“Hyung, for the last five years, I still didn’t get it why did you leave France,” Yoseob uttered. They’re in the middle of cleaning up the restaurant. All the employees were gone. Doojoon, Yoseob and Dongwoon were always the last to go home. But, tonight, Dongwoon went home early because he felt unwell. “What’s wrong with leaving France?” Doojoon answered back with a question. “There’s nothing wrong with that. But you know, your father has many restaurants in Europe and you had big potential. You could have ruled the whole Europe with your hands by only working at your father’s restaurant.” “That’s the reason. You’ve said it.” “Huh?” “Because of my father,” Doojoon kept sweeping the floor. “My father’s restaurant doesn’t need me to be good. Just having him alone could make it that big. I want to pursue a new challenge. I want to try new things. I want to be success on my own. I don’t want to be under my father’s shadow.” “Yes, I forgot. You’re always like that.” “What?” “That’s so you,” Yoseob chuckled. “Yoon Doojoon I know is the person who doesn’t like being in comfort zone. He always wants to stand out. You don’t want to be acknowledged as Yoon Doojoon, Louis Yoon’s son. But, you want to be acknowledged as Yoon Doojoon, the great chef.” “You know me so well, Yang Yoseob,” Doojoon grinned. “And you also know the chance Dongwoon offered to us was so rare. I couldn’t miss it, right?” “I guess. And taking it was may be the best decision you ever made, judging from Fiction’s condition and popularity now.” Doojoon nodded. His father was a Korean who became France citizen. His father has one restaurant franchise that already opened dozens of branches in France and around Europe. As for his mother, his mother was a great cook. She met his father because of she applied to one of the restaurant as chef. Ever since his father tasted the dishes Doojoon’s mother made, Doojoon’s father knew it already that he wanted to eat those dishes for the rest of his life. The combination of two of them made the restaurant famous and popular all over the Europe even the world. Doojoon’s mother was listed as ten best chefs in 2000 decade by Epicurious. Unfortunately, Doojoon’s mother passed away because of cancer ten years ago. Since his mother’s death, Doojoon vowed to become a great chef, like his mother, because for Doojoon, his mother’s cook was the best and one of a kind in the whole world. “Now, I want to ask you,” Doojoon said to Yoseob who busy cleaning up the window. “Why did you follow me? As far as I know, become chef in Europe is your dream.” Yoseob just lifted his shoulder. “I already said to you before. We made a pact that we’ve to stay together. I’ll follow you wherever you go. We’ll grow to be the best chef in our own field together.” “Didn’t I just hold you down? You have a great potential in France. Every bakery, pastry and desert café was dying to recruit you,” Doojoon didn’t make that up. Yoseob was highly wanted by famous bakery around Europe. He was a great pastry and barista. “I don’t feel like that. I feel great instead having supported you until you get here and become one of the best chefs in South Korea in just five years.” “You too have done pretty great. Your banana cream cake made it to top five have-to-try desserts by Culinary Trends Magazine,” Doojoon now took off his apron and hanged it on the door “It’s done. Let’s go home.” Fifteen minutes later, they were already in front of their flat building. Their flat building had three floors and every floor had six units. Their flat didn’t have many rooms because the size of each room was huge. Each unit had three bedrooms, family room, kitchen set and bathroom with bathtub and shower inside. As for Doojoon, Dongwoon and Yoseob’s room was on second floor. “It’s locked?” Doojoon lifted his brow when the flat door unmoved even after he entered the passcode. “Yah, Son Dongwoon! Aish, that kid must be in bathroom. He took a shower like a girl.” “Hyung, don’t you have spare key?” Yoseob asked. “I never bring it. You know we always go home together.” “Dongwoon!!!” Yoseob