Fate and Destiny

THIRTY TWO

Their group's Christmas celebration that year was, by far, the happiest and noisiest since there are more of them now.  During the previous years, Hyolyn, Chorong and Irene are the only adult females.  But this year, their number doubled with the addition of Joy, Seulgi, Wendy and Yeri.  There are more children this year, too.  Aside from Youngjae, Peniel's nephews, Jaden and Jaxon who came from the US for a vacation, are also there.  Yoona, Aera and Hyunsik's niece Hyunseung, completed the children's group.  After their meal, the children went back inside the house to play, while the adults remained outside to exchange gifts while chatting over wine.  "Joy. You got it back!" Irene said excitedly, noticing the blue butterfly pendant against her sweater.  "This? No. It's a different one. This is a gift from Sungjae oppa," Joy casually replied, touching the pendant.  Yeri nudged Wendy, discreetly pointing to her the scarf that Sungjae is wearing around his neck.  They both know, as well as Irene and Seulgi that, aside from baking and cooking, Joy also likes to knit.  "That's a pretty scarf, Sungjae," Wendy commented.  "Sooyoung made it for me," Sungjae bragged, smoothing the scarf against his chest, revealing the wrist watch and personalized bracelet he was wearing.  "Wait! Is that the same bracelet as Joy unnie's?" Yeri asked, noticing that Joy was wearing one when she touched the necklace that Sungjae gave her.  "And you're also wearing his-and-hers wristwatches, I see," Seulgi remarked.  "Couple items?" Hyolyn pried teasingly.  "It's not. The watch is a gift from his parents. The bracelet is the same as the one Youngjae bought for Yoona as Christmas gift," Joy quickly explained.  "It looked nice so I had one made for the three of us. Youngjae also has one," Sungjae added.  "So why did you give her the necklace? Does it have a special meaning?" Chorong prodded.  "Unnie!" Joy protested, her cheeks red from embarrassment.  "I was looking for a Christmas gift for her and Jaejae happened to mention that she used to have a necklace like that given to her by her eomma, but she had to part with it. So, I thought it would be the perfect gift," Sungjae explained.  "Ohhh!" their friends chorused with a taunting expression.  "You, guys, are crazy," Joy said, getting up from her seat.  "Where are you going, Joyie?" Ilhoon badgered her.  "The washroom," she replied, stomping inside, making the others chuckle.  "Oh! We still have the bunggeoppang that Joy made," Chorong remembered.  "We'll get it, unnie," Yeri volunteered, pulling Seulgi and Wendy with her.  "Give some to the kids, too," Hyolyn said.  The three gave her the thumbs up as they went inside.  "You really have a nice view here," Irene commented to Chorong, looking at the hills.  "Yeah, but the view at Eunkwang oppa and Hyolyn unnie's house is better," Chorong replied.  "Maybe you should all get a home here," Hyolyn suggested.  "Well, I wouldn't mind living here. The air is fresh and the climate is cooler," Peniel said.  "Not to mention the neighborhood is nice and peaceful," Minhyuk said.  "If we all get a house here, we can do a regular weekend get together like this since we'll all be living close to each other," Hyunsik commented.  "Sungjae is already planning to buy one here," Changsub said casually.  "Really? But you already have a house," Ilhoon said to Sungjae, exchanging looks with the older brothers.  "Well, like what Minhyuk hyung said, it's a nice neighborhood. I thought it would be good place to raise Jaejae here," he explained.  "Wow, maknae. You're beginning to sound like a dad," Minhyuk observed.  "Well, I'm practically am, since I have Jaejae to raise," Sungjae said.  "A dad without a mom?" Peniel teased.  "You're planning your life around him. Don't you plan to get married and have kids of your own?" Hyunsik asked him.  "We already asked him that," Eunkwang quipped.  "And like what I already said, I will only get married when I meet a girl who would love Jaejae as much as I do," Sungjae reiterated.  "And you haven't met one yet?" Yeri asked him in disbelief.  She, Seulgi and Wendy returned just in time to hear Sungjae's claim.  "Not yet," he replied.  "Are you sure?" Irene asked him, looking at Joy as she came back out.  Sungjae nodded.  "Well, then. We'll pray that you find her soon," Wendy said with slight sarcasm, making the others chuckle.  "Find who?" Joy asked, having no idea of their topic.  "Sungjae's future wife," Seulgi said caustically.  "Oh!" Joy reacted innocently, earning an eye-roll from everyone except Sungjae.  "What about you, Joy? Don't you want to get married?" Minhyuk asked her.  "I do. But I need to find a guy who would love Jaejae like his own first," Joy said.  "And you haven't found one?" Ilhoon asked curiously.  "Nope," Joy replied.  "So, you and Sungjae want to marry a person who will love Youngjae as much as you both do?" Changsub asked rhetorically.  "Yes!" Joy and Sungjae confirmed in unison.  "Do you think you'll ever meet someone like that?" Irene asked them sardonically.  "I honestly don't know, noona. Almost everyone wants a partner who is totally single," Sungjae replied.  "True. All the guys I've met before literally ran away after they learned about Jaejae," Joy said.  "They are all jerks. Jaejae is a great kid," Sungjae quipped.  "I agree," said Joy, high-fiving Sungjae.  "So if I never meet someone like that, I'll just stay single forever," Joy declared.  "Me, too. Jaejae will always be our top priority," Sungjae agreed.  "So you two will never get married, if ever?" Peniel asked ironically.  "Never!" Joy and Sungjae vowed.  All their friends groaned inwardly at their declaration.  "Appa! Eomma!" Youngjae yelled, coming out of the house with Jaden and Jaxon.  While Sungjae and Joy were talking with the three boys, their friends carried on a hushed conversation with each other.  "Seriously? Don't they realize that the person they're looking for is already in front of them?" Yeri wondered.  "If I whack the heads of these two, do you think they'll see sense?" Wendy asked in frustration.  "Or we can lock them in a room until they come to their senses," Seulgi suggested.  "Patience, kids. I'm sure they'll realize it eventually," Hyolyn advised.  "And if they don't, we can always knock their heads together," Irene suggested.  "I agree," Chorong said.  "Just tell us what your plan is and we'll help you," Ilhoon offered.  "Yeah. Just tell us," Peniel confirmed.  "But it has to be a well-thought out plan," Minhyuk advised.  "It has to be a fool-proof plan," Hyunsik emphasized.  "Or Sungjae will kill us all," Changsub shuddered.  "Nope. Just us. He'll spare his noona-deul and Yeri," Eunkwang clarified.  Just then, Peniel's phone rang.  "Excuse me, guys. I've got to take this," Peniel said before answering the call.  Meanwhile, Youngjae is asking permission from Sungjae and Joy.  "Appa. Eomma. Can Jaden and Jaxon sleep over? I want to show them the toys I got from harabeoji and halmeoni," Youngjae said.  "Sure. But we need to ask permission from their parents' first," Sungjae replied just as Peniel returned.  "That was Jennifer noona. They're going to her in-law's house tonight so I need to bring the two kids home early," Peniel said gesturing to his nephews.  "Samchon. Can't Jade and Jaxon stay a little longer?" Youngjae asked Peniel.  "Sorry, pal. But their mom wants them home now," Peniel told him.  Jaden and Jaxon tearfully protested when they heard Peniel's words.  "Aunt Yeri," the two boys tearfully said as they went to her side.  "Uncle Peniel wouldn't let us stay," Jaden complained.  "Uncle Peniel would love to let you stay a while longer, but your mom already called and asked him to bring you home now," Yeri explained, putting an arm around each child to console them.  "But we still want to play with Youngjae hyung," Jaxon whined.  "I know. But you also have to visit your harabeoji and halmeoni today because it's Christmas. I'm sure they miss the two of you, too, so they want to see you," Yeri explained.  "Hyung, when are they going back to the US?" Sungjae asked Peniel when he saw Youngjae's disappointment.  "Day after New Year. Why?" Peniel said.  "I think they are planning a sleepover with Jaejae. But the thing is, we're going on a trip day after tomorrow and we'll be back in the afternoon of New Year's day," Sungjae explained.  "So, there's no way for them to do the sleepover," Peniel sighed.  Seeing three unhappy faces looking at them, Sungjae tried to think of a solution.  "What if we visit Jaden and Jaxon in the US, instead? We can go during your summer vacation," Sungjae suggested to Youngjae.  "That's a great idea. I can also go with you," Peniel agreed.  "But appa, I don't have a passport," Youngjae reminded him.  "We'll get you one after the holidays. And we can renew your eomma's as well," Sungjae said.  "Really?" Youngjae asked.  "Really. And then we can all go to Disneyland, if you want," Sungjae promised.  Youngjae, Jaden and Jaxon looked at each other with wide smiles before answering.  "Okay!" the three boys chorused happily.  Having averted a temper-tantrum, Peniel and Yeri left with the two boys.  "We should go, too, hyung. We still need to pack for our trip," Sungjae said, turning to Changsub.  "So where are you going this year?" Minhyuk asked.  "Jeju," Sungjae replied.  "Not overseas?" Ilhoon was surprised.  "Not this year. Jaejae doesn't have a passport yet and Sooyoung's expired," Sungjae explained.  "Why Jeju?" Hyunsik asked curiously.  "Jaejae's suggestion. He and Sooyoung haven't been able to visit hyung and noona in the past years, so they're taking this chance," Sungjae said.  "What did samchon say?" Changsub asked.  "He and eomma agreed. They've been planning to go there anyway to get hyung's and noona's ashes. They just didn't get around to doing it. Since we're going there, I'll try to make the arrangements to transfer them here. Hopefully, we can bring them with us when we come home. That way, we can visit them anytime we want," Sungjae explained.  "Actually, appa is more excited than Jaejae. Aside from the possibility of bringing hyung and noona home, he'll get to use the bait-reel we got for him sooner than he planned. We're going to teach Jaejae to fish," Sungjae grinned.  "I think samchon and imo would agree to go wherever Youngjae chooses as long as they can spend time with him," Eunkwang chuckled.  "True! Jaejae has brought so much laughter to us. And eomma is doubly happy because now, she can do the, quote-unquote, mom-and-daughter stuff she had always wanted with Sooyoung," Sungjae agreed.  "Glad to hear that," Eunkwang said.  While the men were talking, the women were having a conversation of their own.  "So, Joy. How's your first Christmas with the Yooks, so far?" Wendy asked.  "A culture shock? Attending a big company Christmas party, receiving expensive gifts, going on a vacation before the New Year, talking about a trip to the US. These are all firsts for me. I mean, I'm happy for Youngjae but I feel like a free-loader getting all these things because I'm his guardian," Joy admitted.  "I'm not even sure if the Yooks really want me there or if they're just including me because they don't have a choice," Joy added.  "Of course they want you to be there. They like you," Seulgi said with conviction.  "How can you be so sure?" Joy asked her.  "Because the Yooks are not the type to beat around the bush. If they don't like you, you'll know. Regardless of who you are," Irene said.  "Remember Jennie?" she added, turning to Hyolyn and Chorong.  "Who's she?" Joy, Wendy and Seulgi asked in unison.  "She's the daughter of a businessman who wanted a partnership with Yook Industries. And a huge flirt. She flirted with Sungjae but he turned her down flat. You'd think she'll stop there, but she persisted. During one of the events at the company, she tried again. This time, it was imo who shut her down. She told Jennie that she already has someone in mind for Sungjae and she's not it," Chorong recounted with amusement.  "Sweet but savage! That's what imo is. So you shouldn't worry, because they really like you," Hyolyn assured her.  "So who's the girl Mrs. Yook chose for Sungjae?" Wendy asked curiously.  "No one. She just said that to slam that tramp," Hyolyn said haughtily.  "Unnie!" the other women yelled, laughing at her bluntness.  "What?! I was just being honest," Hyolyn justified with a chuckle.