Published at 27th of January 2021 02:40:06 PM
Chapter 410: 410
‘The situation has gone the other way . ’
Min-joon tapped the armrest with his fingers at the turn of events . Actually, he expected to some extent that the situation would unfold like this when he withdrew from the venue . But he never thought it would escalate into a national matter because this was only a small incident that happened in the culinary world . The only thing he didn’t expect was that the French people’s pride in their cuisine was close to obsession . They weren’t willing to allow this kind of protest to leave a stain on their cuisine and the culinary world .
Although Min-joon couldn’t speak French, he could easily see their photos or the protesters in front of the venue on the screen when he turned the French channels on TV . In fact, the anti-American protest before the venue was something the French people had to pay a great deal of attention to . If the American chefs went back to their homeland because of the protest, it wasn’t just the Paris International Cooking Contest that would lose its face . It would advertise to the world that France itself had a narrow view of cuisine and a discriminatory perception of foreign chefs . As a result, the crowds who threw tomatoes at Kaya in the protest quickly became a national disgrace . It was ridiculous that their excessive patriotism ruined the country . The protesters were more stupid than patriotic .
“What do you think we should do from now on?” Chloe carefully asked .
Min-joon looked at Chloe . Then he opened his mouth but shut up again . When he turned from the venue, he was more emotional than thoughtful, but it was time for him to rely on thoughtful action . But he couldn’t easily respond to her .
Kaya opened her mouth instead .
“At this point, we can let bygones be bygones . It was some stupid French men who did wrong . Since many Frenchmen apologized to us on behalf of the protesters, I think I can forgive them . ”
“I think so,” Chloe nodded with a bright expression .
“We’ve been having a good time so far . And we’ve met a lot of good people . We often meet weird and bad people during our lives, but we don’t have to be swayed by their words and actions . How about you, Anderson?”
“Either way, it would be better if you decide quickly . I don’t like to waste my time like this,” said Anderson .
“Let me take part, then,” Dobby opened his mouth .
When others looked at him quietly, Dobby touched his earlobes, embarrassed .
“We’ve regained our pride . Although the protesters didn’t apologize, many other French men offered apologies to us . So, I think it’s better to let bygones be bygones, pretending to forgive them? Above all, I personally have a desire for this contest . I don’t think you disagree with me . ”
When Dobby said that, they were speechless . But what was certain was that the more they discussed, the more reasons they found to participate .
Kaya looked back at Min-joon and asked, “Why are you silent?”
“I was calculating about what would be the best for us in the short term and in the long term . ”
“So, have you found the answer?”
When she asked, they looked at his face carefully .
As if he was lost in thought, he was staring at the coffee cup on the coffee table .
And he replied, “We’ve got more to gain by not participating in the contest . ”
“Are you sure? We can gain more by not participating?”
“Well, we can get a lot in terms of our psychological stability . If we don’t participate, none of us have to risk losing . None of us will be eliminated . ”
Normally, he would not have said so, but what he said had a point . His point was that they didn’t have to push ahead with the adventure . In other words, they would be known as not ordinary dropouts who didn’t take the risk, but as unfortunate adventurers who left the venue, frustrated with injustice .
“And the French people will always have a sense of indebtedness to us . In other words, they will always feel like they owe us something . Many French men will mention our names when they discuss their elitism about their own cuisine . But there aren’t many things that we can gain by participating in the contest . Of course, it’s going to be a different story if we win 1st place because we have overcome their prejudice and won the French trophy despite many difficulties, but all of us can’t be the winners . Only one of us will get the trophy or none of us . ”
While Min-joon was explaining about the gains and losses with a calm voice, Dobby felt his spine creeping at the moment because Min-joon, who analyzed this situation, was just like someone he knew . Dobby only thought that Min-joon was merely a romantic chef who relied on talent .
‘Chef June, this guy looks more like you than you think . ’
In fact, it was one of June’s long habits to calculate and weigh her surroundings and circumstances in this way . She didn’t do anything meaningless . She always took the path that could bring her profits, and she walked only that path . If Min-joon had this kind of mindset at that age, he would most likely pursue the same path as June when he became more mature later, Dobby thought .
When Dobby thought that surprisingly, Min-joon might not only have talent as a chef but also as a restaurant owner, Dobby let out a sigh unwittingly, for it meant that Min-joon could become a stronger rival to June than he thought .
‘If this guy became June’s student, he couldn’t be better . ’
Aside from his love for June, Dobby thought it was premature for Min-joon to become Rachel’s successor right now . Of course, he could catch up with Rachel’s cooking skills to some extent because his recipe design skills and his understanding of cooking were as good as any first-rate chefs . In a few years, he might really be on par with June or Dave .
