Epilouge.
The Florist.{Edit}
"We're finally here Sungjong, do you remember that dream?"
Sungyeol and Nana came back from their honeymoon a month later, traveling around Europe.
They looked so happy, happiness that shore through from their eyes and heart.
Sungyeol held Nana's hand wherever they wernt since he was afraid he might lose NAna on the streets if he wasn't careful enough. On the day that they returned to Seoul, the others had came to the airport to fetch them. It was so weird because your brothers and sister-in-law was fetching the newly-wed from the airport. But they had an agenda all together.
Nana wanted to see Sungjong.
And so they did, immediately after touching down.
Dongwoo was glad to be able to see Hanuel again, he had missed her, as usual. They stopped by Le Fleurs to get flowers and the happy mother and son were happy to see the others again. They felt lonely without them, but Baro proved to be stronger now. He was taking care of his mother now and everyone ruffled his hair. Sunggyu looked scared though, after all, he indirectly caused Baro's father to die. He looked around before saying they had to leave soon.
Woohyun sighed when Sunggyu still couldn't accept that it wasn't his fault Baro's father died.
Everyone wrapped and made their own bouquet and hugged the mother and son before leaving.
They walked up the familiar hill, the weather as perfect as it always was whenever they visited Sungjong. Everyone had missed Sungyeol and Nana since it felt as if the house was in darkness when they were on their honeymoon. Woohyun, Dongwoo and Hoya were fine with their leave, but they did miss the lovey couple. Sunggyu, Myungsoo and Yvonne looked almost died by the end of the first week.
It was going to be heavenly when everyone woke up with the mouthwatering aroma of Sungyeol's breakfast. It was surprising since they had lived with one another close to seven years and still wasn't sick with each other. That month, Sunggyu felt as if he was homesick in his own house. Myungsoo and Yvonne missed their best friend terribly. A house with Myungsoo without Sungyeol was like darkness without sunshine. It was so adorable to watch when he pouted while looking for Sungyeol in the morning of the latter's first honeymoon day.
It was so adorable indeed.
With their hands interlocked, the couples walked up towards the hill.
Yvonne and L were holding hands as well.
Dongwoo was walking ahead all by himself because he was excited.
At the back, Sunggyu, Woohyun and Hoya looked at one another digustingly before rushing foward. Hoya quickly went to find Dongwoo to control the overly excited dinosaur while Woohyun linked his arms with Sunggyu, who wanted nothing more but to run right now.
"Looks like we're destined to be together Yeobo!"
He squinted his eyes tightly at the Doctor's ridiculous joke, but nonetheless, let their arms be linked. The two of them knew each other for so many years, too used to living together to find someone else. Sunggyu was over thirty, but found no need nor reason to settle down, they were comfortable being single. When the two oldest reached Sungjong's grave, they heard Sungyeol speaking lovingly while caressing Sungjong's photo.
"We're here to see you Sungjong, did you miss us?"
"I'm sure he did Yeol. He misses us like how much we miss him too."
Sungyeol nodded at his wife before looking back at the photo.
"We're close to that dream now Jong, do you remember? We're so close that we could it, but as close as we are, I wished you were back beside me again. I missed you, I missed you so much. If I could turn back time, I'll still do the things you hate to protect you, but I will do it differently, I promise. You'll be happier too. Yet it doesn't matter anymore right? You're happy. And so am I."
{Eight Months Later}
//Ding ding dong ding!
"Ahem. Morning one and all, this is Mi-dearest speaking. The time now is eight-twenty, so please wake up unless you want the old man in the house to personally walk into your room, whether you're married or not and pull you up. Breakfast will be done in half an hour."
Sungyeol groaned awake when he heard Woohyun speaking through the public announcement speaker. He tossed back in bed and stretched his hands out ot his right, strangely, he felt nothing at all. His hair was like a huge bird nest. He then lifted his head and opened his eyes, searching for his wife who was nowhere to be found. His hair was like a bird nest, and he was exhausted from last night.
(Ahem)
"Nana?"
(silence)
"She must be downstair with that Mi-Dearest again."
Sungyeol quickly jolted out of bed and went to wash up for breakfast. He changed into a clean set of clothes and let his hair dry on his own as he walked down to the kitchen. From the outside, to his left, he saw the room door opened and Myungsoo walking out of his room as well. The two guys raised a brow at one another, thinking about the same thing too.
Your wife is downstairs with that man too?
