Higashi, a Japanese tourist, stepped into the bustling Sizzling Steak restaurant, eager for a warm, hearty meal. But what he didn’t know was that Andy, a seasoned and cynical waiter, had a nasty habit of taking advantage of non-English-speaking customers. Higashi was about to become Andy’s latest target, but things didn’t go according to plan.

The dinner rush was in full swing, and Louise, a new waitress still trying to find her feet, was doing her best to navigate the chaos with a smile. That’s when she noticed a middle-aged Japanese man dressed in a traditional kimono and overcoat. He scanned the room before choosing a corner table, and Louise quickly approached with a menu in hand.

“Welcome to Sizzling Steak,” she greeted him warmly. Higashi responded with a smile, his eyes crinkling with delight as he pointed to a picture of a juicy steak on the menu. “Steak,” he said slowly, then added, “With rice… rice bowl!”

Although Louise’s Japanese was limited to basic greetings, she understood his request. “Of course, sir, we have a delicious steak option!” she said cheerfully. “We don’t have rice bowls, but how about some fries with your steak?” Higashi nodded enthusiastically. “Fries! Okay, okay!”

As Louise turned to place his order, her stomach turned at the sight of a half-eaten, cold steak sitting on the counter. Just as she was about to clear it away, a gruff voice stopped her in her tracks. “Hold on there, kiddo! What do you think you’re doing? Why waste good food?” It was Andy, the senior waiter, his face twisted in a permanent scowl.

“Serve it to him!” Andy demanded, snatching the plate from Louise’s hand. Shocked, Louise protested, “But we can’t serve that! It’s cold, and…”

“Relax,” Andy cut her off. “The guy’s a tourist. He won’t know the difference.”

“But it’s wrong!” Louise insisted, panic rising in her chest. “What if he complains?”

Andy just laughed. “Come on, Louise. He doesn’t speak English. Easy pickings.”

Louise knew that serving leftover food violated everything she believed in. But Andy was her senior, and the fear of losing her job weighed heavily on her. Reluctantly, she picked up the tray and delivered the cold steak to Higashi, who immediately knew something was wrong.

“This isn’t what I ordered,” Higashi said, pointing at the food. Before Louise could respond, Andy barged in, his face dark with annoyance. “What’s the problem here?” he snapped, ignoring Louise’s pleading look. “This is your order, right? Eat it!”

Louise’s heart sank as Andy continued to bully Higashi, throwing in racist remarks along the way. But when Higashi pulled out his wallet to pay, revealing a large wad of cash, Andy’s eyes lit up with greed. He quickly blocked Higashi’s exit, promising a better meal and luxurious service, but Louise knew it was all a ruse.

Despite her moral conflict, Louise found herself caught in Andy’s scheme, even taking a hundred-dollar bill from him under pressure. As Andy disappeared into the staff room, Louise couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen. Her fears were confirmed when she discovered Andy rifling through Higashi’s overcoat, stuffing cash into his pockets.

“What are you doing?” Louise confronted him, her voice shaking. “This is illegal. You can’t steal his money!”

Andy brushed her off, insisting it was their ticket to a better life. But Louise refused to be part of his scheme any longer. When Andy wasn’t looking, she opened his locker, took out the stolen money, and rushed back to Higashi, desperate to make things right.

“Excuse me, sir?” she said, breathless. “This is your money. Your. Money,” she emphasized, trying to overcome the language barrier. But Higashi didn’t understand until she used a translation app on her phone. Shocked, he finally realized what had happened.

At that moment, the restaurant door swung open, and a police officer entered with Andy in tow. Andy, attempting to shift the blame, accused Louise and Higashi of stealing. But before the officer could act, Higashi revealed his true identity—a journalist there to review the restaurant. He also had proof that the money was his, marked with a special blue ink that only showed when soaked in water.

Cornered, Andy had no choice but to hand over one of the bills, which indeed revealed the blue mark. The officer, now convinced of Andy’s guilt, handcuffed him and led him out of the restaurant.

Louise, finally free of the ordeal, thanked Higashi for his help. To her surprise, he offered her a job at his company in New York, recognizing her honesty and bravery. “Consider it a reward for your integrity,” he said with a smile.

And with that, Louise knew that doing the right thing had not only saved her job but also opened the door to new opportunities she never imagined.