“Excuse me, is the—”

“Sorry. We’re closed.”

The man whom she was trying to talk to replied coldly. Not only from his voice, his whole existence was just cold. He only showed his back but she didn’t even want to think what would she face once he turned around. One thing for sure, he was a young man, maybe around her age.

“Oh… but… I’m not here to eat. I want to know if you’re still hiring…”

She froze when the man turned around. Just like she expected, the man looked ready to drag her out of his restaurant. There was nobody left and it was so quiet that the sound of the night breeze could be heard clearly. In the corner of the room was him, wearing a shirt that had been enduring his sweat all day long and also dried itself on his body. An apron that still looked damp was around his waist. Just a few steps from the entrance door was her, who had a suitcase on her right. Her figure was covered with a warm outer.

They exchanged quite a long stare before his eyes enlarged and his expression turned drastically. Both of them wondered, of different things.

She was waiting for him to talk but turned out he did not.

“Are you still hiring?” She asked after introducing herself.

“My name is Sehun, Oh Sehun. Yes, we are still hiring.”

“I’d like to apply for the kitchen staff.”

His eyebrow raised. From her looks, she did not look like someone who washed the dishes often, let alone cooking. Easily seen from her hands.

But on top of that, there was one thing that had been running in his mind the moment his face changed. Is that her?

After the unbearable silence, at least for her, she decided to speak again. “Can I?”

He glanced at the clock that was beside her, hung on the wall. He would be home and in his bed already if there wasn’t something important that he had to get done, which unfortunately he had not.

“Come back again at five tomorrow.”

“Okay, I will come back here. Thank you and good evening.”

As soon as she left, Sehun locked the restaurant and turned all the lights off. He wouldn’t need more time to spend walking home, because his home was right behind the restaurant. He showered, and was ready to contact his girlfriend to resolve their problems, but he remembered a thing upon seeing a framed photograph on the shelf of his TV stand.

Right? That’s her. That’s totally her.

His smile cracked. This ‘her’ whom he had been talking to himself to was his ex-crush. He was happy to finally meet her again, though she seemed to not remember him. His eyes diverted to where he stood in the photograph. I only look a little different than I was in high school, though? Wait. It’s not the right time for this.

He put the frame back on its place and lay in his bed. After spending hours of worrying because his calls were not answered, he decided to just sleep.

The next morning, he had forgotten that he told somebody to come at five before someone called the landline which number was written on the banner of his restaurant. It was for delivery service but that person did not care anyway. She had been knocking on the door for five minutes and there was no response so, she had no choice.

“Good morning.” She greeted with a small smile upon stepping inside. Sehun looked just like how he looked yesterday, except fresher. He let her sat on one of the seats of the dining tables. He sat across her, “So, which position are you applying?”

“I’d like to apply to be a cook.”

Sehun, who could not believe what he just heard, choked. She assumed he had a cough.

“You don’t look like you’re kidding…” He replied. He didn’t want to be harsh even though turned out she wasn’t his ex-crush.

“Please wait.” Sehun stood up and walked to the kitchen. Her eyes trailed him and stayed. He began to cook. By just a glimpse of the ingredients he put into the wok, she knew what he was making, one of the dishes on his menu. The kitchen was adjoined with the restaurant and covered by glass, letting customers to step closer and take a look.

When Sehun had finished cooking and was plating the dish, she sat straight again. He walked to where she was seated with the dish on one hand and the other hand was on his waist.

“This is the least-favorited dish. People think it doesn’t taste good but I don’t think so. If you can make it this tasty, or even tastier, I will let you work here for two days to see how skilled and ready you are. I am not a chef so I don’t need to do anything that formal, do I?”

She did not reply. She pulled the plate in front of her closer and brought it up to her smelling sense, softly inhaling the aroma. After that, she put it down and Sehun put down a set of cutlery. She begun to taste it. After inhaling the aroma, she could already tell that Sehun did the dish perfectly.

This tastes so good, though?

“How’s it?” Sehun asked, but she tried some more which meant Sehun wouldn’t get his answer, yet.