They rolled their eyes and walked down together. It was seriously damning when they woke up every morning to find their wives missing. They caught sight of the kitchen when they reached the second floor, their wives were standing beside the Doctor, cooking breakfast and getting ready. Yvonne was brewing coffee, Nana was cutting fruits while Woohyun was flipping pancakes. Nana saw her husband first and rushed to kiss his cheek.
"Good morning Yeol."
"I'm surprised Nana."
"What's wrong?"
He peeked around before whispering to her.
"That you can still walk after last night."
"I'm not as weak as you think I am."
"So we can do it again tonight?"
Nana smacked Sungyeol's chest before pecking him on the lips once more. She walked back to continue cutting fruits, but she did turn back to wink to Sungyeol, giving him permission for tonight. Sungyeol was just teasing her to be honest, but he wouldn't say no to that. He let out a wide gummy smile as he told Woohyun to stop taking his wife away during the morning.
Yvonne giggled from the side, not noticing that Myungsoo was actually beside her waiting for his own good morning kiss. She made him wait, because she liked seeing him getting jealous over small things like this. She kissed him a minute later and told him to sit at his seat or wake the others up. Thankfully, Hoya, Dongwoo and Sunggyu came out together at the same time and sat down. Sunggyu was complaining to Sungyeol about the stupid PA system that he had thought of. They chuckled at his messy hair that shown that he hadn't been sleeping well at all.
Everyone glared at Woohyun, who was immuned already.
He just shrugged before eating his own breakfast.
Dongwoo and Hoya ate everything in a gulp and rushed out of the door with a slight apology. They were rushing to their own schedule and was running late at the moment. Woohyun ate everything quickly as well and said he was needed in the hospital. Everything seemed like a normal morning than before, only it wasn't. Yvonne and Myungsoo said they would be helping around in the cafe today. The latter was on his three months break again.
Sunggyu nodded at how everyone had scambled away while he had only taken a bite out of his breakfast, he had been reading the newspaper and failed to see anything else other than what his small eyes could get his vision onto. The routine was rather fixed, now that they were in their house, and a cafe working below them. They quickly ate breakfast and washed up before running downstairs to open the cafe.
Much has changed, much.
{Flashback}
Two months after the newly-wed were back, Sungyeol gathered everyone in the living room for an announcement. It came to a surprise to everyone, and even to Nana who had no idea what her husband wanted to say. He smiled at his wife before getting everyone's attention about something important. Seriously, he had no idea how to break this news.
"I'm thinking of moving out."
One. Two. Thre-
"What?! You're leaving!?"
"I think it's time for me and Nana to leave. We're-"
"What, no you're not leaving!"
"Hyung-"
"What's going on Yeollie?"
Sungyeol calmed the others first before continuing.
"Do you guys rememeber this date, seven years ago?"
"I do, we were thinking about entering college and what degree to take."
"Yes Dongwoo. Remember, Hoya wanted to save animals, you wanted to write music, Myungsoo wants to take photo around the world, and Sunggyu hyung wanted to do interior designing."
They nodded, reminiscencing.
"Other than Hoya, the three of you have done what you wanted, achieving your dreams. And if Hoya wants to, he could easily be a vet too. But do you guys remembered my dream, the dream that I cried while describing?"
Sunggyu chuckled.
"Vividly. You said you wanted to build a cafe from scratch, baking at the back while Sungjong serves the customer in the front. You said his smile would make all our customers' day. I remembered too, I wanted to design the cafe, the house above us. Myungsoo wanted to decorate the cafe with his photos around the world. The cafe would be filled with animals that Hoya treats, the music playing will be wrote by Dongwoo. I remembered, we all do in fact."
Sungyeol smiled widely.
Nana wondered why hadn't she heard of this dream before.
"I finally did."
"What do you mean Yeol, I don't know anything."
"Calm down, wait Nana, hear me out."
He looked at Sunggyu who shook his head with a grin.
"My wedding place, the empty space that belongs to Sunggyu, I asked him to sell it to me. We have an agreement and he asked what I wanted the space for. I couldn't tell him then, because he would have this reaction as well. So we settled on getting half each, I paid for the land accordingly to what a real estate agent quote the worth to be. I have the cheque right here, and it's like ten times more than what you quote Sunggyu hyung."
The oldest shrugged.
"Why so fixed on money?"
"Because I don't want to owe you. I need to do this by myself."
"Alright, fine. I'll accept it. This- Five hundred thousand?! Where do you even get this?!"
"I worked, hard and saved around after my wedding."
"Seriously Yeol, it's too much."
"It's fine. Money can always be earned back, you taught me that."
Sunggyu sighed deeply, his words were turning back at him.
