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.

you in two

got bombarded with a thousand notifications from IG. I opened the app, and not surprisingly, I

me to ignore JM. My face was partly visible on the windshield. Who the hell had taken the photo? I looked around to see if there was anyone

the caption: Looks like @bjmesoftly

Why was Gossip Gurl painting me

BJ is! It was a

@bjmesoftly and our beloved @dr.derrick was a

like they came straight out of a Thai BL Novel!!! was

the reply of @robertanderson. His comment generated a thousand more notifications

notifications in annoyance

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

due to his movement. I remembered his usual white shirt and jeans, though. There was no mistaking it was Jiwoo. That was the time he had called me out for passing the prelims

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

***

gang was coming over to congratulate me on my win. And that I had

were congratulating me?" I asked accusingly. "Why am I doing the cooking

chef, you idiot," answered Derrick. "Hurry up because

it anyway? And

overslept. And everyone's coming. Literally

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

asked Derrick over the sound of the TV. "Pizza? Steak?

"Korean," Derrick replied.

unsure if

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

looked at what Derrick was

I exclaimed

there this entire time?" Derrick asked as he watched me open the kimchi refrigerator. "I've never seen it 'till now. I thought it was a simple kitchen

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

you need that

freezer," I explained. "It's what we call a specialty fridge. Its temperature is optimal for

the

my kimchi fridge was not just for storing kimchi. Koreans would normally have the entire 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

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

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 variations of

My pork had been marinating for about two hours now. I

pressure cooker, this time without adding the vegetables. I had it set for 45 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 Filipino and Thai rice, but Korean

from me—I was the more deserving

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.

of my hazelnut praline paste. So I decided to make a mousseline to add to the filling later on. I also tempered some chocolate

potatoes plus some of the harder vegetables and cooked

here!" shouted Derrick. "Are

rice into individual bowls. "Help

carried the dishes to the dining table. I took the flatware and utensils

main

once you

out the kitchen counter. Robert gave me a shy smile when he passed by the

greeted everyone

was Cassie. "Here, I got you

a month.

and placed it