Chapter 10.
The Florist.{Edit}
"Yo hyung! Sungyeol. L. Look who I brought today!"
Dongwoo did a dramatic pose where he shifted his body to the side and stretched his hands out the side and do a 'jjang!' movement to show who he had brought. Everyone looked back at this new friend of Dongwoo, who had arrived later than usual on a Saturday because he was dragging that friend along. It wasn't that the friend was unwilling, but instead, very shy. Sungyeol stood up to meet the guy, and so did L. Sadly, the guy wasn't much taller than Dongwoo and had to look up to see Sungyeol and L. His eyes wided at the tall figures.
The friend was very build and had a nice, musculine body. It was noticeable from his clothes. The way he wore an oversized tank top and a cap. They knew immediately that Hoya was a dancer, just like Dongwoo. When he looked up to see Sungyeol, he was so surprised to see such a tall guy that his jaw dropped. L wasn't much shorter than Sungyeol as well, just a mere four centimetre. They saw that Dongwoo's friend was actually quite good-looking, but not as good-looking as L.
Dongwoo introduced them all. His friend was called Lee Howon and he was the other dancing instructor at the dance studio where Dongwoo works. He had met Hoya just a few days ago. Hoya was very new to the dance studio, only started working there a week ago. Dongwoo saw that Hoya was very lonely when they chatted. He was somwhat simiar to Dongwoo and yet, not similar as well. But whoever Hoya was, Dongwoo was determined to make him, his friend.
"Hey. It's nice to meet you guys. I'm Lee Howon but you can just call me Hoya. It's easier."
Sungyeol thought Hoya looked nice when he smiles, almost like a Greek God in some ways, with his adonis body. He was a rather serious man, completely opposite of Woohyun sometimes but was very bubbly inside. His hair slightly wavey and brown. He had this blur expression on his face that made the guys want to trick him some. He and Dongwoo looked like the perfect and gullible victims as they were always so easy to trick. He managed to fall into the group easily.
Like L, Hoya was eighteen this year and also in his final year of High School. And like Dongwoo, he was very passionate about dancing but his parents disapproved of that dream. They wanted him to study business and get a decent job in the good company in the future. But those dreams and lifestyle were not suitable for Hoya, he was adventous. He prefer dancing till his bone ached that sit in the office nine hours a day and let his hurt. It wasn't him. So he had left home a week ago and had been trying to find a place to stay ever since. He was staying in the dance studio, thankfully the owner of the dancing school didn't mind as long as Hoya didn't let the students know that he was sleeping in the backroom at night.
Sunggyu, seeing that Hoya did not have a place to go, offered his guest room as a form of residence. It wasn't him to offer his home to a stranger that he had just met a day but Hoya was different. He knew Hoya could be good friends with all of them and therefore, 'adopted' him into the house. In fact, Sunggyu also invited Dongwoo and L to live in his house. Sungyeol was so surprised by it that he hugged Woohyun. Which then ended up in the endless and steamless lines of how much Woohyun was happy that his 'son' this this this and that that that.
It would be more convenient for them if the four were going to the same school. Hoya wasn't intending on attending college actually. So his surprise that Sunggyu had said the four of them, could mask the surprise of Sungyeol's. However, Woohyun managed to convince Hoya to attend college instead of just working as a dance instructor. It was always safer to have a degree paper with him than nothing at all.
Hoya only needed to consider two minutes before he agreed to attend college. He wasn't dumb or anything nor had he quit school. He just didn't attend school for a week. His parents didn't care anyway. His father was still mad at his son for being such a stubborn boy. Also, Sunggyu and Woohyun hadn't ask him to give up his dreams, in fact, they said his dreams were good, and that he and Dongwoo would succeed together.
The six boys ended being very good friends in that one afternoon. Hoya didn't know how it happened, but he felt really close to everyone of them that he wanted to stay there forever.
With Sunggyu as the oldest, there was more order in the house, reasonable curfews and strict study plans so that the kids stayed disciplined.
With Woohyun as the second, there was more hugging, agyeo and jokes in the house that even Dongwoo might get sick.
With Sungyeol being the third, there was a strong friendship and bond with everyone. He was like their string that tied them together.
With Dongwoo being the fourth, there someone who they could bully and tricks. Someone who was alright with practically anything.
With Hoya being the fifth, there was still some shyness around so that they knew that privacy was still important around six rowdy boys. And purple war was interesting.
