His mind is at ease as he sees his daughter move around the bakery kitchen with a giddy smile. After coming to terms with the fact that he couldn't salvage the dreams of his dearest wife through their daughter, he only wanted to see his distressed daughter happy once again. He knew how hard it must have been for Soomin to let down her mother, that too because of a miserable reason.

But little did he know that his wily daughter had not only registered herself for the competition but had also teamed up with the enemy to do so.

Soomin prances about in the kitchen with a large bowl, whisking what seems to be cake batter, with her mind wandering and getting excited about working with Jimin.

Jimin on the other hand was nervous, not knowing when was the right time to contact Soomin. They had exchanged phone numbers after teaming up at the book cafe. The date for the first round of the Annual Baking competition was coming around and they still haven't met up to try out different recipes that would ensure selection in the first round.

He couldn't openly ask Soomin to come over to his family house to practice for obvious reasons. He couldn't ask her to come to his bakehouse either. The only available time was after closing hours. Jimin often stayed back at their bakery after hours testing out new things and baking to his heart's desire, hence he knew his family wouldn't suspect him if he returned home in the wee hours of the morning. What he didn't know was if Soomin would be okay with that timing. And there was only one way to find out.

Text her.

Not long after Soomin received a notification on her phone signifying that Jimin had texted.

**** 1 new message from Park Jimin ****

Park Jimin: Would you be down to practice for the comp 2day?

Kim Soomin: ofc when and where?

Park Jimin: My bakery after closing hours sound good?

Kim Soomin: yaas but is it okay wouldnt ur family find out?

Park Jimin: I stay back quite often so its alr

Park Jimin: Is the timing fine with u? ur family shouldn't know either

Kim Soomin: its ok since I live alone

Park Jimin: All good then... see you at 11?

