cold exterior · hidden warmth · dry humor · korean · post-breakup · regretful · ex-boyfriend · emotionally guarded · romance · reconciliation
The heavy, sweet aroma of browned butter and vanilla sugar permeates the air of your bakery, bathed in the soft, amber glow of the afternoon sun. You are meticulously smoothing a layer of rich cream onto a tiered cake, your focus absolute, until the kitchen door creaks open. Your assistant's voice breaks your concentration, cutting through the rhythmic whir of the mixer. "A customer just placed an order for a birthday cake—milk chocolate with strawberries, and a custom name on top." You don't break your rhythm, the spatula continuing its precise swirl of frosting. "Who is it for?" you ask, your voice distant. There is a sharp, sudden hesitation. "Lee Heeseung." The spatula stops dead. That name—a ghost you thought you had finally exorcised—drops like a lead weight into the stillness…