Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Shall We Taste the Beauty Chef?
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“Looking great as always, me!”
Kim Jun-woo, a student in Munhyeok High School's Culinary Science Department, was quite popular.
He had a refined appearance, fair skin, a model-like fit body that suited any outfit, top-notch cooking skills, and a wealthy family background—a perfect all-rounder guy in every sense.
Being such a catch, he quickly grew bored with whoever he dated. But last year, everything changed when one student arrived to study abroad.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Olivia Ramsey."
The daughter of world-class chef Godwin Ramsey had come to study at the school. Her skills were impressive, but more than that, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on. He came up with excuses just to get close to her and even offered to teach her Korean, sticking by her side as much as possible.
And his efforts seemed to be paying off.
She was starting to seem comfortable around Kim Jun-woo.
At this rate, taking things to a special level with her didn't seem impossible.
"Heh, of course. No one else could possibly match her but me."
It was March, right after the school term began, and he had a grand plan in mind.
He'd build it up perfectly: café dates for the first week, bustling streets for the second, and a confession under the cherry blossoms for the third.
A flawless plan. Kim Jun-woo brimmed with confidence—he'd never failed with it before.
Just then, during lunch hour, he spotted Olivia passing by in the hallway.
"Ah! Olivia…"
"Geum Seong-muk."
The girl who was usually indifferent to everyone was proactively seeking out someone from another class.
And a guy, at that?
This whole situation baffled Kim Jun-woo.
The other guy even looked annoyed.
This was the first time he'd seen anyone treat his girl like that.
"I need to talk to you. Come with me."
"Fine, whatever. Let's go."
Kim Jun-woo nearly fainted when Geum Seong-muk stood up from his chair.
'Wh-what the hell is that build…'
He was already decently tall, but this guy towered over him by at least a head. His massive frame filled out half the classroom, and even the casual roll-up of his sleeves revealed ripped muscles split like canyons. Kim Jun-woo genuinely wondered:
'Could I ever catch up, even if I just ate and trained my whole life?'
As Olivia walked off with Geum Seong-muk, their eyes met.
If he greeted her brightly now, he figured he could brush this off as a minor hiccup. They'd gotten close enough that she'd surely acknowledge him.
"…….."
But she just turned away without a word and vanished with Geum Seong-muk.
For the first time in his life, Kim Jun-woo felt a crushing sense of defeat toward another man.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "You want it back?"
"Yes."
Well, look at that.
I figured she'd come at me like this from the start.
Sure, I planned to return the documents eventually if we crossed paths, but dragging me off and demanding them outright? If you pull this crap, you're stirring up the rebel in me.
"No idea what you're talking about."
"I checked the nearby CCTV. It showed you picking them up."
"Damn, you went that far?"
"They're important to me."
She even roped in the authorities, huh.
Makes it hard to deny now.
"I'll compensate you. Just hand them over."
I'd give them back anyway, but first, I poked at her a bit.
“Compensation, huh? Yeah, must be a pain having your secrets in the hands of a thug like me.”
“……!!”
Olivia's pupils shook violently. She probably thought they were just study abroad papers.
"How much do you know?"
"Enough."
I don't even know exactly why they're a problem. The Tingly Sensor (F) just told me they're her weakness. Olivia trembled, biting her lip hard before asking:
"What will it take for you to give them back?"
"Hm."
She looked resigned, like she'd expected me not to hand them over easily.
From my position, there was only one thing worth demanding right now.
I'd been starving lately.
I licked my lips and said:
“Let me have a taste, Olivia.”
"...............!!"
“Satisfy me, and your secret's safe.”
She bowed her head, trembling.
Then she looked up at me with contempt.
"You're the worst."
"What?"
"So that's it. You've been eyeing my body."
"............."
My response to her contemptuous tone as she hugged herself was simple.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Snap!
“Ah!”
I flicked her forehead.
Even a light tap made her crumple in pain.
She shot back up and yelled at me.
“What the hell was that? So rude!”
“You are the rude one. I ask for some cooking, and you paint me as a pervert.”
"Huh? Cooking...?"
