Alpha Culinary Love

Chapter 204 Compliments

The evening air outside The Rose Manor was crisp, cutting through the warmth that still lingered from the bustle of the restaurant's kitchen. Jiyeon stepped out for a moment, feeling the breeze on her face and taking in the rare quiet. It had been a rollercoaster of a day, filled with Kang's dramatic sighs and Yura's deadpan comebacks, and she had almost forgotten what calm felt like.

Of course, the serenity lasted all of three seconds.

"Jiyeon!" Kang burst through the door, looking flustered, with an expression that screamed "brace yourself." His apron was stained, hair slightly tousled from the whirlwind inside, and he held what could only be described as a butchered attempt at plating. "Explain this monstrosity."

Jiyeon squinted at the disaster in his hands: a pile of ingredients that looked like they'd lost the will to live. "Did you feed that to a blender before bringing it here?"

Kang scowled. "Excuse me, Chef Genius, but this was your idea. Your fusion recipe is cursed."

Yura, who had followed Kang out, leaned against the doorframe, arms folded and a smirk playing at her lips. "Looks like you've finally met your match, Kang. A dish that doesn't bow to your superiority complex."

"Oh, shut up," Kang grumbled. "At least I don't use the kitchen as a stage to perform 'Miracle Worker' every time I touch an oven. Jiyeon's Frankenstein fusion is the real criminal here."

Jiyeon couldn't hold back her laughter. "Come on, it's not that bad. Besides, you're the one who calls himself an artist. What happened to the art of making things work?"

"Right," Kang snapped back, "and what happened to basic respect for culinary norms? Mixing gochujang and foie gras is like throwing a punch at French tradition."

Yura perked up. "Oh, please. Tradition needs a good punch every once in a while. Keeps it on its toes."

Kang ran a hand through his hair, looking thoroughly exasperated. "Remind me again why I'm here, dealing with culinary chaos and you two lunatics?"

Yura tilted her head, faux-innocent. "Because, deep down, you love us?"

"Hah," Kang snorted. "Love, you say? More like a strange addiction to self-torture."

Jiyeon took a deep breath, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye. "Okay, okay. How about this: let's rescue that plate, and if it turns out even remotely edible, I'll buy you that expensive coffee you won't shut up about. Deal?"

Kang narrowed his eyes. "Make it a month's worth, and I might be tempted."

Before Jiyeon could respond, Yura cut in with a laugh. "Kang, if you milked any more perks from us, you'd be a full-time freeloader."

"Freeloader?" Kang shot back, feigning offense. "If anything, I'm your culinary savior. Without me, this place would descend into chaos. Admit it."

Yura rolled her eyes. "Savior, my ass. More like a diva who occasionally gets things right."

Jiyeon raised a hand. "Enough! Both of you. Let's focus on getting through tonight, and then we can continue your award-winning sitcom back at the mansion."

That was enough to temporarily truce the bickering, and they all made their way back into the kitchen, the air buzzing with tension and laughter. The restaurant pulsed with energy, and Jiyeon knew that despite the madness, there was nowhere else she'd rather be.

Two hours later, The Rose Manor was winding down. The last of the guests had been served, and the trio found themselves back in the now-messy kitchen, surrounded by empty pots, spatulas, and a lingering aroma of the evening's successful — and occasionally chaotic — experiments. Yura leaned against a counter, watching as Jiyeon and Kang attempted to assess the damage.

"Well, I think we survived," Jiyeon said, surveying the mess. "No fires, no fainting customers. I'd call that a win."

"Trust me, my mom is plenty of an emergency," Jiyeon said with a wry smile. She hesitated for a moment, then clicked to answer. "Hey, Mom."

On the other end of the line, her mother's voice was warm but lined with that ever-familiar note of worry. "Jiyeon! Are you still up working? You know you need rest."

Jiyeon leaned back in her chair, her lips quirking into a small, fond smile. "Yes, Mom, I'm just winding down. We had a busy evening, but it's under control."

Her mother's disapproving cluck was audible even through the phone. "You're working too hard. Your father and I worry, you know. When are you coming to visit us again? We miss you."

Kang mimed gagging in the background, earning himself a playful swat on the arm from Yura. Jiyeon, trying to suppress a grin, answered, "Soon, I promise. I'll bring Yura along, and we'll make a day of it. You can lecture both of us about work-life balance."

Her mother's voice softened. "Good, good. And make sure to eat properly, dear. I don't want to hear about you collapsing from exhaustion."

"I'm eating just fine," Jiyeon said, eyeing the empty stew bowl in front of her. "Actually, I just finished a huge meal."

"Is that Kang in the background?" her mom continued, catching on to the faint sounds of their chef friend's antics. "Tell him I'm still waiting on that kimchi recipe he promised me."

Kang perked up at the mention of his name, calling out, "Mrs. Lee! I'll get it to you soon, I swear. Your kimchi is legendary. I'm just trying to make sure mine doesn't pale in comparison."

Jiyeon rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay, Mom, I'll call you tomorrow. Love you."

"Love you too, Jiyeon. Take care of yourself," her mother said, and the call ended.

Yura tilted her head, her expression softening. "Your mom's always so sweet. Hard to believe she raised a menace like you."

Jiyeon put a hand over her heart in mock offense. "How dare you. I'm the pinnacle of filial devotion."

Kang snorted. "Yeah, right. I bet you gave your parents grief every day of your childhood."

"Only every other day," Jiyeon shot back, and they all laughed, the sound filling the kitchen and mingling with the night air.

Yura's gaze turned thoughtful, her eyes glinting under the soft overhead light. "Speaking of parents, when are we actually going to do that visit? It's been a while since I've had your mom's homemade japchae. Not to mention, I want to hear more about the embarrassing stories she has of your teenage years."

Jiyeon groaned. "Ugh, don't encourage her. She still has the photo album of my awkward haircut phase."

Kang raised his hands. "I, for one, would pay good money to see that. Jiyeon, the terror of the kitchen, reduced to a dorky teenager? Sign me up."

Jiyeon glared at him. "Traitor."

Yura leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Tell you what, Kang. We'll make it a double feature. Awkward photos and a cooking challenge where you have to use Jiyeon's family's ancient rice cooker."

Jiyeon's eyes widened in horror. "Not the rice cooker! It's possessed, I swear."

The room burst into laughter again, and Jiyeon couldn't help but marvel at how far they had come. From business transactions and obligation to something that felt so much more — full of laughter, genuine camaraderie, and yes, even insults that masked a deep, unshakeable bond.