Surprise, Surprise!
The Carpenter
Hyuna felt sad that she had to bid goodbye to her old employer and friends. She had been working in a small barbeque restuarant for nearly two months and had made friends with the employees there. Her employer was sad to let her go since Hyuna was a bundle of joy with her sweet smile and cute voice. However, she was happy Hyuna was able to find what she wanted to do in life. It was a waste if she served meat for the rest of her life. She gave Hyuna her pay and bid her goodbye.
Hyuna walked home and wondered if she was supposed to call the workers tonight or the next morning. So she texted her Sunggyu. She realized she hadn't text him her number yet and was smiling over the thought of doing so. She asked which day was she supposed to call the movers and Sunggyu replied almost immediately, as if he was waiting for her text.
Tonight, he said. Then they would bring it the next day.
And then another text.
Probably better if it's now since I could arrange the things in the day.
Hyuna replied a sweet thank you with some agyeo in the message and called the number for the movers. They all knew who Sunggyu was and was glad to work since they had nothing to do at that moment. They reached Hyuna's apartment in ten minutes, the same time Hyuna got home. She helped to pack and arrange everything that was smaller in cupboard boxes. The movers moved all her equipment. The glass, the clay, the glass molding machine along with many others.
The movers were fascinated with all the equipment. They were more fascinated with Hyuna though because she looked really pretty. Some of the movers tried flirting with her but got hit by their supervisior who was a good friend of Sunggyu. He whispered loudly that Hyuna belonged to Sunggyu which no one made sense of. How could Hyuna be with Sunggyu but their supervisior just laughed. The kids couldn't see of course, but he knew better.
There was a zero percent that Sunggyu would even allow a girl to be by his side, much less a worker. It was either Hyuna was extremely talented, or had caught Sunggyu's attention somehow. He bet there was a bit of both. Because he received a text from Sunggyu after Hyuna had called them.
Sunggyu gave them a firm warning to not do anything to Hyuna, which was telling enough truthfully.
Everything was done in an hour and Hyuna went along with the movers to lend a helping hand. Sunggyu was waiting for them outside the store. It was three o'clock and Sunggyu had closed his store early for this slight renovation. He couldn't mask his surprise in time from seeing Hyuna along with the movers. He frowned unknowingly at the supervisior who started laughing madly.
Hyuna asked if he was alright and the supervisor said he was fine and quickly instructed his boys to move the things. Hyuna helped by carrying her boxes of glasses and almost dropped it when Sunggyu appeared out of nowhere and took the boxes from her.
"Wo-"
"I'll carry it for you. Girls shouldn't carry heavy things"
Hyuna frowned. What did Sunggyu think, she was a weakling? She thought to prove him wrong and went to the truck to get another box. Sunggyu scrowled darkly at her. He was worried about her hands since she said she had an accident before. But Hyuna didn't care. She walked up to him quickly.
"Don't worry Sunggyu-ssi. I'm strong enough to help. Come on, let's go together."
And with that, Sunggyu suddenly had an illusion, a dream of some sort. He was thinking about a new home, and moving in with all the boxes in their hands and walking happily. He was smiling at his wife and it was oh-so-sweet. The only strange part was, the illusion had Hyuna in it, and he was holding her hand.
Sunggyu immediately shook his head and tried getting that thought out of her mind. What was wrong with him, he thought. Now he was dreaming about getting married to her, what was going on? He quickly ran into the workshop and away from Hyuna so that he could think alone. Hyuna didn't mind, she was having too much fun moving and playing jokes with the movers. They thought she was lovely and the supervisior thought of her as his daughter. When everything was done and the workshop was completed, they said goodbyes and told Hyuna to call them if she had any problems.
Hyuna felt like crying because they were so friendly and the supervisior was like her father. So warm and caring inside. She sniffed and dropped a tear while watching them drove away. Sunggyu was surprised though and he quickly tried finding some sort of cloth or tissue, but he didn't have anything. All he had was his apron and sleeves.
