[14:35] “This is a terrible idea,” Jaehyun muttered to you as you two stood in front of a cake shop near your university campus.
You couldn’t help but elbow him in the ribs, causing him to hiss at you. You only stuck out your tongue in response before saying, “Don’t you dare back out! I’ve already rescheduled this twice because you kept chickening out at the last minute. Do you know how embarrassing is that?”
He scoffed. “You know what’s embarrassing? Asking your best friend to pretend to be engaged to you, just so you can try free wedding cake samples. I believe that’s fraud.”
You gasped dramatically. “Fraud? You take that back!” You puffed out your cheeks. “And this is not fraud! When I get married, I will choose this cake shop for my wedding cake!”
“Married?” he retorted with a small snort. “Married to whom?”
You narrowed your eyes at him. “Don’t test me. I am currently very stressed and I have an empty stomach.
Jaehyun stuck his tongue right back at you and you rolled your eyes. You felt bad that you were lying to the cake shop’s owner about the nature of your relationship. But you were a broke university student and you were stressed and you needed cake in your stomach. Desperate times called for desperate measures. You had no shame in asking your best friend to be your fake fiancé if it meant that you could fulfill your cravings.
He always went along with your antics for as long as you knew him. And eventually, you began to develop feelings for your best friend that were definitely not platonic. It wouldn’t hurt anyone to indulge yourself a little bit, right?
“Hi!” the owner of the shop greeted you both as you entered. The sweet smell of cakes and fruits lingered in the air and you smiled in excitement. “You must be the 2:30 couple, right? Here for the wedding cake samples?”
“Yes,” you answered as you looked around. “Sorry for rescheduling so many times.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it,” she replied. “Wedding planning is so hectic, so I completely understand. May I ask when is the wedding going to be held?”
Your eyes widened the slightest in panic, not expecting her to ask you anything even though it was a scenario you should have expected. But you thought the bored part-timer would be the one serving you two as he just seemed completely uninterested and bored of his job.
Luckily, Jaehyun came to your rescue and smoothly said, “We don’t have a set date yet, but we were thinking of having a late spring wedding, around the end of May.”
“Sounds like a wonderful time to hold a wedding,” the older woman replied.
“Yeah, well, my fiancée’s favourite season is spring,” Jaehyun continued with a smile and wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you closer slightly.
“Is it?” the owner asked you, her eyes sparkling.
“O-oh, y-yes,” you replied shakily, your mind still processing the fact that your best friend’s arm was around your waist. Oh, this was so bad for your heart.
“Well, just take a seat. I’ll bring out the samples.”
“Thank you,” Jaehyun said and led you to the counter.
As soon as the owner went in the back, you quickly slapped his arm away and he quickly retracted himself with an ‘ouch!’ and a wounded expression.
“What was that for?” he asked with a pout.
“I should be asking you the same question!” you replied as you sat down, Jaehyun joining you on your right.
“I mean, shouldn’t we act the part properly?” your friend reasoned. “You were about to blow our cover.”
It was your turn to pout – he had a point. But with your budding feelings for your best friend, you were simply not comfortable with him actually acting as your significant other.
A few minutes later, the owner had laid in front of you a whole assortment of cakes. Chocolate. Double-chocolate. Vanilla. Red velvet. Oreo. Matcha. And so many more. Oh, how you trembled on the inside — this was heaven.
The owner then left you to be and told you to call her if you two made up your mind. You barely registered her words when you pulled the small plate of strawberry shortcake towards you and immediately took a bite before letting out a small groan of satisfaction.
Jaehyun rested his chin on his palm, looking at you with a hidden dimpled smile. You noticed that he hadn’t touched any of the cakes yet.
“What are you doing?” you asked with a small frown. “Eat! Eat!”
He chuckled and swiped a thumb near your lip, removing the little bit of cream stuck there, before sucking it, leaving you speechless and almost mortified.
“I am,” he replied nonchalantly before taking a bite from the black forest cake.
You quickly turned your attention back to the rows of cakes in front of you, hoping that your hair was long enough to hide your reddening cheeks.
This was a terrible idea.