Dates to Remember

The Richest Taste

Yunhee was spent when she arrived back home. She had no idea that being hired by that man meant a lot of responsibility. The length of the contract Seungcheol handed to her was overwhelming.

"Geez, and you call yourself a chef," scoffed her housemate.

"I've been cooking all day, Chaerin-ah," she retaliated. "I don't want to do it anymore. Even for myself."

The other female only shook her head as she placed a pot of spicy ramen in front of Yunhee.

"So, how was it, unnie?" Chaerin curiously asked, eyeing her from across the table.

Yunhee only rose an eyebrow at her. "What do you mean?"

"Ey, you went to the Diamond Empire President's son's place. You should be sharing with me what you saw there, unnie," the younger female said. "Is it real that he have gold chandeliers and red carpet in his place? And he has a white tiger fur decoration?"

"No." Yunhee rolled her eyes at Chaerin as she began eating her ramen.

"Unnie! Just tell me what you saw in there. Is it really in the penthouse of the Carat Hotel? The view? The furniture? Did you get to look in his bedroom?"

"Chaerin-ah," Yunhee said in a warning tone. "I didn't go there to do a house tour. I went straight to the kitchen, worked all day, and then went home. I didn't see whatever you thought was in there. It's just a normal apartment like ours. Only, bigger."

The work was, technically, simple. She would come in the place four times a week. She'd prepare a meal or two in advance to be stocked in the freezer during Tuesdays and Thursdays. But she had to stay overnight every weekend to accomodate the possibility of cooking for the family or some business partners.

"This is the guest room." Seungcheol walked in after opening the door and proceeded to point put the obvious things in there. "Bed, dresser, closet, bathroom. The aircon remote should be in the bedside table. You can also use the massage chair next room."

"This is plenty. Thank you."

"No problem," he replied. "Just make me some jeon after you settle in."

Yunhee was already frying the fritters when Seungcheol emerged from his room again, now in comfortable sweat shirt and pants. He went straight to the fridge and brought out a bottle of makgeolli.

Seungcheol reached for two tin bowls before looking at her and asking, "Do you wanna drink with me, noona?"

The way he addressed her surprised Yunhee. It's hasn't been a week since he hired her and he's already calling her that. She really wasn't against it but it did felt weird.

"Sure, but maybe just a glass, Seungcheol-nim." She placed a plate of kimchi jeon and pajeon on the table.

"Aren't you being too formal when I'm younger than you?" He asked, picking up one pajeon into his plate.

"Then do you want me to drop the honorifics?" Yunhee suggested while still frying the remaining batter.

"Yeah," he said. "Even Sunwoo hyung just calls me by my name."

"Isn't that too familiar though? We just met not even a week ago."

"So?" Seungcheol tilted his head at her. "Does calling my name that big of an issue? I've been living with it since I was born."

Yunhee laughed. "Alright. Then, pour me a drink, will you?"

He grinned and handed her a alcohol filled tin bowl, then lifting his own to toast with hers. "Cheers!"