68
Miss. Trouble
Leerang was having a hard time processing everything Chanyeol had said. It was just too overwhelming and she couldn’t stop gawking at the older male, who smiled. “You bought a café?” she stared at him with wide eyes, finding it hard to believe. Really, it wasn’t exactly a small sum of money he must’ve spent. “why?” the whole situation was so surreal and no one uttered a single word, obviously as stunned as Leerang. Not even Kris who’d been pretty loud all morning said anything. “I wanted to invest some of my money.” Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders like it didn’t matter, “so I took an opportunity to start a business.” the fact that he had close to no knowledge about managing a business didn’t bother him too much, as he could hire someone to take care of that part. “Are you insane?” the shock Leerang felt had subsided and instead been replaced by worry and bafflement, “do you even know how to run a café?”
“No. Not really. But I can hire someone to help me with that.” the male glanced at Kris’ mother for a brief second before turning his attention back to Leerang, “all I need right now is to find the right people.” he already had two in mind, but weren’t certain whether those two would want to work under him. Kris raised an eyebrow though, and spoke for the first time since Chanyeol entered, “what exactly are you implying?” the male wasn’t the only one curious, Leerang wanted to know as well. “Isn’t it quite obvious? I want you and your mother to work in the new café.” the statement didn’t get the reaction he’d hoped for, because Kris scoffed, “forget that. I’m not working for you.” Chanyeol might have helped him a couple of times but none of that was enough to earn him such a privilegium. “I’m not interested.” Kris stated, he wouldn’t work for just anyone, especially not under someone who’d been Lay’s best friend practically his whole life. “So you can forget it.” it was with those final words that he his heel and left the room, thus leaving everyone else completely dumbstruck. “Aren’t you going after him?” Chanyeol nudged her side, to which she stared up at the taller male, “me? I don’t even know what to say.” Leerang understood her boyfriend somewhat, as to why he wouldn’t want to work for Chanyeol and all. But then again, a job, wasn’t that better than nothing? “Please can’t you talk to him.”
Said and done, Leerang headed off to look for Kris, whom she, after a frenetic search found outside, leaning against the wall. “I already know what you’re going to say and I’m not doing it.” she didn’t say anything, and simply watched as he straightened up, his intimidating height towering over her, “he can find someone else.” Kris had already made his decision, one he weren’t going to change. His pride would be torn if he accepted the offer with such ease. “Isn’t it better if you tell him that?” Leerang met his gaze and couldn’t help but to wish he’d change his mind. “I mean, he’s the owner and all.” she added just as a gust of wind blew past, thus reminding the girl of the fast approaching winter, “though I wished you’d give it a try.” the opportunity was one Leerang hoped he would take, more so as it would give them a chance to move on.
“You could always quit if you don’t like it.” a shiver ran down her spine and the girl moved about to head inside once she’d ended the sentence, but was immediately stopped as Kris wrapped his arms around her from behind, “are you angry?” his warm breath ghosted across her nape and she tensed ever so slightly when he pressed his lips to the skin right beneath her ear, “it was never my intention.” she wasn’t exactly angry, disappointed would be a more fitting word. “I’m not, it’s ju -” the door in front flew open before she was given the chance to finish, and out stepped none other than Chanyeol, whose cheeks flushed at the sight, “ah, bad timing.” the male retreated back inside and left a blushing Leerang, who felt incredibly embarrassed that he’d seen them like that.
“Are you really embarrassed that easily?” Kris taunted as he remembered the not-so-innocent incident when they made out on his bed. It was a memory he couldn’t help but to smile at. “I thought you enjoyed our little make-out session a few days ago.” Leerang gulped down whilst her pulse raced. It wasn’t like she would ever forget that. Not after knowing how far it could’ve proceeded if Lay hadn’t walked in on them. “You’re thinking about it aren’t you.” Kris’ words ended her thoughts and she spun around in his embrace, curious to why he suddenly brought it up. But what met Leerang’s eyes shocked her to the core and she held her breath when he dipped his head down to brush his lips against hers, “it’s only natural to show affection for the one you love, so don’t ever feel embarrassed about it.” goosebumps formed on her skin as she listened to the older male, who, once he was done, sealed the deal and captured her lips in a sweet kiss.
