Once Again

32

Author's Note: I dedicate this chapter to kjimi001, KitWiley, Newtoyoutome, and rich_amore for consistently leaving comments in this book. Thank you for motivating me. I appreciate it.

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Jungkook walked into the kitchen and read from his list of orders to the three chefs behind the counter. Each chef manned his own station, each carrying out different cooking processes, as two young men carried trays of steaming bowls out to the main dining area.

Jungkook doesn't know how he got roped into becoming a waiter at Jin's restaurant. He had followed the other man into the city early this morning, fully expecting to sit behind a counter and watch as Jin gave orders to his staff. But it didn't turn out that way.

First of all, when he, Jin, and a sleeping Minjoon arrived at the quaint unassuming ramen restaurant, they had been greeted by Jin's Head and Sous Chefs, Haein and Hoseok, who were already hard at work preparing the broths, noodles and main ingredients for the restaurant's main dishes.

"Jungkook, these two brats are Haein and Hoseok. They run the kitchen, and pretty much everything else in the restaurant."

"Jungkook?" Hoseok repeated. "Did you say your name is Jungkook?"

"Yes," Jungkook replied warily, wondering if he knew these two men.

Hoseok looked at Haein, and they both shared impish grins before bursting into laughter.

"We're the Jung Cooks!" Hoseok yelled before Haein hushed him, pointing at Minjoon who was sleeping in Jungkook's arms.

"I'm Jung Hoseok."

"And I'm Jung Haein."

"Together we cook, so we're the Jung Cooks," both men sang.

Jungkook had chuckled as Jin took his son out of his arms, and shook his head at the two chefs' shenanigans. He then disappeared into the small office just off to the side of the kitchen.

As Jin tucked Minjoon under the blanket on the fold-out futon in the office, Haein and Hoseok had immediately commandeered Jungkook and made him memorise the restaurant's menu.

The two chefs were cousins, and had originally come from Gwangju. When Hoseok lost his parents in high school, Haein took guardianship after coming back from military service, and moved them both to Japan where he had gotten a job in a noodle factory. Hoseok had gotten a part-time job in a ramen shop to help with expenses, and there he fell in love with cooking.

Through some interesting turn of events, the cousins had ended up in Jin's restaurant one evening and stayed past closing time, discussing the many varieties of ramen and the best way to prepare them. Their conversation had been intense and impassioned at times but it convinced Jin that the two men would make a most welcome addition to his restaurant.

Jungkook looked up after he finished reciting the last order, and his eyes immediately went to Jin. The latter was busy chopping up more menma. A big bowl of chopped negi sat neatly at the side waiting for Hoseok to take to his station.

It had surprised Jungkook to see Jin taking on the duties of chopping up the ingredients and toppings that would go on the ramen because he was the restaurant's Executive Chef, but Haein had explained that of the three of them, Jin had the superior knife skills. Just like my Jinnie, Jungkook thought.

"Jungkook-san, why are you still standing there? Go make sure no diners are still waiting to give their orders," Jin said.

"Yes, Chef!" Jungkook grinned as he left the kitchen with a spring in his step and a lightness in his heart.

It was like being with his Jinnie again, back in that small apartment in America, jumping quickly to carry out his beloved's instructions as they prepared dinner together. It was the best feeling in the world.