Absinthe

Chapter 16: Connections

It felt like I had already been waiting for hours since the cameras stopped rolling and Chef Maxwell's staff helped us in cleaning our stations. However, the results were still not in.

"Man, that was really tough," I heard Matt saying as he wiped the counter. "But you did amazing, Jiwoo. Did you have proper training?"

Jiwoo shook his head. "I've been working in the kitchen ever since I was young."

"Cool! You have a family restaurant?"

Jiwoo shook his head again. "I started out as a dishwasher at a fast-food joint."

Matt stopped in his tracks. "No way."

"It's true," Jiwoo said as he continued to wash his utensils and, from the looks of it, Matt's as well. The motherfucker had not bothered asking for mine. "Chow King, to be exact."

"I can't believe it. You look like a rich guy!"

Jiwoo snickered but didn't answer.

"You look like a Korean model, and your English is not bad!"

"Do you have to be rich to speak English well?"

Not really, I thought. But let's face it—even intelligent people from poorer backgrounds speak bad English. Wait, why the hell am I eavesdropping? I should ignore them.

"A lot of us poorer guys speak good English," Jiwoo started. "Not because we want to, but because we have to. For example, call centers are a good source of income, so we hustle."

"Seriously, though, I never pegged you for a commoner."

Did this guy seriously use the word 'commoner'?

"Chef Maxwell's training is costly as fuck," he continued. "I thought everyone who applied can shell out some cash since the fees are more than half a million!"

Half a million. The amount stupid me gave away to that fucktard JM.

The fucktard JM and the fucktards at DBA. God, I thought this cooking thing would help me forget. I guess it was too early for that.

"It doesn't mean I can't save up for it, right?" Jiwoo said, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Matt laughed. "Save for it? How much do you earn in a month? Let's say thirty thousand tops. So how many years do you have to starve to save half a million? Fifteen, give or take a few? It's practically impossible, man. Unless you sleep with the likes of Tita Gay or Vice Ghandi, you'll never get that amount!"

Christ, someone stop me from slapping Matt. That's the rudest comment I have ever heard anyone say out loud.

you suck me off for 50 grand," Jiwoo

"What the fu—?"

want to fuck? You need to pay a

Matt said,

my dick's for hire," said Jiwoo, chuckling. "And I didn't peg you for a top, not with all the effort you

Jiwoo at that point. Matt's an elitist bigot, and he deserved

or two. But I couldn't bring myself to do it.

said a familiar voice over

tidying up my work station and my remaining three domed crème caramels sitting neatly near the edge. I looked around and saw everyone's anxious faces. Only Jiwoo looked calm and composed, not a strand of hair out

the winners!" came the voice of the comedian host. "Let me remind everyone that Chef Maxwell will be choosing four apprentices. They will have their dishes tasted by our celebrity judges waiting for us at the

nowhere in sight. He was probably

the first one. There were

else did. And I died a little bit

is none other than Jiwoo Miguel Garcia, my favorite contestant!" cried

joke. Jiwoo was grinning from ear to ear. It was his smile of pure evil again. But did Vanilla just say 'Jiwoo Miguel'?

him!" There were roars of laughter at the sexual innuendo. "Anyway,

I had done my best. I

off between us. He's pretty cool, in my opinion, especially after I saw what he did to

looked at me, and he had an unfathomable look on his

the last one is Ben Jamin Alvarez! Congratulations to our four chosen apprentices!

"You deserve it. You were awesome

Was he really talking

my meat turned

"Off you go, apprentices!"

"I'm glad it's you and not that asshole," he continued as we walked. "You're not mad at me, are

a hard time processing what

how I acted last week.

reacted the same way if I were

smiled, my proverbial panties practically melted off my body. He was absolutely my type, even more so than that gold-digging JM. Majority of my exes are Koreans because of my stay there, and perhaps that's the reason I was crushing

seeing his non-asshole side, he was becoming more

Hacienda. The roof, made of completely transparent polycarbonate roofing, bathed the interior in plenty of natural light. The

Vice Ghandi were all there, seated together with Chef Maxwell. It made me

from the table, and the comedian host announced, "Let the final

his fingers, and a server came

yet elegant boiled eggs with soldiers, cooked for us by Apprentice Nico," Chef Maxwell said, addressing the judges. Nico gave them a friendly wave. "He expertly infused saffron into the pieces of bread as well as the moist breadcrumbs underneath, and he incorporated some smoked duck along

Nico's dish, and they all expressed extreme satisfaction in unison. Afterward, they wrote down their scores and slid

entrees today. The first one is made by our one and

didn't look too impressed when they saw her punk-style outfit,

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