Sandeul’s Birthday

Gongchan’s POV

It was a normal Saturday. Birds chirping outside the window and I woke. Noona was still sleeping soundly so I decided to cook. We set a rule that who wakes up earlier has to cook. Noona makes toast for us every time but I would usually make some omelets or some cooked food. Energy came from carbohydrates, protein and fat, right? How can noona grow taller if she only intakes carbohydrates in the morning? Although noona is so cute in this height, I still want her to grow taller in order to ruffle my hair every time she praises me. Hehe.

There are eggs in the fridge and I decided to make steamed eggs. Protein, check. There are bacons as well, I would make deep-fried bacons then. Fat, check. The odor of food would wake noona up so I didn't need to wake her up. I love seeing her smiling to me when she smells something good. I placed the dishes onto the table and waited for the delivery ahjussi. I don't know why noona has to drink that medicine but she seems she doesn't hate that smell at all.

“Chan-ah, good morning.” Aww… noona patted my head.

“Good morning noona! Let’s eat!” I grinned. She sat next to me and started eating.

Ding Dong

I went to open the door and delivery ahjussi greeted as usual.

“Thanks ahjussi!” I took the delivery and gave it to noona. She went into the kitchen and heated the medicine. That smell again…

“Chan-ah, we have to go out earlier today. We are going to the Bakery.”

“Why?” I asked. We don't usually go to the Bakery on Saturday.

“Because we have to buy a birthday cake for Sandeul’s birthday!”

“Oh! Will we have a party later?” Sandeullie hyung is a great hyung!
“Yes! We will have a party in Deullie’s house! Look! I bought him a rubber duck that accompany him to bath!” noona was giggling at her chosen present to Sandeullie hyung. We got changed and we walked to the Bakery.

“What type of birthday cake should we choose for Sandeullie hyung’s birthday?” I looked at different kinds of cake. There were chocolate cakes, cheesecakes, and with different shapes and theme.

“I think that cake is good. The decorations on the cake are interesting. It is a pond with ducklings on it.”

“I think so as well! Let’s choose that cake noona!”

“I want this cake, please.” Noona said to the bakery noona. That bakery noona was looking at me strangely and winked at me.

“Noona, why is she looking at me like this…?” I whispered to my noona.

“I think she likes you.” She replied. I hugged my noona tightly. I belong to my noona! I heard that bakery noona scoffed at my action but I didn't care. The cake was packed nicely and I took it.

We walked to the clinic and noona put the cake into the fridge.

“Chan-ah,” noona called me.

“Yes, noona?”

“Buy something for Ducky, okay?” she gave me some money. I nodded. “I have to work so you go alone. Make sure you are safe. Don't walk to the dark alley. Call me if you are in danger…” noona reminded me a lot of things. I think she is really worried for letting me out alone.
“Noona, don't worry. I can take care of myself! I will come back as soon as possible!” I said and she patted my head (she tiptoed as usual). I walked to the shopping mall and trying to find something for Sandeullie hyung. Well I don't know what he likes so I have to find and start window-shopping.

I was walking outside a store that sells cologne. I looked inside and I saw a familiar face with blonde hair. My heart pumped faster and faster and I decided to run. Run to a safer place. Noona help me! I ran outside the shopping mall and I ran back to the clinic and hugged noona tightly.

Rachel’s POV

“Noona…” Gongchan ran back and hugged me tightly. I looked at his face and saw sweat all over his face and he was so pale. He didn't buy anything back.

“Chan-ah, what happened?” I was so worried and I patted his back lightly.

“I… I saw my previous master… Noona… I am so scared…” I saw his tears rolling down on his cheeks.

“Chan-ah, don't worry. You are mine now. I will protect you.” I said and I wiped his face with my handkerchief. He nodded and calmed a bit.

“Baro, Ducky,” I signaled them to play with him. They nodded.
“Channie~ hyung-deul (Hyungs) will protect you as well! You are our dongsaeng! Come and play with us!” Baro said. Gongchan sat next to them and they were watching Pororo. I saw Gongchan smiling again and I think it was a good sign.

“Channie~ Look at this dinosaur! It looks like you as well!” Ducky said to Gongchan. They laughed happily. I saw him laughing like nothing has happened and I felt relaxed a bit. I concentrated on my work then.

