Lee Jong-suk finally arrived at the destination. When he came out of the cab and saw the hotel in front of him, he couldn’t take his eyes from it. It was a big luxurious building with over 20 storey where only VIP’s like rich people or entertainer can reside. Even special events like weddings or celebrations can be held here. The name Chunsoo Hotel was written above the entrance. This was one of the building Jin-Hyuk’s family from the chunsoo Group own and here will the inauguration take place in few hours.

As he entered the reception hall, someone who seemed to know him, came to him and asked for his name. He gave him an answer and was brought first through a long corridor. While walking through the corridor, the older man explained to him how he could recognize him despite not knowing him. The young master described Jong-suk well enough for him to know how he looked like. He introduced himself as the second manager in this hotel. They arrived in the changing room for staffs only. Jong-suk’s name even written on one of the locker.

„This’ll be your locker so you can place your stuff in there“, the older man gently said to him. He gave him the key then smiled at him, „There’re changing clothes for you in the locker. You can get changed now, I’ll wait outside for you.“

As soon as he left the room, the young cook changed into the white coats, white pants and wore the white apron above the clotches. They even prepared the white chef’s toque for him. He wore it then touched it carefuly with fascination. For the first time in his life, he really felt like a professional chef with a certain school degree. A sink was in the corner so he washed his hands properly then went back to the hotel manager. They entered the large kitchen where many cooks and waiters were waiting for them.

The ingredients for the food were piled in a corner in the kitchen. After they introduced each others, everyone went for the work they were asigned to. Jong-suk went for the ingredient to look if they met his taste. Something caught his attention. The mushrooms looked expensive but four of them where different from the others.

„Where did I saw them before?“ I pondered while rubbing at my chin.

All the sudden he remembered where he saw it before. It was in a book for knowledge about many kinds of edible and non edible vegetables, fruits and plants. After reading this book over and over again, he memorized most of them so he could avoid any mistake with his cooking. This mushroom called amanita regalis or known as the royal fly agaric was in the non edible categories because of its toxication. A few bite of it can be lethal.

How did a poisonous vegetable end here? Maybe the farmer didn’t notice this when he was picking up the vegetables? He always had the habit to control the ingrendients before cooking and thanks to that, he noticed it beforehand. As nobody was looking at him, he quickly wore gloves, sorted out the poisonous ones then packed them in a bag. He made sure to threw them immediately in the biowaste.

It was better for everyone that only he realized this unforgivable accident. The farmer would lose his reputation and trust and could be sue for neglecting his duties for controlling his merchandise if they did caught him. To not damage his reputaion, he decided not to tell anybody about it.

The fingerfood were carefully prepared without another accident, the food were brought in the celebration hall. Out of curiosity Lee Jong-suk followed the waiters to take a peak at the decorations. Like he expected it, the room was decorated with beautiful flowers, a big screen was above the stage with the picture of Choi Jin-Hyuk showed on it. Name cards were on every tables like they were reserved. The foods were in a corner and piled at the tables. Each food stall had a waiter waiting before it to serve the guests.

After satisfying his curiosity, he took the way in the changing room and began to undress himself as he glanced at the watch around my wrist.

„Damn it, it’s already this late?“, he mumbled by myself.

It was already 6:40 and he only had one hour till his meeting with Woo-bin so he had to dress faster. Before he could wear the jacket, someone bursted in the room. The second manager came to him, he looked agitated or more like desperate and pissed of. His angry expression made him shudder for a moment.

Did I do a mistake? I thought I was careful enough not to make a mistake.

„Lee Jong-suk’s shi, I need your help. One of our waiter reports sick and can’t serve the guests and I need someone to be his substitute. Can you be his substitute in this evening?“, he talked without taking a breath.

„I can’t… I…“

Jong-suk didn’t even finish speaking as the manager interrupted his explanation for declining the offer. „If something goes wrong today, I’ll lose my job“, he pleaded but didn’t even let the young cook come to word. „It’s just one hour. I’ll give you more money than agreed.“

As he heard the word money, something began to tickle in him. It took his attention. Whenever money was mentioned, it would immediately caught his attention. Ever since he worked hard to finance the studies of his brothers, he somehow became obsessed with money. Man people say money can’t buy everything or make you happy but it can be helpful in some situations. If you don’t have money, you can’t eat nor have a roof over your head or buy whatever you want. Maybe he can finally have the money for the surgery if he took this extra shift.

„How much will you pay me?“, Jong-suk asked first.

„Double of the salary!“

His eyes widened and gleamed, you can even see the sign of won written in his eyes. „I’ll… I’ll do it…“, he hesitated first but somehow accepted the offer.

The manger left him alone and he used the chance to write a message for Woo-bin.

„Sorry but I’ll be late for one hour… Wait for me“, he texted per whatsapp. Hm, maybe I should add a smile to it, it would make him less angrier for delaying the meeting.

Before he could add the smiley to the message, the manager came back with a waiter’s clothes. It was matched clothes with the other waiters, a black pants, red shirt and a black coat with black shoes. As he was about to undress, the older man gazed at him while tapping with a finger on his arm.