So he offered his sleeve to Hyuna and told her it was alright to cry because she missed her family. It was one of those moments where the two of them didn't need to communicate and yet, understood what each other needed. Hyuna ended up hugging Sunggyu's arm and cried like a baby which he patted her head. When his sleeve was drenched, he hugged her and let her cry in his arms, while whispering to her.
"Just cry. I know you're lonely, I can understand that. But don't worry anymore. You'll be happier from now on. I promise, I won't abandoned you too."
Of course, they had no idea what the words meant. Sunggyu said the words out from his heart and he meant every word. It was just strings of words but he meant well. He didn't know why, but it felt like the right thing to say at that moment. And strangely, Hyuna stopped crying. She looked up and smiled widely. She felt happy inside that Sunggyu promised not to leave her like her family. It was really strange and hard to explain. Sunggyu looked down and smiled as well. He caressed Hyuna's cheeks and asked if she was feeling better.
Hyuna nodded but didn't want to move away from Sunggyu. But when she saw Sunggyu's face so close, she felt her face burning up from embarrassement and quickly stepped back. Sunggyu looked really funny with his clothes having dark patches of tears. Hyuna quickly wanted to clear it but Sunggyu said it was fine he could head home and change. He took her hand and showed her the workshop now, there was his corner, and her corner and the mixed corner which was pottery.
Sunggyu then said he would close the shop earlier since he was tired from all the moving. Hyuna knew better, he wanted her to go home and rest since she was crying so bad. But he was still a little worried for her. Hyuna started looking around the workshop and saw all her workpieces on the shelves, he had kept everyone of them and placed them neatly, she went forward and took a look while Sunggyu started explaining.
"I was very against you working here so I didn't think it was right to sell them in the store since they are your workpieces. I did think of bringing some home but I thought that was hypocritc as well. They're all excellent work, like I'd had said many times before."
Hyuna smiled before taking the very first set of plates she had given to Sunggyu.
"Can I have this one back?"
"Huh? Why?"
"I just want to thank a few people for their support when you sent me out of your store so many times. They encouraged me to not give up. I'll be back real soon since they're just next door. Is that alright?"
In truth, Sunggyu liked that first set the best. But now, he was sad that she was giving it to the next door.... NEXT DOOR?
"You mean the cafe next door?"
"Hehe, yea. I always go there for breakfast after my application for rejected again. May I?"
Sunggyu suddenly wanted to laugh so badly.
"Sure. Tell you what, I'm closing the store now. And you can take the plates with you. Just wait until I close the store alright?"
Sunggyu quickly cleared and cleaned up the mess in the workshop and locked up his shop. After that, he told Hyuna to go by the back door and to the front side of the cafe while he slipped in into the kitchen of the cafe. Sungyeol wasn't in the kitchen and was outside helping with Hoya, Dongwoo and Nana. The couple and their kid was upstairs once more.
Then, from the inside, Sunggyu slowly made his way into the kitchen entrance when he heard a loud scream from Hyuna. Nana immediately thought something bad had happened and so did all the customers. They were so shocked they almost dropped their coffee. But then, Hyuna had a huge smile on her face and she screamed.
"I GOT THE JOB!"
The whole cafe applauded for Hyuna and some even congratulated her. Sunggyu wondered while arching his eyebrow did Hyuna told the whole cafe about her job rejection. Nana was so happy that she went up to hug Hyuna and so did Hoya and Dongwoo. They congratulated her while Hyuna gave them the plates.
"I made these the first time I wanted to job and I managed to get it back from my wonderful boss. And he's so nice he even moved my home workshop to his workshop. And I was crying earlier on and he lent me his shoulder, he's so sweet."
Sunggyu blushed, but Nana spoiled his moment.
"You mean that horrible boss of yours that didn't want to give you the job? How can he be sweet if he's so annoying, mean, terrible and ugly! He should have accepted your application a long time ago. And he made you cry? How wonderful is that at all?"
"He's not ugly unnie, he's handsome actually."
