Jessica just sat there, eyes on her laptop but she just stare in blank and didn’t do anything. The board meeting happened and as Tyler said, she got kicked out from the management board. She still owned some shares in the restaurant, but she no longer has power in managing the business.

“Sica, have you eaten?”, Yuri asked softly when she found Jessica after she came back from work.

Jessica just shook her head weakly. She literally lost her hope. She cried almost everynight and hardly eat. Everything seemed to happen to fast and Jessica just still could not believe that this happened. She felt like an idiot, she felt betrayed by someone who she used to love very much. How could he did this to her?

Yuri kneel down before her and held her hands. She looked at Jessica with her pleading look. “Please baby, you should eat.”

Jessica shook her head again. Yuri could not bear seeing her girlfriend like this. She looked so helpless as if she no longer has her soul. She knew how hurt Jessica was. When Yuri knew what happened to Jessica, she told Jessica that she would prefer to resign from the restaurant. But Jessica didn’t allow her, at least if Yuri was there, Jessica knew that someone she trust was taking care of the restaurant. 

“Unnie, if you don’t want to listen to this dark creature, at least listen to me. Please I already bought your favorite food.”, Krystal chimed in. Krystal also tried to comfort her sister, but to no avail, her sister still in her sad mood all the time. 

“Yah!! Don’t call my Seobang dark creature!!”, Jessica scolded her little sister. But she gave a small smile after that. “But I am not hungry, Krys.”

Yuri sighed. “Sica – you know when I told you that I would help you and wont let you suffered alone?” Yuri asked, which earned a nod from Jessica.

“I have a suggestion and I already think about it. I think – I think we could ask for help from Taeyeon.”, Yuri said carefully. She was ready to accept rejection from Jessica as she knew how high Jessica’s pride was when it comes to managing her business. She never wanted to look weak in front of her friends and she would prefer not getting any help from her friends. But Yuri still thinks that this was the best option that Jessica had right now.

“W-what? I –“

“Before you say anything –“, Yuri cut her. “Just think about it first, Sica. Taeyeon is one of the shareholders in SM and also an executive there. She offered you help before did she? And aside from business, Taeyeon is your best friend. You don’t need to be ashamed if you really need her help and I believe Taeyeon would be glad if you come to her for help. She won’t betray you, I trust Taeyeon and I think you can trust her also.”, Yuri reasoned. She tried to push this idea into Jessica’s head slowly.

Jessica just stared at Yuri. She already forced her brain to think on how to overcome this problem and it was all dead end. The easiest and fastest way maybe to come to Taeyeon. She knew Taeyeon, she never having doubt on her dorky friend. There is no way Taeyeon would looked down on her and instead, she would be happy to help.

“I am super agree!”, suddenly Krystal joined. “I love Taeyeon Unnie and it would be fun working with her!”

“Okay. I’ll think about it.”, Jessica finally said.

Yuri smiled. “There you go. Now, come let’s eat, yeah?”, she extended her arms to Jessica, dragging Jessica to the kitchen to have dinner.

**

“What are you doing here, Minho?”, Yuri asked, she was surprised to see Choi Minho, the guy who was obsessed with her, standing in front of her in the restaurant.

“it’s nice to see you too Yuri-ah.”, Minho smirked, then he walked towards Yuri and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Yuri was startled and quickly pushed him lightly, she didn’t anticipated Minho’s overly friendly gesture.

Minho just let out a little laugh. Then suddenly Tyler appeared next to him. He gathered around the kitchen staffs and called for a meeting.

“Morning everyone.”, Tyler cleared his throat. “As you may all know, Ms Jung has split the ownership to me and she will not be the one who control the restaurant anymore. Here I introduce you to Mr. Choi Minho, he is appointed to manage this restaurant so you will see him around often. Please give your warm welcome to him.”

Minho bowed to all of them. Then Tyler started the meeting and shared his new ideas for the restaurant and after that leave them in Minho’s hands.

