Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Mirror Recipe (3)

Chloe was the one to leave the Grand Chef House that day, but depending on how it was interpreted, the result could have been completely different. Chloe managed to make a delicious dish out of a simple recipe while Cho Min Joon did an okay job at a great recipe. Not a single person could say for sure who was better.

But the Grand Chef’s policy was clear. When Cho Min Joon made a Korean meal, the judges clearly told him that it wasn’t appropriate for the competition and put him in the disqualification mission, and that still hadn’t changed.

It was decided. Cho Min Joon survived while Chloe had to go home. Cho Min Joon sat on the sofa in the lobby with a blank look on his face. He wasn’t shocked that Chloe had to go home. He hated that he wanted someone else to be disqualified so that he could stay. He thought he could be free of such greed.

“… Why do you look so down?”

It was a familiar voice. When he turned his head, Rachel was looking at him. Cho Min Joon smiled bitterly and answered, “It’d be weird if I looked happy.”

“You might have lost a teammate, but at least you survived. Aren’t you relieved?”

“We weren’t friends for long, but she’s very precious to me, so I can’t be happy but maybe I am. I’m scared that I might be happy inside.”

“That’s inevitable if you’re human. It’d be a problem for a chef to be impudent, but no one will blame you for not being noble. There’s no need. Look at Sergei. Does he look noble?”

Cho Min Joon answered with an awkward look on his face. She might have been joking, but he didn’t think it was right to make fun of a colleague. Cho Min Joon asked with a quiet and low voice, “Why are you worrying about me so much?”

“Because I’ve fallen for you. For your tongue. That’s a blessing, you know.”

He normally would have been flattered by the compliment, but Cho Min Joon couldn’t help it. Rachel was taken aback because Cho Min Joon didn’t look happy at all. Cho Min Joon asked another question in a low voice, “Then you wouldn’t have cared for me if I didn’t have these tastebuds.”

“… Probably not. But is there a need to think about that?”

“My ability is not what you think, Rachel. If you’re looking for someone with a real perfect palate… You’re better off going with her.”

Cho Min Joon looked in a certain direction. Kaya, who was returning from her interview, flinched when she saw Rachel staring at her.

“… What are you looking at?”

Rachel didn’t answer and continued to stare. Sergei had said this before, and now it was Cho Min Joon. They both told her to pay attention to Kaya Reuters. It was clear just from watching her cook that she had talent. It was possible that if she hadn’t seen Cho Min Joon, she would have tried to make her into her pupil.

‘Am I making a mistake…?’

Rachel squinted her eyes. Kaya sat next to Cho Min Joon and asked, “Why haven’t you left yet? That Sergei character already left pretending to be busy.”

“Sergei has a restaurant to manage.”

“Don’t you?”

“I’m just an owner. I have a head chef working for me.”

Rachel then glanced at Cho Min Joon. Even if Kaya was a valuable chef, she didn’t think she was as good as this young man.

“Do you have any plans for after this? Whether you win or lose. I’m sure you have some kind of plan. Oh, am I meddling?”

“… Not really. If I win the Grand Chef, I’ll probably have to attend all the events, and then I’ll end up going into a restaurant. If I’m lucky, maybe I can even get a head chef position, but I don’t think I’m quite ready for that yet.”

“There are some geniuses who do. Some have become a head chef and gotten a Michelin star by their early 20s and even got 3 stars by the time they were 30.”

As soon as she said that, Rachel’s eyes watered up. Rachel continued in a low voice, “But if you really think you’re not that talented, come to me. I’ll teach you if you’re willing. That’s what I wanted to tell you.”

“… Is that why you came all the way here?”

“If I say yes, I’m sure you’d be touched… But that’s not it. I wanted to make it known that Rachel Rose is still alive. I can’t live like a retired old lady forever. Also…”

Rachel glanced at Kaya.

“I enjoyed your cooking today. I’d like to make you an offer as well. There will come a day when you need me. Please find me then.”

Rachel got up.

“I’m sorry to take so much of your time. I wish you both luck.”

Kaya watched Rachel as she left.

“What’s up with her?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s weird. She said to go find her. What does she mean?”

“Just take it as a compliment. She said she liked you.”

“Is that what she meant…?”

Kaya rolled her eyes in thought. Cho Min Joon smirked and answered. He felt a little less comfortable than before.

“Don’t worry about it. Just be you.”

Kaya didn’t answer and stared at Cho Min Joon in silence. She had a sense, too. She knew that Cho Min Joon wasn’t all too comfortable with this situation.

“I’m sad Chloe got disqualified… But you don’t have to act like it’s your fault.”