"I doubt that."
It was then Sungyeol noticed Sunggyu standing behind him, he looked back and realized Sunggyu doesn't know Hyuna, so he said loudly that the whole store could hear.
"Oh hyung you're back!"
Everyone turned to the figure at the back and Sunggyu walked slightly forward to stand beside Sungyeol.
"Oh Sunggyu-ssi! You know this cafe as well?"
"Sunggyu-ssi?"
Everyone's eyes widened especially Nana. Hyuna then pulled Nana towards Sunggyu and introduced him to her, not knowing that Nana was very familiar with the man from head to toe.
"Unnie, this is my boss, Lee Sunggyu!"
All jaws dropped, including all the customers'. They were so surprised that some of them even spit out their coffee. Some laughed awkwardly while looking at Sunggyu. Hyuna seemed like the only one that didn't know anything. Sunggyu was smiling but it was a little forced since he wanted to tease his sister-in-law. He didn't mind of course, can't get angry as well, that Nana had badmouthed him so many times.
And also because Hyuna had spoke up for him.
"Oppa..?"
"So.... I'm horrible, mean, terrible, annoying and ugly to you Nana?"
"I didn't know it was you."
"I can't believe my sweet sister-in-law would speak so badly about me. I didn't know I was so different in your mind and how you acted in front of me."
"Oppa, I didn't know it was you."
"That doesn't mean you could just scold someone because they didn't give your friend a job. Surely they had their reasons. And in this case, you know my reason a long time ago. I'm not angry at you. I just hope you could think kindly of me from now on. I'm going up to change."
Sunggyu walked away from the sad Nana. Sungyeol was frowning of course. He didn't think his brother should act so mean to Nana even though he was only joking. Of course, he knew his wife was a little mean from the moment Hyuna told her about this job rejection and he did tell her at night to not badmouth people like that. But she just wouldn't listen. Sungyeol sighed and Sunggyu turned around.
"By the way, Hyuna?"
"Yes?"
"This cafe belongs to my brother. The person in front of you is my sister-in-law. Dongwoo and Hoya are my brothers as well. And so is Yvonne and Myungsoo. Everyone that lived upstairs is family. In case you're still puzzling about what is going on around here. I lived upstairs with them as well. Although, come to think of it. If I was that terrible, maybe I could move out."
Nana gasped and Sungyeol scrowled even darker. It was mean to be so hurtful to Nana. She didn't know after all so there wasn't really anything to blame about. Nana was close to tears and Hoya and Dongwoo ran forward. But it was Sungyeol that called after the older man.
"Hyung."
"Just kidding."
And Sunggyu laughed his way up the staircase to his home. Sungyeol and everyone else relaxed but Nana was close to dropping her first tear. And before Sungyeol could move towards his wife, Hyuna had already hugged Nana and was explaining things to her loudly so that everyone could hear.
"Aww unnie. Surely you understand that Sunggyu-ssi was just joking with you. I only knew him for a few hours and plus those few minutes for two weeks and I already knew he's a nice guy. He would never leave you. Since you're more important to him than I was and he'd promised me as well he won't leave me. Don't worry. I will help you explain if you're still sad. And if he bullies you I would make his work life miserable."
There was a much nicer feeling in the cafe after that, but everyone caught the sentence that Sunggyu promised Hyuna he wouldn't leave her. What was that supposed to mean? Nana felt so stupid. How could she think that Sunggyu would really be mean to her. Yet, it was a harsh but good wake up call for her. She couldn't help but noticed the happy look on Hyuna's face.
"Oh. Hyunaaaa, what do you mean that Sunggyu hyung promised never to leave you?"
"Remember how I told you before I lost my family, I was feeling sad and missed them badly and so Sunggyu-ssi let me cry on his arm and chest. I couldn't stop crying so he tried comforting me. He understood even without me telling that I missed my parents and I was scared and so he made a promise. He's going to be a part of my life now, as my boss and friend. So I'm grateful."
