God of Cooking

Chapter 84: Scandal (2)

Perhaps among those who had left her, Tess Gilly could have been among them. No, looking at the situation, it was almost certain.

But first, confirming it came first. Although there was no guarantee that Kaya would tell the truth……If she were to lie, with would only backfire on her. They could only wait for her to choose a clear option.

Martin moved his feet. He, who sat in front of Jo Minjoon with an exhausted face, smiled. Jo Minjoon looked at him with a somewhat anxious face.

“What happened? You said that it was somewhat related to me.”

“……Well, there’s no need to hide it, so I will just tell you. A scandal regarding Kaya exploded.”

“A scandal?”

“It seems like it is related to her middle school days, but we aren’t certain yet. The important thing is that many people already read it, and we think that it will soon become a big topic.”

“Does Kaya know of this?”

“Not yet, but she will soon because she has to hear being a jerk.”

Jo Minjoon’s eyes became dark. It was something that he vaguely knew. That there was a case bigger than what he had thought in Kaya’s school days because Kaya herself had said it when she became a star chef later on.

Although he didn’t remember the name, he had heard that she was once close with Kaya. However, she was from an upper class, thus it was what separated them.

When they became so distant with each other to the point that they couldn’t even look at each other, Tess earned a scar on her body that she had to carry for life, so kaya could only drop out of school. But it wasn’t a problem for Kaya. Although Kaya was the bad type, Tess wasn’t much different. However, the one who got a scar was Tess. If the situation was the opposite, Kaya would still be attending school.

Did a scandal like this happen? It was something that didn’t happen in Jo Minjoon’s memories. Perhaps he could have influenced it. If there was a difference with Kaya’s original life, the existence of Jo Minjoon was all of it. Originally, she would have faced the broadcast much darker than she was right now, but due to that, she lived every day more cheerfully. That could be what triggered the person who slandered Kaya, the trigger that originally shouldn’t have been pulled. Jo Minjoon opened his mouth.

“………When are you planning to tell her?”

“Right after our interview ends. This kind of problem is better handled the faster it is solved.”

“Whew………Right.”

Thinking about Kaya that suffering from that ill comment for a long while, he didn’t feel good at all. Perhaps they were being considerate of Jo Minjoon’s feelings, but the interview didn’t continue for long. After he forced himself to smile and reply to some formal interview questions, he went out the room and he saw Kaya leaning on the wall. He slightly glanced at her hand, but fortunately he didn’t see her handphone.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m waiting for the interview.”

Kaya replied shortly. He didn’t know why, but he felt that her voice was filled with disdain. Jo Minjoon asked with a dubious voice.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“You were always like way, as if I’m about to get angry. I’m not angry!”

“I think that you are right now.”

Kaya’s eyes twitched.

“You are gentle to the likes of Chloe and you even gave her your handkerchief, but why do you always look at me like a troublemaker? I know that I couldn’t learn and I’m poor. But I’m tactful and have my pride, so stop treating me like a kid.”

He wanted to refute back something at her words like a habit, but he shut his mouth. Thinking about it, it wasn’t unreasonable that she was talking like this. Just like when a parent open their mouths with good will, those words would mostly be heard as a lecture……If he said that it wasn’t the case, she would be pestering him until he got sick of it. He replied with a bitter face.

“I’m sorry.”

“………Don’t apologize. Why are you getting serious again?”

She felt like she had grumbled a lot, and she grumbled with a little embarrassed face. Jo Minjoon just looked at her. He wondered if she would be able to endure at the soon to come situation. Thinking that the future changed because of him, he felt really sorry. He said in a rather low voice.

“When you get in, you will hear something unexpected.”

“Unexpected?”

“It’s not a good thing, but you must endure and don’t crumble. Also, don’t get hurt and I would like it if you can just let it pass.”

“What is it? Why are you making the atmosphere this heavy?”

Kaya looked at him with an uneasy face. Jo Minjoon smiled faintly.

“I believe in you, so don’t be that uneasy. Because at least, one people will still be at your side until the end.”

-

The interview ended. Kaya ignored everyone’s worried faces and went to her room. No one could hold her back because the rage on her face could clearly be seen. No, perhaps, it would be more accurate to call it horror instead of rage.

However, no one could ask her how she was feeling. The problem wasn’t in the door that closed with a banging sound. No one knew what kind of words they needed to say to her.

On the bed, Kaya buried her face on the pillow and yelled. Just like her yell that couldn’t be spread properly, the stuffiness she couldn’t express filled her chest.

Tess Gilly. She thought that there would be no way that the name that made her grind her teeth just by thinking of it would appear again in her life.

“Crazy b*tch. Now, she even became a novelist.”

Kaya looked at the comments in the screen and twitched her nose. Although it was written in a long way, the contents were simple. Kaya was one of the worst problematic kids in school, and although she did become friends with Kaya, only violence returned to her. Kaya laughed as if it was absurd. However, that smile froze hard and her mouth shook like a growling dog.

