"Are you sure this is enough?"

"Yes, and don't you even think about adding more."

"Why not?"

I sighed, resting the beater on the cake pan. "Because you shouldn't," I flatly told him. "You have to stick to measurements when you bake, Taehyung."

"Arasseo, arasseo." He sounded unconvinced as he mixed flour with the butter and sugar he had creamed beforehand.

A lot of things happened lately, and it kind of baffled me how time flew by that today was Aeri's 6th month celebration already. So here we were, under Taehyung's bright idea that we should bake a cake for Aeri.

Even Aeri was busy with the flour that Taehyung had accidentally dropped on her high chair's table. For all I know, he just wanted to see Aeri play with it. Now she had her arms and face covered with powder, and even on her hair. She'd be needing a bath later on.

A few minutes later, I placed the pans inside the oven, leaving it to bake while Taehyung and I cleaned up some of the equipment we wouldn't be using to ice the cake. Or more like I did, since Taehyung occupied himself with Aeri, letting her tiny hands sloppily slap his face with flour.

Everything went well, or so I hope that was actually the case. Minutes later, the aroma of disaster wafted around the kitchen. I squinted my eyes at Taehyung who just slid a glance at me, smiling innocently as he pushed Aeri's high chair far from the oven and carried her out of the kitchen.

Why am I not surprised?

And great! The batter was overflowing on the pan. I pulled the plug and wore my baking mittens.

I coughed for about a full minute, waving my hand in the air to dismiss the thin white smoke. After so, I basically just plopped both pans on the side of the sink, staring at them in horror.

Why did he even have an oven inside his apartment? Perhaps he got away with the gas stove and managed to befriend the appliance for when he had cooked breakfast before. But Taehyung and an oven only equated to danger. This should be kept away from him.

I pushed the stray hair away from my face, taking in a deep sigh for the mess I was just about to fight. Scrubbing anything burnt definitely called for a challenge.

A year and a half later, I was done—finally, thankfully. I could feel sweat trickling on my neck, and basically everywhere as I disposed the supposed to be cake that ended up as a tragic story I would like to entitle A Cake to Remember which we all owed to Taehyung.

As I wiped the beads of liquid on my forehead, I saw Taehyung leaning on the wall, arms crossed and a serious expression etched on his face. Probably deep in thought as well since he didn't even notice the way I almost flinched at his presence.

I cocked my head to the side, blinking expectantly at Taehyung and it took him about a second and a half to snap out of his trance

"What?"

My brows furrowed. "Uh, what do you mean what? You've been spacing out for a while now."

"Oh that? I was just thinking about what we should do with the icing."

I projected a hard look as I followed Taehyung with my eyes while he approached the icing.

"And what idea did you come up with?" I asked, eager to know. By the manner he was thinking earlier, he must've came up with something...relevant. Right?

"Kyungmin-ah, look here."

Wrong.

I shot him a glare to which he only laughed at as a response. And if smearing icing on my nose wasn't enough, Taehyung just had to spread it to my cheeks.

"I signed up for a marriage contract, not to babysit an adult," I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes inwardly.

Now I felt sticky all over; it felt so uncomfortable.

Taehyung's laugh resonated through the kitchen walls. "Now you go clean up and take a bath. Aeri already had hers."

"I definitely—" I stopped, his words sinking slowly. "You..." I stared at him worriedly.

"Don't worry, don't worry. She's still alive!" defended Taehyung. "I've been watching videos of how to bathe infants. I got it right."

My shoulders sagged, my face showing a calmer demeanor.

There were times Taehyung watched as Aeri took a bath, and he always wanted to help but got scared midway since Aeri kept on moving. Some days he'd lather Aeri's hair with shampoo, most times, he'd make bubbles everywhere which meant more cleaning duties for me. Guess those times paid-off.

In the end, we just called for cake delivery. At three in the afternoon, we were settled in the living room with the television open—our usual weekend pastime.

I sat on my side, scrolling through my phone with a tub of chicken nuggets between me and Taehyung. I had received a few messages greeting Aeri. Somi-ajumma was supposed to be with us but then Minsun had a school activity and she had to accompany him. Though I told them if Minsun's activity ended early, they could drop by later.

I lifted my gaze from my phone and the first thing I saw was Taehyung's half exposed shoulder. I didn't get it how this expensive man would dress in the most eloquent way outside when in reality, he didn't even know how to wear a shirt properly. I just couldn't find any logic in it.

But that aside, who knows why...but I did the most irrational, stupid idea of tracing a vein down on Taehyung's exposed skin just around the neck line.

I felt Taehyung flinch at the sudden contact. Well I did too, internally. At the same time, I repeatedly slapped myself inside my head.

"It's purple," I nonchalantly said, slumped back on the couch, took a chicken nugget, and stuffed it into my mouth.

No, it wasn't purple, obviously.

With my heart hammering against my rib cage with so much force, I stared absentmindedly at the screen, hoping Taehyung wouldn't notice anything. Sadly, from my peripheral view, I could see his gaze not leaving me at all.

We had not even talked about last time, and it still made me cringe at myself in embarrassment every time I remember what had occurred back in the ocean park.

I knew well I was not hallucinating when it happened—our lips actually brushed against each other.

But woah, okay...why the heck am I thinking about this right now?

Feeling more than conscious because of Taehyung still staring, I reached for another chicken nugget just so I could do anything to shake off the tension in my body.

But Taehyung beat me to it and took my hand—

Wait, hold on! Why is he holding my hand?

I tried to show the calmest face I could manage at this moment as I cautiously turned my head to him, and I hope my hand pulsation wouldn't go noticed.

This time, Taehyung wasn't looking at me anymore. His attention was on my hand as he brushed his thumb against it. A pit formed on my stomach and the chicken nuggets I had just eaten decided to call their friends to do a silly chicken dance craze.

Great. This doesn't help me sort out my feelings at all.

Well, fine. It was too obvious already for me to keep on denying it, but he could at least stop doing these gestures.

He intertwined his hand with mine, and adjusted himself comfortably on the couch, continuing to watch the television. But all I could think about was my disgust at the thought of my greasy hands.

Taehyung lifted the tub and I felt the side of the couch sink. If holding my hand wasn't enough, Taehyung rested his head on my shoulder and I could feel how my breathing slowed down, air leaving my lungs, like this was the literal version of taking my breath away and then dying later on. And this wasn't even the first time it happened!

Rather queasy, I attempted to get out of the situation, but a tight squeeze on my hand petrified me in place.

"Let's just stay like this for a while." I glanced down at him, noticing his closed eyes.

But that wasn't just it.

"Taehyung, you're hot."

"I know I am."

"No, I mean hot, as in you're sick?" I rolled my eyes playfully as I reached for his forehead.

"I'll be fine. You'll be my medicine."

I scoffed inwardly. Sheesh, this little kid.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"Oh, that must be the cake," I thought aloud. "I'll go get it." I stood up from the couch and Taehyung clicked his tongue as he let go of my hand hesitantly.

"It's not like I'm going anywhere." I laughed.