Sehun felt his respiratory system compressing in such a critical way that he could even think he was beyond the atmospheric pressure limit of 1 atm. A few minutes ago, his head would start to deform, and then he would have a . That was the only certainty he would have if he didn't start breathing in a few seconds.

He was alone in the bathroom. In the same place where Irene had locked herself for minutes before everything began to change. Or collapse. Perhaps that would be the most faithful expression of what he was feeling.

He wished he wasn't so desperate. He wanted to act like a (almost) 30-year-old man and give full support to the woman he had been crazy about since he was 21 years old. But all he could think of was how they were not prepared to have a child at that moment. They didn't have the bare minimum for it, to be honest.

How did this happen, then?

Should he apologize? In some part, it was his fault. If he had any fault in the entire process of nature's procreation...

Better not to think too much about it.

The programmer sighed, splashing water on his face. He opened the small cabinet behind the mirror and took the stomach medicine his wife had requested. He left the bathroom and headed to the bedroom, opening and closing the door behind him at the same time. The lighting was only provided by the bedside lamp, creating a slightly comfortable atmosphere in the room. The anxiety he was feeling subsided a little. He needed to focus on his girl, or he would end up not helping at all with the whole situation.

Irene was sitting on the bed with her feet pressed together. She seemed unsure of what to do, just like he had no idea what to say to her. It was such an unexpected situation that all he could think about was the schedule that had been installed over their heads.

Sehun sighed when he saw her so downcast. The image broke his heart, and there was nothing he could do to wipe that expression off her face.

He placed the water and the pill on the nightstand before sitting on the bed beside her. She didn't say anything. Just looked down at her lap as if she were out of orbit.

"Dear?" He called her, hoping for some reaction.

But Irene didn't say anything.

"The leaflet said that in case of pregnancy, it would be better to consult a doctor. So... maybe you should just take the water." Bae finally agreed, looking at him. "Hi, dear. How are you feeling?" She sighed deeply, rubbing her nose.

She always did that when she was under a high level of stress.

"I feel like you." Sehun silently agreed, looking at her hands on her lap.

"I know we're in trouble, Irene. But... it is what it is. If the baby is coming, we'll have to figure it out." The girl nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.

Sehun felt his heart tighten.

"Irene... what's wrong?" He asked with concern.

"I just... why didn't I go to college? I feel like the worst mother in the world, and my child hasn't even been born yet." The young man fell silent.

He didn't know what to say because he didn't feel like the best father in the world either. Maybe they were just a natural disaster that had somehow succeeded.

"I think... we'll have to talk to our parents. Let them know about things." She said, clearly not liking her own idea.

Sehun knew his family would freak out. They would help with everything they had, buy everything necessary for the child to be born with everything that a real baby could have, from the upper echelons of the European nobility. But, in return, they would have to move into his parents' house. That was a nightmare; he hated having to follow his mother's demands, and he knew Irene would have to follow many of them too.

It wouldn't work.

"Not yet, dear." The brunette assured her. "You know it'll be complicated for us to live with any of them." Irene still had some tears in her eyes as she looked at him.

"I know. But what choice do we have?" What choice did they have?

Sehun had no idea. It would be better if they figured it out for themselves, but could they? Probably not.

"Sehun, I'm scared." He was scared too. Not because of the lack of finances, but because he had no idea how he could take care of another human being. A newborn human being with needs far beyond his understanding of the world.

"Dear... don't be afraid. I know we'll manage." He hoped so, actually. Or they would be in trouble.

"You know?" She seemed genuinely interested to know.

"Yes. It's natural. All parents always raise their children, and it always works out. It's scientific." That made the girl laugh at his nonsense.

"My science boy always has an explanation for everything." Oh smiled, taking her hands in his.

Far from it, he wanted to say. He didn't even know what the feeding cycle of a human being of that size was. But he would make an effort to specialize in all that in the next 9 months. It would be like his third thesis.

"Trust me, okay? I'll do everything for you." He said, after a pause, looking at her belly with a small smile. "For you both. I'll do everything for you both." It didn't take long for her to cry again, with her gaze locked on his.

Oh was no longer understanding anything. He thought he had said something she wanted to hear?

"Stop that! I'm pregnant! I can't get emotional!" Sehun smiled, realizing what she was saying.

"I'm just saying, dear." He looked back at her belly.

It still seemed small. So he thought she was probably in the second or third month, which in pregnant women's language would mean... 12 weeks?

Sehun furrowed his brow in confusion.

"How many centimeters do you think he is now?" He asked, genuinely curious.

Irene shrugged, holding her stomach as if she wanted to protect it.

"I have no idea..." She whispered softly.

"It must be... the size of my thumb." The girl looked at him. It didn't take a second for both of them to burst out laughing.

It seemed that everything was suddenly a delusion. But his curiosity couldn't be contained; he really wanted to know everything about it.

"You must be completely crazy." His wife emphasized, still laughing at his ideas.

"I'm serious. Depending on the month... it could be a thumb. Or a lemon. It depends on whether it's already past the cluster phase." Irene furrowed her brow, completely confused by everything he was saying.

"Cluster phase?"

