Alpha Culinary Love

Chapter 202 Omelette

Jiyeon squinted at the eggs lined up in a neat little row on the counter, hands on her hips like she was staring down an enemy. Kang had barely walked into the kitchen, still half-asleep, when he caught sight of the chef's ominous stance.

"Jiyeon, it's seven in the morning," he groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "Please don't tell me we're declaring war on breakfast."

She shot him a look that could've curdled milk. "Kang, today is the day. I'm making Yura an omelette she won't forget."

Kang snorted, finally awake. "Oh, I'm sure she won't. Isn't this the same Yura who thinks a boiled egg is a culinary mystery?"

"That's why I'm here, genius," Jiyeon shot back, throwing a piece of toast at him for good measure. "If I can make her like an omelette, I can probably get her to appreciate any dish."

"Ah, yes," Kang deadpanned, dodging the toast. "Because when I think 'romantic gesture,' I think egg whites and sizzling butter."

"Shut it, or I'll make you eat the first attempt," Jiyeon threatened, grabbing the eggs and cracking them with an efficiency that could only come from a chef who was a little too used to weaponizing breakfast.

Kang grinned, too amused to quit. "I think the 'first attempt' bit already has disaster written all over it."

"Quiet, you!" Jiyeon barked, smacking him on the arm before whisking the eggs like she was beating a vendetta out of them.

Jiyeon whisked the eggs, her face set with grim determination, while Kang tried and failed to stifle his laughter in the corner. She'd done a million things to impress Yura — pulled off full-course dinners, crafted sauces that would make angels weep, and served desserts that Yura wouldn't dare share a crumb of with anyone else. Yet here she was, preparing for battle with nothing more than eggs and a frying pan.

Jiyeon glanced at Kang, catching his smirk, and shot him a look so deadly he immediately pretended to be intensely interested in organizing the spice rack.

"Are you done?" she growled.

"Done laughing? Never." Kang grinned, pulling a canister of paprika off the shelf as though that was a task requiring his complete focus. "But fine, chef, I'll save the commentary until after you've created your magnum opus."

"Good," Jiyeon muttered, though she couldn't help a small smile from creeping onto her face. She might not admit it, but Kang's playful insults helped her shake off the nerves creeping in about cooking something so simple for Yura. High-stakes dishes were second nature to her. But something this… basic? It felt like an Olympic event.

Taking a breath, she went back to the task at hand, mentally talking herself through each step. Butter? Not too much. Eggs? Just enough fluff. Salt? A delicate sprinkle — she wasn't about to let Kang tease her for drowning breakfast in seasoning. Stay tuned to empire

But her mind wandered as she whisked the eggs, thinking about Yura's face the first time she'd presented her with a simple, homemade meal. The guarded look in Yura's eyes had slowly softened with each bite, until she'd finally set down her fork with an almost reluctant smile, and murmured, "You could make anyone fall in love with you through cooking alone."

The memory made Jiyeon pause, nearly spilling the eggs. She shook her head, banishing the distracting thought, and refocused on the stove.

Kang cleared his throat, noticing the sudden shift in her expression. "Earth to Jiyeon. You planning on cooking the eggs today, or are you just going to stare them into submission?"

Rolling her eyes, Jiyeon grabbed a pan, setting it on the stove with a determined flourish. "You want me to get this done, or are you just here to add to the peanut gallery?"

"I'm here to watch you try to make an omelette so good it'll erase Yura's breakfast amnesia," Kang quipped. "Though let's be honest — unless you serve it with a side of boardroom drama, she might just forget it anyway."

Jiyeon aimed her spatula at him. "One more comment, and you're on dish duty."

Kang chuckled but wisely held his tongue, backing off to let Jiyeon focus. The butter started to melt, its rich aroma filling the kitchen, and Jiyeon poured the eggs in, listening to the satisfying sizzle.

"See? Easy," she muttered to herself. She watched the eggs solidify, pushing them around with the spatula to make sure they didn't stick. She added cheese, letting it melt just so, and folded the omelette with a precision usually reserved for plating her most elaborate dishes.

Kang leaned over, inspecting her work with a critical eye. "Alright, that doesn't look half-bad," he admitted. "But the real test is whether Her Majesty actually enjoys it."

