Kazuya stared at the email in front of him. The bright screen of his phone seemed to mock him, a stark contrast to the dim, quiet izakaya kitchen he had just left.

Subject: Job Interview Invitation

It was from one of the top tech companies in Tokyo. The email was brief but to the point, offering him an interview for a senior software engineer position. The pay was far beyond anything the izakaya could offer, and the prestige of the company was a far cry from the humble kitchen he worked in now.

We’ve reviewed your application and would like to invite you to an interview next week. We believe you have the potential to thrive in our fast-paced, dynamic environment. Please confirm your availability.

His heart hammered in his chest. It was the kind of opportunity that most people would kill for. The kind of job he’d once thought was the key to everything. Back when he was still in the tech world, he had been consumed by the idea of success—of climbing the corporate ladder, of securing a future that promised stability and wealth.

But now?

He wasn’t so sure anymore.

Kazuya glanced around the small apartment he had rented since leaving his old life behind. It was modest—barely more than a studio, with just enough room for the essentials. He didn’t need much. The past few months had taught him that. It wasn’t the job that defined him—it was the choices he made every day. And the choice before him now felt heavier than anything he had ever faced.

Was he ready to go back? To return to the life he had once believed would bring him fulfillment?

Or had he found something here—something in the kitchen, in the camaraderie of his coworkers, in the simple satisfaction of honest work—that was more valuable than anything tech could offer?

The phone buzzed in his hand, snapping him out of his thoughts. It was a message from Takashi.

“Great job tonight. You did well on the grill. You’ve been improving a lot. Keep it up!”

Kazuya stared at the message, feeling a warmth spread through him. Takashi’s words were simple, but they meant more than he could explain.

He was building something here. Something real.

But could he really leave that behind? Could he walk away from the comfort of the kitchen, the people who had shown him kindness and patience, to return to a world that had, in the end, broken him?

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

His mind raced. The pressure of the decision was overwhelming. It wasn’t just about money. It wasn’t just about the career he had once fought for. It was about who he had become in the process of rebuilding himself. Would returning to the tech world mean losing all of that? Would it mean going back to the person he used to be—the person who had believed that success could be measured by titles, by salary, by the outward signs of achievement?

He didn’t want to go back to that man.

But then again, who was he now?

Kazuya set the phone down on the small table beside his bed, staring at it for a long moment. The weight of the decision pressed on him, and for a few seconds, he felt paralyzed, unsure of which direction to take. The question seemed simple—return to the world of tech, or stay in the kitchen and continue his new life—but the reality was far more complex.

A knock on his door startled him.

“Hey, Kazuya!” Emi’s voice called from the hallway. “You decent? Got some ramen leftover if you’re hungry.”

Kazuya smiled faintly, wiping a hand over his face. He hadn’t realized how long he’d been sitting there. The weight of his thoughts had made time slip by unnoticed. He stood up and opened the door to find Emi standing there with a steaming bowl of ramen in her hands.

“I’m decent,” Kazuya said, trying to sound normal, though his mind was still spinning.

Emi handed him the bowl and leaned against the doorframe, her eyes searching his face.

“You okay? You’ve been off lately.”

Kazuya hesitated before taking a deep breath and sitting down at the small table. He placed the ramen in front of him, but his appetite had already waned.

“I got an email today,” he said quietly, his voice distant. “An offer for a job interview. A big one. Back in the tech world.”

Emi raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “You’re thinking about going back?”

Kazuya met her gaze, and for a moment, he wasn’t sure what to say. The words felt strange in his mouth. Part of him wanted to return to the life he had once planned for himself—the life that was predictable, safe, and structured. But the other part of him—the part that had come alive in the izakaya—didn’t want to leave.

“I don’t know,” Kazuya admitted, feeling the weight of indecision. “I don’t know who I am anymore. I don’t know if I can go back to that world after everything.”

Emi’s expression softened. She sat down beside him, her voice gentle but firm.

“You’ve been through a lot, Kazuya,” she said. “And you’re not the same person you were back then. But you don’t have to go back to the tech world just because it’s what you used to do. You’ve got options now—real ones. And this place... this kitchen... you’ve made something here. You’ve found something that fits you. Don’t throw it away just because the past is calling you.”

Kazuya listened, her words sinking in slowly. He had been so focused on what he could lose by staying here, that he hadn’t truly thought about what he could gain. The kitchen wasn’t just a temporary job. It was a new path. A new life.

“I don’t know if I’m ready to give it up,” he said finally, more to himself than to her.

Emi smiled, her eyes kind. “Then don’t. Not until you’re sure. You don’t have to have all the answers now. You just need to keep going.”

Kazuya looked down at the ramen in front of him, the steam rising in the quiet room. He felt a strange sense of clarity settle over him. He didn’t have to decide everything in one moment. He could take his time. The path wasn’t as clear as he would like, but maybe that was okay.

Maybe it was okay to choose the path that felt right in his heart, even if it wasn’t the one he had once thought he was supposed to take.

“Thanks, Emi,” Kazuya said, finally taking a bite of the ramen. It was warm and comforting—just like this strange new life he was slowly starting to build.