Chef's Kiss || Joshua

25

The crisp morning air filled Joshua and Yumi's lungs as they set off on their hike, the trail winding its way through the lush green forest. The sun peeked through the trees above, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor as birds chirped overhead.

"This is so beautiful," Yumi remarked, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she took in the scenery around her.

Joshua grinned, his eyes alight with mischief. "Yeah, it's pretty amazing," he agreed, his tone teasing. "But are you sure you can handle it? It's a pretty tough hike."

Yumi rolled her eyes playfully, swatting him on the arm. "Oh, please," she retorted, a mock scowl on her face. "I can handle anything you throw at me."

Joshua chuckled, his laughter echoing through the trees as they continued along the trail. "We'll see about that," he teased, nudging her gently with his elbow.

As they hiked deeper into the forest, the trail began to slope upwards, the terrain becoming more rugged and challenging with each step. Yumi's breath came in short gasps as she struggled to keep up with Joshua's brisk pace, her muscles burning with exertion.

"You okay there, Sweets?" Joshua called back over his shoulder, a playful smirk on his lips.

Yumi shot him a glare, her cheeks flushed with exertion. "I'm fine," she huffed, her voice tinged with mock annoyance. "Just trying to keep up with you. How are you not tired?"

"I'm an idol, I have great stamina" he said looking at her " you're adorable"

"Ya! I'm tired" she pouted

Joshua grinned, his eyes dancing with amusement as he slowed his pace to match hers. "Well, I wouldn't want you to overexert yourself," he quipped, his tone teasing.

Yumi rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile at his playful banter. "Thanks for the concern," she replied, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

As they hiked even further, the trail grew steeper and more dangerous, the ground uneven beneath their feet. Yumi's legs trembled with fatigue as she struggled to keep moving.

"Okay, maybe this hike was a little more challenging than I thought," she admitted, her voice laced with exhaustion.

Joshua chuckled sympathetically, reaching out to squeeze her hand reassuringly. "You're doing great, Sweets" he said softly, his eyes warm with affection. "Just take it one step at a time."

Encouraged by his words, Yumi pushed herself to keep going, her determination outweighing her fatigue as she focused on putting one foot in front of the other. And with Joshua by her side, offering words of encouragement and support, she found the strength to press on.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached the summit of the trail, a breathtaking scenery stretching out before them. Yumi's breath caught in her throat as she took in the panoramic view, her eyes wide with wonder.

"It's... it's incredible," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Joshua smiled proudly, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as they stood together, taking in the beauty of the world around them. "I told you it would be worth it," he said softly, his voice filled with love.

"You also tell me that will be a quick shower and never it is" Yumi said turning to him

"I get distracted" Joshua place his hands over her waist

Yumi leaned into him, her heart overflowing with gratitude for the man beside her. "Thank you for bringing me here," she whispered, her words a silent affirmation of her love and appreciation for him.

As they paused to catch their breath and take in the breathtaking scenery around them.

"What is your pretty head thinking?"

"You know, when I first started cooking school in LA, I was terrified," she confessed, her voice tinged with amusement. "I used to search for nature to clear my mind"

Joshua chuckled, his eyes crinkling with laughter as he listened to her story. "I can imagine," he replied, his tone filled with empathy. "But knowing you, I'm sure you tackled it head-on and aced it."

Yumi grinned, a sense of pride swelling in her chest at the memory. "Well, it definitely wasn't easy," she admitted. "But with a lot of hard work and determination, I managed to hold my own in the kitchen."

As they continued along the trail, Yumi found herself recounting the story of her first time surfing during her time in LA. She laughed as she recalled the feeling of exhilaration and freedom as she rode the waves for the first time.

"You should have seen me," she said with a grin, her eyes shining with excitement. "I was absolutely terrible at first, I swear I drank half of the ocean"

Joshua laughed, his eyes alight with amusement as he imagined Yumi's antics on the waves. "Wow I got myself a surfer girl. You need to give me some lessons"

"Please.... You would be good on the first try" she rolled her eyes

"No I wouldn't. That would mean no more lessons" he smirked "I would suck all the time"

"Bad student" she teased him

"Just a hot teacher I can't let go"

Yumi smiled, a sense of contentment washing over her as she reflected on her past adventures. "Yeah, but the hot teacher could make you surf" she said softly "And who knows, maybe one day we'll have the chance to surf together."

Joshua's eyes lit up and his smile widened into a grin. "I'd like that," he said warmly, his tone filled with excitement. "But for now, let's just focus on you finishing this course"

And as they continued along the trail, the sun shining down on them and the sounds of the forest surrounding them, Joshua and Yumi found themselves lost in the simple joy of being together.

As Joshua disappeared into the bathroom to take a shower after their hike, Yumi's phone rang, breaking the peaceful silence of the room. With a curious frown, she glanced at the caller ID and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the name of her culinary school teacher from LA flashing on the screen.

"Hello?" Yumi answered, her voice tinged with anticipation.

"Yumi, it's so good to hear from you," came the familiar voice of her teacher, Mrs. Parker on the other end of the line. "I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time."

Yumi smiled, feeling a rush of excitement at the unexpected call. "No, not at all. It's great to hear from you, Mrs. Parker. What's up?"

"Well, I have some exciting news for you," she replied, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "We're starting a new culinary course next month, and I managed to secure a spot for you on the list. It's a really tight list but I'm fighting for you"

Yumi's heart leaped with excitement at the news "Wow, that's amazing! Thank you so much" she exclaimed, her voice filled with joy but then the bittersweet feeling came rushing in.

She knew Sunhee would let her go for a few months to do the course but the thought of leaving Joshua was not good.

"It's the least I could do," Mrs. Parker replied warmly. "You were always one of my most promising students, and I have no doubt that you'll excel in this new course."

Yumi's cheeks flushed with pride at the praise, her heart swelling with gratitude for her teacher's belief in her abilities. "Thank you, Mrs. Lee. I really appreciate this opportunity," she said sincerely.