Jiyeon bit back a laugh, ignoring Kang as she carefully slid the omelette onto a plate, garnishing it with a tiny sprig of parsley, as if it were a prized entrée. Just as she was about to carry it out, Yura's unmistakable footsteps sounded down the hall, each click of her heels announcing her arrival.

Jiyeon straightened, holding the plate like she was presenting a gift. Which, in a way, she was.

Yura walked in, casting a skeptical glance around the kitchen. "I thought I smelled something… warm. Like food that doesn't require five forks or an entire kitchen brigade."

Jiyeon shot her a playful glare. "Good morning to you too, darling."

Yura raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to woo me with… eggs?"

"Maybe I am," Jiyeon replied, setting the plate on the table with a flourish. "I challenge you to try it."

Yura eyed the omelette with a mix of suspicion and curiosity, glancing over at Kang, who was barely containing his laughter. She rolled her eyes but took a seat, lifting her fork with a theatrically delicate grip.

Jiyeon watched her, nerves creeping in despite herself. It was absurd, really — she'd fed Yura some of the finest meals of her life, but this omelette felt like it carried the weight of a royal banquet.

Yura took a careful bite, her expression unreadable. She chewed slowly, eyes narrowing as she assessed the flavors.

Kang nudged Jiyeon, whispering, "You look like you're watching a bomb about to go off."

Jiyeon ignored him, her focus on Yura as she took another bite… and another. A flicker of something warm appeared in Yura's gaze, and she set her fork down, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

"Alright," Yura said finally, leaning back in her chair. "I suppose it's… edible."

Kang erupted into laughter, clapping Jiyeon on the back. "You hear that, Chef? High praise! We've reached 'edible.'"

Jiyeon smacked him with the dish towel, her face breaking into a relieved grin. "Ignore him, Yura. He's just jealous he'll never know how to make anything edible."

Yura's smile widened, and she tilted her head, watching Jiyeon with a rare softness. "Thank you, Jiyeon. Really. I don't think I've ever had anyone make breakfast for me just… because."

The simple words hit harder than Jiyeon expected, and she reached out, giving Yura's hand a gentle squeeze. "Consider it my way of making sure you eat something other than overpriced coffee for breakfast."

Kang groaned dramatically. "Please, spare me the sappy stuff, I'm going to lose my appetite."

Yura shot him a look that could wither a cactus. "You've been eating our leftovers for years. A little romance in the air won't kill you."

Jiyeon snorted, tossing the dish towel at Kang's head. "Besides, I'm sure he's just bitter because he could never pull off 'sappy.'"

Kang caught the towel, mock-offended. "I'll have you know, I'm very charming when I want to be."

Yura raised an eyebrow. "I'm still waiting to see proof of that."

They all laughed, the easy banter and shared jokes filling the kitchen with a warmth that felt almost magical. For a brief moment, Jiyeon felt like she'd captured a piece of the family dynamic she hadn't realized she'd wanted so badly.

Kang rolled his eyes, plopping down at the table with all the entitlement of someone who had not lifted a finger to cook but expected a seat at the table nonetheless. Jiyeon glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. "Help yourself, why don't you?"

"Don't mind if I do," he shot back, shamelessly digging his fork into what was left of Yura's omelette. "Look at this, a chef feeding the less fortunate."

Yura scoffed. "Kang, you're about as 'less fortunate' as a stray cat that's adopted the nicest house on the block."

He made a show of clutching his chest. "Ouch. The betrayal."

Jiyeon sighed, stifling a laugh as she watched the two banter. Kang's ability to lighten the room was, admittedly, a blessing. And though she'd never say it, Jiyeon was secretly grateful to have someone as irritatingly loyal as him around. As much as he complained and slacked off, he'd been there every late night and early morning, offering terrible jokes and way-too-loud commentary to keep her grounded.

Yura nudged Jiyeon's foot under the table, a faint smile playing on her lips as she watched the scene unfold. "You really are a saint for putting up with him."

Jiyeon shrugged, returning Yura's grin. "It's a full-time job. But somebody's got to make sure he doesn't end up poisoning himself with instant noodles."

Kang pointed his fork at her. "Excuse me, those noodles are a delicacy. I add an egg. You've trained me well."

The three of them burst out laughing, and for once, Jiyeon let herself savor the moment without thinking about the next thing she had to do. In that small kitchen, with her makeshift family around her, everything felt just right.