He glanced at the clock behind him. He had no time. There were still a lot of ingredients that he had to check. “I’ve prepared the exact same ingredients in the kitchen. Just go to the kitchen if you accept my challenge.”

Sehun left, and there was her, still enjoying his dish.

He kept on taking a glance of her from time to time. She knew, but she chose not to care. Finally, she decided to accept his challenge. She cracked the way the dish was cooked the moment she finished her first bite.

Sehun glanced at the empty plate, “Was it that tasty, huh?” He took the plate from her hand and put it in the sink.

“It tastes so good, nothing’s strange...” She replied as she put on the apron that Sehun had prepared beside the ingredients. “I’ll let you know the rest later. As for now, everything’s perfectly clear and you can spot what you need easily.” He said, and continued his activity.

She did everything one by one. Though Sehun looked like he’s busy, he kept an eye. Well, he couldn’t say she’s unprofessional and inexperienced anymore. It was the opposite.

Is this really her? I didn’t know she has an interest in cooking…

Sehun shook off his thought.

There’s no time for that. There really is no time.

“Done.”

Upon hearing her murmur, he turned his head around and saw her plating the dish. She made it look exactly the same, he wondered would it intrigue his taste bud.

After the plating was done, she brought the dish along with the cutlery to Sehun. Sehun glanced at her who was staring at the dish.

His heart skipped a beat. Even the other cooks that he had hired couldn’t make it that tasty.

He took the plate from her hand and ended up finishing it. From the moment he took the plate, she knew she had successfully met his requirements.

“Okay. You got the chance. The other staff will arrive in, maybe fifteen minutes. Until then you can do the cutting first, and I kind of need a help so you’ll be cooking later.”

She smiled. It was the first time she smiled widely and happily in front of him. Actually, throughout him knowing her. He was stunned. Her smile made him even sure that she was indeed his ex-crush. But whatever it was, he still had to confirm it. “Thank you!” She exclaimed before she was gone again from his eyes.

The other staff who just arrived through the backdoor was stopped because of the figure they could spot right away the moment the door was opened. “B-boss?” One of them called.

Sehun turned around and walked toward them, “She’ll work here today and tomorrow, for trial.” Sehun explained and called her over. After introduction session, they were occupied with work.

Just like that, a day went by.

After the ‘Open’ sign was flipped over, Sehun announced that she would be the part of their restaurant and there was no need to wait for the second day of trial. They had a welcoming party right away. The other staff drunk and ate a lot, but not Sehun and her. Sehun was busy with the cash register, while she was just sitting in the middle of the other staff, body presented but not mind. She should have said there was no need for them to do a welcoming party. She just wanted to go home. It was such a day for her.

The staff went home one by one, until it was only Sehun and her who was there. She could go home much earlier, but it was a party to welcome her so she could not.

“Sehun, oh, wait, can I call you Sehun? Um… I want to go home now…” She said after they were done walking out the other staff.

“Just speak comfortably to me. We’re in the same age, anyway. Yes, take care.”

She nodded, “Good evening and… thank you, really. Thanks a lot.”

Sehun smiled, only his lips. By that she knew the conversation was over.

As she marched her way home, she could not wait to tell her parents, but they were probably asleep since they had to wake up early too. Starting tomorrow, they all would wake up together.

Wait… I didn’t ask him when should I arrive tomorrow, he didn’t tell me either… should I call the landline again? But he’s probably asleep now… Then… I’ll just be there at five again.

She finally closed her eyes and her body relaxed under the warmth of the blanket. Her sleep time decreased but at least it was for something meaningful.

Sehun, on the on the hand, was still trying to calm his girlfriend down. He thought the problem was only one, turned out he unintentionally made another one. But he could finally sigh in relief because the other party had answered his call.

“Baby, how many times I’ve told you that I’ve never had a girlfriend before? I didn’t know why she appeared either. She just came in and asked whether she could work in my restaurant, most likely because she saw the sign I put on the window which says I’m hiring staff. Maybe you can also help me looking for one, or two if you’re not sure what I’m doing.”

“Most likely.” Replied the other person on the line.

“Well, you can go and ask her tomorrow, also make her understand and keep in mind that you’re mine, and I’m yours, that nobody can break us apart, that nobody can’t take you from me, and me from you.”

