Under the stars

Tests ( Part 2 )

EunJi

I scanned the ingredients provided on the table. They have basically everthing there. SeulMin walked past me and grabbed random vegetables. I thought for a while and chose the vegetables first. I could make bibimbap which is not really not difficult for me since I helped out in the kitchen often. Bibimbap is also a smart choice too, the dish is healthy as it includes a lot of vegetables and would do good for the judges eating later on. For the dessert, I think making Hoppang would be nice. It is something like a bun and filled with red bean paste, my favourite! I'm sure all of them would like it since it is a popular treat among all adults in Korea. Even my family eats them often for breakfast and sometimes for tea. I searched for the vegetables needed to make the bibimbap. It includes spinach, egg, soya bean sprout, carrot and mushroom. Maybe a little beef would be good too. Now, I need flour to make Hoppang. I searched for a packet of flour and a can of red bean paste, placing it in a container which was provided for the both of us. I started by making Hoppang first since it requires time to steam but before that, I have to put rice grains into the rice cooker so I could start on the bibimbap as soon as I have steamed Hoppang. I opened the packet of flour and red bean paste and started to make the Hoppang.

" SeulMin-ssi! Do not look at what EunJi is doing! " I heard JungKook's father yell and turned around. SeulMin rolled her eyes at me before denying.

" I am not looking at EunJi, you misunderstood me! " She stared at him with that innocent face. I feel like puking all of a sudden.

" Do not resort any tricks, SeulMin. I have the right to disqualify you from this test and you know what will happen. " He turned away and I continued making Hoppang. SeulMin is not thinking about copying me, is she? After I finished making ten buns I left them to steam in water. The timing was just nice as the rice was cooked at the right time. I got the pan and cracked an egg. I have to make it sunny side up so that the bibimbap would be completed. When the egg was completed successfully, I got a knife and started cutting the vegetables in to smaller pieces. I grabbed the vegetables that I had already cut and boiled it in water before cooking the carrot and mushrooms. I am sure this dish would not turn out a disaster. After I was done with bibimbap, I added a little bit of soy sauce and completed it. It looked really mouth watering, even I wanted to eat that dish but it for the judges to taste. I went over to get the Hoppang which I had steamed earlier. Turned out as expected! I got a plate and used chopsticks to get them out, placing them nicely on the plate. Ah~ all done! 

" Last few minutes, girls. Housekeeper Lee, call the guests out please! " 

I did the finally touches of arranging the food on the plate and bowl, trying to make everything presentable.

" Time's up! " He shouted as the guests settled down on. " SeulMin, you will go first. "

" Ne, " She replied and carried her bowl of ramen noodles and plate of tteokbokki. She stood in front of the table and watched the guests eating up the dishes she prepared. 

" SeulMin, you can go back first. EunJi, bring in your dishes. " 

I started feeling scared all of a sudden. I hope I did well. I got my dishes on the table and they started to eat it too, before discussing among themselves.

" Kim EunJi, you are going down, " SeulMin whispered into my ear, sending shivers down my body. Who will be the winner of this round? The fate of the three of us depends on this test and the winner of this round will make a difference in the result.

" We have tasted all the food and the winner for this round is decided by votes, " JungKook's father gave a slip of paper to each of them, accompanied by a pen. The judges started writing immediately, seems like they have a definite answer I guess. JungKook's father collected and counted the number of votes. He cleared his throat before speaking, " The winner of the round is... " My heart beat increased rapidly. Who is the winner? 

" EunJi! " Me? I won? I felt relieve at the results.

" What? She won? It can't be! You must be telling a lie! " SeulMin cried and snatched over the piece of paer from him. She looked at all of them and bursted into tears. The pieces of paper slipped out of her hand and I went over to pick it up. Omo, no one voted for her? What did she put in her ramen noodles and tteokbokki? I got a clean pair over chopsticks and went over to taste the noodle. It is to bland, I could not even taste the soup. The tteokbokki seems fine to me. I took a piece and puts it into my mouth. This is tasteless too! It was suppose to be spicy, even it smells of chili but it just did not taste like it.

" EunJi-ssi, do you know the reason behind the tasteless food prepared by SeulMin? " JungKook's father asked me and everyone turned around to look at me. 

" SeulMin added to much water in the soup instead of the ingredients and the tteokbokki is not spicy enough. The sauce should also be the main reason why the tteokbokki is tasteless and water is also the factor that made it tasteless, " I explained.

" You are absolutely right! That is also my reason, " One of the female judges spoke up. " But EunJi-ssi, how did you learn how to cook? "

" I learnt it from my mother since young, " I replied.

" No wonder you are so talented! "

" Girls, the next round of tests will be tomorrow but I would not tell you what I will be testing you on. You can go back home now, " He dismissed all of us. I went to get my belongings and walked home.

" Kim EunJi! Watch out tomorrow! " She gave me her death stare.

" Park SeulMin, no insulting! It is your own fault that you lost, do not blame it on someone else just because you are useless while the other is talented, " JungKook's father defended me. SeulMin looked at him with shocked eyes, not knowing that JungKook's father was nearby. " I should go now, " SeulMin ran out of the door.