He discharges from the hospital within hours. He doesn't waste time trying to convince everyone that he's fine and will never have a sudden near death experience again. Not that he can control that.

He goes to look for Hot Farmer right away and finds him in the horse barn fixing what looks like a saddle.

"Hey," he calls out.  Hot Farmer looks up startled. "Didn't see you at the hospital." Heechul puts his hands on his hip and it's supposed to be a joke, but, like always, Hot Farmer just scowls.

Heechul sighs. "You know, it’s not like I try to piss you off but it won't help if you just glare at me."

Hot Farmer shakes his head and walks away to hang the saddle up on the wall. Heechul follows him out of the barn, and thank god, because it reeks in there.

"Hey, wait! Man, how do you stand this smell?" Hot Farmer grunts that they're done here. Heechul grabs his arm, but lets go just as quickly because the other is tense and jumps slightly.

"Um, I actually wanted to say..." He rubs the back of his neck. He really isn't good at this kind of sappy stuff.

 "Thanks. You know for everything. I'd probably be six feet under corn by now if not for you. So, thanks." He smiles and expects a smile in return. He only gets a grunt.

"Stay outta trouble, city boy." And Hot Farmer raises his eyebrows and his gaze is somehow soft on Heechul and wow, that was interesting.  Heechul's got such a huge crush, it’s crazy.

He leans against a nearby tree when something feels uncomfortable. He turns to find a whole section in the tree carved out. There lies a bunch of hearts and stars surrounding a larger heart with an arrow in the middle.

_{Layla & Tony}

He traces his fingers around the carvings like he's reading Braille and he bites his lip because this was his mother. She stood here. With his father. They stood here, together, loving each other.

He sniffs but his face his dry. He's spent years crying about this. There's nothing else to shed.

He doesn't know how long he stays against the tree but May finds him to call for Dinner and she hugs him tight. She doesn't say anything because, of course, she knows. He hugs back.

 

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

He gets a text when he's in town helping Krystal sell her handmade dolls. The town of Lanark, named after the county, is small and there's a strip that’s lined with little stores and markets. It's pretty busy when you come off a middle of nowhere farm though.

cannot make pecan pie without pecans

The text is short and from an unknown caller so he can pretty much guess who it is.

still stuck on that? just make walnut pie then. n change the crust. chocolate shortbread... Mhmmm... ^___~

are you kidding? Chocolate shortbread is just crazy. I'm not reinventing recipes.

Youre the one who's got his in a twist over one y pie review

I don't know why I'm taking advice from you.

Cuz you're insecure. Don't be insecure girl! Work that updo! You an independent baker who don't need no man~ kekekeke

A customer comes and he sells another doll. He spends most of the time talking with Krystal about Seoul and answering all her questions about big parties and fancy shopping areas. She’s surprisingly calm when Heechul mentions his uality, though she probably guessed as much considering how often she had visited him in the city. After a while of gossiping about hot celebrities and selling more handicrafts he goes to text Kevin G again.

I'll take your lack of response as a laughing fit caused by my wit yo~ kekeke

I don’t understand the joke.

Heechul raises an eyebrow because who hasn’t seen MTVs ‘Can I have Yo Number?’ sketch. Another text comes.

This shortbread is not working.

Heechul laughs. This guy is too adorable.

A mysterious baker shouldn't be so grumpy.

I do have another job you know.

Riiiiiight. FARMER G? Well, you're in my phone as Kevin G now (^_－)

Who?

Heechul gapes at his phone.

Who've never seen Mean Girls?! （;￣O￣）

What's a Kevin G?

He's a dude that gives ppl awesome s and they're like OOOooooooo Kevin G~~~

"Who're you flirting with? Rich guy from Seoul? " Krystal peers over at his phone.

"My beeswax." He covers his screen. "And no, Yoona's pie maker."

"Aww, lucky." She pouts. "His pies are so good. You know I assumed Yoona and him were together."

Heechul never thought about that. Crap, maybe he shouldn't be flirting with Kevin G. His phone buzzes again and he has to hide it away from Krystal’s prying hands.

Wow, you'll go far in life, oh Great Heenim.

Heechul smirks at this. He recalls that Yoona introduced him with his nickname.

You remembered. And you have a sense of humor. Gold star for you! (^з^)-☆

Course I would remember the who dissed my pie.

Still waiting for that shortbread crust.

And the next time he sees Yoona it's there, with walnuts, and it is delicious.

 

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Donghae teaches Heechul how to feed the chickens. Which isn't too bad. Throw a couple seeds, let them run wild, glare at the mutha-ing rooster machine. He turns around for one second when a chicken decides to be a and hop the fence. Only he's caught. By hands. Attractive long masculine hands.

"Really? You can't even take care of yourself and they left you in charge of the chickens?"

 And there's Hot Farmer being his pissey self again.

"I believe in a thing called free range chicken, thanks." Heechul grumbles to the retreating man.

When he goes inside, May hands him a bagged lunch. "Hey, Chullie, can you go give this to Handy Han, please?"

"Who?" Honestly, he's been spending so much time on the South Farm he hasn't really been getting to know the North Farm's Farm hands.

"Handy Han, just saw him out there."

When Heechul raises a confused eyebrow, Hyoyeon sighs and gets up from the table.

