CHAPTER 20: Broken Down

When Jinyoung walked out the building to go to the restaurant, he heard someone's crying. He stopped to listen more clearly. "Who's crying?"

He walked slowly to the source of the sound. And it came from a hidden corner of the building. He sneaked in to see whose crying.

There, he saw a girl buried her head on her knees while sobbing so hard. His instinct telling him to approach and comfort her. But then, he stopped walking as he got surprised when the girl looked up.

Mina?

Jihyo directly hid her body when Mina looked up. Before Mina started to get up, Jinyoung decided to run to the front gate.

As he waited at the bus stop, he thought about Mina. He used to see Mina as powerful girl, so he never imagined seeing Mina broken in full of tears just like what he saw.

Even after reaching the restaurant, Jinyoung was still thinking about Mina. He didn't know why the image of Mina crying was always flashing in his mind.

Why do I really care?

But even though he have tried to push the thought away, in the end he couldn't help but to ask Scheduler.

"Hyungnim, I saw Mina crying today.."

Scheduler turned his head to look at Jihyo. "The girl who bullied Jihyo?"

"Uh-uh. I'm questioning why she cried. I mean who can make a girl like her cry?"

Scheduler smirked. "Why'd you ask me?"

Jinyoung shifted closer to Scheduler and asked, "Hyungnim, no one can see you, right? What about you follow Mina and looking for the reason she cry, uhm?"

"How dare you order me, Park Jinyoung ssi?!" Scheduler said it in a forced high tone.

"Ah Hyungnim! I beg, please.. I can die of curiosity. Help me.." Jinyoung insisted.

Scheduler scoffed. "You're already died, you punk."

"Ah! That's right but.. you have power to help me, Hyungnim.. I think it has something to do with her father.. Can you follow him, Hyungnim?" Jinyoung still didn’t give up.

"You want me to become a stalker?"

"No, Hyungnim.. You can just--"

Scheduler cut his words. "NO. Whatever you say I'll still say no. Because my power should not be misused for personal purpose. And even if l finally know the reason why mina cry, I don’t have the right to tell you. So stop asking me to do that thing!" He said that firmly and disappeared.

Being left alone, Jinyoung sighed. "Heol, he’s no help."

-00-

Saturday morning is the day Youngjae have bodybuilding coaching from Jaebum. As they finished running, Youngjae have a chat with Jaebum at the side of the park.

"I heard from Jihyo that you were sick Hyung few days ago. But look at you now it seems you're more than just recover. I lost twice." Said Youngjae as he lost in running with Jaebum.

Jaebum laughed and then said, "You should train harder, Jae..” He patted Younjae’s shoulder and casually asked, "How's Jihyo at school?"

"Uhm?” Youngjae turned his head to look at Jaebum. He thought for a while then decided to say, “Mmm. She was involved in a little fight in PE class."

That surprised Jaebum. "Fight?"

"Yeah, you know.. Girls sometimes are too sensitive about a thing."

Jaebum chuckled. "She's really changed."

"Yeah, she is.” Youngjae couldn’t help but also chuckle. Imagining the old Jihyo to get involve in a fight was impossible. “But Hyung how's she at the restaurant? "

"Mmm..” Jaebum was silent for a while, he was thinking whether to tell it to Youngjae or not, but in the end he spoke up. “Youngjae ya, I think Jihyo like Chef Mark."

That surprised Youngjae. "Why'd you say that?"

"It's just.. I sense it that way.."

"Impossible. She doesn't like him, Hyung. She has been brainwashed by Dahyun. It's a false feeling!" Youngjae said it firmly.

Listened to how sure Youngjae, Jaebum asked, "How can you be so sure?"

"I’m just so sure! And if in the end she chose that Chef, I'm gonna hate her!" Youngjae said that and got up. He was running again, leaving Jaebum alone.

"Why'd he suddenly mad? Tsk tsk. Young boy these days is really emotional.” Jaebum said before follow Youngjae to run.

-00-

While Youngjae and Jaebum debating over Jihyo and Mark, the people they were talking about already in the way to somewhere.

"Where do we go, Chef?" Jihyo asked right after Mark started the engine of his car.

