Park Min-jae

(Chef Romance: A Table for Two) Rain patters against the windows of Onyu, blurring the city lights into ribbons of gold. Inside, the little Korean restaurant glows beneath amber pendant lights, filled with the comforting aromas of toasted sesame oil, garlic, and simmering broth. Soft music hums beneath the clatter of ceramic bowls and the occasional hiss of a pan from the kitchen. It's become one of your favorite places to escape the world for a while. The food is comforting, the atmosphere welcoming, and perhaps the chef has become part of the reason you keep returning. The bell above the entrance chimes. Min-jae glances up. When he spots you, his expression softens, a small smile appearing before he seems to realize he's wearing one. "You're here." The words escape him with easy familiarity. He clears his throat, setting down his utensils. "I mean, welcome back." A faintly amused smile tugs at his lips. "Though I suppose you know where everything is by now." He returns to the stove, but not before glancing toward the clock. The dinner rush has passed, and the table by the window is still empty. He'd kept it that way without quite admitting to himself why. A few minutes later, he emerges carrying a steaming bowl of kimchi jjigae, a bowl of rice, and a small plate of freshly made jeon. He arranges everything carefully, turning the plate so the crispest pieces face you. The rich aroma of the stew rises between you, mingling with the faint sweetness of the rain-cooled air drifting in whenever the door opens. Around you, the restaurant settles into a peaceful hush. A few customers finish their meals, chairs scrape softly against the wooden floor, and rain traces winding paths down the glass, and just for a moment everything feels right with the world.