Satisfied with the rows of pastries set for the opening of the café that morning, he glanced over to the manager, smiling pleadingly to him.  Hoping he would not have to go out of the store.  But he received an angry glare and a wave of a hand, shooing him away.  Asking, no.  Not asking but more like ordering him to do so.  Sighing in defeat, he walked towards the staff room and changed his uniform to his normal clothing; black jeans, white t-shirt and a checkered shirt on top.  Slowly, he walked towards the front door, pausing for awhile in front of the cashier table.

“Jung Min ah…I should really…”

“Out!  4 hours!”

The 3 words that cut his sentence off were heard clearly from his friend’s mouth.  Kyu Jong tried to give Jung Min his pleading eyes once more but it wasn’t enough to shake the manager’s order. 

“I’m not going to fall for it anymore, Kyu ah.  You really need to get yourself some life outside of the kitchen.  Outside of baking.”

Pouting, Kyu Jong gave a little nod and walked out of the café.  As soon he was outside, he turned around and looked at the café.  ‘Pastry 4 U’, he read the signboard to himself.  He was proud of the little café that Jung Min and him opened together a few months ago.  His long life dream.  And he was lucky to have Jung Min with him.  They make the best combination.  He bakes and Jung Min managed the café.  Jung Min’s charm in entertaining the customer with his charismatic aura really helped in attracting customers into their café.  It doesn’t sell much.  A few simple beverages and probably about 5-7 types of pastries that he’ll managed to whip up every morning.  And normally by 7 at night, they would close up as Jung Min would not allow him to cook anything to top the ones that have sold out.  His friend was always afraid of him being overworked and not having enough social life. 

But making pastry was his passion.  His life.  He doesn’t have many friends as he was quite shy with strangers, thus the reason he was always cooped up in the kitchen.  And he was grateful of knowing and befriended Jung Min since 3 years ago, after the latter got a taste of his cream puff as he handed one to him when he sat next to him on the bus back to their dorm.  They were from the same university, same dorm but different course and different floor.  Him, taking Culinary and Jung Min in Business Administration.  The bubbly, talkative Jung Min stood beside him ever since.

“Kim Kyu Jong, when I said you just go outside, I don’t mean you should stand in front of the store for 4 hours.  Go…walk around.  Or catch a movie.  Do something other than baking.”

Kyu Jong blinked his eyes, popping his mind trail back to the past.  “Huh?”

A gentle push from his back made him to move forward, into the crowd. 

“Have fun Kyu Jong ah…” Jung Min said, waving at him with his huge smile pasted on his face when he turned his sight back to his friend.

Pouting again, he waved back to Jung Min before making his way aimlessly to nowhere.  His shoulder slumped forward, indicating he was saddened by the fact of not being behind the kitchen counter.  Looking around, he was clueless as to how he should spend his 4 hours alone.  As he was eyeing the people around him, he noticed something different.  Or rather someone who was a little contradicting that the rest of the scenario.

A boy.  A skinny boy standing straight, unmoved, staring at something intently in front of a store, just a few stores away from his own store.  His act made him curious as to what made the boy so immersed into.  He walked slowly towards the boy and as he neared him, he noticed the type of store it was.  A bridal shop.  More questions popped inside his mind as why does a boy like him would look longingly at a wedding dress?

He stood behind the boy as he continued to watch him as the boy continuously staring at the white wedding dress displayed at the store.  From the reflection on the store’s window, Kyu Jong could see the frustration and longing look on his face.  It somehow grabbed his interest.

‘Why would a boy be so sad looking at a wedding dress?  He can’t be a groom from a cancelled wedding, right?’

Still looking at the boy’s reflection and lost in his own thought, he wasn’t aware the fact that the boy suddenly turned around and bumped straight into him.  Kyu Jong lost his balance and fell on his behind.

“Argghhh…”

“Ah, I’m sorry.  I was too rushed and didn’t notice you.  Are you okay?  Kwenchana?” the boy asked, his hand extended towards Kyu Jong, concerned on his face and voice.

Looking at the boy straight point, he was dumbfounded.  The feature on the boy held his attention.  It made his interest perked.  This was the second person he felt the same way after his friend, Park Jung Min.  He grabbed the boy’s hand as he helped to pulled him up.  Staring at the boy, he asked straight forwardly, without his own awareness, “Do you like pastry?  Want to work as a pastier at my café?”