When Joreen woke up, there was already a happy smile on her face.

Last night had been spectacular— Waking up to the New Year's day count down, watching the fireworks and receiving birthday greetings from her family members who were still awake all made her giddy this morning. By the time she returned to bed, it was already a few minutes past 2. Normally, she would have slept in since she went to bed late, but this was her birthday. By 5am, her eyes were already wide opened. Reen was still sleeping soundly beside her and she didn't bother to wake up her older sister.

Today was a really special day because it wasn't just new year's day and her birthday, it was also her cousin's wedding anniversary and her uncle's wedding anniversary. So she was not surprised when she left her room to get a bottle of water, and a variety of aroma wafted into her nose.

She thought she was going to see her uncle inside the kitchen but she was surprised to see her aunt instead. She wasn't sure she had ever seen the woman cook before since her uncle was always doting on her and did everything. Sometimes, he even fed her while she acted like she was a baby.

"Aunt?" Joreen called in surprise. Changyu turned around. She looked very serious while wearing a white hair cover and apron with a knife in her hand. She knew the woman could cook since she had been an apprentice in her late maternal grandparent's restaurant some decades ago. The woman obviously didn't have the passion for cooking like her uncle since she had only asked to be an apprentice because of the crush she had on her uncle after meeting him in the restaurant for the first time. But here she was... making breakfast.

"Jo darling.. happy birthday." Changyu said with a smile. "Did I disturb your sleep? I've been moving around too much."

"Not at all. I didn't even know someone was inside the kitchen until I left the room. You are making breakfast for everyone?" Joreen asked as she went to take out a bottle of water to drink.

"What? Everyone? Of course not!" The woman looked repulsed by the thought. "I'm only making something nice for you, Sara and her family and for my baby. The others can handle their meals themselves."

Joreen laughed. "The others may dislike you more if they find out you aren't cooking for them."

Changyu smirked, "When was the last time I cared about what anyone thought about me?" She asked and pretended to think... "I think that was in the early 80s." She shrugged before pausing again, "Oh! I just remembered, I wasn't even born then."

"You were born then." Joreen reminded her with a light laughter.

"In the 1680s or 1780s?" Changyu asked seriously.

Joreen laughed loudly. "I like you a lot auntie. You are so cool."

Changyu grinned at her. "I know it's your birthday and I am not supposed to ask you to do anything but please help me wash those vegetables. I really need to surprise my baby with a breakfast in bed before he wakes up."

Joreen cringed. "You know it sounds weird when you call uncle baby right?" She asked as she began to help wash the vegetables.

Changyu spoke as she moved around the kitchen to get everything in order, "So let's assume you end up together with Hoy, what are you going to call him?"

"...." Joreen thought about it. She only ever called him uncle Hoy and it was only lately that she began to call him by his name directly.

"Uncle Hoy?" Changyu supplied with a horrified look, "Pfft! You need to step up your game. Just randomly call him babe, cupcake, sweetheart. Even though he looks like the type who wouldn't like that, trust me, he would be smiling to himself later in his room. Do not be like Sara who kept calling her husband 'Mr Li' while they were dating until marriage."

Joreen laughed again. Of course she remembered and it sounded really weird back then. Thank God she had a mother like Changyu who slapped some sense into her and she began to address her husband with endearments.

"Should I help you chop these vegetables?" Joreen asked as Changyu set a pan on the fire.

"Yes please. But be careful. If you hurt yourself, there are a lot of people who are ready to have my neck. Especially your overprotective father and boyfriend."

Joreen blushed. "Uncle Hoy is not my boyfriend. He has never even told me before that he likes me." She said with her head down while focusing on the veggies she was chopping gently.

"Why would he tell you that when you keep calling him uncle Hoy? Call him names that would make him blush and see if—"

"What are you doing?"

Joreen's heart stopped and she looked at the door to find Li Hoy standing by the door. He had a bed hair, wore a tank top and shorts and had a stoic face as he looked directly at her.

Did he hear their conversation? Was that why he looked angry?

"Good morning aunt." Hoy greeted Changyu when he saw her before returning his gaze back to Joreen.

Joreen didn't know how to answer since she didn't know what he was asking exactly.

Hoy looked at the two inside the kitchen, he looking obviously confused.

"Who is cooking?" He asked.

"Me, obviously!" Changyu answered as she turned to focus on the ingredients in the hot oil on the pan.

He didn't say anything else. He walked inside the kitchen and went straight to the sink. Joreen watched curiously as he began to wash his hands and when he was through, he moved to were she was standing and took the knife from her.

She stood there awkwardly as he began to chop the vegetables without saying anything else.

Doubt began to cloud her mind. Had she been overthinking? Maybe he didn't like her like she thought? Was he regretting their little intimate moment yesterday? His gaze looked cold, no good mornings or did you sleep well, he didn't even ask why she was up early, no Happy new year and most importantly, no happy birthday!

Changyu also stopped talking as she simply focused on what she was doing.

Joreen was lost in her thought when he asked in a very quiet voice, "Is there anything in particular you would like to eat today?"

"Me?" She asked, looking up at him. He spared her a quicl amused glance before returning his gaze to the cucumber he was slicing.

"Then was I asking aunt?" He asked quietly so Changyu wouldn't hear.

"Why are you asking me that?" She asked with obvious curiosity before she gasped, "You... will cook for me?"

He shrugged, "Haven't you always wanted that?"

"Yes!" She said with a passionate nod of her head.

"So think carefully about it and let me know whatever it is you would like to eat today."

Joreen grinned. "Whatever I decide, I want to have it with red wine!" She declared.

He nodded which made her squeal. There was no longer a 'you cannot drink wine because you are still underaged!'

"What are you two whispering about over there? I need the lettuce!" Changyu called, looking over her shoulder.

Joreen quickly handed it over to her before returning beside Hoy who looked really focused. She noticed how neatly he was chopping them and remebered the first time she saw him do this. She had been sick after a shoot one time because of the weather and he had taken her to his place because her parents had been out celebrating their wedding anniversary while Reen went for a competition in another state. He had made breakfast for her that morning but after she got better, he refused to cook again.

"I was scared yesterday. I thought your father would tell the others about what he saw." She said. "I do not want you to get into trouble because of me."

He looked at her and saw the sincerity in her eyes.

"Why are you worried about me when you should be worried about yourself?" He asked quietly.

"I... don't know." She said while looking confused.

"Maybe it's because I am the one who likes you and I think it's a lot of burden on you. So if you get into trouble, it's my fault because I pushed you." She looked sad as she spoke.

"Nothing is your fault. And I do not want you worrying about me." He took a piece of cucumber and fed it to her. She smiled and opened her mouth to take it.

Joreen looked at Changyu's direction and saw the woman had been watching. She winked at Joreen before mouthing something.

Joreen furrowed her brows as she tried to understand what the woman was indirectly telling her.

When she finally got it, her eyes shone and she faced Hoy again.

"There is something I have always wanted to do." She said to Hoy who raised a curious brow at her.

"Swim! So maybe you can teach me how to swim today?"

"NO!" He rejected immediately which made her frown in disappointment.

"But why..." There was a little pause before she added, "My... b-a-b-y?"

The knife fell off his hand immediately and he looked at her with shock written all over his face before he looked at Changyu's direction. The woman was looking directly at them and doing her best not to laugh.

To their amusement, they watched his cheek flush red and he immediately turned around and left the kitchen.

He hadn't even stepped out of the door before Changyu allowed the laugh to consume her while Joreen joined in.