Chapter 182: Taking the Initiative (4)
Chapter 182: Taking the Initiative (4)
“……Leave everything to him?”
Alicia looked at Chen in disbelief. Chen merely shrugged with a casual expression.
“It’s just something that gets brought up a lot in the industry these days. Nobody has any proof that it’ll actually happen. But…… doesn’t it sound fairly believable?”
“It does. I feel like I’ve heard something similar too. They said that once Rachel Rose passes away, each Rose Island branch might be handed over to its individual head chef. Does that mean she wants to give the Venice location to Jo Minjoon……?”
“Honestly, that would be impossible right now. He’s only just starting out. Besides, we don’t know whether it would only be the Venice location, or whether he might eventually be put in charge of all the branches…… There’s no way to know yet.”
“If what you’re saying is true……”
Alicia looked towards Jo Minjoon with curiosity.
That young man might one day become the owner of Rose Island, an institution that held considerable influence over the culinary world. For now, it was nothing more than speculation and possibility, but even so, she could not stop her heart from pounding.
“I also heard that Mr. Jeremy has high expectations for him.”
“……That difficult old man?”
“I suppose Minjoon is enough of a jewel that even someone as difficult as him can’t find fault with him.”
Alicia put the final piece of pasta into her mouth. It was the ravioli. She smiled as the fruit juice burst from the jelly and flowed refreshingly down her throat.
“And Rachel Rose will be the one training him.”
*
The tasting event came to an end.
Everyone was given time to cast their votes, but the results were not revealed in front of the audience. This was not a television programme, after all. Rachel announced that the results would be revealed back at Rose Island, and that led to an unexpected situation.
“……Kaya really hasn’t changed.”
Chloe looked as though she did not know whether to laugh or sigh. Jo Minjoon scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Rachel had told Kaya and Chloe that they were welcome to come and look around Rose Island. That was how they ended up in the hall together, and with everyone gathered in such a small space, the inevitable encounter had no choice but to happen.
“……Your makeup is too thick.”
“It’s fine to wear a lot of makeup. It looks pretty.”
“It doesn’t even look that pretty.”
Ella answered with puffed-up cheeks.
It was almost as though Kaya and Ella had known from the instant they met exactly what kind of relationship they were going to have, because they had naturally fallen into this kind of exchange. Kaya had already heard about Ella from Minjoon, while Ella knew plenty about Kaya through the media.
The entire kitchen family had become absorbed in the entertaining argument. Even Rachel and Lisa were watching with their chins propped thoughtfully on their hands, but neither Ella nor Kaya cared about the attention.
Ella was young.
And Kaya was young too, though in a slightly different way.
“You know, I was recently ranked the second-prettiest chef in the United States.”
Ella did not back down. She puffed out her chest and stomach and answered confidently.
“You couldn’t even get first place. I got first place in my kindergarten beauty contest.”
“Hey. Look at her.”
Kaya pointed towards Chloe and raised her voice.
“Answer me honestly. Are you confident you’ll grow up prettier than her?”
For reference, Chloe had come first in that ranking. Compared with Kaya, Chloe possessed an entirely pure kind of charm. It was not a particularly influential ranking, but Kaya had mentioned it to Minjoon more than once.
Remember, you’re dating the second most beautiful woman in the industry.
Something along those lines.
Ella glanced at Chloe, flinched slightly, and pursed her lips.
She had a reason to grumble at Kaya, but none to be hostile towards Chloe. She did not have the heart or the confidence to be mean to her.
In the end, Ella walked over to Minjoon and tightly grabbed his hand.
“Uncle. That lady is being mean to me.”
“Hey, you. Let go of his hand. He’s my man.”
Kaya immediately rushed over and tried to pull Minjoon’s hand free. Ella, however, clung on tightly and refused to let go.
Jo Minjoon gave Kaya a bitter smile.
“Kaya. Ella is a child. Don’t get so worked up.”
