Five Times

The first time was a dream. 

Little Donghae was in his happy place. Blue cakes, red cakes, and all different colored cakes lined the walls. A dim light and a sweet aroma drifted out of the oven. It was warm and homey bakery.

Little Donghae was in his happy place. He paced around the room as if drifting on clouds. He twirled from cake to cake, sampling and looking for the perfect one. He ate and until all but one cake was left, and it was alone on the highest shelf. Little Donghae stretched and stretched but he could not reach his perfect cake. 

Then, a gentle hand rested on Little Donghae's shoulder. It warmed his little heart. 

Looking back, the hand extended farther and farther until it connected with a being, and it was a beautiful being. Little Donghae's eye widened as he examined it. It was definitely a he, but he had no age. Little Donghae could see him as a toddler, but also as a man. He was not a body, but a soul. And it was a beautiful soul. Little Donghae thought it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. It was even better than the most beautiful cake.

The gentle soul smiled and pointed at the last cake. Little Donghae looked on with wonder as the last cake flew down from its high shelf and hovered right before the beautiful soul. 

The gentle soul smiled and pointed at the best cake. Little Donghae gave a shy smile and took a nibble. It was indeed the best cake, the one cake he had been searching for. 

It was a strawberry cake.

Little Donghae was in his happy place. He shared the best cake with the beautiful soul until he could eat no more. He wanted to say something, but as soon as he opened his mouth, Little Donghae woke up. He could remember nothing but the face of an angel, and the taste of strawberry cake.

The second time was brief.

It was a glimpse of red in the sea of black that caught Donghae's eyes. This time, he was no longer little. He was a proper middle school student with charm, looks, and a bright future in soccer. 

It was a soccer game against at a school far far away that brought Donghae and his beautiful soul together again. However, the beautiful soul was no longer a beautiful soul, but a beautiful boy. He was standing amidst Donghae's classmates. His bright red T-shirt stood out defiantly against the black uniform of Donghae's school. 

Why the beautiful boy was standing in the wrong crowd cheering for the wrong team was a mystery to Donghae. But, Donghae was in his happy place. All of a sudden, he could feel the warmth of the bakery in his dream. He could smell the strawberry cake.

Needless to say, Donghae lost his passion in soccer. At that moment, all Dongahe wanted was an oven, some flour, and a bowl of strawberries.

The third time took Donghae by surprise. 

It was a loud and obnoxious concert. Donghae was sick of hearing song after song about break ups, but his friend insisted that he stayed. And so Donghae did. He sat through another ballad about love before almost needing to smack his friend for making him stay. 

High school Donghae was grumpy. He was bogged down by his schoolwork and maintaining his position in the varsity soccer team. Donghae didn't even like soccer.

Deciding that he could no longer listen to sappy romance songs, Donghae got ready to leave. It was then it happened. A new band came on stage, and out came his beautiful boy. But he was no longer a boy, but a handsome teen. Now sporting bleached blonde hair, the handsome teen was the guest dancer for the instrumental rock ballad. 

Donghae was left speechless. He watched as the handsome teen moved to the beat; his body flowed flawlessly from move to move. The scent of strawberries caught Donghae's nose, and he was brought back to the bakery. 

Donghae was in his happy place. He stayed the rest of the concert, in hopes of finding the handsome teen. But, he was no where to be found.

The very next day, Donghae quit soccer. When questioned, his sole reply was, "Strawberries." 

He never liked soccer anyway.

The fourth time was a misery.

It was a college frat party that Donghae somehow got himself invited to. College boys were reckless, so college Donghae thought why the heck not.

The party was boring according to Donghae. He has no interest in the countless offers of he received. Donghae still had his looks, his charms, but now he has a body to complete that package. In other words, Donghae was hot.

It was a grind fest at the party. People piled into the small basement to rub against each other. It was disgusting, but Donghae found himself dragged down the by his friends. He pushed away anyone that tried to put a hand on him. 

Then a scent of strawberry flittered through Donghae's nose. He turned around, and saw his handsome teen grinding in the middle of the grind circle. But his handsome teen was no longer a teen, but a y gorgeous man. 

Donghae wanted to approach the gorgeous man, but he stopped in his tracks when a girl dressed in a ty golden dress threw herself on top of the gorgeous man. 

Donghae lost his happy place. The scent of strawberry now seem sickly sweet to him. He could not feel the warmth of the bakery anymore.

It was a cold a rainy night when Donghae ran home. He cried all night, feeling the loss of someone he had never met. He had only calmed down after confirming with his friend that the gorgeous man was still single.

But he learned a name. 

His y, gorgeous man was named Lee Eunhyuk.

The fifth time is the last.

Donghae had earned his degree in culinary arts and opened up his own bakery. He baked red cakes, blue cakes, and all sorts of different cakes. They lined up the wall like a trophy case. The only cake Donghae could never make correctly was a strawberry cake. For some reason, it never tasted as good as it did in his dream.

It was a chilly autumn day. The doors of the bakery opened and in stepped a costumer. Back in the kitchen, Donghae scrambled around trying to finish his muffins. 

The front counter bell rang, and Donghae yelled from the back, "Be right with you." It was almost closing and chef Donghae was slightly annoyed that a costumer was there. He wiped his floury hands on his apron and tended to the rude costumer.

The rude costumer was examining Donghae's wall of cakes. 

"May I help you?" Donghae asked. 

"Why don't you have strawberry cakes?" The rude costumer replied. Donghae was slightly taken back. Costumers never openly requested for strawberry cake before.

"Um..." Donghae mumbled. The rude costumer turned around and looked at Donghae. At that moment, Donghae's heart stopped. Before him stood his Eunhyuk, but he was no longer so distant. The warmth of the bakery rushed over him and filled his head with the scent of strawberry. His Eunhyuk looked equally as shocked. 

"You!" Eunhyuk exclaimed. He ran to the counter and stared at Donghae's face. Donghae could only gawk.

"This may sound weird and creepy but I have looked for you my whole life!" Eunhyuk bounced happily before Donghae.

A raw wave of emotion crashed over Donghae. He felt tears in his eyes. "No, I believe you. I have been searching for you my whole life too!" He said, smiling wider than ever. "It was that dream wasn't it?" He continued.

Eunhyuk nodded fiercely. He grabbed Donghae's hand and gave a gentle squeeze. "It was a dream of your soul, this bakery, and-"

"Strawberry cake!" Donghae finished. Laughter and chatter soon filled the little bakery. 

From that day on, Donghae baked the best strawberry cake in the whole city. He also lived every moment of his life in the warmth of the bakery and the scent of fresh strawberries. 

He was in his happy place, and his happy place had the best cake in the world.

Author's notes:

Thanks for reading! It was just a plot bunny that will annoy me until I get rid of it. So here it is!