Chapter 3:

Jiyong walked down the aisle, his shopping basket still half-empty. He stopped in front of a line of different kinds of cheese and grabbed one. He then moved on to milk, but decided against it; it is just going to get bad in his fridge.

His hat hid his face from the many people also shopping at this evening hour, and even though anyone would recognize him if he as much as looked up, he did not worry about it. For years, he had been in this situation and he simply did not care about it. When he was younger, he enjoyed the attention; he still does, but not to that extend. He liked to go grocery shopping without cameras flashing his every move.

Now, years later he knew how to move and behave to stay hidden. Thank God for that.

He put a paper bag of apples into his basket and some bananas then went through the aisle with ingredients for cakes and biscuits. He stared at his list as he walked to avoid eye contact, which is why he did not notice a person crouching in front of a shelf of cake frills.

The person stood up the moment Jiyong walked past and he almost bumped into her. For a second he glanced up and heard a familiar voice apologizing.

He looked up and came face to face with a bewildered Sandara Park. She blinked at him, gaping, while holding a few packets of chocolate hearts for decoration. They stared at each other for a second before Dara snorted.

''I knew you were stalking me.'' She joked and giggled softly.

Jiyong chuckled, surprised at seeing her here. He saw her in the library every week for a few months now, and meeting her here in a shop, felt strange.

''Yeah yeah, my fault. What are you doing here?'' he asked curiously.

Dara showed him her basket and he saw so many colourful packets of ingredients and cake decorations, he had to blink from all those bright colours.

''A birthday?''

Dara shrugged. ''Nah… Just love baking. I always bake something and bring it with me to work. It usually disappears by the time you visit.''

Jiyong smirked and looked her up and down. ''I see why.''

She gasped blushing, and glared at him, making a step away.

''I do not eat everything! And my figure is quite all right!'' she told him, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

He stared at her in that strange way that made her nervous, and chuckled once more.

''It really is all right.''

He admitted, checking her out one more time, before he laughed.

Dara rolled her eyes, her cheeks red.

''Ugh, men… One day you'll wake up in a hospital with a shoe heel in your nose.''

Jiyong laughed more, but once a few people glanced their way, he quickly calmed down.

''Just joking, but you seriously have a fine figure, so…'' he scratched the back of his neck, unusually shy.

''What will you be baking?'' he asked.

Dara smiled again.

''Chocolate biscuits. I'll bring them to the library tomorrow. I know we aren't supposed to eat there, but… You know…'' she grinned cheekily and shrugged.

''Sounds nice. Is there any special occasion for that?''

'Nah. No reason. I just feel like it. Not that I have anything better to do.''

''Nothing better to- what about socializing, have you heard of it?'' he teased.

Dara rolled her eyes. ''I don't like to socialize much during week days. I've got to get up early every day and run a few miles with my dog.''

''Dog?''

''Yep, a brown poodle.''

''Nice. But I thought you're more a cat lady.''

''No I don-…'' she glared.

''You… You will seriously get a shoe in the face.''