The Secret Heart|Jisoo|Haein|Taehyung

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTEᖇ 16: TEᑎTᗩTIᐯE ᒪOOKᔕ Oᖴ ᗪEᔕIᖇE

Curiosity is the essence of the human condition. Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?'... you don't know. You don't have answers to these questions. And you don't know what's around the corner. But you want to find out. No matter what. Curiosity always lurked around every secret. And so she watched his every move, his gesture, his posture, his expressions and the meanings behind them. It was one of the virtues she had inherited from her mother.

She was sitting on the couch reading a book she had found on the shelf. It was a rather interesting book, since it talked about the virtues of the forest. Elena wasn't the kind of girl who loved to live in the forest or even to be close to nature for a long time. But she wouldn't deny that sometimes her body longed for days where she could smell the air caressing the trees and flowers, feel the touch of the sunlight on her skin and see the bright colors surrounding nature.

Occasionally, her gaze fixed on him, marveling at his culinary skills. It was unfathomable how exceptional he was in the kitchen. Deliberately, her eyes followed his every move as he crushed the tomatoes and deftly added tomato paste, bay leaf, oregano, and a dash of nutmeg to the already simmering ground beef in the pot. The mixture was then expertly stirred and brought to a vigorous boil before being left to simmer, uncovered, over low heat for at least 30 minutes. Suddenly, her eyes widened as he quickly removed the pot from the heat and delicately removed the bay leaf. The tantalizing aroma of the unmistakable pasta bolognese wafted through the air, causing her mouth to water uncontrollably.

Kelan's gaze wandered, captivated by the sight of Elena's contented expression. Her eyes, closed in bliss, savored the tantalizing aroma that wafted from the food. A gentle smile curved his lips as he continued to fixate on her face.

"You're enjoying it, aren't you?" he remarked, his hand swirling the pasta effortlessly with a wooden spoon. Elena startled at his sudden question, a clear sign that her mind had been lost in a reverie about the delectable meal.

"Oh, yes! It smells absolutely divine!" Elena murmured in response, her cheeks flushed at the sight of his eyes brimming with a smile.

"Alright, I'm finished here. Let's dig in!" Kelan declared, gracefully carrying two plates of pasta to the adjacent table in the kitchen. Elena sprang off the couch, eagerly following the plates of food.

"Wow, your culinary skills are truly impressive! This dish could easily belong in a cookbook's captivating illustrations!" Elena exclaimed, gracefully pulling out a chair to sit down. Kelan chuckled, appreciating her kind words, and quickly reappeared at the table holding a pitcher of freshly squeezed juice. Seeing this, Elena's enthusiasm faded.

"Are you kidding me? No wine?" she said with a hint of disappointment. Kelan paused, his eyes fixed on her confused expression.

"I'm sorry... I couldn't afford a bottle of wine. This was the best I could do," he replied, his words causing a pang of regret to wash over Elena. She realized the thoughtlessness of her remark.

"My apologies... I didn't mean to seem ungrateful," she murmured softly, meeting his gaze, her eyes begging for forgiveness. Kelan's smile revealed his forgiveness as he acknowledged her remorseful expression.

"Please don't worry, you haven't said anything offensive to me," he assured her with a gentle smile, his eyes filled with curiosity as he looked into hers.

"Well, don't hold back, try it!" he urged playfully. Elena chuckled and accepted his invitation to taste the noodles. Bringing the fork to her lips, she parted them slightly, preparing herself for the unknown tastes. And as the first bite danced on her tongue, it was as if a whole new universe unfolded in her mouth.

"Wow... This is actually delicious!" she exclaimed, her mouth still filled with the flavorful pasta, savoring each bite as if it were her first encounter with bolognese. Kelan couldn't help but be captivated by the genuine joy in her eyes as she savored the food. A wave of happiness swept through him, reflected in his beaming smile.