Annyeong, Soojin! [Ateez Fanfiction] ✓

1

Soojin's POV:

"Any more questions?" the sous chef asks.

"No chef," we enthusiastically reply. 

"Alright! Get to the stations and begin!"

I was nervous before I came here, but it's not that bad. I guess.

"Man, it's real hot in here. Like real hot," one of the fellow students says when the sous chef leaves.

"Yeah, what's with that?" another one says. "I've always dreamt of coming here. It's grande, on the outside and as well as inside this kitchen, but the occupational discomfort's still the same. No scratch that, it's even hotter than our university kitchens."

What did they even expect?

Can't believe they're the aces in my batch. Maybe I'm judging too much. They're not experienced in this, I mean they've only seen the comfortable kitchens in our university, not the real ones. My family restaurant's kitchen is way hotter than this 5-star grandiose hotel's restaurant we're in now. This kitchen is huge and spacious, and all I have back at mine is a 14 sq feet area worth of kitchen.

We all begin making the sauces and other preparatory items at our stations. Today, we're here—when I mean 'we' I mean me and the other fellow aces of our batch our professors nominated for the batch ace team— to work with the chefs of this restaurant as their assistants. Of course, our professor is also here to have a check on us and decide the grades.

I am whisking away the sauce in vigour and passion, I want to finish it fast and move to the next one. If I could. But you know cooking, it's a science, it can't be altered than it's supposed to be; if the instructions call for you to be slow and steady, you must do that and that only. 

I have to perform well than my peers in this, I remind myself.

My phone suddenly rings.

Bloody timing!

Why didn't I put it on silent mode?

The others turn to look at me for a split second. I don't answer the phone. Can't afford to even decline it, the sauce will burn if I do. It rings and rings until I feel my skin evenly burns all over with embarrassment when I imagine how annoyed the others in here might be. They could be glaring at me for all I know, I can't dare to look up and confirm. But the sauce is finally done.

I pick up the phone which is— yea— still ringing. 

Why so persistent, ugh!

But what if it's a really important call?

I check the caller. Unknown caller?

Maybe I should still pick up. People aren't this persistent for a reason.

"Hello, who is this?" I ask, annoyed. 

"Is this Ahn Soojin I'm talking to?" a male voice from the other line says. It's a familiar voice. I'm sure no one with this voice has ever called me on my phone, but I know I've heard it a lot. Or maybe it sounds like someone whose sweet voice I've heard a lot. I think I exactly know who that someone is.

"Yes, and you are?" I ask.

"Kim Hongjoong," comes from the other line. 

Wait, what?

I freeze for just a second but recover fast. This is a terrible time for pranks. I think I can point who's behind it, but she should know better, today's an important day for me.