God of Cooking

It was cold even in California early in the morning in December.

Anderson looked at the window in the garden for a moment before entering the house.

The lights were off in Kaya and Min-joon’s room. If they were sleeping, would he have to walk with stealthy steps not to wake them or just walk in freely because they were already in deep sleep anyway? He entered the house even before he stopped agonizing over it uselessly.

He was tired all day long. He wondered if he could feel much more relaxed if he took a lunch break, but he didn’t when he had it today. Of course, he didn’t do anything during the lunch break.

“Oh, these guys are unusually quiet even on Christmas Eve. They are not even playing…”

At that moment, he stopped murmuring because he saw something strange in the dim light of the lamp. He wondered if he saw something wrong because he was sleepy, but he didn’t. It was a Christmas sock that was hanging on the doorknob of Min-joon and Kaya’s room. While looking at the sock for some time, he smiled awkwardly.

“You guys are dating in a standard way.”

But both of them inside the room didn’t reply.

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Kaya and Min-joon had never hated getting up at daybreak as much as today. It was their first time waking up in the morning so comfortably. Their beds were attached together to look like a queen-size bed, and his blue blanket and Kaya’s pink blanket were also mixed up as if they were from the beginning.

He was about to count on his fingers when she had them in her mouth.

She murmured, “Ang aeaohhh”

“Got it. Just let go of this. After one night on the same bed, my girlfriend turned into a dog.”

She frowned as she had his fingers out of her mouth.

“Are you teasing me now?”

“If you look at this, you might think like that.”

He raised his fingers wet with her saliva.

She replied with a confident voice, “Well, my tongue is in trouble right. It tastes too salty.”

“It’s natural that a chef’s body is salty. Oh, I was going to stay here a little longer, but I think I have to get out and wash because of you. Do you want to wash first?”

“No, thanks. You go first. I’ll get some clothes on first,” she said, pulling over the blanket.

Her eyes were shining brightly as if she already woke up.

While looking into her eyes quietly, he suddenly put her saliva on his finger on her face.

She screamed, “Hey! Are you crazy?”

“It’s your saliva.”

“I’m going to clean it with your blanket!”

“Yeah, it’s time to wash it anyway.”

“How dare you?!”

Leaving her behind, who was complaining from behind, he headed to the shower room.

When he was done with the shower, she was standing right in front of the bathroom door, looking at him with a vengeful expression.

“See you later!” She said.

“I can see you now.”

“Hey, not me. I’ll see you after washing. I’ll let you pay for it.”

She went into the shower room, threatening him like that.

Watching the closed shower door, he shrugged and went out into the living room.

Sitting on the couch, Anderson was reading a newspaper, drinking coffee with his legs crossed. When he saw Min-joon coming out, he picked up the strawberry on the plate and put it in his mouth.

Min-joon asked as if he was puzzled by his graceful behavior, “What the heck are you doing now? Have you decided to act like an English gentleman?”

“There is no interesting news in the newspaper.”

“What kind of news do you want to read?”

“Well, something like shocking news. For example, what’s the truth about Min-joon and Kaya’s red Christmas socks hanging on the doorknob? Don’t you think this kind of title can draw a lot of interest as gossip? Since I’m stressed a lot nowadays, I think this kind of gossip must be really interesting.”

“Man, stop teasing me.”

Blushing a bit, Min-joon took the socks from the doorknob. Although he hung them there on purpose, he felt embarrassed when Anderson noticed it. At that moment, Min-joon felt something was inside the socks. He put his hand in the socks and looked at Anderson.

“Did you put something in the socks?”

“If not me, who else in this house would?”

With a suspicious look, Min-joon slowly pulled out his hand. It was a small box. Chinese characters were written on the surface of the box.

He asked, looking at Anderson, “What is this?”

“It’s a medicine my parents gave me. He said it’s made in China. It’s good for a man.”

“Are you giving a white elephant to me?”

“Why? Don’t you need it?”

“No. Very good. Thank you.”

Min-joon put the medicine in his pocket with a smile.

Anderson asked, chuckling, “Hey, did you enjoy the Christmas Eve night?”

“Yes, very much.”

“Good. Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas!”

After exchanging unexpected Christmas greetings, Min-joon quietly looked down on his finger and burst into laughter.

