CHAPTER 21: Taste pt.2

"I was once broke down in front of your brother. And now in front of you. Damn it! I'm a ridiculously pathetic loser." He laughed bitterly as he wiped his tears.

Jinyoung looked at Mark deeply and told him firmly. "You're not, Chef."               

Mark turned to ask Jihyo,"How can you be so sure? You just know me recently."

I'm working for you for the past years, Chef. Of course I know you.

Looking Jihyo in silent, Mark chuckled. "Huh, I don't have any pride left in front of you. I shouldn't let you know my weakness."

Jihyo reached out her hand to gently pat Mark’s hand. "Chef, you have hiding it so well. No one would imagine a powerful guy like you can be broken down because of girl. But hiding is not solving the problem, Chef."

Mark looked at Jihyo in the eye, feeling a bit confused what was she say.

"Don't let her to be your weakness, Chef. You should let her go. You should let go off everything, even hate. Don't hate her. Just empty your feeling for now and prepared it for a new one. You deserve someone better, Chef.."

The way Jihyo looked at Mark in the eye and her hand warmly held his hand, plus the words she just said was like hypnotizing him.

For a couple of seconds, he was astonished, until he snapped himself back to reality. And in the end, he tried to cover his nervous with saying, "H-how dare you to order me?"

"I'm just--"

Mark cut Jihyo’s words as he directly got up. "Just go back to the restaurant by yourself."

"What??" Jinyoung was confused, why Mark suddenly changed his mood.

But before he could say anything, Mark was already walking away from him. Jinyoung shouted, "Chef, where are you going?"

But Mark ignored him and went inside the car. In a blink of an eye, he was disappeared from the sight.

Jinyoung heaved a heavy sigh. "Heol, he left me alone here.."

-00-

While Jihyo was standing dumbfounded by herself, Mark was looking at her reflection in the rear view.

He let out a deep breath. "What's with my heart? Why is it beating so fast?" Mark asked himself as he held his chest.

"Don't be kidding, Mark. She's a high schooler! Get your head on straight, Mark!" Mark told himself as he stepped on the gas pedal and went away in increase speed.

-00-

Jinyoung went to the restaurant by bus. Along the way, he thought about Mark. As Jihyo’s brother, he disliked how Mark treat Jihyo.

How could he leave a girl like this, when he's the one who invite her to have a meal together?

Heol, it’s unbelievable.

As he reached the restaurant, the other Chefs were ready as they changed into chef uniforms.

"Oh! I thought you have a lesson with Mark Hyung." Jackson directly commented as soon as he saw Jihyo.

"I had." Jinyoung simply answered as he nodded.

"Then, where were you?" Jaebum asked in worry.

"Actually we had lesson in another café, but then he left me alone and went away, don't know where he's going." Jiinyoung answered as he opened his locker to get Jihyo’s uniform.

"He's in his office." Brian simply replied.

But that made Jinyoung surprised. "What? I thought he went somewhere. Heol. Why can't he just take me with him?"

"You both fight?" Jackson asked.

"No." Jinyoung replied shortly and took Jihyo’s chef uniform while saying, "I better get changed, before he mad at me again."

Jinyoung left the other three looking at each other full of questions.

"Something must have happened." Jackson commented as he left to the kitchen.

-00-

And yeah, Mark was acting strange all day. He usually called Jihyo many times, asking her to bring this and that. But today, he didn't call her even once. He took the pan and wiped the table by himself. Jinyoung noticed that and thought in his mind, Is he really angry to me?

The thought about Mark making him uncomfortable. After the restaurant closed, he initiated to talk with him.

Knock. Knock.

"Come in.."

Mark was surprised to see that the one who coming was Jihyo. He tried to act normal.

Jihyo approached. "Chef, are you still angry with me?"

Damn. Don't show me that innocent look, Park Jihyo! It's not that I'm angry, it's.. "No." Mark answered softly.

"Then, why are you avoiding me this whole day?"

It's for your own good, Park Jihyo, believe me. "I'm not avoiding you."

"I have a feeling. And I can sense it. If you worry that I'll tell others about your secret, then don't be. I will zipped my mouth tightly, Chef. Trust me." Jinyoung told Mark firmly

"I'm not worry about that."

"Then why?" Jinyoung insisted to ask.

Mark couldn't answer that question. He won't admit that he indeed avoiding Jihyo.

Jihyo sighed and then said, "You don't know how I felt when you left me alone, Chef. How can a man do that to a girl? And then you're avoiding me all day making me uncomfortable--"

Mark cut Jihyo’s words. "Fine. Sorry." He heaved a sigh. "You know, I'm having a hard day and I just need some space to ease my mind."

"By avoiding me." Jinyoung added.

"I'm not avoiding you!" Mark didn’t realize that he yelled at Jihyo. He sighed in regret. He should’ve control his emotion better

Looking Mark frustrated, Jinyoung suggested, "Well, do you still need time to ease your mind tomorrow? We better take a break for the lesson."

Sensing that Jihyo might still thinking he's avoiding her, Mark directly replied. "No. Tomorrow’s lesson will be hard. Just anticipate it, Park Jihyo. Now, just get out."