The restaurant ran its business as usual, but the gossip among the staffs cannot be avoided. They all heard the rumor about the feud between Jessica and her ex-boyfriend but they didn’t really know what happened. On his first day in the kitchen, Minho already got Yuri’s nerves. Like he used to do, he followed Yuri everywhere and always made some comments on the dish.

“You should change the ingredients for the sauce.”, Minho commented once Yuri finished making the restaurant signature dish. His hand touched Yuri’s hips and pulled her closer. Yuri quickly took a step away, letting herself go from the guy.

 “We are fine with this signature dish and people love it. We will keep it as it is.”, Yuri stated sternly.

“Didn’t you read my review on your dish?”, Minho raised his brows. “And I am the one who in control here. I know food, Yuri. And do as I say.”

“No I wont.”, Yuri glared. “I am the head-chef here. I will do my dish as I pleased. I know what our customer wants.”

Minho snorts and left Yuri to check on the other staffs. After a while, one of staff came to Yuri and asked whether she needed to follow Minho’s instruction in making one dish. Apparently Minho went all over the staffs and demand them to do the dish as he ordered.

“Minho!”, Yuri shouted. “Stop ordering my staff to change the way they make the dish! We can’t do that when the restaurant is busy.”

Minho laughed, again he came closer to Yuri. “You look so pretty when you are serious like this.”

“Guys, anything this guy said and ask you to do, you come to me and ask me first, arasso?? Do not do it without my instruction.”, Yuri just ignored Minho and quickly informed her staffs, making sure that she control the situation in the kitchen.

“Yes, chef Kwon!”, her staffs said in unison. Yuri smiled and nodded, satisfy that her staffs preferred to listen to her compared to Minho. Then she turned her head to Minho and gave him a cold stare.     

“They listen to me and they answer to me and only me. This is my kitchen and everything will be done according to my order. You need to back off. And if you dare to touch me again, I will cut your finger.”, Yuri coldly said, she pointed her knife that she was holding to Minho. She was so annoyed on how Minho tried to flirt with her shamelessly like that in the kitchen.

Minho just let out a small chuckle. “Just see. Tyler will not be happy about this.”

Yuri scoffed. “I don’t care! We are not afraid of your threat.”

“We?”, Minho raised his eyebrow. “You mean and your Jessica? What is she now, Yuri? She is no-one here in the restaurant, what do you expect? You better start to listen to me in the kitchen. Your Jessica is no longer the boss here.”, Minho let out a mocking laugh.

“What do you want?”, Yuri snapped.

Minho took a step closer to her. “I want to get closer to you. You know it was like a fate that Tyler found me when he seek for a food critique. Other food critique wont do it, but when I knew that you work here, I am willing to do it. My review made Tyler be able to invest in this restaurant and allow me to meet you again. I will have my chance to be working together with you.”

“You…..”, Yuri held her breath. She almost lost her patience and had to hold the urge to punch Minho on his face. So the bad reviews from him was really a setting-up to make the restaurant looked bad and suffered loss, so Tyler would be able pursue his obsession to took over the restaurant by making a funding for Jessica.

“Don’t flatter yourself, do you think I want to work together with you?”, Yuri mocked back, she showed a disgusted face to Minho. “Watch me and Jessica, Minho. We are not letting you ruin the restaurant.”

**

Jessica just barged in into Tyler office even when his secretary tried to hold her and prevent her to get in. She walked furiously and slammed Tyler’s desk, making Tyler jolt in surprise in his chair.

“You want to change the signature dish?!!? What the hell are you thinking?”

“, Jess! What the hell are you doing here?”

Jessica just stared at Tyler with anger clearly displayed in her eyes. She knew from Yuri that Minho, based on Tyler instruction of course, tried to change everything in the restaurant, including their signature dish. She tried to contact him via telephone, but Tyler never picked up his phone. She finally made a bold move and had no choice other than went to Tyler’s office.

“Why do you even bothered? I am managing the restaurant and it’s my decision to make the restaurant the way I wanted.”

“My restaurant is famous because of the signature dish!”, Jessica spat again.

Tyler crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I want to do a rebranding. The restaurant already got many bad reviews and I need to change that.”

