Chapter 566: Earnestly and Instinctively (3)
Chapter 566: Earnestly and Instinctively (3)
“I envy you guys!” Chloe said, pursing her lips.
Whenever Kaya served as a judge at the Grand Chef competition, she closed the Irregular Lab restaurant. That left Chloe alone at the restaurant while Kaya and Minjoon were away.
And since they were heading to the Grand Chef—the most prestigious cooking contest in America—participating as judges would offer them perhaps the best memories of their lives. Chloe could only feel frustrated staying behind.
“If you’re envious, try to become a judge!” Kaya teased.
“You’re so mean!” Chloe flopped onto the sofa, clutching her pillow tightly.
Delia frowned at Chloe’s dejection.
“You didn’t come when I asked you to hang out, right?”
“I don’t like clubs.”
“Hey, I don’t either!” Delia blushed, pretending innocence, mindful of Minjoon sitting nearby. But he wasn’t concerned whether she went to clubs.
He spoke wearily, “Well, I’m thinking of going back after the Grand Chef competition.”
“What do you mean?”
“Going back to Los Angeles, I mean.”
Delia stared, momentarily dropping her act.
Minjoon continued, “I want to learn everything from June until I’m qualified to be a head chef. I’ll double-check my cooking skills until then.”
His cooking level was nine.
That was his current goal—reaching at least level nine to master any dish perfectly. He aimed to hit that before Grand Chef ended. He knew it wouldn’t be easy and couldn’t be content with his current level indefinitely.
“Well, I’m not just marking time in cooking,” he added.
That was the problem with the system: though officially level eight, Minjoon was growing steadily, yet the system didn’t yet reflect that fully.
“Do you really have to return?” Delia asked softly.
He looked at her apologetically.
“Don’t be nervous like I’m leaving tomorrow. You knew I’d eventually go back to Los Angeles.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Don’t be sad. Going back doesn’t mean we won’t meet again. I’m just leaving your immediate circle.”
Given Delia’s status as a hotel owner, she could easily arrange meetings anywhere. But she was nervous for another reason.
“Will we still meet like this after you leave?”
A frank, honest question from a woman like Delia—cutting straight to her feelings.
He was slightly embarrassed. For a moment he misunderstood her due to her candidness—she could be blunt or thoughtless—but everyone knew she wasn’t bad.
“Why do you think we might meet?”
“Well, we didn’t really bond deeply until business brought us together.”
Indeed, she only developed closer ties with Kaya and Minjoon after providing hotel accommodations and managing the Irregular Lab restaurant. She’d begged for that friendship. Some might see the relationship as transactional, but she didn’t—it was practical.
Chloe shifted, frowning at Delia. She knew how Delia viewed him as a rule, but couldn’t call her out—not when Delia was silent.
But now, Chloe spoke up.
“Do you really think so? Is it just business interests tying us to you?”
“I don’t know exactly.”
“Well, let me be clear. Listen carefully. We’re friends. Even if you’re broke someday, we’ll keep seeing you. Your strange personality doesn’t matter—we’re friends. Understand?”
“Chloe…”
“If you get it, don’t say otherwise again or I’ll get angry.”
She folded her arms and slumped on the sofa, clearly upset.
Delia watched anxiously.
Chloe was probably closest to her. As Kaya and Minjoon were lovers, Chloe often hung with Delia. She also sympathized with Delia’s quirks and cared for her. She felt sorry for upsetting Chloe.
“She’s cute,” Kaya whispered to Minjoon, who smiled.
The girls’ squabbling looked charming, like a fairy tale.
“Well, you’ve changed a lot! Whether you like it or not, even our relationship has evolved.”
Minjoon blinked, then stood and looked at Delia flattering Chloe.
“Delia.”
“Huh?”
“Come with me. I want to make you something to eat.”
“What? Why all of a sudden?”
Delia fumbled, embarrassed, but Minjoon headed first to the kitchen. She quickly followed, puzzled.
He said awkwardly, “I don’t think I ever made a dish you wanted. Tell me—anything you want. I can cook it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Anything.”
“Do you mean you just want to cook for me?”
“Why not?”
“Well, it smells like a rat.”
She eyed him warily, but he avoided her glance.
Soon she smiled, sharing what she wanted to eat, then looked up toward the ceiling, perched like a bird in the kitchen, laughing childishly.
“I feel great,” she said.
He didn’t ask why.
She suddenly turned, her hair fluttering. Though distracting while he cooked nearby, he didn’t mind—she’d eat the dish anyway.
“You guys are going back to Los Angeles.”
“You’re coming too, right?”
“Well, I guess so. Where will you open your restaurant? The original Rose Island?”
“I think so.”
“What if I opened a restaurant for you in Los Angeles?”
“I’ll think about it.”
Before, he would have refused quickly, but now—closer than before—he reacted positively. Blushing, she looked at the ceiling, embarrassed—not as a woman or fan, but as a friend.
“You’re going to marry Kaya then.”
He cleared his throat. The plan to marry Kaya upon opening a restaurant was well known. That’s why Delia didn’t want him to open one.
But she was different now—still a fan. If he asked her out, she might accept regardless of the future.
From her side, confirming he had good feelings was key.
He was different, but she couldn’t tell how.
She felt no discomfort or jealousy about him and Kaya marrying. She liked it.
“So, can I help you?”
“What?”
“I mean with you and Kaya’s relationship.”
She wouldn’t have offered this before.
“I mean your proposal to her.”