ABOUT LAST NIGHT

CHAPTER 4

LISA POV

I was awakened by my ringing phone. I lazily opened my eyes, took my phone from the nightstand, and answered it as I sat upon my bed, yawning.

"Hello?"

"Lalisa!!" Moonbyul Immediately yell.

"Yah! You don't need to shout!" I groan.

"Whatever! I'm afraid I'm not going to the restaurant today because I have cramps."

"What?! Are you going to leave me with that monster in the kitchen?!"

"Aishah! Don't worry she wouldn't dare to touch you because if she did, I would skin her alive."

"Ugh! Fine, but make sure you're not absent tomorrow too, because we all know I can't stand being with that devil brat!" I shout to my best friend.

"Fine! Now get your ass up and go to work!" She said before hanging up.

Moonbyul is my best friend since we were young, and we really got along well because we both have the same dream: to become a chef. We love eating and seeing people enjoy our cooking.

The difference is that Moonbyul graduated from a culinary course, but I didn't. I'm just lucky I got a job in the restaurant where mostly middle-class families eat. It's not a fancy place, but it's fine with me, even though I dream of becoming a successful chef in a luxurious or famous city restaurant.

You might be wondering why Moonbyul is with me here in Daegu instead of pursuing her dream in the city. Well, that stubborn jerk doesn't want to leave me in Daegu and doesn't want to work in our dream restaurant without me.

I've tried to convince her to go to the city and pursue our dream without me, but she won't listen. We're three chefs in this restaurant: me, Moonbyul, and Solar, the arrogant girl I was talking about. Solar and Moonbyul were the first to work here, and Moonbyul helped me get a job because she convinced the boss.

They're above me because, as I mentioned, I'm not a graduated chef like them. They earn a higher salary, and I don't complain because I need this job with a stable income. However, the salary isn't enough to support my two sisters studying in Seoul. My parents wanted us to study there, but they're gone now. I stopped studying but continued to fulfill my parents' wishes, even though I'm not with them.

That's why I need to stay here. Finding a job in the city without a culinary degree is challenging. The hardest part is not being able to secure a proper job that can cover our monthly expenses. I stopped my education after the second year of college because my sister Rosé started her first year at the same university in Daegu. We all have a one-year age gap, with me being the eldest, Rosé in the middle, and the youngest being Ryujin. Both my sisters are already in college, with Rosé in her third year studying law, which requires significant tuition.

I snapped back to reality as the bus I was riding stopped at my destination. I hurriedly exited the bus because I was close to being late. I ran across the street to the restaurant. This is a public place, after all. I reached my locker, changed my clothes, and entered the kitchen, where I was greeted by my boss and Solar, who was already smirking at me.

"You're nearly late, Manoban," my boss sternly said, making me nervous.

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Feng," I replied, bowing apologetically.

"That's very unprofessional, Mr. Feng," Solar chimed in, rolling her eyes at me.

"Remember, she's not a graduate, Solar. What more can you expect? Working here without a degree is already unprofessional," Mr. Feng said. His words stung, and I couldn't help but be affected.

It hurt that they looked down on me, openly discussing my lack of professionalism. Mr. Feng, like Solar, treated me poorly from the moment I started working here. His wife, on the other hand, was kind and supportive of me and Moonbyul. However, her husband was the opposite, always making fun of me and trying to get me fired.

"Go start cooking over there!" Mr. Feng shouted, causing me to flinch.

I held back my emotions, determined not to break down in front of them. If I did, they'd mock me even more, and I didn't want to be seen as weak or a crybaby.

I heard Mr. Feng leave the kitchen, and I sat on a stool, waiting for the waitstaff to bring in the dishes we would prepare. It didn't take long for one of the waitresses I was close to, Hwasa, to enter.

"Lisa! Mrs. Johnson wants you to cook her favorite dish," Hwasa happily said.

Mrs. Johnson, a foreign woman married to a Korean man in Daegu, was a frequent customer. She often requested me to prepare her favorite dish. She praised my cooking, although not everyone shared her opinion, and some customers criticized my skills.

"Okay," I replied with a smile. I grabbed a pan and started cooking the Tteokbokki with cheese and sour sauce, my unique version of the dish. Solar sometimes attempted to steal my recipe but failed.

"I don't understand why Mrs. Johnson loves your Tteokbokki when, in my opinion, it's the worst-tasting dish in the world," Solar remarked with a look of disgust.

Once again, her comment made me feel small, but Hwasa tapped my shoulder, smiling, and mouthed, "You're a good cook."

I appreciated that some people still believed in my abilities. I added mozzarella cheese, lowered the heat, and let it melt. After three minutes, I turned off the stove, transferred the dish to a plate, and added a simple design. When I finished, I handed it to Hwasa, who would serve it to Mrs. Johnson.

ㅡㅡㅡㅡ

Hours passed, and it was already 2:26 in the afternoon, but I could only take my lunch now because the restaurant was busy. Most customers insisted that I prepare their dishes, and I couldn't complain; it was my job. Solar's critical eyes were on me, muttering unkind things once again. She disliked me because, despite her culinary degree, customers still preferred my cooking. I had studied extensively on my own, collecting chef books, but couldn't afford a formal education.

I was in the midst of eating when my phone rang. It was my sister Rosé.

"Hello, Chaeng?"

"Unnie..." she replied, sounding concerned.

"Why did you call? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, Unnie, but the first semester is ending soon, and we haven't paid the tuition fee for this semester. We also need to pay for the upcoming semester," she sadly announced.

I forgot we had a debt to their university because I couldn't afford Rosé's tuition for this semester. I still needed to pay for the upcoming one so she could continue her studies.

"How much is it?"

"It's $5,800 per semester, times two, so it's $11,600," she said. I was speechless at the staggering amount.

"If you let me work part-time, I could help," she suggested.

"No, no! Don't worry; I will send you the money," I assured her.

"Are you sure, Unnie?" she asked.

"Very sure! Now go back to your room," I said before hanging up.

What the hell should I do?! I only keep $600 in my pocket and my salary is just fucking $5000 or 575,337 won in Korean money! I am already in debt to my neighbor, Mrs. Seong, who had been kind to me, and I didn't want to borrow more money from her, I am so ashamed!