Collecting eggs ends up being a daunting task. It's already difficult to begin with. Hens, it turns out, are very protective of their eggs, so when you reach in their space to take one, you end up coming out with peck marks and scratches all over your arms. Not fun.

Technically, he isn't looking to make trouble this time. He hears the boards creak and he knows the coup is old. He is just putting eggs into their collecting containers when his step goes a little further than the floor. Right through the floor actually. By the time he stares at the broken board the rest of the coup is swaying.

He goes to run to the exit only his leg is stuck. He trips and rolls just as a piece of falling wood misses his face. A sudden flock of spooked chicken race over him and he curls up in a ball as they stampede and the coup falls down around him.

There's a moment when he hears yelling, Hot Farmer's yelling, and he just knows what he's going to say about this. Heechul knows he's better and stronger than this. Though his head is throbbing he finds his feet and frees himself, stumbling in whatever direction the noise is coming from. His eyes are closed until be falls into something. Someone.

Hot Farmer is holding him and yelling.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Heechul blinks for a second before looking behind him. The chicken coup, or what's left of it, is in pieces and has holes and bits of wood sticking out everywhere. It takes him a second to realize what happened.

“Um, it was an accident.” He gets out, but Hot Farmer looks furious.

“You are insane! You could have- the coup! Did you even check?” The farmer is yelling quickly and manically. Heechul steps back and stares at him.

“Why the hell are you so mad? I’m sorry about your chicken coup.” Heechul retorts, examining the scrapes along his arms. His head hurts a lot too.

“If you weren’t such a clueless city idiot maybe you’d learn!”

Heechul stops and looks up. “Excuse me?” He says appalled. “Forget it, I’m not sorry. Because this was a freaking accident! And yes, I am from the city, and don’t know a lot about farming, Mr. Hick Boy, but I’m not stupid. I didn’t do this on purpose or go looking to make it fall down! Geez, don’t be such a jackass!”

He finishes yelling just as May and the others come barrelling from Kim Manor.

“Chullie!” His grandmother is first to reach him. “What happened? Good lord, are you okay?”

“My chicken coup!” Donghae explains. “Hyukkie, you said you fixed it!”

Eunhyuk looks contrite and sighs pinching the bridge of his nose. “On my very long list.”

Onew slaps him on his back. “We’ll all help.” Then, he looks over to Heechul and rolls his eyes a little. “Better get him some help too.”

Heechul reassures them he’s fine, but his head hurts and he can’t exactly walk straight on his left foot. He is quickly ushered into Kim Manor, Hyoyeon repeating that as a vet she can treat him no problem. As they walk into the house Heechul looks around, but sees Hot Farmer has left.

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Yoona comes in later with a smacked face full of worry. “Chul!”

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Please, I’ve had enough shrieks of concern today.”

She sighs and goes over to his bed to help him sit up. “Geez, this family only has love for you.” She says, adjusting his back pillows.

“Ha! Tell Onew and Eunhyuk that!” Though the latter technically wasn’t blood, his thought still remains: not everyone is as friendly as May. “Plus, stupid Hot Farmer goes and knacks on me for nothing! Saying I’m useless! That jackass!”

Heechul misses the grin Yoona gets. “Well, I’m sure he didn’t mean it.”

“Oh, believe me, I don’t care what I said before, Hot Farmer ONLY has his looks going for him!”

Yoona sighs and again Heechul feels like she isn’t telling him something, but his head really hurts.

“Did you bring it?” He finally asks.

Yoona smiles at him and reaches into her bag. “I think you like these pies better than me.” She hands him a small Tupperware container and he’s in it in a second, forking the delicious gooey dessert into his mouth. “Or,” Yoona smirks, “maybe it’s affection for a certain baker?”

Heechul chokes on his pie a little. “Ha, ha.” He says plainly. “I’m just a fan of pie. What’s this one?”

“Apology pie.”

Heechul looks confused so she continues. “Geng bakes it whenever he needs to apologize to someone. Guess something happened.” Yoona says awkwardly and looks to her side as she bites her lip. Heechul ignores it and flips out his phone, texting between bites.

apology pie is delish. sooooo what’d you do my socially awkward pie man? ;)

He waits a second before the reply comes instantly.

I never said I was socially awkward. Thanks. Its chilled dark chocolate pie with roasted almond crust. And yes, apology pie.

Yoona is looking over his various scrapes and the little bruise on his head. “Your ankle is sprained too?” She gasps.

“The chicken coup has it worse.” He jokes.

we haven’t met face to face ergo socially awks. stop avoiding. whatd you do?

“Maybe you shouldn’t ask him about it?” Yoona says nervously.

“Hey, what Kevin G and I talk about is between us.” Heechul smiles when Geng’s text comes.

I was a and got called on it.

oohhhhh there’s a macho word ;) shoulda called me to help yell at you ;P

I deserved it. I was mean to this guy at my work.

“You’re so crushing.” Yoona taunts over her own piece of pie.

“You’re so noisy.” Heechul scoffs back and picks up his phone again.

Well youre in luck Kevin G cuz I feel like too. Is it bad being from the city?

No. there’s a lot of city folk in Lanark. As long as your heart is in it. I know some city people who really don’t try at all.

Its just a diff world I guess… but I don’t completely hate it. Touched a chicken today!! ^___^//

I’ve had enough of those.

Well if whoever this pie was for doesn’t forgive you, I will on their behalf.

“Seriously, I don’t know anyone who could stay mad at him with this pie!”

Yoona giggles. “Nope, no one. He’s real talented. Be right back.” She keeps giggling as she exits the room.

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Ever get the feeling people aren’t telling you something?

Heechul is helping Kystral and Yoona at the Cider Mill when he texts Geng. It’s been a few days after the accident, though his ankle is still sore, he can hobble around okay.

Yoona keeps giggling and laughing.

When he doesn’t get a response he worries. Then it comes.

I was thinking the same thing. Hyoyeon (friend of mine) keeps laughing at me too.

Heechul pauses. Hyoyeon. He knows a Hyoyeon. Cousin slash veterinarian slash drinks too much Hyoyeon. Before he can reply another text comes.

Have you been horseback riding before, O Great Heenim?

That nickname always throws him off, he supposes he should correct the pie maker one day. But today Great Heenim needs to flirt.

Never ridden one. But I’m awfully good at other kinds of riding, though my would hurt more ne?;D

“You’re evil!” Yoona is peering over his shoulder at the text. “You know he’s going to be blushing like crazy right?”

“Well, for all his ic pies are worth he better not be a !”

“Heechul!” They both laugh.

“Hey, when do you see him anyway?” Heechul wonders out loud.

“He’s teaching me to make pie at his place, though I’m nowhere as good.”

Heechul blinks than quickly goes to text Geng as Yoona laughs, than sobers and gets back to work with her cider boiling as Kangta walks by with a stern face.

You could come over anytime you want.

Heechul’s surprised at Geng’s text. God, it sounds like he’s jealous. But why does Yoona get to bake pies with him? Why does she get to see him when Heechul’s never even seen his face?

I could see ur bed and you could make pie that makes me moan.. maybe for other reasons xD

Yoona coughs loudly. “Seriously, I don’t know how you two haven’t run into each other.” She says, but it sounds odd again, like she’s not telling him something.

“Donno.” Heechul laughs to himself. “But, geez, I love making him squirm.”

Yoona’s phone beeps and within a second she looks shocked. “Oh my god, he just asked what you look like!” Heechul blinks at her and smirks. She hits him on the arm. “Hell, no am I giving fodder for his wet dreams.”

Heechul laughs some more.

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