HEAT • Chanrosé

one

"Everyone the princess has arrived!"

Park Chaeyoung rolled her eyes dramatically, she was only a couple minutes late. Maybe 15... or 30. Her and her best friend had just a tad too much to drink the night before and yes, she slept in till almost 3 pm but that was the beauty of the restaurant business. Especially a top restaurant like Exodeux.

Exodeux was the go-to spot for dinner in Seoul at the moment. It's fusion of its multicultural aesthetic and cooking styles made it a hit. Every night was booked with reservations, room for walk-ins was rare. It was on the smaller side of capacity but that's what made it one of the most sought out places to eat. It was modern but with a home-cooked meal and cozy feel. It was unique.

When Chaeyoung had gotten the job as a prep chef at Exodeux, she thought they were joking. She was just a young waitress that had a passion for cooking that never left her small apartment kitchen, in no way was she even close to qualified to work at a place like Exodeux. Chaeyoung was the bottom of the totem pole.

But the head chef, Kim Junmyeon, said he saw something within her, a fire and passion for food that was rare. She would hold onto his words forever, enough to push her to pursue her dream.

However, Chaeyoung had a long ways to go.

Starting at Exodeux was fucking nerve racking. First reason, she only had at home experience and this was a whole different level. Second reason, she was a woman. The chef business was predominantly ran by men, and of course she was the only woman in the kitchen working at Exodeux. Though, she wasn't going to let that stop her. All she had to do what remember the girl power words of Beyoncé, Women ran the world.

The other 3 line chefs she would be working in close quarters with were  three men, all around the same age as her. When she met them, they all eyes each other and then her. But she kept her gaze light with determination. Boys didn't scare her.

Their names were Jungkook, Junhoe, and Sehun.

They each had their own, completely different personalities but she clicked with all of them instantly after getting past their initial meeting. Suddenly, she gained three brothers that she had always wished she had.

Jungkook was your stereotypical boy next door. He was sweet, always a gentleman. Like a little puppy, she thought. He was the first one to introduce himself when Chaeyoung started and soon they found out their shared interests. Finally, she felt like she had someone to talk to about the upcoming release of a long awaited video game, and someone to rage over Fortnite with. He was just as excited to have someone to play late at night after work with.

Then there was Junhoe, your stereotypical punk. Completely opposite Jungkook, Junhoe was vulgar and loud. He loved making things more difficult than needed but Chaeyoung learned that he also had one of the softest souls. Junhoe was caring, even if he didn't like to admit it. She could always count on him for repairs in her apartment, or brutal honesty about her new hair color. It was a plus that he didn't censor himself around her just because she was a female. Junhoe treated her just like all the others.

Last but not least, there was Sehun. It took Chaeyoung longer to get him to warm up to her. At first, he seemed very put off all the time and it didn't help that he barely talked to her. But then, one night her best friend Lisa came in to drop something off for Chaeyoung. Sehun instantly became smitten for Lisa, hence blooming his and Chaeyoung friendship. She found out he just was super laid back, didn't have much to say but when he did, it was hilarious. Sehun had been the only person to ever make her cry from laughing so hard. He became one of her closest friends, like a brother.

They were her best friends, besides Lisa. Being around the three boys had brought her out of her shell and into who Park Chaeyoung actually was, who she always felt she was in such a judgmental world for woman. Before, she held her tongue a lot of the time but now she felt like one of the boys. She was loud and feisty, never embarrassed to be wild or too much and always spoke her mind. Spending all of her time with only boys really changed her perspective on a lot of things in life.