⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺
The first time I saw you, my heart whispered “that’s the one.”
. ✦ .

Jang-Mi

“It really helped so much. Like, it was almost magical how I felt so good not just for a day. I feel so good today as well. That’s a total win, and I like feeling this way,” I appreciate healer Lim, pressing the phone to my ear as I curl up inside my cocoon swing with my morning cup of coffee.

“I’m so happy that it helped you, Mi. Some other clients called back, too, telling me how they felt so calm and comforted after the session,” her words of accomplishment are followed by a soft laugh, but it piques my curiosity as to who else could have appreciated the session so much.

Could it have been him?

“I was wondering if I could get some details on the person that I hugged,” I don’t even hesitate for a heartbeat before I ask her that.

“Was it a man or a woman?” She asks without missing a beat, too, and it thrills me.

“A man. He was the last one to join the gathering yesterday,” I add, the smile on my lips refusing to fade as my heart, mind, and body long to relive those beautiful two minutes in his arms.

“The last one to join? Hmm?” She takes a couple of seconds to think. “Ah, that was Yoongi. Min Yoongi.”

Min Yoongi.

“Oh, okay,” I chuckle awkwardly, feeling desperate to ask for more details but holding myself back, thinking if I would be making it too obvious.

“He runs a bakery downtown in Gangnam. It’s an ancient one and not very popular, but he’s amazing at what he does,” she spills some information, fortunately, without me having to ask for it.

“He’s a baker?” I take a deep breath. “Do you perhaps know if he conducts baking classes? I’m an amateur baker myself, and I want to learn more. Besides, I have a lot of free time these days. So I thought it would be great to work on a hobby,” I have no idea why I’m being so talkative right now, but I guess it’s just how I am when I’m nervous.

“Mi, just say that you want to know more about Yoongi. I wouldn’t stop you, and oh, he’s single. So go on and head to Sweet Tooth at Gangnam. I’ll send the directions to your phone,” there’s an unmissable smile in her voice, and it reflects in mine too.

“That totally helps. Thank you so much,” I thanked her sheepishly before ending the call.

The next few seconds are spent looking up the working hours at Sweet Tooth, and then I take a shower. Honestly, selecting an outfit has never been such a problem before, and I’m suddenly being overly critical and disliking everything that I own.

Nevertheless, I settle for a simple pair of trousers and a sweater that I rejected a while ago because somehow, these are the only ones that look passable and presentable.

It takes me another fifteen minutes to check everything at home, lock the doors, and step outside. I contemplate calling Areum and checking on her, but today being a Sunday, she must still be sleeping. So I push it for later and proceed to drive to Gangnam. I haven’t prepared any introductory speech that I would be delivering when I meet Yoongi, and I have no idea what I would even say to him.

Maybe enquiring about baking classes would be a good point for starters. So that’s what I settled on.

In about twenty minutes, I reach Gangnam; Sweet Tooth, to be more precise, after following the driving instructions that the healer sent me earlier. Blowing out a nervous breath, I climb out of my car and take slow and shaky steps towards the bakery.

The outside appears to be in vintage style with a neat brick-and-mortar finish and with a large glass window and dark brown wooden frames for the door and window. The wood and metal nameplate is also in an antique style, and the way it is mounted, once again, aligns with the vintage vibes that the bakery’s exterior gives off.

When I push open the door, the small bell that’s hanging over it chimes, announcing my arrival. My eyes quickly scan the clean interior, which has about three small tables with two seats each, a classic-style illuminated glass display rack, and a small billing counter. The interior is warm and quiet, smelling of a delicious mix of cinnamon and vanilla, and everything in here matches and compliments each other so beautifully.

There’s just one couple that’s seated inside at the moment, and I proceed to check out the baked goodies on display. It holds an array of sweet and savory bakes including mini quiche with zucchini, chicken bechamel puff, chocolate croissant, warm cinnamon and raisin buns, passion fruit gateaux, key lime pie, and pineapple upside down cake. There are just two or three pieces of each item that are displayed along with a line-up of breads by the side, but everything looks mouthwatering, and I’m tempted to try more than one dish.

I also notice a coffee machine on the counter behind the display rack with a small wall-mounted chalkboard menu beside it, but there’s no one to take orders. Min Yoongi isn’t here, and that’s a little disappointing.

There’s a slotted wooden organizer placed atop the display rack, and it holds three different types of flyers arranged in neat groups. Picking up one flyer from each group, I take a seat at one of the unoccupied tables.

One flyer lists an extensive customizable menu of regular and exotic cakes that could be made for any occasion along with their prices. The prices do seem a little high, but again, customized special cakes are always expensive as they should be. The second flyer is an advertisement for the bakery, and it also contains a small detachable coupon with a discount code at the bottom.

And the third one lights up my mood and brings a smile to my lips because it is a notice for cookery and baking classes. There are various categories that include basic, intermediate, and advanced levels in baking, traditional Korean cooking, pan Asian fusion cooking, vegan cooking, celebration cakes, and so much more, along with individual rates.

But most importantly, there’s Min Yoongi’s name and contact number printed at the bottom. Without a trace of hesitation, I pick out my phone and type in his number, not bothering to first select the cooking course that I want to take up. Before I could place a call to his phone, the kitchen door that’s behind the billing counter swings open.

With the phone still held in my hand, my head flicks in that direction to find him stepping out from behind that door. It’s him. Min Yoongi. And I don’t even realize that I freeze in my seat for a moment.

Today, he’s dressed in a more casual crew neck T-shirt and a pair of jeans, yet he looks like he is comfort personified. My thoughts fail to align properly after he shows up.

“Hi, have you decided what you’d like to try? Or shall I suggest something for you?” The depth of Yoongi’s voice sends a mighty shiver running up my spine, and I automatically rise from my seat and gravitate toward the counter behind which he is standing.

