Chapter Four

I Hate Cakes!

"They look delicious! To think there was such a wonderful shop in this school!" Sooyoung squealed in delight as the waitress placed all kinda of sweets on their table.

"SM Salon is managed by our high school's Student Council." Key explained. "All the sweets here were made by our talented high school students, after all."

"I see..."

Lu Han was about to say something to Sooyoung when his face turned pale. "S-Sooyoung!"

All the sweets that were on plates were gone. And the plates were piled up with Sooyoung holding a fork. "I can't eat anymore!"

The princes stared at her with their eyes almost bulging out. "Sooyoung?!" Key nearly fainted.

"You ate them all up already?" Kris asked disbelivingly.

"And don't pile up the plates!" Lu Han barked. "This ain't your house!"

"Calm down... A girl shouldn't make such funny face." Key pointed out.

"You eat too much! You'll get fat!" Lu Han pointed out harshly.

Sooyoung glared at him. "O-Oh shut up! They say people have a seperate stomach for cakes, right?" Just then, she noticed a girl with no imperfections whatsoever walking past their table. "She's really pretty... Who is she?"

Key turned his head. "The High School Student Council president." Key sipped his coffee. "Tiffany Hwang. She's a genius who's won in countless contests... And she's Siwon-Hyung's favourite pupil."

Tiffany... Hwang. Sooyoung stared at the girl fixing the waiter's uniforms and talking to staff in admiration.

"How nice... I wanna be like Tiffany-Unnie too! I want to try working in that shop too!" Sooyoung squealed as she and the princes walked out of the salon.

"There's no way they'll let a begginer like you work there." It was always up to Lu Han to bring Sooyoung's mood down. "And besides, it's impossible for middle schoolers."

"It's not impossible! I'm sure I can be a shop assistant..."

"Even shop assistants are high school students only."

"N-No way... I wanted to try it, though..." Sooyoung hung her head, depressed.

"If that's the case, then I know a nice shop for you." Key spoke up.

"Really? Where?"

"Kris's house. It's a confectionery store, after all."

"I see!"

Kris rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I always go home during the weekends to help out at the store."

"Lu Han and I are planning to go tomorrow... Won't you come as well?"

"Key, you didn't have to say that...!" Lu Han grumbled, being his usual grouchy self.

Sooyoung ignored and pushed Lu Han aside to get to Kris. "Really? I can come?"

Kris smiled brightly at her. "Of course! Please do come and help out!" After all, how could Kris say no to the most adorable girl on the planet? According to Kris, that is.

"All right! Choi Sooyoung will do her best!" Sooyoung clapped her hands happily.

"Sorry to keep you waiting! Here is your dumpling set!"

"Unnie, green tea and cheonsachae here!"

"Yes! Here you go!"

"Hey, will my water take long?"

"Yes, coming up! Here's your gelatin beans! Welcome! Sorry to have kept you waiting!" Sooyoung went in the kitchen, exhausted from work. "Shop assistants sure have a lot to do... It sure is tough..."

Lu Han stared at her as she slumped down on a seat. "Oh? You're already tired?"

"N-Not at all!"

"So what are the orders?"

"H-Huh? What were they again...?" Sooyoung racked her brain. "Um... One soft bean-jam... And three rice-flour red bean dumplings!"

Sooyoung could feel her waitress apron being tugged. "Let's play, Unnie!" A little girl asked in a cute manner. Two baby boys were trying to climb on Sooyoung.

"Sorry, okay? I'm in the middle of work... right now..."

"Let's play!" she demanded.

"Hey, Victoria, Xiumin, Chen! You have to behave yourselves!" The three kids got off Sooyoung and went straight for Kris. "I'm sorry, Sooyoung."

"No, it's okay!"

Lu Han come over. "Oh, you little brats..."

Victoria's eyes brightened as she saw Lu Han. She ran straight into Lu Han's arms. He carried Victoria and played around with her. "Lulu-Oppa!"

"L-Lulu?"

