Chapter 87

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Translator: True Detective

Chapter: 87

Chapter Title: Grand Chef Korea - What, Did They Find Out I'm a Virtual YouTuber?

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1.

A week after logging back into the Grand Chef Korea gallery, it was still dominated by talk about me. Probably because the end of episode 1 was so provocative.

'That's me, though.'

I scratched my cheek and read the next post.

'What nonsense.'

Me, a chaebol daughter? The exact opposite. I'm an orphan from the orphanage. Who'd have thought I'd get this kind of suspicion.

'This is why they say you live and learn.'

It was probably due to the etiquette training from the other world. As part of the Hero party, I often dined with nobles, so I learned it to avoid being looked down on.

I never dreamed that training would cause misunderstandings like this. Still, it was amusing.

"Unnie. What are you looking at so amusingly?"

Yurim sat down next to me and asked. I casually put down my phone.

"Chatting with Noona for a bit."

Yurim munched on caramel popcorn, staring at me intently. Then she slowly spoke.

"I've been wondering since before. Why do you call your older sister 'Noona'?"

"Habit. I've called her that since I was little. It stuck into adulthood."

"I see."

She nodded and popped more popcorn into her mouth. Stuffing it until her cheeks puffed out like a hamster.

"Everyone's here!"

Lee Seohwa sat next to us, grabbing some popcorn. I took one and popped it in too.

'Sweet.'

Not really my style. The flavor was too plain.

"How do you think today's episode will go?"

"Who knows."

I shrugged. I wasn't too worried. I'd already heard about the editing direction from PD Jung In-sun.

"Yurim, you?"

"I think Unnie will be the star...! The end of episode 1 was so intense, right? They'll probably keep that momentum."

"High chance. Has Yerin Unnie ever not been the protagonist on Grand Chef? Always first place."

"Right...!"

Hearing such open praise made me a bit embarrassed for no reason.

"...Enough. I'm not as amazing as you think."

"But to me, you are...! So believe in yourself, and believe in me who believes in you...!"

Yurim stared at me with wide eyes, fists clenched. I chuckled and patted her head.

"Okay. Got it. I'll try."

Who would've thought my own words would come back like this.

'Kids grow up fast...'

After the team mission, Yurim's confidence had noticeably improved. Maybe all she needed was a gentle push from an adult.

"Hello."

As we chatted over caramel popcorn, Han Chaeyun sat next to me.

"Hello."

Unlike our first meeting, she was much calmer now. Or rather, more withdrawn.

Lately, whenever I went to the dorm kitchen, Chaeyun was always there. Seemed the low team score still stung.

'These two have completely swapped places.'

Probably because they were young. Yurim was still in high school, and Chaeyun had just become an adult.

'I wonder if I can change like that too...'

As I drifted into thought, the screen in front lit up. The broadcast had started.

This time too, I decided to watch while chatting with Noona. She handled the community reactions even if I didn't log in.

Grand Chef Korea episode 2 started with a guy in his 20s cooking.

"Huh?"

The hall full of contestants and staff filled with confusion. Noona's message was packed with question marks too. Community probably the same.

The sudden guy was making a whipped cream cake, but the ingredients were seriously weird.

"Eww..."

Kimchi topped with melted cheese cake. The color and shape were disgusting just to look at. He took it to the judges.

"Get the hell out right now."

Chef Moon Tae-oh spat curses, throwing the plate in the trash after tasting it.

"Gasp!"

Yurim covered her mouth, eyes wide. Understandable shock from someone always so polite.

'So that's what happened.'

Explained his sour face. But who knew the trash food was a whole cake.

'Thought it was mixed scraps, but just one cake.'

A twist of sorts.

Naturally, the guy left in a daze. Next up was...

"...Unnie."

"You got judged at the worst possible atmosphere. Weren't the chefs' faces scary? You must've felt the weird vibe..."

"Not really?"

I shrugged. From here, it was familiar, so I started slowly reading the community posts Noona shared.

'Surprisingly sympathetic vibe.'

Thought it'd be hostile toward me, but not entirely.

"Unnie, the judging's coming!"

Yurim shook my shoulder, so I looked up. Chef Han Seojin putting meat in his mouth.

[It's melting in my mouth.]

Moments later, Chef Han Seojin's rave review drew admiration from those around.

"I didn't know he could say ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠something like that..."

"First time seeing Chef Han Seojin talk that much."

"...Impressive."

Han Chaeyun's gaze on me intensified. She seemed fired up competitively.

Soon, Chef Moon Tae-oh eating my dish appeared. Close-up on his mouth corner lifting after biting into the steak.

"Ah, that's why?"

Chef Moon Tae-oh bowing and apologizing cleared up the misunderstandings about me naturally.

'They said malicious editing, but I was a bit worried for nothing. Not that vicious.'

The two judges' evaluations passed, and finally, on-screen Chef Kang Taeyeon approached me.

