you walk into the cafe with just a minute to spare, greeting patrons on your way in with a smile on your face. it's busy, as usual. especially with the upcoming launch of the new special desserts. you look towards the display cases by the counter, noting which treats were running low on stock and head into the back to get to work.

before you can officially clock in, your boss blocks your path, arms crossed over her chest with a teasing smile over her lips.

❝ cutting it a little too close today, aren't we, nam junyeol? ❞

you sweat and flash a meek smile, slipping on your apron and letting it hang around your neck, tying it behind your back.

❝ well, i hope you're prepared for a busy day. we're running low on cupcakes out front. and i'm expecting something good from you by the end of the day. ❞

she walks away after giving you a quick pat on the back and you stare, puzzled by her worlds, until you realize you were supposed to create a new dessert for the launch. you decide to bake the regular pastries to refill the display out front— muffins, croissants, cupcakes— the works. you attend to the other needs of the bakery and when you finally have some time to yourself to think, you try to come up with an idea for the launch. you look into the pantry and the walk in freezer for ingredients.

❛ something simple? or something more elaborate? chocolate based? vanilla? mocha? topical fruits? berries? ❜

there are too many options but you need to come up with a unique, reasonably priced dessert to sell in the shop. after much contemplation, you decide to make a:

you begin preparations, wanting to test out a new recipe. you grab the graham crackers from the shelves and the cream cheese from the fridge. you measure everything concisely and as you mix in the eggs into the softened filling, you can't help but reminisce of the time you baked jaeyeong the mango cheesecake all those months ago.

❛ how quickly time flies. ❜

you pack in the crust and pour in the filling, sliding the tin into the oven. you set the timer and leave it to bake while you clean up your station, leaving everything neat and tidy. as the alarm rings, you slip on a pair of mittens, taking out the cheesecake to sit. as if by magic, the minute you take your hands off the springform cake tin, you hear your phone go off and find yourself staring at a message from one kim jaeyeong.

✉ ⠀from: silly old man ♡
hey junie, what time do you finish work today?

✉ ⠀from: silly old man ♡
think you can meet me in the park? by the playground?

you glance at the cheesecake, cooling on the wire rack. there are still quite a few things needed to be done for tomorrow but a voice cuts your train of thought.

❝ something on your mind, mr. nam? ❞

you flush upon being caught drifting off when there was still dough to be made and muffins to be baked.

by your boss, no less.

she emits a soft laugh and approaches you, inspecting the cheesecake sitting at the other end of the table.

❝ go on. i can finish up here. you've been working hard, junyeol. take the rest of the day off. ❞

you round your eyes, stuttering as you try to decline the offer. only to be granted a gentle smile, feeling a hand on your shoulder.

❝ go. before i change my mind and make you work clean the ovens instead. ❞

you give your boss a smile of your own, accompanied by a 'thank you' before sending jaeyeong a quick reply, setting off to meet him at the park. you bring along a few cupcakes on your way out, beaming, excited for a day well spent with your fiancé.

you arrive at the park, just where jaeyeong had told you to go. it's a gorgeous day. the sun's up. clouds rolling over your head. there are families and couples scattered around, dogs of all shapes and sizes romp through the grass. lucky and bada would like it here. you near the playground and look around but can't seem to find jaeyeong anywhere.

❝ nam junyeol! ❞

you spot jaeyeong behind the slides, sitting on a picnic blanket with food surrounding him, waving an arm in the air as he tries to catch your attention, face lit up with a boyish grin.

❝ nice day for some cloud watching, don't you think? ❞

( tweet 'cloud watching' to @hazardford if you get this ending. )

you get to work on the souffle, taking out the fresh strawberries from the fridge, a lemon, sugar, and the couple eggs. it's been a while since you've made a souffle. they're simple enough but at the same time, quite delicate and must to be timed perfectly— underbake and you'll get a soupy mess, but overbake and the majestic souffle will deflate. you experiment with gordon ramsay's recipe for raspberry souffle (+ pastry cream and the purée topping), switching out the raspberries for strawberries.

unfortunately, your first attempt doesn't turn out well. it's overbaked. the temperature of the oven was too high. the second one is a little underbaked. you wince slightly when you see the souffle collapse on itself the very minute you take it out of the oven. still, you have to perfect it. so you try again and again and again.

by the time you manage to create a successful souffle (it tastes absolutely delicious, by the way, and naturally, it was approved by your boss ), all the customers had filed out and everyone in the kitchen was preparing to head home. out of the corner of your eyes, you see your phone going off with a message. you dust off the powdered sugar from your hands and move to pick up the device, raising your eyebrows as you find a couple unread messages from jaeeyong.

you take a deep breath, feeling a weight in your chest. you begin to pack up, preparing to head home for the day. prep for tomorrow could wait for tomorrow. you grab your coat and head towards the doors of the cafe, only to stop right in your tracks when you come face to face with the downpour of water. you didn't have your umbrella either. it's looking like you were doing to be stuck in the cafe a while longer.

unless...

you pull your coat over your head and open the door, locking up the store, safe from the rain only thanks to the wooden overhang. you take a single step outside, expecting to feel the drops of water against your face except you don't. you're face to face with none other than your fiancé himself, holding an umbrella over your head in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other, the biggest silliest smile etched across his lips.

❝ hey, lovebug. ❞

( tweet 'rainshine' to @hazardford if you get this ending. )

you figure it's too dangerous out in the weather. on cue, the thunder rolls in and the lightning snaps in the sky, causing the lights inside the shop to flicker. you head back inside for safety, picking your phone from your pocket to send a message to jaeyeong that you were safe but likely to be stuck for the night— or at least until the rain eased up.

before you could even hit send, a loud knock on the glass windows catches your attention and you let out a soft squeak, startled by the sound, slightly frightened at the same time. as you raise your head to look at who was outside the shop and spot one soaking wet kim jaeyeong holding a small balloon bouquet in his hand and a cheeky smile etched across his lips.

( tweet 'rainstorm' to @hazardford if you get this ending. )