Five Star Michelin | Lee Taeyong x reader

A confession

WEISHEN TO BE CLOSED DOWN?

You flung the newspaper across the kitchen, leaning against the counter, head in hands as Xiaojun attempted to comfort you.

It was all happening so fast, one moment you were fine, the next you were given the news of your restaurant possibly being shut down due to something you didn't even do. Business had been a little less than usual and it frustrated you, because you had worked so hard, proved everyone wrong about your supposed 'luck' to get where you were, only for it to all be thrown away.

"Hey it's okay-"

"It's not okay Dejun", you interrupted him. Your voice was shaky, yet accusing at the same time as if you make up for the weakness, "Weishen is all i have."

Xiaojun watched you, hand rubbing your back comfortingly. He didn't know what else he could do. He watched as you slowly started crying, wiping away your tears furiously. "It's not fucking fair", you whispered.

You were slowly realizing that the path you had taken was never going to be fair. You silently wondered how some celebrities purposefully indulged in scandals for the publicity, or to break out from their initial image of innocence that the world of fame that trapped them in.

Maybe that was it. They could handle it because it was planned, it was what they wanted to happen. It was intended while you never wanted one.

You straightened out, wiping your hands to your clothes and sighing. There wasn't much you could do other than somehow make sure Weishen stayed. Because it wasn't just you who would suffer, it would be everyone who worked at Weishen. The chefs, the waiters and waitresses. So many would be losing.

You couldn't let Weishen close, no matter what. Not for some asshole who decided to fuck screw over.

Taeyong hated himself. In all his life he had never despised himself more.

He watched Lee Sooman as he paced around, "This is amazing!", he said, "Tahmina loves you! It's a sure shot at another star." His voice was gleeful, like he had just won the lottery and was ready to celebrate.

It made Taeyong sick.

"I'm proud of you son" Taeyong used to love hearing those words, he would feel a satisfying click when he heard them. He used to feel good, accomplished. Where was the satisfying feeling now? Why did he only feel disgust? Was the disgust towards himself or his mentor?

"You're an angel in everyone's eyes now", Sooman went on, "Lovely."

The compliment didn't feel like one. On the contrary, it felt like an accusation. He shouldn't be an angel, he wasn't one. He was the thief, the one in the wrong.

"Stop", he said, earning a confused look from Lee Sooman, "Just stop."

"Stop what?"

"You're not proud of me", he said, "You're proud of yourself, so stop it." His mentor looked unimpressed, like a parent whose child had just talked back. "Where is this coming from?"

"This is not amazing", Taeyong's voice turned mocking, "We've stolen someone else's property and claimed it as our own."

"Boy, what are you talking about? We are in the range for another star, you should be-", he reached out to the chef, confused.

"Stop!", Taeyong yelled, shaking the man's hand off his shoulder. "I am the one in the range for another star for something that even isn't mine!", he corrected his 'mentor', but god, at this point was he even his mentor? The thought left a sour taste in his mouth.

Taeyong didn't want his validation anymore.

"You're finally getting back on track and now you want to be good?", Lee Sooman asked, "I thought you had your priorities straight Taeyong."

Taeyong looked at Sooman incredulously, something clicking inside him, but it wasn't the satisfactory feeling he had always felt before. It was an acute sense of anger.

He hated the fact that he had always tried his hardest to make Lee Sooman proud, to get his words of approval that always seemed to hurt himself. He was angry at himself for letting it get this far, for letting himself hurt someone he cared about. For choosing someone who had controlled him for so long over someone who hadn't.

For a fucking star.

"Get out", Taeyong murmured darkly.

"Excuse me?"

"I said get out", he repeated, "Just get the fuck away."

"Taeyong what are you-"

"Don't you understand?", Taeyong hissed, "I don't want you here anymore. "Take your shares, I don't want you in Ncity ever again."

Sooman looked at the man, eye twitching as he took in the command, "You're being delusional, you can't just tell me to leave", he forced a laugh, ticking his mentee off even more, "I've got you to this point."

"A point I regret!", he exclaimed, "I want you out and I never want you here ever again."

"You-You can't do that-"

"I just did", Taeyong said, suddenly feeling extremely calm. Like he had control over the situation for once, "You need me, not the other way around. I am the face of the restaurant, the entire Ncity brand. Without me, you've got nothing."

He looked at Taeyong, angry and confused, but most importantly scared of losing everything he had 'worked' for. "I made you who you are'', Lee Sooman's voice was shaky, like he knew he was on the short end on the stick.

"And I don't want to be who you made me anymore", Taeyong said simply, realizing that it was true. He hated everything he had become. "Leave. Take your shares, take whatever the fuck you want and don't ever come back."

"You'll regret this, you know. I'll be the one laughing at you when you fail"

"I'd rather fail. Leave."

Taeyong watched him leave, taking a deep breath as he looked at his phone. In a matter of minutes he had lost someone who had been with him since he was practically a child. But it felt good. It felt like he was finally free from the one person that tied him down.

He picked up his phone, toying with it. He had done one thing, which had already taken a lot of courage. Could he possibly do another?

Taeyong clicked on the contact he had been searching for, putting it to his ear and waiting for the person to pick up.

One ring.

Two rings.

"Hello, Tahmina Aamani speaking."

"Hey Tahmina, it's Taeyong", he greeted, nervousness lacing his voice. He had called her, he had to go through with it now. He had been a coward before, he didn't want to be one anymore.

"Mr Lee! To what do I owe this pleasure?"

He sucked in a breath, "I have a confession"