Chapter Ten

Strawberry Tart of Memories

The noisy underground subway was filled with no one except a really sad girl. Sooyoung sat alone, thinking about what happened before. Each time the memory flashed in her head, she got sadder. I made all my friends hate me... I'm just a terrible person... She was thinking about it so hard that she didn't notice the subway stopped at her station. She held her bag and quickly got out.

The girl walked out of the station and onto a road she's very familiar with. She got off the road and into a neighbourhood. It was the middle of the night so none of the houses had their lights on except one which was exactly where she was going to. "I came home." she sighed. She slapped her cheeks lightly. "No, I can't... Gotta smile! I can't look all gloomy." She went ahead and rang the doorbell.

"Yes?" A voice called out.

"Open up, Dad. It's Sooyoung."

"What?! Sooyoung! It's really, really you! Hey, everyone! It's Sooyoung! Sooyoung came home!"

"What for?" Sooyoung heard another voice. She assumed it was her little sister, Sulli.

Suddenly, the door flung open and almost his Sooyoung in the face. "Sooyoung, welcome home!" Mr. Choi, Mrs. Choi and Sulli welcomed.

"I'm back."

"You must be cold, come on inside!" Mr. Choi led her inside the house and closed the door.

"You see, Sooyoung's gone!" Yuri said. The princes gasped. "I searched all around the campus, but her luggage is gone, so I think she left."

Lu Han's eyes widened. "Seriously?"

Kris instantly felt guilty. "Back then..."

"I'm sorry, but with you as you are now, we won't make it past the first round."

"If you think you can win without a struggle, you're making a big mistake."

"But..."

"She must have been really hurt by that." Key, too, felt guilty.

"For Pete's sake... She gets criticized a tiny bit and then runs away? That won't fly in the harsh world of a pattissier." Lu Han tried to shake the memory of Sooyoung on her knees, crying, out of his head.

"Although she seems to be used to it coming from you, Lu Han."

"But she was told by me and Kris, who are usually nice to her. She must have been quite shocked." Kris nodded sadly.

"You guys are hopeless..." Lu Han grumbled.

"Oh, no!" The princes were startled by Yuri who finally said something. "It's already closing time for the dorm! What should we do? If she ends up staying overnight at somewhere else without permission, she'll be expelled for sure!"

"That's definitely a problem." agreed Key.

Lu Han blinked the group away annoyingly and walked away.

"Lu Han?"

"Have some of your father's special tteokbokki! Now, eat up! I'll make more if you want me to!"

"Thanks for the food!" Sooyoung ate one. "Delicious!"

"Isn't it?"

"If you had called at least, we would have picked you up at the train station. Weren't you cold?"

"So anyway, why'd you come home, Sis?"

Sooyoung choked on her food. She had to come up with something. Quick. "Winter break is really early."

"Wait, seriously?"

"I suppose those Frenchy schools really do things different."

Sulli smirked. "Have you gained some weight, Sis? I bet you're pigging out on sweets everyday since Mom's not looking over your shoulder."

"Sulli, you're gonna get 10 noogies for that!" Sooyoung jumped at her little sister.

"No, anything but that!"

Mr. Choi chuckled. "Nice and lively. This is how our family should be, no doubt. Mom, bring me beer!"

"Coming right up, Dear."

Just then the phone rang. Maybe that's...

Mrs. Choi went to pick up the phone. "Yes, this is the Choi residence. Ah, thank you for looking after her. Yes? Oh, I see."

I knew it. It's from the Academy.

"Uh, right. Next time, we'll make sure to... I apologize. Goodbye. That was the dorm superintendent. They request that next time you notify them of your absence sooner."

"Notice of absence?" I didn't submit anything like that.

"Then what was this early winter break you were talking about?"

"Um, well... I'm sorry, I lied!" Sooyoung bowed.

"So basically, you're having some issues with your friends." Mrs. Choi clarified.

"Yeah."

"And you ran away without making up with them?" Sulli asked.

"Yeah."

"That's so not like you, Sis."

"Yeah, I know."

"Don't sweat it!" Mr. Choi smiled. "Just quit that far-away school!" He he up his glass of beer.

"Darling..."

"I am going to quit SM Academy."

"Are you serious about this, Sis?"