"Lu Han and I are childhood friends." Kris explained.

"So that's why he's familiar with the kids..."

"Now, you guys play over there, okay?"

"Yep, yep!" Kris and Lu Han carried the kids out of the room.

"What a huge family." Sooyoung smiled. "I'm pretty sure he has another Dongsaeng."

"Hey, cake pig!"

"Oh, you're Tao, the younger brother, right? Just who would be that 'cake pig', huh?" Sooyoung took off her shoes and went out of the room to where Tao was. She got uncomfortably close to him. "I'm Choi Sooyoung. Sooyoung-Noona! I'm no pig, okay? No pig!"

"I heard about it from Lulu."

"What?"

Tao smirked. "About how good you are at pigging out on cakes! So you're a cake pig!"

"W-What did you say?! At least call me a Big-Eater Queen!" Sooyoung forgot all about Tao being the younger one and went into her child-like state. She produced a 'Big-Eater' medal from somewhere.

"Weirdo! What's with that medal? Cake pigs are cake pigs!"

"Don't call me that!" She tried grabbing him but ended up falling face-down to the ground.

"This is a confectionery store! We have no business with people who want to make cakes! Go home!"

"How could you say that? Your Hyung wants to become a patisser, doesn't he?"

Tao's expression changed. His smirk turned into a sad frown. "M-My Hyung is..."

Sooyoung gave a confused stare. Tao? 

Just then, Kris and Lu Han walked in. "What are you doing here?" Kris asked. Tao looked up and Sooyoung turned around in surprise. "Well, never mind. Let's take a short break! Come here, too, Tao. I brought you home a cake." Kris smiled cheerfully.

This time, Tao expression changed fully. His eyebrows furrowed and he glared in anger. "I... hate cakes!" Tao screamed at them and ran away.

"Tao!"

"Tao..."

Kris sighed dejectedly. "Tao scowled at me..." he mumbled as the group took a break, drinking tea.

"He's already in first grade, right?" Lu Han sipped his tea.

"Maybe he's in a rebellious age?" Key proposed.

"Yeah, maybe..." Kris mumbled. "He used to hang out with me all the time. But now, he hasn't talked to me much lately..." Kris flashbacked to a few of his memories he had with Tao. Kris reading Tao a story, playing 'catch' with him, piggyback rides with him. "It kinda makes me lonely..."

Sooyoung felt sad for her friend too. She remembered when she said that Kris wanted to be a patissier. I wonder why he had such a sad expression...? She wondered as she took a bite out of a bean rice cake. Her mind drifted away from Tao and circled around the bean rice cake. "This bean rice cake is so soft! And the bean paste is very smooth... The beans are warm and fluffy! It melts on my tongue!" she gushed.

"That's the most famous of our sweets."

"It's delicious!" Sooyoung stuffed in bean rice cakes one after another. "I can keep eating a lot of these!" Suddenly, the girl's face turned red. She clutched .

"Here you go!" Key handed her some green tea.

The girl chugged the water down . "I thought I was gonna die!"

"You really eat too much!" Lu Han commented.

Kris let out a happy laughter. "But if you like it so much, my Halapoji will be glad to hear that!"

"So your Halapoji made this..."

"That's right. Want to see them being made?"

"Yeah!"

"That sure is flattering... You liked our rice bean cakes so much?"

"Yes! It was really delicious! Um... Is that the paste used for the rice bean cake?"

"Yeah, that's right." Kris's grandpa took some of the paste and put it on a small plate. "Here, have a taste."

"Thank you so much!" Sooyoung used her finger to scooped the paste and tasted it. "So sweet! Is there some kind of secret to this taste?"

"Not really. We just preserved the methods from our family predecessors. Being faithful to the basics."

"Faithful to the basics..."

"Like constantly keeping watch so the bean paste won't burn." Kris explained. "Carefully removing the harsh taste... And separating the azuki beans grain by grain... Those are the basics in making sweets. And what's left is to create them from your heart to make the people who eat them happy. If anything, I guess that's what you can call the secret."

