Something was different about Youngsoon the next day when she went to work. Something about her poise and the air around her had shifted but Irene could not quite put her finger on what it was exactly. Irene had been so used to Youngsoon being a constant of Gureum that would not be affected by anything so she became unsure of how to react to this subtle shift that was too abstract to describe. Was the change for the better or for the worse? The fact that Youngsoon had taken a day off of work so suddenly the previous day was also cause for concern. From the looks of it Youngsoon had not fallen ill so what other reason could there have been?

Joy seemed to share the same worries as together with Irene. The two girls spent the whole morning constantly stealing glances at Youngsoon, immersed in hushed conversations. If Youngsoon was aware of what they were doing, she did not let it show and simply went on with her tasks as usual.

Yoongi tried to ignore the more than obvious actions of Irene and Joy though he reached his patience limit when as Joy left to attend her afternoon lessons she gave Irene a hand signal directed towards Youngsoon. Irene nodded firmly upon receiving the message and inhaled deeply before charging towards the unsuspecting Youngsoon. Letting out a disgruntled groan, Yoongi made sure that Joy had left and then easily cut through, intercepting Irene’s pathway. Irene gave him an annoyed glare but Yoongi brushed it off, using his whole body to block Irene from Youngsoon instead.

“I tried making a new dessert come try it,” Yoongi hummed nonchalantly.

Not waiting for a response, Yoongi tugged the tip of Youngsoon’s braid and pulled her towards the kitchen. As they passed by Irene, he also made sure to use his free hand to push her away while motioning to her that she was banned from entering the kitchen.

“What eccentric creation are you making me try today?” Youngsoon mused, leaning against the kitchen counter.

“Something fun,” Yoongi announced with confidence as he slid a plate towards her. “Apple shortcake since apples are in season.”

Youngsoon stared at the golden brown slice of cake that was baked to perfection. No matter how she looked at it though, it seemed too plain for Yoongi’s standards.

“Don’t make that face, I still have to add the final touches,” Yoongi huffed, approaching with a pot containing something white and fluffy. “Coconut foam. Bet you’ve never tried it before.”

Using a ladle, Yoongi carefully scooped out the foam and surrounded the apple shortcake, creating the effect of a cloud. Then he grabbed a jar containing yukari — a salty, sour and fragrant Japanese condiment made from purple shiso leaves — and sprinkled a handful on top to complete the product.

“I call this, Chilling in the Clouds,” Yoongi declared in satisfaction. “Try it.”

Youngsoon lifted the plate and scrutinised the dessert from all angles. The slice of apple shortcake was nestled in the coconut foam cloud and the rich purple of the yukari sprinkled on top added a pop of colour. Satisfied with the visual presentation, Youngsoon grabbed a fork and dug into the cake, making sure to gather all the elements present on the plate so that she can experience the full impact of the flavour combinations.

“This is— What— I—” Youngsoon stuttered. “This tastes amazing. How?”

“Because I’m a genius,” Yoongi replied without missing a beat.

“No kidding,” Youngsoong gasped. “The crunchy slices of apple adds extra texture to the cake that crumbles upon coming into contact with the tongue. The yukari gives this extra kick of tartness that highlights the rich sweetness of the cake and the coconut foam serves as palate cleanser after the whirlpool of flavours. But…”

“But…” Yoongi raised his eyebrows, a knowing glint in his eyes.

“There’s something else.” Youngsoon frowned. “There’s more to this. There’s a velvety smoothness to this but what is the source?”

Taking another bite of the cake, Youngsoon then crouched down to scrutinise the inside of the apple shortcake in an attempt to find the secret ingredient. Realisation struck her like lightening and she straightened up while pointing her fork at Yoongi.

“Cheese.”

“Mature cheddar cheese,” Yoongi specified.

“That’s definitely out of the box thinking.” Youngsoon clapped her hands. “Apple, cheese, yukari and even coconut foam.”

“Apple and cheese is a common pairing in the West.” Yoongi shrugged his shoulders. “As for the rest, if you don’t try how do you know it won’t work out? Sometimes the most unexpected elements actually fit together perfectly. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Poking at the coconut foam, Youngsoon’s lips curled into a shy smile. Maybe the grouchy pâtissier was much more observant and sensitive than they all gave him credit for.

“Also Gureum’s anniversary is coming up,” Yoongi casually added. “So I wanted to create something incorporating the clouds both thematically and visually. Not to toot my own horn but I keep surprising myself every year. Not sure how I’ll manage to top myself in the following years.”

As Yoongi sa