"Can I have your permission to build a cafe there, I'll pay you back after I've made more."
"Oh hell. Just do it, no money, I don't need money understand."
"But you said-"
"I know what I said. And it's because I don't need money which was why it holds very little importance to me."
Everyone was in shock.
"Are you really leaving?"
"One day, when everything is done, I'll ask if you guys want to live with me."
"Now that sounds more like it."
Sungyeol smiled when he saw everyone letting out sighs of relief.
Like seriously, the choding just scared them to death.
"You're not building alone though."
They turned to look at Sunggyu.
Sungyeol looked pleading.
"I can try, please let me give it a go."
"No. It's too risky, by the time you're probably trained, it'll be quite later."
"But-"
"Nana will kill me if something happens to you. Trust me. I won't take no as a answer here."
Well, Sungyeol wasn't getting a yes out of Sunggyu's mouth today, but he was fine with it. Like usual, Sungyeol wanted to do everything on his own. He had to learn to receive help when it was freely given. Besides, Sunggyu was more familiar with building anyway. The both of them could just play in the mud like before and enjoy their time together. But the land was behind a book store though.
"I owe the bookstore too. I could move it if you wish."
"Would they mind?"
"I guess not, they wanted to close it for years."
"Wow. Alright then, it'll just be like old times I guess."
"What about your company hyung?"
Sunggyu said he got it all covered.
"It'll continue to run of course. The company won't collaspe without me for a motnh. Honestly, I won't close the company, because that would be everyone on the jobless list, all three hundred in my company. I'm just going to take a long deserved holiday for a while. I prefer doing it small scale to be honest. Always had, and still do."
The other brothers looked at one another.
Myungsoo spoke next.
"I can help as well, in my three month holiday which is now."
"And so will, my job starts in the night anyway, I can help in the morning."
"But Yvonne-"
"I'm good, don't worry."
"I don't think guys should go there, just stay at home."
Yvonne wanted to frown, but even Sunggyu said no as well.
So it was settled, almost.
Hoya and Dongwoo took some time to think and they said they would help out as well.
"We actually thought of leaving, but it's not time for us yet. I'll love to be a vet, but not yet. We can help however."
"Wait, back up, why are you two thinking of leaving, isn't this what you want?"
"It was. But, somethings don't last forever. Hoya and I thought to leave when we're shining the most."
"So five years? Wait that means-"
"Yep, soon. We're ready for it, welcoming it almost."
Dongwoo then turned to Sungyeol.
"When I'm jobless, can you hire me to work in your cafe?"
"Oh what the hell, an idol in my cafe?"
"Yeol! You know I'm never an idol to you, we're brothers!"
"So definitely I will hire you, higher pay too."
They lauged among one another. But Sunggyu stopped them from helping, it was still too dangerous. Plus they had a contract on them, it would be disasterous if they got injured at a time like this. Everyone thought that was safer, but Dongwoo then said they would help with the less dangerous work, just call them and they would appear. They made Sunggyu and Sungyeol promise to do so.
Woohyun wanted to offer, but Sunggyu shot him down instantly.
"You're a doctor! Stay in the hospital."
"But I want to help too!"
"You're a doctor! No need to help in the construction!"
"Yeobo wait-"
"You're a doctor, remember that!"
They gave up, Sunggyu was persistent on this like hell.
So it was decided, finally.
That night, the six of them made a promise to help out whatever they could. They begin a week later, and since Sunggyu had control of everything, he told the ladies to just relax at home. But they missed their husband, how could they sleep with an empty bed. They often slept on the couch together and waited for their husbands to come back. Sungyeol proved to be filled with stamina, because after a whole night of doing labour work, he still had energy to pleasure his wife when he got back.
It was amazing (ahem).
Soon, after five months, everything was nicely done. The bookstore was, sadly, demolished. They began their work at the night since if they worked in the morning, it would bring a lot of disruption to the other stores. Sunggyu had some guys helping the structure for them, because three guys was just not enough to do the work. It was too heavy as well. But everything else, including the painting and furnishing, was done by the guys. As Sungyeol placed every tile on the floor by himself, he thought about Sungjong.
How much he wished his younger brother was beside him too.
He could imagine him running around, asking opinions about everything, and everyone would love him.
This was their dream.
The guys understood that this was a very special moment for him. They thanked Sungjong for sending Nana there to deal with her husband's tears and memories. She was glad to be there for him, to be able to wipe his tears away for him. Finally, the walls were painted white, the doors mahogany, the flowers provided by Le Fleurs just a street away, the tables and everything else was placed nicely. Kitchen equipment had arrived. Everything was done, within seven months.
