Chapter 4:

-a few years later-

“Babe! Do I really have to be here for this? I’m sure you’ll do a great job of finding the perfect cake flavor and design.” Yunho said as he walked in a secluded alley.

“Babe I want you to do something for this wedding apart from showing up.” Mina said as she smiled sweetly at Yunho.

“Ok.” Yunho smiled at Mina’s eager face.

Mina and Yunho have been engaged for the past three months and since then Mina has been preparing for their wedding while Yunho is busy starting off as a Lawyer in one of the top law firms in the country. Today on wedding preparation schedule, wedding cake tasting and deciding on the design of the cake.

“So this chef we’re meeting…” Yunho trailed off.

“Ah yes! She’s an up and coming pastry chef. She was featured recently in a wedding magazine and food magazine after she designed the cake for an a-lister. It was beautiful. And remember those eclairs you liked so much…tadan! From her pastry shop.” She said as she opened the door to the shop.

“Hi Welcome to Chez Moi.” A waitress said as she passed them.

“Hi, we have an appointment with Chef Ono Miharu.” Mina told the man behind the cashier.

“Ono…Miharu?” Yunho asked Mina.

“One moment.” The man told them and made a call.

“Yeah babe.” Mina turned to Yunho. “Ono Miharu, she’s the pastry chef who’ll make our cake. Have you heard of her?”

“I…yes…I know her.”

“Ma’am, sir, please follow me.” The man said as he set the phone down.

They went up the stairs and into a cozy room. “Please take a sit. Ms. Ono will be with you momentarily.” He said and left them. A few minutes later a young woman dressed in a semi-casual attire entered the room along with an woman pushing a trolley filled with cake samples.

Miharu couldn’t help but gasp when she laid her eyes on her ex-husband.

“Chef Ono It is an honor to meet you.” Mina said and bowed when Miharu stopped infront of their table.

“Nice to meet you too Ms. Tan.” Miharu replied politely. She turned to face Yunho and caught her breath. He was as breathtaking as she remembered. She debated on what to call him, Yunho? Mr. Jung? “Hello.”

Yunho simply nodded his head.

“Let’s take a seat while my assistant set the various cake samples. As we talked over the phone i have prepared some of your preferred flavors and I took the liberty in providing some cake samples which I thought you would enjoy.” Miharu explained. “What drinks would you like? Water? Wine? Milk?”

“Water is enough. Thank you.” Mina said.

“Shall we begin the cake tasting?” Miharu asked them. “The first cake you’ll try is a lemon sponge cake with raspberry filling.”

-an hour later-

“So we’ll do a three tier cake with a long lavender ribbon? Simple, clean and sophisticated.” Miharu said as she wrote the details of their cake.

“Yes. Perfect! I can’t wait to see and taste this!” Mina said as she looked at the picture of the cake. Mina felt her phone vibrate in her bag. She dug it out and saw the name of her wedding planner flashing on the screen.

“Please excuse me.” Mina said and left the room, leaving the former couple alone in the room.

Throughout the whole decision making process Yunho kept silent only nodding whenever his opinion was asked, and the only time he glanced at Miharu was when she entered the room at the beginning of their appointment.

“Hi Yunho.” Miharu said shyly.

“Don’t tell Mina about our marriage and out relation.” He said coldly.

Miharu nodded silently and started doodling on her pad wanting this appointment to be over, wishing she never took them as client in the first place.

“Babe! We have a problem! Our wedding coordinator bailed on us! She has to return to Japan asap. Where am I going to find a wedding coordinator, a GOOD wedding coordinator in the middle of wedding preparation season! This is a catastrophe!” Mina wailed running to Yunho.

“It’s ok babe. We’ll find someone.” Yunho said as he embraced Mina, trying to calm her down.

“Ahmm…Excuse me.” Miharu said breaking the couple apart. “I know someone. I’m not sure she’ll be free but I could ask her.”

Mina looked skeptically at Miharu.

“You might have heard of her, Kang Haneul. We have been friends for a long time and although I know she must be busy maybe she can squeeze you in. Let me make a call.” Miharu smiled at the couple and left the room for the call.

“Hello?”

“Hani my love so sweet.” Miharu greeted the cranky person on the other end of the line.

“What do you need?” Kang Haneul, known wedding planner, asked.

“Favor please. My friend…he’s getting married. They had a problem with their wedding planner and – ”

“No.” Haneul denied her immediately.

“I haven’t even said what my favor was.”

“Ok ask.”

“Please be their wedding planner.”

“No.

“Haneul!” Miharu whined.

“Baby I’m super slumped with work. I’d love to help but I can’t.”

“What if I help. I’ll be your assistant. Do whatever errands you need. Please. I never ask you for anything, but my friend…I just want him to have the perfect wedding. Please.” Miharu pleaded.

"If i ask you to jump - "

"I'll ask 'how high'?" 

“*sigh* Is it really that important to you?” Haneul asked as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

“Yes.”

“Fine. But you owe me big time.”

“Thank you!! Thank you thank you thank you!!” Miharu thanked her repeatedly.

“Hi!” Miharu greeted Mina and Yunho as she reentered the room.

“Please save my wedding.” Mina said hopefully.

“She said she’d be willing to take over the wedding preparations.” Miharu said. “Just send over the papers regarding the details of the wedding to her and she’ll meet up with you soon. Here’s her card.” Miharu handed a happy Mina Haneul’s calling card.

“Oh Thank you! Thank you!!” Mina jumped happily and hugged Yunho. “If you excuse me, I’ll just make a phone call.” Mina said and ran out of the room.

Silence engulfed the room, the two too awkward to talk to each other.

“Miharu…why –  thank you.” Yunho thanked her.

“I know you probably still hate me,” Miharu said making Yunho flinch. “And no matter what I do you might never look at me in the same way or trust me again, I just hope I can make your wedding special. I’m really sorry about – ”

“Let’s not talk about the past please.” Yunho said never looking at her.