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CH. 3

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Soyou walked along the hotel corridor with her legs stomping down the floor, leaving a thud sound along the corridor. She rolled her eyes, feeling irritated when she heard the admiration screaming of two childish brats that follow her along. She turned her body and saw those two gorgeous and handsome men but unfortunately had minds like 10-year-old children, who were giggling and scratching their hands whenever Soyou stopped to glare at them. Soyou huffed and walked towards them furiously.

"You, brats, stop following me!!" she pointed two handsome men in front of her harshly.

Lee Minhyuk, son of a successful businessman who owned the hotel where Soyou's gym rented, grinned happily. He has a sweet, handsome and innocent baby face but unfortunately, his behavior just like his face, unless the handsome part. His behavior in Soyou's eyes was not handsome at all. Ever since he met her in the gym when he wanted to spend his time trying to shape his abs, he drooled over Soyou quickly. Found her very strong and tough older woman and admired her ever since. Soyou always found a fresh bouquet of flowers in the counter, every single day. But his crush towards Soyou was still in 'not-harmful' zone, that's why Soyou just let him or ignore him.

Not so differently with Minhyuk's only friend and foe, Chae Hyungwon, a rich heir of food chain business whose father was a best friend of Minhyuk's father. Hyungwon and Minhyuk met when they were still 6 years, and 17 years later they still met each other. Hyungwon is not Minhyuk's close friend, rather he found himself and Minhyuk always tried to outdo each other in a very childish way (of course Hyungwon didn't want to confess about this). Yet, he felt competitive but at the same time comfortable around Minhyuk and vice versa. That's what made their relationship was very odd in everyone's eyes. One second throwing daggers and insults to each other, next second they giggled and walked together hand in hand. Hyungwon himself is a very attractive and handsome model-like guy whose height is above average Korean men. He is taller than Minhyuk but Minhyuk always pouted whenever someone mentioned it and proceed to wear insoles whenever they had meeting together. Seeing them walking together is actually like seeing two top handsome manga come out of a comic book and walking past people, leaving girls, women and sometimes boys and men breathless. Or at least stop to admire their beauty.

Or curse in irritated when other people step on their feet whenever two handsome rich prince walk by.

Hyungwon shoved Minhyuk's ribs when he was still giggling.

"Psst."

Minhyuk stopped his act and looking at Soyou shyly.

"What do you both want?" she asked, folded her hands in her chest.

Hyungwon scratched his hair and exchanged gaze with Minhyuk who also looked perplexed.

Soyou let out a big huff and started to walk down again when suddenly Minhyuk called her, "Noona .."

Soyou stopped and turned his body. She lifted her face in annoyance. "Yes?"

"I was wondering, um, we were wondering-we saw a very interesting movie and-" Minhyuk couldn't continue his words when Soyou firmly said, "No."

Both of those gorgeous men were crestfallen. They were looking at each other.

"How about with only one of us?" Hyungwon insisted.

"No."

"Well, the more the merrier, noona," suggested Minhyuk.

"No."

"We'll pay our gym memberships in advance for ten years forward?" Hyungwon kept chasing.

"N-um ..."

" We'll bring more members, our friends, and workers to have membership in your gym, noona?" This time Minhyuk seemed to score as he saw the changing in Soyou's face.

Soyou, whose eyes got widened hearing the offer tried her best to stay cool. She cleared and put on her tough and flat expression, "I would consider about that,"

"Really?" Both men almost jumped in happiness.

"In consideration means I haven't said yes or no! Wait for my answer tomorrow. Now, stop following me or I'll purposely press your chest with my dumbbells tomorrow."

Hyungwon and Minhyuk shuddered to hear Soyou's threat but their eyes glistened in joy. Whatever Soyou said, it was a blessing for them.

"Yes, Noona." said Hyungwon and Minhyuk in unison, seeing Soyou's back figure walked away.

"Oh my, my heart ..." Hyungwon held his chest and bit his thick lips in daydreaming mode.

"Noona..." sighed Minhyuk in love.

Both of them were drowned in their admiration state and when they realized something, they looked at each other in annoyance.

"Yah! She has to go with me first," said Minhyuk.