"When it's still a mass of cells. Multiplying and multiplying and multiplying. It's... fascinating." If he remembered correctly from biology classes, it was very likely that the Cluster was more advanced than that. Maybe it already had a pulsating organ and could even move a thing or two. He didn't know. He would have to mentally note all his assumptions so that he could research thoroughly. He owed that to him.

"I see..." Bae said, as if analyzing his sanity.

Sehun smiled at her concern. She seemed a little better now, maybe having finally accepted that they would have to organize their lives around the page that had been turned by a hurricane. But that kind of didn't matter now. All the focus would be on their future... family.

The programmer paused, looking at Bae right in front of him. They seemed to be connected by some kind of wire. Maybe it was the famous red thread of the Chinese legend because she locked eyes with him at the exact same moment. At the very second, not even milliseconds later.
Family.

Was that what they would be from now on?

The thought made his stomach twist, and he really couldn't say if it was from nervousness or excitement. He wanted children, yes, he had accepted that the possibility of that happening seemed nil. But now that everything was becoming real, Sehun kind of felt anxious about it. In both good and bad ways.

His wife suddenly fell silent, just as she did when she started to think too much. That worried him. Irene being thoughtful led to questions that Sehun could hardly answer.

He took her delicate hands in his. He always loved how it felt when they held hands. It might seem silly, but it meant a lot to both of them. It was the first step they took as a couple in the past: holding hands. So he always remembered it as an affirmation that they were still there for each other.

"Dear..." He whispered, a little emotional. "Can you forgive me?" Bae furrowed her brow, not understanding much.

"Why? What for?"

"I didn't react as you expected." He confessed as if he had committed a crime because that's how he felt. The Cluster deserved much more than he had given.

"Sehun... I didn't expect you to be happy or overjoyed with such news. This is real life; we're not ready for a baby." Of course, she would be much more rational about the situation. Even if she herself doubted it, he knew it was true.

"I know, but—"

"As you said." Bae interrupted him. "We'll have to make it happen somehow, if, in case, it's really there." This time the programmer paused.

"Do you think it might be a false positive?" Irene shrugged.

"There's a chance." Sehun looked at her belly. He hadn't noticed any protrusion.

That was now worrying him. What if the Cluster was a false positive? Would he feel better?

He swallowed hard, returning his gaze to the girl in front of him.

"Do you... think the Cluster isn't there?" He asked anxiously.

"I have no idea." She replied in the same tone.

"Can you feel it?" He spoke softly as if unconsciously wanting not to disturb him.

Irene looked at him before touching her belly under her blouse. Her slender fingers gently touched her skin, trying to assess. Biologically speaking, it was useless. But still, he also felt an urgency to connect in that moment.

Sehun stretched his fingers to hers, covering a good part of her belly with his large hand. It was a completely new sensation. Suddenly, he felt protective of a little life that he had no idea whether it existed or not. It was half of him, wasn't it? With all those percentages of proteins that came from his gamete cells joining Irene's gamete cells, his soulmate. The math was easy. Comfortable to understand.

But then why did it feel different?

Could it be responsibility? The desire to belong to someone that bubbled inside his chest? Because it was somewhat how he felt now. That he had found his true soulmate.

"Hunnie..." Bae said, wiping away the small tears he hadn't even noticed falling, underneath his thick glasses.

"I want this." He said, emotional. "I want to experience this with you. I... I never thought I would be a father one day. But now..." Oh took a deep breath, looking back at her. "There was a time when we agreed not to have children before. And I really had accepted that. I had put you above that because I didn't want to lose you. I don't want to lose you, Irene."

"You won't." She said, with the same emotional tone.

"I know that now. And it makes me happy. But when I think about raising another human being... I get anxious. I don't know if I'll be capable of that. Teaching children made me realize how innocent I was in this regard. I had no idea what having a child meant. But now..." He paused. Now what? He didn't even know. He could only feel his heart filling with an emotion that he didn't know where it came from. "Now... when I think that you'll be the mother of our baby, it feels like a dream again." He smiled.

"Really?" Her voice sounded a bit surprised.

Not that he didn't expect that reaction, since he also didn't know why he suddenly felt so many emotions at once. But he knew it was true. Everything he said was true.

"Really." He confirmed. "I feel like... somehow I could be happy with this." Irene softened her gaze.

"I know that, Hunnie. I'm not nervous about starting a family with you. I just... have concerns."

"I think every parent has concerns about their offspring; it's genetically explained." Irene laughed.

"I love you. And I'm sure the Cluster will be perfect like you." She made a weird voice that he didn't understand.

Sehun shook his head, with a small smile adorning his lips.

"I hope he's like you."

"Like me? Could you handle that?" She smiled.

"Every day of my life, Irene. I love you." This time he was serious because he wanted her to know that.

"I love you too." Irene replied, meeting his lips with hers.

Sehun pulled her close, supporting her body with his hands. It was the same body that he had always leaned on for all these years. The same body he had loved, desired, and protected. The person he would travel the four corners of the universe to save, like any intergalactic hero she admired so much.

This time, and perhaps the first time in so many years, Sehun considered it destiny.