“It’s all you.”, Jessica glared. “You are the one who arranged those bad reviews, didn’t you?”

Tyler just shrugged his shoulder, pretending that he know nothing. He tried to keep his poker face, tried to present an innocent one. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Do not lie to me.”   

“Who told you that non-sense?”, Tyler chuckled. “And by the way, I am also thinking of firing your lovely head-chef after the re-branding. I heard she got attitude in the kitchen.”

Jessica fell into a silence. She didn’t worry about Yuri finding a new job if she got fired as she knew there are lot of places who wanted Yuri to become their chef. But currently Yuri was the only one who can keep the restaurant as it is now, she refused whatever Minho asked her to do and struggled the best she can to control the kitchen within her hand. Yuri was the one who fight for Jessica for the sake of the restaurant. If they fired Yuri, then Jessica would not know what happened with the  restaurant and Jessica can do nothing while Tyler do the re-branding.

“You will regret it if you lose her. She is the best chef that I’ve ever had.”, Jessica said.

“Don’t be biased, Jess. I know who she is to you. Of course you will say that she is the best.”, Tyler mocked, he scoffed and looked away.

“She is famous for a reason, Tyler. I got few business deals because we have her in the restaurant.”, Jessica bragged and could not help herself to smile proudly. Remembering how good her girlfriend was, especially in the kitchen.

Tyler sighed. Maybe he did need to think about it. He hate to admit it but Jessica was right, Yuri was an asset for the restaurant and he knew she attracts lots of customer too.

“I will do the re-branding and that decision is final. If I decide to keep Yuri, she eventually has to follow anyway. I will force her to follow!”

Jessica snorted. “I will not let you do that.” Then she left Tyler’s office and slammed the door hard.

**

Taeyeon was really welcomed when Jessica and Yuri approached her and told Taeyeon the story. Instantly without thinking twice, she would help Jessica with all her might of course. She would never let anyone hurt her best friend. She quickly arranged a meeting with Jessica to discuss the matter.

“Sica!”, Sunny quickly hugged Jessica when Jessica arrived in SM building to have a meeting. “Im glad you come to us. Taeyeon has told me what happened. Please take a seat.”

“Miss you too Sunny Bunny.”, Jessica chuckled and hugged Sunny back.

There was another two woman who already sat in the meeting room with Taeyeon and Sunny. One looked so serious and the other one looked rather playful and full of smile.

“Yuri-ssi and Sica, this is Seohyun, our lawyer.”, Sunny introduce the serious one, who quickly stood up from her chair and bowed. “And this is Hyoyeon. She will be --- well, her role actually to perform a financial due diligence but she will also good in investigating odd transaction.”

“Hi!!”, Hyoyeon smiled widely and waved her hands. She seemed really friendly and laid-back compared to Seohyun.

“Alright. We have studied the situation you have here.”, Sunny started, she flipped the documents on her hand back and forth. “But look, Sica, just so you know, our decision to involve with you is not merely because you’re a good friend of ours, but we do know that your restaurant business is a good catch and have a big potential to grow.”

Then Sunny looked at Taeyeon, asking her to jumped in. But Taeyeon quickly turned her head away as if she was avoiding Sunny’s eyes and her face got red.

“Ehm, yes uhm ---“, Taeyeon cleared . “We have discussed this with Seohyun and we do have some options on how to deal with this. Seohyun, could you please explain to them?”

“Ah yes. We are interested to invest, our option would be buying Tyler-ssi’s shares in your company or take over his company completely to get rid of him. But I am afraid if we are using SM name he would suspect that Jessica-ssi is involve in this since he knew that Taeyeon-ssi and Sunny-ssi are your best friend. We would need a structure where we can force him to surrender his shares.”, Seohyun started talking and explained. Seeing how firm and confident Seohyun when she explained, Jessica was sure that this woman was really capable in doing her job, eventhough she was talking like a robot.

“Don’t worry, I will find a flaw in his company. I am sure that we can get fishy transaction and we can use that.”, Hyoyeon jumped in and winked. She seemed so eager and cannot wait to start doing the job.

