My Baker's Dozen

21

Chan's POV

"Woah, why is it so quiet and clean?" Mingyu hyung asked as soon as we had stepped into the house, and the four of us just looked at each other confusedly. Jihoon hyung's thirteenth birthday decorations were all gone from last week, and the hyungs were no where in sight.

"I'm getting a little nervous." Samuel said from next to me, and the two of us instinctively moved closer to each other so our shoulders were touching.

"Don't the musical practices start today?" Mingyu hyung asked, but I couldn't remember. I was too focused on studying for a test last night.

"I think so, but that would only be Jun hyung gone. He doesn't make that much noise, does he?" Wonwoo hyung questioned, and I had to think. Jun hyung can be loud, but I don't think he accounts for that much noise, or mess.

The sound of someone coming up the front steps came from behind us, and the four of us immediately dispersed around the house and hid. Wonwoo hyung locked the door just in case, and Samuel and I ran into Appa's room to hide in the closet.

"I wish Minghao hyung was here." I whispered while trying to keep myself from freaking out, and Samuel nodded. With the closet door shut, there was only a sliver of light coming through the bottom of the door, so I was stuck in a tight, dark space. Samuel curled up closer to me and put his head on my shoulder, and I tried to just focus on him.

"Chan? Samuel? Where are you? It was just the hyungs coming home." Mingyu hyung called out, and I sighed in relief. Samuel opened the closet door, and we crawled out into the light.

"Where did you guys- oh. Found them!" Jeonghan hyung called to the rest when he saw us. The three of us walked back out into the kitchen and joined the others.

"Where were you, hyungs?" Mingyu hyung asked, and Hansol hyung held up a shirt that looked new. But the chances of the three of them going out shopping were very low. Unless it was for food.

I watched Samuel walk up to the shirt and examine it while Joshua hyung smiled at me. He threw his own new shirt at me, and it landed on my head. I took it off, and immediately noticed the logo on the front pocket.

"You got jobs?" I asked, and Wonwoo hyung came over to look at the shirt in my hands.

"Does Appa know?" He questioned, and the three hyungs nodded.

"We talked about it last week with him and set rules, and today we went out to try and find jobs. But I didn't think they would hire us right away." Jeonghan hyung said with a laugh at the end, and I just stared at the logo.

"I told you not to get old, hyung." I muttered, somewhat upset that he had to go out into the world like Minseo Noona, and Jeonghan hyung came over to me and put a hand on my head.

"With the three of us working, Appa can quit one of his jobs and be home more, and maybe this way you guys can do whatever you want. Minseo Noona worked for her own college, so we're working for yours." He explained, but that only made me more upset.

"But you're only seventeen and almost sixteen. That's not fair on you guys." I muttered, but no one seemed to have heard me.

"Where are you going to be working, hyungs?" Wonwoo hyung asked, and Joshua hyung perked up.

"I'm at the florist shop down the street." Joshua hyung answered, and now the logo clicked in my head.

"Cashier at the used electronic store by where Minseo Noona worked." Hansol hyung answered, and I looked up at Jeonghan hyung to wait for his answer since he hadn't shown us his own work shirt.

"Guess." He teased mischievously, and Samuel started bouncing up and down with excitement.

"Mattress tester?" He asked excitedly, and Jeonghan hyung sighed.

"I wish." He mumbled, and Sam stopped bouncing.

"I don't know then." Samuel said, and Jeonghan hyung looked at me.

"You know the daycare center a couple minutes away?" He asked, and I thought for a second before nodding. I've seen the kids playing outside some days when we drive by.

"That's where I am." Jeonghan hyung smiled brightly, and I could tell the three of them were proud of what they were going to do. But I knew that this really was unfair, that they shouldn't feel the need to have to do this. And I couldn't help but feel like I was to blame even though they've reassured me over the years that it's not my fault.

"What's wrong, Channie?" Joshua hyung asked, and I moved myself out from underneath Jeonghan hyung's hand. I tried to think of a way to disappear into my room without anyone following me, but nothing was coming to mind.

"Nothings wrong, hyung." I mumbled, but I could tell they weren't going to buy it. At this point I didn't care if they didn't buy it, they were going to have to. And besides, I would rather not have the whole reassurance talk right now since I haven't told Samuel what I did to Mom, and I would like to spare him from that for now. They might have forgiven me, but I haven't forgiven myself.