The bed was a mess, the dresser was a mess, and everything else was a mess too, because Chen simply couldn't find her sketchbook. Her precious one. Her soulmate. The one that had accompanied her throughout her life. Okay, not her whole life, but it was almost like that...

Where had it gone?

She hadn't forgotten it at school. No, that would be impossible. How could she forget her sketchbook at school? Especially since it contained many, many (and many!) drawings of Luhan (have I mentioned there are many?). It would be a nightmare. The elven fairy would think she was obsessed with her, like those stalkers of famous idols who steal and sell their intimate clothes on the deep web.

A nightmare.

A big nightmare.

Something she couldn't even consider.

So why was she considering it and freaking out like crazy? Ah, yes. It was because she was precisely that crazy and unbalanced person.

Kim-Li Chen: 20 years old, three girlfriends, a stepbrother who gave her a best friend as an ex-brother-in-law, a lot of emotional baggage—and a slight crush on Ji Changwook that she would never understand. But none of that mattered, because all she could think was that her admirer was probably there with her diary, judging all the ridiculous lines that Chen so hatefully called doodles. Because to her, that's all they were.

Now, what could she really think? If Luhan had already found her sketchbook, she would most likely do everything in her power to never look at her face again. That's what rational people would do in her place, right? I mean... it's not every day that you find someone obsessed with your divine beauty.

Or maybe it is.

But, she was sure that no matter how crazy someone was about her, Luhan had never had a fangirl-type admirer. A real fangirl, who would do anything and everything to see her idol happy and fulfilled. Not that she did that. Chen was more the type who drew fanarts. That, however, had never been a problem for her—until now.

Chen took a deep breath. She counted to three, once again and again. This would all pass, and she would wake up after a long sleep in her own bed. That's how it would be. It had to be. Because nightmares are things that only happen in people's heads and not in real life. Right? Right.

Right, right, right...

"Chen..." The girl jumped to her feet, startled by the sudden voice interrupting her thoughts.

"Taemin, I didn't even see you come in. Do you want to give me a heart attack?" The guy smiled wide and comforting, as he always did.

"I saw you sitting there all quiet. I started to get a little worried. What happened? Was the class bad today?" Bad would be an understatement...

"Oh, Min, it was a disaster. I lost my sketchbook." The guy widened his eyes as if he couldn't believe it.

"You lost it? Oh my God... are you okay?" Only her best friend would know the magnitude of the tragedy that situation was. Even though Taemin had no idea why she was so desperate: he didn't know the worst was yet to come.

"I'm a little worried..." The guy furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Why, little flower?"

"I told you about Luhan, right?" Taemin crossed his arms, smiling affectionately. He really seemed like a father looking at her there near the door of her room.

"I know. Your ultimate crush?" Chen felt her face blush with that information.

"It's not that serious..." The guy laughed, putting his long caramel hair behind his ear.

It was annoying how much he looked like one of those fairy tale princes. Everything he did seemed extremely graceful, no wonder he matched so well with her brother.

"I think it is. You two seem to never try to resolve things once and for all. You know, based on what you tell me, she's totally into you, right?" Chen felt shy again.

She didn't think Luhan liked her that much. She thought, at most, the girl might find her... cute. Like those bunnies you see at the pet store (Kim loved rabbits!). So she had no idea how she would react knowing that Chen was crazy.

Chen cleared , not answering anything to her friend. Taemin continued to look at her with a secret smile. He always did that when he didn't want to reveal what he was thinking. Sometimes her best friend was too elusive...

"Anyway... maybe... I should talk to you about something more serious now. Are you okay with that?" Suddenly, the girl became apprehensive.

"What?" The guy sighed, walking over to the bed with sewn quilts.

"Maybe you should sit down."

"Taemin, you're scaring me." The guy made that face.

Oh no. It must be something bad. Her heart was already tight with anxiety for what was to come.

"I'm moving out." And just like that, like ripping off a band-aid.

"You what?" He paused. It seemed like he was trying to find the right words so she wouldn't get hurt, but there she was: hurt.

She never thought that this day would come. Taemin, her best friend since... well, since her brother started dating him. But, even so, she thought their relationship had already progressed!

"You're leaving me? Is that it? I'll be here alone, abandoned?" Taemin smiled tenderly.

"Don't be so dramatic, Little Flower. You're already doing just fine on your own. You're an amazing woman." Oh, but that's not how she felt!

"Taemin, I don't know how to live alone!"

"You'll have to learn. It won't be so bad; I'll come back here to check on you every week. You won't even realize I moved out."

"I'm afraid to sleep alone!" The guy laughed.

"Little Flower... don't do this to me. I promise you I'll still be around until you don't even feel that I'm here anymore." Chen wanted to cry.

She already felt the tears knocking on her eyes. It was ridiculous because she hated feeling so dependent. But the truth was that she was, very much so. She couldn't do most of the things she should on her own.

"I don't want you to go." She whispered softly like an abandoned child.

Taemin got up from the bed, walking towards her. He pulled the girl into his arms as if she were his own daughter. Which maybe she was. With four years of difference, at the age of 20, she still felt like a baby coming out of diapers.