“Heol.” Jinyoung sighed. He really dislike this side of Mark. Rude.

He bowed to him and then went away.

Right after Jihyo went out from his office, Mark sighed. "Aish, avoiding her is not working."

-00-

When Jihyo walked out from the restaurant, she saw Jaebum was standing near the main entrance of the restaurant, waiting for her.

As he smiled at her, Jihyo felt somewhat warm, like the tense she got from this hard day was suddenly disappeared.

Jinyoung approached him. "Come on, Hyung."

As they walking together, Jaebum started conversation. "Jihyo ya.. What lesson you had with Chef Mark today?"

"We went to another café and there he taught me how to eat as a chef.. and then he asked me to tell the difference between their steak and ours. Yeah, just like that."

"Then, what happened with you and Chef Mark?" Jaebum carefully asked.

Jihyo pursed her lips. "Mmm, It's just like usual, I made a mistake and he got angry."

"And left you?”

"Yes, and left me.” Jihyo shook her head softly as she remembered how Mark left her alone. “He's somewhat temperamental."

Jaebum laughed. "But he's still our boss."

Jinyoung chuckled. "Yeah, he is."

Then Jaebum stopped walking and looked at Jihyo deeply. "Jihyo ya, if you feel like it's getting harder and you can't take it anymore, tell me. I'll talk to him."

Jihyo smiled. "Thanks, Hyung. I know I can always depend on you."

-00-

Jinyoung hesitantly went to the restaurant, he already imagined that this day would be hard. But he didn't have any option but to attend the lesson, Mark would get angrier if he didn't come.

As he reached the restaurant, Mark was already there. He waited for Jihyo in the kitchen while leaning at the kitchen table.

"Good morning Chef." Jinyoung bowed before taking an apron on the table and wore it.

"Morning." Mark simply replied before he saw something that rush his adrenaline. He watched Jihyo gathered all of her hair into a ponytail, revealing her nape.

Damn, she used to have a ponytail, Mark. What's different today? Mark snapped himself back with directly started the lesson. "Mmm.. Today, we will learn about knife work."

Jihyo approached and standing next to him.

Mark took a knife and said, "There are many types of knives with different purposes. This knife I'm holding is one of the most used kitchen knives and can be used for everything from chopping to slicing fruits and vegetables. And this is called?"

"Chef’s knive." Jinyoung answered fast.

"Good. Chef’s knives have a broad blade that curves upward towards the tip to allow the knife to rock for fine mincing. The spine of the blade is thick to add weight and strength. Many chef's knives have a bolster or metal collar between the blade and handle. The bolster helps prevent the knife from slipping."

Jinyoung nodded as he listened to what Mark explained.

"Chef's knives come in blade lengths of 6, 8, 10, and 12 inches. Longer blades can be more difficult to control, but make for faster cuts. Shorter blades allow for greater control, and are generally suited to chefs with small hands, like yours."

Jinyoung smirked, he didn't accept how Mark told him that his hand is small, and forgetting that who Mark means was Jihyo.

"So let's just practice to cut. Here's the onion. If you cut an onion along its natural lines, it will give a good texture when you sauté them. The texture is good, but it’ll be less sweet and it takes longer to cook. Try cutting the other way." Mark said as he demonstrated cutting onion the other way. "If you cut the other way, the sweetness will come out faster. Because the juices come out. And requires less time to cook. But it becomes soggier. Then, what should you do as a Chef?"

"Mmm, mix it?" Jinyoung guessed.

"Bingo. Woah, I didn't know you're quite smart." Mark satisfied that Jihyo could follow his lesson well.

But Jinyoung sent a smirk to Mark, again.

"And here's the cucumber. Try to cut it.." Mark asked Jihyo to try to cut the cucumber.

Jinyoung took the knife and cut the cucumber into thin pieces.

"Okay, stop." Mark took the pieces of cucumber Jihyo cut and said, "The size of these two are different. What can you do to make it consistent?”

Jinyoung was silent, he didn’t know the answer this time.

“Since it’s slanted like this, you should hold it up." Mark taught Jihyo how to make a consistent cut

Jinyoung practiced the way Mark told him to cut, but it didn't work well.

Mark who was impatient, held Jihyo’s hand to teach her how to cut properly.

Jinyoung was surprised by his action, but seems Mark didn't notice because he kept teaching, "Slowly slowly, it should be consistent. Yes, like this. It works well, right?"

When Mark took his hand, Jihyo needed to continue cutting. But she was still nervous, so that she slipped the knife and cut the tip of her finger. "Ah, I cut my hands!"

Looking that, Mark reacted fast with taking Jihyo’s bleeding finger and put it into his mouth to stop the bleeding.

Jinyoung was surprised by Mark’s action, moreover to see his face that showed care.

There were a brief moment, they were standing silently before Mark realized that Jihyo staring at him.

He directly let go off Jihyo’s finger and said, "W-wash your finger, I'll take a band aid." Then he went away in a speed of light while trying to hide his embarrassment.

He came back with a band aid in his hand, and directly took Jihyo’s hand, and stuck the band aid on her bleeding finger. "Done."

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