"You have a B-plus?" my father raged while glaring at my progress report. "I though you said you studied!"

"I did, Dad," I protested, "but it–"

"Then why do you still have a B-plus in this class, Jessie? When I was in school, I excelled in anatomy. You have a regular class; I was in advance placement."

"But, Dad, it seems as if that's the best I can do no matter how hard I study."

"That sounds like an excuse to me, and you know how I feel about those."

"Honey, don't you think you're pushing Jessie a little bit too hard?" my mom asked while spraying whipped cram on the ice cream sundae.

"Stay out of this, Kay!" Dad warned. "You should just worry about delivering that order to the customer." After my mom carried that sundae out on the try, giving me a sympathetic look, Dad, continued to lecture me. "I don't want your excuses, Jessie. You are a senior this year, and your 18, so I expect better from you. If you keep failing at anatomy, how do you expect to be a doctor like me and you sister? You do want to be a doctor, do you?"

"Yes," I lied. In reality, I could care less.

"Then, you'd better show me because these grades aren't cutting it." Dad tossed the progress report aside while staring hard at me. "I'd better see an improvement by the next report card. Wash those dishes in the sink and sweep this floor. After you get done, start studying for that midterm. Get it together." Dad walked out the door after shaking his head at me.

I glanced over at the mountainous stack of dishes in the sink before letting out a heavy, frustrated sigh. After a few minutes of procrastination, I reluctantly shuffled towards the sink and ran the lukewarm water. Why does Dad keep doing this to me? It's not fair.

It seems as if my father has been pushing me all my life. He's been trying to groom me to be something I never wanted to be: a doctor. I actually want to be a singer and a dancer. I've always had an ear for music since I was little. I taught myself the piano when I was eight. Then, I was able to play the guitar by the time I was 14. On top of that, I pretty much know every type of dance there is around the world.

When I told my mother about my dream to entertain, she smiled because it was the same thing she wanted to do. Mom would participate in talent shows and tried to get a record companies to listen to her stuff, but many doors were slammed in her face to the point of her giving up. Eventually, she ended up taking over her family's bakery when her mother retired. Because of this, my father pushes me to become a doctor like him out of fear of me ending up like Mom. He took away my guitar and piano thinking that was going to waive me. Little did he know I went out and bought another guitar, with which I always practice in the basement every night. Sometimes, I feel as if Dad has a superiority complex towards Mom because he make more money than her. This is made evident in the way she is forced to defer to Dad when it comes to major fiscal decisions. I know I shouldn't say this, but I often find myself wondering why Mom even married someone as aggressive like my dad.

On my last dish, my mom met me at the sink and patted me on my shoulder.

"Everything all right?" she asked.

"I'm good," I smiled.

"Stop lying. What is it?"

I put up the plate in the dish rack and asked, "Why can't Dad just let me pursue my dream? I mean, I can understand why he's worried, but doesn't he understand I don't want to be a doctor?"

"He just wants the best for you, Jessie. It's what all parents want for their children."

"I never wanted to take up anatomy; I originally signed up for chorus, but Dad made me change at the last minute. I get that he wants the best for me, but I want to sing."

"I know, Jessie. Keep singing. Don't let anybody, not even your father, stop you. In the meantime, study your tail off for that midterm to silence him."

"Thanks, Mom." I gave her a hug before reaching for the broom.

"What are you doing?" 

"Dad told me to sweep the floor."

"I'll do that. You just take that order of cinnamon buns to table 2."

I grabbed the tray of warm rolls and headed towards the Ken and Barbie look alike couple, who thanked me before I left. I placed the tray on the counter and opened my textbook to Chapter 12, the nervous system.

"By the way, Jessie," my mother called out from the kitchen over the broom, "we're going to have a new baker in the restaurant. His name is Do Kyungsoo, and he's probably going to show up around the same time you come home from school tomorrow. Plus, he's pretty young, so I imagine the two of you getting along just fine. But try not to get along too well, if you know what I mean."