knocked the door. He seemed uneasy. “What’s wrong with you, Yoseob?” “I…I…I want to pee, hyung. I really do,” Yoseob tighten his thigh. “What? Pee?” Doojoon looked at Yoseob in disbelief. “You should’ve peed in the restaurant before we went home.” “I would have if I felt it earlier, but I just felt it when we already locked the door and I don’t know that Son Dongwoon will lock us outside!” “Can’t you hold it?” “I won’t be this desperate if I could hold it in! I never good at holding this kind of need,” Dongwoon looked around and saw the door right in front of their flat. “Maybe I just ask our neighbor to use his toilet for a moment.” “Don’t you think you’re rude? We don’t even know his name.” “Don’t worry hyung. The one who stay here is just a college student. I may not know his name, but I know his face. I really can’t hold it anymore.” The three of them just moved from their old flat around six months ago. They rarely stayed in flat–let alone socialized with their neighbors. Yoseob, Doojoon and Dongwoon just knew the faces of some of their neighbors without ever chatted, interacted or even greeted them. “Excuse me,” Yoseob knocked the door across. No answer. “Excuse me! Pardon!” Yoseob kept knocking the door repeatedly. Still no answer. “Ah, did the student go out?” Yoseob muttered in disappointment. “You know this is weekend. College student his age must be went out with his girl,” Doojoon said. “Or you don’t know that because you never had a girlfriend?” “Hyung, stop teasing me, I’m dying here!” As they talked, the door suddenly went open. “Doo…Doojoon-ssi?” Doojoon looked at the door and shocked but also smiled instantly when he saw Taeyeon’s petite figure on the door. “Taeyeon?” “Did you…did you knock the door?” Taeyeon said. “Hel…hello. My name is Yang Yoseob. If you don’t mind, may I use your bathroom?” Yoseob cut Taeyeon’s words. “What? Bathroom? Ah, come on in,” Taeyeon still wondered but she let Yoseob in. Yoseob went straightly to the bathroom, opened it and peed right away. He didn’t notice Taejin sat watching television. “Mama!” Taejin ran outside “There’s strange hyung using our toilet! Should I call the police?” “Police?” Taeyeon laughed. “He’s our neighbor hyung. It’s okay” “Hey, Blue Kid!” Doojoon called. “Ah, Pasta Ahjussi! What are you doing here? Is it too late to visit?” “What visit? I happen to live across your flat,” Doojoon pointed his flat door. “In here. I’m here not to visit you but I’m going home.” “Really? You really live in there?” “Of course,” Doojoon looked to Taeyeon. “You live here? I thought some college student lived here.” “This flat was already vacant since one month ago. You didn’t even notice it?” “Is that so? I didn’t know it. I rarely stay in flat. Guess I stay too long in the restaurant.” “Hyung?” Dongwoon showed up from the door freshly. He just took a bath indeed. “Ah, hello Kim Taeyeon-ssi. Hyung, Taeyeon is our new neighbor. She’s just moved this afternoon.” “Yeah, I could see it,” Doojoon scoffed, “Anyway, what took you so long?” “I just took a bath. Couldn’t you tell?” “You are really showering like a girl. You even smell like one.” Amidst their conversation, Yoseob went out of Taeyeon’s flat. “Thank you for letting me used your bathroom, Taeyeon-ssi. I’m so relieved now,” he then noticed Taejin “Who is this handsome kid?” “My name is Kim Taejin,” Taejin answered with a cute smile. “Kim Taejin. He’s your son?” Yoseob asked hesitantly. Taeyeon just nodded. “Oh, Doojoon-ssi, you know Dreams will be open in three days. We’ll hold a special event. It’s like grand opening or something like that. If three of you have time, just come.” “You’re inviting us, Taeyeon noona?” said Dongwoon excitedly. “I’ll come. Surely!” “Look at this brat, calling her noona out of nowhere. So you think you close with her now?” Doojoon clicked and smacked Dongwoon on the head. “Three days later? I’ll be there. We’ll be there, absolutely.” “Good then. I’ll be waiting. It’s getting late, we’d better come in now Taejin,” Taeyeon bowed to three of them and held Taejin in her arms. “Dongwoon hyung