"Don't be upset about this. I have a good reason for doing it, but... I need you not to tell your brother for now. Which means I can't tell you, because I won't have you keep secrets from him because of me." This time, he looked into her eyes with immense affection overflowing from his brown orbs. "I don't want to see you sad because of me. Okay? It's not worth it. You're too beautiful to cry over me." Chen stepped back, slightly annoyed.

"You have a reason for this? And you won't tell me." She crossed her arms, perturbed. "Why not? What does Kai have to do with this?"

"Nothing. He has nothing to do with it. But it would be painful for him to know the truth; I don't want that for him." Chen furrowed her brow.

"You're not making any sense, Taemin!" The guy sighed deeply.

"Chen, I've already said that it's a little more complicated. Can't you give me some credit? I'm not leaving your life; I'm just moving out." Chen stayed quiet, not knowing what to answer.

No, he wouldn't be leaving her life. But he could at least give her a heads-up, couldn't he?

"I don't understand you two either. If you've already broken up, why do you keep hanging around?" Taemin was the one who had gone quiet this time.

Apparently, even he didn't know why he was so cautious about the actions he took. Chen crossed her arms, finding it all very stupid.

"You don't have to justify everything you do in your life. You're not together anymore." The guy denied it with a nod.

"It's different, Chen. You don't know what I did."

"And what did you do?"

"I turned down an engagement. And now I'm accepting another one. Kai doesn't know, but I..." He fell silent.

At that very moment, Chen's jaw dropped.

"You cheated on my brother? Is that it?" Taemin didn't say a word. "Answer me. Now."

"Yes." Suddenly, she didn't feel like she needed him that much anymore. She couldn't even digest all of that.

"Who? Tell me. Do I know her?"

"That doesn't matter, it won't undo what I did." The tears came involuntarily.

"I don't believe you! How could you? Why did you do that?" Taemin breathed, without making any move to defend himself.

She didn't believe any of it. It couldn't be true. It didn't look anything like the person she had lived with all these years. Did Kai even know about that? Apparently not. Apparently, Taemin himself didn't even know why he had done it.

Chen wiped away the tears, sitting on the bed with a determined look.

"I want you to leave. If you were already moving out, then you can go. And leave the key on your way out." Taemin suddenly looked scared.

"Chen, hey, wait... I thought we could-"

"You thought wrong." She still held back the tears as she mustered the strength to say: "Go away, Taemin." The dark-haired guy, still stunned, simply turned and left the room.

And didn't come back.

The heat inside the restaurant's kitchen was infernal. It seemed like all the regulators had broken at once, adding one more headache to Kyungsoo's day.

He couldn't take it anymore. He urgently needed a partner who wasn't as absent as his best friend was. Not that it was irresponsibility: Chanyeol had three jobs. And a boyfriend he didn't leave for a single second.

Kyungsoo would be lying if he said he didn't envy him for that. He wished he could have that kind of relationship with Baekhyun. Where he could declare his love, shower him with affection, cook for him, travel all around the world together, and express everything he felt inside his exaggerated heart.

The truth was that he was cheesy.

Because he was so cheesy, he ended up making silly comparisons with other things that he was passionate about, like gastronomy. Like Flor de Sal (Flower of Salt).

His cheeks flushed just thinking about the silly nickname he had used with Baekhyun last week. It was ridiculous. Extremely silly. But so meaningful to him...

Flor de Sal had a unique elegance, unlike any ingredient he had come across in all his years of studying. Its crispy texture added an extra touch of flavor to the dishes he prepared, just to give that final seasoning of salt. You chewed it, felt its fragrance, and, in the end, its crunchiness. It was a combo of sensations that melted the chef's mind every time he cooked. And that's exactly how he felt about Baekhyun.

It was as if all these sensations were doing pirouettes in his stomach, mind, and heart. He felt desire, anger, love, jealousy, despair, embarrassment, and happiness—all at once. But most importantly, he felt alive. Like he had never felt before. Like he hadn't felt in a long time, since he was kicked out of his house for pursuing his dreams.

Kyungsoo sighed, immersed in his thoughts.

Even though he was there in his own kitchen and everything was already partially on track to go well, he still felt like he needed the strength of his pastry chef. He needed him like never before. And he needed him to accept the role of head pastry chef in his new pastry shop. That was something he hadn't discussed with him yet.

No, he hadn't had the courage. He was a coward. He thought that if he dropped the bomb of responsibility, Baekhyun would run away. He usually did that when he felt incapable. And Kyungsoo didn't want to lose him. Not as a pastry chef, not as a boyfriend.

Boyfriend...

He hid a smile again.

He was already thinking too far ahead...

"Chef... can you check the orders? There are 7 orders waiting." It was Taeyeon who woke him from his reverie, with the same determination as always.

The girl hated slowness, and she was probably about to strangle him for it. Kyungsoo had always been afraid of her, despite being the chef there. Taeyeon was the only one who brought him back to reality when needed.

"Sorry... I'm coming." Kyungsoo sighed, turning to the main table.

There were indeed several dishes to be served, but none with dessert. Was Baekhyun in the laundry room again?

"Where is Chef Byun?" He asked, concerned.

Sooyoung widened her eyes, and Taeyeon furrowed her brow. Silence settled in the kitchen of Dyo's like a haunted mausoleum. No one said anything.

