“Congrats! I’m glad you have become the sous chef here!” said Min-joon.

  “I would like to congratulate you, too, for opening a restaurant!” replied Eva.

  Eva also returned Min-joon’s smile. She felt a bit awkward to be congratulated by him because he had become the sous chef ahead of her here first.

  “Don’t be sick.”


  “I’m still healthy.”


  “What I mean is you should not be just physically sick.”


  “You are being poetic today.”


  She just shrugged at his comment.

  It was at that moment when Downey approached her. Actually, he was hanging around her for a while checking her expression.

  He spoke to Min-joon in a slightly stiff voice, “Thank you.”


  “What do you mean?”


  “Because you have taken care of me in many ways.”


  “Have you ever seen an adult getting angry with a child? Oh, come to think of it, that’s not rare. Anyway, I’m not that kind of an adult.”


  Even though Min-joon called him a child, Downey did not get angry. As a matter of fact, he made too many mistakes to get angry with Min-joon.

  Genuine gratitude for Min-joon was reflected in his eyes. At the same time, there was some sort of regret in his eyes, too.

  Giggling at him, Min-joon said, “Don’t pick a fight with the next demi-chef after you!”


  “Of course, I won’t……” Downey replied awkwardly.

  While watching Downey, Min-joon wondered for a moment whether he became more mature. He didn’t know. Should he be more mature? He didn’t know, either. People usually say that growing mature was good, but he was always agonizing about it.

  June always told him that he needed to know how to realistically size up and plan his dream in order to make it come true.

  But the thing was that the moment one knew how to make their dream come true, their dream was no longer a dream but a reality. Ironically, everyone dreamed when they were children, but it was only when they became adults that they could achieve their dreams.

  So when he met June last time, Min-joon didn’t wish her success.

  “Be happy.”


  “Don’t you know such greetings are usually reserved for those who will never see each other?”


  “Well, I just wanted to say that. By the way, are you getting along okay with Chef Dave these days?”


  “Don’t even talk about that bastard! He stresses me out.”


  She gave him the right answer. So he didn’t bother to give her any advice or his own comment. She would certainly not have come a long way with Dave if she had been affected by his advice.

  “Just go easy on him this time.”


  “For what?”


  “Even if Dave is mean to you, just let it slide. I know he is not quick-witted, so just let him off the hook. Please!”


  “Why are you asking me that instead of Dave?”


  “Well, just think he has asked me to do it on his behalf.”


  “Are you serious?”


  “I do not know,” said Min-joon, smiling meaningfully.

  She looked at him suspiciously. She then sighed as if it didn’t matter.

  “If you have any difficulties, just tell me. I will help you.”


  “Well, all things are difficult for me.”


  “Then let me help you with all that.”


  “Wow, how kind of you!”


  “As the head of Rose Island for only four years, I have no enemy.”


  “And I’m the only one who can write that cheat code, right?”


  “Are you going to harass me on charges of bribery then?”


  He burst into laughter at her innocent question.

  Watching him giggling for a while, she said quietly, “I was a little surprised that you chose the downtown branch instead of the Venice branch.”


  No wonder she was surprised by his decision because he didn’t consult with her about this.

  He knew too well how she would react. She would definitely tell him it was just stupid if he did so. Even if he didn’t use the name of Rose Island as the sign of the Venice branch, running the Venice branch had a special meaning. In other words, the Venice branch was the surrogate restaurant of the original Rose Island headed by Rachel and Daniel.

  As a result, it was certain that he, as the head chef of the Venice branch, would draw as much attention as her, who was the head of Rose Island.

  Of course, the actual main restaurant of Rose Island was the downtown branch that Rachel ran. Rachel Rose was a legendary chef, so those who visited Rose Island wanted to enjoy the food and at the same time they wanted to experience a bit of Rachel Rose in their food.

  Nonetheless, the Venice branch had been active as the main store for a very long time. If Min-joon took over it, his position in Rose Island would be stronger than it was now.

  But Min-joon was not attracted to it. At the moment when he should be the most selfish, he cared for Rachel more. At least that was what June felt.

  But Min-joon didn’t necessarily think so. In fact, he didn’t make the decision just for Rachel.

  The main reason for his decision was because he was greedy for himself.

  He could really learn so many things at Rose Island, such as fame, money, and his support.

  He could jump over many hurdles in an instant without the trouble of building up those things one by one. And there was only one price that he had to pay for that, namely, succeeding Rachel.

  He would be accompanied by the stigma that he succeeded Rachel. Of course, people wouldn’t give him a title like Rachel Rose Jr., and he would never be credited with building Rose Island all his life.

  Just like King Sejong of the Yi Dynasty of old Korea, it would be good to rule the inherited country, but Min-joon was not interested in such a life.

  Rather, he wanted to become King Taejo, the founder of Chosun.

  He wanted his name to be put before Rose Island. But he could not be content with taking over the 2nd or 3rd position of Rose Island. In the end, even the position that Rachel now held could not be his own. He already saw June feel disappointed and frustrated when she was selected as the new head of Rose Island for only four years.

  ‘Rose Island is not a good place for me in the long run.’


  Depending on how one looked at it, people might not be able to understand his logic.

  But that was the way he looked at it. In short, he could not be satisfied with Rachel’s position.

  It had nothing to do with money or anything like that. Like the great men who shook the country just by being there, he wanted to become a dominant giant in the world of cuisine. He wanted to be someone like the main character in the myth. Was this an adult’s dream or a child’s dream?

  “Well, it’s because I want to be independent a lot.”


  “I guess so. Come to think of it, have you decided on the name of that branch?”


  “Yes.”


  “What is it?”


  When he left New York, he didn’t carry lots of baggage just like when he arrived in New York.

  He already sent all the luggage through the moving company. Besides, since he was living in a hotel, there was not much he could pack up.

  There was only one person who came out to see him off. It was Delia. Other people could not take time out to see him off because they went to work. Of course they could take time out, but he didn’t want them to do so.

  Given the countless incidents while he was staying in New York, there was nothing particular about his departure. So he didn’t want anything like a pompous farewell at the airport. Besides, he was not leaving New York forever.

  He looked around calmly.

  With her arms folded, Delia opened her mouth.

  “I’ll follow you soon to Los Angeles.”


  “I don’t care, but why are you following me there?”


  “Because I’ve got friends there. I want to mingle with them.”


  “Aren’t you thinking of making friends in New York?”


  “No, they are not my type of guys. It’s hard to make friends with them. So I would rather move. That’s easier.”


  As expected, the way she thought about it was different from ordinary people. So he just smiled, thinking that it would take a lot of time to get used to this kind of woman.

  She opened her arms wide, but Kaya immediately opened her eyes wide and clenched her fists.

  “Don’t try to make a move on him!”


  “Ah, why not? Do you think it’s a big deal hugging him when we part like this?”


  “You just said you would follow him, stalker! You can hug him if you don’t!”


  “What a mean bitch!”


  “Don’t you think you’re creepy?”


  As always, Kaya talked back to her every single time. Watching them, he had mixed feelings.

  If Delia really followed him to Los Angeles, she would not part with him at all in some respects.

  He didn’t feel any emotional attachment for leaving New York. Nonetheless, he felt just empty, though, which was quite familiar to him by now.