the chef

He knew she was his destiny. He was only waiting for the right time for their paths to finally cross.

All she saw was his hands, for it was only a small opening that allowed them to be together for some breathing moments. But she never noticed his existence. Just his works.

Chel always dreamt of having a chef for a boyfriend. She believed her heart would be at last fulfilled by a man whose love would reach her appetite. She isn't too choosy though, but of course like any other girl she carries her own ideals of a prince charming, and hers was that of a chef. Fate however was not as kind as she expected. It may have had her saved from all the pains of a broken heart, but at the same time it has deprived her of the opportunity to experience the romance of a young heart. But she took her fate with a smile and not as a burden, as she was bestowed with the ability to give a bright smile that shines like the sun.

And its rays captured his frost bitten heart. After grieving for a myriad of losses which seemed to have robbed him of the strength to live, he thus chose to live in the soot and darkness of the kitchen, exerting his talents on a myriad of dishes that satisfied the hunger of strangers. He chose to remain a shadow, until that one fateful day.

She was a regular customer at the cafeteria. Chel always craved for pesto, and she loved the way it is prepared in that place, the university canteen. At first he just kept on receiving an order of that said food at exactly 3:07 pm every Friday, but on that fateful day he managed to get a glance of who that customer was. It was her. Chel. He fell in love at first sight, for some reason imposed by an unseen force set by nature. Since then he prepared the best pesto dish he can ever cook. He always made it with pure love and desire, hoping one day that taste would reach her heart and hear his call.

He didn't know he was already taking the first steps to success. Chel was beginning to fall for the taste and her her heart starts to beat with desire on each and every twirl of her fork. He on the other hand started to draw back, upon learning that they are worlds apart. She was the unversity's top student, just waiting for the semester to end so that she can enroll for law school. He meanwhile was a cook, denied of the chance to seek a life of convenience, forbidden of the right to seek erudition. All he can do is write his name. And cook.

Because of this he asked for a friend's help to write him a resignation letter, so as his feelings of brurning love and desire would not reach his nerves and eventually kill him. Chel meanwhile started looking for his dishes, only to find out that he already left.

Saddened, she decided to go ride a bus back to her hometown, hoping to get some warm hug from her ever-loving parents. While waiting for the bus she sat on a bench, and looked at her watch. It's 3:07 pm, the usual time she goes to the cafeteria and devour on her pesto. She didn't notice that at the exact same time someone sat on the same bench and gave off a sad sigh. His bittersweet whisper reached her heart like the speed of light after hearing his voice.

'I'm supposed to prepare her pesto.'

She looked at him and recognized his hands. The hands she used to see serving her favorite dish. He was mesmerized. He was sitting next to her, hearing her heart beat so loud it was the only thing he could hear at that bustling afternoon traffic jam. He surrendered all his qualms to the forces of nature. He gave off a smile. He made up his mind to become the best for the only girl he has chosen to love.

His smile cleared all her gray matter ideas on romance. It was him, who satisfied her appetite, who made her heart finally beat with love. At that exact moment she knew her search was over. It was him, the man who completed the longing not only of her taste buds but of her longing for everlasting love. At that exact moment their lives have started anew, together, ready for the challenges the world has to bring.

And they lived happily ever after.