Cuddling was something nonexistent in Yuri's dictionary before, neither was falling asleep fully clothed in someone's else arms. Yet this morning, as she blinked her eyes open, she found herself comfortably cocooned by Jessica's presence. The girl's arms were loosely draped around Yuri's waist and she oddly didn't feel the usual need to run away. This felt so natural. This felt like something she can hold onto for the rest of her life without fear of being betrayed.

This felt like love.

Gently, she kissed the top of Jessica's head and untangled herself from the warmth. She would have loved to stay on the same spot, watching those long lashes flutters and caressed that smooth skin all day. A pressing decision had been made though. She needed to act on it.

"I thought you said you're staying." Jessica's hand shot out when Yuri stepped out of the bed, catching the hem of Yuri's tanktop.

"I am, baby." Yuri turned around in a smile. Since the talk under the cherry trees, they had spent all day long together. Enough time for Yuri to get her head clear and rethink everything. She knew what she wants to do now, which course of life she needs to take.

"Promise?" The girl kneeled on the bed, looking up at Yuri while wrapping her hands possessively around Yuri's waist.

"Promise." Those hooded eyes. That rosy lips which taste Yuri knew too well. Holding back her desire, Yuri gave Jessica a quick kiss before trying to free herself. "Just need to sort something out for a moment."

Jessica tightened her hug instead, pouting her lips. "You know one kiss is never enough."

"Okay then, one more." Yuri dived down, adding spices to her next kiss. Their lips locked. Their hands roamed. Right before Jessica tugged her back into the bed, Yuri pulled away. "I seriously need to go baby."

"Pleaaaase." The sleepy girl pleaded once more.

"You have no idea what I want to do with you right now." Yuri shook her head, grabbing her pullover from the chair by the bed. "Go back to sleep, I'll be back in a few hours."

"That's too long." Jessica let her body fell back onto the bed, biting her lower lip as her hands fiddled with the drawstrings of her grey sweatpants. "I won't last."

"God damn it, Jung Jessica." Yuri threw the pullover on the floor and jumped back into the bed, tugging the sweatpants off Jessica's long legs like mad.

Jessica's giggle rang in the air. A sweet melody to Yuri's ear.

Two hours later, Yuri managed to get herself out of Jessica's honeyed embrace and found herself knocking on Reynold's door.

"What?" In a sweat-stained shirt, Reynold opened the door with an unwelcoming glare.

"Can we talk?"

"You no longer want to withdraw yourself from the competition, do you? I figured." A cynical smile plastered on Reynold's face. "Go on. Cheat on us once more."

"I have my reason." Yuri didn't budge. "Something I know you won't understand."

"Have you no shame?" The smile not fading away, Reynold leaned on the door jamb. "Or at least pity for your current lover? If I lose this to you, I still have my family to fall back on. If Jessica loses this, she'll lose everything. All her hard work for what? You? A cheater, a player, a liar."

Before Yuri could say anything, Reynold continued with narrowed eyes. "My investigation was brief and hurried but I already stumbled upon three names of your ex-lovers, Yuri. Imagine what I would have found if I dug deeper?"

"My past doesn't make my future."

"But it will certainly affect Jessica's. What are you gonna do with her heart, huh? Breaking it into pieces after taking away her chances of winning. She deserves better, don't you think?"

Reynold's words stirred a little bit of doubt left in Yuri's heart but she refused to succumb to it."I'm here to say sorry for everything that has transpired but I'm not backing down, Reynold. Tomorrow morning we'll compete like we're supposed to be and I'll do my best to ensure fairness."

"Fairness?" Reynold laughed bitterly. "I'm clearly outnumbered. Everyone is standing behind you now. Even Jessica, who was supposed to be my ally if she hasn't been so blinded by love. They might as well hand you the trophy on a silver platter."

"Are you chickening out now?" Yuri especially chose her words to trigger Reynold. "Don't you have any confidence at all?"

"Shut up!"

"If you're not too scared to face me and Jessica at once, I'm asking you to come with me. We can go to the production team and ask them to tweak the semifinal challenge so it works best for you and Jessica."

