CHAPTER 22: Drowning

 "Do you still remember how Chef eats?"

"First, look at the appearance." Jihyo answered before she observed her own dish. Slowly she said, "It's pretty!"

Mark laughed softly. "Even though the color is good, but your plating is a bit messy." You are the ones who pretty, Jihyo ya. Mark said in his mind. He tried to continue with asking, "Second?"

"Sniff the aroma." Jihyo answered before she bowed a little and moved her hand to make the aroma coming to her nose. "Mmm, it's luring me to eat it, Chef."

Youre luring me, Park Jihyo. Mark tried so hard to ignore the thought in his head with giving another critic, "I smell something burning. The sauce is kinda overcooked. Are you sure you use your sense well, Park Jihyo?"

Jihyo innocently nodded.

Mark couldn’thelp but to adore Jihyo’s innocent look. He tried so hard to avoid to see it, with continuing the lesson. "Third?"

"Taste it." Jihyo answered as she lifted the fork and gathered strands of the spaghetti. Then she turned the fork to wind up the spaghetti and lifted the bundle into . "Mmh! It's delicious, Chef!"

"Really?" Mark was blandly asking, because his focus was not on the dish, but on a mix orange and red bolognese sauce in the corner of Jihyo’s lip.

Jihyo who didn’t notice what happened with Mark, even innocently asked him, "Do you want to taste it, Chef?"

With that question, Mark said, “Yes.”

He gripped Jihyo’s nape and kissed her on the lips.

Jinyoung was beyond surprised, he didn't expect Mark to kiss Jihyo. He directly wanted to stop him but then he realized that it might be a chance to make Jihyo come out. So he just let Mark to own Jihyo’s lips. As he kissed her, Mark’s eyes were closed, but Jihyo’s were wide opened. One second, two second, time felt longer for Jinyoung. He silently remained standing and let Mark to kiss Jihyo. Mark even had a time to tilt his head to the other side to find more comfortable position. But slowly Jinyoung felt something burning in the heart, and he felt like suffocating. He couldn’t breathe. Jihyo, couldn’t breathe. Until she couldn’t take it anymore and pushed Mark to escape.

Jihyo pushed Mark’s body and ran away.

"Jihyo, wait.." Mark wanted to chase Jihyo, but she already disappeared.

Jihyo was disappeared after she called Scheduler. In a blink of an eye, Jihyo was already at the park near her house.

Scheduler directly asked, "What happened? You look so pale."

"I.. I can't breathe, Hyungnim.." Jihyo answered while holding her chest.

Scheduler leaned closer to check Jihyo. "What? Why?"

"Chef Mark has just kissed me. I mean Jihyo. And I thought it will make Jihyo come out, but instead it made me feel like this, Hyungnim." Jinyoung said it as he still hard to breathe.

"Oh God. Just try to take a deep breath and released it little by little." Scheduler looked so worry.

"It feels like my heart is burning, Chef. Why am I being like this?"

"Maybe Chef Mark is not the one." Scheduler answered softly.

Jihyo widened her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Maybe Jihyo didn't want to be kissed by him."

"Then what should I do, Chef? I made him to fall for Jihyo, but then Jihyo doesn't want him? How can I face Chef Mark after this, Hyungnim?" Jinyoung asked as he cried.

"Just don't think about it for now. Let's just go home, you need to take care of Jihyo’s health. "With that, Scheduler teleported again to the house with Jihyo.

-00-

Arriving at home, Jinyoung decided to just sleep, he thought that he might feel that way because his lack of sleep.

But even after he woke up the next day, he didn't feel any better.

"You're sweating." Scheduler said as he sat on his bedside. "Just skip school for a day." He suggested.

"No, Hyungnim. Today we're going to Konkuk University. I really want to go there."

"Are you sure you can handle it?" Scheduler asked in worry.

Slowly Jinyoung answered, "I hope."

Then, he prepared to go to school, that was when he realized that Jihyo’s blazer and bag were left in the restaurant. Suddenly it reminded him to Mark, how guilty he felt to him because of Jihyo. And somehow he also felt guilty to Jihyo because he couldn’t understand what she wants. But then, the doorbell was ringing, signing that there was a guest coming.

Jinyoung walked to the door and opened it. He was surprised to see the figure in front of him.

"Chef?"

"Morning.." Mark greeted softly, but then his shy face turned to worry when he looked at Jihyo. "You look so pale.."

"I'm.. I'm okay, Chef.." Jinyoung answered. The image of Mark kissing him making him stuttered.

When Mark made a move to check Jihyo’s temperature by touching her forehead, Jinyoung directly avoided it. That made Mark realize he was too comfortable to make skin ship with Jihyo, but Jihyo wasn't. Softly he said, "Sorry.."

Jihyo nodded. And to melt the awkwardness, Jinyoung asked, "Why'd you here, Chef? "

"I bring your bag.." Mark answered softly.

"Oh, thanks.." Jinyoung took it and bowed.

"Jihyo ya, you look so pale. Do you really need to go to school?" Mark asked in worry.

"I have to, Chef.."

"Then, do you want me to drive you there?"

"No, thanks Chef.."

"Please, I can't let you walk to school like this. I insisted, Jihyo."

Jinyoung take a deep breath before saying, "Okay then, I'll go prepare my book."

After a few moment, Jihyo came out and went to school together with Mark. Along the way, Jinyoung decided to stay silent, he didn't want to