Holding hands they returned back inside, only to be greeted by five males who were staring at the two of them. “Back hug and public display?” Tao raised an eyebrow in a mocking manner, he would take every opportunity to mess with the older male, “I never knew you’d become so soft.” he smiled and soon enough was every one of them laughing, including Chanyeol, who did his whole face dance thing. “Idiots.” Kris remarked even though he, too, couldn’t keep himself from smiling. A scene that warmed Leerang’s heart more than he would know. It was a heaven sent gift to watch him show such happiness and she would forever cherish all those joyful moments.
But Kris’ smile faded a few seconds later though, once he noticed that his mother was nowhere in sight. “Do you know where my mom went?” worry washed over him and he rushed up the staircase before anyone had given him an answer. “Mom?” his voice bounced off the walls whilst he made his way over to his mother’s bedroom door, which he knocked on, “mom are you in there?” a low reply came and Kris waited a moment or two until he pushed open the door, “are you alright?” he asked despite seeing the tears rolling down the older woman’s cheeks, and he headed over to the bed his mother was seated on.
“I’m a terrible mother.” Kris ignored them, those words that’d cut into his heart when he was younger. But he knew better now, he was used to them and wouldn’t pay them any attention. “I’m causing so much hardship for you.” he brushed them away just like empty words with no feelings because it was not worth thinking about it, how different it’d been if he grew up in a normal family. More importantly, with a dad who actually cared. “I can’t even put a roof over our heads anymore.” Kris sighed, his mind wandering over to Chanyeol’s request. He wondered whether it would be that bad to work for the other male. They weren’t complete strangers and he could always quit if it didn’t suit him. Plus, he would need a way to pay back the fifty million won he’d borrowed, something he couldn’t without a job. “What about Chanyeol’s suggestion?” he had no idea whether his mother would want to work for another person, not when she’d managed a café all by herself for the past twenty years. “I don’t know.” the woman wiped away the tears with the back of her hand before facing her son, “I’ll do whatever is best for us.”
Kris and his mother went back downstairs ten minutes later, after having talked through what they were going to do. “We’ll agree to your proposition.” he would probably regret the decision in a near future, but to get his and his mother’s life back on track was first priority. “Great.” Chanyeol clasped his hands together, immensely pleased even though there was a small part he’d ‘forgotten’ to include. “But it’s not entirely that simple.”
“What do you mean it’s not that simple?” Kris felt kind of irritated at the other male, he should’ve said something from the start. Even Leerang, who normally kept herself on the calm side, stared at Chanyeol in slight annoyance, “why didn’t you say so?” that was a question the said male couldn’t answer, mainly because it’d slipped his mind when Kris stomped out of room earlier. “Sorry, it sort of slipped my mind. But it’s not like it’s anything impossible.” he wouldn’t have asked them if he knew they weren’t able to manage it. “Oh really, then what is it?” Kris was getting really impatient by then, because to him it was starting to sound unprofessional and not so serious.
“Actually, I need you to better your skills.” sounds of disapproval boomed and Kris’ friends were not late to complain, “yah, how can you ask for something like that?” Tao frowned. He knew his hyung’s skills were the best and it was obvious Chanyeol knew nothing about managing a café. “It’s not a request, it’s a demand.” Kris needed to get better when it came to pastries, since Chanyeol’s café were going to focus mainly on that, “I want you to apply for the patisserie diploma program at Le Cordon Bleu.” it was a University he knew had a high standard. “Are you out of your goddamn mind?” Kris was slowly reaching a certain level where he was close to bursting, “I don’t have any money to study.” Chanyeol understood that more than well. “That’s why I’ll pay.” the tuition fee wouldn’t even be noticeable, as his parents sent money every month into his bank account. “Why would you go through all that trouble when you can just hire someone with the required skills?”
“Because I owe you that much.”
~~
Next chapter will be the last.
And I’m not going to ask for you guys to vote this up, even though I would greatly appreciate it ^^
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