I turned around and gave my mom a playfully annoyed look, at which she laughed before I took out my index cards. The bakery has been growing lately, so it would make sense for Mom to bring in some extra help. Do Kyungsoo, is what she said his name was. Sounds like an interesting guy. 

"How old is Do Kyungsoo?" I asked.

"24," Mom replied. "He's very talented to be so young from what I've been hearing about him at his old job."

When she said he'd be young, I never imagined that young. Now I really can't wait to meet him~!

As any other school hater, I was more than eager to come home, but I had a different agenda in mind. When I got off the bus, I immediately ran toward the bike and pedaled down the street to the bakery with my backpack still on. For the rest of the day yesterday, I pictured what Do Kyungsoo, our new baker, would be like. It's not like me to be this eager to meet a new person, but it's not every day I get to meet a baker barely in his twenties and already making a name for himself. 

By the time I made it to the restaurant, I was halfway out of breath yet  I still managed to run inside through the doors. My mom saw me out of breath and gave me a concerned look. Then, she smiled and chortled. 

"You wanted to meet the new guy that badly, huh?" Mom snickered.

"Hmph, if only she showed this much enthusiasm in her work," Dad chimed in before leaving.

"Don't mind him, Jessie. You want some water?"

"I'll get some when I go to the kitchen," I exhaled.

"Let me ask you something. Was it the fact Kyungsoo is so young, or was it the name that struck your interest?"

Shaking my head at her reference of my interest for Asian guys, I made my way to the kitchen to fulfill my plans of getting water. I heard the oven door shut before I opened the entrance door, resulting in me becoming face-to face with a short, adorable, doe-eyed Korean guy wearing an apron.

"Hello, I'm Do Kyungsoo," the guy bowed. "You must be Jessie."

"Nice to meet you, Kyungsoo," I greeted. "What did you put in the oven just now?"

"An order of cinnamon buns. I hear you were very eager to meet me."

I blushed, brushing my waves behind my ears. "Guilty," I confessed. I was about to smile, but I suddenly became self-conscious about my gap. "When I heard about how young you were, I was thinking about how much I wanted to meet you."

"And it's because she likes guys like you," my mom chimed in when she entered the kitchen to retrieve an order.

"What do you mean?" Kyungsoo asked.

"Oh, Jessie knows what I'm talking about." Mom smirked at me before she left with the plate.

"Mom!" I squealed, feeling my face turn red. "She means nothing by it. I just came back here to get some water. I'll be out of your way soon."

"Oh, you aren't in my way, Jessie," Kyungsoo assured me. "I'm just waiting for these rolls to get done rising. It's a pretty slow day today."

I selected a glass from the dish rack and the faucet to fill it halfway. I took a sip before replying, :For this place, it's actually pretty normal on a Wednesday."

"Really? Well, I've created something that might bring more customers in. While I was waiting for the last order of cinnamon rolls, I made this dessert. It has six scoops of vanilla bean ice cream, macadamia nuts, hot fudge, shredded coconut flakes, pineapple slices, and mounds of whipped cream."

"That sounds tropical," I commented. "Does this dessert have a name."

"It's called the Sweet Escape. I added some tropical elements to the dessert so it would feel like being on vacation. Would you like to try it? It's in the fridge."

I finished the last gulp of water before placing the glass in the sink. I made my way to the fridge and opened the door to find a sundae that fits Kyungsoo's description. I grabbed the glass bowl, opened the drawer next to me, and took out a spoon. I nearly sank to the floor when I took a bite.

Kyungsoo, looking concerned, ran towards me and kneeled down to my side. "Are you okay?"

"Sweet Escape is the perfect name for this dessert!" I exclaimed. "Can you make some more of this for me?"

"How much more?"

"Enough to help me forget about my father heckling me about my grades."

