Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Live Broadcast (2)

“… Why are you looking at me like that?”

Kaya asked in a bitter voice. Jeremy spun his spoon around his finger as he responded, “You two seem close. Very close for a man and a woman.”

“You’re not thinking of doing that same old debate about whether or not a man and a woman can be friends, are you?”

“Haha, I’m old. That kind of debate takes too much energy. But I do have a question, if I may. Are you really friends? You just seem too close.”

[I knew Jeremy would do it.]

[Please, god. I just hope she doesn’t say, ‘Yes, that’s right.’]

Such comments filled the chat. Sarah and Emily also looked at Kaya and Cho Min Joon with anticipating eyes, but Kaya wasn’t taken aback. She raised her eyebrow in a calm manner.

“Is there a standard for how close friends can be?”

“No, but it’s hard not to be fascinated by young people’s relationships as an old man. Let me ask you one more question, Kaya. Are there any feelings between the two of you? I just think you two would be great together.”

Jeremy smiled as he said everything he wanted. Kaya hesitated and then looked back at Cho Min Joon. It was hard to say for certain… But it was true that a certain energy flowed between them. At that moment, Anderson opened his mouth.

“What’s the use if there is? It’s not like they can date anyway.”

Thanks to the sudden save, Kaya and Cho Min Joon were able to catch a breath. Sarah glanced over and added, “Hey, who cares if they date or not? It’s all about the feeling.”

“Do feelings matter if you don’t have time to even chat? If it’ll work out, it will. If it won’t, it won’t. Stop teasing those kids.”

Anderson’s one remark made Jeremy into an annoying old man. Whether the people in the chat gasped or not, Anderson didn’t mind them as he pointed in front of him with a calm voice, “The next dish is coming.”

[Jeez! Anderson is so slow!]

[I think he’s doing that on purpose…]

[Look at Sarah’s face. She looks so sad.]

[That’s my face right now.]

But a moment later, their faces all brightened up. The seviche that came out as the appetizer was beautiful. The lightly sliced tuna looked red like raw beef, and the cooked shrimp was set up to look like tops. And the apple mint, foam, and the coconut jelly on top almost looked like a house on top of the tuna. Sarah was in awe as she opened her mouth.

“I know food critics shouldn’t say this stuff… But you know these foam things? They look big, but it’s actually a small amount. Do you know why they still put it in? But then again, if you have a perfect palate like Cho Min Joon, you’ll probably still taste it, but average people don’t feel much from it. Is it for decoration?”

[I agree with that. I’ve never thought something tasted good because of foam.]

[Are you looking down on beer foam?]

[No, that’s different.]

[I don’t really like beer foam either.]

Many people wondered the same thing.

“Of course not. It’s true that it’s sometimes used just for decoration. Let’s taste it before we continue.”

Rachel answered and then chewed on a piece of shrimp with foam on top. She then nodded.

“I’m certain. People who eat it probably don’t feel much from this foam, but the person who cooks can feel it. It makes you wonder what they thought of when they placed it on top.”

In response to Rachel’s explanation, the others began to eat some of the seviches. Cho Min Joon understood what Rachel was saying. As soon as he took a bite of the tuna, shrimp, and some of the foam, he immediately thought of Allan. Rachel, who was watching Cho Min Joon, spoke, “Min Joon. Do you have an answer?”

“Yes. The fishy taste of the fish and shrimp. No, it’s not even fishy. It’s more like an oceany scent. I can stand it if that scent is in just one ingredient, but if it’s in other ingredients as well, it can become fishy. Just like how watermelon tastes sweeter with salt, the fishiness needs to meet with something else to be stronger.”

“You know. This lemon foam is a bridge between the ingredients. It mixes in with the different flavors to tie it all together. Good job.”

[I think Rachel loves Min Joon more than Kaya. Not even my own grandmother looks at me like that.]

[Is he going to be her pupil? It looks like Rachel might make a comeback.]

[Who cares if she does? She’s in Santa Monica. It’s too far and too expensive. I can’t go even if I wanted.]

[You know, Cho can taste everything, but he’s good at expressing himself, too. I feel like he’s better than me at English sometimes.]

“Thank you.”

“I’m sorry?”

“… Oh, I was talking to the chat. They said I’m good at English.”

Cho Min Joon, who was smiling at the camera, answered Rachel with an embarrassed voice. While the others laughed, Cho Min Joon looked over at Kaya.

“Do you like it?”

In response, Kaya thought for a moment. She then smiled and answered, “Yeah, it’s not very unfamiliar to me.”

“That’s good.”

He didn’t ask her if it tasted good because that was a given. It was an 8. Cho Min Joon wasn’t disappointed by that score. Allan’s cooking score was a 9, and if he made it himself, he could have made 9-point dishes, but the head chef’s job wasn’t to make food. He couldn’t make food for dozens of customers all by himself even if he wanted to.

