The sun rose as Kanari entered the kitchen as she usually did. She had taken her time changing as she read about the recent Kim Woobin sighting close to their café and wondered why he was there. She had just finished tying her hair back when she saw a familiar silhouette and froze where she stood. He was tall with broad shoulders, and when she noticed his profile, she felt her heart skip a beat.

Some others noticed but remained quiet, everyone eyeing their special guest. So Kanari walked over to her station and asked what was going on. Some others gave her a few answers and then Joey replied, “Chef told him to make ramen.”

Kanari let out a laugh. “Another one, eh?” she rolled her eyes and reached into a smaller refrigerator closest to her station. She pulled out a small platter of already cut and seasoned vegetables before she walked over to stand over the pot, nudging Woobin aside. She dumped them in without hesitation and stirred the pot.

Woobin frowned and asked, “Why did you add those in?”

Kanari shushed him and replied softly, “If you want to get on her good side, you have to cook with a bit more of the American style than Korean. She likes it and always looks for different ways to fuse the two,” she stirred a bit more and then walked away. “Add some pepper, sugar, and soy sauce. Not too much, do it now,” she tossed over her shoulder before she reached her station.

As if on cue, the pot emitted a lovely scent that Woobin could only accredit to the vegetables and spices added by the lady. And then, as if by some strange divine design, as he added in a pinch of pepper and sugar as she had instructed him to, Rania re-entered the kitchen and sniffed the air with a smile. Dressed in a chef attire, Woobin swallowed, missing the soft eyes and presence that he knew her as.

“Oh, Kanari strikes again,” she announced and then pointed to Woobin, “You are weak against women, aren’t you?” Before anyone could say anything, she pulled her limbs closer to her body as she smiled playfully, “Kanari will make such a great wife some day!”

From her station, Kanari rolled her eyes, “You promised to consult with me before bringing on special cooks or celebrity guests.”

Rania waltzed over to the pot and smiled, “He’s just here because he wants to be friends. Be nice,” she warned and then took a sip of the soup from a ladle. She make a loud cry of joy before she pulled the pot off the fire. “Everyone, come and have a taste!” she ordered.

One by one, everyone drank a spoonful, staying around the main chef’s station. Woobin looked around and then took a sip for himself and nearly dropped his spoon from the surprisingly delicious taste. He leaned forward, peering at the contents, wondering how the combination changed the entire dish so drastically.

“It’s good,” Kanari stated, her arms across her chest. The others agreed.

“But,” Rania put out there, loud and clear, “it’s missing something.”

The room murmured to themselves, speculating and guessing. And then one of the line cooks raised his spoon and stated, “Saphron.”

Rania pointed at him, “Wrong, Joey, saphron is not necessary in this dish given the pepper and sugar, but very close. Good guess!”

Woobin looked over to see that Joey looked pleased. He smiled and cocked his head to one side. Given how little sugar he put in, he didn’t think it would affect the taste, and yet, Rania noticed from one sip from a ladle. She really was good at her craft.

And then, at the same time, Kanari answered, “Soy sauce.”

Woobin grimaced, having clearly forgotten the last ingredient. The others around the table shared nods as Rania nodded, “That’s correct! Joey?” she smiled.

Joey grabbed the soy sauce and added a few drops before stirring the pot. When Rania tasted it this time, she nodded and raised her hands to the heaves, announcing, “It is done!!”

At that moment, Mrs. Kwan called out from the restaurant, “We are open!”

The staff and cooks moved to their stations as Rania grabbed a wad of ramen with her chopsticks and ate the huge bite. She slurped and managed to fit it all in before she took a moment to chew and then swallow. Woobin, meanwhile, tried a small bite and felt a new addition within him grow for this dish.

As a few orders came in, some hurried to fill them as others, like Kanari, oversaw the workflow. Peeking over, Rania called her over, “Nari, c’mere!”

Woobin chewed in silence as Kanari walked over.

Rania handed Kanari her chopsticks and Kanari took a bite. She nodded as she chewed, testing the consistency of the noodle, before she swallowed and stated, “Seven.”

Woobin frowned, “Seven? The singer?” he asked.

Kanari shook her head, “Seven out of ten.”

“Right?” Rania asked, full again. “The noodles are a bit bloated, too well done, and their color is slightly off. I guess there’s not enough soy sauce,” she added, her lips.

Kanari nodded, “The soup is good though. Did you use the usual soup base?” she asked quite casually.

Rania shook her head, “I gave him Miso.”

Woobin nodded, “I can taste it.”

“Right?” Rania smiled, adding, “It gives more of a kick and helps melt the vegetables without too much effort. Also, with the garlic, it takes away the bite.”

Woobin smiled, “I didn’t even taste the garlic.”