"Uh oh. What's going on there?"

I rose from the blue and white marble floor and explained, "I don't think you'll have enough time for me to tell you."

"Well, I'm about to go on break after I deliver these cinnamon buns, so maybe you can explain it to me then?" Kyungsoo and I exchanged smiles before he went to the stove to take out the warm buns. He opened the refrigerator to retrieve the icing, grabbed a ladle, and used it to drizzle the creamy white goodness over the buns. Kyungsoo selected two of them to put on a ceramic plate and rung the bell after placing the plate in the window.

"So does this mean you're on break now?" I asked.

As if to answer my question, Kyungsoo untied his apron and took off his hat to hang them on the hook. He opened the door and stepped to the side to let me through.

"Wow!" Kyungsoo reacted after I told him the story of my life. "That's pretty rough."

"I know," I sighed.

"But it's nowhere near as bad as mine."

"What do you mean?"

"During my time in school, my mother would always heckle me about my grades, but she would insult me, too, if I didn't fit quota. When I told her I wanted to be a dentist, she curse me out and said only someone basic would settle for that."

"My dad never insulted me, but he might as well have by the way he spoke to me," I grunted. "When I told him that I wanted be a singer and dancer, he used my mom as a 'bad example' of what could happen if it didn't work out. Basically he insulted us both."

"Yeah? When my dad heard what my mom said, he nearly committed suicide, but I caught him about to swallow the aspirin." Kyungsoo and I stayed silent for a moment. The only sounds we made were the slurping from drinking our water. Finally, he added, "We really come from messed up people, don't we?"

"Yes, we do," I agreed.

"You said you wanted to be a singer? I'm pretty good at hitting high notes. Maybe I can teach you some tips sometime."

"I need all the help I can get in that area."

Suddenly, I made eye contact with my father, who wore a suspicious look on his face.

"I hope you're talking about your test," he commented.

I expected Kyungsoo to get all jumpy as so many other people have, but he remained calm when he responded, "Jessie was telling me about how difficult it was for her to get anything higher that a B. I am not exactly knowledgeable in the medical field, but I was about to offer her the number of my cousin who happens to be a health information specialist. Maybe she can offer Jessie some help."

"Your cousin?" my dad asked skeptically. 

"Don't worry, Mr. Larkin. My cousin is a married woman."

Dad stared at Kyungsoo and I as if to see if we were lying before shrugging his shoulders. "All right. I'm sorry for misjudging you, young man. What's your name?"

"Do Kyungsoo. I'm your wife's new baker."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Kyungsoo. I would normally ask Jessie's sister to tutor her, but she's always so busy, so I hope this can fit into your cousin's schedule."

"It can. In fact, it's pretty much identical to mine."

"All right, well, thanks again." My Dad walked away with a smile on his face, which had become a rare sight to see lately.

When I saw my dad leave through the door, I asked Kyungsoo, "Do you really have a female cousin who's a health information specialist?"

"I do," Kyungsoo answered while selecting a slip of paper and pencil from the small container at out table. He wrote something down before handing me the paper. I studied the paper and was confused when I saw two numbers on the paper.

"The top number belongs to my cousin," Kyungsoo informed.

"Well, who does the bottom number belong to?" 

Kyungsoo, after finishing the last of his water, gave me an informative smirk before taking the glass to the kitchen. Realizing what was going on, I blushed. I covered my mouth to hide my gapped teeth as my smile began to widen. When Kyungsoo returned, he look at my hand and raised an eyebrow.

"There's nothing wrong with your teeth, Jessie," he said.

"That's what I've been trying to tell her," Mom chimed in while sweeping the floor.

"Easy for the two of you to say," I objected. "Both of you have stellar smiles. No chips, overbites, or anything."

"Well, if it bothers you that much," Kyungsoo began, "here's my father's business card." He reached into his pocket and handed it to me.

"Thanks, Kyungsoo," I responded.