"I'm going to take you to a popular restaurant for youngsters.” Answered Mark as he drove the car and then he turned his head to Jihyo and said, “We're going to have breakfast at Tiffany’s"

Jihyo opened her eyes widely. "Really? Daebak! She’s my favorite!"

Watching Jihyo’s respond, Mark was surprised. "Do you know her too?"

"Of course! Who's your favorite in SNSD, Chef?" Jinyoung asked casually.

Knowing that Jihyo misunderstood what he means, Mark chuckled. "I'm a fool to even hope you know about Audrey Hepburn."

Jihyo pursed her lip. "Audrey who?"

"She's the actress in the movie called Breakfast at Tiffany’s."

"Aaah, I thought you mention SNSD Tiffany. I even have wondering how you know her personally." Jinyoung showed Jihyo’s cute grin.

And that made Mark laughing. He didn’t know that Jihyo is really innocent. "You're so cute.." He didn’t realize that he said it under his breath.

-00-

After a moment, they reached a place that was dominated with white paint. In the center of the building there was written The Tiffany’s in orange color.

"Here we are.. “ Said Mark as he turned off the engine of his car. He went out and led Jihyo to go inside.

They chose 4-person cushion seat at the corner and sat facing each other. Shortly, the waiter came approaching them.

"Good morning, welcome to The Tiffany’s. Here's the menu." said the waiter as he gave the menu to both of them.

Without giving time for Jihyo to choose, Mark directly told the waiter, "We'll have two Steak and Eggs, please. And one orange juice and one fresh milk."

The waiter nodded and took back the menu while saying. "Please wait for a moment. Your order will be here shortly."

After the waiter left them, Mark told Jihyo. "Many people say that the steak here is delicious."

Jihyo furrowed her eyebrows. "Eating steak for breakfast?"

"Why not?  It's good to have high consumption of proteins at the beginning of the day because it gives you energy for many hours. It's better to avoid eating that at night because it has slow digestion and that makes your body not ready to sleep."

"Aaah.." Jinyoung nodded as she listened to Mark’s explanation. "Wow, you're really smart, Chef!"

"Of course." said Mark proudly.

"And I didn't know that you're also considerate, Chef.. How did you know I'm not having breakfast yet? " Jihyo asked as she smiled brightly.

Mark chuckled. "I'm taking you here to have lesson, Park Jihyo."

Jinyoung confused, "What lesson?"

Before Mark could answer the question, the meals they ordered came.

"Here are your meals." The waiter served the meals Mark ordered. Steak and eggs for both of them, orange juice for Mark, and fresh milk for Jihyo. "If you need anything else just ask. Have a nice breakfast."

"Thanks." Mark told the waiter before he excuse to leave.

Then he skillfully cut the steak in front of him and gave it to Jihyo. "Here.."

Jinyoung who was still struggling to cut the steak was amazed that Mark has already cut his steak and gave it to him. "Thanks, Chef."

Mark then placed Jihyo’s un-cut steak in front of him and started the lesson. "Okay, now I'll teach you how a Chef eats."

Jinyoung listened to him carefully.

"A chef eats with eyes, nose and then mouth. A total of three times. First, you look at the appearance of the meals, and then with your nose, smell the food like this." Mark said as he bowed a little and moved his hand to make the smell came to his nose.

Jinyoung did the same as him.

"And then eat." Mark said before having a bite of the steak he just cut.

"Mmm, Jackson’s steak tastes better than this." Mark commented as soon as he finished one bite. "Try to find the differences" Mark told Jihyo as a part of the lesson.

"The differences?" Jinyoung was confused. Foe him, both steaks tasted delicious.

Looking how confused Jihyo, Mark couldn't help but to giggle. But in a blink of an eye, his expression changed when someone called him.

"Oh, Mark!"

Jihyo turned her head and saw a beautiful girl came approaching them. "Do you remember me?" She asked Mark. But Mark seemed frozen.

The girl started to give him a clue. "I'm Nayeon-ie.. How could you forget about me?"

Nayeon? Jinyoung was surprised hearing that name.

"Y-yeah I remember.. of course." Mark was stuttering. It was the first time Jinyoung saw Mark that nervous.

Nayeon then introduced a guy next to her. "Oh! He's my f