LOVE YOU RIGHT | ONEW - LEE JINKI

01: Fateful Meeting

It was Friday evening, the only day Seo Hwayoung worked as a private chef. She co-owned a restaurant with Kim Jinhwan, who had grown up with her. On a daily basis, Hwayoung managed the restaurant while Jinhwan served as the head chef. Initially, Hwayoung's private chef gigs were supposed to be temporary, but since she had a chef's license, she wanted to put it to use occasionally. The service became so popular it developed a month-long waiting list, proving to be a great additional income stream for their business.

That night, their client was a young businessman named Lim Taesung, an acquaintance of Kim Jinhwan. Jinhwan had met Taesung during his chef apprenticeship in Thailand. Although their families had done business together when they were kids, Jinhwan and Taesung had only known each other by name before reconnecting in Thailand.

Taesung wanted fancy Korean cuisine with a great dessert, both specialties of Hwayoung. They were expecting six guests, including Taesung, which meant preparing 30 servings. Since Taesung requested some specific dishes, Hwayoung decided to get Ilhoon's help as an extra pair of hands. They had spent the whole afternoon preparing, from grocery shopping to setting up the ingredients. Fifteen minutes before service, Hwayoung and Ilhoon were finalizing the dining table setup and ensuring the utensils were ready.

At that moment, Taesung emerged from his room, fully prepared, and checked the tables. "This is great!" he said, impressed. "I'll definitely book your service for our banquet event next month." Taesung had mentioned earlier that he wanted to impress his friends.

"I can definitely secure a date, as soon as you're ready," Hwayoung responded in a chic manner.

Taesung smiled and gave her a thumbs up. He checked his phone and said, "The guests should be arriving any minute now." He then wandered around the tables, engrossed in his phone.

Hwayoung and Ilhoon wrapped up the table setup and got ready for service. The oven dinged just as they returned to the kitchen, signaling that the starters were ready. They could hear the bell ring as guests began arriving. Ilhoon served some light snacks and welcome drinks while Hwayoung prepared the entrée. He returned to the kitchen and told Hwayoung they were ready for the main dish. They swiftly prepared and plated the dishes, placing them on the counter for serving. Everyone received their meal as they were seated, except for one empty chair. Taesung had mentioned that the person was in the bathroom and that they should wait before introducing the meal.

As Hwayoung quickly observed the guests, who were casually introduced by Taesung while they chatted among themselves, a lady at the far end of the table opposite Taesung suddenly shouted, "Oh!"

Everyone stopped and looked at her, concerned something might be wrong. Hwayoung's heart skipped a beat, not because of what the woman might do, but because she saw her boyfriend sitting beside the lady. He hadn't noticed her until a few seconds later and quickly looked away, pretending not to know her. Park Siwan had been ghosting her for the past two weeks. They hadn't fought or argued before he disappeared, and now, here he was, acting nonchalantly.

"Aren't you Seo Hwayoung?" Asked the lady from the seat beside Siwan, she suddenly stood closer to her. All the questions Hwayoung got in her head puffed away about her boyfriend, Park Siwan, out of all places being there.

Hwayoung got a bit nervous as she looked at the lady, "Is she trying to accuse me of dating her boyfriend or husband? Shoot, no! I don't even know if he had one. But knowing his past, he might have one. Dang! But please... not this time. Not when I am working..." She prayed in her head.

The lady squinted her eyes and looked at Hwayoung closely, making her wonder if she had bad eyesight.

"Lee Sora?" Hwayoung asked back, as she got closer Hwayoung could see the similarities of the lady and her highschool friend. Then she looked closer and thought "It is definitely Lee Sora, with many things done... including those boobs."