Shim Changmin never understood why he had a home economics class.

                Despite the fact that he was taking up Hotel and Restaurant Management for college in order to put up his dream restaurant empire, it didn’t necessarily mean he liked to cook. Yes, he LOVED to eat but he didn’t like to cook at all. As a matter of fact, he intended to do the managing once he worked while the chefs would do all the cooking. So he really didn’t understand why he was required to take the class this new semester.

But he had no choice.

                The fact that he was genius was the understatement of the millennium. He was a consistent straight A student, getting more A+ grades than A – and A combined. But the home economics class could give him his only B or even a C. That was enough reason and the only reason basically why he was attending that class.

“I can’t believe you’re going to class.” Junsu told him with all seriousness although his eyes mirrored her amusement as he and his group of friends headed for the kitchen.

“You won’t see me tomorrow.” The dark haired man replied solemnly.

Yunho arched an eyebrow, stuffing his apron in his bag. “And you expect to at least get an A? It would’ve been possible if it was still professor Kang. She’s one easy old lady to charm.”

Yoochun made a face. “So you mean, hyung, it’s not professor Kang anymore?”

“It’s not her anymore. Last semester was her last one.” He moved aside before he could collide with another hurrying student, waiting to catch up with his friends before he continued. “I heard the new professor is really young. She was accelerated so many times in elementary and middle school that she was expected to be an engineer or doctor. She’s that smart. But in the end, she chose to be a chef.”

“What matters to me is that she cooks well and she’ll teach me something new.” Jaejoong shrugged his shoulders as they entered the kitchen. Since remark suprrised no one, considering how cooking had always been his passion.

                The five men settled in their usual place; Changmin grumbling to himself all the way. He never lasted a week in any of his classes and this home economics class wouldn’t be any different. But before his mind could start brewing with ideas on how he could get an A without having to cook, everyone in the room fell silent as the new teacher came in.

                To say that she was tall was something too obvious. But for someone who was supposedly a chef, she was incredibly slim. Her chocolate brown hair was in long waves, framing her beautiful face that was lit by a cheerful smile. Her side swept bangs rested perfectly above her expressive brown eyes.

Suddenly, Changmin forgot about ditching class the next day.

“I’m Choi Sooyoung, the new home economics teacher replacing Professor Kang for this semester. Since I’m younger than most – if not all of you – you can call me Sooyoung or Soo.” She greeted the class as she approached the demo table. “Today we begin a new semester with five dishes. Since there are five of you per table, each of you will be preparing one dish.”

Yunho, Junsu, Yoochun and Changmin had identical looks of horror on their faces while Jaejoong was smirking triumphantly. “At least now I don’t have to do all the cooking while all of you do the eating.”

Knowing that getting an A would be near impossible due to his pretty much nonexistent cooking skills. Changmin addressed the new teacher without bothering to raise his hand. “Aren’t we placed in groups to learn how to work as a team? So why are we cooking individually?”

“But if the individual members don’t have the necessary skills to help the group, being a team is pointless.” Sooyoung replied, smiling patiently.

Junsu let out a low whistle. “She nailed you there, maknae.”

“But you do have a point.” The short haired brunette reasoned, tying her apron around her waist. “You’re Shim Changmin, aren’t you?”

A look of surprise crossed Changmin’s face. “How did you know?”

“The other teachers told me it’s quite impossible to miss the snarky straight A student.” She laughed at the flabbergasted look on his face. “For today, each group needs to prepare Pan-roasted Pork Loin Steak with Red Onions and Roasted Peppers in Red Wine Vinegar Sauce on Spaghetti, Oven-baked Tuna Steak with Shallot Confit on Braised Lentils, Rapins and Olive Oil-Fried Potatoes, Steamed Salmon with Garlic Herb Yogurt, Eggs Benedict and Blueberry and Butter Pudding.”

“This is the kind of challenge I need.” Jaejoong said confidently and excitedly while Yunho could only groan.

It seemed like Changmin had difficulty keeping his smartass comments to himself. “Neither of the recipes are Korean.”

“What’s the point in teaching you something you already know?” Sooyoung winked, the rest of the class howling in laughter when he wasn’t able to answer back. “You have the recipes on your tables. All the ingredients you’ll need are in the fridge, pantry and cupboards. You have the rest of the period to work so good luck and have fun.”

                With that, all the students got up from their seats and began preparing their respective dishes. Thinking that it was the easiest one to cook, Changmin announced that he was going to be the one to cook the Eggs Benedict. Jaejoong was ready to protest the idea but the younger man ignored him, preparing the hollandaise sauce that needed to be whisked rapidly on a double boiler for at least three minutes. But being the lazy student that he was, the three minute whisking didn’t yield the supposedly thick sauce.

“This is so hard.” Changmin complained. He was perspiring and his arm felt so numb and lifeless. “This is impossible.”

“Need help?” Sooyoung appeared by his side, not bothering to wait for any response from him as she took the wire whisk. “This is how you do it, Changmin-ssi.”

                Despite her skinny frame, she expertly whisked the hollandaise sauce much more rapidly than he did. In three minutes, she was able to whip up the sauce in perfect consistency. Smiling in satisfaction, the leggy brunette handed the whisk back to a visibly awe-struck Changmin before gesturing back to the recipe, wordlessly reminding him that he needed to complete his dish.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it Changmin-ssi?” She asked him.

The dark haired man swallowed the lump that suddenly formed in his throat, realizing that she was standing really close to him. “Definitely not, Sooyoung-ssi.”

“I hope this won’t discourage you from attending my class tomorrow.” Sooyoung smiled brightly; her eyes twinkling as she did so.

“It won’t.”

True to his word, he was in his home economics class the next day.

And the day after that

And the day after that one, too