With L being the sixth, they knew not to push boundaries of the others, not to mess with the Death God wannabe and not wake him up in the early morning without a valid reason.
With Sungjong, being the youngest, the brother that they all learned and love even if they hadn't met him before, he was their strength, the invisible shield that kept them safe. Who would never be forgotten in many ways.
And so, with a lot of persuation to L's parents, the three kids moved in to Sunggyu's home a week later. L's parents didn't see the need to move at all, but since their son was so persistent about it, they let him. It was also nice knowing a big brother like Sunggyu was taking care of him, and four other more.
That night, the six of them had a huge party at their new home. They danced and sang and eat their night away Dongwoo and Hoya had a dance battle with L and Woohyun joining in and finally Sunggyu. Sungyeol couldn't really dance for nuts, but he joined in with some of his ridiculous dance moves that made everyone laughed.
They sang till their voice cracked.
They laughed and talk into the night until they were all exhausted.
Sadly the next day they woke up to Sungyeol cleaning the whole house. Sunggyu actually wanted to call some sort of cleaning service to clean up the mess but seeing Sungyeol, so dilligently cleaning his house, he hadn't had the heart to not ask the other kids to wake up to help. Thankfully, at least to the others, Sungyeol had cleared most of the trash. All was left was taking the gabage out and making breakfast. Sungyeol was resting on the couch after everything was done.
"Sorry Yeol."
"No problem. I'm still strong as ever. But damn, were we this messy last night?"
"We probably won't if the Namstar hadn't sung and threw the popcorns around, thinking it was gold coins to his 'fans'."
"HA. We did that?"
"I should've recorded last night."
"You didn't record my wonderful moment last night? It's alright! Namstar revived!"
Sunggyu and Sungyeol groaned at the loud and crazy Mi-dearest. The younger three was sleeping on the dining table, ignoring Woohyun totally. Sungyeol shifted himself on the sofa, his head resting on Sunggyu's thigh to rest. The sofa was just nice, long enough to accomodate his whole body till his legs.
Sunggyu smiled at the position they were in. Wasn't this a boyfriend and girlfriend position where the dude laid his head on her legs. Wait, that means he's the girl? Man that was so wrong. What on earth was he doin-
"Hyung."
"H-Hmm?"
"I used to sit like this with Sungjong."
Silence.
"Sometimes I would rest on his legs while he plays with my hair, sometimes he would rest on my thigh and complained about his 'pillow' being so hard and thin. He was probably talking about my bone. I was too skinny then. Yea.. that was what he would say..."
Sunggyu looked down at his dongsaeng's face.
He was crying; tears falling from his eyes.
Sunggyu paled. Everyone turned to see them.
But Sungyeol carried on as if it was only Sunggyu and him.
"We never had a night like last night. We hardly played because I was always out by the evening. I never helped with his homework because I didn't know half, or almost everything in that stupid book that I used to hate. But now, I hold onto that book because it remind me of Sungjong. I always think of him when I saw a similar question he once asked me."
Sunggyu saw Sungyeol's adam apple rising and falling. More tears falling.
"I think of him everday. Everyday. Our lives together back when we were young. I was hardly there for him. He even told me to stop picking him up when he was just thirteen. He said it was too bothersome for me and forbidden me to pick him up."
Sungyeol chuckled painfully. Sunggyu felt like crying too.
"I wish he was here. He could've enjoyed so much with all of us. He could sing so well and he dances like a girl sometimes. We could've been a happy family again. But I lost him hyung. I'm a horrible brother. No matter how hard I tried to convience myself to stop hurting, the pain won't go away. Sungjong will love you guys so much. I know he would. He definitely would..."
Sunggyu lost it.
And cried with the five other guys in the house.
It was supposed to be a good morning of a happiness from last night. But because of Sungyeol, the guys couldn't help feeling hurt and sad as well. No one blamed him, and Sungyeol couldn't help himself even a bit. He missed Sungjong so much. So much.
Dongwoo and L were decided to sleep in the guest room room. It orginally already had a double decker bed in it so they moved straight in without much hassle. And after losing a scissor, paper, stone game, L slept at the top deck while Dongwoo at the bottom. Sunggyu didn't allow the dancers to be together. Mainly because Sunggyu knew if he placed Hoya and Dongwoo together, they would be dancing all night without stop. And that, would be noise pollution for him. Therefore, Sungyeol and Hoya sleep in the same room. Sungyeol's room was orginally big enough to put another bed in, so they added another bed plus a bedside top and another wardrobe for Hoya.
