After marrying Suho, Sehuna is finally discovering the perks of it, enjoining the days by her husband’s side full of pure bliss. Suho took a month off from his work only to be able to have a good start as newlyweds but, when you have fun, time flies and in a blink of eyes. Sehuna wasn’t any different from this; before she knows it, Suho is already back to work.

At her first week alone at home Sehuna lies on the couch and watches television; she wonders why she rejected Suho’s offer to contract someone to clean the house and make the meals. Her husband works until late at night in a television company and she doesn’t know how to cook at all, so Sehuna ends up ordering Chinese food from her favorite restaurant every night.

At her second week alone at home, she walks around the house and realizes that having no one to clean everything up added laziness to her body as she lied on the couch everyday, plus husband coming home late results on house full of dust and the kitchen clean like it has never been used (what is not a total lie). Sehuna remembers how her mother’s kitchen was always dirty and sticky, but it just showed how much it was utilized and now she wants to do the same; she wants a dirty kitchen. So, Sehuna decides that today she’ll bake Suho a cake.

The cake took more of her time than she thought it would. The ingredients needed weren’t available in the fridge; Sehuna, now, regrets not helping her mother in the house chores. Instead, she spent her teenage days painting her nails and reading gossip magazines while texting Kyungjin about the new tendencies, meanwhile the latter was studying and ignoring her messages. While searching for her cellphone, she remembered something; Kyungjin knows how to cook. Sehuna just had the most brilliant idea ever and she hopes her best friend is not busy.

As she thought about calling Kyungjin and what kind of help she’d ask her, Sehuna didn’t notice at first the faint smell of something burning, but before, a few minutes before going to her room to look for her cellphone, she sniffs the horrible scent of ruined cake in the oven and runs to prevent burning the entire house down. Suho wouldn’t like it; he wouldn’t like it at all.

After one long hour mopping the floor and washing all the dishes, Sehuna finally calls Kyungjin to beg for help because she doesn’t want to be such useless wife, like the one she actually is at the moment. After a few “stop crying Sehuna, this is not taking you anywhere” and “I have work to do so I can’t in any way help you, Sehuna” screams in the phone “ok you little spoiled brat, stop wasting my time, I’ll go help you tomorrow so don’t burn any more cakes,” the line went dead. Sehuna has always been good at making Kyungjin agree with her.

After a quickly victory dance, Sehuna hears the door opening and snaps back to reality. She goes to the living room and sees her husband loosening his expensive new tie and falling onto the couch; he’s back early today.

 

“Welcome back.” Sehuna beams at him and sits at his side on the available spot on their couch.

Suho hugs her waist and closes his eyes. Taking a deep breath he scrunches his nose and gets up.

“What is this smell?” Sehuna eyes go wide and she looks around trying to find a good excuse.

“Did you burn something?” Suho quickly looks around and gets up, leaving the couch, and heads to the kitchen, sniffing the air that surrounds him.

He enters the kitchen, which looks the same as it was earlier when he left the house, but when he opens the oven the smells remind him of something like coal and he checks the trashcan to face a huddle of something black that looks like mud.

Sehuna blushes and pushes Suho away from the kitchen. Suho tries to take a few glimpses as his wife kicks him out from the kitchen.

“You just didn’t see that, please.” She looks down as they reach the living room once again and Suho feels sympathetic and smiles.

“See what? I think I need to take a shower. Go to sleep, I’ll be joining you soon.” He stretches his arms and heads to the bathroom.

Sehuna smiles, her husband never fails at making her feel loved. Determined to make something to thank him and also show a little of her own love, Sehuna runs to the bedroom and covers herself with the blankets. She can’t wait for Kyungjin’s help tomorrow.

At the time Sehuna wakes up Suho already left for work. She eats some Chinese leftovers from yesterday, and by the time Kyungjin arrives, she’s lying on the couch as always.

Kyungjin greets her friend shaking her head showing disapproval on her for not listening when she clearly told when they were younger how Sehuna should learn how to behave like a lady: learn how to knit, cook or at least basic house cleaning. Just by stepping inside the house, Kyungjin can see the thin layer of dust resting on the shelves. Running her finger on top of the furniture, she clicks her tongue and turns to Sehuna.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Kyungjin doesn’t forget to glare at her friend “When was the last time you cleaned this house?” Sehuna stops to think and she doesn’t remember cleaning the house ever before.

“Funny story,” Sehuna laughs, trying to ease the tension, “I don’t think I ever did it.” Kyungjin throws her hands up muttering, “Oh Lord please have mercy on my soul why I have to bear with this please,” but decides to help Sehuna anyway; they’re not best friends for nothing.

“Sehuna, where is the flour?” Kyungjin asks while searching inside the cabinets.

Getting the package she used yesterday, Sehuna throws it to Kyungjin.

“Are you serious?” Kyungah says, frowning. “You actually used this to bake a cake? This is bicarbonate; please say you just did not think it was flour.”