"What do you mean?"

"Just wash that sweat up and come with me." Yuri turned around and left, knowing exactly that Reynold and his pride will follow her lead.

"Today, on the biggest Masterchef semifinal ever. We have a challenge specialized for the three contestants left." Soo Ramsay, in her usual colorful attire and unmatched confidence, looked straight into the camera. "A service challenge!"

Jessica mumbled a curse under her breath. Service challenge meant she has to prepare a number of dishes for a certain amount of people. The ability to multitask at the speed of light wasn't something she was most proud of herself.

"To make it even more special, we also have special judges!" Shindong announced excitedly. "31 random social workers have been invited to taste your dishes and vote for the best. In a few hours, they will come through that door and it's your job to impress them."

"Oh, we're not judging today?" Soo Ramsay feigned surprise, catching Reynold with the corner of her eyes.

"We're here to watch and eat today, Soo. Nothing else." Shindong smiled knowingly. "The rest of the rules, please, Master Sooman."

"Each of you has to prepare one main course and a dessert for the 31 guests. You have 30 minutes to plan your dishes and choose the ingredients plus four hours to cook. Cook whatever you want. Sweet or savory, the pantry and the open garden, are both ready for the three of you." Master Sooman smiled too. "Any ties will be decided by someone special who will enter this kitchen in a few seconds."

"My pride and joy." Soo Ramsay opened her hands wide.  "A young chef so talented she needs no further introduction. Seo Juhyun!"

Jessica wowed out loud as Seo Juhyun, the first Masterchef winner, entered the kitchen in her blue knee-length dress. Seo Juhyun won the title when she was barely eighteen years old and seeing her as a successful chef now inspired Jessica even more. Glancing at Yuri, she could see the girl is completely in awe herself.

"Hello, everybody." Juhyun waved at the other contestants cheering on the gantry. "And a special hello for the three of you." She smiled at the semifinalists. A smile that truly reached the eyes. "I'll run the kitchen today and I promise I'll do my best to help you guys sailing the service challenge smoothly."

"Four hours, thirty-five servings, two spots available on the finale but only one advice from me." The loving smile didn't waver, she stepped forward. "Have fun. Enjoy. Don't take yourself too seriously and the perfect dish will come your way."

"Alright, everybody. Ready?" Master Sooman asked out loud.

"Ready!" Jessica yelled from the top of her lungs. Excitement bubbled up within her. Yuri, who barely whispered her readiness, chuckled at Jessica's instant response while Reynold simply sighed out loud.

"Your four hours and thirty minutes start now!"

"What are you planning to serve?" Yuri whispered as she and Jessica stood in front of the vegetable shelves.

"I'm not telling." Jessica grinned, tapping her lips. "We're enemy now."

"Oh, really? After all the love you confessed to me in your bed last night." Yuri also grinned, reaching a bulb of celeriac from the top shelf. Not so accidentally brushed her arm against Jessica's chest.

"Sssssshhh." Blushing, Jessica turned to the spice rack and started loading a few packages into her basket.

"God." Reynold groaned as he came back to the pantry with an empty basket. "Can you guys be professionals for a second?"

"Sorry." Jessica dashed back into the kitchen.

"Not sorry." Yuri grinned at Reynold, hands busy picking more vegetables.

"You think it's fun, don't you?" Reynold threw carrots into his basket. "Messing with the competition, playing with Jessica's heart."

"Oh, come on. What else are you complaining about?" Yuri had started to feel sick of Reynold's antic. Per their request, the production house had tweaked the challenge into what it was today yet Reynold seemed to think it wasn't enough. "We're fighting fair and square here, both for Jessica and for the trophy. If you can't accept losing her, how can't you accept losing this competition later?"

"I'm not gonna lose." Reynold's face turned red. "I might even steal Jessica from you one day."

"Good." Yuri turned to stare square at Reynold. "Let's hope you can do both in a less grumpy way."

The plan was to recreate Surf 'N Turf in the most sophisticated way. With the red meat part of the dish broken down into a jus. For the seafood part, Yuri chose Snapper. Which meant she needs to skin and debone half a dozen of