It only took an hour before Micky and Ellie returned with all the ingredients that she needed. As soon as she entered the kitchen, she quickly started to prepare everything. Some of the female staff members were already in the kitchen too. They were just about to prepare something to eat. But the moment they learned that Ellie was going to cook them a special meal. They quickly left the main kitchen area and just sat down on the nearby tables in the kitchen that also serves as the dining area.

Micky just sat in one corner of the room while looking at Ellie. Somehow he couldn’t stop himself from staring at her. She just seemed to grow more and more beautiful, the longer he stared at her.

“What are you going to prepare Ellie?” One of the female staff asked curiously.

“Secret,” Ellie uttered with a smile.

“I’m sure it will be delicious. Oh, I can’t wait…” another female staff said excitedly.

Several other male staff entered the kitchen.

“What’s the meal for today?” one of the male staff asked curiously.

“Ellie is preparing all of us a special set of dishes today,” a female staff answered proudly.

“Oh… I will just have to stay here until it’s cooked. I want to be the first one to eat,” another male staff said jokingly.

It was then that Xiah, Max, U-Know and Jaejoong entered the kitchen too.

“What’s cooking?” Max quickly asked.

A male staff laughed. “Ask Ellie…. She’s the one who’s cooking today,” the man answered.

Max looked at Ellie. But then she quickly smiled back. “Secret…. So don’t ask,” she uttered.

“Do you need any help? Those ingredients are too many for you to prepare all by yourself,” one of the female staff suddenly said.

“No, thanks. I can handle it. I am used to preparing several dishes all at once.” Ellie answered politely.

“Oh… I see. Honestly I am not that good in cooking too. And just by looking at you, I can see that you’re really experienced. You work so fast and somehow you’re really a good cook,” the female staff said.

Jaejoong first looked at Micky’s direction, then stared at the different ingredients scattered on the kitchen counter. A smile suddenly appeared on his lips. He already knew what Ellie was preparing. He slowly approached her and then took out an apron under the counter. He then started to cut and prepare the other ingredients with the speed and precision that was a perfect match with Ellie’s cooking skills.

Ellie suddenly stopped and stared at Jaejoong. Somehow she wanted to stop him, but as soon as she saw him preparing and cooking. Old memories started to flash in her mind, memories that made her heart warm and happy.

“He still remembers the special dishes we used to prepare. I wonder if he still cooks them… even if I had been gone for such a long time,” the words started to fill her head.

Everyone who was in the kitchen couldn’t help but be amazed with the perfect movements that Ellie and Jaejoong were doing. It was like they were in a cooking show and all their movements were so professional and calculated. Another astonishing thing was that they didn’t even need to talk to finish all the dishes. Jaejoong already knew everything that Ellie was preparing and somehow Ellie knew exactly what to do next that matched each and every move that Jaejoong was doing.

“Hey, how come Jaejoong knows all the foods she’s preparing? I don’t even know some of the ingredients she’s using. So how come they can work so perfectly? Have they cooked in a cooking show before?” a male asked the other staff members jokingly.

“Hey, look at them. They look so perfect together. Like husband and wife, preparing their meal together,” one of the female staff teased.

“Come to think of it, they do look good together. Somehow I get the feeling they would make a perfect match especially since they work so good together in the kitchen. You can never find that special trait in a man nowadays,” another female staff commented.

Micky who was sitting quietly in a corner was already very jealous and angry. He didn’t like the idea that Jaejoong was helping Ellie and that he was getting close to her.

As Ellie and Jaejoong prepared and cooked, Jaejooong’s heart was singing in perfect happiness.

“She still remembers the special meals we made. She still cooks them… At least, now I know there is still a part of our past that she doesn’t hate,” the words were repeating over and over in Jaejoong’s mind.

After they finished cooking…

“Wow… the two of you are really such good cooks. Maybe the two of you are really meant to be with each other…. I think you should open up a restaurant and you can both be the cooks. Make sure to call me when that happens… I know your restaurant will be a total hit. Both your cooking skills are excellent,” the director of their project said jokingly.

Jaejoong just stayed quiet and just bowed his head and smiled, while Ellie just gave Jaejoong stolen glances every now and then. She couldn’t deny the fact that she was grateful and happy. She couldn’t believe that he still remembered…

*********************

Everyone had already finished eating and had left the kitchen… Only Ellie, Samar, Krizzia and the DBSK boys were left.