“No, I didn’t,” Sehuna scoffs. “You think I’m this stupid?” Kyungjin nods in response and Sehuna huffs. “Maybe I used it as sugar and used sugar as flour and flour as yeast, but you’re not here to judge me, go and help me bake something eatable.”

“Yes, Mrs. Kim.” Kyungjin rolls her eyes and folds the sleeves of her blouse. It’s going to be a long afternoon.

“For the thousandth time Sehuna, you have to measure the portions, you can’t just put the amount of flour you think that is enough, it doesn’t work that way,” Kyungjin wails, she has never thought her friend could be this slow when it came to domestic duties, she could imagine Sehuna setting the kitchen on fire anytime soon. It’s been only half an hour of baking but Sehuna already spilled milk and scattered flour on the white kitchen floors.

“I’m sorry; I don’t think I can do it, can you please demonstrate it?” Sehuna gives up, but smirks a little in the end, she knows Kyungjin can’t stand seeing her ruining and wasting more ingredients and then she’ll make everything for her, not that Sehuna is this evil but having one friend with all this culinary skills comes in handy.

“Let’s give up with the cake and do something like it but smaller, like cupcakes. Good thing I brought some stuff with me or else we’d be screwed.” Sehuna beams at Kyungjin whose shakes one bag making metallic sounds. Sehuna always liked cupcakes, why didn’t she think of it before? Plus her friend is a hell of a genius as always.

“Gather all the dry ingredients in there.” Kyungjin points at the other side of the counter and takes out the entire utensils she brought with her “And also, separate these liners and put them in the form while I put the oven to preheat, break the eggs and measure the liquid ingredients will you please.”

Sehuna didn’t think it’d be this easy but if she looks behind now, she’ll see how desperate and unprepared she was; having Kyungjin to give out instructions on what to do is a piece of cake, literally, and the company of her best friend helps her to calm down.

Mixing the flour, sugar and yeast into the pot, Sehuna could feel the sweet vanilla scent coming from the bottle Kyungjin just opened and put in a teaspoon, mixing it with milk.

“Add it little by little please.” Kyungjin takes one whisk and starts mixing the dry mixture slowly. Sehuna pours the vanilla smelling milk into the pot and when the mixture is homogenous, Kyungjin adds the three eggs she broke and keeps mixing.

“Now, you put it on the liners.” Kyungjin hands the pot and points at the form. Sehuna nods and pours the batter slowly into each one, smiling at her well done work.

“Good job.” she feels a pat on her shoulder.

Kyungjin takes the form and places it on the oven “Now all we need is to wait.”

“We should clean the mess in the meantime,” Sehuna gets up and comes back holding a mop, a boom and a bucket with water.
Kyungjin takes the broom and starts to sweep the floor while Sehuna mops where she already cleaned.

When they finish cleaning, the white flours are finally shiny and super white plus the smell of vanilla is already filling the air. The oven bell rings and Kyungjin rushes with her oven mitt to take the hot form out. She puts it on the stove and turns to Sehuna.
“The cupcakes need to cool down right now, so meanwhile we should prepare the frosting.” Kyungjin claps her hands and goes back to the counter.

She takes out from the fridge cream cheese, butter and crème fraîche, which Sehuna does not remember buying, but ignores it nevertheless and keeps looking at what will be Kyungjin’s next moves.

“Come here Sehuna, I’m going to teach you how to do the frosting.” She motions for Sehuna to join her and hands her the mixer. “Beat the cream cheese and the butter in this pot until it gets fluffy enough and I’ll measure the cocoa powder and sugar then melt a little amount of chocolate.”

Sehuna finishes the cream at the same time Kyungjin is done with hers. They start to blend the rest of the ingredients one by one: sugar, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt, slowly adding the melted chocolate, beating until it gets uniform, then put the crème fraîche to make it more firm.

Satisfied with their well-done job, Kyungjin grabs her piping bag and puts the creamy chocolate pastry within.
The cupcakes are already cooled down and Sehuna brings them to the kitchen table, taking them out from the forms and transfers to a silver tray. She happily smiles at the result.

“Now, now, Sehuna I’ll put the frosting on the cupcakes, next time you’ll do it yourself, just observe.” Kyungjin proudly holds the piping bag and starts working while Sehuna looks utterly and totally amazed.

As Kyungjin is done, her friend just claps and stares at the little cake. “It looks like a rose,” Sehuna gasps and Kyungjin rolls her eyes. “It’s just frosting, here hold the bag for a moment, I’ll go get the sprinkles.”

Kyungjin takes out from her magic bag a packet of sprinkles and opens it taking a little amount in the palm of her hand and scatters it on top of the finished cupcake.

She takes the bag back from Sehuna’s hand. “When you try to bake cupcakes again take a picture of the final work and show me, I want to know how much you learned.” she smiles and finishes frosting the other cupcakes.