„Ähm… Can you please leave for a moment?“, Jong-suk asked him.

„Why?“

„Because I want to change without someone looking at me. I need a little privacy.“

The manager turned with his back to him, he crossed his arms, „Better?“

Jong-suk couldn’t believe what his eyes just showed him. The manager behaved ungrateful and arrogant instead of thanking him for doing him a favour. Why were subortinates of rich people such jerks? He didn’t have to boast just because he worked for a chaebol? Jong-suk loved money but won’t let him treat him as if he was nothing worth of.

After he got changed, he added a smiley to the message but as he was about to send it to Woo-bin, the manager turned back to him then pulled him forward untill they arrived in the celebration’s hall that was already filled with guests. Some of the waiters were busy serving the drinks as welcome for the celebrety guests. Jong-suk took place in front of one of the fingerfood, glanced at the appearance of his co-workers and copied the same position they did by crossing his arms behind his back and closing his legs.

The neat and in dark blue dressed Jin-Hyuk entered the hall. His eyes wandered around in the room awhen his eyes met with Jong-suk’s. He approached him and smiled at him. The waiters couldn’t believe their eyes that the unapprochable chaebol was acquainted with the poor chef without a school dergree. They didn’t dare to avert their eyes from their duties so they glanced from the corner of their eyes at them.

„Thank you for helping out today“, the chaebol began the conservation.

„You’re welcome…“

„Ähm… After the inauguration, would you like to have a drink with me?“

Everybody reacted shocked and somehow surprised at the request of their young master. Also many eyed Jong-suk, he seemed to not notice the attention the others gave him. The reason for him to not realize anything wasn’t because he was dense or didn’t care about the others but because his mind was filled with thought about his younger brother. Woo-bin had to wait longer at the restaurant but he couldn’t write him a message just because the manager didn’t leave him any time to sent the message.

„Sorry but I cant… I have an appointment after this“, he declined.

The anchor requested the invited people to sit down, they switched off the lights then presented the new appointed director Choi Jin-Hyuk.

„They’re calling for me. I need to go“, Jin-Hyuk said then walked toward the stage. Like a gentleman, he thanked the guests for coming for his inauguration.

„He looks like a true director standing on that stage“, Jong-suk thought in his mind, his lips curved up into a smile.

It was already 22 p.m. He helped out for two hours instead of one hour. He walked fast in the corridor but as he walked beside a young woman and a young man, he accidently heard their conversation. They gossiped about the new appointed director Choi Jin-Hyuk, laughed at him for being incompetent and wished he would just die. They seemed angry and jealous for his new position.

Jong-suk just shook his head in disbelief. How can a human talk like that about his fellow human? Who are they to criticize someone else? Jong-suk never liked such unfair and cowardly gossip but since it wasn’t about his brothers they talked about, he just thought it wasn’t his place to intervene in theit talk. It was better not to meddle in the affairs of chaebols since they can give you serious headache if you humiliate them. He quickly changed in his normal clothes while trying to call Woo-bin. Nobody picked up the phone.

It was a sign that his younger brother was probably mad at him. If he were in his shoes, he would get mad too for being left alone in the restaurant. Jong-suk headed toward the kitchen to bid farewell to the staffs but found only a waitress in the kitchen.

„What are you doing?“, he curiously asked the woman who grated a mushroom in the soup.

She jumped out of her skin, she seemed to be shocked. Everything went quiet. Awkward situation. She behaved shy like someone who wanted to hide something but ended up being caught doing something filthy.

She stuttered, „The young master likes mushrooms and asked me to add more mushrooms in it.“

„Ah“, he replied.

Aside from the fingerfood they had to prepare for the guests, they had to cook something special for another reunion. The Choi family, altoghter seven-headed relatives, expect his parents, would gather in another special room to dinner together.

Jong-suk said his goodbye then took together with the waitress the way to the entrance. Their way seperated as the woman had to enter the room where the Choi family gathered.

Suddenly Jong-suk froze on the spot when he remembered something important. He ran back in the kitchen to verify the mushroom the woman just grated. A small piece of it was left on the cutting board. He took it in his hand and smelled on it. His eyes grew wide when he recognized the mushroom.

„Amanita regalis?“, the name escaped his mouth. „I thought I threw all of them in the biowaste“. All the sudden a thought dawned in his head: Jin-Hyuk’ll eat this poison.

His mind was filled with just one thought: Prevent Jin-Hyuk from eating this poisonous mushroom. He ran in the private room where the others were already dining. Jin-Hyuk was about to spoon the soup as Jong-suk ran to him and forcefully took the plate from his hand. The soup spilled on the young master’s expensive suit.

„What the hell do you thing you’re doing, you impudent bastard?“, a young man yelled at Jong-suk.

„You can’t drink this soup. It contains a poisonous mushrooms called amanita regalis.“, he explained before they could further threw any kind of curses at him.

Some of the Choi relatives looked suspicious at Jong-suk, 2 of them seemed to be furious as if they were angry at him for saving the young master. Those two were the same who laughed earlier at Jin-hyuk and wished for his death. The waitress that brought the food to him, stepped back. When she wanted to run away, the young master called for security to catch her.

