Dedicated to lucky_lion926 and Scarlette_30

Alice's POV:

A familiar smell begun to come out of the kitchen...and into my nostrils...the smell of oil that slowly dehydrates the chicken into something...crispy, the smell of the grill that roasts the beef patty into something sizzling and juicy...and everything else I didn't know from the kitchen...but smells delicious...some things that I should have known before.

"Mmm!!! Is this the smell of the fast food?!" Alex nodded to affirm my inquiry. "Wow! It's more than I ever imagined! Alex, why you didn't tell me?!"

"Huehehe...that's because you are so focused on the negative side of the fast food, that you didn't expect what it really smell and taste like!"

Then immediately, Danica comes out of the kitchen, bringing some trays of food towards us...

"Here you go, Alex and Alice!" Danica puts down our orders to our table. "Enjoy your meal!"

I stared blankly over this...chicken-burger-fries combo thingy...that Alex has ordered for both of us. I've never seen...nor tasted this...very appetizing meal...since I graduated in high school. As Alex quickly digs in to his meal, my mind still have thoughts...weighing between my passion or my fear...perhaps I'm still doubtful if I ever eat...even just a bite...of the food that killed my dad.

"Oh, Alice! Why don't you eat your meal? Please don't let my money go to waste!" Alex pleas to me. "Come on! If you just take a bite, you will never...ever regret it."

I have no choice, do I? I take the double cheeseburger first. I take a little bite, just before the cheese starts to melt...and I saw...everything...

KYAAA!!! OISHI!!! The juicy delicious taste of the twin fat beef patties that is full of flavor...combined with the tanginess of cheese packs a powerful but delicious punch...but it is well balanced by the slices of tomatoes, lettuce, onions and pickles...aah...vegetables are so crunchy and refreshing! And finally, catsup and mustard adds sweetness to the already burger! Who says sauces have no use in this scrumptious meal?!

YEAAAH!!! The wonderful first bite of the double cheeseburger makes me motivated to eat more!!! Next up...is the what they called "the crispiest and juiciest chicken". I stripped its skin, dipped into the gravy and...

"CRUUUNCHH!!!" Oooh! It's so crunchy...that it's like digging into a pack of chicharon! I can literally hear the skin crunching apart with my teeth! And that's not all...the juices that flowing out from the tender meat of the chicken tempts me to eat more. So I pick up every chicken piece of my meal...scrape and eat all of its skins...before digging in with the rest of it...way until I reached the bony part. Sooo delicious! I have 10 pieces of chicken on my meal...and I ate it all in just one sitting! Men, I have a big appetite! Hehehe! Oh! By the way, the gravy is also good. It's a little bit spicy but it compliments the taste of the chicken.

And finally, the French fries. I remember Alex saying that it has a secret recipe...besides, it doesn't have a complimentary catsup to dip on...so I will try it by myself. I pick a bunch and tasted it. Hmmm...let's see...the fries are tasty thanks to the right amount of crisp, as well as combined flavor of salt, sour cream and onion powders...but there's something else...when I chew the fries some more...I tasting something...cheesy. Wait, they put cheese in the fries as a filling?! Cool!!!

KYAAA!!! It's so delicious! I never thought that fast food is sooo delicious! Hehehe! BUUURP!! Excuse me! Hehehe...he...

"Huh? What are you looking at me like that?" After all the commotion happening in my mind while I'm eating fast food, I saw Alex and Danica looking at me with a smile.

"Well...nothing. It's just looking at you eating all of your food and stuff...is just cute. Hehehe!" Alex punned at me and laughed.

"Oh! Come on! Why do you need to do that?!" I replied with my blushing face. "Can you just leave me alone, please?"

Alex and Danica laughed at me after I'm being embarrassed by my friend. Nevertheless, I'm beginning to understand why they smiled and laughed at me...they smile because I finally overcome my paranoia with fast food...well, I suppose that fast food is not bad after all, as long as I'm not addicted to it.

"You know, Alex...I have a wonderful dream before you woke me up." Suddenly, I can't stop myself from talking to him. "I recall that I was alone in my house...just like my family has left me. I had nothing to eat, nothing to do. I was scared to live alone...and die alone in my house...until somebody knocked on my door and he let me out of my house...he pulled me into this very long table with so many foods and stuff. But when I tasted it, I realized that it's not just an ordinary food...for I've tasted...and imagined is...what has to come if I let my passion felt among others: that 'somebody' told me that there are lots of people all over the country who needs food to solve their everyday problems. And he said that only my cooking can do it...huh?"

I was about to plea Alex for help...but I saw him grins at me...

"Huh? What's the problem? Do I say something funny to you?"

"No, it's nothing! It's just I'm already guessing that you wanted for my help."

"Yeah...ca-can you le-lend me...your hand, A-Alex?" With my stuttered words and blushing face, I plea to Alex.

"Well...I just retrenched from my work...and finding a new job...so...okay, I'll accept it!" Alex smiled at me. "I will submit a resume tomorrow, okay?"

"Resume?! Pffft...hehehe!!! Alex, I don't need a resume! I just need your help to pursue my passion for cooking!" Then I grinned at him. "And besides, accepting my help means you also accept that my cooking is better than fast food!"

"What...did you...just said?!?!" Alex was startled by my pun. "It's not I'm hate your cooking, but I believe that fast food tastes better!"

"But fast food tastes never changed." I refuted back. "Where ever you go here in this country, it's always the same taste! As compared with mine, I can cook all the dishes of every region of these islands, so mine tastes better!

"No! Fast food tastes better!!!"

"No, My cooking!"

"Fast food!"

"Cooking!"

"Fast food!"

"I SAID MY COOKING TASTES BETTER THAN FAST FOOD!!! AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!!! HMPH!!!

And along with my quest to pursue my passion for cooking...begins our own rivalry which food tastes better: between my cooking and fast food...that Alex is betting of. Whatever happens, I hope this would end with me as a winner...I'll show to him why...and Alex will be left a loser! Huehehehe!!!!

To be continued...