Kyungsoo wanted to punch himself in the face.

He needed to stop calling Baekhyun "chef" or everyone there would misunderstand everything.

"Baekhyun... Where is he?" Sooyoung cleared , cutting off the death glares from the sous-chef so the bald man would hurry.

"Talking to a customer..." He said, being informative.

Kyungsoo was about to check between the restaurant's tables when he heard a fist hit the iron table. He jumped, widening his eyes at a furious Taeyeon.

"Chef! The orders! They need! To be checked!" She said slowly with clenched teeth.

He apologized at that moment, ignoring his pastry chef to expedite the orders. He would rather miss whatever compliment Baekhyun was receiving than get another scolding from his sous-chef. He was more afraid of Miss Kim than any Korean army general.

The chef went to the dishes, checking their presentation. He thought everything was okay... except that some of them needed a dessert.

"Park Sooyoung?" He asked, looking for the girl.

His former patissier appeared at the same moment, standing attentively by his side.

"Yes, chef?"

"Start making the desserts. As soon as the chef-... I mean, Baekhyun arrives, you can finish together."

"Yes, chef." She hid a smile before bowing her head and heading to the pastry area.

Kyungsoo thought he might go crazy. Why had she smiled like that?

"Can we serve now?" He jumped in place, startled by the sudden voice.

Christ. How could that woman multiply like that?

"Yes, Taeyeon." He replied.

She sighed heavily, disbelievingly.

"Finally!" Kyungsoo didn't dare contest.

Whatever she was going through, he preferred not to be involved. He had trouble dealing with women. The only woman he had lived with his entire life was his mother. He had no idea what a woman's mind was capable of when angry, or maybe he was just afraid of Miss Kim's wrath against slow people.

He didn't know.

What he knew was that he urgently needed to find out what was going on that was causing Baekhyun to take so long to return to his station.

Kyungsoo observed the kitchen, trying to find a place where he could get a good view. He didn't even know where in the restaurant the redhead was, so he thought of heading to the area where the waiters were. Yes, that would be a good idea.

He looked around and noticed Miss Kim yelling at another employee. Something Kyungsoo should be doing. What was he thinking? Letting the garlic burn like that?

"Chef?" Kyungsoo jumped in place for what seemed like the fourth time that day. "Are you okay?" It was Zitao, looking at him as if he was vomiting in the bathroom. Maybe he was. His stomach felt queasy all the time.

"I'm fine!" he replied, trying to disguise it. He just didn't count on being terrible at pretending, as his waiter soon smiled, finding it amusing.

"Are you looking for Baekhyun? He's talking to an important client." Ah, so that was it?

"Who?" he asked, genuinely interested.

"I don't know." Zitao shrugged as if it didn't matter.
But it did! Kyungsoo wanted to know.

"How come? How do you know she's important?" The guy paused.

"Well, she seemed important to me. So I thought she was." What?

"Okay. Let me see then." Kyungsoo stopped for a few seconds. "Hey, if Taeyeon asks, tell her I went to the bathroom." The dark-haired man laughed out loud.

"Sure thing, chef." Kyungsoo agreed, quickly passing through the entrance to the dining area where the tables were set.

Dyo's lighting was always low to establish immediate comfort. It had always been one of the characteristics he liked the most about his restaurant. But at that moment, he just wanted everything to be brightly lit. His nearsightedness made it difficult to search for his pastry chef among so many tables and people spread throughout the dining room.

Do furrowed his brow, hating himself for not wearing his glasses. They were the only ones with the perfect prescription, but he didn't use them for cooking because they bothered him during preparation. Now he felt like maybe he should put them on again because he could hardly see anything.

He sighed, almost giving up.

Maybe if he stayed near the bar, he could see something. Yeah, that was it! It was the best spot in the restaurant, offering a full view of everything happening among the tables. And that's exactly where the chef went.

He walked, trying to hide slightly so that the pastry chef couldn't see him, just like his sous chef. Taeyeon could kill him if she found out what he was doing.

As soon as he reached the bar, he met a surprised Kim Minseok.

"What are you doing here, chef?" Minseok asked, confused.

It was truly a novelty, Kyungsoo hardly passed by there. Usually, the bar check was something he left for Chanyeol to do since the sommelier knew much more than him about the drinks that could be offered on the menu. Besides, it was part of his current boyfriend's duties.

"I... I'm checking on the customers." Kyungsoo tried to disguise, but he was terrible at it. "Have you seen Baekhyun around?" Exactly: he was really bad at it.

Minseok smiled widely right away.

"Come here behind, chef. You'll have a better view from there." Ah, he knew he had the right employees!

Kyungsoo quickly went to where the bartender was. The view was indeed better, and he could see Baekhyun's neon orange hair from afar, but still, the lack of glasses was horrible. He couldn't see anything but blurs.

"Can you see anything, Kim Minseok?" The bartender seemed to strain to see.

"Honestly? No. Just Baekhyun and some client talking over there." That piqued the chef's interest.

"Who is it?"

"Do Kyungsoo!" The bald man jumped in place, startled by the high-pitched voice calling him.

Taeyeon was standing there, red as tomato soup. She must be very annoyed with him, but what could he do? They were already there anyway.