The head chef’s skill depended on how well they navigated the kitchen and their people just like Rachel showed them. With a level 7 in cooking, it probably wasn’t hard to get a sous chef position. And those who worked with the pan and knife were anywhere from 5 to 7 levels. The fact that he made such a chef with people like that meant Allan was very talented.

‘If I became a head chef…’

He thought it would be hard. He tried being a head chef on Grand Chef, but rather than regulating them, he relied on them for their skills. It was only possible because it was a competition, and since he was an amateur, he couldn’t have done better. Kaya looked around and said, “The food is good, but I don’t like the vibe. It’s an unfamiliar and fancy restaurant with cameras everywhere. And that chat. Ugh, please stop making assumptions just because we talk. Aren’t we allowed to chat?”

In the middle of a conversation with Cho Min Joon, Kaya suddenly glared at the camera. Cho Min Joon quickly patted her on the back.

“I was wondering where your temper went. You’re still Kaya Reuters. Just tell them to do what they want. It’s better than lashing out at viewers and paying for it later.”

[Who thinks they’re going to be in a scandal this year?]

[Probably not this year. Kaya’s busy with her Grand Chef schedule.]

[Then is this their only chance to be together? That sounds romantic.]

[Do you think Min Joon will take Kaya away later?]

[Scary guy.]

“… Everyone, I’m not that scary.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Hey, don’t be like that.”

Cho Min Joon looked at Kaya with a sad face. Kaya smirked and fixed his collar to hide his burn scar. Cho Min Joon smiled awkwardly and said, “Don’t’ worry. I don’t care about it anymore.”

“Do you remember what I said about that burn? Don’t tell me not to worry about it. It’s not up to you.”

“… You’re talking about stuff that only you two know about.”

Sarah laughed. Cho Min Joon coughed with an embarrassed face. Kaya must have thought they went overboard too because she fumbled with her hair with a flushed face. Rachel looked at Kaya and asked, “Kaya. What do you think of while eating this seviche?”

“I think this seviche is a letter to you.”

“… I’m sorry?”

Rachel opened her eyes wide to the unexpected answer. Kaya pointed at the empty seviche bowl and spoke in a calm voice, “Like you said earlier. The ingredients that looked like a house on top of the red tuna. Doesn’t that remind you of ‘Rose Island?'”

In response to Kaya’s thoughts, Cho Min Joon exclaimed. He thought that that was a possible theory. When they glanced at Allan, he smiled in an embarrassed way.

“That’s accurate. I was hoping Rachel would catch onto that…”

“Don’t you sell this menu regularly?”

“Yes. I wanted to make it known that I learned from you… And that’s this dish. I hope this is a good gift for you.”

Rachel held in her tears and pursed her lips. Her wrinkly mouth wriggled before she spat out a cry and shut her mouth again. Sarah held Rachel’s shoulder with a worried look on her face. Rachel tried to smile and then looked at Allan with teary eyes.

“Thank you, Allan. What a great gift it is.”

“… Don’t cry. I didn’t do this to make you cry.”

Allan spoke with a sad face. His mentor, who was once vibrant and confident, became weak over time. Age weakened people, both the body and mind. Did he really think Rachel could have avoided that rule? Her weak side made his heart ache.

[I’m happy to see Rachel again, but I feel weird.]

[Is it because of the old memories or because we know that those memories are really old? I really want a beer right now. I’m going to the fridge.]

[I want to see Daniel. Why do geniuses leave so early?]

[Were the Rose couple that impressive? I was only 10 years old at the time.]

[Yeah, they were legendary. They raised the standard of American restaurants all on their own.]

Cho Min Joon felt his heart warm up because of the chat and Allan’s attitude. Both Allan and the other people were remembering Rachel and her husband. The chef who lived on through memories. The chef who could live through memories. Wasn’t that a complete life? That was what he thought. Cho Min Joon slowly opened his mouth.

“I’m jealous of both Rachel and Allan.”

He wasn’t just saying it. The sincerity in his low voice made Rachel glance over at Cho Min Joon with bloodshot eyes. She then asked in a strange voice. Her voice was teary, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

“Why…?”

“I’m jealous of you and your husband because you can be remembered as good chefs by everyone, and I’m jealous of Allan because he could work with chefs like you.”

“You’ll be able to, too. I’m sure you’ll meet a good head chef and learn lots. And I hope… that opportunity is given by me.”

“I’m sorry?”

Cho Min Joon was surprised by her sudden remark. Rachel continued in a calm voice, “I’m going to return to the kitchen. And…”

Rachel stared at Cho Min Joon right in the eyes, and her voice was clearer than her eyes.

“I’d like you to be in my kitchen.”

Cho Min Joon stared at Rachel blankly. He didn’t know what to say to that unexpected offer. The viewers’ chat filled the monitor.

[… I watch TV and eat frozen pizza at the same time, but he does broadcast and gets a job at the same time.]