[To advance to the next round of Grand Chef, you need passes from two chefs. Kang Yerin has already received passes from both.]

[So, we'll give Yerin the choice.]

[Choice?]

On-screen Chef Kang Taeyeon glanced right, nodded, and continued.

[If I taste this dish and am satisfied, I'll give you an immunity pass. But if not, you're out.]

The hall buzzed at his words.

[What will you do? Let me taste your dish? Or advance to the next round as is?]

"Unnie, no way you accepted that, right?"

Yurim grabbed my sleeve. I just smiled lightly instead of answering. The answer was coming soon anyway.

Community opinion naturally assumed rejection. No reason to accept, after all.

[I'll accept.]

But on-screen, I accepted without hesitation.

"Whoa, insane..."

"Look at that confidence. Real madwoman..."

Admiration and stares gathered around me.

"Unnie, you're crazy!? Why accept that!"

Lee Seohwa grabbed and shook my shoulder. Yurim nodded, joining the shaking.

"Stop."

"Yes."

They halted at my firm word. I refocused on the screen.

[Impressive confidence.]

[It's my cooking, after all.]

On-screen Chef Kang Taeyeon smirked, picking up fork and knife.

[Warning in advance. My palate is very picky. Don't feel too hard done by if you drop here.]

[Yes.]

He cut the meat and ate. Close-up on his face, but no change.

As he swallowed the steak and opened his mouth, the screen cut to ads.

"Ah...!"

Sighs erupted everywhere. Even knowing the outcome, the reaction was like this. What about viewers?

As expected, total chaos. After five ads, the broadcast resumed, but the scene was different.

The Grand Chef logo-emblazoned door slowly opened. Out came me, no hat on.

[What happened?]

On-screen Noona approached and asked.

The gallery couldn't believe it at first.

[Sorry, I got eliminated...]

But the moment I spoke, the gallery split exactly in half.

Some cursed Chef Kang Taeyeon,

Others celebrated my elimination. But their reactions had to change immediately.

[Just kidding. I actually passed.]

Because on-screen, I pulled on the chef hat and smiled.

The gallery flipped once more.

After my smiling escape, footage of all three ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chefs eating my steak aired.

[So delicious. Thought I'd faint at first bite. How did you cook the steak so perfectly?]

[Surprising. That someone like her has no formal training.]

[Might as well end here. Everything after will be overshadowed.]

'They said that behind the scenes.'

Always glaring like they wanted to kill me up front, but praising like that. Unexpected.

'Shy personality, maybe.'

The rest of episode 2 flowed smoothly. Other contestants cooking and being judged.

Necessary for the show, but viewers' hearts were elsewhere.

"Unnie, that's me!"

Yurim and Chaeyun's appearances livened it up a bit. Objectively, their looks stood out.

"But the part where Unnie lent me butter and hugged me at the end didn't air..."

"Yeah."

"Too bad..."

Yurim seemed relieved her screen time was short but also a bit disappointed. Episode 2 ended with Chaeyun's judging.

"Ahem."

Chaeyun next to me puffed up proudly at me. Proud of wrapping it up, I guess. I had no particular thoughts.

'Ended smoothly today.'

Just as I thought that, a voice flowed over the black screen.

[You said if levels are similar, you'd choose the more likable person's dish.]

[Yes. That's right.]

The voice was too familiar. Like my own.

"This is..."

Yurim muttered.

[Then no need to hear more from me. Our levels can't be similar.]

The broadcast ended with those words.

"Haa..."

I shook my head at Noona's message. Then, a prickly stare from the side.

'As expected...'

Turning, Han Chaeyun was glaring. She shot up from the sofa and stormed out of the hall fuming.

"...Why's she like that?"

"N-no idea?"

Lee Seohwa and Yurim exchanged baffled looks at the suddenness.

"Unnie, do you know why she snapped?"

"......No clue."

Stares from around. Similar to after episode 1, but a bit more hostile.

'Nothing to be done.'

It was dismissive of others, so resentment was inevitable.

Staying might spark trouble, possibly splashing on Yurim or Seohwa, so I decided to leave quietly.

"I'm tired, heading back first."

"Yes! Good night!"

Brief goodbyes to the two, then out of the hall. Back to my room, flopped onto the bed.

*Ring ring-*

As I lay face in pillow zoning out, my phone vibrated then rang.

"Hello."

"Hayul! We're screwed!!!"

Turning to answer, Noona's urgent voice hit my ear.

"What's with the panic? What, did they find out I'm a Virtual YouTuber?"

"How did you know!?"

"What?"

My joke got a serious affirmation from Noona. I jolted up in shock.

"...For real?"

"You saw that community post and said it, right? That's what I thought."

"Why would I check those places, I'm not you."

"...Then I'm sending the link now. Check it immediately. Got it?"

"Yeah."

Hung up, message arrived. Clicked Noona's link to the gallery. Still skeptical. Maybe Noona was pranking.

"Oh. Fuck."

But seeing the title, I realized. This was no joke.