Absinthe

"What was that about?" Faye asked.

Everyone was staring at me, so I had no choice but to speak up. I swallowed the knot in my throat before answering the question.

"I didn't know you were friends with Jiwoo," I told Janus.

"Well, we both worked at the Hilton. I was a bartender there before I transferred when The Schwa opened."

"Don't change the topic!" snapped Faye. "I want to know what happened. What was that new JM guy talking about?"

"I gave up what I won from the cooking finals," I answered finally.

"What? Did you forfeit?"

"No!" I exclaimed. "I just gave up the fee waiver. I told Chef Maxwell to give it to Jiwoo instead. I can pay for the fees anyway."

"So you basically gave away 600,000? Don't you think that's being too generous?" Faye asked.

"That's not too generous," chimed Derrick. "That's your typical BJ. He gave about half a million to JM, right?"

Jesus Christ. Why did he have to bring that up now of all times?

"What? What is Derrick talking about, BJ?"

"Calm down, Faye," Robert said.

"I didn't exactly earn that money. It was a prize, and Jiwoo was equally deser—" I tried to explain my side, but Derrick cut me short.

"He gave JM half a million pesos, and eventually we found out that JM has a wife."

"Seriously?" I shouted. "That was my secret to reveal!"

"That's not what's important now!" Faye, too, raised her voice.

"Have you slept with him?" asked Derrick. "If you have, just think of that as payment for a very expensive prostitute."

I gave Derrick a disgusted look.

"That was too much, man." Janus said.

"You know, Faye, this is your fault," Cassie started, joining the sudden tense bickering at the table.

"What do you mean?" Faye's eyebrows were dangerously high.

"You were the one pushing BJ to that JM asshole. You wanted them to be together."

"I beg your pardon!" Faye was almost shouting. Everyone was quiet and staring at the two.

"Okay, everybody, take a chill pill," Janus said. "Let's focus on the food. It's delicious, isn't it?"

"Hey!" I shouted to get everyone's attention. "It's nobody's fault. I was stupid. I got scammed. That's it."

"When were you going to tell us about it?" Faye demanded.

"Faye, it's not something I'm proud of, alright? It's embarrassing falling in love with someone like that."

Robert had been massaging my back, and I suddenly felt him stiffen. "That's enough, Faye," he said. Something about his authoritative voice shut all of us up.

"This food is really great!" Janus said, desperately trying to lighten the mood. We ate in awkward silence.

I turned to Janus and asked for his advice on what Jiwoo had said about me earlier. "Should I talk to him?"

"Who? JM?"

"No!" I cried. "Jiwoo!"

"Sorry. The kitchen and the bar staff at the Hilton call him JM. It's only the lobby staff who call him by his weird Korean name."

I suddenly remembered where I had first heard his name. He was the one who had made my haejangguk when I was hungover at the Hilton.

"His name's weird," Faye commented. "Is his mom a K-pop fan or something?

"He's half-Korean, if you hadn't noticed. His mom got impregnated by a Korean tourist. I doubt the man knew he had a son."

"A Korean tourist?" Cassie asked.

"Yeah," replied Janus with a nod. "You know how thousands of them flock the country every summer? JM's mom—I meant Jiwoo's mom—was one of those Filipina hopefuls who wanted to snatch a foreigner for a husband."

"Rotten luck that she was left with a baby instead," Robert said. "They're called Kopinos, right? Korean-Filipino kids abandoned by their fathers?"

The name Jiwoo is all he's ever known

that's what she got for being a

you mean?"

I could feel her seething

in the hopes of getting

you know about her intentions?"

told BJ about JM, and look at where that's

than everyone else's

comes to receiving help from people," Janus

to be thankful instead?" Robert asked, following my lead of

hates being accused of using his

he gay?" Derrick

anyone. He's always working multiple jobs at a time. I once asked him about it. He said he wanted to go to France and study cooking. He was on the verge of giving up, you know? So he got really excited when he heard about the class that Chef

"But I beat him in the finals, and now he has to

"He did tell me about that. He said that at first he thought you'd used your connections to get a spot. But he changed his mind after

his mind about me again after

he has no

Rrring!

someone else's

was from her modeling agency. She answered the call and placed it on loud

Cass!" came the voice of a gay guy

"Hi, Madam! What's up?"

nothing much. I have a bit

"Yeah? What is it?"

advertising company

Cassie's face turned red.

them about it, and I'm really sorry, Cass, but they said they

face was red earlier, it was

as she could. "I'm sure we can book

second thing I wanted

the only one enjoying her food. All

think it's time for you to

"What do you mean?"

beautiful and talented, there's no doubt about that, but so are the thousands of newer, younger models out

you later!" Cass

again another round of awkward silence. I was starting to think that the game Janus

I'm thinking of proposing to

asked. "Have you bought

Janus said excitedly. "I really got a

forgot I had to do something. Sorry, everyone. I'm

me that look, Faye. She needs me

I asked Derrick. "What about what you

an internal struggle. "I'm sorry. I was out

"Let's

the rest of the meal in relative silence. Janus continued to talk to us about his girlfriend until Faye suddenly remarked, "That was the lamest excuse I've

gave Faye an annoyed look. "She's our friend,

reason you got scammed by that JM asshat!" Faye snapped. "But why the fuck did you give that asshat

here we

it, Faye," Robert said

chest and refused to

stood up and went for the door. I smiled

he stood up to

the dishes, but I stayed rooted in my seat. Cassie had just lost her job. She and Faye had fought, too. I knew it would take a while for this matter to die down. Faye had been pretty upset that I hadn't trusted her enough to tell her about the money issue

table with a mug of coffee. It was a plain Americano. He said something along the lines of it was the only thing he knew how to make. Janus also joined us, and the two of

now, BJ,"

"Oh, sure," I replied.

looked at each other, and they both shrugged.

Thanks a lot, man!" Janus

I

gave me a kiss on the cheek. "You should get some

***

upstairs balcony and drifted there for the next

felt about JM's

myself having fallen for someone like

all the other Samsongs of the corporate

I felt about Faye, Cassie,

Jiwoo and what I had done

emotion at a time. Maybe she was right. Perhaps it was the water gently swaying me in circles in the pool, or the general lack of direction

Jiwoo's voice had been when he spoke to

kept thinking about how I wanted

for hours on end until I remembered my Paris-Brest!

out of the water, dried myself up, and ran to the kitchen. My Paris-Brest was still there, sitting prettily on different plates. A sudden idea came to mind. I took out some foldable cartons from the pantry and carefully placed a couple of my delectable creations in them. I called Janus and asked where Jiwoo was working at that time.