Chapter 550: Reservation (2)
Chapter 550: Reservation (2)
“I love Rose Island,” June said. “It’s my dream to make Rose Island more beautiful than ever. But I have to do it myself. It’s meaningless to me if someone else can make it much more beautiful than I can…”
“I understand how you feel.” Minjoon nodded. “But I thought that if I got Rose Island, it would be the end of all my trials. It wasn’t. My trials won’t end there. Rachel was always right.”
June rambled a little, but he understood her. When else could she pour out her feelings like this if not now? When else could she complain when she couldn’t today?
“Should I leave Rose Island?” she asked between sobs.
His expression hardened. “Don’t make a reckless decision.”
“I know I’m impatient, emotional, and not calculating. But don’t you think it would be unnatural if I didn’t think that way?”
“Think it through slowly. June, it’s never too late to leave. For now, you have to make the best use of the four years you’ll serve as head of Rose Island.”
“You’re always right,” she said.
Minjoon was always right, which was why she kept turning to him for advice. “If what you say is true, it seems I can just keep sobbing like this, right?”
He ordered another beer instead of replying. He didn’t look at her—no one did. She began sobbing again amid their quiet indifference.
No one comforted her, but somehow that was a comfort in itself.
“Chef Rachel, you were too harsh on Chef June.”
After drinking with June, Minjoon went to see Rachel as dawn broke.
She smiled bitterly at his somewhat angry tone. “Looks like you’ve become quite attached to her.”
“This isn’t about attachment. If you wanted to enforce a four-year term for the head of Rose Island, you should at least have told June beforehand—even if it was unfair.”
“You’re openly taking her side. Are you very angry?”
“Yes, I am. June is very upset. I don’t think you should have turned what could have been a celebratory event into a tragedy.”
“Let’s call it an ordeal, not a tragedy. An ordeal to turn it all into a comedy. If we keep going without an ordeal, it becomes an absurd tragedy. Can’t you see I acted with that in mind?”
“I can’t tell you what to do, but I’m just frustrated. I admit she can’t continue without trials, but I can’t believe hers aren’t over yet.”
“Don’t you covet the position yourself?” she asked casually.
He caught the meaning behind her words and looked at her sharply.
She smiled at the man who’d grown so much since she last saw him in New York, working for June.
“Seems you feel guilty about coveting June’s new position.”
“No matter how good a chef is, in the end they can only run one restaurant.”
If a chef wanted more than cooking—to manage an entire business—that made them more of a businessperson than a pure chef. Minjoon wanted to be an ordinary chef from beginning to end. That was the fundamental difference between him and June. Neither was right or wrong.
“The position of Rose Island’s head chef means nothing to me.”
“Then how about the chief of Rose Island’s main restaurant?” Rachel asked suddenly.
Seeing him flinch, she whispered, “The Venice branch of Rose Island is still vacant. Since June will be very busy as head, maybe it’s time for you to step out of her shadow.”
“Well…”
“I think you’re ready,” she said quietly. “You’re fully ready to be a head chef.”
The time for change had come.
He felt awkward at her words. He didn’t understand why she’d changed the topic from June. Yet at the same time, he wasn’t surprised—he’d been thinking about the Venice branch all along.
Though not the main branch, inheriting the Venice branch would mean a great deal to him. Many said inheriting it was like inheriting Rose Island’s main restaurant.
“I don’t think this is a topic we should discuss now,” he said.
“I know,” she replied, nodding as if it were obvious.
She’d been talking about June until moments before, so even mentioning Rose Island’s main restaurant distracted him from the main subject.
He asked, “So, you don’t want me to talk about Chef June?”
“Well, I have nothing to say about her. She’s the new head of Rose Island. I believe she’ll do her best for the next four years no matter what. She’s passionate.”
“What will happen after her four years?”
“She knows the answer.”
He sighed again at her reply. He wanted to argue with her for shifting all the responsibility onto June, but he knew no one else could shoulder what she would as head for the next four years. It was her responsibility and her right.
So he had to admit Rachel wasn’t wrong. In fact, she cared for June more than anyone else. Otherwise, she wouldn’t smile so sadly whenever she talked about her.
“Well, we’re back to square one after all,” he said resignedly, more complaining to her than anything else. He knew June hadn’t remained stagnant. Even with only four years as head, she was still Rose Island’s leader. She had finally attained what she wanted. What she lacked was the stability she craved so deeply.
To be honest, if he were Rachel, he wouldn’t have chosen differently. June wasn’t her only student. It was unclear how Rachel would handle Rose Island’s ownership later, but if he were in her shoes, he’d distribute it among branch heads.
Is there any other way?
He thought for a moment but couldn’t reason clearly. What was certain was June couldn’t take sole ownership simply by being head. Even if she desired it and dreamed of it, the title alone didn’t grant her the right.
“The only thing June can really take from this restaurant is its name.”
Rachel looked at him with mild surprise. In a brief moment, he had understood Rose Island’s structure, even glimpsed into her thoughts.
Obviously, he hadn’t wasted time while working with June.
Rachel smiled bitterly and nodded. “The name Rose Island will give her more power than she realises.”
The greatest advantage June had as head was that she could represent its name. Even if she led for only four years now, she could keep her title for eight, twelve, twenty years—the name would eventually belong to her.
It was more valuable to attach that name to herself than to hold all the branches.
Of course, she would have to accomplish more under that name to reach that point. It would be a tough road ahead. But Rachel had no intention of making it easy for her. Her position shouldn’t breed complacency.
In some ways, Rachel and June were the kinds of chefs who would sink into the swamp if they didn’t work relentlessly to the end.
“If she can’t endure it, it’s okay for her to give up the position midway,” Rachel said coldly.
Her words were harsh, but what terrified people about her was that she fundamentally loved June instead of ignoring her. Give up Rose Island? Give up the title of head? Give up such a fast, glorious path?
“If a road is already paved, people don’t think to build a new one. It’s the same for June. If she sees a road I’ve paved well, she won’t waste time trying to build another because she’s clever. A clever woman like her won’t take that risk.”
“Actually, she did take many risks.”
“But only when she knew the outcomes, right?” Rachel asked calmly.
He was lost for words. She was right. June didn’t take risks without knowing the answers clearly.