dark deals, but most of all dark experiments of evol about twenty years. I haven't gone with the details yet, because I can guess it's not pretty. Well, what I have been through before coming here still takes the cake.

I was just clearing all the papers when I got a text from Victor. It was time for one of the master/apprentice lessons. I picked casual clothes before heading outside. The Souvenir wasn't far from there. Especially if I used my powers. But I must have a water bottle to turn back to normal, so Mills won't see me. Which is why I always have one, just in case. As soon as I got to park near the restaurant, I poured a bit of water on my hand to turn back to normal.

When I arrived Victor was already in the kitchen. He already knew it was me, so he spoke to me.

"Mills is buying some supplies. He should arrive soon," he told me. "Put an apron on. You will help with the sauces today."

"Including the dessert?" I asked.

"What? Too much for you?"

"No, not at all," I answered before I went to pick supplies to start. So far, I have only handled basics, vegetables, and so on. So, this could be taken as progress. However, he did allow me to do the desert, once a while, if it was something else. But when it was about the pudding, he did it himself. I still don't know the story behind the pudding, but I can tell it means a lot to him. Family memory? No, I think it's a bit deeper than family memory.

I had just started on the next sauce when Mills arrived. However, it sounds like we got a customer. I know this restaurant isn't popular, but only a few regulars come whenever they can. I know, because I met one by accident. It was that idol Kiro. I asked him not to tell anyone that I'm an apprentice in Souvenir and he smiles and says he won't tell. At that time, I gave him a piece of my berry tart, which he told me that the tart was delicious. Ever since he started to call me "bubblegum" girl.

But the customer isn't him. I could hear the voice, it's someone new because she admired the interior before sitting down. Then Mills came to prepare one glass of water for her. Okay, so pressure up a bit. That is if Victor won't ask the customer to leave. I have already seen it once, but according to Kiro and Mills it has happened before and not all of them were pretty. Soon Mills arrives with a business card. Victor just finished one task, when he went to see what it is. I couldn't see much when he suddenly said.

"I'm not going to serve her. Ask her to leave," he said with a calm but serious tone.

"Yes, sir." Mills sounded a bit sad. Well, I can understand it's not nice to bring the bad information, but to me, it sounded like he felt pity for her.

By curiosity, I peeked to see the card. Even if I didn't have my powers, I could recognize the name of the company. Miracle entertainment? Isn't that producer lady's company? I stopped working and went to look closely. It is her!

"You threw her out?" I asked him.

"I have the right to that. Finish that first." Victor stated the fact before I went back to finish the last sauce, before dessert's.

"I know if you throw someone for being cocky or too critical or a stubborn journalist, but her. You do realize you make yourself look like a bad guy."

"I need that sauce to be ready..."

"I'm not...!" I was about to yell before Mills arrived again.

"One of our regular customers arrived," Mills informed as usual.

By habit, I went to peek at who it is. It was Kiro again. He sure loves food here. But then I also noticed the producer lady sitting with him. By aside I heard Mills informing two of each dish. So she is going to eat after all.

"Coming right up," I informed him happily before Victor would reject or anything. He looked sternly at me for that. "You can yell at me afterward." I think he will since started preparing the dishes.

As usual, the food came out perfect. I went to peek again and I could see she loved the food. I returned to finish with the final sauce which was the dressing to the pudding. Victor made it all well. When it went to the table, we both stood in the doorway. From what we could hear the pudding left her speechless. Then we heard how she started to tell how she lost her memory when she was five by kidnap case. She told how the only memory from that time was delicious pudding and that she has tried to make it herself, but none has been as good as the one she just had. I looked at Victor and noticed how he was in deep thoughts by what we heard.

When Mills came to them to ask if the food was good, she asked... no begged if she could make the story of the restaurant. So, that's what was going on. She was looking for good stories to show. I looked at Victor to wait for his answer.

It was night time and I was cleaning the kitchen when Victor came to check everything.

"Are you done?" he asked.

"Just one corner and..."

"I meant your pouting. Are you done with it?" he asked. I turned around to face him with a mop in my hand.

"I can't believe you rejected her again! Was the report supposed to be done tomorrow? Have you thought this could have been her 'last ace in her sleeve'?"

"Are you done?"

"No, I'm not done? I know the business world is cruel, but that doesn't make... you..." I tried to say before he showed his phone and the text he just put up.

'Please feel free to come and conduct an interview.'

I looked at him in a confused look, while he went to turn off the lights. I tried to follow him, as we were about to leave the restaurant, he stopped. I was more confused, till I heard a familiar voice.

"Why are you here? Could it be that you are regular here too?"

Did he ask her to come? But the restaurant is close...wait, is he going to reveal to her that he is the chef of Souvenir? But he told me not to tell anyone. Is he making an exception with her?

"I mean... Really? It's you?!" she realized.

I was actually surprised as she was. For the first time, since I got here, Victor has revealed his other job to someone else.

It didn't take long before we three were inside the restaurant with few table lamps on. Victor cleared to the producer lady that I am his apprentice and that I know about Evol. He then cleared that she will interview Mills and not him. I figured that makes sense. That way the great chef of Souvenir remains a mystery.

"But why are you..." she asked.

"I've always liked cooking," he explained. "Alone, I focus all five senses to find the most logical path. Working to achieve an ideal is a pleasant feeling for me."

"A sort of change of pace? Is that all?" she asked. Wow, I wasn't sure, but did she also notice the same I did? I thought only my family could sense the feelings in food or items. Victor looked at her before told.

"I'm looking for someone. There was a possibility that this may lead to a clue."

"Making food might lead to a clue?"

"It was the very faintest of possibilities," he admitted.

"I see. The food was made with that person in mind." she figured.

I just leaned on the table as she asked Victor if he had thought to use his evol power to his own advantage. Well, considering he can control time, it's really tempting... But he told her he wasn't planning to do that. He wants to use his own strength and his own wits to move forward. And she said she wants to do the same. I smiled at both of them. My parents are doing the same, especially my dad.

It didn't take long before we all headed back to our homes. Before I headed to my room, I wanted to know something.

"Is that person you're looking for the reason you want me to investigate Black Swan?" I asked.

Victor just looked at me. To be honest, he hasn't told me about it. Although in the file he gave me, there was a kidnap case 17 years ago mentioned along with other small information bits. He sat down on the couch.

"We were only kids back then," he explained. "We were taken, but when authorities arrived to save us, I couldn't find her, and I never did."

"Her?" I asked in confusion. This left many questions, but just in case... "How old was she?"

"I'm not sure... bit younger than me."

"What this had to do with Black Swan?"

"Because it was Black Swan who took us," he told me.

I remained quiet by what I heard. Did they kidnap kids? But that's when I remembered what the producer lady told, after tasting the pudding.

"I was involved in a kidnapping...."

Could it be possible...? I needed to figure it out, but not right now. There was also another thing to find out. In fact, I was just then learning that this producer lady was going to be the red line in this case.