Alpha Culinary Love

Jiyeon groaned, following her inside. "If he does that, I swear I'm locking him in the freezer."

As they walked back into the kitchen, Jiyeon felt a little lighter, a little more centered. Maybe Kang and Yura's antics had been just what she needed after all. But she wasn't going to let them know that.

"Alright, back to work," Jiyeon said, her voice back to its commanding tone. "And Kang, if I see anything that even

remotely

looks like 'pizzazz,' you're fired."

Kang grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it, Chef."

The kitchen had returned to its usual whirlwind of controlled chaos by the time Jiyeon, Yura, and Kang re-entered. Pots were clanging, knives were chopping with the rhythmic precision of a well-oiled machine, and the scent of simmering sauces and sizzling meats filled the air. Jiyeon immediately slid back into her role, her eyes sharp as they scanned each station, inspecting the progress her team had made in her brief absence.

"I leave for ten minutes and the kitchen looks like you've all forgotten how to hold a knife," she muttered, striding over to the nearest counter where one of her sous-chefs was furiously chopping herbs.

The poor sous-chef, a young woman who had joined Jiyeon's team only a few months ago, looked like a deer caught in headlights. Her hands fumbled slightly, and the neat pile of chopped parsley became a mess of uneven bits.

"Stop murdering the parsley," Jiyeon snapped, grabbing the knife from her. "It's a garnish, not a crime scene."

"Y-yes, Chef!" The sous-chef stammered, stepping back as Jiyeon deftly took over, her hands moving with the kind of grace that could only come from years of practice. Within seconds, the parsley was a fine, uniform sprinkle of green, ready to be dusted over the dishes with precision.

Yura, standing by the doorway with a smirk on her face, leaned over to Kang. "Ten bucks says she yells at him next."

Kang followed her gaze to one of the other line cooks, who was in the process of over-searing a batch of scallops. "You're on," he whispered back.

Sure enough, Jiyeon's gaze zeroed in on the poor cook's pan like a hawk spotting its prey. "What the hell are you doing?" she barked, storming over. "Those scallops look like you fished them out of a campfire. You think these are marshmallows?"

The cook jumped, nearly dropping the pan in his panic. "I—I was just—"

"

Just

ruining my scallops, that's what you were doing," Jiyeon cut him off, glaring at the offending seafood. "Start again, and this time, I want them

lightly

seared. Not incinerated."

The cook nodded frantically, quickly dumping the blackened scallops into the trash as Jiyeon watched like a hawk, her arms crossed.

Yura leaned back, whispering to Kang again. "You owe me ten bucks."

Kang let out a dramatic sigh, patting his pockets. "Worth it. Watching Jiyeon in full-on Gordon Ramsay mode is better than TV."

"Keep talking, Kang," Jiyeon called over her shoulder, not even looking at him. "I'll find something for you to mess up, and we'll see how

you

handle my wrath."

Kang raised his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just the humble sous-chef here. No need to bring me into the fray."

Jiyeon shot him a withering glare before turning back to her team. "Listen up, everyone! We've got three hours left, and I want this kitchen running like a well-tuned engine. No more mistakes. No more burning things. If anyone so much as

thinks

about adding a gold leaf garnish, I'll personally throw them into the freezer."

The room collectively tensed, everyone suddenly moving with a renewed sense of purpose under Jiyeon's scrutiny. Even Yura, who had been enjoying her little banter with Kang, straightened up slightly. There was something about Jiyeon in full-on Chef Mode that demanded attention and respect—like a tiny hurricane in a chef's jacket.

Kang, ever the brave (or stupid) one, decided to poke the bear once more. "So, about that fog machine idea...?"

Jiyeon didn't even dignify that with a response, her eye twitching slightly before she turned to the fridge, pulling out a tray of prepped lobster for the jeon. "Keep talking, Kang, and I'll use you as a meat tenderizer."

Yura snickered quietly, nudging Kang with her elbow. "Careful. You're about five comments away from becoming tonight's special."

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Kang shrugged, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Hey, if it gets me out of this kitchen for the night, I'll take it."

Jiyeon shot him another sharp look, her fingers deftly slicing into the lobster with the kind of precision that made it clear she could, in fact, use Kang as a meat tenderizer if she really wanted to. "You wouldn't last two seconds on a plate, Kang. Now shut up and help me finish this."

