Chapter 7
As usual, Sorim was on the bus heading to Le Dosage.
She quietly looked at her bank app.
The money she earned working at the restaurant was not much. The work was hard, but she was paid only minimum wage.
Still, if she saved this amount, she would soon be able to move out of the Yeonhui-dong house.
It was something she had always dreamed of.
Leaving her aunt and uncle—and Minseo—and having a place of her own.
Of course, buying a house was impossible. At best, she could rent a small place somewhere on the outskirts of Seoul.
Even so, just the thought of living independently made her excited.
But to make that dream come true, there was one big obstacle.
Her grandmother.
Sorim’s grandmother had lost her parents at a young age and grown up alone, so she loved and worried about her granddaughter even more.
Because of that, she strongly opposed Sorim living on her own, and she still hadn’t changed her mind.
“…Ha.”
Sorim let out a short sigh while looking out the window.
Maybe if I explain things well, since I’m older now, she’ll allow it. …But the real problem is something else.
She remembered the words her grandmother always said.
“Sorim, everything else is fine. You can do whatever you want.
But cooking is not allowed. Okay?
There’s no reason for you to suffer the same life your mother did.”
Sorim’s mother, Lee Yekyung, had been the head chef at Le Dosage, and her biological father had been the executive chef.
That was why Sorim could never quit the restaurant, even though she did all kinds of small, tiring jobs there.
She wanted to carry on her parents’ wish—to make people happy through good food.
She didn’t want to disappoint her grandmother, who cared for her so much.
But she also didn’t want to give up what she loved.
“This stop is XXX.”
While Sorim was thinking about how to persuade her grandmother, the bus stopped.
Startled, she quickly stood up, tapped her card, and got off.
She entered the kitchen through the restaurant’s back door.
“Why are you here so early? Do you have nothing better to do?”
In the quiet kitchen stood Nam Taeyoung, the head chef, wearing casual clothes.
Sorim immediately looked down at her watch.
“…I came at the usual time.”
She protested softly. Taeyoung scanned her from head to toe with an annoyed look.
“You’re thirty minutes early. Your pay only starts on the dot anyway.”
“…It’s easier if I prepare in advance.
If I peel onions and things like that beforehand, everything goes more smoothly.”
Sorim spoke carefully but clearly. Taeyoung sighed and shook his head.
“You’re really stubborn. You keep hanging on even when I treat you like this.”
“…”
“At this rate, I’ll probably retire before the day you quit.”
Sorim didn’t know what to say and just lowered her eyes.
Then, unexpectedly, Taeyoung spoke again.
“I know you work hard.”
Coming from someone who was always harsh with her, it was hard to believe.
When Sorim stood there, confused, Taeyoung continued.
“You think I’m the only one who picks on you, right?”
“N-no, not at all.”
She quickly waved her hands.
Taeyoung gave a small laugh and nodded at her tense face.
“Come on. I’m the one doing it—of course I remember. No need to lie.”
Sorim said nothing and just fiddled with the hair tie on her wrist.
Taeyoung spoke again, more quietly.
“…The madam gave strict orders. I don’t really have a choice. I’m sorry.”
The “madam” he mentioned was Sorim’s grandmother, Kim Jiran.
She was the founder of Le Dosage, the first traditional French restaurant of its kind in Korea.
Because of that connection, Jiran’s daughter—Sorim’s mother—had started working there and eventually dropped out of college.
When Jiran first found out that Sorim was coming to the restaurant, she had scolded her granddaughter harshly for the first time.
She never wanted her only granddaughter—who had already lost both parents—to follow the same path as her daughter, who had died in a tragic accident.
“…I’m fine.”
Sorim spoke firmly, even though her voice was small.
“I’m not quitting.
No matter what you say, Chef, I’ll keep working here.
Until I learn how to cook—I will never give up.”
“…So stubborn.”
Taeyoung rubbed his forehead and let out a deep sigh.
Then he stepped closer and lightly placed a hand on Sorim’s shoulder.
“You know that? Even a bull would be less stubborn than you.”
“…”
“I’ll keep being hard on you. Until you give up completely.
That’s the order I got from the madam.”
“I know. I understand. So it’s okay.”
At her answer, Taeyoung smiled faintly and patted her small shoulder.
“Kids this stubborn usually last the longest in the kitchen.
I think you will too.”
“…Thank you for saying that.”
Sorim bowed politely, then headed to the locker room.
It was a narrow, empty room that smelled stale. She barely sat on a small chair.
…As expected.
Her grandmother must have warned Taeyoung never to accept her.
Even knowing that, Sorim had pushed her way in and joined as the youngest staff member. That was her stubbornness—and her determination.
After letting out a long sigh, she stood up and changed into a clean uniform.
Then she grabbed the trash she hadn’t thrown out the day before and went out the back door.
“…?”
A large black sedan came into view.
It was parked right in the middle of the staff parking lot, and it was not a common car.
Sorim knew exactly what kinds of cars the staff drove.
None of them owned a luxury sedan like this.
She set the trash bags down and carefully walked toward the car.
The driver’s seat was empty.
She needed to ask the owner to move it, but there was no contact number.
Looking around, she headed toward the restaurant’s front entrance to find the owner.
Sometimes customers parked in the staff lot when there was no space, so she only planned to give a quick notice.
“….”
Then, suddenly, she saw someone’s back.
A very tall man.
He had his hands in the pockets of a dark navy suit and was leaning casually against the closed restaurant door, as if waiting for someone.
…Those broad shoulders and slim waist felt strangely familiar.
Before she could even question that feeling—
“…!”
The man suddenly turned around.
Their eyes met.
…Song Taeha.
Why was he here again…?
“….”
It didn’t take long for Sorim to realize that the illegally parked sedan belonged to him.
She could only blink in silence as Taeha looked at her calmly.
After a moment, he moved first.
As he walked toward her, Sorim couldn’t move at all.
His indifferent gaze felt like a noose. Once caught, there was no escape, no looking away.
“Long time no see.”
And just like that, he spoke as if it were nothing.