“Whose side are you on? Mine or hers?”
“I just don’t want to see my girlfriend fighting with a child.”
“……You make it impossible for me to say anything.”
Kaya stepped back with a sulky expression.
Ella stuck out her tongue at Kaya, but thankfully, the argument did not start up again.
Lisa spoke sternly.
“Ella. Come here.”
“……I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I didn’t say you were in trouble. But if you keep standing there, you will be. Come here.”
With a disappointed expression, Ella released Jo Minjoon’s arm and trudged over to Lisa while grumbling.
Lisa’s stern voice could be heard by everyone until Rachel coughed to draw their attention.
“I think everyone has had enough time to enjoy the appetisers, so I suppose it’s time to announce the results. How should I do it? Should I drag things out and build up the suspense, or should I just say it plainly?”
Javier immediately shouted.
“Just say it plainly.”
“That’s what I expected. Young people are always so impatient. In that case, Javier, you’re in last place.”
“……What?”
Javier stared blankly at her before breaking into a grin, clearly assuming she was joking.
“Ay, Chef. Don’t joke like that. Why would I be last?”
“Crème anglaise with coffee foam. It wasn’t bad, but it lacked impact. It was more suitable as an amuse-bouche.”
“……That’s a very thorough explanation for a joke.”
“I’m not joking. Good work. Unfortunately, it seems you won’t be getting the section you wanted.”
Janet’s face brightened.
Javier was the only other person who wanted the appetiser section. If he was in last place, then as long as Janet had not come first, the appetiser section was hers.
A mischievous smile appeared on her face.
“Thank you. For giving me the appetiser section.”
“……Ah, ah!”
Javier collapsed into his chair with a look of despair.
At this point, the only thing that mattered was who had taken first.
Kaya rested her chin on Jo Minjoon’s shoulder and whispered.
“You’re confident you got first, right?”
“……I’m confident, but I really hope I got second.”
“No. Get first.”
“Then I’ll have to do molecular gastronomy.”
“It’s fun and cool. Learn it properly so you can make it for me later.”
Jo Minjoon did not answer.
His heart pounding nervously, he looked towards Rachel.
Rachel continued.
“Third place is Anderson. Good work. Personally, I enjoyed your dish the most. The broccolini was perfect.”
“Thank you.”
Anderson answered calmly.
He looked neither happy nor disappointed.
He should have been upset after working hard for the competition only to place third, but as long as Minjoon did not come second and choose pasta, that station would still belong to him.
Now Janet became nervous again.
If she had taken first place, she would lose the appetiser section.
It was not that she hated molecular gastronomy. But there was one thing she had learned during the past ten days.
Molecular gastronomy required an enormous amount of precision, and that……
Was annoying.
Molecular gastronomy was highly scientific cooking. Even a slight mistake in measurement could ruin an entire dish. Of course, baking could be just as unforgiving, but measurements were not the only problem in molecular gastronomy.
Take Jo Minjoon’s jelly pasta, for example. He had to use syringes and tubes to force air through and push the noodles out. In Janet’s dish, she had to pierce the film with a syringe to inject the broth. Many times, the film had torn during the process and ruined the dish.
There were countless elements of molecular gastronomy that demanded almost surgical delicacy.
Even when it took the same amount of time, it required more concentration and stamina than any other station.
That was simply the nature of molecular gastronomy.
Jo Minjoon whispered to Kaya.
“If I end up in molecular gastronomy, I’ll be too exhausted to meet you.”
“I get dragged around everywhere all the time without complaining.”
“This is a different kind of exhaustion.”
“Stop whining. If you get tired, I’ll recharge you. Like this.”
Kaya suddenly kissed Jo Minjoon on the cheek.
Jo Minjoon swallowed nervously.
Even if Chloe had supposedly sorted out her feelings, he was still worried she might be hurt.
He muttered quietly.
“People are watching. Why are you doing that all of a sudden?”