"Aw, that's so sweet of you, Kyungsoo," my mother smiled. "Just for that, you can have an extra ten minutes on your break."

"Really?" Kyungsoo already-large eyes turned into saucers.

"That's right. Your co-worker, Harley, is coming in five minutes, and hardly anyone is coming in. My treat."

"That you, Mrs. Larkin!"

"Oh, call me Kay." Mom continued to sweep the floor while Kyungsoo beamed.

"So, are you going to teach me some high notes?" I asked.

"Sure, after work. Would you like another sweet escape?" 

"Yes! I loved that sundae. You should really let my mom try–"

"I mean an escape from all of this."

"Escape what?"

Kyungsoo raked his finger through his soft brown hair before continuing. "Escape your father's harsh criticism, pressure in school, trying to be molded into something you don't want to be. I'm a seasonal baker. I only come down here in the spring to look for work."

"Where do you live, then?"

"New York. Buffalo to be exact. I like to travel, and this is my way of doing so."

"How long do you typically stay?"

"Three months. This is March, so I'll be gone by May. Now does it make sense?"

I smiled to assure gim I understood.

"Do you seniors still get out a week earlier before everybody else?" Kyungsoo asked.

"Right. Instead of June 3rd, we're released May 27th this year. The graduation ceremony is June 3rd, though."

"Nice. You get out a couple of days before I leave. Would you like for me to purchase an extra ticket?"

I meditated on it for a moment. I barely know this man, but he's offering me a way out of all of this. I have no friends at school, all I ever do is disappoint my dad and my sister and I hardly ever talk anymore. I do get lonely at times, but is traveling to New York going to solve anything? I look up from the table to stare into Kyungsoo eyes as if I was going to find the answer in them. He was so handsome. His strong jaw, deerlike eyes, full heart-shaped lips, and apricot skin made me very eager to say yes, but can I trust him?

"I'll think about it," I managed to get out. "We'll see how these next three months go."

"Great!" Kyungsoo exclaimed. "That just gives me plenty of time to show you how much fun I can really be. In the meantime, you can give my cousin, or me, a call." He gave me one last stellar smile before rising from the table to continue cooking, completely oblivious to my gaze.

I know I said I would have an answer for Kyungsoo before his time here was up, but I'm still on the fence. Don't get me wrong, he has been nothing but sweet on me. We've had numerous phone dates many of nights, and I find myself falling for Kyungsoo even more every time. I remember he sang to me one night while I was completely nervous about how I did on midterms. I have never heard a voice so ethereal and intoxicating in my life. In fact, he was able to lull me to sleep within 30 seconds of crooning me. That would be nice to have in a bustling place like New York every night. 

Right now, I am staring down at my textbook, pretending to study. The bakery is closing up, Harely turning the sign to close. Just then, my mom came ove to me and asked, "You look like you've got a lot on your mind? What it is?"

"Oh, it's–," I began to life.

"Something. What is it?"

"Kyungsoo asked me to go to New York with him on Sunday." 

"Why so soon? You don't have to be up there until this fall to start college."

"I told him that Dad is hard on me to become a doctor, but I want to be an entertainer. Then, he offered me this way out. I want to go to New York, but I feel like I'd be leaving something behind."

"You mean you actually want to stay in this little, teeny town? There's no Starbuck's around here you can be within walking distance of, but there is in New York." After she shared a laugh with me, Mom got more serious. "Now, all jokes aside, if you feel you're leaving something behind, and don't know what it is, try measuring your options first. You say you want to be an entertainer, but you're not willing enough to expand. If you want to follow your dreams, you are gonna have to leave this little hick town. And Kyungsoo doesn't seem like a bad guy. He's a nice young man. Plus, that Sweet Escape dessert of his has been a hit here. I've never had this many people in my life."

"So, you're telling me to go?" I asked.

