The alarm clock started to ring like crazy, letting Eun Ji know that a new day had started. A month had already gone by since she had arrived back to Seoul and she was still having a hard time adapting to what it was a completely different Korea that the one she had left behind when she was a child.

It was only 10am but she knew she had to hurry up and get ready to head out, today she finally was going to have the chance to look around the restaurant since renovations were finally done, like Seung Hyun had informed her last night; so she finally was going to see with what kind of space she was going to count and what kind of equipment she could fit in the kitchen. She was eager to finally see it and to begin planning for the menu.

For the past weeks, she had being exchanging emails and phone calls with Seung Hyun, but since the past week they had being getting together almost every day to discuss the different aspects for the restaurant. To be honest, she had file Seung Hyun into the don’t mess with me and I won’t mess with you side of her brain, but knowing that big decisions will had to be made soon regarding the menu and staff to hire, she was mentally preparing herself to defend her stance.

Eun Ji finished getting ready, today was definitely a pants day, but she had already went through all her clean pairs of pants and all that she was left was with a casual plum dress. She made a mental note to do the laundry that night and slap herself mentally for not packing all her clothes and having to keep on waiting for her stuff to arrive from New York, were her close friends had being kind enough to pack all of her stuff and ship it to her.

After a ride on the subway she emerged into a little warmer version of the city than the one she had arrived previously, spring was crawling back to the city and she could see that the blossoms were beginning to cover the trees all around the sidewalk.

She follow the address that it was in the mail that Choi Seung Hyun had send her earlier the day before, she was surprised that she was finding herself in the heart of Myeongdong, and began to wonder how much money did those guys make, I mean she wasn’t cheap and if they could afford a place in that district she was starting to be positive of the multiple possibilities she could take the restaurant in the future.

Eun Ji kept on walking, making a turn left, and then another right and there it was, it was right there, with open windows and some short steps right in the entrance. She opened up the door and was welcomed by a beautiful open space to her left and a small bar area on her right. The smell of fresh paint was still lingering in the air and the air of renovations could be felt in the environment.

She was snooping around, looking for her fortress, the kitchen, when she was welcomed by a perfectly dress Choi Seung Hyun. He was wearing black pants, a green shirt and a grey long jacket, with his hair styled to perfection.

“Oh, Park Eun Ji-sshi, annyeonghaseyo! I see that you find your way perfectly, I felt kind of bad after remembering that you aren’t that acquainted with the area, I should had offered myself to meet you to guide you here” he said welcoming her.

“Annyeonghaseyo! But please, we have being over this, please just Eun Ji will be ok, I know that being super polite is the right Korean way, but like I mention you yesterday I am perfectly used to only hearing my name. And don’t worry, it was really easy to get here with the directions you gave me and I better get used to it, I mean I am going to be working here”.

“Well, you do have a valid point, we had being talking for over a month I believe and been meeting almost every day for the last week, I heard you calling Min Young-sshi unnie, so I will assume you are also younger than I am”

“Maybe, how old are you if you don’t mind myself asking?” she asked knowing that in Korea it was perfectly normal to ask for someone’s age.

“I’m turning 30 this year” he said in that deep voice she still hadn’t finished getting used to.

“And that’s Korean age or regular age, sorry, but like you know, I grew up abroad, so I kind of forget that from time to time”

“I was born in 1987, if that helps you do the math” he said with a little smirk, like if he was stating an obvious point here.

“Ok, I get it… well I just turn 28 korean age”

“So, you are indeed younger, well if you don’t mind, let’s just talk comfortably, what do you think Eun Ji-sshi?”

“Sure, Seung Hyun-sshi” she replied knowing that was the best she was going to get for the time being.

“So, what do you think about it?” he asked her and she could see he was eager to hear an answer.

“I like it, I think it resembles perfectly the blue print you showed me last week; but do you mind if you show me the kitchen? I had being dying to get my eyes on it” she said looking for the door to her domains.

Seung Hyun chuckled a bit, she was looking like an eager kid trying to get into her favorite attraction in the amusement park “Sure, this way to the left” he said and guide her to the back.

He opened up a black door and there it was; he could have sworn he heard her gasp in excitement. Seung Hyun had being in the business of restoration and interior design for restaurants ever since he had graduated university and one thing that he love was seeing the reaction a chef had when they saw one of his kitchens designs.

“Do you like it?” he asked her but she was already inside, evaluating the work spaces and the equipment that had already being installed.

