From the Books I'll Never Write

• 1 • The Baker

My life is... fine.

Yeah. It's fine.

I wake up at 4:30am most mornings so that I can exercise. By 6am I'm on my way to the bakery. Office workers and students alike look forward to the pastries I bake in the morning, and it feels good to know I help them to start their day. My little boutique is complimented by the coffee shop next door. Our customers frequently hop between our businesses to get their morning fix. We have an unofficial agreement that they won't serve sweet treats and I won't serve caffeine. It works for us.

My staff is small but we're a family. I'm lucky enough to have my business partner also double as my best friend. Hyun-ae keeps me on track. I don't know how my shop would have survived without her dedication. And I don't think I would have grasped the language as easily had she not been there to hammer it- I mean, coach me.

Mom immigrated to Seoul shortly after I did. There was nothing in the States holding us there anymore, and Korea held great memories for us. It's been 5 years and I don't regret it at all. Sure, she nags me about being 30, unmarried, childless, and 6 cats short of being a crazy cat lady with 12 inches of leg hair, as parents do, but otherwise I love having her here with me.

Anyway, by 6pm the bakery is closing. It's just me I have to look after so I go home, make dinner, read sometimes... In bed by 11, and wake up to do it again the next day. Simple. Stable. Predictable.

Until it wasn't.

Until him...

_______

"Lily?"

I raise my eyebrows and tilt my head up slightly to Hyun-ae, my eyes still fixed on the sugar flower I was trying to place on this cake. Almost done...

"Nari isn't going to be able to deliver that cake this afternoon. Something about her car," she said.

"She didn't have another accident, did she?" I look up this time. That would be the second one this year. And it's only February.

"No, just car trouble this time." That's a relief.

"Can you take it please?" I whined. I truly didn't want to. I was in a creative zone and had already blown through five custom cake orders since lunch time.

"Ok. You'd have to take over out front for me," Hyun-ae said. "It's almost the evening rush though," she added with an evil smile.

That made me freeze. Evening rush mean lots of people. I don't people very well.

At least with a delivery I just have to set up the cake display and leave. "I'll do the delivery." I smiled. Hyun-ae was so much better with talking to people. She has a better fake smile than I do. I'm completely happy to stay in the bake area making cakes and desserts all day.

I was almost finished this order anyway.

The security guard of the luxury apartment complex I entered hands me back my identification after making a copy of it. I take a brief look around me as I walk up the stairs to my destination. The lawns are well manicured considering it's barely spring. Tall trees are distributed throughout the grounds. Something tells me it's for more than mere aesthetics. What I think would be a fantastic view of the Seoul landscape is obstructed by now-bare branches. Probably for privacy's sake. If I lived here I'd probably want extra privacy too.

I return my focus to the task at hand and finish my ascent to the home number indicated on my catering invoice. Several boisterous voices come through the heavy door and I can't help but smile at their merriment. I inhale and put on my best "people smile" as I ring the doorbell. Once I finish here i can get back to the shop. I have like one more cake to finish before-