Chapter Twenty-four

The Fruit Mouse
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Baekhyun carried his cup, plate, and fork to the sink where Kyungsoo and Junmyeon were already working on washing the rest of dishes used that morning. Before the orphan could offer to help, the boss walked back in from the front porch and came over to the kitchen area. 

“Baekhyun. Go put your shoes on then come to the small house, please.” the tall man said as he set his empty coffee cup down next to the sink. 

The orphan wordlessly nodded his agreement and ran down the hallway and up the stairs. The boss started to walk back towards the front door, but paused and turned partially to look at the two men still working at the sink. “I know what you’re thinking, but I’d appreciate it if you don’t make too much of this..”

Junmyeon turned to his cousin with a knowing look on his face, while Kyungsoo made an exaggerated show of zipping his mouth shut. The tall man rolled his eyes with a chuckle then headed out the door.

The two men at the sink turned back to their work but the chef didn’t keep his mouth shut for long.

“This is a big deal…”

Junmyeon hummed in agreement then sighed. “I just… hope he lets himself finally be happy.“ he said slowly.

Kyungsoo nodded and hummed back in thought. “Hmm.. It HAS been a long time.” he said matter-of-factly.

“Long time since what?” Baekhyun asked.

Both men at the sink whirled around in surprise as the orphan came back over to the kitchen area. 

"Uh-" Junmyeon looked down to confirm Baekhyun had actually put his shoes on, then commented. “You’re getting a lot more used to those! I didn’t even hear you come down the stairs!”

The orphan shrugged with a smile. “I guess I’m quieter when I don’t trip..”

Kyungsoo and Junmyeon both chuckled and grinned but Baekhyun felt awkward. He should have known better than to try to join in a conversation halfway through. They were nice people but it was obvious neither of the men wanted to tell him what they had been talking about. If the past had taught Baekhyun anything, it was that there were consequences of listening to conversations where he wasn't wanted. He was getting too careless. 

The orphan pursed his lips briefly. The thoughts going through his mind weren't pleasant but he didn't want to be in a bad mood going to see the boss. He pasted on a smile as he headed towards the front door. "Well, I'll go see what Mr. Park wants, I guess…"

Junmyeon lifted his hand as though reaching out for him. "Baekhyun-"

"Bye!" The little one waved in what he hoped was a cheerful manner and scooted out the front door.

Junmyeon sighed and lowered his hand. Kyungsoo turned with a towel, drying the plate he was holding. "At least he called him Mr. Park this time…" the chef commented.

"Yeah.” Junmyeon turned back to the sink and began washing another dirty cup. “He's still so scared, tho.." 

Kyungsoo hummed his agreement.


 

Meanwhile Baekhyun had made it over to the small house. He took a deep breath to clear his mind, then climbed the stairs to the front porch. He knocked lightly on the front door, which the boss quickly opened and ushered the little one inside. As he walked in, Baekhyun looked around the room in amazement. He was used to seeing the walls in the large house, which were functional wooden slats pushed together and sealed with plaster to create the solid surface. But the walls in this room had painted wood on the lower half, while the upper half were covered in paper with beautiful designs painted on them. The orphan was enthralled and couldn’t help putting his hand up to touch the papered surface.

The tall man chuckled. “I’m guessing you’ve never seen wallpaper before.” he said kindly. 

Baekhyun shook his head. “It’s beautiful..” he said in quiet amazement.

“There’s more throughout the house. My mother chose the designs. She actually made the decisions on most of the inside of this house.” the boss explained, looking around at the walls with a wistful gaze. 

The orphan cocked his head. “You miss her…” he commented quietly.

Mr. Park nodded. “It’s b

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crgb1234
I apologize for this update taking longer than usual. But fear not -- the characters have completely taken over the story and will not let me leave this unfinished! Thank you for continuing to read -- subscriptions, comments, and upvotes are all really appreciated!!

Comments

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Sharo001
684 streak #1
Chapter 38: Thank you for this year end surprise, I was so excited when I saw you updated. I’ve missed our little mouse and he is still chock-full of ideas to make their lives better. The exchange of rings at the end was beautiful, I could clearly picture the whole scene with the guys looking on. Another big thanks and Happy New Year!
Beau1996 1305 streak #2
Chapter 38: I was so excited to see an update! Thank you for the holiday treat!
Sharo001
684 streak #3
Chapter 37: I completely agree that they would never have made it to Baekhyun’s birthday.☺️
Sharo001
684 streak #4
Chapter 36: Their Christmas was so sweet and I love that Baekhyun helped with the cooking to show his thanks and appreciation for the beautiful ribbons. The best scene was the ‘almost’ romantic dinner. Chanyeol is so loving and respectful toward Baekhyun. The evening was just perfect.
Beau1996 1305 streak #5
Chapter 37: It's Halloween 🎃 not Christmas but I need to thank you for that gift of an update!!
Beau1996 1305 streak #6
Chapter 36: I love the pieces of ribbon - not a cheap gift at the time! The candlelight dinner with...beef stew - ah, be still my heart!!
BaekonJagiya #7
Chapter 35: Thank you for this awesome and nice story Author-nim! I love Baekhyun's growth in the story and his relationships with the people there. He might be the 'little boss' to everyone, but he's always be the 'little mouse' for his lover, Chanyeol. ❤️
yshinnoona
#8
This was very enjoyable story. I loved Baek's growth in this and the lovely relationship he had with Chanyeol.
Beau1996 1305 streak #9
Chapter 35: Lovely ending! The setting was cool and I liked the timeframe of the story. I will miss reading😢 will you start another story?
Sharo001
684 streak #10
Chapter 35: Aw, I didn’t realize it would end so soon!😭 Thank you for taking us on this wonderful journey with our little mouse. I love that he found love and acceptance in the unlikeliest of places. The Boss and Little Boss are going to have a lifetime of happiness. I don’t say it often but this story is a precious gem that will be enjoyed again and again. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next.

P.s. Many thanks for also wrapping up LuHan’s story, he also deserves his happiness.