"Sooyoung..."

"I got into the school fine, but it was just screw up after screw up, day after day."

"Yes, your father knows all too well how clumsy you are!"

"And when once in a while someone complimented me, I got way too carried away."

Mr. Choi laughed. "You do tend to get carried away, that's for sure."

"And where do you think she gets that from?"

"I think I'm just not cut out for that place."

"Yup, yup! I won't stand in your way! My little fledgling can rest in her papa's arms!"

"Darling..." Mrs. Choi glared at her husband.

Sooyoung volunteered to do the dishes since it was supposed to be her night to do them. Mrs. Choi came into the kitchen. "Tomorrow's Saturday, so why don't we go for a drive?"

"A drive?"

Mrs. Choi nodded.

"Thanks for waiting." Sulli hurriedly climbed into the van with her Mom and Dad waiting. "Oopsie daisy..."

"Where's Sooyoung?"

"In my dust! Sis takes forever to get ready."

Sooyoung rushed out of her room. "Sorry for making you wa-" Mr, Mrs Choi and Sulli heard a loud thud in the house. They could only sigh. Sooyoung never changes.

"So, where are we going?" Sulli asked.

"We should show our faces to your Uncle once in a while, don't you think?"

"We're going to Grandma's shop?" Sooyoung eagerly asked.

"Correct."

The shop that my grandma started... It was taken over last year by her eldest son which is my Uncle. I haven't seen him once since Grandma passed away. It's been so long since I've had one of those strawberry tarts. I can't wait! Grandma would always give me one to eat when I was feeling down and crying. With a single bite, it'd put a smile on my face, almost like magic. It'd cheer me up from the bottom of my heart. It'll be able to cheer up these gloomy feelings of mine, I bet!

Mrs. Choi pulled to a stop and the family got out of the car. "I'm beat after such a long drive!" Mr. Choi yawned.

"Despite being passed out snpring the whole time?" Sulli asked.

"Well, sleeping while sitting is quite tiring." The family went over to the house that stood in front of them to see a close sign on the door. "I guess the recession's even hit out here..."

"Oh, no!"

The family sighed sadly. "We came all the way here, and..." Sulli was interrpted by a motor cycle engine.

A man hopped of it and walked towards the family. "Hey, bro." Sulli and Sooyoung couldn't help but stare at the man's bald and shiny head. "Hey, what were you just looking at?"

"Uh, nothing."

"Anyway, you came a long way."

"Hello..." Sulli and Sooyoung greeted politely.

The man smiled. "If it isn't Sooyoung and Jinri! Take my eyes off you for a second and you've grown so much!" The man patted Sooyoung's head. "Blinded by your Uncle's shiny head?" Uncle Choi chuckled.

"So the shop is closed today?" Mrs. Choi asked.

"Nope. I just sold out of everything I made this morning in two hours."

"Wow, that's incredible!"

"What about the muscle-bike?" Mr. Choi asked.

"Oh, that? There's a lot of elderly people around here, so I deliver orders to people who can't make it here on their own." Uncle Choi handed his sister a tray of coffees.

Sulli ran over to her mother's side. "That coffee smells good!"

"I just came back from a delivery to a guy who has lower back problems."

"And you have the store to run as well. It must be rough on you."

"Well, this is the neighbourhood store that everyone depends on. But, fruit delivered fresh from the orchard, and fresh milk straight from the farm. It has its advantages."

Sooyoung was puzzled. "From the orchard? What happened to the strawberry patch in the backyard?"

"Well, that just wasn't my thing. I gave up on it."

Sooyoung was daydreaming about the sweets her grandma makes placed on the empty shelves of the store when Sulli spoke. "Sis! Earth to Sis!" Sooyoung snapped out of her daydream. "Here's you coffee." Sulli handed her a cup.

"Sooyoung, I hear that you entered SM Academy, the same one that Grandma entered. The training is tough, but it'll be sure to improve your skills."

"Um, well, about that..."

"Anyway, I'd better get things ready to open up in the afternoon." Uncle Choi started to walked to the kitchen when he stopped. "Oh yeah... How'd you like to help me, Sooyoung? Jinri?"

Mrs. Choi turned to her husband. "Then we'll go out for a walk, right?"