The eight of them appeared out of the cafe and wiped their sweat as they saw how their cafe was looking right now. It looked like a home honestly, except the huge sighboard said something else. The cafe had three floors, all with different colours. On the exterior, bottom level, it was light brown, whereas the upper two were dark brown. The windows were blue.
When they walked into the cafe, it felt like walking into wonderland.
The space was big, but they didn't use all the land that Sunggyu had. It was just two-third to be honest. But it was so big that they might not have enough helpers to help. Just Sungyeol, Myungsoo and Nana plus Yvonne wouldn't be enough. Which was why Sunggyu actually took a huge step to quit his company and joined them. They were shocked when he did that, but he told them it was fine. He still had shares in the company regardless.
Sungyeol was assigned to the kitchen, while Myungsoo, Yvonne and Nana worked on the floor. The husbands weren't happy when their wives were getting stares from other male cusomters. Once, a customer touched Yvonne's hand a tad too long and Myungsoo appeared out of nowhere to ask what was wrong. The fellow had never seen such a good looking male that he quickly took his hands away from his wife.
Sunggyu had to look after Nana outside as well and he felt that they were selling girls instead of food when all the guys drooled at Nana bending over and wiping the tables. Sungyeol threw them all out and said if they stared at his wife like this again, he would dig their eyeballs out. His stare gave people little to consider and they ran for their life. He had been in the kitchen thinking of a new menu when he heard Nana yelping.
Some touched her and smiled dirtily at her.
It made him so angry that he almost smashed one of the tables if Nana hadn't calm him down.
From that day, Nana was assigned to do something else. Serving, but not cleaning they said. Sunggyu was fine it, he was bad till he boiled too. They had to hire help soon, but when Dongwoo comes, it would be fine. They didn't mind waiting a few more months for it. But still, they wished he could come earlier. Sungyeol looked murderous that moment.
"If we don't move now Yeol, we'll be late for the other customers."
"I know jagiya, but somebody has to wash the dishes right?"
"If you want something good tonight, wash faster."
Sungyeol washed like never before, it was so unhair that he was being manipulated by his wife like this. But he love it. Nana then pulled her husband towards her and told him to hurry, unknowned to her, what she was doing reminded Sungyeol of Sungjong again. The two of them were so familiar that Sungyeol couldn't help thinking ofhis brother all the time. He wished he could hug the younger man again.
Just once more.
Sungyeol had decided to add a flower section to one side of the cafe and told Nana to take care of. She was a writer, but willingly helped her husband because she love flowers, and working in the cafe always gave her inspiration. They helped the customers with their orders quickly, and said good bye soon too. Soon, Dongwoo would be helping with the cleaning, and Hoya would too before finding a suitable animal hospital for himself. There would be more help, but how long could it last, they didn't know.
But they knew their family would grow soon, and didn't mind waiting till then.
Woohyun helped out too, when he's back earlier from work like today. He was nagging Sunggyu for having a poor back when he bent too low that the other regular customers started laughing at the two of them. He made them so gay that it was believable. Woohyun was a hearthobe in the store. Ladies loved him and his smile and agyeo. They only wished he could take one look at them and fall in love.
Sadly, that never happen.
Sunggyu the same as well.
Standing infront of her makeshirt desk and type writer, Nana looked back at the cafe with satisfaction. If Sungjong could see them now, he would see how happy they were because of him. He brought them together, he helped and saved them, this was his dream that they were making come true. And it was a very lovely dream to be honest. Nana sighed contented, before turning around and began with her own typing on the desk. Such a beautiful story deserveid to be told and shared. And what was what she was doing right now.
Sungyeol watched in delight when he saw his wife typing in front of her typewriter. She looked gorgeous when the sunshine poured into the cafe. He was having his break now, and the view he was staring at was the best break of all. He love watching her, just like that. She was his precious girl, the flowers around her were living for her and her beauty. When she turned back when she felt someone staring at her, she smiled when she saw her husband.
That moment, Sungyeol finally realized one thing.
Nana was his second chance in life, after everything she had done for him, she was his saving grace and second chance. The chance that he needed badly to get on with life, to have purpose and dreams to live. No matter how many terrible things he had done and experience, he had finally gotten this happienss that he craved ever since young. Love, from his family, his life, and his love.
He was content.
