My Baker's Dozen

70

Hoshi's POV

"Kazen, we're not going outside right now. Maybe later when your other uncles get here." I tried to bargain with the one year old, but he just stared at me and kept trying to reach for the door knob.

"Look, Uncle Hoshi!" I turned around to see Jaehea had just built a tower out of blocks. I didn't originally think that staying home with the two of them would be a lot of work, but Kazen keeps whining because I won't let him go outside and Jaehea doesn't want to go outside. It's not like I can be in both places at once.

You holding up okay, Hosh?

Sure.

"I think someone's here." Jaehea exclaimed as she stood up from the floor to run to the window and look outside. I picked up Kazen so he wasn't close to the door and set him on the couch. Nobody was supposed to be coming home anytime soon from the hospital, and the Uncles don't drive that small of a car.

"Jaehea, why don't you and Kazen go hide and I'll try to find you? But you have to stay where you are and be quiet until I find you, okay?" Thinking she was only playing an innocent game, she took her little brother and practically dragged him down the hallway so they could hide.

Whoever pulled into the driveway knocked on the door, and I peeked through the curtain to see who it was. He seemed somewhat familiar to me. Maybe I've seen him somewhere before, but I can't remember his name.

"Is Minseo here?" He asked through the door, and I froze.

"No. Who are you?" I crept closer to the door and tried to think if the China hyungs had an extra pair of nunchucks somewhere.

"An old friend." I hesitantly opened the door and I could only hope the littles were going to stay in their hiding place. Seeing him up closer he looked even more familiar to me, and a name suddenly came to my mind.

"Taemin hyung, what are you doing here?" He seemed somewhat pleased that I had remembered his name, but the real question was whether or not he remembered mine. I doubt he would.

"I just wanted to catch up with Minseo and explain some things with her. Do you know where she is?" He tried to look past me and into the house even though I've already told him she wasn't here. This man seemed kind of desperate.

"Too much went on for you to ever catch up with her fully, and too much is going on. You've been gone too long, hyung.  You're lucky if Mark hyung doesn't flip out on you when he knows you've been looking for her." I wasn't dense. I could tell he wanted to confess feelings to her after explaining why he's been gone so long and why he was such a jerk to her. But he wasn't there as a friend when it mattered, and I don't want him here now.

"Im Mark? The silent nerd? Why would he flip out on me?" I started looking at him like he's crazy, and he might as well be.

"Because he's her husband. Listen Taemin hyung, now is a really bad time-"

"She's married?" I sighed. How much would it take for this guy to catch a hint.

"And twenty-seven. Did you seriously think she would still be single by now?" He paused and that gave me the only answer I needed.

"Uncle Hoshi, when are you going to find us?" I closed my eyes and took a deep breath when I saw Jaehea in my peripheral vision. I should have known she wasn't going to stay put that long.

"In a second, Bubbly. Why don't you go back to your hiding place?" She nodded with a smile and ran back to wherever she had been.

"That's her kid. She's married and has a kid." Taemin hyung seemed to space out in front of me, and I didn't have the heart to tell him she had two.

"Yes, yes she does. Now again, this is possibly the worst time you could have come back for her. I don't know if you need closure or anything with my older sister, but now is not the time."

"The worst time? What happened? Is she okay?" If he doesn't leave soon Officer Jade is going to be investigating a whole other murder.

"Minseo Noona's fine. She's not the one hurt. But if you could please leave my brothers are coming home soon and I have to watch my niece." I was trying my hardest to keep my patience and not be rude, but he's pushing it.

"Maybe one of your brothers could help me then. There's, what, eight of you total?" I had forgotten Minseo Noona cut contact with him before Jihoonie was born. He probably doesn't even know about Mom.

"There hasn't been eight of us for a long time, and I really don't think they will. Maybe another time." I tried to shut the door on him, but he stuck his hand out and stopped me.

"Please. I really need to tell her how sorry I am. I was a jerk only because I was around other trainees from the company I was in and I needed to be on a good note with them. Just tell me where she is and I'll leave." In a small gap behind Taemin hyung I could see a police car pull up and Minghao hyung step out.

"What's going on, Hoshi?" A police officer whom I assume to be Officer Jade stepped out of the car, and the two of them approached Taemin hyung.

"All I want is to see Minseo, Hansol?" What the heck man?

"I am not Hansol hyung, but I think you need to leave. It's a very bad time for you to want to see her." I saw Officer Jade put her hand on something on her belt as they walked closer to us, and I couldn't think of two better people to have shown up. I haven't even met Officer Jade and I already like her.

"Sir, do I need to escort you off the premises?"

"No, I'll leave." Taemin hyung hung his head as he walked to his car, and I sighed in relief when he drove away.

"I didn't think you were coming home, hyung." Minghao hyung smiled and walked past me into the house. I opened the door wider for the police officer and she politely walked in.

"It wasn't the original plan, but I figured I could switch places with you since Jun said you were home with the littles. Oh yeah, Officer Jade, this is Hoshi." I bowed in front of the brown haired lady, and she returned the action.

"Well good luck finding the two of them. I told them to hide when Taemin hyung pulled in." Minghao hyung sighed and started walking down the hallway to find the littles. It wasn't long before I heard Jaehea's high pitched scream followed by laughter.

"Found them!"