A Pink Star

One

[January 04 8:49pm]

Yuta sat at the kitchen island, letting the inaudible words from the others in the kitchen, float around in his head. The kitchen was hot. It smelled of bad fish. The chef was being a dick as usual and put Yuta to another shift that he wasn't planning on. He looks up at the kitchen workers frantically trying to prepare testing dishes for Chef to taste before tonight's crowd. Yuta was always confused as to why ALL the cooks where deathly afraid of Chef. But then again, it was VERY difficult to get on Chef's good side...if there even truly is one. Even the Sous Chef was intimidated by Chef sometimes. The aura in the room immediately shifted and every stood still as a board. All except for Yuta. He stood at the end of the sink and crossed his arms, looking at the other workers who where lined up in two perfect rows, hands at their sides. The sound of thick clacking filled the room. The workers held their breath seeing the Chef quickly cut the corner, looking at them all with piercing eyes. Chef stood at the end of the two people line and slowly walked down, not looking any of the workers in the eye. Making a sudden stop, Chef slowly raised his head, looking at his next victim. He reaches behind the worker, grabbing a prepared dish that was recently made.

"What's this?" Chef smiles slightly.
The worker tensed up and forced a smile on her lips. You could see the fear in her eyes almost. Her hands were clammy and you could clearly see her legs shaking. Yuta looks at the worker confused. Why was she shaking like that? What is she so nervous for??

" I said. What. Is. This??" Chef's voice erupted. The worker continued to stay silent. That fearful smile on her face. Yuta fixed his position and walked over to the Chef.

"It's food Chef. Clearly," a random voice echoed in the kitchen.

Chef slowly turned his head looking Yuta dead in his eye. The entire kitchen went flat. It was dead silent.

"Excuse..me?" He chuckles a bit. "Haha, hold on a minute. Who are you again? You must be in the wrong kitchen because I know you were not just talking to me right now."

Yuta looks around the kitchen. "No..no no. I'm sure this is the right kitchen. Chef Kun. I'm I mistaken?"

The workers start whispering to each other in shook.

"Kun? That's his name?"

"He's foreign? Explains his broken sentences."

"How come he knows Chef's name?"

Chef Kun took a deep breath and walked to the refrigerator and took out a plastic container with an abnormal shape to it. The Chef slammed down the container, causing the workers to jump, stopping their whispers.

"Alright then," he looks at Yuta "since you seem to know what real food is, I want you to have a meal prepared for me tomorrow with this....cow tongue." The coarse man opened the container, letting out a revolting smell. The workers took a step back and held their noses from the nostril burning smell. Yuta scrunched up his face.

"Ku- I mean Chef. This....meat...isn't bad is it?"

"OH! So now you're telling me that I'm stupid enough to leave bad food in our fridges? Even if it is bad, who's job is that to make sure its thrown out?" Chef tilts his head at Yuta, expecting a fearful reaction from him.

"Well Chef...isn't it you're job to tell us when new foods are being imported into the kitchen? No one here knew we had....cow tongue."

The superior glared at the older, his ears getting red. He closed the container, all while not taking an eye off the boy, and shoved it into Yuta's hands.

"Get out."

Yuta looked at Chef with pure disgust. It was only his second week working in his kitchen and he has never experienced this much hypocrisy from a single person. Especially him being younger. It was truly sickening. Without hesitation, the older held the container consciously and walked to the back of the kitchen, yanking his apron off and throwing his hat, not caring where it had landed. He stormed out of the kitchens back door, shuffling through his pocket for his keys. He gets in his car and throws the things to the passenger side. He lets out a sigh.

"God..I can't stand him..." He rubs his temples, trying to calm down

.

.

--

[Later that night 9:32pm]

Sicheng sat criss-cross at the end of the couch, waiting for Yuta to arrive like a puppy. He sighs and changes positions, trying to make it not look like he was eagerly waiting ever since he got off work. In the middle of him shifting around like a worm, his elder roommate, Taeil walked past.

"Uh..Sicheng...what are you doing?"

The younger flinched and turned his head back to see Taeil standing in confusion with a bowl of cereal at hand. The elder tilts his head and smirks a bit.

"You're...waiting for Yuta to come home, aren't you?" He walks over to Sicheng and sits next to him, poking him with his elbow.

"Huh? W-what? No! I mean.... Its none of your business. And would you stop poking me? That hurts-"

Sicheng rubs his arm in discomfort. Taeil shrugged and moved himself over a little. Even though he didn't believe a single word the younger was saying, he nodded with a simple "okay then." They both sat and waited. Taeil munching on his cereal and Sicheng impatiently shaking his leg. Finally, the two heard the bell buzz. Sicheng hopped up excitedly and runs to the system to unlock the door. Taeil shook his head.

"That boy has been living here longer than us, how can he still not remember the code to the gate."

The younger waved his hand at Taeil as a way of telling him to hush. The elder chuckled.

"Hey, Cheng. You do realize that waiting by the door makes you seem a bit...eager right?"

"I-...it does huh?" the boy sighs and hops back on the couch quickly just before Yuta opened the door. Unexpectedly, Taeil jumped up, spilling his cereal and ran up to Yuta giving him a giant hug. Yuta sluggishly dropped his things and hugged the older back. Sicheng scoffed and fussed at Taeil.

"God Tae, you're always doing too much...Making a giant ass mess just to beat me to Yuta," He said while picking the bowl and spoon up off the carpet. He didn'y fully realize what he said, as he notice Yuta raising an eyebrow at him.

"Whatdya mean..'beat me to Yuta' huh?" Yuta said. Sicheng nervously laughed the question off and continued cleaning up Taeil's mess. Taeil let go of Yuta, letting him recollect his things off the floor. The restless boy, waddled to the kitchen and tossed the container of disgusting flesh unto the counter. Sicheng followed.

"Holy shit...whats that smell?" Sicheng exclaimed while pinching his nose tight. "You usually smell amazing.."

"What was that last part?"

"Huh?" Sicheng mentally bitch slapped himself.

"Psh whatever. The smell isn't me anyways. Its this" The older holds up the clear container and teasingly waves it in Sichengs face. "Its cows tongue. Ever had any?"

"God Yuta, get that away from me! I never had any, and I NEVER plan on it"

Yuta chuckles and sits the monstrosity back down. He sighs, automatically not expecting any useful help from Sicheng. He sat down at a stoll, spinning around while telling Sicheng the whole deal as to what happend with Chef Kun and the reason why he had that alien like piece of flesh in their kitchen.

"I don't understand why the hell you took that job Yuta...it sounds awful!"

"Ohhhh trust me..it is. But! As much as I hate it, I never forget what the money I get is for."

Hearing the end part made Sichengs stomach drop. HE infact forgot the whole reason why Yuta was trying to earn money. His student loans. It was such a stupid reason to the younger. Why would a person put themselves through this much shit..for another person? It sometimes made Sicheng mad at how much Yuta was willing to do for him. They havent even known each other for long.

"Yuta..you dont HAVE to do this ya'know. Im working too..I can get the money on my own.."

"Yes. Indeed you could. But wheres the fun in that huh?" Yuta said jokingly.

"Fun? You're doing all this for fucking fun? Do you even know how much fucking stress you'll be going through?? God! You're absolutely impossible"

Yuta frowned. "Hey! Hey...I didn't mean it like that...I just, really want to help you"

The younger knew exactly what he meant..he just didn't like it.

"I know Yuta..I know...its just all so...stupid"