It was finally one o’clock so Jinyoung and Boss Shinwoo came and joined us.

“Where are we going now?” Gongchan asked.

“We are going to Ducky’s house now.” I answered and took the cake out from the fridge.

“I will drive you guys.” Boss Shinwoo said. I locked the door and the gate and we got in Boss Shinwoo’s car. Jinyoung sat beside Boss Shinwoo. Baro sat with Sandeul at the second row and Gongchan sat with me at the back row.

“One!” Ducky suddenly yelled. Okay it’s the reaction game.

“Two!” Baro yelled.

“Three!” Boss Shinwoo yelled.

“Four!” “Four!” Gongchan and I yelled together. Oops…

“Channie and Rachel lose the game!” Ducky laughed and said.

“Argh… noona!”

“Sorry.” I shrugged and said.

“Look at our left, our guests. It is our destination today. Lee Sandeul’s House!” Boss Shinwoo said like he was the tourist guide leading the tourist. We looked at our left and saw a yellow house. I saw Gongchan’s jaw dropped.

“This house is so… yellow!” Gongchan exclaimed. We laughed. I have been to Ducky’s house before so I wasn't surprise at all. We got off the car and walked into Ducky’s house. His dad and mum were there to greet us, we bowed and greeted them as well.

“Appa, Umma! This is our new friend, Gongchan!” Ducky pulled Gongchan towards his dad and mum.

“H-Hello, I am Gongchan.” He said shyly.

“Oh! Deullie mentioned you before! You are puppy, right?” Ducky’s mum said and hugged Gongchan. “Awww… You are so cute! Even cuter than our Deullie!” Gongchan was so shy to answer her compliment.

“Umma! I am your son! How can you say that to him!” Ducky said and pouted. We laughed together.

“Gongchan, you can call us appa and umma like the other do, okay?” Ducky’s dad told Gongchan.

“Sure! Appa!” Gongchan smiled widely.

We went to the living room and Gongchan’s jaw dropped again. There were ducks decorations everywhere.

“Duck-aholic…?” Gongchan asked.

“Well, kind of.” Ducky answered and smiled embarrassedly and scratched his nape. We started to decorate the living room with some balloons.

“Chan-ah, Ducky has a warm family. His dad and mum were great parents. They treat us as their own kids as well.” He nodded. “So don't be afraid of their enthusiasm towards you, okay?” he nodded again.

“Hello!” I heard an interesting voice coming out from Baro’s mouth.

“Ahahahaha! That's what chipmunk sounds like! Just like the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks!” Ducky said and laughed.

“Wow! Baro hyung are you playing with helium? Can I play with it too?” Gongchan seemed so excited about it.
“Sure!” he gave Gongchan the balloon that filled with helium. He untied the balloon and inhaled the helium inside.

“Noona~~~~” he sang with interesting voice. OMG he is so cute! He started to say random things with this voice.

After a while, we had decorated the living room and we started the party. Ducky’s dad and mum prepared a lot of food for the party. I took out the cake from the kitchen and placed a candle on the cake and lit it.

“Ducky-oppa, happy birthday!” I said as I took the cake to living room. I knew everyone wanted me calling them oppa and they knew they couldn't force me because I am so stubborn. They heard my honorific and their eyes widened.

“Wow! Thank you my dongsaeng!” Ducky said. Everyone sang the birthday song to Ducky and he blew the candle.

“Happy Birthday Sandeul-ah!” “Be a good boy!” “Happy Birthday my best friend Deullie!” “Sandeullie hyung Happy Birthday!”

Ducky’s mum took pictures for us. Baro suddenly took the cake and pressed the whole cake towards Sandeul’s face. Sandeul took revenge immediately and kissed Baro with his creamy face. Five of them were playing with the cake happily and I took pictures of them.

“Guys, clean up a bit and eat!” I said and pushed all of them towards the washroom. They were like children when they started to play.

They cleaned and walked towards the table full of food.

“Rachel-ah, can you call me oppa again?” Sandeul grinned.

“Sure, Sandeul-oppa!” I smiled and said.