"Shh..." Kyungsoo said, gesturing for her to join him behind the counter.

The girl rolled her eyes but obeyed. She walked over to the counter, so Kyungsoo stood between his two employees while he spied on his boyfriend on the other side of the room.

"Seriously, you need to come back!" Taeyeon whispered irritably.

"Taeyeon... isn't that the chef from Lumière?" Minseok said, finally paying attention to something.

Kyungsoo was impressed that he hadn't mentioned that before! He had been there the whole time, spying, and hadn't even figured out who the important client was?

Taeyeon, on the other side, sighed, stopping to look more closely.

"Oh, yeah. Regine something." She said, looking intimidated.

Deep in his mind, Do searched for some information. He knew he had heard of Regine before; he just couldn't remember if it was the same person he was thinking of...

"Regine... she's French?" Kyungsoo asked, interested.

"Well, yes. Lumière is one of the few 5-star Michelin restaurants in Seoul. You should know that." Kyungsoo smiled at his sous chef's teasing tone.

"I know about the restaurant. I just didn't know the chef there was a woman." Taeyeon crossed her arms immediately, now giving him a frowning look.

"And what's the problem with that, may I ask?" The culinary artist said angrily.

"The problem is that you women are smarter." Minseok retorted, smiling sideways.

That made her smile a little.

"You're right, we are."

"I knew this would happen, but I didn't think it would be so soon." Do sighed, nostalgic.

"What?" The bartender asked.

"Baekhyun... he won't want to stay here. Lumière is a golden opportunity for him." His heart suddenly started beating faster.

He was anxious about everything that could happen. He had no right to dictate or decide anything, but losing a pastry chef like Baekhyun... it would be devastating. He couldn't let that happen.

"Do you think she's inviting him to work there?" Minseok asked, probably reflecting his own thoughts.

"Of course. What else could it be?"

"God... this can't happen." This time, the sous chef seemed to understand what was going on there too.

But that wasn't how Kyungsoo wanted to act. As much as his chef side feared losing Baekhyun, as his boyfriend, he would never allow anything to come before the redhead's dreams. If that's what he decided, Do would support him.

"We can't dictate what can or can't happen." He said, making his position clear.

"Kyungsoo..."

"It's his life, Taeyeon. Baekhyun studied for this. We have no right to dictate anything."

"He wouldn't do that to you." Kyungsoo fell silent. "It's true. I know he wouldn't." She seemed to be trying to reassure him, as if it were obvious.

But it wasn't to Do. He didn't want it to be that way. He didn't want Baekhyun to choose Dyo's out of obligation in the relationship.

"As soon as he entered the kitchen, he started the usual check. Until he saw a flash of the red-haired guy passing by, heading to the pantry. Kyungsoo didn't want to follow him there, but his feet naturally followed the same path as his; it was inevitable.

The redhead was picking up one ingredient or another, deciding which one to take. Kyungsoo stood by the door, unsure of what to do. Part of him wanted to turn around and stop being anxious about things he shouldn't worry about.

But the truth was that he did worry. A lot. He would go crazy if he didn't ask him right away what he had decided.

Baekhyun seemed to notice him there and instantly flashed his famous rectangular smile. It calmed Kyungsoo down a bit, but he still hadn't made any effort to enter the pantry.

"Chef..." Baekhyun playfully called his attention.

Kyungsoo sighed, stepping into the room and closing the door behind them. He wasn't going to ask. He couldn't. He put that in his mind. He would just... give him some orders.

"Any orders, chef?" It's now... give some orders! Don't ask.

Don't ask anything, just say what you have to say, Kyungsoo.

"What did she want?" Damn it, Do Kyungsoo!

"What?" Stop talking!

"The chef from Lumière. What did she want?" Baekhyun looked surprised. He seemed slightly nervous or hesitant to tell him whatever it was.

Kyungsoo mentally kicked himself. He shouldn't have asked anything, it wasn't his business. But part of him also didn't want any secrets between them. He wanted Baekhyun to tell him everything that happened in his life.

"Baekkie?" He whispered, trying to make him understand that it was important.

He desperately wanted to know.

"You know what." Baekhyun said, seeming to give in.

"Job opportunity?"

"Yes, it was." It was... past tense. Did that mean something? Selfishly, Kyungsoo hoped it did.

"Baekhyun…"

"No, let's not talk about it anymore." Kyungsoo's heart broke right then.

Was he unhappy about his decision? Did he want to go and only held back because of him?

"Baekkie... I want to know what proposal they offered you." Baekhyun paused. He wasn't expecting this, Kyungsoo could tell.

The redhead swallowed hard, running his hands through his coppery hair. He seemed as nervous as Kyungsoo was right then.

"Pastry chef. Six days a week. I have to develop dishes, teach newcomers, participate in contests that the restaurant enters, those kinds of things." Kyungsoo nodded.

It was basically the role he would offer him in a few years.

"And what did you tell them?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"I didn't say yes or no. I..." Baekhyun sighed. "It's a good opportunity. A great opportunity, actually. In the past, I would have accepted it without even blinking because that's why I came back to Korea. I came back to be a pastry chef." Kyungsoo stayed quiet.

