Chapter 53 Chef June
[Your missions are now being reset:
1. Cook for five people.
2. Rise through ranks (at least 5 ranks).
3. Earn a compliment from mentor Gun.]
June looked at his new set of missions with a frown. The first two were very doable. He can even finish the first one tonight. The second one is also doable if his appearance in the second episode made a big enough impact.
However, the third one sounded impossible.
Mentor Gun would rather eat the sole of his shoe than compliment June.
"The episode's over," Jisung said. "Should we head home, brother?"
"Wait," June said, standing up. He might as well get the first mission over with.
"Stay here," June said. "I'll cook you guys some dinner."
The five boys looked at each other with surprise. "You'll do that for us?"
Well, if it wasn't for the mission, June would have kicked them out already.
"Wait a second," June said. "I'll buy some ingredients."
He went out of the house before the others could refute.
"Brother June is so sweet," Jangmoon exclaimed. "I can't believe I'll be able to taste his cooking!"
"Can he cook, though?" Minx asked. "He's so skinny. I'm afraid he'll only feed us junk food. My mom will get mad."
C-Jay clicked his tongue and slapped the back of Minx's head. "You should be grateful that Brother June is even cooking for us."
Jisung enthusiastically nodded his head. "I can't wait to taste his cooking."
Akira looked at the four guys one by one and concluded something. "Do we all just find June really cute?"
"Yup!" they said in unison.
June went to the Seven-Star convenience store to buy some ingredients for a late dinner. At first, he only thought of buying instant ramen and calling it a day, but Fu never really specified what "cooking" meant in the mission. He tried asking multiple times, but Fu seemed to be sleeping already.
Therefore, in order to take the safe route, he decided to cook some hotpot instead. It was quick to cook, and the only stove he has in his room is a portable one, so it just checks out. Moreover, June was happy that he had grown 2 cm in less than a month, so he was going to take this time to celebrate.
"Are you cooking?" Mr. Chang asked.
"Hmm," June said. "Give me a discount, will ya? It's for those little rascals at home."
Mr. Chang chuckled and placed one of the meat packets inside the bag without ringing it up.
"You speak so harshly, yet I feel like you care for them. Here," he said, handing June the bag. "Have a nice dinner."
June clicked his tongue and nodded goodbye.
He did not care for those annoying kids.
June left the convenience store with a bag full of fresh ingredients. He kept his black mask and hood intact, humming to himself as he walked back.
Holy fuck.
He was humming the signal song performance!
That annoying song was actually stuck in his head now.
June was too busy with his thoughts that he didn't realize he had already bumped into a group of young men, around the same age as this body, all smoking cigarettes.
"Watch where you're going," one of them yelled. He had red hair, so let's call him Red.
Damn. They sure do have a temper.
June bowed his head. "Sorry," he said before quickly turning away from them.
"Wait a minute," the mohawk-boy said, holding onto June's wrist. "Aren't you that idol kid? I'm surprised you're not dead yet," they burst into laughter.
Do these people know him? Or rather, do they know Joon-ho?
"I don't know who you are," June said.
"Hey," the blondie exclaimed. "I'm sure you know us. We shared such a deep bond. You even used to run our errands when you were looking for companies to recruit you."
"Did you ever find one?" Mohawk-boy asked. "I mean, with your shitty looks, skinny figure, and beat-up image, I wouldn't be surprised if you were rejected."
"He was accepted into one company, remember?" Red said, reminiscing the past. "But the recruiter believed everything we said when they conducted a home visit. Poor Joon-ho. I really thought you would have died after that night."
I lifted my head, finally meeting their eyes. Just then, June felt disconnected, as if he didn't belong in his own body.
His head throbbed, and a wave of memories flooded his mind. He saw glimpses of a past filled with torment and pain. The memories were not his own but those of Joon-ho, whose body he now inhabited.
In his memories, these three men cornered the original body, Joon-ho, in a dark alleyway. Joon-ho struggled to defend himself as they ruthlessly beat him, leaving him bruised and bleeding. Then, laughter echoed in his mind as his tormentors taunted him with cruel words.