“My princess can you call me oppa as well?” Baro asked.

“No! You will hear that on 5^th September.”

“Arghh…” Baro growled. “Pleaseeee.” He suddenly started aegyo.

“Alright, alright. Just stop that aegyo. Baro-oppa!” Baro heard that and grinned.

“How about me?” Jinyoung asked. “I don't like you calling me Dr. Jung.” He pouted.

“Jinyoung-oppa!” Jinyoung hugged me.
“Stop it, you guys! Just eat now.” Boss Shinwoo said and started to eat. We ate as well.

“I am so full! Thank you for the food, appa, umma!” Baro said to them.
“Yes me too. Thank you appa, thank you umma.” Gongchan followed Baro. We all thanked them and we sat on the sofa resting.

“Should we start the present giving section?” Baro asked.

“Sure! Sandeul-oppa I bought you a rubber duck for you to bath with it!” I said and handed him a small blue gift box.

“Thank you my dongsaeng!”

“Sandeul-ah, I bought you pajama with duckling patterns!” Jinyoung said and gave Sandeul a pink shopping bag.

“I bought you a camera.” Boss Shinwoo said to Sandeul.
“Hyung I want it too!” Baro suddenly said to Boss Shinwoo.

“Alright, I will buy you one later.” Boss Shinwoo was so generous.

“Deullie, my best friend, I bought you boxers! Boxers with duck pattern!” We laughed so hard.

“Sandeullie-hyung, I am sorry…” Gongchan said and lowered his head.

“Never mind, Channie! We knew what happened so don't be sad!” Sandeul said and patted Gongchan’s shoulder. They played some card games afterwards and I went to kitchen to wash the dishes for Ducky’s dad and mum.

“Rachel, you don't need to wash for us.” Ducky’s mum came and said.

“I should help because we bothered you a lot!” I said and kept on washing.

“We would be so happy if our son could marry a girl like you.” Ducky’s appa said.

“Haha, I am sure he can find a perfect girl for him.” I said and had done washing.

“Rachel, your necklace is so pretty. I think I had seen it somewhere before!” Ducky’s mum said.

“Oh really? Auntie Boyoung sent me and told me this is mine. So I put it on everyday.” I said and went back to the boys.

“Umma, appa. We should go now. Thank you so much.” Boss Shinwoo said.

“Come again next time!” Ducky’s dad and mum liked us so much. We left and Boss Shinwoo drove all of us home.

“Look at our right. That's Baro’s house.” Baro lives with parents in a house.

“Wow! Baro-hyung lives in a big house!” Gongchan exclaimed and I felt so sorry for him to live in such a small flat with me.

“Bye Baro. Next station is… Rachel’s flat.” Boss Shinwoo drove us home.

“Thank you Boss Shinwoo. See you later!”
“Bye Shinwoo-hyung!” We waved and went home.

“Chan-ah, sit here.” I patted the seat next to me. He obeyed and sat. “Can you tell noona what happened in the past? You were so scared to see that person again.”
“Alright…” his face became paler again. I held his hands.

“Noona is here. Tell me, okay?” he nodded.

“He is one year older than me. We grew up together and he treated me like brothers. I didn't go to school but he taught everything he learnt from school everyday. His mother worked for very long time and his dad died at every early age. When he reached high school, he knew a lot of bad boys and become part of the gang.” I saw his hands shivering. “The gang told him I am not part of his family and I was just a pet for him. Whenever he brought them to home, he would trap me inside the kitchen and not letting me out. They persuaded him to punish me… I was punished whenever I didn't understand what he taught… He stopped teaching me and I had to learn from his textbook… He punched me… but no one helped me…” I saw his tears rolling down.

“Chan-ah… I am sorry…” I wiped his cheeks with my hand.

“One day, he told me to change my form… and he put some medicine into my cup of water. I was unconscious and he sent me to a restaurant. Then the waiter threw the box. And that's why I am here.” He smiled a bit but his tears kept rolling down. “Noona, you saved me. I am so grateful to have you as my noona…”
“Shhh… don't cry my dear.” I hugged him tightly and patted his back. “I won’t treat you like that person did.” He slept on my shoulder.

“Goodnight, Chan-ah.”