"Okay, I guess we're off..."

Mrs. Choi grabbed onto Mr. Choi's arm. "See you later! Have fun!"

Sulli looked at the sleeves of the uniform she was wearing. "It's a little big on me..." she mumbled.

Cool! This is the same uniform Grandma wore!

"How can we help?"

"Those look good on you!" Sooyoung complimented her sister.

"Really? But I've never made any sweets before..."

"Don't worry. You can count on me."

"Count on you, Sis?"

"Yeah!"

"As if."

Sooyoung was glaring at Sulli when Uncle Choi came in. "Have you btoh washed your hands?"

"Yes!"

"Then first, seperate the whites from the yolks of these eggs." He pointed to a a few bowls of a dozen eggs.

"All..."

"...of these eggs?"

"You should use these egg seperators." Uncle Choi handed each of them one.

"I've never used one of these before..." Sulli mumbled.

"Sulli, you do it like this." Sooyoung demostrated perfectly.

"Wow! You can seperate them that simply?"

"Now you try, Sulli."

Sulli mimicked what Sooyoung did perfectly. "I did it! Yay! I did it! I really, actually did it!"

After cracking and seperating dozens of eggs, the duo were tired. "Finished."

"Uncle is doing something weird over there..." Sulli mumbled.

"Oh, that? He's roughly crushing roasted walnuts. See, doesn't it smell lovely?"

Sulli took a sniff. "You're right!"

"Finished?" Uncle Choi asked. "Then next I want Sooyoung to sift the flour and Jinri to do the sugar."

The duo went into the storeroom and were overwhelmed. "There's so much of it again!"

Sulli sighed. "Being a patissier sure takes a lot of work."

"Tired already?" Sooyoung asked.

"No! I'm not done yet!" Sulli said determindly. "I'm just going to get more sugar." Sulli walked away. When she came back, she noticed Sooyoung was smiling and enjoying the work. "Do you seriously find all this work fun? And anyway, the sugar and flour are already powdered, right? Is there some reason for us to sift them?"

"Oh, that? If the powder clumps then you can't ingredients properly, right? It will end up affecting the texture. And sifting also adds air into the powder. That air helps it end up light and fluffy."

"Oh, I see!"

"It might be a pain, but if you put in the effort, it'll show in the sweets you make."

"You really look like you're having fun when you're making sweets, Sis." Sooyoung looked at Sulli, puzzled. "Right now you seem, uh... Like you're sparkling and radiant!"

"Really? I'm sparkling?"

"Yes? What is it?" Uncle Choi came over to the duo. "Did you call me?" He took off his hat to reveal his shiny bald head.

"Uh, no."

"Okay, the batter is ready. We'll spread these out and bake cookies." Unlce Choi begin explaining which batter is for who to Sooyoung and Sulli. "This orange batter is for babies and has carrots in it. These are soy flower cookies. Since you squeeze them out using a pastry bag, they're very soft. That way, even people with dentures can eat all they want." Sulli was fasicinated. "This one has Okara and Hijiki in it. They're for pregnant ladies. This one uses an artificial sweetener for people on diets. And this one is for dogs."

Sooyoung was fasicnated as well. "Wow, you even have a doggy as a customer!"

"Jinri, you use the cookie cutters. Sooyoung, you use the pastry bag."

"Right!"

Uncle Choi is an amazing pattisier. Just as good as Grandma Choi. Sooyoung thought that the shop felt a little different than it did during Grandma Choi's time, but it seems like Uncle Choi has really taken it over and made it into his own.

The trio worked super hard. Sulli and Sooyoung slumped down on the couch.

"Good work." Uncle Choi praised. "Thanks to you two, I've finished 30 minutes faster than I usually do."

"Uh, right! Thank you!" Sooyoung thanked.

"Go ahead and eat all you want!"

The sisters were excited but Sulli was a little bit worried. "You know my sister won a cake eating competition, right?"

"Oh, then... How about 10 pieces?"

"All right!"

The sweets on their plate were radiant and ready to eat.

"Let's eat!"

"These are the cookies I cut out!" exclaimed Sulli. "Delicious!"

"It tastes even better when you make it yourself." Uncle Choi said.

"Yeah!"

