CHAPTER 1: End of the beginning

“Good morning, JiHyo yaa,” Jinyoung sneaked into Jihyo’s room, a small box of banana milk in his hand. The older walked closer to the bed, smiling as he watched his sister rubbed his eyes sleepily.

Jihyo just woke up. He glanced at the clock across the room and confirmed that it was indeed still too early to wake up, but his brother had always been a morning person. As Jinyoung extended his hand, giving the banana milk, Jihyo took it from him.

“Oppa, are you going to deliver the milk already?” Jihyo’s droopy eyes glanced at the older boy.

Jinyoung broke into a smile. He came closer to Jihyo and pinched Jihyo’s chubby cheek. “Wake up, Jihyo-ya. Take a shower and get ready for school. I’ll be right back,” Jinyoung said.

“Hmm,” Jihyo hummed softly.

“Then, Oppa will go,” Jinyoung caressed Jihyo’s hair before leaving. “Bye.”

He closed the door and went downstairs, starting his delivery to the building’s resident. Jinyoung and Jihyo lived at the rooftop of two-story building. Even though it’s small, Jinyoung really like his small house, because not only he got in a cheap price, it was also located in a strategic location. The neighbors were also very nice to him. Especially his work partner, Im Jaebum.

“Strawberry milk, for Jaebum hyung, since it’s his favorite,” Jinyoung muttered as he put the milk in front of Jaebum’s door. “Oh! He asked for two yesterday, for her mother,” Jinyoung recalled and placed another one at the front door.

“Let me give a note for his mother,” Jinyoung d his pants pocket and pulled out a bright yellow sticky notes and a pen. He wrote on it, “Anyeonghaseyo Omoni, this is Jinyoung. I hope you’ll like the milk. Jaebum-hyung told me so much about you. I wished I could meet you personally but I have to deliver the milk. Maybe I’ll drop by some other time and greet you properly. Jaebum-hyung always ask me to meet you. He said your cooking was exceptional. You must be proud to have a son like him. He kept bragging about you. Please enjoy the milk”.

“Is this too cheesy?” he asked himself and then laughed. “It’s alright, Jaebum-hyung is really kind, though,” he pressed the note on the milk bottle and then walked away.

Jinyoung rode his bike and continued delivering the milk while humming to a cheerful song.

-00-

Jinyoung returned quite ealry from the delivery today. He opened the door and called his sister, “Jihyo-ya, are you ready for school?”

“Yes Oppa. Come here, let’s eat breakfast,” Jihyo said while preparing the table.

Jinyoung gawked. “Whoa, the porridge smells so good,” Jinyoung directly spooned the porridge and put it into his mouth, but the heat immediately burned his tongue.

“Oppa, it’s still hot. Eat it slowly,” Jihyo said softly.

Jinyoung chuckled. “It’s okay. it’s okay. I’m fine,“ he took another spoon for himself.

Meanwhile, Jihyo still didn’t touch the porridge. She looked at her brother deep in thoughts and said, “Oppa, can you give the milk delivery work to me?”

“What are you talking about?” Jinyoung asked back while eating.

Jihyo took a deep breath before responding, “I mean, you work too hard. Last night, you came home late, and at dawn you already woke up to deliver the milk, and then go to the market, then go to the restaurant till late at night. You didn’t have time to rest. At least give that delivery work to me. I can do it before I go to school.”

“Jihyo-ya, you should be focusing on SAT preparation. I can handle these jobs. You don’t need to worry.”

Jihyo sighed. “What’s the point of taking the SAT exam, though? I don’t want to go to college.”

Listening to his sister’s respond, Jinyoung stopped eating. “Aish! How many times do I have to tell you, Jihyo? You should have better education.”

“I don’t want it if I have to make you work too hard like this,” Jihyo answered, her head looking down at her untouched plate.

“Don’t worry about me.”

“How can I not worry about you, Oppa? You’re the only family I have left.”

The room was silent for a while, until Jinyoung started to calm his sister. He squished Jihyo’s hand and said, “That’s right. I’m your only family. That’s why I want you to grow up to be a respectable woman. And that can only be achieved if you get higher education. Then you’ll get a decent job too. That’s my only dream Jihyo-ya. So, won’t you help Oppa to make his dream come true?”

Jihyo looked at her brother deeply. Almost tearing up, but she wiped it up quickly and started eating.

“The porridge is really delicious, Jihyo-ya. Just wait, someday Oppa will make a delicious meal for you too. What do you think of Spaghetti? Yeah, Oppa will make a delicious spaghetti for you,” Jinyoung said, but Jihyo was silent. She resented her brother for doing so much for her. She resented herself for being a burden and for the lack of help she give him.

Jihyo finished up and took her bag, before excusing herself to go to school.

