Banana Yoshimoto Kitchen

` It was a cool, breezy and stormy night. Rain came down in sheets, as a dark figure stood before a house. The house was pretty ordinary, white with blue shutters; it didn't have more than two bedrooms. It looked like a cozy little family home with flowers and shrubs lining the front lawn, and then the smell from the pellet stove smoke invaded his nostrils. He took a deep breath and pulled out an old, rusted compass from his black trench coat. It looked like it could have been from the 14th century, the small, brass disc was dented and the Victorian designs were faded. He studied it as it pointed east, towards the small house. He looked the house over carefully, looking for the best entrance, before proceeding towards the side to gaze into the window. Inside you can see the small kitchen; the brand new, all black appliances off set the linoleum floor. Cabinets filled almost every wall of the small space that made it look more crowded than it should have been. The kitchen opened to a larger room which seemed to be used as a living room and a dining room all at once. The whole house looked crowded, with the furniture in the living room all touching except for a small gap to walk through and the dining room was so close to the sofa, it could have been sitting on it. He stepped back into the shadows as he watched a young couple enter the kitchen. The wife was tall and slender, had strawberry blond hair formed around her face accenting her jaw-line and her deep blue eyes stopped your heart as you got lost in them. Her fair complexion was silky and complimented her soft face.

Winifred Jaeger comes from an ordinary family. She meets Timothy Stringer, a rich heir who falls for her at first sight. He immediately starts pursuing her with gusto. Winifred knows they're from different worlds, so she keeps rejecting him. He doesn't give up, though. When she wants to have food from her hometown, he steps into the kitchen for the first time ever. He cooks for her, relishing in it despite getting scalded. When she wants to have candy, he lines up in the dead of winter to get it for her. The iciness and sharp wind don't faze him. She likes fringe tree flowers, so he gets seeds from all over the world. He covers a mountaintop with them for her. She likes making desserts, so he buys ingredients for her from various places. He's more than happy to test her finished products. When she's in a bad mood, he makes sure to cheer her up despite being sick. When Winifred graduates from college, Timothy spreads 99,999 roses on the field to propose to her. She finally realizes she's long since fallen for him, so she says yes. Everyone says she's lucky to have met a man who loves her so and thinks of her as his only one. Yet it's precisely this man who cheats on her when they're about to get married. He tells her he loves her, yet he almost manically tries to have a baby with his mistress. Heartbroken and devastated, Winifred chooses to leave. It's only after she's gone that Timothy searches for her like crazy. When he finds her, he does everything possible to beg her to go back to him. He paces outside her door and begs her incessantly, his eyes red-rimmed. However, she turns him down calmly. "It's too late—you're a closed chapter in my book, and I'm already on a new chapter." Winifred turns to look at a tall, handsome man standing nearby—Timothy's childhood friend, Cyrus Littrell.

"Who is the father of that child, Azalea?" "That's none of your business at all." "You won't be going anywhere until you answer my question. Who else have you been sleeping with besides me!?" "'Sleeping'!? If you remember, Ikaros Alexandrovich, you pinned me down in the kitchen, in a standing position, facing the cabinet, and you did all those disgusting things with me! That's not exactly 'sleeping'! But it was my first and only experience, dammit!"

"Why aren't you ready for me?" His voice cut through the darkness, sharp as a blade. His hands gripped my hips, fingers digging into soft flesh. "How often do I have to tell you about the rules?" "I'm sorry," I whispered, my throat tight. "I was sick again today, and work was—" "Excuses." He ripped away my underwear, the fabric tearing. "You smell like a kitchen maid. Disgusting." I bit my lip until I tasted blood, fighting back tears. Three years. Three years of being his unwanted wife, forced on him by his grandfather's deal. The old man's words still echoed: "You saved my life, child. Let me give you a good life in return." ***** Five years ago, Elena thought she’d left her nightmare behind. Forced into a loveless marriage with the ruthless Nikolai Ashford, she endured his cold accusations and cruel indifference. But when their toxic relationship threatened the life of her unborn child, she vanished, reinventing herself as Mia Thompson—a confident heiress with a powerful empire of her own. Now, Mia’s carefully rebuilt world is crumbling. One of her twins is gravely ill, and the only hope for survival lies in Nikolai, the man who shattered her heart. Returning to his world isn’t just a desperate gamble to save her child—it’s a chance to exact the revenge she’s dreamed of for years.

