Jiyeon stormed through the kitchen like a general on the battlefield, her hands moving with surgical precision as she plated another dish. The event was in full swing, and despite the earlier mishaps, the kitchen was running like a well-oiled machine—if you ignored the constant shouting.
"Kang, what the hell are you doing with that sauce?!" Jiyeon barked, her eyes narrowing as she watched him haphazardly drizzle the soy glaze over the scallops.
Kang flinched but held his ground, looking at Jiyeon with mock innocence. "What? I thought we were going for abstract presentation. You know,
artsy
?"
"
Artistic
doesn't mean you're throwing sauce around like a five-year-old with finger paint," Jiyeon snapped, snatching the spoon out of his hand. "If you don't focus, I'll personally make sure you never set foot in this kitchen again."
Yura, who had been leaning against the doorframe observing the chaos, couldn't hold back her laughter. "Oh come on, Jiyeon. Give him a break. He's trying his best—"
Jiyeon cut her off with a glare so sharp it could've sliced through steel. "If
this
is Kang's best, we're all doomed."
Kang smirked and shot Yura a look. "See? Told you she's in one of her moods."
"Oh, she's definitely in
full chef mode,
" Yura agreed, walking over to Jiyeon and placing a hand on her shoulder. "But seriously, Jiyeon, you need to chill. Everything's fine. The guests are loving the food. Even that guy who complained about the spice is stuffing his face now."
Jiyeon's eyes flicked toward Yura, softening slightly but not losing any of their intensity. "I'll chill when I'm dead. Until then, this kitchen runs at
my
pace."
"And what pace is that?" Yura teased, leaning in closer with a smirk. "A hundred miles per hour with a side of death threats?"
Kang snickered from behind them. "Honestly, I'm surprised Jiyeon hasn't strangled anyone with a linen napkin yet."
"I'm considering it," Jiyeon muttered under her breath as she plated another dish, this time the matcha and black sesame mille-feuille. It was delicate, beautiful, and precise—everything Jiyeon demanded from her kitchen.
Yura leaned over to inspect the dish, giving an exaggerated nod of approval. "Oh, this one's pretty. Is it for someone important?"
Jiyeon rolled her eyes, exasperated but amused. "They're all important, Yura. That's how this works."
Kang, trying his best to avoid Jiyeon's wrath, quietly chimed in. "I dunno, Chef. That guy at table three looks like he'd be happy with a burger and fries."
"I swear, Kang, if you bring up burgers one more time—" Jiyeon's threat was cut off by the loud ringing of her kitchen timer. She rushed to the oven, yanking it open to reveal perfectly browned lobster jeon, the scent of truffles and butter filling the kitchen.
"Perfect," Jiyeon murmured to herself, carefully transferring the golden discs to a serving tray. She eyed the tray critically before handing it off to a waiter. "Make sure this goes out
immediately.
And tell them it's best eaten hot."
The waiter nodded and scurried away, leaving the kitchen in an awkward silence for a brief moment—before Kang decided to break it.
Kang, leaning against the counter with a smug grin, gave her a thumbs-up. "Not bad, Chef. Not bad at all."
"Don't get cocky, Kang," Jiyeon muttered, but there was a glimmer of pride in her eyes. She turned to Yura, who was still watching her with that same amused expression. "And you—"
"I know, I know," Yura interrupted with a grin. "I'm distracting."
Jiyeon shook her head, exhaling deeply. "Yes. Yes, you are."
Yura leaned in, dropping her voice to a teasing whisper. "But you love it."
Jiyeon rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the small smile from tugging at her lips. "Maybe."
Kang groaned dramatically from behind them. "Can you two flirt somewhere
other
than the kitchen? I think I'm gonna lose my appetite."
"You never had one to begin with," Jiyeon shot back, earning a loud laugh from Yura.
Despite the chaos, despite the constant stream of insults and threats, Jiyeon couldn't deny that this was exactly where she thrived. And with Yura and Kang by her side—no matter how insufferable they could be—it wasn't so bad after all.
She just wouldn't admit it out loud.
The kitchen had finally settled into a rare moment of calm, but the lingering adrenaline still buzzed through Jiyeon's veins. The hum of voices from the dining room filtered in, a sign that the guests were content—at least for now. She leaned against the counter, crossing her arms and glancing at Yura, who had somehow managed to remain effortlessly composed despite the earlier chaos.
"You know," Yura began, tilting her head with a smirk, "you
really
need to learn how to relax during these events."
Jiyeon arched a brow. "Relax? You saw what just happened. If I relax, this place will turn into a circus with Kang as the ringmaster."
"Hey!" Kang protested from his corner, his arms folded as he leaned against the fridge. "I'd run a damn good circus, and you know it."
"Oh, I don't doubt that," Jiyeon replied dryly, pushing herself off the counter. "It would be complete with clowns, fire-eaters, and guests running for the exits."
Yura let out a laugh, and Kang dramatically clutched his heart. "Wow, you're just full of compliments tonight. I'm gonna start charging for emotional damage at this rate."
"Good luck with that." Jiyeon shot him a side-eye. "Your
emotional
capacity is about as deep as a kiddie pool."
"Right, because your bedside manner is so much better," Kang muttered, rolling his eyes. "I don't know how Yura puts up with you."
Yura chimed in, completely unbothered. "Oh, it's a mix of charm and an inordinate amount of patience."
Jiyeon shook her head, fighting back a smile. "Remind me again why I keep you two around?"
"Because without us," Yura said smoothly, stepping closer and giving Jiyeon a pointed look, "you'd turn into a workaholic tyrant who scares everyone within a ten-mile radius."
Jiyeon pretended to think about it for a moment. "True, but at least everything would run perfectly."
"Sure," Kang said, smirking. "But who'd be left to praise your 'perfect' work if we're all dead from exhaustion?"
Jiyeon narrowed her eyes at him. "You're lucky I'm too tired to kick you out."
"Luck has nothing to do with it, Chef," Kang replied smugly. "It's pure talent."