Around four that afternoon, Seohyun was sorting through her new collection of crystal figurines to put in the display case that had arrived while she was at lunch. She had purchased a swan, a unicorn, a rose, a leaf, and a kitten. She thought they made a nice start. She decided she would add a new one to her collection every year. Just as she set the kitten next to the unicorn, Sulli walked into the parlor.

“I thought you might like some of the flowers from the garden,” Sulli said as she put them in the crystal vase which sat on the table in the middle of the room. “The blue carpet you ordered should be arriving tomorrow.”

“Wonderful!” Seohyun clapped her hands and ran to the lilacs so she could smell them. Now that the lacy white curtains had replaced the drab and heavy blue ones, the entire room felt brighter and more comfortable. “Thank you, Sulli. They‘re beautiful.”

The maid examined the room and smiled. “I like what you‘re doing to this place. It‘s nice to have a woman‘s touch.”

“I admit that it is fun to decorate the room.”

“I‘m sure Mr. Xi will let you decorate other rooms. He‘s so in love with you that he won‘t deny you anything.”

She blushed, surprised that she was pleased at the thought.

Kyungsoo walked into the parlor. “Oh good. You‘re both here. I just made a cinnamon apple pizza that I hope will make a suitable dessert for my future restaurant. Will you try it and tell me what you think?”

“Of course,” Seohyun readily agreed. “I like to sample anything you make. You have a real talent for this line of work.”

“If only all my future customers will be as kind as you,” he replied.

“I agree with Mrs. Xi,” Sulli began. “You do an excellent job. It‘s too bad Kris doesn‘t give you a chance to serve one of your pizzas at dinner. I never realized he is opposed to pizzas until we mentioned you making one.”

Seohyun was glad that Kyungsoo could at least make his recipes while Kris was resting before he came to prepare dinner.

As she and Sulli sat at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, Kyungsoo sliced the freshly made dessert pizza.

“It smells great,” Sulli said. “How did you come up with the idea to make it an apple cinnamon pizza?”

“I piggybacked the idea when I helped make Kris‘ pie from last night,” he admitted. “I thought that if an apple cinnamon pie could taste that good, then a pizza made from similar ingredients should be a treat too.”

“I notice you aren‘t making as many mistakes while cooking when he‘s around,” Seohyun remarked.

“Those index cards are a big help. You were right about hiding them in my apron. It works like a charm. I just wish I didn‘t feel so clumsy around him. I almost broke the glass pie plate last night.”

“Is that why Kris screamed something about his pie?”

He nodded, grimacing at the memory. “I still can‘t believe how red his face got.”

“He needs to relax,” Sulli commented. “I told him that he needs to lighten up. Life is too short to be serious all the time. Sometimes it‘s just good to have a good laugh and go on with your day.”

“Well, here‘s a slice for each of you.” He handed them their plates and a glass of wine. “I‘ve also been studying up on which types of wine goes best with certain foods. If I‘m going to serve pizza at dinner, I‘ll have to add wine to the beverage list.”

Seohyun took a bite. “I don‘t know how you manage to get better at this but you do.”

Sulli nodded her agreement. “We‘re lucky,” she told Seohyun. “Someday when he‘s a famous chef, we‘ll be able to say we were the first to try his pizzas.”

“That‘s true.”

Baekhyun entered the kitchen. “Sulli, the cleaning supplies just arrived and the delivery man wants to know where to put them.”

“I‘ll be back.” Sulli left the room.

“Another pizza?” Baekhyun wondered in interest.

“A dessert. Would you like a slice?” Kyungsoo offered.

“I‘d love one.” He smiled as the man handed him a plate. “I hadn‘t had any pizzas until you arrived. I must admit that they‘re not as poor in quality as Kris makes them sound.”

The gardener knocked on the door and motioned for Baekhyun to come outside.

Baekhyun sighed. “Duty calls. I shall return.”

Seohyun chuckled as he left. “I love the way he talks.”

“He‘s from Busan. I often wonder if we sound strange to him.”

“Probably so,” she said. “Have you come up with any other dessert ideas?”

While Kyungsoo told her his ideas, she finished the rest of her slice and sipped her glass of wine. To her surprise, her brother entered the kitchen just as she accepted a second slice of pizza.

“What are you doing here again?” she asked him. “Didn‘t you just come by earlier this week?”

“Is it a crime for me to see my sister?” Jun Young replied.

“No. It‘s just that you never visited me two times in a week before.”

“I wanted to see how you‘re adjusting to married life.”

“You‘re checking to make sure I‘m not packing a suitcase and trying to run off?” He didn‘t comment, but she knew that was the real reason. “You‘re amazingly loyal to Mr. Xi.”

He rolled his eyes. “Aren‘t you calling him by his first name yet?”

She was but she was having fun watching her brother squirm. It served him right for taking part in forcing her into this marriage. Ignoring his question, she asked, “Would you like a slice of Kyungsoo‘s pizza? It‘s really good. I‘m having a second slice.”

“I would but I need to talk to you alone. I hope you don‘t mind, Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo shook his head. “I‘ll get some groceries. Will you tell Kris that I will be back in half an hour?”

“I will,” she assured him. After he left and they were alone, she turned to her brother. “What is the problem now?”

“I don‘t think it‘s a good idea for you to be alone with Kyungsoo. People might get the wrong idea.” He paused. “They would be getting the wrong idea, wouldn‘t they?”

She was tempted to give into her brother‘s fears that she was falling in love with the cook, but she respected Kyungsoo too much to involve him in her desire to mess with her twin. “Yes, Jun Young. They would be getting the wrong idea.”

He was noticeably relieved.

“Maybe you should have marri