"I see..."
"You feeling better unnie?"
"Yep! Oh do you want to come up and have coffee, it's time to close actually. We could show you around the house too!"
"Wouldn't that be intruding, and don't you have customers. I hate to bother you all like this, I can come back later for dinner. It's no big thing honestly."
"Nah it's fine."
Hyuna turned to Sungyeol who said it was fine. He smiled too.
"It's five in the afternoon now, which is also our closing time. So you're actually right on time. Just give us time to clean up and we'll bring you upstairs."
"I'll help!"
Without letting anyone reject her offer, Hyuna went towards an empty table and started picking up empty cups and plates. The remaining customers saw how Hyuna was such a kind-hearted girl and left earlier. They congratulated and thanked the sweet girl once more. Hyuna rushed around and so did Hoya and Dongwoo, snatching jobs from one another They didn't want her to be doing all the work. Sungyeol was helping Nana keep the flowers while the rest were washing.
In twenty minutes, everything was done and they went up. Sungyeol told Hyuna if he wasn't wrong, Sunggyu should be showering because it was close to dinner-time and told her not to get anxious if he's missing. The moment they got into the house, Sunggyu came out topless. It wasn't on purpose really - he was showering when Ren had crawled to his bed and took his shirt away. So when he walked out topless, calling out for Myungsoo and Ren, Hyuna got a shock of her life and screamed while covering her eyes.
Sunggyu immediately turned and saw her. His family was surprised when he ran back into the room, but not before they noticed a tinge of blush spreaded across his cheeks. Nana and Yvonne were used topless man. But it wasn't everyday Sunggyu came out like this in front of a guest. But Hyuna, innocent-minded and all, was blushing as red as a tomato. Her mind was now filled with thoughts of Sunggyu's slight abs and strong chest. She blushed madly while Myungsoo carried Ren out, holding Sunggyu's shirt.
"Hyung! Your shirt!"
Myungsoo knocked on Sunggyu's door while calling out for the older man. He then noticed there was a guest in the house. He bowed and introduced himself.
"I know we've met before but because I was too preoccupied with my wife and newborn baby, I didn't pay attention to many things. I'm Kim Myungsoo but you can call me L. This is my son, Ren. He has a weird thing for Sunggyu hyung and would always bother our oldest hyung whenever he's home. He's learning to crawl now."
"Well he's definitely your son, Myungsoo. What a trickster."
"Hee, sorry hyung."
Sunggyu appeared from his room in another t-shirt. A V-neck white shirt with dark blue skinny jeans. It was plain, but it suited him so well that Hyuna was suddenly overpowered by a flash of iness from Sunggyu when he turned and smiled at her. She smiled awkwardly back. He then took Ren in Myungsoo's arms and told them to start on dinner while he brought Hyuna to the living room.
"I should have known Nana would bring you home. She's the friendliest one among all of us other than Dongwoo. I'm sorry for shocking you earlier on too. I didn't think you would appear so soon since they would normally spend around half an hour to clean the store. This is Ren and he's into pretty girls. Say hi Ren."
Ren took out his plump hands out of his mouth and smiled at Hyuna. There was saliva all over him but Hyuna thought he was adorable. Ren was irrestitable to all living things, be it ladies or men or animals. Sunggyu then wiped away the excess saliva dripping off Ren's lips with his handkerchief. Hyuna noticed how gentle he was to kids and couldn't help but stare. Sunggyu noticed that and smiled back at her. She blinked quickly and suddenly got off the couch.
"I'll see if they need any help cooking."
"Oh no, you don't."
Sunggyu pulled back down on the couch before Hyuna could even let out a gasp. He dumped Ren in her arms and got off the couch, walking towards the kitchen.
"You're the guest, so you just play with the adorable one. I'll help out."
"Hyung I suggest you go out and play with Ren as well. You can't cook for nuts so don't destroy the kitchen for us."