"Excuse me? Who told you that?! No, she clearly wants to go with me!" Hyungwon retorted.

"I was the one who told her that I would bring more members!"

"Yes, but the idea came from my own mouth first!"

"Still she has to date with me first!"

"In your dream, Lee Minhyuk!"

"Yah!"

"Yah!"

And both of them wrestled childishly, drawing attention from the hotel staff and guests who were fascinated by seeing two handsome men pulling each other's hair and wrestled in the ground. But it looked more like they cuddled each other.

*

Dasom was scrubbing and massaging her face gently. She meticulously scrubbed every inch of her face carefully and gently. After scrubbing and washing her face, she started to apply a mud mask on her face. She brushed her hand with another hand that did the same thing as she did. She swatted that hand.

"Yah! Don't put it too much! My skin needs it more than yours!" said Dasom, still applying the mask.

Kihyun pouted. Living and being raised with women made him a little bit more feminine, in a good way. His sisters who always dragged him to try their new skin products had affected him, especially after his first pimples came out out of nowhere. He, who used to mock his sisters, now could sit obediently when his sisters one by one tried their skin products, make-up products, and hair products on him.

More like a lab rat actually ...

"Huh! Blame it on your face that's too wide for a girl," Kihyun stuck out his tongue.

Dasom gasped in a dramatic way. "My face?? You-yah Yoon Kihyun! How dare you mock on this beautiful princess!" She raised her hands and spurted the mud in her hand to Kihyun's hair which successfully made Kihyun startle and scream in annoyance, "Yah!"

He tried to spoon the remaining mask but found it empty.

Dasom laughed hysterically. Kihyun wiped off the mask in his face furiously and started to rub it on his twin's face.

In a second, the room became a bloody-mud mask war between the twins. Their laughter soon drew Hyorin to the room and she face-palmed herself seeing Dasom and Kihyun, both panting and laughing with messy hair covered in liquid mask and that mud mask was splattered everywhere.

She wanted to yell to both of them but she froze in place, a picture of both of them as children suddenly played in his mind.

It was a warm spring where they had a vacation together with their parents at a pension somewhere in the countryside.

Once they dropped the suitcases, the twins ran happily to the flower field near the pension and spent time there. When their parents and sisters were frantically searching for them, Hyorin heard their laughter and she ran to search for them. She finally found them near the bushes of flowers, picking out flowers and made them into crowns where they put on each other's head. They gleefully sang and danced with their favorite songs. She stood in her place and smiled fondly at her siblings. Slowly she walked towards them and when they realized she came, they smiled and drag her along to their little ritual that included flower crown, singing, and dancing.

Hyorin felt dry and a heavy lump rose up in her chest with a bitter fact that they could no longer see their parents. No more family vacation to the pension for them, no more Christmas gathering and mom's cooking where their father would try to sing American Christmas songs and failed right here and there with the sounds of protests coming from Kihyun, Hyorin, and Soyou. But now, she could witness the twins laugh despite the loss was something she is thankful for greatly.

Hyorin came closer and suddenly embraced both of them in her arms. Kihyun turned his face to Dasom and raised one of his eyebrows.

"Noona?" asked Kihyun, puzzled of what's going on.

Dasom piped in the same confusion, "What's going on, unnie?"

Hyorin shook her head. After gathering her sense and strength, she released herself and hit the twins on their heads.

"Aw!" Both Kihyun and Dasom screamed in pain.

"That's for making this room dirty! Now clean this room and make us dinner." said Hyorin, got up from the floor where she knelt.

Kihyun and Dasom, still in a daze and rubbing their heads, shrugged their shoulders up and did as what Hyorin told them to.

"Is she on drugs today?" Dasom whispered, too loud.

"She's not. It's clear she forgot her drug," Kihyun replied and laughed a little seeing Hyorin glared.

"Yah! Both of you! How dare you mock on your older sister! I surely will hit you with this!" Hyorin put off her house sandal and waved it in front of them who ran outside with giggling sounds.

Bora, who had just come out of the bathroom, asked Dasom, "What happened?"

"Nothing, unnie. Hyorin unnie is weird. She has just hugged me and Kihyun and in the next minute, she hit our heads." Dasom was still laughing.