bye bye! Yoseob hyung bye bye! Pasta Ahjussi bye bye!” Taejin waved his hand cheerfully before went inside. The three men waved back at him. Doojoon smiled at him even when the door already closed. He couldn’t believe it. The woman he adored so much, the woman that made him heartbroken and haunted him for over five years. The woman who made him believe in love at the first sight was right in front of his eyes. Kim Taeyeon lived just a door apart. “Hyung,” Doojoon didn’t budge at Dongwoon’s voice. “Hyung!!” Doojoon then startled. His smile now vanished. “Why? Why are you calling me so loud like that?” “You must’ve been lost it. Yaaahhh,” Dongwoon shook his head. “Don’t you want to come in? Yoseob already came in.” “Ish, leave me alone!” Doojoon then went in and threw himself to his favourite sofa beside Yoseob. “Why did Taejin call you Pasta Ahjussi?” Dongwoon asked after he locked the door. “He said I made the best pasta he ever tasted. My pasta was his first pasta ever,” Doojoon his shirt to loosen it a bit. “Anyway, hyung, her grand opening is in three days, right?” “What? Dreams? Yes, you heard it yourself.” “But, you have to go to China the day after tomorrow.” Doojoon now remembered. He had a job to demonstrate his cook in China on one of TV Show in there. He sighed in regret and piss. “Aaaiiisshhh, I totally forgot about that!” Doojoon thought of something. “You two have to come, okay? I want to give her something.” “Why suddenly,” Dongwoon sat beside Doojoon. “Don’t say, you still haven’t given up on her?” “Why should I give up? She doesn’t have a husband around.” “Hyung, you’re so obvious. You really aren’t good at this kind of love and relationship things. She could see through you. She knew he likes you.” “Isn’t it good? So, there’s no wasted effort.” “No wasted effort my , you has this issue when it comes to someone you like, you can’t hide your feeling. Woman doesn’t buy it hyung,” Yoseob said. Yes. It’s true. Doojoon was never dating someone before. He didn’t date not because he’s lame, in fact, he had a lot fangirls back in high school and college. He just couldn’t find anyone that he liked completely, and the environment was not supporting at all. He was a Korean in foreign country, so he grew up timidly. But ever since he got in to college, he tried to go on a blind date because of Yoseob a few times. The girl usually liked him and wanted a second date but Doojoon wasn’t felt like it. He had an ideal type, an independent and caring girl. He couldn’t find that trait in French girls, so he stopped searching. One thing for sure, he might not have dated before but he surely knew how to treat a woman, he grew up in France after all. “I know, Yoseob. But I knew it from the very first time. I couldn’t get her out of my mind. I will try my best to approach her. I will overcome all the obstacles, I’m serious,” Doojoon tried to be sincere but honestly he wasn’t sure either. He’s afraid things won’t go well. , he thought negatively again. “But, hyung,” Dongwoon uttered. “She has a child. A son, you want to date a woman with kid?” Doojoon smiled all of sudden. “That’s it! You know I love kids! I like that kid! He’s my favourite kid! You’re brilliant, Dongwoon!” Doojoon then hopped off his sofa and went to bathroom without waiting for Dongwoon and Yoseob’s response. “Was he really out of his mind? Has he gone insane?” Dongwoon muttered. “I knew that smile. I can tell you he’s lost it. Just like five years ago when he first met her,” Yoseob mumbled then realized something. “Dongwoon, is that mean, that Kim Taeyeon was the one pregnant because she was a victim you told me?” That morning, people gathered in front of Dreams Music and Vocal Academy. They gathered because of the grand opening of the music academy which affiliated with one of the most popular academy in Seoul. People already surrounded the area since two hours ago. There’s even a line to keep people from being too close to the building. The reason why people gathered around wasn’t only because of the grand opening, but also because of the presence of