My eyes are unblinking as I take a moment to look deep into his strikingly beautiful eyes that hold a kind of power and intensity, and, when I get closer to him, I also don’t miss to notice how he has one double and one mono eyelid, which is actually a rare thing. But he’s the second man I’m meeting with this distinct facial feature.

“Do you perhaps want to check out the display? I can help you with it,” he suggests helpfully with a sweet smile, the kind of smile where his lips taper into a thin line and his cheeks fluff up a little.

“I- uhm... sure,” I smile back, a little entranced by his presence already, and I have no idea why my heart is beating the way it is right now—abnormally, to be precise.

Beaming happily, Yoongi walks me through every baked goodie that’s on display, giving me a brief explanation about the key ingredients and distinct flavors, textures, and features of each dish. At the end of it, it would be safe to say that I listened to nothing except the way his deep voice resounded within my ears.

“Was that helpful? I hope you were able to decide,” Yoongi sends another expectant smile my way, clasping his hands in anticipation, and I suddenly feel like a teenager myself.

I don’t even take a moment to acknowledge the fact that I’m the mother of a teenager, and this isn’t how I should be feeling. But it is what it is. And I’m not able to help feeling this way.

“Sure. I’d like to have one key lime pie and a large cappuccino,” there’s no particular reason for my choice of pastry, but I answer him with a smile that hasn’t left my face for even the blink of an eye.

“Okay. Please take a seat. I’ll bring them to your table,” he curtly motions towards the table where I was seated earlier, and I bow a little to him before I move to sit down.

I watch keenly as Yoongi scuttles around preparing the coffee and plating the pie. He even exchanges a few words and smiles with the couple at the other table who seem like regulars. By the time he brings my order to my table, the couple leaves the bakery, and it’s just him and I inside the bakery at the moment.

Yoongi sets the tray down on my table and serves me the coffee and pie before he walks over to clear the other table and also collects the tip they’ve left him. He carefully tucks the tip amount into the pocket of his apron and walks back to the counter.

“Are you new around here? I’m seeing you here for the first time,” he strikes up a conversation in his silken voice that slices through the thick silence like a sharp knife.

“I’ve actually met you before,” I set my cup of coffee down on the table and lick my froth mustache with my eyes dead set on him, not knowing why I brought out the big gun so early in the meeting.

“Really?” Yoongi goes still for a moment, blinking a few times. “Where did you meet me? I’m sorry my memory isn’t so good, and I couldn’t recognize you or remember where we met,” he apologizes sincerely, giving me another warm smile.

“No, don’t worry about that. I met you at the healer’s office yesterday,” I pause to gauge his reaction before I can tell him anything more.

The slight crease between his brows lifts, and his lips part, seeming as if some kind of realization just dawned upon him. He doesn’t say a word more, but he unties the apron around his waist and sets it down on the countertop before he moves around to my table.

Yoongi drags out a chair and sits down facing me; his powerful eyes locked with mine. There is no one else around us, and the air suddenly feels too hot. I can already feel a distant tremble working its way through my limbs.

Out of nervousness, I pick up the cup of coffee for some kind of support and take a few large gulps while Yoongi just sits there looking at me.

“Were you the one?” His voice lowers an octave as his eyes search mine.

His question jars me and also makes me feel a little embarrassed about crying in his arms and wetting his shirt.

“Yeah,” I nod, nevertheless.

Yoongi lets out a soft sigh, lowering his gaze for a fleeting second before his eyes lift to meet mine once again. He smiles warmly, nodding his head a few times.

“I’m Min Yoongi,” he extends his hand to me for a handshake.

“Jang-Mi,” I take his hand in my cold and clammy hand.

“I wanted to thank you for yesterday. I’ve never felt so calm and happy in a while, and I’ve been feeling good ever since. I still feel that way, and it’s a good thing really,” Yoongi says with a broad smile, still holding my hand in his.

“I’m here for the same reason. You do know that I cried, and it literally felt like all my pain and worries just melted away with those tears. I’ve been feeling so good ever since, and I personally contacted the healer to find out your whereabouts so that I could meet you and thank you,” I’m being talkative once again, and I wish we could just hold hands like this for a long time.

I do not wish to let go.

The touch isn’t electrifying or magnetic, but it feels warm and comfortable, and I feel safe when my hand is in his hold.

“How did you know it was me? I tried looking around, too, but I couldn’t find out who it was,” he sends a sheepish grin my way as he rests our joined hands on the top of the table.

“I saw the wetness of my tears on your shirt,” my voice lowers, and Yoongi squeezes my hand a little.

“Jang-Mi, I would like to know more about you. I’m not forcing you though,” Yoongi withdraws his hand from mine, making my heart deflate at his action but perform somersaults at his words.

He picks up a paper napkin from the table and scribbles out his phone number on it, pushing it towards me thereafter.

“If you feel I’m worth your time,” the smile that follows his words does something within my heart and stomach.

I collect the napkin and glance at it before I pick up my phone and unlock it. The dial screen where I had already dialed his number from the flyer is still on display, and I turn the phone in his direction so that he can see what’s displayed.

His eyes flicker to look at me in surprise after he notices his phone number on the screen of my phone.

“I already decided that you’re worth my time,” I respond as I press the call button, smiling in satisfaction when I hear his phone ringing behind the billing counter, shortly after.

At most times, I doubt my own actions, and I’ve also never been the one to make great decisions in my life so far. But sometimes, I do things that make me get the distant feeling that I am, in fact, doing the right thing.

And that’s exactly how I’m feeling right now. I feel that Yoongi will definitely be worth more than just my time.

Published on : 12/09/2024