Chapter 14: Lets Bake! (1/2)

 Chapter 14: Let's Bake! <tt>"Half a tea-spoon of baking powder, few drops of vanilla extract, and powdered sugar." Ahra mumbled sticking out her tongue in concentration, adding the ingredients into a mixing bowl. </tt> <tt>It was Sunday morning, a week before Yesung was to be wedded to Ahra, and Cho Ahra was on the path of trying to bake for what seemed to be the 1234578th time. </tt> <tt>She had been really exhausted with the previous day's trips to the wedding dress makers, choosing the perfect wedding dress was the most crucial preparation to a woman's big day after all. Everything had to be perfect.</tt>  <tt>So the day ended up with Ahra dragging her little Kyubaby and her mommy around the city; almost killing Kyuhyun with her indecisiveness. And oh yeah, it goes without saying that Kyuhyun was hit on the head quite a few number of times by a frustrated Ahra for he was absolutely of no use rather than to whine and complain the entire time. </tt>  <tt>And today, Yesung and Kyuhyun were scheduled to out together to get their measurements taken for tuxedos specially stitched for the upcoming wedding. </tt>

<tt>“I have to finish baking these muffins before Kyubaby wakes up.” Ahra mumbled to herself determinedly, not wanting to have Kyuhyun ridiculing her rusty cooking skills. </tt>

<tt>Ahra liked to immerse herself with tasks and chores whenever she felt stressed or worried. And like all brides, she had what was called pre-wedding jitters. </tt>

<tt> Keeping herself occupied was good, it kept her mind away from thinking about the negative thoughts and pointless worries and it kept her calm. Well not really calm cause you see, Cho Ahra did not know even the letter B of baking. </tt>

<tt>Ahra shrieked and ran to the other side of the kitchen counter for protection as the mixing equipment went haywire and started spluttering out the batter in all directions. </tt>  <tt>“No no no no no no.”</tt>

<tt>She wailed at the state of the kitchen; sugar granules scattered all around the floor, the baking mixture sliding off the chandelier, cacao powder sprinkled all over the counter like pixie dust .</tt> <tt>It was a disaster. </tt>

<tt>Ahra really wanted to bake something delicious for once! She sighed in dismay; it looked like she had a hell lot of cleaning up to do.</tt> <tt>Her little Kyubaby was still sleeping in and their parents had gone to the country club, giving Ahra ample amount of time to make sure that the kitchen looked as good as new.  </tt> <tt>Ahra stomped towards the couch and sent the cook book flying across the room; all her attempts to bake something delicious for Yesung; who seemed rather fond of pastries and muffins, but they went all in vain. What she needed wasn't a couple of lines of instructions. What she needed was someone to teach her, someone like.. someone like</tt>  <tt>Sungmin!</tt>

<tt>A joyous grin broke out on Ahra's face and she scuttled upstairs to find her Kyubaby's cellphone cause surely Sungmin's number would be in it.</tt>

<tt>She tiptoed into Kyuhyun’s room and held her breath while reaching for the phone situated on the bedside table. She nearly squealed reading the exchange of texts between them.</tt>   <tt>"AH HA!" Ahra yelled gleefully with her toes squiggling in unconcealed excitement;  Kyubaby and Sungminnie were too adorable!  </tt>

<tt>She gasped and clasped her palm over her mouth as Kyuhyun mumbled something incoherently under his breath before turning over on his tummy. Clutching Kyuhyun’s phone to her chest tightly, she stole out of the room; breathing a sigh of relief as she successfully got out of her brother’s room alive. </tt>

<tt>She scrolled down the list of contacts and pursed her lips together dialing Sungmin’s number, impatiently waiting for him to pick up the phone. </tt>

<tt>“You’re up? The Cho Kyuhyun is awake at this hour on a Sunday?” Sungmin’s amused voice came through the phone and Ahra giggled quietly to herself.</tt> <tt>“Good morning!” Ahra greeted.</tt>  <tt>Sungmin blinked in confusion, what the hell- a woman was greeting him... using Kyuhyun’s phone. </tt> <tt>Early morning? That did not just happen.  </tt>   <tt>He frowned and glanced down at the screen again, maybe he read the ID incorrectly,” I’m sorry but who’s this?” Sungmin asked briefly.</tt> <tt>“Sungminnie it’s me, Ahra.” She pouted into the mouthpiece of the phone, twiddling her thumbs about nervously, hoping that she would be successful to convince Sungmin to help her.</tt>  <tt>“Ahra Noona! How are you Noona?” Sungmin asked comfortably, feeling rather silly for being all bothered about the female voice speaking previously.</tt>

<tt>“Not so good.” She admitted looking at the flour coated kitchen counter. </tt>   <tt>“You see, I was trying to bake some muffins for Yesung but my cooking skills are a bit...lacking. I tried reading some recipes but nothing seems to be working! ”</tt>

<tt>“Do you want me to stop by your place?” Sungmin asked in amusement. Ahra fist pumped into the air and pretended to answer meekly,”If it isn’t much-”</tt>  <tt>“Oh nonsense. I was just wondering whether I should drop off the banana bread I promised Kyuhy- um.. I- ” Sungmin faltered feeling embarrassed all of a sudden. </tt> <tt>“What I meant to say is that...I would love to stop by.” He finished sheepishly as Ahra grinned to herself.</tt>

<tt>Perfect.</tt> <tt>~~~~</tt>  <tt>“That’s salt no Ahra noona stop!” Sungmin shouted as Ahra was about to dump a heaped teaspoon into the mixing bowl. </tt>

<tt>“Oops.” Ahra giggled as Sungmin sweat dropped.  </tt>   <tt>This was gonna be a long day. </tt>

<tt>He left Ahra momentarily to grab some sticks of unsalted butter and cold milk from the refrigerator only to yell out horrified, as she was about to squish an egg into her palms. </tt>

<tt>“Noona, you crack the egg gently like this.” Sungmin explained patiently while demonstrating skillfully and separating the egg yolk from the white shells. </tt>   <tt>Ahra nodded her head solemnly and placed both her arms behind her back; listening diligently to Sungmin. </tt><tt>So the next half an hour passed by with Ahra taking down notes neatly as Sungmin taught her everything about baking a simple chocolate muffin; from the perfect method of melting the bittersweet chocolate chunks to greasing the paper molds and preheating the oven. </tt>