“I love it” she finally answered after a few minutes of getting inside the refrigerated room and the everyday pantry and rubbing her hand against one of the stainless steel work tables. “But how did you plan all of this? I mean we just talked a week ago of the list of equipment I wish I could have, but you actually fit everything in my request list”

“I have made this for a living for a few years now and one thing I have learned over the course of my career is that if a chef wants their kitchen to run smoothly, I have to make every effort to get them what they want so they can work comfortably. This project is also special for me because I will be the one in charge by your side Eun Ji-sshi” he said pleased that he had made her unadvertedly smile. In the past month since he had met her, she had always a stoic face, almost like if she was putting a safety wall around her.

“Well I am very much pleased; you did an amazing work here. But I do see a few opened spaces” she said.

“Oh yes, the ovens they brought were the wrong size and the grill needs to be adjust since they brought a bigger one”

“Well Seung Hyun-sshi, since you have honored your part of the deal, I shall honor mine” she said with a bigger smile showing up in her face.

“I see you did recall our conversation from our first meeting”

“Of course, how could I forget it: If I didn’t mess with your décor choices for the dining room area, you wouldn’t mess with my kitchen layout. I got to say I feel I got the winning side of the bargain” she replied.

“Perfect then, but I got one more thing to show you I feel like I shouldn’t make a decision for decorations” he said and lead her outside the kitchen, onto the second floor were the VIP area was and some office space was.

“This” he said while opening up a door “will be our office. Sorry we couldn’t offer you a separate area, but since the bastards of Young Bae and Ji pushed for an increase in the VIP area, we had to reduce the office space, leaving us to share a room. I hope you don’t mind”

Eun Ji chuckled; whenever Seung Hyun talked about his donsaengs he always had a insult joining their names.

“Sure, I don’t mind, the space looks big enough for a couple of desks and a small sofa. Besides I will only be here during break times between services, so I think you will be the one to use it for the most of the time” she said her mind still on her brand new stainless steel kitchen.

“I am glad that you understand, those little pricks sometimes think that organizing space is as simple as knocking down a wall” he said with a glare and lead her to the first floor again.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you know them? I mean you three look really close”.

“We are, don’t get me wrong, I have known them ever since high school, me and Jiyong got detention together one time and he introduce me to Young Bae. Even though I am a year older than those two punks, they are my dear donsaengs” he said and send her a warm smile.

“I see, no wonder you are willing to run this place for them”

“Is more like they are opening this place for me” he confessed.

“What do you mean?” she asked intrigued, ever since the first night she had her interview, she kind of felt that there was something more there but since she didn’t knew anyone well except for Min Young, she had refrained from asking any further questions.

“The guys knew that this was my goal, opening up my place, but making this kind of investment was out of my financial reach, so they told me they will be my investors, once the restaurant was established and began to pay revenue, they will eventually let me buy it”

“Wow? Really? God I wish I had friends like that! No wonder Young Bae-sshi mentioned that they were the money” she said in awe “But why didn’t I knew about it? I mean, Min Young unnie didn’t mention anything about it”.

“That’s because it took a lot of convincing to both Min Young-ah and Soo Hyun-ah to let the guys enter a new business deal, the record company takes most of their time and the prick of Bae has made Min Young wait for too long for that wedding, always putting work as an excuse. So even though we are all friends, business is another deal; so even though I am putting you in a difficult spot, I wish if you could keep this piece of information to yourself” he said scratching the back of his head, looking like a 5 year old that just blurt out a big secret.

“Ne, don’t worry, this is work related, so my lips are sealed. And God yes! Those two have being engaged for ages! I can’t believe how they still haven’t gotten married? At this rate Min Young’s dongsaengs will graduate university and those two will still be looking for a proper date, just do it already, gosh” Eun Ji began ranting and started laughing at the same time.

 “So, Eun Ji-sshi, since we are going to be sharing an office, do you mind coming with me to pick up the furniture for it?” he asked her.

“Sure, but can we grab some lunch first? I am starving and I will like to see some of the restaurants around the area” she said still sporting a smile and looking more relax.

“Of course, I know just the place” he said and smiled at her reaction; she had seemed so shut down that he was beginning to be afraid of how their work relationship was going to develop. One thing was creating the concept of a place, but the one that was going to make or break his dream was her and for once ever since he had started this whole project, he felt he had made the right decision to hire her for the task.

--------

a/n: 

Hi everyone! I am so so so deeply sorry for not updating in almost a month, I seriously thought i was going to be able to handle my thesis, my health, work and writing, but that didn't went as plan, so I had to put this story on hold! I am sorry, but I am back! Thank you to all the new subscribers and to my loyal readers that hopefully are still with me despite how badly i behave towards you guys! 
 

Sorry to had kept you waiting for so long and hopefully, you will forgive me. 
~sayurimei