"Well, I think he'd take good care of you if you went with him, but only on your accord. Besides, you wouldn't want Columbia University to be disappointed, would you? Like I said, weigh your options and let your heart take it from there. You'll know the answer when it comes."

"When what comes?" my father asked, appearing from nowhere. "When an A finally appeared on Jessie's report card, because that's not what I saw during graduation."

"Charles, leave Jessie alone," Mom advised. "was helping her make an important decision."

"on what?"

"Going to New York with me on Sunday," Kyungsoo chimed in from behind the window in the kitchen.

Dad looked as if he saw someone threw up. "Go to New York with you? Over my dead body!"

"Charles, listen to me for a second," Mom pleaded. "Just salty calm."

"No, I don't want to hear it, Kay." Dad went over to the window to glare at Kyungsoo. "See, I knew deep down you were secretly prowling around to get my daughter. I know she's got to go to New York soon to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor, but you can guarantee she won't be going with you. I'm going to make sure of that."

"Dad, I don't want to be a doctor," I intervened. "I want to entertain people. I've told you this may of times, but you didn't want to hear it."

"That's because it wasn't worth my time listening to. Becoming an entertainer? Please. You're mother had that dream, too, but you see what happened to her, right? She's making barely above minimum wage as a bakery owner. Why? Because she was too busy chasing after something that wasn't meant to be, and I will never let it happen to you. You will become a doctor."

"Charles!" my mom snapped. "That is enough! I am not going to let you put our daughter, or me, down again. The only reason I agreed to run the bakery is because I was my parents' only child, so I couldn't really anywhere and sign a record contract, even though I could plenty of times. I couldn't let my parents down when they decided to retire, so I am not going to let you think you're better than me, Mr. Big-Shot Doctor. I put my family before myself. You may be richer than me when it comes to a paycheck, but you're dirt poor when it comes to values."

"And just because Kay never got to pursue her dreams doesn't mean she won't," Kyungsoo intervened. "Who knows? Maybe Jessie has a chance if you don't kill it in her. I've heard her sing, Mr. Larkin, and I can tell you she has great potential. You need to giver her a chance. If she comes to New York with me, it can open doors for her. She can start on Broadway and so forth."

Dad glared at Kyungsoo before scoffing. "You're not taking Jessie anywhere, and that's final."

"Actually, Dad," I interrupted, "I am going, and you can't stop me. I finally realized what I was so afraid of leaving behind. It's you, Mom. You're the only one who looked out for me. 

"Me?" Mom startled. "Jessie, I'll be fine. Don't worry, I can take care of myself."

"But who will I turn to for advice.?"

"Call me. I'll be all right." You have my blessing. Go on."

Those words were all I needed to make my mind up about flying with Kyungsoo. The way he stood up for me also let me know I was going to be in good hands.

"Does this mean you're going with me?" Kyungsoo asked.

"I'd like a ticket," I replied, "and a Sweet Escape."

Giving me a smile, he said, "I'm on it."

"Didn't you hear me?" my dad asked. "I said you aren't going anywhere."

"Charles," my mother spoke. "She's not a little girl anymore. Let it go."

I made my way inside the kitchen and embraced Kyungsoo's tiny body from behind, which made him chuckle.

"You're Sweet Escape can be found in the fridge," Kyungsoo informed.

Excited, I ran to the large, chrome fridge and opened the door. I saw the tropical sundae on the top rack, but next to it...was a plane ticket. Smirking, I turned to him and asked, "You knew that I'd go with you?"

"Without a shadow of a doubt. You'll be in good hands. I promise you."

I took the cold ticket and placed it in my pocket before grabbing the glass bowl containing the dessert. As I closed the door and turned around, Kyungsoo caught my chin between his fingers. We stood there for a good minute, holding on to each other's gaze. Finally, Kyungsoo leaned in and placed his warm, soft lips on my forehead. 

________________________________________________________________________________

Thanks for reading!!! ☺☺♥♥