God of Cooking

<The Life Outside The Window (4)>

Delia looked at Minjoon quietly. Minjoon’s face didn’t even flinch. Though, there was no real way to tell if that was because he really wasn’t interested in money, or if he was so surprised.
Well, that didn’t really matter in the end. Delia looked at Minjoon with a grin on her face.

“Why are you doing this to me?” Minjoon spoke.

“What?”

“Why are you trying to invest this kind of money into me? I’m just a demi chef. I know I could get paid more if I go elsewhere, but I don’t think I’m worth that kind of money.”

“It’s because I like you. I think that’s reason enough?”

“Twenty times… It’s a big amount of money. I’d be able to buy a house with cash within a year with that kind of money. But you know, I didn’t become a chef for the money. I became a chef because I wanted to cook. To begin with, where do you think that kind of money would come from? The kitchen?”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. I’ll be paying for all of it. The expenses in the kitchen is an entirely different matter.”

Minjoon laughed dryly. He shook his head. The cameraman filmed this exchange nervously.

“I work in the kitchen. The money I earn must come from the kitchen. I can’t take the money you try to give me. More than anything, I love this restaurant I’m working in. I don’t have any desire to leave in a long time. I’m sorry.”

His voice sounded ice-cold, despite his polite speech. But Delia didn’t look a bit offended. She looked happier, in fact.

“Thanks for refusing. You look cooler that way.”

“Delia. Stop acting like you’re testing him. Do you know how rude you’re being right now?”

“Fine, fine. I’ll shut up now.”

Delia zipped up her mouth with a finger before taking a sip of her wine. Minjoon bowed to her before taking his leave.

“I like him the more I look at him. What do you think, Terry?” Delia grinned, as she watched Minjoon walk away.

“Give up. He’s out of your reach.”

“What? Are you serious? You think there are things out of my reach?”

“Delia, there are some things you just can’t buy with money.”

Delia poked her lips out annoyedly. She turned her gaze elsewhere before talking again.

“Money’s solved everything for me so far. What makes you think this is different?”

“That person’s already a star. He could make all the money he wants if he just decided to go out into television. Perhaps more than what you just offered him. But he’s still here. Why do you think that’s the case?”

“How the heck am I supposed to know?”

“See? You don’t even know. If you really want that person for yourself, you can’t just push money towards him. I’m saying this both as your secretary and as your friend. As your only friend.”

“I have a lot of friends, though?”

“If you’re willing to call those greedy idiots friends, then sure.”

Terry’s voice was quite cold. Maybe the woman felt a bit of annoyance from what’s happened in the past? Delia narrowed her eyes.

“You’re pretty cold today. What’s with you?” Delia snapped.

“Don’t you see how red my face is right now? I’m incredibly embarrassed. Coming to someone else’s restaurant to do something like this? It’s so rude.”

“What? People scout others everywhere.”

“But not like this. Who just tells a person outright, ‘I’ll pay twenty times your salary?’”

“You seem to be dissatisfied with how I spend my money… Want me to prove you wrong? That there’s nothing that money can’t solve?”

“Do it. I’ll admit I’m wrong if you do.”

“Fine, do it.”

Delia’s words were a bit strange. Terry frowned a little nervously.

“What did you say?”

“Bring him over to me. You know I don’t pay you so much just so that you can eat with me. You know yourself, don’t you? That you get paid quite a bit. So.”

Delia smiled with an innocent face.

“Prove it to me. That you’re worth the money I’m giving you.”

€

“…She offered twenty times?”

Maya’s jaw dropped by the end of their dinner service. Minjoon nodded with a light smile.

“Yeah, goodness. I had to try really hard not to stand still. Her sense of money’s just so different.”

“So you refused?”

“Ah…”

Maya groaned. She knew herself that refusing was the right decision, but thinking about the money made her feel sorry for Minjoon. Janet jumped in with a cold voice.

“Told you she was an ass.”

“This happened before, too?”

“Yeah. That person fell for it. But that isn’t the end. That person got fired in three months. Something about not being good enough? That’s all I know.”

“…You did really well though, chef. I couldn’t have just refused the offer if I were you.”

Minjoon smiled. This was Rose Island. The place people would pay to get into. He was getting plenty of love from Rachel herself, as well. Giving that up for money? Foolishness.
Chasing after money would’ve ruined his skills in the future as well. After all, art tainted by money never came out well. In that sense, a cook was very similar to an artist.