Kihyun commented from inside Dasom and Hyorin's room. "Yes, noona. Hyorin noona is weird today. I think she has-ah!"

There a sound of laughing and whining in pain.

Kihyun shouted, "Now she hit me again! Ah! Noona! Stop it! Sorry!" Kihyun now ran outside and Hyorin followed behind.

"Stop hitting him! He may get a concussion!" Bora stopped Hyorin who was about to hit Kihyun again. Kihyun was now hiding behind Bora.

"You spoiled him too much, unnie, protested Hyorin as she stopped chasing the twins and now walking to the fridge, taking yogurt and drank it in one gulp.

Bora sighed. She sometimes did that. Her over-affectionate feeling toward the twins, especially Kihyun, sometimes made the others jealous. She couldn't help it. Kihyun was the only male in their family now and he was a good kid. She felt proud of it because, under her surveillance, Kihyun grew into a decent guy. Maybe she spoiled him a little but it was still at a normal level.

"Both of you, clean your self up. I will cook dinner tonight." Bora patted Dasom and Kihyun.

"No, unnie. They had to clean my room first after they had a war there," shouted Hyorin who was sitting in front of television now.

"Yes, unnie." Dasom and Kihyun said in unison. And they headed to Dasom's room to clean the room. But a few seconds later, there's screaming and laughter sound again.

Hyorin and Bora exchanged gazes and shrugged. "Kids."

*

"Hyung..." Jooheon spoke in a sing-song sound when he approached Kihyun.

Kihyun who was busy plucking dry leaves and flowers from tables at Jooheon's cafe, startled. He looked up into Jooheon in a funny expression, a mixture between startled and constipated.

Jooheon laughed. He pointed at a figure with a broad shoulder who was standing outside the cafe. "Hyunwoo hyung is here..."

Kihyun felt nervous suddenly. He hummed to reply to Jooheon's words but his mind was in chaos. "Hmm?"

"Er, this is so sudden. But I really need your help. This hyung just called me today and said he wanted to get fresh petunias from the field, wait, hyung, I know what that look means. I can't accompany him because I have-um, errands to do--"

"Like seducing Changkyun?"

"That and things." Jooheon grinned cutely but saw that it didn't do the magic today. "Hyung, please help me. I'll pay your shift doubled. Oh, make it tripled!"

Kihyun tapped his finger on his chin. Thinking.

"Tripled and bonus since I've been replacing Sungmin this week in the cafe."

"Deal! I will talk to Hyunwoo hyung first."

Jooheon walked out in a blink of an eye. He seemed so desperate to go.

Kihyun just shook his head and watching the two of them talking. He could see Hyunwoo's shoulders dropped.

Not a good sign.

Although he had a really y back figure. The height and his thick body seemed so fine. And how can someone be so attractive even from the back?

Hyunwoo turned his head to Kihyun's direction. Through the glass window, Kihyun studied his facial expression which showed...nothing. No emotion nor anything. That man was truly a robot.

He saw Jooheon and Hyunwoo walk back to the cafe and Kihyun frantically made himself busy. Cleaning up the counter and any surface that he could reach. He even tried to wipe Songhee's face with a rag in his hand when he was busy checking out of Jooheon and Hyunwoo who were still talking behind the door.

Jooheon and Hyunwoo finally stepped inside and found Kihyun was begging for sorry to a girl staff on his knee.

"Hyung?" Jooheon called, a confusion was clearly drawn on his face.

Kihyun and the girl named Songhee turned their heads and looked at them in a blank expression.

For almost a minute.

Hyunwoo felt irritated so he cleared his throat loudly. "Done with the act?" He pointed at two of those silly staff. Kihyun and Songhee.

Kihyun stared back at Songhee and himself. He quickly rose up and scratched his head shyly. " Sorry. We were-"

"Practicing drama, I see. Now cut the talk. Jooheon said that you are supposed to accompany me. Unless you have another practice, I suggest you be hurry because I have no time to see a drama." Hyunwoo cut Kihyun's explanation coldly.

Jooheon cringed inside. That Hyunwoo was 'out'. He felt sorry for Kihyun for a moment but the image of him and Changkyun on his studio eliminated the guilt he had.

