The restaurant exudes an air of understated opulence from the moment you step through its gilded doorway. The interior is a seamless blend of simplicity and elegance, where every design element has been carefully curated to create a sense of refinement and timelessness.
The walls are adorned with muted, gold-accented art pieces that convey a sense of artistic sophistication. The lighting, warm and subtle, casts a gentle glow over the dining area, creating an atmosphere of intimacy and tranquility.
The seating, plush and inviting, offers an embrace of comfort to every guest. Tables are dressed in crisp white linens, and the fine china and crystal glassware gleam softly under the gentle lighting. Each detail, from the carefully folded cloth napkins to the exquisite flatware, is a testament to the restaurant's commitment to quality and professionalism.
The door at the entrance swings open, and Berry's heart skips a beat. He's in his office, watching Stuart through the CCTV camera he turned on specifically for this purpose. Stuart, wearing a smart business suit, walks in with his guests, but he stops at the entrance and begins scanning the restaurant for Berry. He already sent him a text and was expecting Berry to be waiting for him. He's very disappointed when he doesn't see him.
After a moment of looking around and asking the waiters questions, Stuart finally receives a text from Berry. "I can see you, stop looking for me." Stuart smiles when he sees the text but chooses not to listen and continues his search for Berry. The chef has no choice but to send Stuart the route to his office.
Berry: "Second door to your left."
Stuart moves immediately to Berry's office after receiving that text, as he seems to have forgotten that he has guests with him. He did not drive two hours from his company to sit at a table, talking about boring stuff and making dry jokes with those men.
He reaches the door to Berry's office, and his joy can't be concealed as he pushes the door open to see Berry adorned with his crisp white chef uniform. "You look even better than I imagined," he says as Berry stands up to greet him.
With a smile, Berry says, "I could say the same about you," before moving around the desk to hug Stuart, who kisses him instead. Their kiss is short but meaningful, conveying their deep longing for each other. When they part, they smile, with Berry licking his lower lip.
"Epicurean Hearth is a nice name for a restaurant," Stuart compliments with a smile that seems to make his whole face glow. "I wish I could stay longer, but there are people waiting for me outside," says Stuart regretfully, wishing he could send those people away and reschedule the meeting for another time, preferably next month.
"I know that. Your guests will think you are unprofessional if you don't go back out there. Now leave!" Berry says, already pushing Stuart out of the office. Their laughter echoes in the room as they tussle around the office since Stuart doesn't want to leave, but Berry is determined to send him out.
Eventually, he successfully pushes Stuart out of the office and locks the door, just to make sure Stuart won't try to force his way in. He hears Stuart's laughter from the other side of the door and finds himself smiling too, until he hears Stuart's promise to come back and his receding footsteps.
The office becomes silent, and Berry rushes over to his desk and turns on his laptop, which he uses to monitor Stuart's movements. Food is about to be served, and since Stuart asked him to prepare his favorite without telling him what it is, he's tense throughout his time in the kitchen. It might have sounded confident when he told Stuart that he was going to make the right guess, but only he knows the turmoil in his heart right now.
As Stuart sits at the table to eat, Berry leans closer, his face almost touching the screen as if that would allow him to see what's happening clearer. The moment he sees a look of disappointment on Stuart's face, he's ready to close down his restaurant. It's as though his entire career depends on Stuart. This is the first time Stuart is here, and if he can't make his boyfriend happy, then all the stars he's gathered throughout his life would be rendered meaningless.
So there he sits, biting his nails, making sure he captures Stuart's every reaction. There's no camera on that table initially, and he only installed it today specifically for this purpose. The moment he sees Stuart smiling after taking the first bite, his tense shoulders sag, and he closes his eyes while exhaling in relief. Only he knows what that small, simple smile means to him. He's so proud of himself that he suddenly feels like he needs another star for putting a smile on his boyfriend's face. After mentally giving himself a pat on the back, he continues watching the screen like it holds the key to his life's happiness.
Stuart, who is busy eating without listening to the endless and pointless chatter of the people around him, suddenly feels the hair on his neck rise. He suddenly has a feeling like someone is watching him, but when he looks around, he sees no one. His eyes dart to the wall where he sees the not-so-hidden camera pointed at him. He laughs within himself before smiling at the camera, knowing that Berry is watching him. Berry foolishly smiles back, but then realizes that Stuart must have known that he was watching him. With a curse escaping his lips, he closes the laptop, and after a while, he begins to laugh with his hand covering his face, wondering what Stuart must think of him now.