“That’s not what I’m doing…”

“Yes, it is. It’s sad that Chloe’s going home, but… I’m actually glad because that means you get to stay.”

Her eyes looked serious. Cho Min Joon looked into her eyes. Her blue eyes had never looked so deep before. She wasn’t wearing any makeup, so her eyelids looked extra shiny, and her cheeks looked more plump and youthful than usual. It almost felt as though he had only been seeing half of her beauty until now.

As soon as her moist and glistening lips opened, Kaya looked away. Anderson and Chloe were walking down the lobby. Chloe smiled awkwardly.

“Hey.”

“… What’s with the sudden greeting?”

Kaya answered in a sour voice. Anderson knitted his brows.

“Stop being like that in front of the dead girl.”

“… I don’t like being called a dead girl.”

Chloe looked like she was about to cry. Anderson coughed and sat down. Kaya glared and said, “You watch your mouth.”

Anderson wasn’t able to say anything. Cho Min Joon sighed and looked at Chloe. She wasn’t particularly mean toward her, but she was being selfish for that moment. It was hard not to think that way, and that made him feel bad. Chloe had always treated them like family. They were close.

“… I’m sorry, Chloe.”

When Cho Min Joon said that, everyone looked sad including Chloe. She answered in surprise, “Why are you sorry?”

He couldn’t answer that question. He was too ashamed. If he said it, it would only leave Chloe with hurt. Cho Min Joon tried to put on a smile. She didn’t want to send her off in such a bad mood.

“No, never mind. Thanks for everything.”

“For what…?”

Chloe blushed. Kaya asked in a lighter voice, “But why did you do that?”

“What?”

“The mission. Why did you suddenly make a home meal? You could’ve done way better.”

“I’m not sure… You know how it is. Like when you get scolded by your mom, and you know talking back will make your punishment longer, but you keep talking back anyway. It was kind of like that.”

It was a silly but understandable answer. While Kaya and Anderson nodded, Cho Min Joon stared at Chloe without a word. Chloe looked like she had a lot to say, but she couldn’t because Anderson and Kaya were there. Anderson noticed that and immediately put his phone against his ear when it didn’t even ring.

“Yes, Martin. Right now? Sure.”

Anderson got up and looked at Kaya.

“Hey, get up.”

“What? Why?”

“Martin has a question for us. Let’s go.”

“… I wanted to stay with Chloe though.”

Chloe stuck out her lip, but if the producer was calling, she couldn’t decline. Anderson and Chloe met eyes. Anderson grinned, and when Chloe saw that, she understood what he was doing. Chloe’s face flushed, and her toes wiggled. Cho Min Joon mumbled in a low voice, “Why is Martin calling you guys?”

“G-good question. He never does that.”

“I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough.”

Cho Min Joon looked at Chloe. They sat across from each other with a table in between them and minded each other in silence. Chloe slowly opened her mouth.

“I guess I’ll be leaving first.”

“We’ll see each other again soon. You’ll keep cooking, right?”

He couldn’t stop thinking about what she said during the mission. He felt stimulated by her and also worried. He was worried she was leaving because she was giving up cooking. Chloe smiled and nodded.

“Don’t worry. I’m not giving up. I just… rebelled a little. I don’t like people saying this kind of cooking is good and this kind of cooking is bad. I told you. I’m going to open a restaurant.”

“Yeah. You said you would do that as a couple. I hope that dream comes true.”

Cho Min Joon spoke with a soft and sad smile on his face. Chloe silently stared at his smile. She liked that expression of his. She felt him caring about her. Cho Min Joon’s one smile made Chloe think of dozens of different things. She saw things and heard things, and she hoped that those things were real. Chloe tried her best to sound okay.

“If I want to do that, I need money and a husband. A husband who’s a chef.”

“Oh, you’re right. That’s a difficult dream.”

Cho Min Joon laughed bitterly. Chloe hesitated for a moment. This one remark could ruin everything, but she couldn’t back down. Anderson even lied just to give them room. She felt pathetic… But she felt like if she didn’t say anything, that would be even worse. She didn’t want that for herself.

Chloe opened her mouth. As soon as she stuck out her tongue between her teeth, she withdrew them again. She sighed and then opened her eyes wide.

“… I want that to be you.”

Cho Min Joon’s eyes shook in response. He looked into Chloe’s eyes. He looked into her intense emotions. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He was speechless. Chloe silently watched Cho Min Joon.

Her eyes contained anticipation, worry, shyness, confidence, and love. No, not just in her eyes. It could be seen on her flushed cheeks, her shaking lips, and her tearful eyes. Even in her clenched fists. So much that he couldn’t believe he didn’t catch on earlier.

And all those emotions came out in the form of words.

“I want it to be you… at my restaurant.”