Chapter 6 : "CHA HARIN"
Taesoo watched Harin like a hawk, his eyes fixed on her as she stood at the left side of the table. He scanned her from head to toe — there was no doubt she was the female lead.
She fit the novel's description perfectly: Cha Harin was a bright, naive girl with chestnut brown hair that matched her warm eyes, and a soft, gentle face that embodied every trait of the typical leading lady. She worked at Vesper Court — this very establishment — having found a job opening and been hired immediately.
In her role as a new assistant chef, she'd dreamed of becoming a successful cook, opening her own restaurant, and crafting a signature dish all her own. But none of that ever came to pass.
Her path shifted the moment she met the male leads. They'd insisted she give up work, wanting only to provide for her and have her live with them. But Cha Harin stood firm; she was determined to be independent. For a time, the men held back their feelings and gave her space — yet soon enough, they returned and began pressuring her once more.
Wrapping their advances in the guise of help, they convinced the naive, overly gentle girl — who was far too soft for the world around her — that they'd changed. She let the male leads court her, eventually choosing one suitor, and the story ended with all of them living together.
When you thought about it carefully, the plot was simple: a girl who played hard to get, letting herself be treated like a prize for five men before picking the one that suited her best.
Taesoo found it absurd. It irritated him that Cha Harin had been so easily swayed — a few kind words and sweet gestures, and she'd let the male leads dictate her choices, then abandon the rest without hesitation. He'd never cared for those who bent so readily to influence; he preferred the thrill of taming the wild and feisty, breaking down their defenses until they chose to submit of their own will. It was far more rewarding that way.
He hadn't paid much attention to Cha Harin in the novel — his focus had always been on the male leads, the grand prize of his game. But just as his thoughts began to wander, Hyunjin's voice pulled him back to the present.
"Sir, these are the chef and cooks who prepared your lunch."
Hyunjin spoke with quiet professionalism, having long since learned to recognize when his boss was lost in thought, plotting his next move. Taesoo listened, then shifted his full attention to the group before him. He offered a warm smile, his eyes softening — he had no intention of scaring Cha Harin on their first meeting.
"Hmmm... May I know the names of these people? I want to know who prepared my meal."
Taesoo spoke as he crossed his arms over his chest, his smile never wavering. Everyone in the room could sense his interest ran deeper than mere curiosity — specifically, he was waiting to see how Cha Harin would introduce herself. Shin Juhyuk stepped forward and began introducing each chef and cook in turn. They took turns stepping forward to speak their names, moving steadily from front to back.
Cha Harin stood in the last row.
It was clear Juhyuk had deliberately placed her there. As Taesoo's gaze settled on her, he wondered if the owner was afraid he'd discover she was the one at the center of those rumors.
Finally, it was Cha Harin's turn. She stepped forward with quiet confidence, walking steadily toward Taesoo's table before coming to a deliberate stop at his left side.
"Good day, Mr. Jang. My name is Cha Harin, and I'm the assistant chef who supported the lead on your beef Wellington today.
I helped prep the tenderloin — we dry-aged it for 48 hours to deepen its rich, beefy umami, then seared the crust to a deep golden-brown to lock in the juices before wrapping it in flaky puff pastry. We built the base with classic Dijon and herb binding, but added a light dusting of smoked paprika and a pinch of black garlic powder to the seasoning blend. It's a subtle, warm layer that doesn't overshadow the dish's core — that buttery, meaty heart you expect from a great Wellington. We also adjusted the resting time by two minutes to ensure the center stayed perfect medium-rare, so the texture would complement the pastry without feeling heavy.
I hope the balance of timeless flavor and these small, intentional tweaks suits your taste, sir."
Taesoo felt a flicker of genuine admiration — Harin's professionalism set her apart completely. The other chefs had only given their names and the broad strokes of their work; none had taken the time to share the careful, thoughtful details of their process.
It was exactly what he'd expected. In the novel, Harin had always worn her passion for cooking on her sleeve, never shying away from sharing what made her dishes special.
His eyes met hers as she watched him with cautious, quiet wariness — and he let a warm, genuine-sounding smile cross his face. He needed to leave the right impression: that he was a good person, one who could offer her the chance to pursue her dreams the way the novel had never let her.
"Ms. Cha, I'd like to try what you prepared first. The way you've spoken about this dish has me genuinely intrigued. I'll be expecting great things."
Taesoo kept his tone measured and professional, matching the earnest passion in her voice. He only needed to let her think his interest was in her cooking — and the reaction was immediate. A bright, unguarded smile spread across her face, lighting up her features.
