I was much more afraid of 'not being able to bake' than I was of 'losing my fingertips.'

[Time that stood still]

July 2022, surgery.

Along with the relief that it was over, what awaited me was my left hand, wrapped tightly in bandages.

My hands, which I had kept moving without rest since I was 18. Suddenly, they couldn't do anything. I still cannot forget the indescribable sense of impatience I felt at that time.

[The professional line]

To be honest, I might have been able to bake if I had pushed myself.

But for a pastry chef, the most important thing is the 'safety' of the customers.

With post-surgical wounds and bandages still on, I could not maintain strict hygiene standards. Even my favorite rubber gloves would not fit over my bandaged fingers.

[What if I caused food poisoning due to my own carelessness?]

[What if I couldn't deliver a custom cake in perfect condition?]

As a professional, that was absolutely unacceptable. So, I made the painful decision to take a break from business.

[The blank space: Re-examining my 'hands']

While I was on break, I kept staring at my hands.

'I might never be able to bake the same way again.'

The nights when I felt crushed by that anxiety were saved by the soft fur of my beloved cats and the voices of customers waiting for the day I would stand in the kitchen again.

[A vow to restart]

The day the bandages came off and I finally put on a new size of rubber gloves.

In exchange for my fingertips becoming a little less agile, my 'sense of responsibility for safety' and 'passion for baking' had become much stronger and deeper than before.

The time I took off was by no means wasted.

I can now say with pride that it was a necessary 'run-up' to deliver the safest and most delicious sweets possible.