Sunny chuckled. “We will get there, Hyoyeon-ah. Let Seohyun finish first.”

Seohyun stood from her chair and started to draw on the whiteboard in the meeting room. “Anyway, we think to create a fund as a vehicle where SM and maybe, Jessica-ssi can put money in there using a trustee. SM and Jessica-ssi’s name under the trustee are confidential so Tyler-ssi would not know who actually had the money behind the fund. Then we use the fund to take over his company.”

Jessica nodded. Seemed like a good plan they had. Actually she didn’t have that much money to chip in so maybe she just let SM to put all over their money.

“One more thing, Sica, we know that it might be difficult for you to chip in. So we – uh.. “, Taeyeon then glance to Yuri, asking her to continue.

“Sica, I – I will chip-in also. I will be one of the investor there in the fund. I have enough money I guess and you know –“, Yuri said carefully but suddenly Jessica cut her.

“Whaaattt?”, Jessica widened her eyes as she turned her head to Yuri in surprise.

“Well, I told you before that I also have a dream to own a restaurant one day. This is a good chance and I really love the restaurant. Plus, it’s with you. So I think why don’t I do it? We can own the restaurant together, Sica.”, Yuri reasoned.

“No. I – We can’t do that.”, Jessica said immediately, she shook her head.

Yuri frowned. She confused, she thought Jessica would be happy with the idea. “Why not?”

“Because ---- It’s too much, Yuri. Look what happened to me and Tyler! We shared a business before and look where it got me!?”

“I am not him, Sica. You don’t trust me?”, Yuri asked, her expression turned sad. She was hurt, Jessica didn’t trust her enough to have a business together with her.

“It’s not that --- But, it’s too early to do that – It’s – what if we broke up and –“, Jessica stuttered and could not finished her sentence.

“You already think about breaking up? Why can’t you be more positive about us?”, Yuri's heart dropped a little bit. Didn't Jessica trust that their relationship is strong enough for this?

Jessica sighed. The words may came out wrongly. She didn’t mean to think that they would break up, but who knows? She had been with Tyler for 10 years and thought that they will get married and be together forever, but fate said differently and they ended up like this now. Jessica was scared, she has learned that having business with life partner could end in disaster. She didn’t want to lose Yuri, she loves Yuri so much. If they were doing business together, what if she and Yuri lost the spark then had to break up and the cycle of what she had with Tyler got repeated?

Aside of that, they were together with only approximately a year. Jessica was scared that their relationship was not strong enough if they mixed it with business. She didn’t want to risk her relationship with Yuri.

“No. Yuri, you can’t do that. It’s too much. I – I am sorry.”, Jessica repeated, still firm on her rejection.

“I am not Tyler, Sica! You can’t compare me apple to apple with him!! You can trust me.”, Yuri still tried to convince her girlfriend.

“I am not comparing you with him!!”, Jessica snapped. “It’s not good to have a joint business with your significant other. I am not saying we’re going to break up, but we do not know what the future hold, right?”

“Why you keep saying about the break up?? We’re going to be fine and I can promise you that!”, Yuri retorted, she groaned in frustration. Jessica can be really stubborn sometimes.   

“No, you cannot promise something uncertain like that!”

“Don’t you trust me?”, Yuri asked again.

“I --- It’s not – I – “, Jessica’s voice trembled. She mentally cursed herself on how difficult herself in expressing her feelings. She knew the words that came out from already hurt Yuri and she could not let herself muttering another words that can hurt Yuri’s feeling more.

“I am sorry, Yul. But still no. We can’t do that.”, she shook her head again, weakly and she lowered her head.

Yuri let out a defeated sigh. She knew she needed to stop for now. Her face looked sour and tight as she hold her frustration inside.  

The situation in the meeting room was getting awkward. The couple just went quiet after that and nobody was talking. Taeyeon and Sunny just looked each other in confusion.

“Uhm ---- Hello -- Should we continue?”, Hyoyeon asked, breaking the silence.