He approached her in a calm manner, „Did you really try to poison me?“

12355. made a scared expression, she couldn’t even look him in th face and fixed her eyes on the ground.

„I don’t know anything. He’s lying!“

„Can we really trust what this scumbag’s saying?“, one of the Shoi’s relatives asked.

„Right. A lowlife like him can’t be trusted“, another one raised his opinion.

Choi Jin Hyuk felt annoyed, „I trust him so shut it up“, his voice raised and echoed in the air.

Eveyone fell in silence, they didn’t dare to disobey him. He grabbed the woman on the chin, raised her head and came closer to her till their foreheads touched.

„We’ll know about this after the police invertigate the soup.“

The waitress trembled in fear as soon as she heard the word police, shook her head then clapped her hands together, „I’m sorry. I don’t know anthing. Someone paid me to put this mushrooms in your food.“

„Who paid you?“

1. I don’t know. I didn’t see his face“, she stuttered.

Jong-suk’s heart calmed down a little bit. He turned around and noticed the gaze of the two gossiping persons fiercely glaring at him. He gulped, stepped back then took his way out of the private room. The young master grabbed at his hand.

„Won’t you stay for a moment?“

„No, I can’t. I need to go“, he said while stepping backward. He waved his farewell then ran outside to search for a cab. Finally, he grabbed for a cab and told the driver the adress who immediately drove away. While buckled his seatbelt, he tried to reach Woo-bin again but the latter refused to take the phone.

After driving for more than 30 minutes, Lee Jong-Suk arrived at the restaurant. Altought he knew he was too late, he wanted to make sure if he really waited for him. Somehow he prayed that he didn’t wait for him so he could feel less guilty or more like less an unrealiable jerk.

„We’re closing“, a waiter told him.

Huh?... Oh, okay. I just want to see if someone’s waiting for me“, he pleaded the waiter who let him enter the restaurant.

The restaurant was empty, the staffs were already clearing up the tables, a single young man sat in the middle of the room, his eyes were directed at the entrance. Lee Woo-bin! He finally met the person he waited for for more than 2 hours. Jong-suk felt ashamed, he didn’t know what to say or how to react. He just walked slowly to him, didn’t dare to sit down in front of him. Woo-bin’s disapointed expression made him tremble in fear and sweat all over his body.

Woo bin can be sweet but sometimes fierce and cold when someone enraged him. Jong-suk never liked this scary side of him because it let him show an unpleasant side that let him look like a complete stranger. A dangerous stranger he didn’t want to joke with.

„Happy Birthday, you're finally 22 today“, the young chef said while smiling widely. He showed to his white teeth to make him smile.

The attempt to make him smile failed. A desperate time called for desperate measures. With his arms, he made the sign of love above his head, „Maknae, Saranghae.“

This sweet act didn’t touch Woo-bin’s cold heart at all. A waitress brought two bags to them and placed it on the table. The food they were supposed to eat were packed in the bags. The younger brother took the bags and left without leaving a single word for his older brother. They headed in the direction of their car. Woo-bin was ahead, closely followed by Jong-suk.

„Sorry“, the older brother apologized.

Woo-bin ignored him and crossed the street to the other side. Jong-suk followed him then cut him the way.

„I’m sorry. I didn’t do it deliberately. They asked me to be a substitute for someone. I tried to write you a message that I’ll be late but they rushed me and I couldn’t send it.“

When Woo-bin didn’t reply to him and wanted to pass beside him, he grabbed on his arm. Woo-bin shook his hand away.

„I never asked you for a favour before. This was the first time I gathered my courage to ask you out but you have to ditch me.“

„I know this day’s important for you but we can always eat out in a restaurant.“

„Are you kidding me? I’m not angry at you becaue of that. You know, I hated my birthday because it only bring me painful memories I want to forget. On my birthday I always feel lonely because it was the day our mother threw us away. I wanted to spend this day with you to replace the painful memories with happy ones. Did I ask too much of you?“

Woo-bin’s eyes gleamed as if he was close to tears. But Jong-suk noticed that they weren’t tears but sadness, disappointment and rage. He was lost for words, didn’t know how to calm him down. A simple apology won’t help him so he needed another strategie to make it up to him.

„Give me another chance and I’ll make it up for you.“

„Just forget it“, he walked past him like a cold blowing wind. After a few steps forward, he froze on the spot, „When’ll you stop being such a gold digger? …I always put you above everything but you… You always put money above me. Money’s not everthing in the world.“

This statement shocked the older one, he didn’t expect his younger brother to think like that about him. It was true that he liked money but he would never put money above him. His brothers were always important for him, they were someone he would sacrifice everything for. He understood that he was angry at him but he didn’t have to insult him like that.

Jong-suk was hurt by his words, he felt a lump in his throat, it was hard for him to breath. Tears filled his eyes, they rolled down. So hurtful were the words Woo-bin just said to him.

My note: It took a little while to write this chapter but I hope you like it. Thanks for the subcribers and comments, I really appreciate it. Enjoy this chapter :)

PS: I hope nobody has anything against the pictures