Wrong Luggage, Perfect Curves

The atmosphere in the culinary hall was electric, filled with a hum of excitement and nervous energy. Contestants moved around their workstations, chopping, stirring, and plating their dishes under the watchful eyes of the judges. Claire stood at her station, her concentration unshakable despite the chaos around her. She had carefully selected a recipe, a traditional French dish requiring precision and patience—something that would showcase her culinary skills. But today, there was one thing making her nerves even worse: Min-jae. She knew he was somewhere in the hall, watching her. His unexpected appearance earlier that day had shaken her more than she wanted to admit.

As she adjusted her apron and prepared her ingredients, her mind drifted back to the moment she first saw him in the candidate room. She hadn't expected him to be here—certainly not as a contestant. His presence now, in the hall, seemed like a distraction, something that could only bring her more stress. Stay focused, she reminded herself. This is about the food, not about him.

Min-jae, on the other hand, was completely out of his element. He stood awkwardly in front of his workstation, fumbling with the tools and equipment in front of him. He had no idea what he was doing. He had never cooked a day in his life, but his pride and determination to find Claire had brought him to this point. If nothing else, his clumsiness was almost predictable.

A buzzer sounded, signaling the start of the competition. The judges moved from table to table, casting glances at each contestant's progress. Min-jae, clumsy and confused with his ingredients, immediately drew attention.

"Min-jae, doesn't seem like you're quite ready for this, does it?" one of the judges asked, raising an eyebrow at his attempt to arrange his dish.

"Uh... I didn't know it would be this complicated," Min-jae muttered, aware that this was not his world. After ten minutes, he was disqualified. The judges nodded sympathetically, but it was clear that his culinary skills were nowhere near what was required for this competition.

For Min-jae, the disqualification wasn't as bad as he'd thought. In fact, he felt relieved. Now, he could observe Claire from the sidelines, his heart racing as he watched her. He found a quiet spot at the back of the room, where he could watch everything happening. As she worked, he couldn't help but notice how graceful and skilled she was in everything she did. It was clear that she was fully devoted to her dish, a perfect display of professionalism.

Claire, however, didn't have much relief. Not only was she under a lot of stress, but she was also worried about Min-jae's appearance on the show. Though she tried to stay focused on her dish, she knew that every moment mattered and needed to be perfect. But as each hour passed, doubts crept in, though she didn't allow herself to show any nervousness.

In the end, as always, she finished her specialty with flawless precision. The judges moved around, evaluating the dishes, and Claire remained focused on her task.

For her, the moment came and passed, but she emerged in the top ten with an award. She received recognition for her exceptional culinary skills, which gave her a boost.

As she exited the hall after the show and changing out of her apron, she was met by a familiar figure—Min-jae. He stood to the side, waiting for her, with a beaming smile on his face, as if he was sure he would finally meet her. Claire couldn't help but wonder what he actually wanted. And then, of course, the moment came that she'd expected.

But instead of seeing her again in the same attire as when she cooked, Min-jae was left stunned. Claire stood before him in a floral dress, cut to accentuate her curves, with a neckline that could not go unnoticed. The dress was so short it barely covered her lower half, while her legs were clad in sneakers. Min-jae stood, stunned, speechless, almost paralyzed by her appearance.

"She's incredible, and this is going to be mine soon," he thought, completely taken aback by his own thoughts. It was well-known that Koreans were conservative about such matters, or at least they didn't speak about them openly. But still, thinking that what he saw in front of him, he would soon have to try.

Claire looked at him with a slight, somewhat sarcastic smile but didn't say anything. She just watched him, waiting for him to say something.