Absinthe

I was already exactly two blocks away from Chef Maxwell's restaurant when I realized that I had left my phone in the locker where I had stored my belongings during the finals. I was both exhausted and excited about winning that I had forgotten to grab it after I had changed my clothes.

I did a U-turn, parked, and went back inside. The restaurant manager greeted me as I entered and I discreetly explained the situation to her. She smiled and told me to let myself into the locker room. The door was ajar, and I could hear Jiwoo talking.

"Yeah, it sucks. I don't really know where to get that additional two hundred thousand."

I didn't want to eavesdrop, but I didn't think that now was the best time for me to enter and retrieve my phone. I decided to let him finish and wait outside for a bit.

"I just feel really bad. You know how hard it was for me to save that much. I had nosebleeds from juggling three jobs at the same time, remember? No. I think I'm forfeiting. I can't really pay for the class anymore. There's no way I'd be able to get a loan, and—"

Just then, my phone rang.

"Gimme a sec. Someone left their phone here."

I heard Jiwoo's footsteps as he walked inside the locker room. "Gold Digging MoFu?" Jiwoo said as he read the name flashing on my phone screen.

Shit! It was JM.

"Hello, Gold Digging MoFu? Yeah, that's how your name's saved on this phone. Somebody left it. Can you let me know who? No, I'm not joking! Your name's saved as Gold Digging MoFu."

There was a sound that told me Jiwoo had leaned on one of the lockers. "It's an emergency? I don't care what that emergency is. I told you: someone left this phone here. Now, if you're not going to tell me the name of the person you're trying to call, then I can't help you."

There was a pause.

"What did you say? You fuc—"

I couldn't take it anymore, so I barged in at that very second and grabbed my phone from Jiwoo's hands, which, to my surprise, were shaking. For a brief moment, I looked at Jiwoo's shocked face and unintentionally grinned.

Grinned very stupidly.

I then mouthed an apology before running from the place like my life depended on it.

What could JM possibly want from me now? And in what universe would I have the courage to talk to him again, especially now that he knew I had changed his name on my phone to Gold Digging MoFu? I stayed in my car for minutes on end, unable to move. I hadn't expected a call from JM to have such an effect on me.

Fuck! I screamed internally.

There came a knock on my window. It was Jiwoo. In all honestly, he still looked exceptionally handsome in a plain white shirt and jeans.

"This might be overstepping my boundaries a little," he started. "But whoever that guy was, he's a total asshole."

I gave Jiwoo a smile—or so I thought. The rear view mirror revealed that I looked like I was showing my gums to the dentist or something.

"You should ignore him," he said. "Block his number if possible."

I nodded.

"You deserve someone better. Anyway, I'll be going now." He withdrew from the window and started to back away from my car. "Take care, and see you whenever!"

See you whenever!

Did that mean he was really giving up Chef Maxwell's classes?

Without hesitation, I called Chef Maxwell and told him that I was forfeiting the scholarship. He refused at first, but I explained that I was continuing the apprenticeship without taking the fee waiver. I told him that I was going to pay for it in full and that he should give the scholarship to Jiwoo instead.

"Please just make sure he doesn't find out," I begged Chef Maxwell.

I'll see you

got bombarded with a thousand notifications from IG. I opened the app, and not surprisingly, I had been tagged in another post on Gossip Gurl's

had been just a few minutes ago, when Jiwoo had been telling me to ignore JM. My face was partly visible

the picture again and read the caption: Looks like @bjmesoftly is getting all the hot guys

was Gossip Gurl painting

woman, that BJ is! It was

you so! There's nothing going on between @bjmesoftly and our beloved @dr.derrick was

came straight out

reply of @robertanderson. His comment generated a thousand more notifications as people started tagging

in annoyance and

of Faye and Henry in some fancy dinner ball. The next photo was of Trish A. and her German footballer hubby coming out

in the background, but his face was blurred due to his movement. I remembered his usual white shirt and jeans, though. There was no mistaking it was Jiwoo. That was the

who was she, and why was she making all this buzz about me? And Jiwoo's acting all confusing as fuck, too! One moment he's acting like a total asshole, and the

***

to Derrick telling me that the gang was coming over to

I asked accusingly. "Why am I

idiot," answered Derrick. "Hurry up

it

overslept. And everyone's

of bed and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. I wondered if Robert was coming as well. After what he had done and what I had told him, it was possible

I asked Derrick over the sound of

"Korean," Derrick replied.

I asked, unsure if

at the dish here," he called, pointing at the TV. "I

at what Derrick

accepted!" I exclaimed as I

as he watched me open the kimchi

I said. "She had it custom-made to fit the space underneath

would you need that

we call a specialty fridge.

the vowel. "I'll leave you

fridge set up for storing kimchi and other types of fermented food, but since I don't eat as much kimchi as they do, Faye had my specialty fridge customized. The left side was for storing smaller amounts of kimchi and fermented products, and the right side was for storing the bulk of my produce, with a compartment for chilled meats like ham

the haejangguk by marinating pork backbones with the tendons intact. I had been thinking of using them to make some good pork broth

I proceeded to make gyeran mari or egg rolls, sautéed anchovies in corn syrup and rice wine, braised beef and chili, and sautéed odeng or fish cakes. Then, I prepared several vegetable-based side dishes: pan-fried kimchi, crispy tofu in sweetened soy sauce, braised potatoes in soy sauce, sautéed mushrooms and aubergines, and four other

glanced at the clock and saw that it was already noon. My pork had been marinating for about two hours now. I only had

minutes. I also started cooking the rice—Korean rice, of course. So far, it's the best tasting variant I've ever had. No offense to

really deserved a good dessert from me—I was the more deserving one

decided on making Paris-Brest, but instead of going for the typical wheel-shaped pastry, I decided to form the ring using individual cream puffs. Instead of the usual cream puffs, though, I baked my choux topped with craquelin to achieve a crispy, sugary flavor. For the filling, I baked some hazelnuts and made a praline out of it. Afterward, I blended it until I got a smooth paste. It was not your typical choux

with pastry crème filling and they might not like the texture of my hazelnut praline paste. So I decided to make a mousseline to add to the

that the haejangguk was cooked. I added the potatoes plus some of the harder

Derrick. "Are you

rice into individual bowls. "Help me

the dishes to the dining table. I took the flatware and utensils and set them as

the main dish?" Derrick

once you guys are

Janus, and Robert entered the house. Derrick welcomed them as I cleared out the kitchen counter. Robert gave me a shy smile when he passed by the kitchen, but he didn't interact with

I greeted

Cassie. "Here, I got you

in more than a month.

and placed it on the kitchen counter. "Let's open it after lunch.