Sungjong stood in the middle of the cafe, dressed in all white with his hands in his pockets. Staring at the scene in front of him, he watched with a smile as his older brother had finally found joy in this life. Sungjong turned to look outside, the flowers were blooming. He felt the perfect weather, breathed in the wonderful scent of Spring and let out a happy sigh. He then remembered the day he found out his brother was a gangster, the day he had lost his way from school. Just a few days later from today, eight years ago.
Sungjong made sure everyone was feeling fine before walking out of the cafe to take a walk. Like promised, he was always there, beside them even though they couldn't see him. Enjoying the breeze that was going through him, he looked at his surrounding. He had walked passed his old house, the house that he and Sungyeol had lived with everything they had before that horrible incident. He stood outside that apartment, and walked through the door and into it. Everything was still the same.
He was in the same house that his brother had gotten with all he had.
Although their new big house was better, he missed this old one.
Maybe to Hanuel and everyone else, Sungjong appeared to have accepted the fact that he had to die, but it wasn't the case. Till this day, Sungjong always thought about what would have happened if he didn't follow his brother to the underground arena, would their lives still be this good, or would his brother still be in the gang, letting everyone push him around because he needed money?
He knew it was only a matter of time when Sungyeol lose his life.
So him, better than Sungyeol.
In truth, Sungjong knew all along that he had taken his brother's place and time to die. But he couldn't survive if Sungyeol had died too. Without his brother, Sungjong was nothing. He knew very well what would happen and that he would join his brother when he couldn't take the devastation of being alone. He was happy he was died, but he wished he didn't to regardlessly.
It was ironic, and difficult to understand.
And Sungjong was glad only he had understand that.
After leaving the house, he walked to the park nearby, the same park near Gangnam that he had lost his life. Stepping on the cold gray stone on the ground, he reminiscence about that moment when he called Sunggyu, got shot, and heard the police siren when it was too late. Sungjong couldn' tbe more thankful to Sunggyu for saving them and his brother, he had called the right person to save them.
Sungjong was thankful for that, for everyone that appeared in Sungyeol's life. Woohyun as a mother figure but a very loving hyung. Myungsoo as his brother's bestest friend of all. Dongwoo as the happy pill that taught Sungyeol what love was. Hoya who showed Sungyeol what sacrifice and gratitude was. But Sungjong was most thankful for the existence of Nana.
Because his brother was happier with her, and even though they were extremely similar to one another, Sungjong was thankful for that as well. Because this way, his brother would never ever forget him. He would remember Sungjong in the best way there was because of Nana. At the very spot he said his last good bye, he saw a little girl.
She was crying. Sungjong saw the wound on her knee and realized she had fell down. He walked towards her and bent low to her level. Then, he raised his hands around her wound and healed her. The little girl gasped when she saw what Sungjong had did for her. Sungjong was surprised as well that the little girl could see him. He found himself staring into a pair of green eyes that were looking straight back at her.
"A-Are you real?"
Sungjong was taken back when she spoke to him.
How did that happened?
How was she able to see him this easily?
Sungjong stood and looked up at the sky before looking back at the little girl, she was beautiful. He frowned towards the sky before bending back down to the little girl. She moved forward to hug his legs and kissed him on the lips. Sungjong was taken back, what was happening?
"Thank you for helping me. I know you, you're an Angel!"
Sungjong smiled back then. It had been a long while since he had spoken to another human being other than his family. The warmth the little girl had gave him was so familiar that he felt as if he had understood it before, or saw it happen. He then stretched out his palm and transformed something in his hand. It was small, and hard; A yellow candy.
He gave it to her.
"When you're feeling sad, lemon candy is the best!"
- THE END -
P/s: Finally! This story is over. I know there might be some areas that aren't really well written and I asked everyone to pardon my mistakes. I knew I took forever to finish this story as well. I'm really sorry for dragging this story for a month. I had started on a new story and I hope everyone could support it! It's called Whiterose! Anyway, continue to comment, subscribe to any of my other stories as well.
P/s/s: Thanks for staying by this story for four months. It was a joy for me to write it. I'm sorry to end off with Sungjong's famous words, but I just had to. I missed him in the story. I hope everyone had as much joy as I did.
P/s/s/s: Do you know that for this story, I had found around 88 photos of Infinite and its members. 30 over on just Sungyeol. I love that man to pieces. There are some that I hadn't used yet. Will think of another story to use them. I promise the next time, all seven of them would be alive and well.
Till the next story this time, //winks, xoxo!
{Edit} Countdown: Last chapter which i'm currently writing. I can't believe I'm done with this before my exmas. Thanks everyone for seeing through it and I hope you guys had a fun time reading the new edited version like I had fun writing it. Again, see you at the next story, xoxo!
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