Sooyoung took a bite out of a strawberry tart. Her eyes widened in surprise. "The taste is different! Well, it definitely tastes good, sure... But it doesn't taste like Grandma's tart. Uncle, did you change the flavour of this tart? It has a richer butter flavour than it did before..."

"I'm impressed you noticed. I make it with cultured butter, wich is made from a fermented cream. It's my own original tart. Well, when I started running the shop I tried to preserve the taste of Grandma's tart. It was extremely popular, after all. But I never figured out the recipe."

"The recipe?" Uncle Choi handed her a small book. "What's this?"

"Her recipe notebook. It's filled with Grandma's memories, and the recipe for the tart. But I could never find the key, so I haven't been able to read it."

"The key is lost?"

"And it's an inheritance from her, so I don't want to break it. So no one can read it any more. You liked Grandma's strawberry tart?"

"Yes, I loved it! Well, I like yours, too, Uncle..."

Uncle Choi chuckled. "Say what you think, I don't mind."

"But I really do..."

"I'll give this notebook to you."

"No, I could never accept such an important..."

"I've already finished completing my own tart, see. I don't need it anymore. I feel like Grandma would be happier watching over you, Sooyoung."

That night, the Choi family drove back home. Mrs. Choi was drving while Sulli and Mr. Choi were fast asleep. Sooyoung was staring at the notebook.

"Without a key I guess it's no use. Now I'm really curious to see that tart recipe. But just having this with me is plenty. Sharing a treasure from my Grandma really calmed me down for a reason." It was then Sooyoung realized that she overreacted yesterday. She knew she had to get back to SM Academy. There were so many secrets just waiting to be discovered in that one book and SM was the place for them to be discovered at. Plus, she missed Lu--The sweets princes and Yuri. "Mom, sorry, but head to the nearest station!"

"Did you actually think I was driving home? Your bags are in the trunk."

"Mom!"

Mrs. Choi stopped at the SM Academy entrance. "Sooyoung, it's okay to get depressed sometimes. But you make sure to pick yourself right back up again. Just keep repeating that, and you'll grow bit by bit."

Sooyoung nodded. "Thanks, Mom." She got out with her bags and waited at the stop until her Mom drove away.

As soon as the car was gone, she heard a voice. "I knew you'd be back."

Sooyoung was startled. "L-Lu Han?"

The boy went over to Sooyoung's side. "Don't ever worry me, ahem, I mean, us, again."

"You were worried?"

"Yeah, and uh, Kris, Key and Yuri were." Lu Han took the bags from her hand. "What?"

"Those are heavy." He walked towards the school. "Well, come on."

Sooyoung nodded and ran to his side. I'll study real hard, and create sweets that'll make tons of people smile! When the two reached the school, Sooyoung was greeted with a warm suprise.

Kris's frown turned into a smile when he saw Sooyoung. He couldn't help himself and just wrapped her in a warm hug. "Thank goodness, you came back."

"Um, I'm..."

Kris realesed Sooyoung from his embrace. "We're sorry!" He and Key bowed.

"We said some horrible things to you without taking your feelings into consideration." Key said.

"We really regret it."

"I have to apologize, too. I'm sorry, everyone." Sooyoung bowed.

Key came closer to her. "Then give me hug." He opened his arms. Sooyoung walked into them and gave a friendly hug.

"Are you coming? It's almost closing time for the dorm." Lu Han crossed his arms.

"Lu Han turned in a fake notice of absence  to the dormiory superintendent for you." Kris explained.

Key grinned. "He's a crafty one, he is."

"Quiet, you."

"Sorry... Thanks, Lu Han." Sooyoung apologized.

"Well, maybe I said some things I shouldn't have." That was as close to an apology as anyone can get from Lu Han.

"We have only 9 minutes till closing time!" Kris exclaimed.

"Everyone, run!"

SM Academy... I'm back!

Hello, friendly people of AFF!

I'm sorry if this wasn't as exciting as it seems. At first, I was planning on putting some kissy mushy moments in this. But then I thought, it's a little early for that... So just some simple hugs and sorry moments. Yeah... And sorry, I felt like I've been slacking. hehe

Btw, I've started watching Maid-Sama. It's an Anime. And I'm liking it so far... usui xD

I hope you all enjoyed this!