41 : Too Paranoid For No Reason

The next morning, Eun Young woke up with the other side of the bed empty. It was still very early and the sun didn't even rise yet. Glancing over the other side of the mattress, Eun Young realized that it was very unlikely for Min Jae to be up at this hour. But then again, he must've received an emergency call at work. Else, what other business could he possibly have that would get his a** off of bed?

Eun Young stretched and yawned as she got up. It was a cold morning so she took a relaxing warm shower in contrast to the cool weather. The heated water was a comfort to her skin and muscles. However, upon turning off the shower, the cold wind lightly blew past her skin. Eun Young instantly shivered.

To avoid catching a cold, Eun Young threw on a pair of cotton pants and a thick sweater. She also blow dried her hair as another way of keeping warm. Moreover, she made sure that the heater was already on to normalize the temperature inside the house. She wouldn't want the kids to catch the flu too. Because in times like this, it's better to go extra than to end up regretting.

Eun Young was on her way downstairs when she caught a glimpse of a door left ajar. It was the one leading to the study room. Curious, she sneaked closer to peek through the gap. For some reason she just felt the need to check. What if Min Jae didn't leave? What if he was just actually in there?

Eun Young heard no signs of movement as she approached the room. It was really quiet and it made her nervous all the more. Peering through the small opening, the place was dim. She couldn't exactly tell if no one's really inside hence, there's only one way to find out. Eun Young finally opened the door and flicked on the lights. However, there were only piles of documents that welcomed her. Min Jae must've left them last night.

Sighing in relief, she calmed her frantically beating heart. She was being too paranoid for no reason! Damn. Perhaps some coffee could wake her senses up.

On her way downstairs, Eun Young could already smell the aroma of freshly cooked food. Her mouth was already watering with just the scent of it. She wanted to prepare the food today, but she wouldn't mind having the helpers prepare the meals for her too. She was starving and certainly nothing beats the joy of eating newly cooked breakfast.

"Mrs. Bong! Is there anything I can--" Eun Young's smile faded as she was met by the sight of her husband in the kitchen. What the... where were the cooks? The helpers?

"Min Jae?" Her eyes widened in disbelief.

His brown eyes instantly met hers upon hearing the sound of his name. "Morning." He said before returning his attention to the food he was preparing.Eun Young rubbed her eyes repeatedly before looking at the scene in front of her again. She wasn't dreaming when she saw Min Jae cooking in the kitchen, was she?

"I'll be finished soon. There's already brewed coffee right there..." He said.

But Eun Young already forgot about her craving for coffee. Right now she was just really surprised to see her husband in an apron, cooking breakfast as if it was the most normal thing in the world! "What are you doing?" Eun Young snapped. Damn, she must've been too upset with their last conversation yesterday that she's dreaming about him right now! This is absurd!

"Uhm..." Min Jae turned off the stove and allowed the perfectly cooked egg to slide down from the pan onto the plate where four more eggs sat in place. "Cooking eggs?" He replied.

Eun Young squinted and shook her head. Min Jae saw this and so he further explained to her. "I was hungry so I went down to have a light breakfast. But... I figured that it would be insensitive of me to eat all by myself so I made a few more servings."

Eun Young crossed her arms and as she approached him by the counter. The countertop was filled with numerous dishes. How could've he made all this by himself? Eun Young grabbed a spoon to taste a portion of the Soybean Sprout Rice. The flavors were wonderful as they danced inside her mouth!

"You ordered this didn't you?" She said with her mouth still full.

Min Jae scoffed. "Eun Young, it's 5am in the morning. The restaurants are closed."

Eun Young mentally slapped herself for not realizing it sooner. Nevertheless, she still doesn't believe him. They've been together for years and he was always the one being served. She never even saw him around the kitchen, much more cook the food.

"I learned to cook while I was still young. Our house helpers taught me the basics and I gradually learned as I grew up." He said.

Eun Young raised an eyebrow at him. "Why would you need to cook?" She asked. Her guess was that he was picky with his food since he was young. Maybe that explains why he frequently refuses the food she cooks.

Min Jae casually shrugged. "For survival skills." He said. "Food won't always be served in front of you so it's best that you at least know how to make them."

Eun Young glanced at the dishes before her. These meals definitely need practice in order to master them. Nonetheless, he made them all nicely.

He rummaged through the cupboards and cabinets. Although he knew how to cook, he was clueless of where the things were placed. It took him a while to figure out where to find the other things. But now that he was in search of something, he doesn't even know where to begin looking.

"What are you looking for?" Eun Young finally asked.

Min Jae scratched his head. "The trays. I forgot where I last saw them." He muttered.

Eun Young went to get them inside the cabinet near the pots. After handing it over to him, she watched as he carefully placed the bowls and dishes on the tray.

As he was about to head off to the dining area, he paused and turned to her. "By the way, this is my first day at work." He declared. "I just thought you should know."