Soon, another three months had passed and the four of them studied hard. Sungyeol being the hardest cause he needed all the help he could get. They were about to take their college test and was nervously waking up towards the examination hall. Out of the four of them, Sungyeol was the most nervous and worried one. Not surprising since he didn't have much experience nor memory of exams or tests. His childhood was mainly about taking care of Sungjong.
And although Dongwoo and L had assured Sungyeol like the two-hundred-and-sixty-nine times that he would do well, Sungyeol was still insecure. He had spent a total of five months learning everything he could from his family. It was the damnest thing honestly, and Dongwoo did salute him. Sunggyu and Woohyun had tested them all at least three times in the past week. Even Sunggyu's assurance wasn't able to calm Sungyeol down.
They were about to walk into the exam hall when L called for a group hug.
Sungyeol was trembling like he was in winter, .
They guessed they could only wish for the best now. The very best.
Sunggyu and Woohyun were drinking coffee and waiting at the school's cafeteria for the kids. It would've seemed normal if it wasn't Sunggyu's fourth cup of coffee so far in the past two hours. They both had taken off today just so they could accompany their 'kids' to their examination. It was so primary school honestly, everyone was wondering who on earth were these two guys. They started pacing outside the exmaination hall. It was torturous. They kept looking at one another and asking each other questions which they couldn't really answer.
"Do you think they'll be alright?"
"Gosh I hate moments like this. Is this how my patients' family felt when they waited while I perfom a surgery?"
"Man. It's like waiting for a business proposal to be accepted."
"You waited for proposals to be accepted?"
"No. But I guessed this must be how the other side had felt while I leisurely looked through their proposal. And why I do feel bad all of a sudden?"
But they never got any answers.
The three hour paper was finally over.
The tortuous three hours that were spent on nothing but worrying and waiting. Sunggyu and Woohyun didn't want to be seen as some over worried parents, so they went back to stand near the car. But the moment they reached the car, they cursed and said they wanted to go back to wait. Sunggyu was holding his sixth cup of coffee in his hands and had been to the washroom several times. Who would've thought he would be more worried than Woohyun. They both sat above the car's engine, waiting for the kids. Literally counting the seconds that went by second, by second.
When the four kids finally appeared, the they ran towards them and asked how it was. And not even waiting for an answer, Woohyun hugged each of them while Sunggyu started saying it was alright, he didn't want to know the paper and that he was super proud of them and pat their backs repeatively. And even though they said they didn't want to know, they still asked them how it was.
"How was the papers? How's the paper! Was it alright? Did you know most of it it? When will the results be out? Tomorrow?"
"Kids how was the paper? Was it hard? I can help you calculate your marks. When will the results be out?"
The four kids stared at the two old man and felt the tension in their body slowly fading away. They laughed at their anxious looks and thought that it was hilarious. All four of them thought the paper was do-able and make no other comments since they weren't sure how well they would fare. It was better to not jinx the result before it was even marked yet.. They said that the results will be out in a week. So there will be a week of horrendous waiting before they could know their verdict.
But the two old man had other ideas.
"There would be no such waiting. What done, was done. And you four have already tried your best. You should be enjoying youself right now. Which is why Sunggyu hyung and I have already planned a week of holidays!"
"Shoot really?"
"Oh my god! That's so cool."
"Where are we going?"
"Holiday? But work...."
Woohyun held his hand up to silence the kids first and went on with their plan.
"We'll be going to Jeju Island! Sunggyu hyung and I have already cleared our work and booked the tickets. We have also told L's parents and Hoya and Dongwoo's dance studio's manager about taking a leave. And also Mrs Lee who was very willing to let Sungyeol have his deserved break. All you have to do now is go pack your bags, and eat some lunch and we can flyyyy!"
Sunggyu smiled rather fatherly for some reason and told the kids to get in the car. He drove them home quickly because the excitement ni the car was getting out of hand. They were really excited to go Jeju, for a week! Talking about the beach, the sun, the sand, the shopping and the sea, it got them all in a very good emotion. Completely different from when they exited the examination hall.
Sungyeol, who had never gone any where with a family was the most excited one. He was laughing all the way home and thinking about Sungjong. L was thinking about all the photos he would take. Hoya and Dongwoo were thinking of the nice food that Jeju has, the sun and the sea most importantly. Sunggyu was thinking about laying in the sun and doing nothing for a week. Woohyun was thinking about shopping and had already told them his plans to shop for them all.