"To make the people who eat them happy..." Sooyoung repeated. "I see. The smiles of all the customers have the taste and feelings handed down through the generations to thank for."

"Well, I guess that's it."

"Talking about it like you're really good..." Grandpa Wu chuckled at his grandson.

Kris raised a hand and scratched the back of his neck. "I just told you what I heard from Halapoji. I make cakes with the same emotions, though."

"Why do you want to be a patissier... even though you have a confectionery business at home?"

"Well, when I went to Lu Han's birthday party when we were young..."

"It's delicious! What is this?!"

"You've never eaten a cake before?"

"Yeah! This is a first for me! It's good! So delicious!"

"The first cake I ate was so pretty and delicious... And melted softly in my mouth... It tasted completely different from traditional sweets. And since then, I bothered my dad everyday to make cakes for me. Then I decided to try it myself one day. Using our paste in making a green tea cake roll... I was able to make one that tasted really good. And from then on, I decided... I'll make Korean and Western sweets with the shop's traditions! And to do so, I have to polish up my cake-making skills... And someday... I'll put up my own store near our place!"

"I see... So your dream was conceived here..."

Sooyoung was happily humming to herself while washing the plates when she heard a familiar annoying sound. "You're still here, Cake pig?" Sooyoung turned around and saw it. Saw him. She was disgusted and annoyed. "I said the cake-makers should go home, right?"

"Oh, you!"

Suddenly, a punch was slammed on his head. It wasn't from Sooyoung it was from Lu Han "Hey, Tao! She came all the way to help out and you talk like that?"

"That hurt!" Tao whined. "We don't need cake-makers over here!"

"Tao, can you say that to your Hyung?" Key came in.

"W-Well..." That face again... "Anyway, I hate cakes! Go home already!" Tao ran away again.

"Tao!"

"Cake pig! Cranky pants! Naricissist!"

"Naricissist..." Key mumbled.

"Cranky pants?!"

Sooyoung snickered. "Cranky pants?!"

"Don't laugh!" Lu Han's eye twitched furiously. "That brat!" Lu Han's demon self was revealed and just as he was about to take a step into the room, Sooyoung stopped him.

"Wait! I'm sure he has a reason for hating cakes! I'll go check up on him!"

Sooyoung has been wandering around the house for a few minutes. She randomly opened a door and because she was incredibly lucky, Tao was in it. He didn't see her because he was doing something. He was stirring something. There he is! Sooyoung tip-toed quitely in, not wanting to scare the little boy. She took a peek at what he was stirring: Red Bean Paste. Sooyoung forgot all about being quiet and spoke. "You're quite good!"

That definately set Tao off. "W-What did you come in here for, Cake pig?"

Sooyoung glared at him. "Sooyoung-Noona!" Her expression soften and she smiled. "I saw your Halapoji making that. It's bean paste, right?"

"Y-Yeah..." Tao got back to stirring. He could feel Sooyoung's eyes on him and the silence was really creeping him out. "I'm practicing." he finally said. "I wanted to try making bean paste and not just sorting out azuki beans."

Sooyoung turned around and saw two trays of the said beans. "These are the azuki beans you use to make bean paste? You sorted out the ones bugs bit into!"

"My Halapoji and the others have bad eyesight. It's my job."

"I see." The ones that didn't have bug bites were very clean. They were so clean that Sooyoung could see her reflection in them. "You've worked hard on it, so it should be delicious."

Blush crept to Tao's cheeks. "Of course. I learned how to sort out beans from Kris-Hyung. The same goes for making bean paste. My bean paste is about to turn out good."

Tao looks so happy. Even though he said he hated cakes... He really loves Kris, huh? If Tao also ends up liking cakes... I think he might understand Kris's feelings more. "All right! Hey, Tao! Hold on, okay? I'll bring you something good!"