Yeah, his girlfriend saw her entering the restaurant, and watched them from far, from the start until the finish. The new cook appeared just shortly after his girlfriend left.

“Sure. I will come whenever I want.”

He was sure she would not make a scene. She might come before the restaurant was opened or after the restaurant closed.

“Yes. I will wait for you. Do you want to eat something tomorrow? I will cook for you, anything you want.”

His girlfriend sighed, “I don’t know. I want to sleep now.”

She hung up, and he sighed again. If he was to be honest, he’d rather having his restaurant packed all day than having to calm his girlfriend down. But after all of the arguments they had so far, he still could proudly say he loved his girlfriend. She was the most precious person to him.

Yeah, he was right. His girlfriend came earlier than he thought, but he was still happy that she came. Smile never left his face the moment she was present. He also got to cook for his loved one, which made the start of his day even better. For a moment, he didn’t know what is ‘Checking the ingredients and make sure they’re fresh.’ He only knew by watching his girlfriend feeding herself the dish he made would be enough to be the reason why he had to be able to cook or to improve.

The new cook had arrived and saw the couple through the glass door. Sehun was back-facing her. She did not want to disturb them, and got reminded of how the other staff entered the kitchen the day before. She pretended to just pass by the restaurant while her eyes were actually roaming around to look for a backdoor.

But she couldn’t find one even after going back and forth several times. She decided she had to make everything clear later after work.

“Good morning.” She said as soon as the door was opened. Sehun’s girlfriend’s eyes shifted to her right away at that moment, while Sehun only slightly turned his head around.

She walked a bit faster than usual to the kitchen and the locker room to got changed. In less than five minutes, she appeared in the kitchen and took the clipboard that Sehun left on the top of the ingredients. She scanned it for a moment before leaving it after realizing it was not her task.

Sehun, who had been watching his girlfriend, could not tell her to stop looking at the new cook. He shall not either.

“She’s pretty.” His girlfriend finally stopped watching and had turned her head around to face him again.

Sehun didn’t know if that was to test him or she was stating her opinion.

“Tell her, don’t tell me. You’re the prettiest to me.”

“How about you tell it to her?”

“Why? You’re the prettiest to me. The word ‘pretty’ only applies to you, nobody else.”

“I want to have a small talk with her.”

Again, he could not stop his girlfriend. Before he could say anything, she had brought the empty bowl and cutlery with her to the kitchen and put it in the sink.

“Hey,”

The only person in the kitchen diverted her attention from the dough she was kneading.

“Hi.” She replied with a small smile and continued what she was doing.

“I heard you’re new here?”

“Yeah, I’m new here.”

“How long have you been cooking?”

“Umm… I can say I’ve been cooking seriously for five years.”

His girlfriend nodded. Sehun was still on the other side of the room, pretending to check on other things.

“Why did you choose to work here? Out of all restaurants in this neighbourhood.”

“This restaurant is the only one that’s hiring and the closest to my place…”

The asker nodded again, “Well, it’s nice to meet you. I hope you can make my boyfriend less tired. Oh, right, your boss is my boyfriend, and we’ve been together for three years and still madly in love. Uh, I know that sounds so cringe worthy for you but yeah, we’re together, nothing can break us apart and nobody can take him from me, and me from him.”

The one who was kneading lifted her head and smiled, “Okay, soon-to-be Mrs. Oh.”

“Thank you. You’re pretty, by the way. Want me to get you a boyfriend, maybe?”

“Thank you but I have to reject your offer.” She replied, still with a smile.

The rejected matchmaker pursed her lips and nodded, “Well, then… see you around, I shouldn’t bother you any longer.”

They exchanged a smile and Sehun’s girlfriend left.

“Sehun, I gotta go now. The other staff will arrive soon, won’t they?”

Sehun and his girlfriend were already outside.

“Yeah, don’t you want to greet them or something?”

“Maybe next time. It’s time for me to go to work now, though I had to wake up earlier today.”

“Sorry that I made you wake up earlier.”

She only smiled.

“Have you made everything clear for you, and