Kim Soomin: see yaa

~~~

The hands of the clock were running a little past 11 pm when Soomin entered Park's Bakehouse from their backdoors upon the special request of Jimin. Her heart is instantly warmed as she sees Jimin setting up the kitchen for the both of them to work. Jimin looked up instantly as he heard the door opening up and a bright smile fell upon his face. He was dressed in a cuddly beige sweater that made his features look soft and made Soomin instantly swoon over his cuteness.

He reached over the counter to get a clean apron for them while Soomin stood there taking in her surroundings. The kitchen of Park's Bakehouse was avidly different from her own. It consisted of more traditional cooking instruments unlike the modern equipment back in Kim's Kreme. Everything ranging from the oven to the whisks was of the old, traditional kind. It sent a wave of nostalgia over her but also made her remember that the stark difference in the equipment was one of the reasons for the rivalry between the two bakeries. The Parks had been running their bakery following cultural methods for so long and felt threatened when competition arose from the Kims who used more modern tools.

To this day most of the Park family has a very backward mindset which means they hate adapting to changes in the world. The few exception in their family was Jimin himself.

Jimin hands the apron to Soomin, "What'd you think about this setup? I even played some music." To be very frank Soomin was so occupied with her thoughts that she didn't notice the faint music playing in the background. The music along with the cozy setup for today's baking session calmed Soomin's mind and made her forget about her previous thoughts. "It's so cozy, I love it."

"I hope you don't mind the outdated cooking equipment then. We can get an electronic whisk if you'd like?" Soomin chuckled, "Where are you going to get the electronic whisks from? It's so late in the night, Jimin."

"I meant we'd get them from your bakery of course. I'm not going to buy one right now besides, I can't be seen using modern devices like an electronic whisk." Jimin replied sarcastically with an amused face. They both had a good laugh afterward. It's going to be considerably harder to work with a normal whisk when she is so used to machines doing her work in the kitchen but Soomin didn't mind using traditional for a while. She's heard that manually mixing it will bring you closer to your baked goods. Not that she isn't close to them already.

"Do you have any idea what we should make?" Soomin hadn't thought of any ideas while coming here and was hoping to brainstorm them with Jimin. But as it turns out Jimin was hoping for the same, "I say we make something and see how it ends up." Not long after the two get to work.

Soomin started by preparing a batter containing flour and cocoa powder while Jimin beat up 3 eggs and some cinnamon powder into a bowl. A lot of mixing and experimenting later a brown batter was starting to form. That's when Soomin noticed that the batter looked slightly watery. She realized the batter required a little bit more flour and noticed that the flour packet was in Jimin's hand as he was in the process of putting things away. "Jimin, can you add some more flour to this mix?" Soomin asked as she turned to look at Jimin.

Taken by surprise, she felt a flutter of emotions when she noticed Jimin's gaze already locked onto her. Jimin, completely immersed in the enchanting sight of Soomin gracefully blending the batter, was momentarily startled as she turned to meet his eyes. In the midst of their startlement, the flour packet slipped from his fingers, landing with a soft thud on the floor and a cloud of flour blanketed itself on the floor.

Both of them immediately looked away to land their gazes on the floor which was now covered in white powder. And then Soomin burst into a fit of laughter. Placing the bowl properly on the counter, she bent over clutching her stomach, aggressively laughing. Jimin on the other hand squat down on the floor with his hands covering his face laughing in embarrassment. "Well, let's clean this up before we continue." Jimin nodded.

They spent the next hour cleaning the mess they made and finishing up the batter to bake it. As Soomin placed the mix into the big brick oven, the atmosphere fell into a pregnant silence. Up until then, it didn't matter since both of them were occupied with various activities that led to the making of the perfect delicacy for their upcoming competition. Even their minds were filled with ideas or ingredient choices to add that would go well with a recipe and bring out a unique flavor. But now the environment had gotten silent both of them noticing the song that was faintly playing in the background as there were no sounds of whisks being beat around.

"So, excited for the competition?" Jimin asked to break the awkwardness. Soomin hummed, "If this recipe turns out to be good I think I'll be more excited."

"Yeah, I sure do hope."

"We don't have much time until the display for Round 1."

They talked about all things ranging from baking methods to plans for the future when the air filled with a chocolatey scent signifying that their cake was done.

JIMIN POV:

I watched her intently as she took out the cake using our wooden oven shovel and placed it on the counter. We waited a few minutes until it cooled down before removing it from the mold. That's when I noticed the little smudge of flour on her face. I realized I had noticed it earlier too but didn't feel the excessive need to brush it away for her. It had looked so natural on her almost like it was a part of her. The little stroke of flour shows her commitment to her craft and the love she has for baking. Now I was filled with this overwhelming urge to brush it away for her, but I wasn't going to.

Until I did it.

I didn't even realize when I had moved closer to her and wiped my fingers across her cheeks brushing away the little smudge. I think I must have startled her because her immediate reaction was to flinch and move away. "Oh sorry." I apologized, my cheeks feeling warm. She looked away instantly with a flushed red face like a strawberry.

"It's alright. How long have I had it on my face now? This is embarrassing "

"Not that long," I said, not wanting to embarrass her, "it's just flour."

The tension in the room started to elevate after that. I had to do something to ease the awkwardness so I suggested we cut the cake and taste-test it.

As it turned out the cake wasn't that good. It tasted like a basic brownie but with an earthy undertone to it because of the avocado and cinnamon that we'd added. Needless to say, Soomin and I were disappointed.

"I'll be honest," Soomin began, "I don't think this is unique enough to land us a selection in the first round." And I agreed with her fully. We didn't have much time now to experiment with another one so, we decided to call it a day and leave.

Soomin waved me goodbye as she exited after helping me wash the dishes even though I asked her not to. Today might not have been a successful baking venture for our competition but it sure did give me a few good moments with the enemy baker that I can cherish afterward. I just didn't want to think of the consequences that I may have to face in the future if one of our families finds out about this.

As I reflect on the night spent baking with Soomin, I can't help but feel a sense of contentment despite the fact that our culinary endeavors didn't yield the perfect dish for the upcoming competition. The kitchen was filled with laughter, flour-dusted countertops, and the sweet aroma of our efforts. Soomin's company made the experience truly special; her enthusiasm and creativity added a unique flair to the entire process. Although our concoctions may not have met the competition standards, the joy of collaboration and the shared moments of mischief in breaking a few family rules made it a memorable day. Sometimes, it's the imperfect moments that become the most cherished memories, and I find myself looking forward to more baking adventures with Soomin in the future.

As I drove back to my family home, I couldn't help but appreciate the genuine connection we forged through our shared love for baking and our mutual disregard for certain family rules. The failed attempt at a competition-worthy dish became inconsequential compared to the bonds we strengthened that day. We promised each other to refine our skills, learn from our mistakes, and come back stronger for the next baking session. The prospect of future baking experiments and the shared joy of breaking free from the mundane rules created a sense of anticipation for more delightful escapades. Despite the absence of a perfect dish, the laughter, the camaraderie, and the warmth of the oven lingered, leaving behind a sweet aftertaste of a day well spent.

weeee 2k words yalll this is the longest chapter I've written so far idk if you'd be interested in reading longer chapters or the shorter ones that i usually write.

anyway more juicy stuff will be coming up next chapter

im proud to say that i have the next few chapters planned so they'll be coming out quicker than u think

((UNEDITED))