It was gonna a hell of a week.
(One week later)
The Kim/Nam/Lee/Jang family have returned safely and comfortably to their home. Woohyun went into a cleaning frenzy and instructed everything including Sunggyu to clean the house because it was so dusty and dirty. They cleaned the house from head to toe, door to door, wall to wall, tile to tile almost until Woohyun was satisfied. It was the day of the release of the results and they were preparing to leave hom to school to collevt it.
The result was set to be out at three.
Therefore, with two hours to spare, the six of them went for lunch first. The nervousness and tension were returning to the kids' body and they couldn't eat lunch at all, sadly. They were constantly drinking stuff to wet their dry lips while jittering profusely. They couldn't wait to get everything over and done with. Though it was easier said than done since they had to endure one more hours of this neevousness. Even Sunggyu and Woohyun felt the same jitters that had passed on from one of the guys to the other.
When they arrived in school, there was already a crowd standing outside the college. The notice board for the accepted students were already posted. The four of them, holding onto one another and their number slip, slowly walked towards the board, or more like wall. School wasn't opened so the results were posted outside the building. As the four of them chanted their numbers, their eyes searched fantically while their hearts prayed.
"124.. 156... 178.. 234..."
Sungyeol had the last number and he watched in excitement, and slight disappointment, as one by one, his brothers got into the college. The first to jump for joy was Hoya. He would've break into a dance if his brothers hadn't still looked so worried. Following him, was L. And then Dongwoo who almost cried because of all the hard work paid off. One by one, they slowly turned to look at Sungyeol, why hasn't he screamed for joy yet. And then they got worried, noticing he hadn't found his number yet. His eyes were constantly blinking which was blocking his own vision to the numbers. The rest could practically see his eyeballs moving with the list of numbers.
"234... 234... 23-"
Slowly, the corner of Sungyeol's lips turned up into a wide smile and he started breathing easily. His brothers, who were anxiously waiting for some sort of signal, saw Sungyeol's face and bursted into cheers. They had all gotten into the college they wanted and best of all, together! They congratulated and hugged one another tightly before running towards Sunggyu and Woohyun - who were again pacing along the street that the ground they were walking on was almost bending in.
When they caught sight of their four kids running towards them, they could feel their hearts bursting with mixed emotions and were both biting their fingers at the moment. The first one to reach them was their very own brother, Sungyeol, who had the longest legs among them all, therefore reaching first. He hugged both of them at the same time, so tightly that they almost couldn't breathe probably. Then after, the other three had arrived and everyone were hugging one another as they kept cheering on and on.
"We did it, we did it! We're in college together! Hyung we did it!"
It was one of the best moments in Sungyeol's life, or maybe all of their lives. But for Sungyeol, he was being accepted for something that he worked hard in. Something with his abilities other than fighting. But the only regret in his life right now, was that Sungjong wasn't there to celebrate with him. He knew for sure if Sungjong was there, he would hug Sungyeol and never want to let go. But for now, he was happy that Woohyun was somewhat doing the same thing to all of them.
Sunggyu went towards the boot of the car and took out four presents, each for one of the kids as their admission and celebration gift. L had gotten a new pair of black shoes along with a Nikon FM3A (Film Camera). Dongwoo had gotten a new bag along with the limited edition sneakers that they knew he had his eyes on since forever. Hoya had gotten a purple sweated along with a purple coloured limited edition sneakers, although a different design from Dongwoo. Sungyeol had gotten a new watch - even though he had watches that Sunggyu had gotten for him and hadn't wore it yet - a new school bag that suited him well and a bottle of cologne.
But more than that, Sungyeol have gotten love, trust, friends and a family. From a habit he had since Sungjong passed away, Sungyeol looked up to the sky, saw the ever-so-familiar face of Lee Sungjong, and smiled.
'Sungjong. Are you looking down at us? I've gotten into a school with my friends. Sungjong ah, I'm not alone anymore. You were right, I won't be lonely anymore. Because you're always here with me, along with my family. Right?'
P/s: They're going to school now! I did not want to drag the story anymore and would probably do a side story on their vacation to Jeju in another chapter. The main girls are finally coming into picture. Do support my story and subscribe!
Till the next chapter, xoxo.
{Edit} Once again, I added more words that what it already had. Sue me. It takes a lot of time to end things into this. So I strongely encourage my readers to reread this all over again. Sorry for the trouble. XO.
Comments