Kihyun widened his eyes and scratched his head, confused. Songhee who sensed the situation, quickly fleed to the kitchen, leaving her victim.

After a bit of explanation, Jooheon excused himself, leaving Kihyun and Hyunwoo together in an unpleasant situation. He and Hyunwoo walked to the parking lot and Hyunwoo got on his Range Rover sport first. Kihyun halted his hand from opening the car door but suddenly Hyunwoo's voice took him back to reality. " Get in!"

Kihyun sighed. It's going to be a long journey.

*

Hyunwoo was driving steady and calmly. If Kihyun didn't know him, he might think that he was so cool when he drove like an expensive advertisement model that sold an expensive car with his expensive long black coat and suit as the outer layer of his grey shirt. His steady and cold gaze fixed on the road in front of him. Once a while he glanced to rear mirrors and back on focus again.

Kihyun sighed. Kihyun loved to talk to people. He wanted to know about people and that's why he was quite popular on his campus because of his friendly nature. But sitting here with this 'robot' made him speechless. Maybe he should try to talk and that way Hyunwoo might open up a bit. Otherwise, this journey might become so boring.

"Hyunwoo-ssi, this is a very nice car. Do you like cars a lot?" Kihyun tried to open a conversation.

Hyunwoo didn't say anything. He just glanced at Kihyun and kept driving.

Kihyun was crestfallen inside. His smile faded away and he was busy thinking and arranging another prompt to say.

"You like sport, Hyunwoo-ssi? I saw you playing basket on, uh, our first meeting. You were so good! " exclaimed Kihyun.

Again no response.

Kihyun felt like talking to a wall. For almost half an hour he tried to talk but only got responses like short glances, hums, and nods. No actual conversation happened. In the end, Kihyun gave up. He decided to pay attention to the scenery outside. The weather was nice. He could see greenery displayed as if nature wanted to spoil his beauty to the eyes of men.

Kihyun always loved nature. He was fascinated to see green leaves changed their colors during autumn, to see cherry blossom trees unveiled their pink buds that soon becoming flowers, hyacinth flowers that were scattered around dirty water or ponds with their pretty purple or white color, a simple dandelion on summer to be blown away, or just ordinary flowers he could find everywhere. He would stop and admire the beauty that nature had provided to mankind.

When the car reached the countryside, he could see green trees and wild shrubs around. His heart jolted in happiness. They were going to visit uncle Jaedong, a flower farmer who owned a flower farm near Seoul.

"Is it still far?" Hyunwoo asked, finally letting his pride go.

Kihyun was still in his dreamy state. He didn't answer Hyunwoo's question. His thought was wandering around.

Hyunwoo thought that Kihyun was finally angry with his unresponsive way. So he pulled his car to the side. The screeching sounds of the tires made Kihyun startled.

"What happened?" asked Kihyun in panic.

Hyunwoo was staring at him intently. He said, "I was asking. Is the place still far?"

Kihyun's mouth shaped an 'o' letter. He shook his head innocently. "No. Just keep driving. We'll arrive soon."

Hyunwoo said nothing, he just kept staring at Kihyun who switched from side to side uncomfortably in his seat now. He smiled awkwardly. "Aren't we supposed to go now?"

He still didn't say anything but quickly start up the engine and speed up, making Kihyun curse between his breath inaudibly.

*

Hyunwoo and Kihyun arrived half an hour later on a large farm where they could see a field of flowers with many colors. Several more greenhouses lined up in perfect rows and faced one to another. Kihyun got off the car and shouted joyfully to an old man.

"Uncle Jaedong!"

He ran towards the man and bowed and then being hugged by the old man.

Hyunwoo, after parking his car, walked slowly to them.

"Yoon Kihyun, this little guy! You look healthy." Uncle Jaedong released his embrace and observed Kihyun from head to toe.

Kihyun laughed happily. The man was actually Jooheon's uncle but after Jooheon took him here, Kihyun automatically was fond of this funny old man and called him 'uncle' ever since.

"Yes, ahjussi. I eat a lot, haha." Kihyun replied with a burst of laughter.

Uncle Jaedong then shifted his attention o Hyunwoo who was watching them. "And this is?"

