Heidi Kim

Last night was something I couldn’t stop thinking about.

The way she looked at me when she said those words, the sincerity in her voice—it lingered in my mind like a mystery. Had I really been that blind to it all? The way she always found excuses to be near me, the way she challenged me, the way she understood my cooking on a level no one else did.

I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away.

The kitchen hummed with a rhythm that had started to feel like second nature to me, but today… Today was different. Vina was everywhere. It wasn't the usual presence, distant, competitive, sharp, but something else. She was close. Too close. And no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, her presence, her proximity, had my heart fluttering in the oddest way.

The scent of sizzling garlic filled the air, mingling with the heavier aroma of tomato sauce simmering on the stove. My fingers tightened around the edge of the pan, but my mind was elsewhere, lingering on Vina as she bustled around the kitchen, her movements graceful, almost rehearsed. I couldn’t focus.

“You okay?” Vina’s voice broke through the fog of my thoughts, and I blinked at her, finding her standing beside me with a soft look in her eyes. Her brow furrowed slightly as if she were trying to read me. It should’ve annoyed me. It did annoy me, a little. But for some reason, it also made my heart race.

“Fine,” I muttered, giving her a quick smile that I hoped looked more convincing than I felt.

She didn’t buy it. She never did. “You’re acting weird. Are you sure you’re good?”

I nodded, forcing my attention back to the dish in front of me. The sauce was thickening, the flavors coming together perfectly, but my mind was still tangled with her. I should’ve been used to this by now. I should’ve been focused on cooking, on running the kitchen, but every time I turned around, there she was. Vina, always there, always too close.

I was distracted, so distracted that I didn’t see the pot of boiling water teetering on the edge of the counter. My hand moved too quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the pot tipped over, spilling the scalding water onto the floor. My heart stopped.

“Shit!” I shouted, stumbling backward, but the damage had already been done. The boiling water splashed onto my forearm before I could pull away. Pain shot through me, sharp and immediate.

A cry escaped my lips, but I immediately bit it back. This wasn’t the time to panic. The other chef and staff were all looking at me, their eyes wide with concern.

“Oh my god, Chef Heidi!”

“Chef Heidi, you’re hurt!”

“Quick, get the first aid kit!” Everyone rambled all at once.

“Everyone, it’s okay,” I snapped, gritting my teeth as the sting of the burn spread across my skin. “It’s just a burn. I’ll be fine.”

But Vina wasn’t buying it. She rushed over to my side in an instant, her hand hovering near my arm. “Okay?! Heidi, you need to go to the hospital. That looks bad.”

“I’m fine,” I hissed, my voice sharp with frustration. I wanted to shake her off, but the concerned look in her eyes made it difficult. “I just need to run it on cool water.”

She wasn’t convinced. She bit her lip, eyes scanning my arm before her gaze locked with mine. “Dammit, you’re stubborn as hell.” Frustration lingered in her words. “Still, you should get it checked out. I don’t like how it looks.”

I waved her off, trying to sound confident despite the throbbing pain. “Vina, stop. I’m fine. I need to focus. Can you just—” My voice cracked slightly, but I cleared my throat quickly, hiding the sudden vulnerability.

Vina, however, wasn’t going to let this slide. She reached for the clean towel hanging nearby and ran it on cool water, carefully placing it on the burn. She then turned to me with a stern look. “Look, I’m not going to argue with you. Keep the towel on it until it cools down, and then we’ll see if any scars will form. But for now, you're not cooking.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but she cut me off. “You need to rest, Heidi. You can’t cook with one hand.”

Her determination was undeniable, and as much as I hated to admit it, she was right. My arm stung like hell, and trying to push through the pain wouldn’t do anyone any good.

“Fine,” I muttered, slumping slightly as I lowered myself onto a stool. “I guess you’re going to have to take over for me. You’re in charge for now.”

Vina’s face lit up, but she kept her expression calm, a small smirk tugging at her lips. “You trust me that much?”

I hesitated. “I’m not giving you a choice; it's a command.”

She rolled her eyes, but her confidence remained. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this. Just rest.”

I watched her move around the kitchen, taking charge as if she’d been doing this for years. Her hands moved with the grace of someone who wasn’t just following a recipe but understanding every element, every tiny detail of the dish. It was like magic, the way she controlled the kitchen, leading the staff with a mix of authority and ease.

I couldn’t help but be impressed. I had always known Vina had talent. But seeing it up close, watching her step into my role so seamlessly, it was… unexpected. My heart beat a little faster, a strange mix of admiration and something else I couldn’t quite place.

Hours passed by, after the last of the dishes had been plated and the team had begun cleaning up, I leaned back against the counter, feeling the cool rush of the compress against my arm. The pain had dulled, but the burn was still there, a constant reminder that I wasn’t invincible.

Vina came over to check on me again, her face softening when she saw how tired I looked.

“How’s your arm?” she asked, her voice gentle but laced with concern.

“It’s fine,” I muttered, trying to shrug it off. “Better.”

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Alright, if you say so. But still, I think you should’ve gone to the hospital.”

I rolled my eyes, but a small smile tugged at my lips. “Stop being stubborn, Vina.”

She scoffed. “Like you’re one to talk. You didn’t listen to me either.”

“It was just a burn, nothing life-threatening,” I protested.

“Oh, so you want to lose an arm then?”

My eyes widened. “What?!”

Before I could say anything else, she burst into laughter, clearly enjoying my reaction.

I huffed and punched her lightly on the arm. “It’s not funny.”

“You should’ve seen the look on your face,” she teased, still grinning.

I let out a dramatic sigh, shaking my head as I turned to leave the kitchen. Vina, of course, trailed right behind me. I was walking my way to the bus stop when Vina caught up to me, falling into step beside me like it was second nature.

For a while, neither of us spoke. The streetlights cast a soft glow over the pavement, and the distant hum of cars filled the silence between us. It wasn’t awkward, but it wasn’t entirely comfortable either.

Then, out of nowhere, she said, “You know, Heidi, you don’t have to always be tough. Not with me. Not anymore.”

I blinked, unsure how to respond to that. The air between us shifted, a subtle change that I couldn’t quite name.

“You’re still in charge,” Vina continued, her voice quieter now, almost tentative. “But if you ever need someone to take the reins for you… you know I can always have your back.”

For a moment, I just stared at her, trying to make sense of what she was saying. The vulnerability in her tone, the softness in her eyes, it was something I hadn’t expected from her. She was the competitor, the rival. She wasn’t supposed to be… this.

I cleared my throat, the tension in my chest growing. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

She smiled, but it wasn’t the usual smirk. It was… different. Something more genuine, more open. She stood there for a moment, watching me with that soft look in her eyes before turning to walk back to the kitchen, leaving me there, heart pounding and head spinning.

Vina Rossi was becoming a mystery I didn’t know how to solve, and I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to.