【寓話・Fable】先生とプロ/The Master and the Professional

某有名人のプロデュースした焼肉店が、ニューオープンしました。
A yakiniku restaurant produced by a certain celebrity had just opened its doors.
そのお店のウリは、訓練されたプロの店員が最初から最後まで卓につき、お客様に最高の焼肉を提供すること。
The restaurant’s signature offering was trained professional staff who would remain at the table from start to finish, grilling the finest yakiniku for each guest.
ネットでもバズり、お店は予約困難の人気店となりました。
The concept went viral online, and the restaurant quickly became so popular that reservations were nearly impossible to get.

ある日、お店に団体客の予約が入ります。
One day, a group reservation was made.
訓練された店員が、団体客を席に案内します。
A trained staff member guided the group to their table.
集まった十数名は、ある人物を先生と呼んでいたそうです。
Among the dozen or so guests, there was one person they all addressed as Sensei.
最初の乾杯が終わり、店員が焼き始めようとすると、数名が店員を止めます。
After the opening toast, just as the staff member moved to begin grilling, several guests stopped him.
「先生、出番です」
“Sensei — it’s your turn.”
先生と呼ばれる人は、黙って肉を焼きはじめます。
The one called Sensei said nothing, and quietly began to grill the meat.

店員は困ったが、黙ってトングを手渡したそうです。
The staff member was at a loss, but wordlessly handed over the tongs.
先生の愛弟子みたいな人が他の団体客に、先生が焼いた肉を配っていきます。
Someone who seemed to be Sensei’s closest disciple went around distributing the grilled meat to the rest of the group.
そして、なぜか店員にも。
And, for some reason, to the staff member as well.
先生の弟子たちは、肉を食べ感動します。
The disciples ate, and were moved.
「これが〇〇の味ですねぇ」
“This — this is the taste of Sensei.”
店員もこっそり食べたのですが、それはいつもの味とは全然違ったそうです。
The staff member quietly took a bite as well — and it tasted, they said, nothing like it usually did.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​