Sooyoung returned a few moments later with cakes all over the table. Tao was so petrified that he dropped his spoon. "Why did you bring cakes?"

"They're not just your ordinary cakes! They're really delicious deluxe cakes from our school's SM Salon!"

"I said I hated cakes, didn't I?!"

"Just be a good boy and try eating them! How about some strawberry mousse?"

"I said I didn't want them, didn't I?!" Tao swatted the cake and it smushed against the wall.

Just then, Kris came in. "Tao!"

"Kris!" Sooyoung stared at him.

"How could you do that to food?! And you call yourself a son of a cofectionery maker?"

"We make Korean sweets, right?! Who cares about cakes?!" What Tao had just said, earned him a slap on the cheek. Sooyoung gasped. "You're really better off making cakes." he had his hand to his cheek. "I hate you and cakes!" Tao ran away for the third time that day.

"Tao!" Sooyoung called. She glanced at Kris then at the direction Tao went. "I'll be right back, okay?" Sooyoung went ahead to find Tao and Kris was left standing there.

Sooyoung opened a door to a room where she thought Tao had ran into. And she was right. Tao had his knees clutched to his chest and his face buried in themm crying.

Sooyoung went over to Tao, sat in front of him and stared at him. "I'm sorry I forced them on you. Do you hate cakes so much? But you don't hate your Hyung, do you?"

"Why did... Why did Kris-Hyung go to a cake-making school? Didn't he teach me how to sort azuki beans, make bean paste and other things? It was my dream to make sweets at our shop with my Hyung who could do anything. And yet... And yet, Kris-Hyung..." That painful memory of Kris went he left for SM Academy strucked Tao. "Left us to make cakes... He likes cakes more than me! I hate cakes for snatching away my dream!"

Tao doesn't know about Kris's dream... I see! Tao's like... Like how I was before... Sooyoung patted Tao's head affectionally. "Don't cry. I used to be like you before. I was left behind by my Dongsaeng who's good at the piano... I haven't been able to find my dream... And I always felt sad."

"You too?"

"But you know, I found my dream now! So I'm sure you'll find your new dream."

"But... Kris-Hyung won't work here anymore..."

"Don't worry. I'll let you know your Hyung's dream and his true feelings."

"I see..." Kris mumbled. The group were once again sitting together on the same table. "So that's what Tao's been feeling..."

"He must have felt lonely with his parents spending so much time on the store and his Dongsaengs." Lu Han understood.

"Yeah. I've done something pretty bad."

"Hey! So let's make a cake for Tao!" Sooyoung proposed.

"Won't that be counterproductive?" Key asked.

"No... If it's a cake you really want to make, he'll eat it!"

"A cake I really want to make?"

Sooyoung nodded.

Kris begin doing what Sooyoung had proposed: Making a cake he really wants to make. The others helped too. Lu Han was instructing Sooyoung on what to do. Key was busy working too. The four of them were busy helping Kris make the cake he desires. Kris was concentrating hard, perfecting his every move.

"If we use this and wrap it up, we're done!" Sooyoung handed Kris a bowl of azuki beans.

"That's..."

"I wonder if Tao will be happy with this?" she whispered to Key as they were cleaning up.

"Yeah! I'm sure it'll be fine!"

"We'll have to prepare everyone's individual plates." Lu Han cleared up his side too.

It was already night and Tao was still in his room, curled up but not crying anymore. Just then, the door opened and in walked Sooyoung. "We're done! Now, let's go!"

"Hey! I said don't push!" Tao was pushed into a room, by Sooyoung, filled with his family.

"Oppa!" Victoria smiled. Xiumin and Chen waved to Tao.

"K-Kris-Hyung... What's with that box?"

"We all made it for you to eat."

"Did you make a rice bean cake or something?"

"No. It's a bit different." Kris lifted the cover of the box. It revealed Kris's green tea cake roll.

"This is a delicious-looking cake roll! If I remember correctly, it's just like the one Kris made when he was around Tao's age." Mr. Wu said.