He started to think that maybe he shouldn't have asked him after all because he was going to end up trying to convince him to leave the restaurant.

"But..." The redhead continued. "I'm here now. With you all. And... I love this place too. It's hard for me. It's something that divides my heart in half." It wasn't what Kyungsoo expected to hear. He was slightly touched that Dyo's was still under consideration in Baekhyun's mind.

"Really?"

"Of course, Soo. You're a great chef. The staff is cool, and I can still see you every day. It's a golden experience for me." Experience... that's what he was waiting to hear. Kyungsoo smiled sadly.

"But it's not your dream, Baekkie." Baekhyun fell silent.

"As your boss, I'm grateful that you chose us. And it fills me with joy to know that you love working here with me. But as your..." He stopped. Was he going to say the word "boyfriend"? He must be crazy. "As your... friend..." He continued, "I think you should consider it."

"Consider it?" He seemed confused.

"I have a proposal for you." He continued, "I can offer you the same position, but it will take some time." Byun's eyes widened. "I'm going to open a pastry shop. I was already planning to do that when I hired you to be my pastry chef."

"God... was that what you meant?" Kyungsoo looked confused.

"What?"

"When you got angry with me, sent me all those messages... there was one that said something like that." Suddenly, Kyungsoo blushed like a pepper.

"I thought I hadn't sent you that... I-I'm sorry." Baekhyun laughed, finding it funny.

"It's okay, now it's in the past." It might be, but he was still mortified.

Kyungsoo had always been very emotive, and it was hard to control at times. He often felt embarrassed by his actions, like now.

"R-right." He said, feeling his face burning. "I-I was going to tell you eventually. But... I ended up... getting distracted on the way." Baekhyun smiled sideways.

"I understand."

"So... you... can still work for me. As my pastry chef, if you want. And then when the pastry shop is ready, you can change your position to there. Or... you can go to Lumière and gain the recognition you deserve." Baekhyun didn't seem surprised that he knew the name of the restaurant.

It was obvious. Way more than obvious. Only a large-scale restaurant would go after a pastry chef like him.

"I don't know, Soo." He seemed genuinely unsure.

"I would never be upset if you followed your dream. You know that, right?" He gave him a sweet look.

He seemed to be looking deep into his soul, trying to communicate with love.

"I know, Soo. You're too pure for that." It was actually for another reason.

But Kyungsoo didn't feel capable of saying it out loud. It was too soon to start saying things out loud.

"I believe in you. Whatever goal you want to achieve. It doesn't have to be with me if you don't want it to be. I don't want you to be tied to me just because we're... friends..." He continued, "I think you should consider it."

"Consider it?" He seemed confused.

"I have a proposal for you." He continued, "I can offer you the same position, but it will take some time." Byun's eyes widened. "I'm going to open a pastry shop. I was already planning to do that when I hired you to be my patissier."

"God... was that what you meant?" Kyungsoo looked confused.

"What?"

"When you got angry with me, sent me all those messages... there was one that said something like that." Suddenly, Kyungsoo blushed like a pepper.

"I thought I hadn't sent you that... I-I'm sorry." Baekhyun laughed, finding it funny.

"It's okay, now it's in the past." It might be, but he was still mortified.

Kyungsoo had always been very emotive, and it was hard to control at times. He often felt embarrassed by his actions, like now.

"R-right." He said, feeling his face burning. "I-I was going to tell you eventually. But... I ended up... getting distracted on the way." Baekhyun smiled sideways.

"I understand."

At that moment, Baekhyun's expression softened, and he gently took Kyungsoo's hand in his. "I appreciate your proposal, Soo. It means a lot to me. And I'll definitely consider it."

Kyungsoo couldn't help but feel relieved at Baekhyun's response. He had been afraid of losing him, but it seemed that Baekhyun was genuinely torn between the two options.

Baekhyun continued, "But I also need to think about my feelings for you. I don't want to make any hasty decisions and regret them later."

Kyungsoo nodded, understanding completely. "Take your time, Baekkie. I want you to be happy, and I'll support whatever decision you make."

Baekhyun smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Soo. You've always been there for me, and I'm grateful to have you in my life."

The two of them stood there, holding hands, with an unspoken understanding between them. They knew they had something special, and whatever the future held, they would face it together.

As the days passed, Baekhyun continued to work at Dyo's, and Kyungsoo started making plans for his pastry shop. They shared their dreams, their fears, and their hopes, strengthening their bond even further.

In the end, Baekhyun chose to stay with Kyungsoo at Dyo's, becoming an integral part of the team. They both knew that their journey together was just beginning, and they were excited to see where it would lead them.

And so, in the small and cozy kitchen of Dyo's, a love story unfolded—one filled with passion for cooking, dreams of creating something extraordinary, and the deep affection between two talented chefs. They knew that as long as they had each other, they could overcome any challenge that came their way."

Baekhyun laughed.

"We're what?" Kyungsoo was taken aback.

"W-we're together." The redhead smiled broadly but didn't say anything else.

"I know we're not, love. But... I'm not sure if that's what I want. My dream was to open my own pastry shop. Something as cozy as this restaurant. Not something high-end with desserts covered in gold."