It was clear this was the first time anyone had truly acknowledged her work. And coming from the chairman himself, the recognition meant more than she could say.
Harin's excitement was impossible to hide. Earlier, she'd been nervous, even thinking the chairman might be intimidating — but now she saw that this same man was the only one in the room who'd actually paid attention to what she'd created.
Work life had its bright spots — co-workers bantered in the kitchen, gathered for group activities, and passed around samples of their latest dishes. During shifts, she split her time between assisting the head chef and filling in as a waitress at the bar.
Even at her junior level, the pay was generous. For Harin, that was the extent of her world — and not even the male leads in her story had ever cared about her love for cooking. They saw none of her dreams, fixated only on claiming her as their own.
"It would be such an honor, Mr. Chairman. I'll serve you the beef wellington now."
With a nod, she moved around the table, setting out the dish with careful precision. When everything was in place, she stepped toward him — but just as she drew close, Hyunjin stepped forward from the same side and caught her foot with his own. In a flash, food scattered across the floor and splattered across Taesoo's clothes.
All her hard work was ruined. Shock widened her eyes before she dropped into deep bows, her voice trembling as she begged for forgiveness. In that instant, she was certain her career here was over.
Taesoo let surprise cross his face, but beneath the surface he remained calm — quiet and watchful as he waited for the expected outburst. It came without delay: Shin Juhyuk surged forward, his voice booming with rage, his face contorted and veins standing out on his neck.
"You useless woman! This was the only simple task you had to handle, and you still botched it! Are you trying to ruin the Chairman's day and dig yourself into serious trouble?!"
As Juhyuk roared, Hyunjin moved to wipe meat sauce from Taesoo's turtleneck — the fine knit was soaked through with Wellington sauce, a complete mess. The stumble had sent her crashing into the table, scattering every bite of food and destroying the plating she'd crafted so carefully.
"I-I'm sorry... I'm really sorry. I made a mistake… Chairman, please forgive my clumsiness. I-I wasn't paying attention…"
She kept bowing as she spoke, then hurried to help the other staff Juhyuk had ordered to clear the mess. Taesoo watched in silence, letting events unfold exactly as planned — biding his time for the perfect moment to step in.
Hyunjin worked in quiet efficiency as he dabbed at the stains. He'd tripped her on direct orders, no questions asked. He'd long known Taesoo was cunning and unyielding, and he understood this was all part of a plan to gain influence over her.
Tension thickened in the room as Taesoo held back, his composed exterior masking quiet amusement at how smoothly everything was playing out.
"You're lucky I'm keeping you on — you owe me big time, Ms. Cha! Can't you do anything right?! I swear to God, you'd better watch your back!"
Juhyuk's tirade dragged on, insulting and shaming her in front of the entire room. Fury burned in his eyes — Harin had just shattered his chance at a promotion.
When his words shifted from criticism to personal attacks, cutting deep enough to leave her visibly shaken, Taesoo finally rose to speak.
"Now, now, Mr. Shin. Settle down and give the poor girl some space to breathe. It was an accident — we all slip up now and then."
As he spoke, he pushed back his chair and straightened his clothes while Hyunjin finished wiping away the last of the stains. Every movement was deliberate, designed to show Harin the mess was of no real consequence.
Juhyuk's eyes flickered to Taesoo, and he bowed deeply, his expression shifting from anger to surprise. The Chairman's unshakable calm was the last thing he'd expected in the wake of such a mess — most executives would have been shouting orders or storming out by now.
"Mr. Jang... Don't worry, I'll see she receives proper discipline for ruining your lunch and wasting your valuable time... W-we'll have the kitchen prepare an entirely fresh batch of dishes immediately. Please give us just a moment to make this right..."
Nervous energy radiated off him — his eyes darted between Taesoo and the spilled food on the floor, his smile stretched tight across his face. He opened his mouth to bark orders at the staff scurrying to clean up, but Taesoo lifted a hand to cut him off before a single word could escape.
"It's fine, Mr. Shin. There's no need for that — I'll simply return another day. Just ensure this kind of incident doesn't happen again. And as for Ms. Cha..." He paused, his gaze finding Harin where she still stood bowed low in the corner. "I hope you'll prepare the exact same beef wellington when I come back — whether it's sometime later this week, or perhaps even tomorrow."
His voice was steady and warm, carrying none of the frustration Juhyuk had been bracing for. Every word was carefully chosen, meant to reach Harin clearly: her place at Vesper Court was secure, no matter what had just happened. With that, Taesoo straightened his jacket and began to move toward the exit, Hyunjin stepping quietly behind him to assist with his coat and belongings.