"Oh, ahjussi. This is Hyunwoo hyung. He is Jooheon's friend and happens to be my senior," Kihyun introduced both of them.

Hyunwoo bowed respectfully and Uncle Jaedong patted his shoulder. "Hello, Hyunwoo. Whoa, he is such a handsome young man!"

Kihyun frowned. "Am I not handsome too, ahjussi?"

Uncle Jaedong laughed. His laugh was a nice kind one. It was a laugh that would make others turned around and laughed too. Hyunwoo's held his smile but Kihyun caught him.

"Wah, ahjussi. You've just met him for a minute yet you have successfully made him smile!" Kihyun pointed at Hyunwoo.

Hyunwoo just glared at him.

"I am not!" he replied.

"You are, Hyunwoo-ssi. I saw that!" exclaimed Kihyun.

Hyunwoo shrugged. It was too childish. "Whatever." He mumbled under his breath.

Uncle Jaedong just laughed. "These two young people. I don't get it. One minute throwing daggers, another minute kissing each other." He shook his head in confusion.

Kihyun's cheeks blushed. "Ahjussi, don't say something like that. It only happened in movies or dramas. You spent too much time watching those."

Hyunwoo was just as ashamed as Kihyun but hid it under his controlled expression. He calmly said, "Jaedong ahjussi, I heard from Jooheon that you are one of the best flower farmers in Seoul. I would like to check on your flowers. I have a big event that needs special arrangements for flowers. May I see around?"

Uncle Jaedong nodded. "A straightforward man. I like that. C'mon Hyunwoo-ya, I'll show you all my babies."

He then patted Hyunwoo's shoulder and walked together as Kihyun followed them from behind.

After seeing around, Hyunwoo was pleased. So it was true what Jooheon said. While he was talking and discussing price and transportation with Uncle Jaedong, Kihyun walked around the greenhouse. He knelt to see flowers bloomed in various colors. He was busy taking pictures with his phone when he felt a pair of hands patted his shoulder.

"Ah!" Kihyun jolted and almost fell forward to the ground if those hands didn't grab him by shoulders immediately. They were Hyunwoo's.

"Be careful," said Hyunwoo.

Kihyun held his chest. He lifted his face and mumbled. "I am... "

But when he wanted to say something, he saw Hyunwoo widened his eyes in horror.

"Why?" asked Kihyun, following Hyunwoo's eyes.

Hyunwoo pointed something on his back, near his shoulder in such a calm voice. "Caterpillar."

"Cater- shoot!!" Kihyun screamed out loud. He frantically rose up and tried to run but stumbled on Hyunwoo so they both fell together to the ground. Kihyun was still screaming and he tried to roll his body which made Hyunwoo rolled too until Kihyun was on top of Hyunwoo now.

Kihyun stopped screaming because of this proximity, this position was too much for him to handle. He could feel the heat rose on his cheeks. He forgot about caterpillar for a while, secretly and silently enjoying the underneath him. Those brown orbs, pointed nose and plump lips of Hyunwoo were directly below him and his thick body perfectly supported Kihyun's thin frame.

Kihyun giggled inside, feeling lucky suddenly, despite this man's cold and harsh personality. Undeniably, Hyunwoo was a very attractive man.

Kihyun spent like a minute staying idle like that when Hyunwoo nudged him softly.

"Yes?" Kihyun's mind got back to reality now.

"The caterpillar's still there." Hyunwoo pointed to 'that' thing again on his shoulders.

Kihyun's eyes widened in shock. "Aaaaaaaaa, help!! Help! Ah, get it off me!!" Kihyun, who had just realized why he was screaming at first, screamed again and frantically rose up from Hyunwoo's body and ran while jumping up, hoped that the caterpillar would be thrown by his movements. He kept jumping and running outside the greenhouse.

Hyunwoo was watching him, feeling amused by Kihyun's act and expression. He gave up the image of cold, distant Hyunwoo as he let out the tension for almost three agonizing hours. He finally was able to laugh so hard, rolling and holding his stomach on the ground. He didn't care if the dirt and straws were stuck to his hair. He laughed until his tears came out. Wiping it slowly, he let out his final laugh. "Yoon Kihyun, you .. really ..."