Chapter One

                I stroll slowly down the aisles of the bakery, closely examining each pastry. The artistry and precision of each piece was amazing, the lightly brown crisp crust of a pie, the beautiful, brightly colored flowers blooming on each cake, the elegant swirl of frosting on the cupcakes.

                “I wish I could make something like that,” I think silently to myself.

                I’ve wanted to be a patissier for as long as I can remember, I was hoping to go to college for it when I graduate this year, but I’m so inexperienced… I barely know anything about baking. Not to mention the fact that I’ve had to accept that my family will never have the money to send me to college. I mean, it’s not that we’re poor exactly, we have enough money to make it through life, but we are definitely not anything close to what you would call “rich”.

                I sigh; my parents are probably expecting me home soon.  I turn to leave, unwillingly tearing my eyes from the shelves, and slam face first into a wall.

                “What the heck? I don’t remember there being a wall there.” I look up in annoyance, rubbing my forehead. Only it wasn’t a wall… it was a person.

                “Oh my gosh! Chesonghamnida!”  I can feel blood rushing to my cheeks as I bow repeatedly, “That was completely my fault, I wasn’t watching where I was going, are you okay?” I continue to ramble on, completely embarrassed.

                “Yeah, sure” The man bows and walks past me. I turn and watch him leave, “Huh, what’s up with him?” I wonder why he’s in such a rush. He couldn’t have been more than a few years older than me by the looks of him. I shrug and leave the store, completely forgetting about the strange man.

                 I drag myself up the hill to my house, pulling my bag of groceries along behind me. I live in a small, plain brick house, two rooms complete with one bathroom. I admit, it’s slightly cramped at times, but it’s comfortable nonetheless, its home. “I just wish it didn’t have to be at the very top of this hill…” I think as I reach the top and collapse against the porch steps.

                 “Geez, I’m out of shape… maybe I should go to the gym sometime”. I think on that for a couple of seconds, and laugh to myself, definitely not.

                 I burst through the front door, “I’m home!” I announce.

                 “Yah! Choi Soo Jin!” I hear echoing from down the hallway to my left. “Where have you been? Does it take two hours to pick up some bread from the store?” My mom scolds, appearing at the doorway to her bedroom

                  “I’m sorry!” I exclaim, “I was just looking at the bakery!”

                  She sighs “Alright, just tell me if you’re going to be late again please? I was worried.”

                  I nod “Yeah mom, I’m sorry.” She watches me closely for a few seconds, before she gives me a satisfied nod and disappears back into her room.

                  I walk into the kitchen and get the bread put away on top of the refrigerator, and then lean up against the counter, and stare at the oven longingly. I remember back to the pastries I saw at the bakery, “Maybe I could try just one more time...”

                  I slink silently down the hall and peer into my parents’ room to see my mom fast asleep on the bed. I look over towards her desk to see piles of papers and books, her computer still showing the half written report she must have been working on before I got home. She really works too hard sometimes.

                  I quietly shut her door to let her sleep, and return to the kitchen. I begin pulling ingredients from the cupboards, just basic things I would probably need, flour, sugar, vanilla, salt, and so on. I stoop down to a bottom shelf under the counter to dig through the pile of papers that have been collecting dust down there. Eventually, I find what I’m looking for, my grandmother’s cake recipe.

                 My hands slowly and gently unfold the tattered brown paper, and flatten it next to my mixing bowl. The words are faded and barely legible, and I have to squint to read them.

                  I begin mixing the ingredients together, making sure to follow every single direction exactly as written, not changing anything. This cake has to be perfect, I’m determined to do it right this time.

                 When the batter is finished, I pour it into a large cake pan, stick it into the oven, and begin to make the frosting. I can tell it’s not going well from the very beginning. I’ve never been able to get the frosting right, it’s always the wrong texture. “Maybe it’s okay… “I think hopefully,” I can make this work.”

                 I walk over to the finished cake, which has been left on a rack to cool. My hands shake as I gently spread the frosting over the top. “Please” I think “Please, just work this time.”

                 It all seems to be going okay, but soon I realize that the frosting is too thick. It’s completely ripping the cake apart. I desperately try to pull the cake back together and make it look okay, but eventually I give up.

                “Aghhh!”  I scream in frustration, slamming my spatula down on the counter. I sink to the floor and drop my head into my hands. I know I can do this! I just don’t know how…

                After a couple of minutes I pull myself to my feet and look around at the mess I made. I should probably clean this up before mom finds it. I slowly wipe down the counter, and clean the dishes. When I finish I turn and gaze dejectedly at my ruined cake.

                Defeated, I take a garbage sack, and dump the cake inside. I look around the kitchen one last time, making sure I destroyed every bit of evidence from the cake. I nodded, satisfied, and made my way out to my garbage can that was sitting in front of my house.

                 As I open the gate, something catches my eye. There’s a man standing in front of the old shop, a ways down the hill. The shop had been foreclosed months ago, and no one had ever shown any interest in buying it. I throw my cake into the garbage can, not taking my eyes off the man. I wonder what he’s doing there…

                 I walk slowly down the street towards him, trying to get a better look at him. He has an expression of intense concentration on his face, his dark brown hair falling into his eyes, and brushing across his forehead.

                I look back and forth between him and the building. He isn’t buying it is he? I can’t imagine anyone would want to buy that old dump, it’s a mess.

                As I continue to watch him, he nods, and smiles in satisfaction. He turns and begins to walk back towards a car parked on the ride of the road.

               “Wait!” I yell, running after him. He stops and turns, looking at me in confusion. When I reach him, I lean over panting, trying to catch my breath.

               “Can I help you?” he asks, still looking slightly confused.

                I straighten my back and look up at him suspiciously “Are you buying that old shop?” I ask.

               “I am” He replies, looking at me curiously “Why do you ask?”

                I shrug “Just curious. What did you say your name was?”

               “I didn’t. But it’s Byun Baekhyun” He says, raising his eyebrows at me “And you?

                “Choi Soojin!” I announce proudly.

                “I see. Well, I’ll see you around then Choi Soojin.” He smiles and turns and starts walking towards his car.

                 I watch him as he walks away, “Wait a second…” I remember back to when I was at the bakery. He was the guy I ran into!

               “Hey, wait!” I yell after him, “I know you!”

                 He stops and looks back at me “Huh?”

                “I ran into you this morning! Remember?”

                “Oh right! I remember now.” He says smiling “You should really watch where you’re going” without another word, he turns back, gets into his car and speeds away.

                “Geez, is he famous or something?” I think to myself “What’s up with his face?” He has a thin boyish looking face, and medium length, perfectly styled brown hair that’s swept across his forehead, with a perfect complexion, and a slim, fit looking body.

                I stare after the car as it turns and disappears around a corner a couple blocks down.

              “I wonder what he’s planning on doing with that old shop…”

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