“Hey, wait,” Jinyoung approached Jihyo, lifted her face and tucked the hair behind her ear. “Don’t hide your face, Jihyo. You’re pretty.”

Jihyo looked up and got angrier, she turned around quick and continued to walk.

But Jinyoung seemed not to notice. He even added, “Study hard, my pretty Jihyo. Fighting!”

She stopped on her track and turned around. “Oppa, stop it, please. Don’t treat me like I’m worth your care.”

Jinyoung was flustered over Jihyo’s words, but before he could react, Jihyo was already running away.

He sighed. “What’s with her? Did I do something wrong?”

He pushed the thought away and got ready to go to the market.

-00-

Every morning Jinyoung went to the market to buy the ingredients for the restaurant. He also have another job there, to help Yoon-Ahjumma in her grocery store until noon.

“Omo, our handsome son has come! Come here Jinyoung-ah, did you eat breakfast?” Yoon-ahjumma asked.

“Yes, ahjumma! My sister made me a porridge.”

“Ah, Jihyo is such a good sister, right?”

“Of course!” Jinyoung said it proudly. “Ahjumma, where are the goods I have to deliver?”

“They’re in the corner, you can bring it to Mr. Kang’s place.”

“Yes, Ahjumma!!” Jinyoung answered in full spirit.

“Aigoo Jinyoung is always full of spirit,” Yoon-ahjumma laughed over Jinyoung.

Jinyoung smiled and went to the corner. He took a huge box filled with flounder fish and placed it on the motorcycle, then went to Mr. Kang’s place.

As Jinyoung started delivering seafood to the restaurant and fish-processing factories, he made friends with the owner. That makes Jinyoung quite famous in the market. His bright and positive personality was loved by everyone. Including his co-workers in the restaurant where he worked.

“Hello, Junior!” said a well-built guy who was directly hugging him.

His name is Jackson Wang, born in Hongkong, same age with Jinyoung. He is a former fencing athlete who turned to be a chef because of his late-Grandpa’s request. Even though he has a short history on being a chef, but his talent shouldn’t be underestimated, moreover in his specialization, grilled food. Jackson tends to show swag and act cool, but he actually has a warm and sensitive heart.

“Hey, Jackson. You come early. Did something good happened?” Jinyoung asked as he broke from the ched’s hug.

“Yo, I don’t know why but, just got a really good feeling about today, yo. Come on, good feeling, what else do I need?” Jackson said it in a kind of rap.

Seeing his friend’s action, Jinyoung furrowed his eyebrows, and sighed, “Today must be a bad day. Tsk tsk.” Jinyoung clicked his tongue.

Then the door opened and revealed a skinny guy who immediately greeted them. “What’s up guys!”

Brian Kang, previously lived in Canada, a good-friend with the owner of the restaurant. Has won many cooking tournaments, specialized in sauté and sauce. Has a romantic personality, but always ended up being left by the girl he loved, therefore he has many heartbreaking self-composed songs.

“Hello, bro!” Jackson quickly came to him and pull him into a bone crushing hug.

“Geez, Jackson, can you please pretend to be sane just for a day?” Brian complained.

“Come on, hyung, this is the sanest state I can be!” Jackson protested, while Brian could only roll his eyes.

He turned his attention to Jinyoung and asked. “Well, Jun, have you got the salmon Chef Mark asked?”

“Yes, hyung. It’s in the freezer.”

“Have you cleaned it?”

“Already done, hyung.”

“Good work,” Brian praised Jinyoung, he always be the one praising him instead of the Head Chef, no matter how good work Jinyoung did.

Looking Jaebum came, Jackson was already running to hug him. “Whoa, Jaebum hyung,” But Jaebum ignored him and walked pass him to Jinyoung.

“Nyoung-ah, why did you write those cheesy words to my mom? You really embarrassed me,” Jaebum complained but then laughed.

“It wasn’t cheesy.. I’m just stating the truth, though,” Jinyoung said playfully.

“Hey, what’s this? Is there something going on between you two?” Jackson asked curiously.

They both smirked at him, and then Jaebum told him, “You better get changed before Chef came in.”

“Ah! That’s right!” Jackson panicked.

-00-

The reason Jackson started panicking was Chef Mark Tuan. He is the son of Raymond Tuan, the famous Chinese Chef who works in a top 5 star hotel in LA. Feeling burdened by his dad’s achievement, Mark wanted to prove his ability, that was why he moved to Korea and asked Brian, Jackson, and Jaebum to help him build Il Mondo restaurant. Rich, has a handsome face and a clean cut style, won multiple cooking tournaments and even showed up in a TV program qualified him as Mr. Perfect. But the man is also one hell of a perfectionist. He REALLY dislikes mistake.

“Jun, bring the salmon. Let me take a look,” Chef Mark comman