- - - - -

Tuesday evening after work Taecyeon stopped by the store to stock up on groceries. Walking down the aisle he found some cookbooks on sale. He grabbed one and looked at it. Easy directions and the food looked good. Taecyeon dropped the cook book into the cart and checked out.

Along the drive back to the apartment it appeared in his mind again.

“I never imagined jealousy. You’re showing something which I know as jealousy. I see it a lot from where I came from.” Victoria expressed. “Why? Do you feel shame that you feel that way?”

He chuckled a little while ing a button at the top of his shirt so that he wouldn’t feel so choked up. Him liking Victoria? Taecyeon couldn’t quite imagine it.

Victoria looked up when he set the cook book in front of her at dinner.

“A book?” she asked looking up.

“Cook book,” he corrected.

Victoria grabbed it and looked through it.

“You want to cook but can’t cook so I bought you a cook book.” he explained. “I don’t have the time to show you so you can read the direction and do as follows. If you need any ingredients text me and I’ll get them for you on the way home from work. How does that sound?”

Victoria thought his words over, “Good.”

“No thanks?” he asked.

She stared at him.

“I don’t use that word…ever.” she stated.

“Psh! Who are you kidding? Have you never learned manners?”

“I know manners,” Victoria replied. “The place where I come from, the word ‘thanks’ is not appreciated so I stopped using it. Anyway I’m not saying it.”

“Look at you,” Taecyeon snorted.

Victoria pressed her lips into a smile and glanced through the book some more.

- - - - -

When Taecyeon left in the morning Victoria set right to experimenting with the cook book. How well would things turn out? She didn’t know. He had sarcastically warned her that morning not to burn down the kitchen and because of that as she opened the book she began to feel nervous.

It was quite different from being nervous about holding a weapon and being worried about whether she’d hit the target or not. Because all that was about how carefully you aimed and how you adjust yourself. Cooking, however, relied on experience and skill, which she had none of. It was practically her first time cooking.

Her first dish was cooking chicken in the oven. Even though the directions were very short and brief she still found it difficult. She rinsed the chicken and rubbed so hard that the skin began to become weak and fall off. Victoria had never touched an oven in her whole life but she recalled watching Mrs. Kim, her nanny, use it all the time.

Opening the cover she pushed the tray in and adjusted the heat. And…that was all, right?

Victoria waited and waited.

“When will it be ready?” she wondered then quickly glanced back into the book. “It should be done, right?”

She opened the oven and reached her arms in only to feel a wave of heat burn her fingers. Victoria was left howling while cursing the oven and quickly ran cold water over her hand. The doorbell rang as smoke began to rise from the oven.

“Aish!! What do I do?” she wondered from where she stood in between the door and the oven. “Ahh…” the idea slowly hit her and she turned off the faucet hurrying toward the door.

“Afternoon,” Donghae greeted with a cheerful smile.

“You’re here?” she asked then watched as a frown overcame his face.

“Is something burning?”

Minutes later Victoria and Donghae stared down at the tray full of burnt chicken wings, which actually looked like distorted mutants now.

“Well…they’re not bad looking…” Donghae commented.

“Ahh…it’s a fail,” Victoria mumbled.

Donghae looked at her and muffled his laugh. She turned to him and looked him over.

“It’s not like you can do any better.” she remarked.

Donghae shrugged, “I wasn’t brought up to cook, but I know the basics of making rice and all.”

“That’s it?” she seemed to be mocking him because he’d laughed at her.

“It’s ok, it’s your first time. Things like this always happen. You’ll do better next time.” he tried.

Victoria remained sullen.

“Go grab your jacket. I’ll throw these away for you.” he suggested.

“Why do you always go out to eat?” she wondered.

“It’s faster food,” he replied. “Does it bother you?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I was just curious.”

- - - - -

Yoona stared down at her papers hard. A headache slowly creeping up on her plus the silence in her office made her feel worse. The fact that they were over was catching up to her fast and hitting her hard at last. What she pitied herself most for was that she hadn’t even told her parents that they’d broken up. She’d kept it hidden and had just gone along with her parents when they spoke about her wedding so excitedly. She felt bad, she felt sorry toward them for not being able to be truthful to any of them.   

What would they think? How would they think of her? How would their reactions be? Honestly, those questions haunted her. And it was all because she didn’t know how to deal with any of it even when she called herself an independently responsible adult.