“Recharging you. Besides, weren’t you the one who said you didn’t care if people watched?”
He had no answer.
Minjoon simply turned back towards Rachel.
Rachel smiled.
“Finished with your lovers’ quarrel?”
“……I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to apologise for. Love often serves as inspiration for artists. Especially with something as full of novelty as molecular gastronomy, it can become an even greater source of strength.”
“Haha. Teacher. You make it sound like I’m going to be handling molecular gastronomy.”
Rachel smiled again.
“Congratulations. You’re the winner.”
*
“……This is probably the first and last time in my life that I’ll ever feel this strange about winning.”
Jo Minjoon muttered dejectedly.
It was evening, and he was at Kaya’s place.
Of course, he was not alone. Anderson, Chloe, and Kaya were there as well.
There had not really been another option.
Chloe shared a house with her agent. Anderson lived with Amelia and Fabio. Minjoon was staying at Rachel’s house.
It was not that none of them could invite guests over, but there would still have been a certain amount of awkwardness.
In the end, Kaya’s place was the only one they could visit without hesitation.
Kaya took a bite from a slice of pizza loaded with cheese.
“Why? Molecular gastronomy is great. Most places can’t even do it because they don’t have the equipment. And you get to choose whichever prep cook you want. There are advantages to winning.”
“……I wanted the main station. Pasta was tempting too.”
“Don’t even dream about it. Pasta is mine.”
“Quiet, third place.”
Anderson opened his mouth as though he were about to snap back, but instead merely muttered under his breath and took a drink of Coke.
Chloe smiled brightly.
“But it’s still nice. The four of us being together like this. It reminds me of the old days.”
“It feels weird calling them the old days. The competition only ended a few months ago.”
“But it feels like much longer. A lot has happened since then.”
“I suppose so. Kaya became the nation’s Cinderella Chef, and Chloe became the most beautiful chef in the country.”
“……Don’t say that. It’s embarrassing.”
“What’s Kaya supposed to do if you’re embarrassed? She was bragging all day about coming second.”
Kaya choked on her pizza and punched Minjoon in the side.
Her cheeks flushed red.
“When did I ever brag?! I never bragged!”
“What you said to Ella earlier was definitely bragging.”
“That’s because she’s a child. I was being childish to match her level. Meet people at their level. Haven’t you heard of that?”
“I don’t think you were lowering yourself to her level. I think the two of you are naturally on the same level.”
At Jo Minjoon’s retort, Kaya glared at him with deep resentment.
Chloe quickly changed the subject.
“Anyway, it’s lucky we have Kaya’s hotel. I was worried we’d end up wandering around outside.”
“I think I’m going to rent somewhere soon too. I’m going to be here for a while now. But housing around this neighbourhood is ridiculously expensive.”
“It’s hard to find anywhere decent for under $1000 a month. It might be cheaper if you share with someone…… but honestly, I don’t want to live with a stranger.”
“I don’t need anything else. I just want somewhere without cockroaches.”
Kaya spoke with a nervous expression and looked towards Jo Minjoon.
“I wish Minjoon lived with me. Then he could catch all the cockroaches.”
“No. I’d run away.”
“……Coward.”
Kaya grumbled in disappointment.
Chloe spoke next.
“My agent is moving out soon because she’s getting married. My lease is nearly up too. Just thinking about finding another place gives me a headache.”
“Seriously. It would be nice if we could all just live together.”
The moment Kaya said that, silence fell over the room.
Kaya looked confused by their reactions before slowly continuing.
“Minjoon, you said you don’t plan on living at Rachel’s house forever, right?”
“Yeah. Once I start getting paid, I’ll need to find my own place. I can’t keep being a burden.”
“And Anderson, what about you……”
Kaya stared at Anderson for a moment before speaking as though she were doing him a favour.
“You said you wanted to get away from your parents and become independent too.”
“That’s true, but why? Don’t tell me……”
Kaya nodded.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the three of them.
“Should we all live together?”