But he hadn’t yet had a long career yet . And that was a pretty bigger problem than he thought . Since he was working at such a big restaurant as Rose Island, not an ordinary neighborhood restaurant, he would need connections with famous people as well as political skills to lead a large kitchen staff of Rose Island . And it was June who could teach him such skills better than anybody else . That was what Dobby thought .
Moreover, it wasn’t just political skills that June could teach him because June was a woman who fitted the word ‘versatility’ more than anyone else .
While Rachel could teach him cooking, June could teach him the world outside the restaurant .
‘What’s the point of me alone thinking about him?’
With a sigh, Dobby looked at Min-joon .
Min-joon was wrapping up the discussion with a calm voice .
“Either way, your choice is worth it . In other words, the choice is between whether you guys can embrace a small victory and whether you can take the risk and aim for a bigger victory . Which one do you prefer?”
Min-joon looked at the other chefs .
After hesitating a bit, Chloe opened her mouth .
“You know what? When other participants in the venue heard Kaya was hit with a tomato and went back, they also went back even before the contest on that day was canceled . ”
“Regardless of whether it’s a small or big victory, I want to pay back their warm considerations . I’m going to participate . ”
“Then, me too,” Anderson immediately said .
Actually, it didn’t matter whether Dobby or Eva would participate in this contest because him being a head chef depended on his participation . Now, what’s left was Kaya and Min-joon .
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Min-joon looked at Kaya . He could vividly remember the moment when she was hit by tomatoes . The torn tomatoes and spilled juice on her face, along with her distorted expression and fear in her trembling eyes .
Now, all the French people were blaming the protesters who think of themselves as patriots . It would be quite painful to the protesters that what France wanted was not them, but the American chefs that the protesters blamed so much . But was that enough for Min-joon and Kaya to feel justified enough to go back to the venue?
He looked at Kaya . There was no expression on her face . She didn’t open her mouth, nor did she look at him .
However, he heard what her tight-lipped mouth said and read her message in her eyes .
It was raining hard enough to soak the ground and tear the umbrella .
In front of the venue were protesters like before . What was different from before was that the protesters cheered for the American chefs instead of urging them to leave . More precisely, they cheered for the development of French gastronomy, but it was clear that the protesters were welcoming them back to the venue anyway .
“Let’s go,” Dobby said, getting out of the car . Dobby and Eva first walked through the protesters, followed by Anderson and Chloe . However, Min-joon only looked at the road leading to the venue without getting out of the car . He just felt frustrated only by looking at it . Those who surrounded that road were different from the previous protesters . The way they shouted and looked at the American chefs were different
“You are still upset about them,” Kaya said in a quiet voice .
Min-joon looked at her . She crossed her legs and adjusted her scarf .
He asked, “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t pretend to deceive me . I know you’re angry . Why are you so angry? What has made you so upset?”
“You know . They threw tomatoes at you . ”
“They are not the protesters who threw tomatoes at me . You know that . And you can’t be so angry because of that tomato . Are you really upset because of me? Or because of yourself?”
When she asked, he just looked out the window without looking at her . It seemed that the protesters were wondering why Min-joon and Kaya didn’t get out of the car . Checking their faces, she seemed to know why he was upset . He didn’t want to accept their apologies .
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In other words, he didn’t want to accept their apologies on behalf of the protesters who threw tomatoes . He felt grateful to these supporters, but he didn’t feel good .
Min-joon hoped the stupid protesters would reflect on their actions . But he knew they would not change . Rather, they would hurl abuses at the protesters right here in front of the venue supporting the American chefs, and blame them . That was what made him upset .
Min-joon muttered, “I want to throw a punch at them . ”
“How? With cooking? I’m sick and tired of solving everything with cooking . ”
“Yeah, I understand since you have experienced this kind of stuff all the time . You know what? The most painful punch we can throw is cooking . ”
Kaya glanced at the venue and the way to the venue, which was between the protesters .
“There’s the way we have to walk . Don’t you think walking the way is our revenge?”
“What if I can’t be satisfied with that?”
“Maybe you are not because you are greedy . But let’s beat them first . We’ve already made a decision . ”
Min-joon eventually unfolded the umbrella and got out of the car . While walking on the road with her, Min-joon looked at the people around them . At that moment, the crowds folded their umbrellas and put them down on the ground then started clapping . It was not an applause meant to cheer for them, but their apologies and gratitude to Kaya and Min-joon .
It was their quiet and graceful revenge .
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