What a lie that was.

Yoona tapped her pencil on her desk and finally got up. Time for lunch with Ok Taecyeon then after work she’d go shopping in search of a dress for the upcoming weekend.

- - - - -

The Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday before Saturday evening Taecyeon and Yoona often met up for lunch in the afternoons as well as Donghae and Victoria had. Yoona often pondered about the thought of meeting Donghae’s second gal on Saturday. How would it be? How would she react to it? And after those two self questions millions of other worries flew at her. And once again she’d have to turn to work. It was something that really kept her mind off her personal life. And on Friday evening she’d even picked up extra hours and sent some officers home.

Donghae’s parents left Friday night for Busan and weren’t scheduled to reach back home until Monday evening. He’d been excited to see them leave the house. It meant no more nagging from his mother and no more beating him up. The house was all his own that weekend.

Victoria returned to the cook book during the hours which she was left in the apartment alone. Finally she’d succeeded in creating a salad and even at something as small as that amused her. She’d bragged and had shown it to Taecyeon when he returned from work but he’d shown no reaction and had said it was disgusting. It only motivated her to try more.

Afternoons with Yoona were what Taecyeon looked forward to most. Because of that he usually arose from the couch, his bed now, earlier than usual. She’d speak about some stories of bad guy chasings and explained to him about some of her search and rescue classes. He found them amusing and exhausting.

And finally Saturday was in the air…

- - - - -

“Yah, if you’re going out later be sure to lock the door and don’t leave the faucet on,” Taecyeon repeated himself for the tenth time that night while slipping on his suit jacket and making sure it looked well. “Yah, are you listening?”

He stepped out of the bathroom and glanced into the kitchen at Victoria, who was happily enjoying her spaghetti. Shaking his head he walked into the bathroom and slightly ran his hand against his hair.

“Ah…so good. How can you be so good looking?” he asked himself with a smirk then walked out. “Yah, don’t turn your phone off.”

“That thing’s annoying. I told you I don’t like it,” Victoria replied.

“Don’t leave it behind anyway!!” he spurted slipping his shoes on. “Remember to lock the door when you leave.”

The noise of a fork clattering against the ceramic plate was all he heard.

“I’m going!!” he said and walked out.

- - - - -

Glancing at herself in the mirror Yoona smiled. The white dress fit perfectly and glittered even under the bright light in her room. After fixing her hair up neatly she decided to let some curls down the side of her face just for the heck of it.

She suddenly recalled getting ready for the banquet while Donghae waited for her outside just last year. She had never put much effort into looking glamorous for the banquet and Yoona wondered for a split second why she was trying so hard now to look picture perfect that night. Was she actually really worried that Donghae’s gal would look a tad better than her? And then she wondered how Donghae’s reaction would be when he discovered that the guard in his company was actually her date.

When she put her silver diamond earrings on her phone began ringing.

“Hello?” she answered. “Ah…you’re outside already? I’ll be out in a minute or two.”

After slipping on her white heels she walked out to find her mother sitting on the couch staring at the TV.

“Is that Donghae outside?” asked her mother. “I thought you two would go together.”

“I’ll be back soon mom.” Yoona replied then opened the door and walked out.

Yoona got into Taecyeon’s car and turned to look at him.

“You look a bit different tonight,” she commented. “Even though you’re always wearing a suit.”

“Thanks,” he smiled, “you look magnificent yourself.”

Yoona smiled and put her seat belt on. Her heart thudded excitedly and almost painfully as the car sped onto the road.

- - - - -

When the door closed Victoria washed her plate and walked into the bedroom pulling the dress out from the bag. For a long time she just simply stared at it with her mind flowing into time. The last time she’d wore such a nice dress was on her 12th birthday. Maybe she felt nostalgic with the fact that she’d be wearing another dress that night. Almost feeling sad she slipped the dress on and glanced at herself once before the doorbell rang.

Donghae was standing on the other side of the door with a rose in his hand.

“You look pretty,” he commented.

“What’s that?” she pointed to the flower ignorantly.

“For you. Are you ready?” he questioned looking in for any sign of Ok Taecyeon but he didn’t seem to be there.

“Come in,” she said turning away.

Donghae walked in without closing the door, “Get your jacket. We’re going somewhere else too.”