Clicking his tongue, Anderson looked at him and said, “Are you happy?”

“No. That’s not what I mean. Don’t you think our conversation like this is funny?”

At that moment, someone cut in with a husky voice, “Hey, guys, you cursed at me while I was taking a shower, right?”

It was Kaya. She glared at them, tying her wet hair with a towel.

Startled, Anderson said, “What the heck are you talking about? Don’t overreact! Why are you so timid?”

“I’m not timid. I’m clean. Likewise, you’re not too bold, but just dirty.”

“Min-joon, am I dirty?”

“Yeah, Sometimes.”

Min-joon avoided her gaze, raising the finger that she bit a little while ago.

She looked at Min-joon in embarrassment.

“You think my saliva is dirty?”

“It’s not dirty, but I can’t wash my hands with your saliva.”

“Then why are you kissing me? Are you tolerating my dirt?”

Min-joon was about to reply when Anderson said in a cynical voice, “Hey, stop it and prepare breakfast. You said you would be in charge of breakfast.”

“It’s my job to prepare breakfast for Min-joon, not you!”

“Yeah, that’s what I mean. Don’t ruin my Christmas morning.”

“You’re so mean! Hope you can snort while drinking coffee, you idiot.”

While cursing at him, she headed to the kitchen. He felt she was so cute even when she was upset. Watching her disappear into the kitchen, he said to Anderson with a smile, “You weren’t here early in the morning. Where have you been?”

“Yes, I was somewhere.”

“You don’t want me to ask more, right? Got it, man. I’m not going to ask you anymore. Let me go to the kitchen.”

Min-joon got up from his seat. He walked a few steps and then looked back.

“Is it a man or a woman you met?”

Anderson turned over the newspaper instead of answering, suggesting he would not reply.

Min-joon just headed to the kitchen. He stood behind Kaya and hugged her quietly.

Startled, she trembled then looked back and said in a tense voice, “Hey, you surprised me!

Why are you here?”

“It’s me who is more surprised, Kaya. Did you do anything wrong? Why are you so surprised?”

“What the heck? You don’t have to apologize, so just go back.”

“Are you still angry?”

“I’m not. So, go away. Beat it! If you keep hugging me, I’m going to get madder.”

She narrowed her eyes and glared at him.

He said in a frustrated voice, “Anderson doesn’t want me to be around him. If you don’t, where should I go in this house?”

“Then go to the table and have a seat there. I’ll be back with breakfast.”

“Got it.”

He was bothered by her unusual obsession with making breakfast this morning, but he didn’t care. He just thought she might have been anxious to cook because she couldn’t cook by herself even if she was in the hotel kitchen.

Shortly after he sat at the table, Kaya brought dishes from the kitchen. It was a simple dish—Burritos. It was a dish in which ingredients such as cheese and meat were put in a tortilla with vegetables and wrapped in a square shape.

He asked curiously, “There are three burritos. Did you make one for Anderson?”

“What’s wrong? I usually made it for him sometimes.”

“Oh, I just thought you would not make it because we fought this morning.”

“Do you think your girlfriend is so cold-hearted? Hey, Anderson, come and have breakfast. I’ve prepared one for you, too.”

As soon as she shouted, he folded the newspaper in the living room then came to the table, grumbling a bit, “I ate fruits for breakfast a little while ago.”

“Shut up! Just eat it as I made it with sincerity.”

“It’s pretty strange to hear you telling me you have made it with sincerity.”

Anderson sat down with an incredulous expression.

At that moment, Min-joon, who had burritos in his mouth, reacted strangely.

The slack cheese, the chewy texture of the beef, and the crispy garlic and onion texture were also excellent. But…

“Ah, ah! Ah! Dang it, nasty burritos! What the hell did you put in this?!”

Min-joon spat out the burritos silently. Tears were already welled in his eyes.

She opened her mouth and said confidently? “I clearly said you would pay for the price of upsetting me”

‘I wish I had seen the system window before trying this.’

He never imagined that his determination to cultivate a gastronomic habit without relying on the system would have gotten him into trouble like this.

He looked at the system window before his eyes silently.

[You sampled burritos with lots of Habanero pepper!]

[Your tongue is paralyzed, so your gastronomy level has temporarily dropped!]