"This is my first time... it hurts... oh, it’s bleeding..." Allie winced as a cut from the kitchen knife throbbed on her finger. Liam glanced at her, his face full of concern, and applied the medicine with a sharp, almost angry tone: "I’ve told you not to go near the kitchen! Just tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll make it for you!" For Allie, her 20th birthday gift was discovering her boyfriend's betrayal with her best friend in bed. Furious, she turned her back on Nick and married Liam Hart, the city’s most influential and untouchable man. From that moment, she faced endless challenges: Nick’s constant manipulations, Liam’s family scheming against her, and the toxic people in their lives. Everyone sees Liam as the perfect, doting husband—no one knows the price she pays for his love. Exhausted, Allie faced Liam one night, her voice trembling with frustration: "Liam Hart, you are a monster in disguise." Liam, looking hurt, replied with a soft grin, “You wound me, darling. How could I possibly be a monster when I’m the one who’s supposed to protect you?”

After one very personal prank sparks an all-out war, Tara finds herself locked in a battle of egos with the Twin captains of the hockey team. Infamous heartbreakers. Menaces with matching smirks. one-liners, and sabotage so insane it makes the school gossip page explode daily. But when a family arrangement forces the twins to move in, the battlefield shifts from school hallways to bathrooms. From cafeteria showdowns to kitchen tension that’s definitely not just about burnt toast. Enemies were easy. Living under the same roof? Complicated. Especially when both twins aren’t backing down. They started this war. She’s going to end it… unless her heart gets caught in the crossfire.

"Don't try to f*ck me and I'll make your ad," I said suddenly, desperately hoping not to f*ck Will over anymore than I already had. I looked him dead in the eye, challenging him. As I sat there half n*ked on his kitchen island with my throbbing, wet pu**y aching to have him inside me, I realized I had an even bigger problem. I liked him. For what seemed like an age he contemplated my offer. Then suddenly he backed up, stuck the finger still coated in my w*tness into his mouth and l*cked it clean. "Fine. Make the ad and I won't try to f*ck you." My heart sank to the bottom of the ocean as I watched him walk away. My ears perked up when he turned around just as he reached the bedroom and said, "At least not until you ask me to." *** She has a secret. He doesn't care. All that interests him is bedding the woman he can't quite figure out. But what happens when taking her to bed once isn't enough?Supermodel Britney O'Prey isn't interested in the legend of Cupid's Cove. Visitors of the island swear that no guest leaves untouched by Cupid's arrow. But all Britney wants is to be left alone. Her aloofness attracts billionaire Will Hunter's attention, to the point that he can think of nothing but bedding her. But what happens when once isn't enough? What if he's not so content to let her keep her secrets after all?

Gabriella Montez is an ordinary omega blessed with the gift of healing through the knowledge of herbs and her culinary skills. After being wrongfully accused of theft, she escapes her pack and finds refuge in White Pack, applying for a position in the mansion of Alpha Waylen, who has been desperately seeking someone to replicate his mother’s cherished mushroom broth soup. Once she secures the job, Gabriella heads out to a club to celebrate with her friend, where a night of unexpected passion with a mysterious stranger leads to a steamy one-night stand. The morning after reveals a shocking twist: the seductive stranger is none other than Alpha Waylen himself. As Gabriella whips up hearty meals in his kitchen, and heals his soul in ways he didn’t know could be mended, she gradually melts her way into his heart. Yet, their blossoming romance is met with challenges, as different forces threaten to tear them apart, and Alpha Waylen harbors secrets that could jeopardize everything they’ve built together. Can the forbidden love between an Alpha and an omega endure the trials ahead? Will it flourish against all odds, or will it wither away like a neglected plant in a once-thriving garden?

"In the kitchen, she's a firestorm. In love, she's about to burn." Youngest Perez. Billionaire. CEO. Head-turner. Maxine Avrielle Griego Perez has it all-beauty, brains, and billions. With multiple successful businesses under her name, she's unstoppable. But behind the glam life, may isang pangarap siyang matagal nang hindi natutupad: To become a certified chef. As her final requirement, she's sent to train at Moonlight Kitchenette, a cozy restaurant owned by her tito-but managed by Chef Timothy Hayden Sanders, a perfectionist known for being cold, demanding, and insanely hot. At first, clash sila. She's used to being in control. He's used to obedience. But in between the yelling, stolen glances, and late-night cooking sessions, something starts to simmer. Timothy falls-for her strength, her sass, and that laugh she tries to hide. And Maxine? She falls harder. For the first time, she lets herself feel. Then comes Cassandra. The manager who's always wanted more than professionalism. One drunken night. One betrayal. Maxine leaves-broken, silent... and pregnant. Five years later, Maxine returns as a world-class chef and single mom. Fierce, focused, and definitely not here to rekindle anything. But fate isn't done with them yet. Timothy is back, full of regret-and still in love. He wants answers. He wants her back. What he doesn't know is... he already has a piece of her. Secrets will be exposed. Old wounds reopened. And somewhere between revenge, forgiveness, and five-star meals... a second chance might be served.