"I'll take my leave for now. Hyunjin will stay behind just long enough to pass along any additional instructions you'll need."
As Taesoo walked toward the door, every person in the room dropped into a deep bow, their backs straight and heads lowered. Even the kitchen staff paused their work to show respect, none daring to so much as breathe too loudly as their Chairman passed by. Juhyuk remained bowed until Taesoo's footsteps faded past the doorway — only when the man was fully out of sight did shoulders begin to relax and quiet murmurs fill the air.
But Hyunjin had yet to depart. He paused at the threshold, turning back to face Juhyuk with a serious, unwavering expression.
"Let me be clear about the Chairman's plans. He intends to dine here regularly moving forward, and he'll also be making visits to your exclusive member bar. You can expect him to come to Vesper Court often — sometimes with advance notice, sometimes without warning. So keep your teams ready at all times.
And one more thing, Mr. Shin — under no circumstances are you to fire Ms. Cha Harin. From what I've observed, it's likely she's the very reason the Chairman has taken such a keen interest in your establishment in the first place.
That's all for today. I'll contact you directly once we've finalized the details of his next visit. With your permission, I'll take my leave now."
Hyunjin held Juhyuk's gaze for a long moment, letting the weight of his words sink in before turning to go. Juhyuk stood frozen in place, watching the secretary disappear down the hall. For several heartbeats, he said nothing at all, his mind racing to piece together what had just unfolded. On the surface, Taesoo had seemed perfectly calm — even generous. But beneath that composure, Juhyuk couldn't shake the feeling that something far more calculated was at play.
Juhyuk stood rooted in place, stunned into silence. The weight of Hyunjin's words settled deep in his chest as his gaze drifted across the room to Harin — her shoulders slumped, uniform slightly disheveled, every line of her posture speaking to exhaustion that ran both emotional and physical. With the Chairman's clear interest in her now undeniable, he knew pressing her further would serve no purpose. A heavy sigh escaped him, loud enough to pull curious glances from the staff still lingering to tidy up.
Harin's eyes darted to his immediately, her hands twisting anxiously at the hem of her apron as she braced for what would come next.
"Harin — starting tomorrow, you'll move to full-time status. I need you on call 24/7 — we can't afford to be caught off guard if the Chairman decides to make a surprise visit. It's nothing short of lucky that he walked away calm… and that he's still keen to try your work after today's chaos. As for the rest of you — finish clearing this space and get back to your stations at once. I need to step out for a while to collect my thoughts…"
Stress radiated off Juhyuk in waves. Between managing the immediate mess and processing what the Chairman's attention meant for the restaurant's future, there was no room left for anger or misplaced frustration. Without another glance at the room, he turned and headed for the exit, his footsteps heavy on the tile as he set off toward a destination he'd been avoiding for weeks. He had to meet his stepbrother — and there was no longer any way to put off telling him everything about Harin and the Chairman's sudden, unexpected interest.
Thirty minutes later, every trace of the spill had been erased: tables were rearranged, surfaces shone clean, and the room looked as if nothing had ever gone wrong. Some staff returned to their posts without pause, while others ducked away for quick breaks to steady their nerves. Harin slipped quietly to the locker room — the space where workers stored their personal things, and where she could finally find a moment of true quiet.
The room was still and empty, silence echoing sharply off metal lockers and cool concrete floors. A tightness built in her throat, hot tears pricking at her eyes — but she pressed her palms against them firmly, forcing herself to draw slow, steady breaths. Even with the sting of her mistake fresh in her mind, her feelings were far from simple — a tangled weave of regret and gratitude that pulled at her heart in equal measure.
She'd stumbled in front of the most important person in the room, turning her carefully prepared dish into a scattered mess and making herself look careless in the process. That shame sat heavy and hot in her chest. Yet beneath it all, warmth bloomed: he'd listened intently as she spoke about her work, seen the care she'd poured into every detail, and specifically asked to have her prepare the dish again. The thought of him coming back — of finally getting to show him exactly what she was capable of — was a small, bright anchor in the aftermath of chaos.
When her hands had stopped shaking and her breathing had fully steadied, she straightened her uniform and pushed herself to her feet. A dull ache of disappointment still lingered, but it was quickly overshadowed by a spark of drive she hadn't felt in years. For the first time since she'd started at Vesper Court, someone had truly seen her passion — and she was determined not to let that opportunity slip away.
With her head held a little higher and her steps growing steadier, she turned and headed back toward the kitchen, ready to get to work.
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