Hoya was cutting the vegetables while listening to what Sunggyu said. Sunggyu was embarrassed and pouted. Ren was giggling while stepping on Hyuna's thighs and jumping up and down. It was the strangest thing that Ren couldn't understand anything his parents said, but could understand when Sunggyu was in trouble or laughed at. He was also clapping his hands.
Hyuna didn't mind and helped the little boy to stand as well. When Sunggyu walked away, Ren was pouting and close to crying. But Hyuna managed to coax the little boy by playing surprising games. But the moment Ren saw Sunggyu coming back, he jumped in happiness. Hyuna laughed when Sunggyu ran towards the little boy and grabbed him off Hyuna's legs. He then fall onto the couch and threw Ren in the air. Myungsoo wasn't too happy about this game but Ren didn't care.
Then, Sunggyu brought Ren to the toy corner of the living room and brought up one of Hoya's toys but Ren threw it away and picked up his favourite toy which was made by Sunggyu. Hyuna went over as well and Ren did something so unexpected. He placed the toy into his mouth and then stretched his hands out and gave it to Hyuna. The whole family was so shocked that they gasped and Hyuna was so surprised with those gasps that she didn't know what was going on.
She accepted the toy and then looked around. Sunggyu was so shocked that he laughed awkwardly.
"W-What's going on?"
Hoya ran forward and then tried to take the toy out of Hyuna's hands but Ren threw his toy blocks at him. It was damn weird and everyone moved forward to sit around Ren and Sunggyu after putting the food on the table. Hyuna asked what was happening again.
"Ren likes Sunggyu's toys a lot, he loved them. But Sunggyu only made one so Ren is very possessive of it. The only person he ever shared to play with before was Sunggyu himself. When Hoya or even I, his father, tried to play or take the toy away from him, he would either cry or get into a huge tantrum. It was so surprising because he would share the toy with you. And so willing no less."
"Really?"
"Yea. I wonder if that meant anything..."
Sungyeol raised an eyebrown and so did everybody else. The action was telling, from Ren of course. It meant from now on, only Sunggyu and Hyuna was allowed to touch his toy. Sungyeol wondered if it was fate. Nana wondered if Sungjong had a hand in this. But still, if it was an act by Sungjong, then it should be alright.
Nana laughed while everyone just stared at her. What was she laughing about?
"Come on let's have dinner. I'm starved."
She pulled Hyuna and Yvonne away so no one says anything anymore. Taking the girls with her would definitely make sure the guys followed them. It was a system that was made a thousand years ago, she supposed. The guys followed after just like how she predicted. She placed Hyuna in Woohyun's seat while Sunggyu continued sitting at the head.
"Sunggyu-ssi."
"Yes?"
"You're the oldest in the family?"
"Yep, I'm thiry-four."
"Really? I'm only twenty six. We're eight years apart?"
"I guess so. Oh you're the same age as Sungjong then."
"I guess so. Oh you're the same age as Sungjong then."
"Oh you know Sungjong too?"
"Huh?"
"Hyung, Hyuna is the friend that came into the store that we said was Sungjong's friend. It's really a very small world I think."
"Oh, I see.."
Now, nobody told Hyuna nor said out loud before that Sunggyu was super intelligent. So when Sungyeol told him that Hyuna was Sungjong's friend, Sunggyu immediately thought back of the day where Dongwoo, Sungyeol and Nana were acting all weird when Sungjong's friend came to the cafe. Especially Nana who kept asking questions about loansharks. And it wasn't possible that the presence of Hyuna was upsetting to them. That meant there was only one reason, and one person that Nana was talking about. and why she would be so worried about.
Sunggyu looked at Nana and Sungyeol who just turned away. It freaked Sunggyu out even more. In truth, the couple had just confirmed Sunggyu's thinking. That Hyuna was possibly in some sort of danger if those loansharks ever return to find her or something. So Sunggyu had to divert Hyuna's attention to something else. So that she won't ask why was he looking at Nana so intensively.
"So was Sungjong's in class? He talked a lot about Sungyeol right?"
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