“I will help you wash the dishes,” Krizzia said to Ellie.

“No, you just sit… I can do it. This is my special treat for you guys. Both you and Samar had been taking good care of me. It’s only fair that I take care of you guys every now and then too,” Ellie said with a smile.

Jaejoong quickly stood up and went to Ellie’s side and started helping her.

“You don’t need to help me too…. Jae…” somehow Ellie found it hard to say his name.

“I am helping you because I want to. It’s the least thing I can do… “ Jaejoong uttered with a hidden meaning.

Xiah, U-Know and Max started to exchange glances with each other. They were already sensing the tension that was building in the air. They knew Micky was already jealous and mad as well. They could easily see the strange reaction on his face.

Max couldn’t help but scratch his head in total frustration. He was sensing that trouble was going to start any moment.

Micky just kept quiet. He was already going to burst. But he was still trying to control his emotions. He didn’t want to make a scene, especially when there were other people just outside the kitchen who could easily hear what they were saying.

Jaejoong and Ellie continued to wash the dishes together. And just like the way they cooked, they also cleaned the dishes like their movements were synchronized.

Both Samar and Krizzia couldn’t help but stare and watch the two as they did the chore.

“Funny. I never thought I would enjoy watching someone cleaning the dishes,” Krizzia uttered with a sigh. Somehow she was beginning to imagine herself with her future husband in the same situation.

“Actions really do speak louder than words, don’t you think?” Samar suddenly asked Krizzia.

Puzzled, Krizzia just looked at her friend. Then after a few minutes of deep thinking suddenly realized what Samar was talking about. “I think we should just keep quiet,” she said to Samar with a low voice.

Samar couldn’t help but smile. She then nodded her head, and then looked at Micky’s direction. She immediately saw the jealousy and hurt look on his face. Somehow she pitied him, but then again. She knew it was something that was going to happen no matter how hard they tried to avoid it.

“Thank you for helping…. I think I can finish everything now. You don’t have to help me anymore,” Ellie uttered to Jaejoong.

Jaejoong smiled which somehow made Ellie’s heart suddenly beat faster. “Don’t worry. I will help you until we finish everything,” he said with a warm voice.

It was then that Micky suddenly stood up and went to where Ellie and Jaejoong were. He grabbed Ellie by the hand. “Come on… Jaejoong can take care of those by himself… Let’s go out for a walk,” he said with a serious tone.

Ellie looked at Jaejoong. But he just smiled back at her. “Go… He’s right. I can take care of these. You should rest and have some fun with him. Go and take a stroll,” he uttered sweetly.

Ellie felt like her heart was being crushed with the sadness and pity she was feeling at that moment.

“Come on…” Micky said again as he took off the apron that Ellie was wearing and then he pulled her straight to the door.

“Samar, Krizzia… I will just be out for a while okay. And… Jaejoong… thank you for helping me,” Ellie quickly uttered before leaving.

Samar just nodded. “Okay…” she said as she glanced at Jaejoong’s direction. He had already continued cleaning the dishes as if he didn’t care that Ellie left him. Samar couldn’t help but shake her head as she pitied him. She couldn’t even try to imagine the kind of pain he was feeling at that moment.

“Hyung… are you all right? Would you like me to help you?” Max asked with concern.

Jaejoong tried to put on a smile. “No, I can finish this alone.”

U-Know stood up and quickly took one of the plates from Jaejoong. “I will help… You know we are always here to help you,” he said with a caring smile.

Xiah and Max also stood up and started to help as well.

“We will help you in anyway we can… So don’t try to carry all the load by yourself. We are all friends here… no matter what happens,” Xiah said seriously.

Jaejoong didn’t know what to say. Slowly tears slipped from his eyes. How he wished that Micky still considered him as his friend also. But he knew just by judging Micky’s actions… he had already lost him….

He tried to hold all his emotions in. He didn’t want the others to see his tears. Somehow he couldn’t help but pity himself. He had already lost the only woman he loved, and now… he had already lost one of his best friends. He then smiled bitterly. “Can life be much cruel than this?” he started to ask himself.