Jimin was sad. 

He was supposed to enter his town's annual baking competition with an acquaintance. Having worked with this person several times, Jimin had decided he was the perfect guy to team up with. But when Jimin called, he learned the guy had already registered with his girlfriend.

He hated pairing up with any of his cousins in his large family. None of them had baking habits that he could condone. Baking with Kim Taehyung would be a disaster as the boy is known for his inhumane ingredient combinations. 

His family had suggested Hwang Haerin. Haerin was Jimin's girlfriend of 9 months. She was an awesome addition to the Park Family, loved and adored by all of Jimin's relatives. Haerin's initial baking skills were limited, but she improved significantly after receiving guidance from Jimin. Their breakup, which Jimin's family believed ended on good terms, actually involved a significant rift. Jimin's family was deeply saddened by his decision to part ways with Haerin, as he chose not to disclose the true reason behind their breakup in order to preserve her reputation with his family. 

Therefore, there was no way he was teaming up with her. 

SOOMIN POV:-

Waking up the next morning was more challenging, as I felt burdened by the weight of my gloomy fate.

 I did not want to face the bakery or any sort of baking today, so I informed of my absence to one of my employees and also informed Dad. I knew Dad would understand my situation more than anyone else right now. 

Maybe the best way to spend the day would be to unwind with books and some coffee. I knew the perfect place for that. 

There was a cozy book cafe run by a nice old lady, downtown. I go there whenever I want to step away from reality and spend some time with myself. It being in a secluded place also meant fewer customers, especially at this time of the day. 

~~~

The aroma of books and the comforting scent of latte envelop my senses as I step inside the cafe. Snooker, the elderly lady's cat, quickly nestles at my feet, welcoming me with his warm presence. Scooping up Snooker, I headed over to the slab that served as a counter and placed my order. 

I grabbed a copy of Little Women from the shelves and prepared to sit down at my corner seat. But that's when I realized my usual seat was occupied. 

And it was none other than Park Jimin. 

He seemed to be engrossed in his book while I stood there taking in his presence. 

Jimin was a strikingly handsome man. I observed the rhythmic flutter of his eyelids, the graceful dexterity of his fingers as they flipped through the pages, and the way his brows furrowed in deep concentration as he read. A subtle hint of his tongue peeked out between his full lips as he cleaned them after sipping his drink. 

I stood there taking in the beauty before me when I was startled to reality by a voice, "Here's your latte, child." It was the old lady with my order. Her voice not only gained my attention but also that of the man in front of me as he looked up from his book. 

"This is so awkward," I thought to myself. Why am I just standing here, acting like a total creep? Ugh, Soomin, get a grip on your manners.

I clumsily snatched the mug from the lady, causing a small amount of latte to spill onto the floor, making me wince. The kind old lady appeared to empathize with my embarrassment and promptly departed, leaving Snooker to lap up the spilled coffee.  

Jimin continued to look between me and the cat on the floor, a slight grin now etched on his face. "Hey, Kim Soomin right?" He smiled warmly, "Would you like to join me? It would be nice having some company." He gestured to the empty seat in front of him. "Sure, if you don't mind." I nodded taking a seat and setting down my mug and book on the table. 

And then it was awkward. 

Both of us found ourselves in an unsettling silence, unsure of what to say next as we sipped our drinks. The tension in the air became unbearable, prompting me to break the ice with a sudden question, "How's business?"

I wanted to bury myself. Out of all things, I chose to talk about business. 

"Business is just the usual," Jimin replied, "The constant pressure from family is always there, to out-do your bakery." I smiled sympathetically. "I don't care about it, you know. I don't understand why this feud between our families has to go on and on." "I feel the same about it, Park. I'll never support my family regarding that alone." 

I was glad he didn't hold any grudges. Grudges that have no root beginnings. 

"Please just call me Jimin. I don't want us to have any formalities." He said and I complied. 

The conversation between us flowed smoothly from that point on. We delved into our respective journeys and experiences in the world of baking and running our bakeries. We chuckled together over the absurdities of our families and the peculiar paths that had led us to our shared profession. Jimin had originally embarked on his baking journey because it brought him immense joy and satisfaction. On my part, I shared the poignant story of my mother's untimely passing, her profound love for baking, and how her legacy had inspired me to pursue her passion in the wake of her loss.

JIMIN POV:- 

The manner in which Soomin made the courageous decision to abandon her pharmaceutical science course in order to fulfill her mother's aspirations was truly admirable. I found a profound connection with her, as I could relate to how she discovered comfort and solace through the art of baking. 

Above it all, the way she overlooked all animosities between our families and spoke to me like a friend warmed my heart. 

We had a great time chatting until I asked a question which suddenly turned the atmosphere glum. 

"How are preparations for the completion going?" 

Soomin suddenly went quiet and looked down at her now empty mug of coffee. "Oh," She looked back up with slightly sad eyes, "I'm not participating." 

SOOMIN POV:- 

Talking to Jimin was a great way to forget about the competition. But his question had rendered me speechless. I was suddenly reminded of the very reason I had come to this book cafe. 

Jimin, as I had anticipated, wore a surprised expression in response to my delayed reply. "You're not joining in? Why is that?" he inquired. I went on to elaborate on my predicament, sharing my concerns about the lack of a suitable partner. To my surprise, Jimin revealed that he faced a similar challenge; he too had found himself without a partner for the competition. 

But his revelation imposed an idea in me. 

The idea was incredible. But it was dangerous. 

What if I teamed up with Jimin?

~~~

Soomin looked at Jimin, a determined spark in her eye, and said, "Hey, what if we teamed up for this competition?"

Jimin, leaning back in his chair, raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, you sure about that, Soomin? Our families won't be happy if they get to know about it, you know."

Soomin shrugged, keeping her tone relaxed. "Yeah, but why not bend the rules a bit? We can both participate and just not tell them. What do you say?"

Jimin leaned in and grinned. "You've got a point there. It's a bit risky, though."

Soomin waved it off with a casual smile. "We can handle it, Jimin. Let's have each other's backs and ace this together. What's the worst that can happen?"

Jimin chuckled, a hint of excitement in his eyes. "You know what, Soomin? I'm in. Let's keep it our little secret."

With that, they sealed their agreement with a fist bump, ready to tackle the contest together while keeping their collaboration under wraps from their families. 

Determination and a sense of glee filled her heart as Soomin headed back to her bakery after successfully registering herself and Jimin for the contest.

~~*~~

this chapter was insanely hard to write. this chap is also very imp in establishing the relationship between soomin and jimin but i struggled a lot with the right words. i also realized how much i suck at writing dialogues. the words weren't flowing at all.

also, apologies for the frequent pov switches this chapter is really important and i wanted to highlight both soomins and jimins thoughts clearly. sorry if it gets confusing anywhere. 

anyway tysm for reading <3