Kang grumbled under his breath but grabbed a knife and started working beside her, trying his best to match her speed. Yura, content to watch the chaos unfold, leaned back against the counter again, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

"So, what's the plan once the food is all done?" Yura asked, watching Jiyeon's quick, methodical movements. "You going to crash and let Kang take the credit, or are you sticking around to make sure nothing 'pizzazz-y' happens?"

Jiyeon huffed, not looking up from her work. "I'll stick around until the last plate goes out, and then maybe I'll collapse. But I'm

not

leaving this kitchen in Kang's hands unsupervised."

Kang pouted dramatically. "Hey, I'm right here. You're making me sound like an incompetent idiot."

"If the shoe fits..." Jiyeon muttered, raising an eyebrow as she finished prepping the lobster.

Yura let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "I think you underestimate your sous-chef. He's not completely useless."

Kang nodded enthusiastically, pointing at Yura. "See? Yura gets it. I'm, like,

mostly

competent."

Jiyeon didn't even respond to that. She just gave him a long, slow look that said everything she needed to. Kang, despite his bravado, had the decency to shrink a little under her gaze.

After what felt like an eternity of back-and-forth bickering and rapid kitchen movements, the clock ticked down closer to showtime. The hustle and bustle in the kitchen reached a fever pitch, everyone moving in near-perfect synchrony. Even Kang, for all his jokes and antics, had settled into the rhythm, working quickly alongside Jiyeon without missing a beat.

Yura, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but feel a swell of pride for Jiyeon. Sure, Jiyeon could be a tyrant in the kitchen—sharp-tongued, demanding, and sometimes downright terrifying—but she was also brilliant. The way she orchestrated the chaos around her, turning it into something beautiful, was nothing short of magic.

Finally, as the last dish was prepped and the first wave of plates was ready to go out, Jiyeon stepped back from the counter, wiping her hands on her apron. "Alright," she said, her voice sharp but satisfied. "That's it. We're ready."

The kitchen collectively let out a small sigh of relief, but no one dared to slow down yet. There were still plates to be served, and everyone knew better than to relax before Jiyeon gave the all-clear.

Jiyeon, however, finally let herself breathe for the first time in hours. She leaned against the counter, looking over the plates with a critical eye before finally nodding in approval. "Good job, everyone. Now, just get the plates out without tripping, and we'll call it a win."

Kang wiped the sweat from his brow, grinning. "See? Told you we'd get through this without setting anything on fire."

Jiyeon raised an eyebrow. "The night's not over yet."

Kang chuckled, but before he could make another comment, Yura stepped forward, slipping her arm around Jiyeon's waist. "You did it," she said softly, her voice filled with admiration. "Now can we finally get you to sit down for five minutes?"

Jiyeon hesitated, her eyes darting to the plates being carried out by the waitstaff. "I should—"

"You should sit," Yura cut her off, her tone firm but playful. "Before you fall over. Besides, the team's got this under control."

Kang nodded vigorously. "Yeah, Chef. You've been running around like a maniac all day. Take a break. I'll make sure nothing 'pizzazz-y' happens, I swear."

Jiyeon rolled her eyes but allowed Yura to guide her toward a small table at the edge of the kitchen, where a steaming cup of tea had mysteriously appeared. "I'm holding you to that," she said, giving Kang a pointed look before sitting down.

As soon as Jiyeon sat, the weight of the day seemed to hit her all at once. Her shoulders slumped slightly, and she let out a long breath, the tension finally leaving her body. Yura sat down beside her, a soft smile playing on her lips.

"See?" Yura said, gently nudging her. "The world didn't end because you took five minutes to sit down."

Jiyeon sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. "It might still end if Kang decides to get creative."

From across the kitchen, Kang shouted, "I

heard

that!"

Yura chuckled, reaching out to brush a strand of hair away from Jiyeon's face. "Relax. You've done enough for today. Let them handle the rest."

Jiyeon opened her eyes, glancing at Yura with a soft smile. "Only because you asked nicely."

Kang popped his head around the corner, grinning. "And because I'm an amazing sous-chef, obviously."

Jiyeon groaned, rubbing her temples. "You're lucky I'm too tired to argue with you right now."