“I would’ve fallen for it. Three months? Who cares? That’s like… five years worth of my salary. That isn’t bad at all.”

“I understand. You have a family to take care of, after all. Unlike me…”

“I’m joking. I don’t want to be a toy for rich people. Plus, I’d like to look good for Ella.”

Lisa pat the little girl’s head as she said this. Ella looked up at her mother with a curious look.

“Mom, how much is twenty times?”

“Mm…. Enough to have money left after buying Ella a thousand snacks?”

“Hic.”

Ella hiccuped in surprise. She put a hand over her chest with a sorrowful look.

“Mom, the hiccup isn’t going away.”

“Hold your breath.”

“It still isn’t stopping…”

“Wait a bit. Mom’ll get you some water. If you drink it with your nose closed, you’ll be all better.”

“Ah, here’s water.”

Minjoon handed her a bottle from right next to him. As Ella gulped down the water, Minjoon looked at Lisa carefully as he held Ella’s nose.

“That aside, I’d like to talk about Marco. How is he?

“I’ll have to look later. I still haven’t tasted his bread.”

“But you’ve seen how he made it. I don’t know much about baking, but isn’t that enough to know his skills?”

“A little bit.”

“So….”

Minjoon looked down. Ella was tapping at his hand after finishing drinking. Minjoon took his hand off, which prompted the little girl to hold her red nose with a pained look.

“Hurts…”

“Sorry, did I told it too tightly?”

“It’s ok, the hiccup went away.”

“You really don’t like hiccups, don’t you?”

“Yeah. It makes Ella’s chest hurt. Ella really really doesn’t like it.”

Ella smiled with tears welling up in her eyes.

“But who’s Marco?” Ella asked.

“He’s a baker. Someone who can help your mommy.”

“Really? Does that mean mom can play with me now?”

“Mmm… Depends, but definitely more than before.”

Ella jumped into Lisa’s arms with a happy shout. Minjoon coughed a few times to grab Lisa’s attention.

“Would it be too rude if I asked you to continue answering your question?”

“Why don’t you come with me, if you’re curious?”

“What?”

Lisa shrugged.

“We can see how he did ourselves.”

€

They had to think for a second about if Minjoon wanted to take Anderson or Lisa’s car, but Minjoon chose Lisa’s in the end. Anderson had said that he had business to take care of back home.

This caused a new problem, however. Minjoon and the cameraman had no space to sit. Lisa, of course, was the driver, and Ella couldn’t sit in the front due to her height. So, there was no choice but for Minjoon to be separated by the cameraman for a short moment.

‘…This makes me really uncomfortable…’ The cameraman thought.

Ella was looking at the camera with very curious eyes. The little girl whispered to the cameraman.

“Mister, can I touch this?”

“…Just don’t touch it strongly, alright?”

“Okay!”

Ella started touching the camera with a bright grin. The girl lost interest pretty quickly, but curious looks from children were always pretty annoying to deal with. The cameraman cautiously threw a question at Minjoon.

“Minjoon. Why do you care so much for Marco?”

“What?”

“I mean, you guys haven’t even been friends for long. Why do you treat him like a friend you’ve known for a decade? Are you just like this with everyone? Or just Marco?”

“What a difficult question. I’ve never really thought about it… But you’re right. I wouldn’t be like this with other friends. Maybe that’s Marco’s charm? He makes people want to help him?”

“So you’re telling this is all because of Marco?”

“Kind of. He’s the type of person I’d like to keep knowing for decades. Like you said, I’m not that close to him, but… I can tell very easily how talented he is. I believe he’d make a great friend in the future, as well.”

Minjoon smiled. The cameraman almost wanted to say Minjoon was exactly that kind of person right then. But he didn’t need to. Lisa said it for him.

“You’re like that too, Minjoon.”

“Thanks, Lisa. You too.”

“You’re just saying that.”

“No I’m not. You’re a great person. Right, Ella?”

“Right. Mom’s the best.”

Ella nodded with a big grin. Lisa almost couldn’t contain her smile.

Later, when they arrived in the bakery, they found that the lights were all off. The ones in the hall, at least. The kitchen still had its lights on. That’s probably where Marco was.

Right then, the door in front of them opened. The light shone through, most of it blocked by a massive figure.

The giant figure of Marco appeared in front of them in the dark hall. Ella looked up at the man with a dumb look.

“…Hic.”