“What?”

Victoria found herself sitting in a black chair that seemed overfilled with cushion. The silver armrests on both sides of her were padded with thick black leather. Plus the extremely large clean mirror in front of her that reflected her still face told her that she was somewhere she’d never been before. A woman wearing a black outfit stood behind her curling her hair neatly and slowly. While her hair curled another woman approached her with a kit of brushes, little boxes of colors, and what she recognized as lipstick. The woman opened the kit and Victoria couldn’t help but feel nervous. Turning around she found Donghae who was watching with a smile.

“What…what are they doing?” Victoria wondered.

“It’ll be done and over with in a bit,” Donghae assured.

“Can you close your eyes?” the woman with the kit questioned.

Victoria frowned and glanced at Donghae’s reflection in the mirror. He replied with a smile and Victoria did as told.

When she opened her eyes a few minutes later she was in awe that she looked entirely different. There were colors here and there on her face and her eyes seemed to be outlined with something that made them darker and stand out more. Her hair flowed off to the sides hanging down her shoulder nicely.

“All done,” Donghae told walking up behind the chair and rested his hands on it. “You look beautiful.”

Victoria felt astounded with herself wondering how a person could transform so easily.

“Lets go,” he extended his hand out to her which she took after a long moment of hesitation.

- - - - -

Golden lights made the hall look even more exquisite. Men and women in plenty were all over the place greeting each other, drinks in hand. Long tables were off to the side facing the walls so that they had room in between to chit chat and meet with each other. Round tables draped in white table cloth sat at the front of the room before a small stage decorated in white embroidered with shiny gold edges. A large banner hung from opposite ends that read “Board’s Banquet”.

Walking along the red carpet arm in arm Taecyeon and Yoona made their way toward an empty table.

“Woah…I barely know anyone here,” Taecyeon commented in a whisper.

“I don’t know anyone either,” Yoona added, “I guess we’re alone for the night.”

Taecyeon chuckled a bit wondering where Donghae was.

- - - - -

“Arm,” Donghae said patting his right arm as they stepped out of the car.

Victoria glanced at his arm and looped her arms around his. He smiled at her and they walked in to be greeted by doormen. Through the wide hall they were led to an open room already full with people all wearing something different.

“Are you nervous?” Donghae asked.

“A little.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll help you get adjusted,” he assured as they entered the room.

“Ahh! Lee Donghae!” an old man shouted walking over with a wine glass. “How are you?”

“Good, how about you?” Donghae greeted familiarly.

Victoria watched from the side with her attention flowing to the wine glass.

“I heard about the Director. He’s something, isn’t he?” the old man nudged Donghae laughing.

“He is,” Donghae agreed.

The old man glanced at Victoria then smiled, “Oh…who’s this young lady?”

“This is Victoria.” Donghae introduced. “Victoria, this is the chairman of the Empire Estates.”

“Ah…hello.” Victoria greeted with an awkward nod.

She’d never been in a situation like that before. What was she supposed to do?

“Is there going to be good news?” the old man gestured his head toward Victoria.

Donghae laughed, “You can expect it.”

“I’ll see you later.” the old man said patting Donghae’s shoulder. “You two have a good time and a good night.”

Victoria watched him walk off and disappear into a crowd at the corner.

“Want to go sit?” Donghae asked. “Do your heels hurt your feet?”

“They’re ok so far.” she replied following Donghae toward the circular tables.

From afar she spotted Taecyeon sitting at a table with another woman who seemed to be talking to him, a smile on her face. She glanced at Donghae and searched around the room just to discover that they were heading toward Taecyeon’s table.

“Should we sit somewhere else?” Victoria whispered recalling Taecyeon didn’t know she was going to be there that night. She could already hear his loud voice in her ears scolding her for coming with someone else.  

“We will but I wanted to stop somewhere,” Donghae nodded toward Taecyeon’s table.

“Is that an excuse to go there?” she wondered.

“Pretty much. I want to talk to Ok Taecyeon, too.” Donghae said finally reaching the table.

As they neared the table Taecyeon noticed them. His head turned away from the woman and with wide eyes he stood up. The woman beside him also got up and glanced at them, a look of surprise coming over her face. In that second as they all stared at each other Victoria felt Donghae clasp her hand.

“Yah!” Taecyeon started staring at her.