"Kris-Hyung did?"

"Tao, hurry and eat it!" Mrs. Wu said.

"B-But I said I hate cakes..."

Sooyoung got down to Tao's height and whispered to him. "Tao, I told you I'll let you know your Hyung's true feelings, right? The cake is just that."

Key cut a slice for Tao. "Here."

Tao reluctantly took the plate. He stared at the slice for a while. "Kris-Hyung's... True feelings? I got it! I'll just take a bite, okay?" And he did. "It's good!"

Mrs. Wu tried it. "Indeed, it's delicious!"

"This is really delicious." Grandpa. Wu commented. "But the bean paste tastes a bit different from ours..."

Kris smiled. "The bean paste was made by Tao."

"I-It's mine?"

"I call it the 'Brotherly Green Tea Cake Roll'!" Sooyoung exclaimed.

"'Brotherly Green Tea Cake Roll...?"

"A dreamy collection of Kris's cake and Tao's bean paste! I was my idea!"

Being Lu Han, of course he had to say something against that. "You hardly did any work, though." Sooyoung glared at him.

"What you wanted to make... were snacks like this cake mixed with Korean sweets?"

"That's right. I have my roots in this confectionery store. One day, I'll start up a new store near our place. It's my dream. I definately won't give up. I'll let the store grow with my efforts."

"Kris-Hyung..."

Kris patted his little brother's head affectionally. "Sorry, Tao... I made you worry..."

Tao had tears streaming down his face. But it was okay. Sinece it was tears of happiness. Kris gave his little brother a big brotherly hug. "Kris-Hyung!"

Sooyoung was almost tearing up at the scene. That's great, Tao... 

The store was closed for the day. Everyone was in the restuarant, chit-chatting, eating, playing. Sooyoung was the only one in the kitchen. She volunteered to do the dishes. She was almost done when she felt someone hugging her from behind. Sooyoung almost screamed in shock but didn't because that person was Kris.

"Thank you, Sooyoung. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, Kris! But what for?"

"For bringing me and Tao closer together. I wouldn't have found out about his sadness if it wasn't for you."

Sooyoung awkwardly laughed, embarrased and flattered. "Oh, it's nothing..." The two stayed that way, Kris hugging the girl from behind, for a few minutes before Sooyoung spoke up. "Um... Kris? You can let go now."

"Oh!" Kris hadn't realize that he was hugging her for that long. "C'mon. I bet you want to get back SM Academy now, right?"

"Thank you for having us!"

"Visit us again here next time!"

"Yes!" Sooyoung and the princes begin their walk to the bus stop.

"Hold it, Cake pig!"

Not again... "You're... still calling me that?!"

"I found my dream! If my Hyung will start up a store around here, I'll take over our place!"

"That's a nice dream!"

"Just wait and see! I'll soon outdo a beginner like you! From now on, we're rivals!"

"H-Hold on... I don't want to be called a rival by an elemantary schooler..."

"Chickening out, cake pig?!"

"You said it again?! I won't forgive you!" Sooyoung chased Tao around in circles. "I'm Big-Eater Queen!"

"Come over here, cake pig!"

"She's really at an elemantary schooler's level..." Lu Han muttered jokingly. Kris and Key chuckled.

"Hey, don't run, you coward! Hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it!"

Hi guise! So that's the fourth chapter of Sweet Dreams!

I'm so sorry... This chapter was incredibly boring... No SooHan, no SooKris and no SooKey. :( Wait... There's a little bit of SooKris. But just a little bit. Oh, and one teeny tiny SooKey. SooHan, if you count the insults. haha This was mainly like a TaoRis/SooTao chapter, if you will. I really find it funny when Soo starts getting excited over something and Lulu couldn't resist ruining it for her... haha

Alright, the votes.

Wow! Kris and Lulu are already on the twenties and close to the thirties. As usual, Key is lagging behind. One digit. lol Kris is first with 27, Lulu had 26 and Key has 6... poor Bummie lolol

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