Chapter Text
Chen’s father Siwon, is a successful lawyer. His elder brother Suho followed his father’s footsteps and opened his own law firm. All Siwon wanted was for Chen to join him and further expand their law firm but Chen had other plans. Since his teens, Chen had a passion for cooking and good food. He loved his mother’s cooking. As his father was opposed to men cooking, Chen secretly attended cooking classes at his college saying he was practicing for basketball matches. His mother Irene, approved and even paid for his classes. So with his mother’s support, Chen was able to complete and get his cooking license too. The day his license was sent home via post is the day he got caught by his father.
“How did he manage to do this?” Siwon was curious.
“He stayed on campus after class.” Irene was scared. Siwon was unpredictable. Right now, he was calm which was even more dangerous.
“Ask him to meet me once he comes home.”
“Okay.” Irene quickly called Chen and told him to come home.
While Chen was rushing home from the campus, he knocks into someone in the corridor. Books go flying everywhere and Chen gets hit by a fat biochemistry book, and is flat on the floor. After few minutes, his head stops spinning and he pulls himself up only to find the other person still on the floor. Chen goes over to help him.
“I am sorry. I was in a rush to get home and didn’t see you. Are you okay? Are you hurt?” asks Chen.
“No. I am fine. It’s my fault. I didn’t see because I piled on too many books.” answers the boy. That’s when Chen sees all the books scattered around them. He quickly gathers few. They are really heavy.
“How did you manage to carry them all at once?” asks Chen.
“I couldn’t. That’s I fell down.” The boy smiles cutely. He looks disheveled but still cute as a button with glasses on.
“Hi I am Chen.” Chen extends his hand, hoping to the boy to accept.
“I am Minseok. I have never seen you around.”
“Ah that’s because I am actually a law student but attending cooking classes to get my license.”
Minseok looks at him while gathering his last book. “Law and cooking? Who would have thought?” He smiles. Chen really likes his smile.
“It’s a long story. I take it you are a science student.”
“Yes Biochemistry. I love long stories.”
“Maybe some other day. I am in rush to get home otherwise my Dad will..”
“Say no more.. I understand.. but fathers are understanding if you explain properly to them. Tell him the real reason and why it brings you happiness.” says Minseok.
“How did you know?” Chen is curious now.
“All fathers are the same. End of the day, it’s their love which tries to protect us. We understand that too late. You better hurry.”
Now Chen doesn’t want to leave but has no other choice. “Bye Minseok.”
“Bye now and good luck with your dad.”
“Thanks. I really need all the luck.” Chen looks at him one last time and leaves.
Later that evening:
Chen tries to remain calm but he is nervous. After knocking, he enters his father’s study. Siwon was reading a case document but after Chen enters, he puts the papers down and gives his full attention to his son.
“What are your plans?” Straight to the point.
“Dad, my friends and I are planning to open a small restaurant. I need funds for it.”
“How much?”
Chen is surprised. He was preparing arguments and counter arguments for his father’s resistance but here Siwon was asking for the money. Something was wrong.
“Dad, I am serious about opening the restaurant.”
“I know Chen. That’s why I am asking for the amount.”
Now Chen realized his father was being serious. He had to be careful.
“Dad, give me two days. I will give you the exact figure.”
“Okay while you are at it, give me a business plan.”
Chen didn’t know how to react but he did come up with a business plan and amount he needed to start his restaurant. Siwon approved and gave him the money. It was only a year later that Chen got to know that Siwon decided to invest because Suho convinced him to take a chance on Chen. Chen will be always grateful to his brother.
The restaurant opened and was running successfully. Few months later, on one busy night, Chen met Baekhyun. They were short staffed and Yixing, Chen’s college mate and chef, said that his cousin Sehun and his class mates were willing to work as part timers. In the middle of an order, Chen sees the boy standing idle instead of helping the other part timers, so he directly walks to him and asks him to clean the tables. The boy at first is taken back but seeing the busy restaurant and the staff having difficulty in keeping up with the crowd, agrees and starts to work. About three hours later, when the crowd manages to trickle down, Chen is able to relax. At closing time, he finds the boy to pay him for the night.
“Thanks for today. How about joining us? I will pay a good salary.” Chen is keen on recruiting him.
“I am sorry I cannot. I have my classes. Today was a day off.”
That’s when Yixing and Sehun come out and see the boy for the first time.
“Hyung, he is not from our college.” says Sehun.
“What? I thought he was your class mate.”
“No. I came to eat with my friends. Just when we were about to leave, you asked for help. So I stayed.”
Chen was flabbergasted. He tried apologizing but the boy didn’t mind. Later Chen found out his name was Byun Baekhyun and that he was a junior in Chen’s college.
Since that day, Baekhyun was a regular at the restaurant and occasionally helped them out when they were busy. Chen liked Baekhyun’s softness and gentle manner. Baekhyun reminded him of Minseok whom he met almost a year ago. He had regularly visited the science department hoping to catch Minseok but there was no trace of him. Finally Chen asks Yixing to find out as Yixing’s boyfriend Tao transferred to the science department. That’s when Chen finds out that Minseok indeed studied biochemistry but had dropped out of the program 6 months ago without any trace or whereabouts. It was hard for Chen but he had decided to move on.
A year later:
Working closely with Baekhyun, Chen couldn’t help but fall for him. At first, Baekhyun was shy but then he slowly opened up to Chen. Soon they started dating. Three years later, they got engaged. Although Baekhyun’s family accepts Chen, his father YunHo is not impressed. He tells Chen that the wedding will happen only when Chen proves himself worthy of Baekhyun. Chen agrees but YunHo gives him a time frame.
“You have two years, failing which I will not hesitate to get him married else where.” Chen knows Baekhyun loves him but his love and respect for his father is far greater. So he accepts the condition as he is confident of his restaurant running smoothly.