"But-"

"No 'buts,' Kyungsoo. I think maybe working here would be good training. Great training. But I can also develop other skills here." Baekhyun approached, taking the chef's hands in his. "Don't underestimate what you've created here at Dyo's. It's a great place to work, regardless of how many stars it has. I want you to know that." This made the bald man smile faintly.

"I'm glad to hear that..."

"And I'm glad that you're my boss, chef." Kyungsoo looked away, slightly embarrassed.

Baekhyun laughed, pinching one of his cheeks between his long fingers.

"Come here, my Mochi."

"What?" The redhead laughed again.

"Your cheeks are as cute as a Mochi." Baekhyun smiled, gently touching his face. "You gave me that nickname that day, and now I'm giving you one too."

"Mochi..." Do chuckled softly.

"Yeah... I could eat you up in one bite." Kyungsoo was surprised.

"Are you flirting with me?"

"Yes." The bald man chuckled softly.

"Then kiss me." He retorted, mustering the courage to say something like that for the first time.

He expected Baekhyun to be surprised by that, but he only smiled provocatively.

"Really? Last time I remember... you got extremely mad at Minseok for that. You said you didn't tolerate dating at work hours." Kyungsoo felt his face heat up again within a ten-minute interval.

How could Baekhyun make him blush like this every time?

"Don't remind me of that." He murmured softly, making Baekhyun laugh.

"You know, at the time, I thought you were a tyrant."

"I am." Baekhyun laughed harder.

"No, love. You were just jealous of me with him." Kyungsoo crossed his arms.

"And he kissed you. He did, didn't he?" Baekhyun smiled broadly. "What?"

"Soo... you're pouting at me." The bald man averted his gaze, feeling embarrassed again.

When did he do that? He hadn't even realized.

"Get back to work, Byun."

"Hey, not yet." He pulled him by the wrist. "Give me a kiss."

"No. Get back to work." Baekhyun chuckled playfully.

"Are you jealous of me? We've never been what you think we've been, Kyungsoo." The bald man fell silent, somewhat bashful.

"But... that other day..." He decided to ask since they were touching on the subject...

He wouldn't deny it; he had been jealous of Baekhyun even before he realized he liked him. Kyungsoo was indeed a well of insecurity and jealousy, and he knew just how unbearable he could be. His actions took place before he could use emotions to control them, which often resulted in petty fights fueled by resentment and jealousy.

It happened a lot with Chanyeol while they were growing up, as he had no other friend besides him. And now it seemed like he was reliving all of that.

"Minseok was just messing with you. He loves to tease." His boyfriend tried to explain, but it only made him remember the scenes again.

"And how do you know that?" Baekhyun smiled broadly again.

This time, even Kyungsoo could tell he was pouting. Blame those full lips he had.

"Sorry about that." He whispered softly.

"Soo... come here." The redhead pulled him closer. "I don't want you to be jealous."

Oh, as if that were even possible!

"I'm not jealous of you." He was, but he didn't want Baekhyun to think he was a crazy jealous guy. Even though he was.

Kyungsoo sighed, trying to regain his composure.

"Then what?" The redhead asked.

"Look, Baekkie... maybe we should talk some other time. Here... it's not the best place for this."

"Okay." He agreed. "But I still want a kiss from you."

"Baekhyun..." Kyungsoo chuckled at his boldness.

The redhead approached, gently sealing their lips together. It was impossible to feel so much from just one touch, but he did. The butterflies in his stomach and the desire to go deeper only grew with every moment.

He wanted to hold back. He should have resisted. But before he knew it, he had already immersed himself in the ocean of sensations.

He took Baekhyun's mouth as if they hadn't kissed for days. The confectioner gasped in surprise as he felt Kyungsoo's tongue slide in, seeking space. Kyungsoo wanted him to know. That he was his, even though it didn't make sense rationally. It didn't have to make sense at that moment. All his mind could think of was making him realize that he wanted him. A lot. Maybe more than he had ever wanted anything.

His hands naturally went to Baekhyun's waist, finding the knot of his apron. He undid it without even thinking why he was doing it. He was just following commands that didn't seem to belong to him. He had entered the Baekhyun mode, and all he could think about was Baekhyun.

The confectioner didn't seem to be there either. He kept his hands tangled in Kyungsoo's nape, his lips determined to make his mind go blank. He was very skillful. More than Kyungsoo could handle.

Kyungsoo should stop. It was during working hours, and he had never done this before. But his heart seemed to find no other path than the one leading to Baekhyun's lips. More and more, he touched him as if he could die. It was beyond his control.

Everything seemed to spin when they were together. There was a moment between before and after when everything changed. He didn't know if it was before or after, but he knew that now was already compromised.

"Kyungsoo..." Baekhyun gasped, pulling away to look at him with a mischievous smile. "We're at work." Do paused.

He didn't know what to say, he could only look at him. He wanted to look at him for the rest of his life, which seemed crazy. Why was he so captivated?

He held back what he wanted to say at that moment. So strongly that he had to bite his own lip to contain the truth.

"Baekkie..." He murmured softly.

"Yes?" Byun replied in the same tone.

He chuckled softly before saying something absurd.

"Do you want to go on a date with me?"