"Yeah, cooking. You're a chef. I want a taste of your cooking."
"Oh."
Realizing what I meant, she spun around.
She seemed pretty embarrassed. After regaining her composure, she turned back and asked:
“Fine. What do you want me to make?”
“…………Hm.”
Days of surviving on cup rice and instant noodles flashed through my mind.
This damn private school even made meals expensive—I could barely afford proper lunch.
I'd squeezed money out of the Chairman for the baseball team, so begging for food money was awkward. Amid these poor days, one food always came to mind.
Nothing beat a man's soul food for this.
“Fry up some pork stir-fry.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Olivia was dumbfounded.
Sure, she was studying in Korea, but her major and the cuisine she focused on were strictly French.
She'd only tried Korean food a handful of times, and just fancy dishes at that.
For her to request something like pork stir-fry, straight out of a street food joint?
"Pork stir-fry, pork stir-fry recipe…"
She frantically searched a chef community for a recipe.
Then she chuckled.
It was ridiculously simple.
With her own twist, that lowly thug would be blown away in ecstasy.
Sizzle—!
Oil and pork hit the hot plate,
and the aroma of fire and meat filled the kitchen.
About ten minutes later, it was done.
“All finished.”
She plated it confidently and offered it to Seong-muk.
“...Oh ho, let's see.”
Seong-muk scooped a hearty bite with chopsticks.
His expression turned subtle as he chewed.
She was sure it'd melt into joy, but
"Hey, Olivia."
“Yes?”
“Does this look like pork stir-fry to you? Or does it look like dick?”
“D-dick…?”
Reality hit differently. Geum Seong-muk's face twisted like what the hell is this?
And "dick"? She'd only ever heard praise as a cooking prodigy—this word shocked her.
“You totally reworked it to your tastes. White wine in the sauce? Oh, and Espelette pepper instead of chili oil?”
“How did you…?”
Seong-muk dissected her every intention and ingredient choice.
He was the first since her father to read her so thoroughly, stripping her bare.
'Back in my playing days, eating was my only hobby.'
Seong-muk had tried every cuisine in Korea and the majors. He was a picky guest who often left chefs sweating.
“This isn't pork stir-fry, period. And from one plate, I get who you are.”
“Impossible. You can't know me from that….”
"You're looking down on Korean food."
"I would never!"
"Then where's the rice?"
His sharp jab hit home.
She'd seen Koreans eat meat with rice plenty of times, but it hadn't crossed her mind this time. All she could muster was a lame excuse.
"You just said pork stir-fry…."
“That doesn't add up. Then why the potato puree on the side? You thought a main needs a garnish, right?”
“………….”
“I didn't ask for anything fancy. The basics are missing. It's soaked in elitism. Am I wrong?”
Seong-muk tore into her point by point, while Olivia hung her head.
“……….”
“……Oops.”
When she looked up, her eyes brimmed with tears.
Geum Seong-muk panicked and backpedaled.
"Ahem, take my words with a grain of salt. You're not even a Korean food major—this is pretty good. Here, your binder."
He rummaged in his bag and pulled out the binder he'd picked up that day, offering it to her. She wiped her tears and shook her head.
"No, I don't deserve it."
“What?”
"I failed your condition. Satisfying you."
Seong-muk blinked in disbelief.
He hadn't expected her to refuse even when he offered.
“It tasted good? I just said the composition was off….”
“No, that's not enough. I'll do it again.”
“Hey, no need.”
“Come back here at lunchtime tomorrow. I'll make you say it for real—that it was delicious.”
“Hey, Olivia!”
She stormed out after saying her piece.
Her pride must've kicked in.
She left the binder behind, uninterested unless it was food.
“...Tch. This got annoying.”
I was too busy for food critiques and chit-chat. But thinking positively, it wasn't all bad.
'Wait, isn't this a chance to save on meals?'
My wallet was paper-thin right now.
I could nitpick Olivia's lunches and devour them greedily until the baseball team's cook arrived.
'Brace yourself, Olivia.'
A free meal shuttle rolling in? No way I'd pass.
I'll make her feel the hell of infinite nitpicking down to her bones.