Kanari replied, “It takes a while, but it peeks through in the after taste. What about you?” she asked Rania respectfully.

Rania swallowed and replied, “I award Kanari with four and Woobin with two.”

Kanari sighed and Woobin looked shocked. “But it tastes so good,” he protested.

And then Rania explained, “You should have made it your way and stood up to Kanari. Being not of our kitchen, your score would have been much higher because you don’t know better. But Kanari, after changing your design, should have saw to the proper addition of all other ingredients despite my arrival. Am I wrong?” she turned to Kanari, who shook her head.

“No, Chef,” Kanari bowed her head.

Rania smiled and nodded, “Lesson learned. Back to work,” she added and Kanari walked away confidently.

Rania watched her and then nudged Woobin, “What do you think of Kanari?”

Woobin nodded, “Will she replace you when you leave?”

Rania chuckled, “She deserves it. She was with me during the apprenticeship but the Chef that retired simply liked my style more. So, we shared references and recipes. She’ll be just fine,” she added, stretching in her seat.

Woobin nodded, “She is very kind. And knowledgeable.”

“And single,” Rania put in casually.

Woobin turned to her, “So are you, for now.”

Rania sighed and shrugged, “With a combined score of six, I pass you into friend zone. Welcome.”

Woobin pulled out his phone and handed it to her, “Put in your information and I will send you a message so you can save mine.”

Rania smiled, “Okay” and did as he asked. As she punched in numbers, the orders increased and so the kitchen became busier.

Woobin frowned and asked, “Am I in the way?”

“Not yet, but you should go soon. We’re quite popular until two in the afternoon. After that, there’s a slight lull and another dinner rush,” Rania stopped herself and handed his phone back to him. She pulled out her phone and smiled, “What a day.”

Woobin wanted to ask for more details or context, but knew better than to pry. In fact, he didn’t have to wait too long because she put her phone on the table as she hurried over to the rack and pulled on her chef hat and extra apron. So, he had a chance to read the message from TOP clearly, ‘I’ll see you later.’

It wasn’t jealousy Woobin felt, but more curiosity. TOP was a very secretive and quiet person. He didn’t act out like Daesung or Seungri, he wasn’t playful like Taeyang and GD, but he was a pivotal member of BigBang, which also lent to his cold and tough demeanor. And yet, something about TOP changed when it came to Rania. And for it to be obvious in a text message meant a lot.

***

TOP got to the studio and then took a seat in the back. He watched as GD and Taeyang talked with the producers. Mr. Yang had called him in for a chat and review, but he also knew Taeyang would have to be there. They called it ‘progressive meetings’ but that was just code for ‘Rania meetings’. But before, he usually stayed in the studio, listening to the other members work on soundtracks, new music, and sometimes, he ventured into the dance studio to work on moves by himself.

Even he knew he was the stiffest, non-dancer in the group, but he couldn’t help but remember a familiar pair of arms around him, a warm body pressed to his, as he danced with her on the patio of the café to a yearning song sung by the honeyed tones of Kim Na Young from ‘Marriage Not Dating’. She had blasted it on repeat a few times before she dragged him to his feet and moved him in slow circles under the Christmas lights she had put up.

TOP closed his eyes, hearing GD’s new song fade into that of the sweet and slow song he’d memorized because of her…

 

TOP pushed away from Rania, who pulled him back to her and slipped a hand around his torso, the other held his right hand in her left hand. “I don’t dance like this,” TOP complained, but Rania only hissed at him in reply.

“Just follow my lead,” Rania chided, and then smiled, “This isn’t so bad, right?”

TOP blushed but was thankful for the dim lighting, as was Rania, who felt as though she glowed with embarrassment. She hadn’t ever tried to be so bold with him. From the beginning, when she first saw him and discovered that they were friends, she wondered why it had never gone on from there. Their chemistry was amazing and whenever she was with him, she felt at home. And yet, he only claimed to only ever be her friend.

TOP turned his face away, feeling as though he would die of embarrassment, but Rania took that as a cue and pulled his hand to her hip as she let it go and pulled her arms around his neck. They swayed to the soft melody and then she whispered, “If I disappear, will you give up or search for me?”

TOP felt the real question behind her question and replied easily, “To the ends of the earth, I’ll search for you.” He’d expected her to laugh. To roll her eyes. To do nothing. He’d never been so cheesy to anyone before.

But Rania raised her head and stared directly into his face. She was silent for a moment and then she asked, “Seunghyun, can I kiss you?”

TOP froze and looked down into her face. He was very afraid to answer that question. What he wanted and ought to do couldn’t be further from each other. And so, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead as a compromise.

“Cheater,” Rania murmured but TOP ignored it, pulling her face back against his shoulder and he smiled.

“It’s time,” Taeyang said suddenly.