Kaya Lotus: I’m Kaya Lotus. If you are going to say this kind of dog sheet, why don’t you say it in my face? You still couldn’t fix your mitomania? Sheet-like tongue……

It was at that moment when Kaya was about to reply because of her rage. A call alarm appeared on the screen and she saw a familiar name. It was Gemma Lotus, her sister. Kaya stopped for a moment, and she relaxed the muscles of her face, and put on an awkward smile. It was a smile that could clearly be seen that was made up, but it was fine. Because it wasn’t even a video call. Making a smile was simply a matter of how she was feeling, because if she was feeling like dying, it was obvious that her voice would follow her expression.

“Hello?”

[ Kaya…… You, you fan?(fine) ]

The voice of her younger sister that can’t even control her accent or pronunciation. That weird voice rather calmed her down. Her younger sister, Gemma, suffered from cerebral palsy. Her words, movements, and expression couldn’t be natural. However, Kaya didn’t hate nor judge her unnatural movements even once. If there was someone like that, she didn’t even hesitate to stick to them like a crazy dog, bite them, and pour out curses. She was that kind of sister.

Kaya opened her mouth with a soft voice. If there was someone near her who knew her, they would get surprised by the gentleness and softness of her voice.“What’s there to not be fine about? But what happened? Those jerk bastards didn’t pick a fight with you again, right?”

[ Am fan. Bot, bot, Tuess…… Shi……] (I’m fine. Bu, but, Tess…… She……)

“I also know. Don’t worry. There’s nothing to make a problem of. Does mom know?”

[ Neu…… I din tel er. ] (No…… I didn’t tell her.)

“Good. Don’t tell mom. It’s a promise?”Gemma hesitated for a moment but in the end, replied shortly ‘ung’(yeah). Kaya put on a bitter smile.

“You are having it hard because you don’t have your sister, right? I’m sorry. I will win quickly and return.”

[ Am fan withot Kaya. So don wowy. ] (I’m fine even without Kaya, so don’t worry.)

“Even if you tell me to, can I really do that? Even you are worrying about me right now. I’m fine, so don’t think about anything. Even if you do worry, there’s nothing that would change. Understand?”

Gemma didn’t reply. Kaya let out a sigh.

“It’s adding to the telephone fee. Let’s slowly end it. I will call you later. Okay?”

[ Ung…… Chiel ap. ] (Yeah…… Cheer up.)

“Yeah, I will.”

The call ended. The screen turned black, and she saw what she was typing before. Kaya let out a sigh and erased the comment. She had just told her to not worry, so she couldn’t make this bigger.

It was at that moment that a knocking sound was heard. A careful and soft sound. Even listening at the sound, she could guess the voice that would be heard after that.

“Can I go in?”

It was Jo Minjoon’s voice. Kaya hesitated for a moment and went to the door. She said with a low and rough voice.

“I know that if you come in I will probably vent my anger on you. So don’t.”

“If you are angry you have to vent it. I will receive it.”

Kaya couldn’t say anything at his words. She didn’t want to vent her anger on him. She wouldn’t know if it was another person, but she didn’t want to do it to him because Jo Minjoon treated her better than anyone else. It was the first time that she had felt respected by someone.

So she acted more sensitively on his actions. Would he ignore her or would he see her as a spoiled kid like everyone else? However, Jo Minjoon didn’t think like that even once. It could be heard weirdly if you put it this way, but she felt like Jo Minjoon was looking at someone else when he looked at her. She didn’t hate it. Perhaps, he would be mistaking her, but even mistaking someone in a good way felt good.

So she hated herself that much for acting like a kid. She was different to what she usually said. Don’t ignore me because I couldn’t learn. Don’t ignore me because I’m poor. Even after talking like that, she was the one that did things that made you ignore her. It was to the point that even when she saw herself, she saw a dull fellow with an empty mind, but she was curious as to how Jo Minjoon could evaluate her so highly.

She couldn’t open this door. Because the moment she opened it, she wouldn’t know as to how low she would fall. She couldn’t anymore. She didn’t want to act like a kid in front of him anymore. That’s how she thought.

She was already holding the door knob. She looked at her hands with confused eyes. No, You can’t. Kaya opened her mouth. It was a voice so low it seemed like she was mumbling. So low to the point you wondered if it would be transmitted through the door.

“If you don’t leave, I will get miserable. I’m spoiled. Right. I told you to not ignore me, but actually……”

Kaya closed her mouth. Those words were really weak for her to say. She bit her lips and continued talking with a stifled voice.

“……Perhaps, I’m the one that’s ignoring myself the most. That’s why, help me so I don’t feel more miserable.

Each and every word was heavy. What kind of face would he be making right now? What would he be thinking about? She’s a spoiled girl with many problems? Kaya herself couldn’t know.

“Go. I’m begging you.”

No reply came back. Kaya was just standing in front of the door. How many minutes would have passed? One minute. Five minutes. Perhaps, it would even be 10 or more minutes. Kaya opened the door after hesitating.

But there was no one there. At that moment, she felt a corner of her heart itch. Even after telling him to leave with her own mouth, could she have been expecting something? She felt pitiful.

It was at that moment when Kaya bit her lips and turned back. Something caught her attention. Next to the door, a small plate was placed. It was a sandwich. Kaya looked at that the sandwich absentmindedly for a long while. How much time passed? She slowly bent down and picked up the dish. After laying down on the bed, she slowly took a bite.

“………Idiot.”

She wrote on the comments.

< Scandal (2) > End

Translator: Subak

Proofreader: Saihikawa