The next few scenes were unclear, but it's as if Joon-ho was being forced to do something he didn't want to do.
June's hands trembled as he instinctively clutched his chest.
"Aww, do you remember us now? I remember how you cried to us back then," Red said. "Thanks for being our client that night."
June pursed his lips together and clenched his fists. Mohawk-boy was about to pat his shoulder, but June held onto his wrist and bent it, making the ugly guy scream in pain.
"Ahh!" Mohawk-boy screamed.
Red and Blondie looked at him with wide eyes. "What the hell?"
Although this body was still pretty weak, it seemed like Jun Hao's original strength and instincts came through whenever he felt he was in danger.
Red was about to hit June's face when a familiar scream was heard from the end of the ally.
"Holy! Brother June!" C-Jay screamed. The other four ran after him, quickly breaking the fight.
"What the hell do you think you're doing to our big brother?" Jangmoon asked, looking down at the three problematic teens.
"Big brother?" Blondie scoffed. "This cowardly guy's your big brother?"
"June's the most courageous out of all of us," Akira said. "Watch what you're saying, kid."
"Kid?" Red's eyes widened in anger. "Let me show you who the kid is—"
Blondie raised his fist to hit Akira, but then a loud whistle was heard. They glanced at the source of the sound and found a roaming police officer shining a flashlight on them.
"What the hell are you kids doing this late at night?"
Red scoffed. "Whatever. Let's just go."
Mohawk-boy smirked and leaned closer to June. "But don't think this is over yet."
June frowned, taking a step back. This Joon-ho kid went through much more trouble than he had expected.
"Are you alright?" Jisung asked, on the verge of tears.
"I'm fine," I said. "Let's go back and have hotpot."
Minx's eyes brightened in delight. "Hotpot? You know how to cook hotpot, brother?"
"Just wait and see," he said, hoping they wouldn't bring up what just happened.
That seemed to do the trick since the five of them followed June like little, lost dogs.
Once they made it inside, June quickly prepared the items for the hotpot while they watched intently. He whipped up the ingredients for the sauce before chopping the dippable food items.
The aroma of simmering broth filled the air as June stood proudly in front of the hotpot set-up, surrounded by his amazed friends. Steam rose from the pot, carrying the tantalizing scent of various ingredients.
"What's that amazing smell? Did you hire a gourmet chef or something?" Akira asked.
"Yeah, seriously! It smells like heaven," Jisung said, almost drooling.
June chuckled. "Dig in."
They gathered around the table and started eating.
"Big brother," Jangmoon said, touched. "This meat is so tender and flavorful! How can you be talented in this too."
"Of course, I'd know how to cook," June said. "I've been living all alone."
C-Jay pouted. "Is that because your family is living far away?"
No, they're dead.
"Something like that," June answered.
As they continued to eat, the trainees couldn't stop praising June's culinary skills with every mouthful.
It somehow made June feel proud, and it reminded him of the times he used to cook for Mei Ling. That voracious eater also loved his cooking.
"Seriously," Jisung said. "Is there anything you can't do?"
"Dance," June seriously answered.
The whole table turned silent before they burst into laughter.
"You're definitely better than Jangmoon," Akira joked, making June crack a smile.
"You're improving each day, though," Jisung said. "You weren't like this during your audition. How can you learn to dance so fast?"
"I don't know," June said.
"Our brother is very hardworking," C-Jay said, his mouth filled with chewed-up meat. "Don't underestimate him."
[Congratulations! You have succeeded in the mission: Cook for five people. Please pick an aspect to improve.]
Although June had improved a lot in dancing, there's no denying that he still isn't good.
'Dance.'
[Wise choice. Dance +1. Current Grade: C.]
"Ah, right. I almost forgot," C-Jay said. "Who were those thugs just now? They seemed like they knew you."
Joon-ho definitely does.
But it would only bring June harm if he associated himself with such people.
"I don't know them."
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