 

-

“Kyungjin, I don’t know if I can thank you enough for helping me out.” Sehuna hugs her best friend that needs to leave already since Suho will be home in a few minutes.

“It’s alright Sehuna, but remember you can do anything if you believe and try, also make a research before doing so, you can’t just do it the way you think it is, everything has instructions.” Kyungjin jokes as Sehuna laughs it off while waving goodbye.

An hour later, the door clicks open and a completely tired Suho enters the house, dropping his coat on the couch; he finds oddly weird not to see his wife seated in front of the television, waiting for him to give his welcome home kiss and hug her like every night.
He hears clattering and follows the shuffling until he reaches the kitchen. To his surprise he finds Sehuna making dinner. Suho doesn’t move and watches in silence while his wife works on their food.

Suho, in the entire 5 years he had known Sehuna, had never seen her cooking or even entering the kitchen, but here she is, in front of the stove stirring a piece of beef with two pots beside it, which he assumes are more food she prepared herself and now he’s excited to see what it is. Silently, he approaches her.

“Sehuna, I’m home!” Suho beams behind her and Sehuna, surprised, turns around. She looks at the clock and sees that it’s already 8:30pm; the usual time Suho gets back from work.

“What’s that?” Suho asks, grinning from ear to ear while pointing to the frying pan.

Sehuna quickly turns the beef around, adds soy sauce and sugar and covers it.

“I’m making dinner tonight. Please go wash your hands, the food is ready but take your time.” she nervously smiles. Turning off the stove, she pushes Suho out of the kitchen. He goes upstairs, chuckling, not missing the wink she sent him that said something like “I have to set the table, go!” before shooing him .

Sehuna covers the table with the white cloth she bought a few months ago and runs back to the kitchen. She takes two bowls and first thing she does is add the rice, followed by the beans sprout, vegetables, and the beef she just finished stirring. Lastly, she spills the pepper paste into the arranged meal and heads to the dining room.

Suho is already seated, hands placed on his lap, waiting for Sehuna to come. He sees her, a big smile spreads across his lips reaching his eyes and he chuckles again, he never thought he’d see his wife wearing an apron. His face lights up when he sees what they’ll have for dinner.

“You made bibimbap, my favorite! I remember you saying that it was hard to do.” Sehuna smiles shyly and looks at her food; it wasn’t really that hard. As Kyungjin said, everything has instructions, she just had to try her best and follow them.

“Thanks Sehuna, thanks a lot! It means so much to me.” he couldn’t stop smiling and after one last thank you, Suho digs his chopsticks in the food. She watches as he eats and hums enjoying the dish. Satisfied with the fact that she made her husband happy, she smiles to herself and enjoy the food as well.

“I’m sorry, I spend so much time at work,” Suho says when he sits at the bed after his shower. Sehuna folds her magazine and looks up, urging him to keep talking.
“I shouldn’t have let you stay home all by yourself every day, I’m so sorry. I’ll make it up for you this weekend.” Suho lies down and falls asleep faster than the light when his head hits the pillow. Sehuna sighs, but follows right after, going to dreamland.

Sehuna didn’t expect to wake up on a Saturday morning and find the spot beside her empty. Suho promised that today they’d spend quality time together. Sitting up, Sehuna finds a note on his pillow “sorry dear, work called and they really need me, I’ll be back a.s.a.p.! Have fun today! Love you” Sehuna sighs, taking the credit card Suho left along with the message, planning to pay the mall a little visit.

 

-

Sehuna doesn’t plan on wasting Suho’s hardworking money on useless pretty things she won’t use, so in the end she walks around the whole building, looking at the shop windows, but not buying anything. When it gets too boring, Sehuna heads back home, holding on her right hand her favorite chocolate flavored bubble tea.

Humming, she opens the main door of her house and gets startled when the lights are all on and she is greeted by her smiling husband.

“I thought you were at work.” Sehuna tilts her head, confused. “Are you perhaps ditching your job?” Suho shakes his head and laughs.

“No, no. I was just-“ He takes a step aside “Surprise!” Suho opens his arms and shows her the settled table.

“I know you like my cooking, so I decided to be in charge of dinner today.” he holds up one finger signaling for her to wait a second. Sehuna stays by the door, waiting for him to come back. After nothing more than one minute, he’s back holding two delicious looking plates of spaghetti.

Suho smiles sheepishly, places the dishes on the table and walks to her, kissing and hugging Sehuna tightly. “I hope you like it and I’m deeply sorry for not having enough time for you during the weeks.” Suho whispers in her left ear, hugging her as she hugged back.

Sehuna buries her face at his neck, smelling the cologne that she loves the most. “That’s ok; you always know how to make our times together worth.” Suho breaks the hug and smiles, he feels like he has an angel on his arms.
Sehuna smiles and drags him to the table, making him sit on the chair placed in her right.

“Thank you,” she says and eats the delicious spaghetti made by the best and her only husband, only hers.