Double Trouble | Min Yoongi

Chapter 23

Early Wednesday morning was of infectious giggles resonating throughout the interiors, soft thumps of rushed footsteps against the wooden floors, and occasional reminders to be careful from mouths framed with curled lips.

The humble bakery downtown hadn't exactly been this lively for as long as Geum Boyeon could remember, not at this hour when six in the morning meant a 'CLOSED' signage hung outside the glass doors and silence whilst waiting for the ovens to ding amidst the quiet atmosphere inside for the past twelve years.

A thud followed by a squeal, breaking into another series of laughter and creaking of chairs erupted from the distance.

"Now kids, be careful. You might hurt yourselves," Boyeon warned, shaking her head with amusement for the umpteenth time.

"Jiwon-unnie! He's over there!"

"Yah! I got you this time!"

More chaos emerged within the bakery's interiors. Ovens dinged like it usually did except now, it wasn't the only sound that drew attention.

"Uhh... shouldn't they be cleaning up by now?"

"Don't worry, son," a gruff, masculine voice answered the question which was initially rhetoric. "There's still an hour before opening."

Min Yoongi turned at Beomsu who had just trudged out of the kitchen, balancing a baking pan with a single gloved hand. The wrinkles on his face and arms contrasted his vigor whilst he adeptly carried his task.

"My daughters will come down in a while to help," Beomsu added as he arranged the pastries on the glass cabinet. He raised his brows meaningfully at Yoongi before heading back to the kitchen.

Yoongi's attention shifted back to Jiwon. She was leaning on a table with her palm, the other clasped on her mouth suppressing her laughter. Marks of flour still lingered on her face as well as her hair from earlier's helping behind the kitchen doors.

Ayumi ran up to Jiwon and as the latter dashed away, she was met with Hansung. Not wanting to clash with the boy, she spread her arms instead, welcoming him into a hug, and because of the height gap and the sudden halt, she lost her balance.

The children giggled at their downfall — Hansung sitting on Jiwon's lap and Ayumi hugging Jiwon on the neck from behind.

Meanwhile, Yoongi was occupied with their little sister Yuki, fast asleep on his lap. He'd shift in his seat from time to time, heedful as not to wake the sleeping child. He wasn't sure how the child ended up in his care, but considering the turn of events from the moment they stepped inside the bakery too early for his liking, it didn't surprise him anymore.

"So..." Boyeon's voice snapped Yoongi out of his trance. Didn't even notice when she had been close to him. "I take it that you're her fiancé?"

Yoongi meekly nodded and warmth filled the elder's expression.

"The first time she told me about you, I knew right away that you are a kind person," said Boyeon and sat on the empty chair beside Yoongi. "Whenever Jiwon comes here, she only talks about nice things. Even when she's obviously hurt and feeling down, she'd never talk about it. At first, I wanted her to open up, but my brother Bomseu didn't allow me. I didn't understand back then, but now I realized it's because he wanted her to have a place where there's no room for her worries.