Cost Of Its Worth [SHINHWA]

The Chef

He took a deep sigh and blow out tension out of his lips as he started speaking his introduction.

"Sorry for speaking to you right away like that. I guess I was too excited." He paused briefly and bit his lower lip. He smiled not showing his teeth and spoke while bowing, "Hello! I'm Andy."

Junjin's face twitched as he suppressed his laughter and I saw Dongwan awkwardly covering his mouth with the same reason. When Andy lifted his head, his face is already scarlet and kept looking on the floor. I didn't know that someone with such good face will be as shy as he was.

"Stop being awkward Andy!" Junjin tapped his shoulder and to ease the gravity of my messed up memories, I voluntarily filled my lungs with confidence and talked to him.

"It is nice to meet you again Andy. I'm sorry I can't respond right away. You're right that I haven't eaten anything yet. It's so nice of you to offer dinner." And I tried to smile back at him as natural as possible.

He slowly shifted his head and now looked at me again with a more relaxed expression. I felt better.

Dongwan needed to stay in the hospital so he can't join us for dinner. Junjin escorted me and Andy to a restaurant which is just one block away from the hospital.

Andy was silent as he observes how Junjin handles the atmosphere with such ease. He will smile quietly from time to time when Junjin jokes around.

I hope the sheriff can stay for dinner too but even before we can open the restaurant's door, his phone rang loudly. He excused himself to answer it and when he hanged up, he said he needed to go and check on something at the police station. He said he'll be back right away.

Now, I'm left with Andy.

He opened the door before me and stood on the doorway beside me looking for a vacant seat. I just noticed him wearing knitted lavender pull-over with a white polo-shirt inside, and his outfit was completed by partnering it with denim pants and a minimalist styled sneaker shoes. I became hungrier when I noticed that it was him whom I smell all along. Now that we are standing up close, it's more distinct that he has that scent of melted butter combined with that familiar stir fried meal. I needed to control my saliva from gathering like a pool inside my mouth so I tried to look away from him to shift the flow of that aroma.

The restaurant was well furnished with a shabby-chic concept. The chairs were all with different sizes and designs, only the tables are alike; black round four-legged ones. There were Christmas lights on the ceiling which appeared like a night full of stars and lamps hanging on each table provided as a private light for each customer. The ambience is so nice, its semi bistro concept blended well with the design. I liked it. If this place existed where I live at, I'll be always here at least twice a week. I can already see myself visiting this restaurant, peacefully reading a book and indulging myself with an alone time kind of date.

A waiter approached him and asked "Chef! Over here! I reserved the table that you requested." The waiter said to him while smiling and pointing on a secluded area on the farthest left corner of the room beside a huge window.

Chef?! Did I hear him right? This shy young man standing beside me is a chef? My eyes opened widely as I try to comprehend what he just said and Andy seemed to notice me too.

"Kris, don't look at me like that. You're freaking me out." He said again with his virile modulated voice stepping away a little bit, pronouncing his remarks as a joke and now smiling without the awkwardness.

"You're a chef?!" I said again with disbelief but now he can hear me asking out loud.

"Yes, I am." Still smiling at my reaction he gestured towards our reserved spot. I slowly walked and now I'm sitting with my eyes still fixed on him with a mental breakdown. How can someone, so young with a very charming face become a chef in this situation? I'm not stereotyping chefs but he can be on stage as a performer at his level of appearance. It does not make sense.