"I'll do it. Honestly, Chul, the guy's not that anti-social."

Heechul really doesn't know what they are talking about.

Graham cracker or oreo crust?

Heechul smiles as Kevin G's name flashes on his phone screen.

Depends. What pie?

Peanut butter mud pie.

.... You mean like chocolate and not mud mud right o.O

And here I thought the Great Heenim would get that reference.

Hyoyeon comes back in the kitchen. "Han said he's going out for lunch. What's got Chul all happy?"

May smiles from her spot at the kitchen sink. "Talking with someone special maybe."

Heechul rolls his eyes and texts mystery baker back.

I'm not a farmer, dude. Btw make me a death by mandarin pie.

You are not? And pardon?

Yoona didn't tell you? I'm from the big city. ;) And I like mandarins. They're my fav fruit so I wanna pie w/ them.

I guess many of us keep secrets.

Heechul thinks about that. About how much he should tell this pie stranger. What if he's some old ugly guy in his mom's basement? Well, what's life without a few risks?

Yup. From the city. Umm.. friend of Yoona's..

Yoona did lie and hide the fact that they were related. He wouldn't want Kevin G to think any less of his awesome pie reviews so he will let him think he's Yoona’s friend Heenim, and not Yoona’s cousin Heechul, for just a whole longer.

Grew up in Lanark. Left cuz of some bad circumstances, came back for other circumstances, kind of thing. Or to hook up with some hot country folk ;D Though I wasn't used to farm life at first, well I'm not sure if I'm used to it now.

You were away but it runs in your blood, right? Farm blood.

lol.. I guess?

Heechul finishes his chicken salad sandwich and leaves to go outside, away from his family's stupid giggling knowing eyes. He texts back again.

But I still can't get used to the smell.

Haha, I work with some city people who say the same. You will get used to it. Although the stinging can hurt.

Yeah, geez, that ammonium burns! And why the hell do animals so goddam much?!?!? ( ´Д`)

Believe me, I know.

Heechul is sitting on the porch when he thinks of something.

You text so proper for a hoe-down farmer.

I am Chinese.

Heechul almost jumps from his spot. The mystery pie baker Kevin G is Chinese? A foreigner. He kind of thinks that’s a little cute.

Say what?! So it's like Kevin Gong!（ゝ。∂）

Geng actually. My first given name is Geng.

Heechul blinks for a second and stares. Geng. His name's Geng. Farmer Geng. Somehow, it's perfect.

Mandarins are Chinese oranges. You so have to make my pie now.

No.

Heechul loves this, but something's bugging him. He has to know.

Btw, when did you meet Yoona? Are you guys a thing?

I came to work in Lanark when I was 12. Since then...  And I don't really date.

Well, that's too bad. (^_－)

He knows he’s being shameless, but come on. A baking friend of Yoona’s who’s also a farmer? They have to be attractive. Heechul finds himself really wishing this farmer wasn't with Yoona.

You are really from the city. People don't talk like that here.

What? About stuff like being gay? Come on, Geng. There's already one gay couple with a kid right?

You know about those two? Are you..?

I could go either way, big boy. (＾ｰ^)

... You really like those emoticons...

And suddenly he realizes they aren't even talking about pie anymore and he knows his real name and it is comfortable. He feels like he could tell this stranger anything.

Wait, so you're how old now?

26.

Damn, he's younger, Heechul thinks and texts exactly that.

You're younger. And here I thought you'd be a grandpa.

Are you.. A grandpa?

Heechul laughs out loud. Of course he’d have the same suspicions.

No, Geng Gong, I'm 27 and very VERY attractive FYI.

Not with all those pies you're eating.

Well whose fault is that. It's unfair that ur pies are soooo ic. I mean you def r the Kevin G of baking cuz good god, they make me moan like a star. Like tongue lolling, eye rolling, body tingling king of pie.

whatever you just sent to Kevin G, he's blushing raspberry red. Pun intended.

The text comes from Yoona on a different thread and Heechul can't help but laugh hysterically.

All I did was told him how his goodies make me go all ic star-ish. You're with him?

BWAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA. Yeah, he came over for lunch.

Stop flirting with Yoona.

Geng texts back and Heechul knows he’s smiling like an idiot.

Ah-ha, there is something there.

We are good friends only.

Heechul hopes they're just that. Wait, no he doesn't. And he's probably just imagining that Geng is jealous. Why would he be jealous of him? Then again, he is Kim Heechul. Yoona might know.

Does Geng get jealous easily?

He told you his name! OMG Chul! Like that's big news! You don't even know!

He’s about to ask Yoona what that means when Geng interrupts with another text.

Whatd you say to her? She’s giggling and laughing at me.

I'll stop if you make me some orange pie?

No. Buy one at the store.

Yoona interrupts this time on the other thread.

God, you two are crazy. Hey, tell May that Old Man Teuk has some extra wood for her chicken coup repairing.

Message will be delivered. Tell Farmer Geng to make me homemade mandarin pie.

He already is.

Heechul smiles victoriously.

a/n. Thanks for all your support and lovely comments! Please keep it up and keep reading! Thank youuuu~

YOU SILENT READERS SHALL NOT PASS!!!!
well you will but still please comment/subscribe etc :o)

❤❤❤❤❤ C O M M E N T ❤❤❤❤❤