Growing Together

Chapter 8

The sound of the bells announcing a new customer had Sun looking up from the table he was currently cleaning. He was about to say that the shop was closed for the day until he saw who it was.

Rain had rushed into the shop and was hurriedly locking the store behind him. "Weren't you going with Mork to see Kao?" He asked looking at his brother a little amused. Just what exactly was he doing back here?

"I was but I ran into Pete," He said peeking out the window of the door to make sure the man had not followed him.

"Pete?" Sun repeated as the smile faded from his face. He hadn't heard that name since the last time Pete had been here at the café. "Kao's Pete?"

"Yeah, that Pete. I was going to Kao's house to pick up his pudding from Mrs.Karn and that's where I found Pete. I couldn't cause a scene since she walked us out." Rain had hurriedly explained as he peeked out the crack of the blinds only to see the lights of Pete's car turn into their driveway. "Shit! You didn't see me, okay P'?" Rain said rushing away towards the back door with the pudding tightly cradled in his arms.

"Rain!" Sun had called out after him as the frown on his face deepened just watching Rain stumble around the tables. "Ey, Rain?!" He called again but his brother had just hurried out just as quickly as he had come. 'What was up with him?' was what he had wondered to himself, but who knew he would actually get an answer to that.

"Rain!" Pete's angry voice stopped Sun from even trying to chase after his own brother. "I know you are there, Rain! Open the door!"

Sun could only sigh as he put the cloth down on the table he had just been cleaning. If he didn't open the door soon, he was sure it would end up breaking off its hinges with how much Pete was banging on it.

"I'm opening the door, alright?" Sun had said, getting the person on the other side to stop long enough for him to open the door. The moment that it was open though, Sun had just calmly moved out of the way and let Pete come in.

"Where is Rain?" Pete asked turning his attention to Sun. He still didn't entirely like the elder man. Even if he was dating Mork now. It was hard to forget that he had once had so openly chased after Kao, and because of it, Pete couldn't bring himself to like him all that much more than he had.

"He left," Sun said closing the door once more. He wasn't surprised at all that Pete had not believed him. "I'm telling you he left," Sun repeated as he followed Pete around the café assuring him that Rain was indeed not behind the counter, nor in the kitchen, and much less the bathroom.

However,it wasn't until Pete was heading to the stairwell that Sun had to stop him. "I'm telling you he's not here, Pete!" He said more sternly.  Sun wasn't one to resort to physical means, but someone like Pete needed to physically be stopped in order for things to sink into that thick head of his.

Pete's brows had only furrowed as he pushed Sun's hand off his shoulders, "He has to be, I saw him come in. Where else would he be?!"

If he had to guess, he would say Mork's place, but he wouldn't tell Pete that with how agitated he was at the moment. Besides, Mork would not be as calm as he was when it came to dealing with someone like Pete. Especially with Kao being there. He didn't even want to imagine how it would go if the two happen to butt heads. After all, his Mork was not a patient person when dealing with people like Pete. "You need to calm down, you can't just come to someone else's work and behave like this," Sun said letting his hands come to rest back at his sides. "What do you even want with Rain, anyways that you had to chase him all the way here?"

"I don't want anything with Rain. It's Kao I want to see," Pete had scoffed letting his hand run through his hair as if it would help him calm down. "Shit..."Pete had cursed under his breath. 'That fucking brat got away!' Pete thought, but looking at Sun once more had Pete putting his hands down. "Your Kao's friend," he said matter-a-factly, "You should know where I can find him too."

An 'Ah' had escaped from Sun. Now he understood why Rain was running from him. "Is that why you're harassing Rain? Because you want to see Kao?"

"I'm not harassing him," Pete had said frowning.

"What am I supposed to think, when you're coming in here like that then?" Sun said, before quickly saying. "I get you want to see Kao, but you have to understand this is now how you go about it."

"Look, I'm sorry, but I really need to see Kao. I need to apologize to him,"Pete confessed. He hadn't lied to Mrs. Karn. He truly wanted to set things right with Kao.

"I believe you," Sun said letting a small smile slip onto his lips. Pete truly seemed to be serious about this. "I wish I could help you, Pete, but I can't. Kao was really hurt by you, and right now he doesn't want to see you."

"I know that!" Pete said gritting his teeth. It didn't make him feel any less guilty knowing the trio knew about his business. He felt embarrassed to even show his face to them, but they were the only things standing in between him and Kao. "I know, Kao's upset with me, but I have to make it right. I want to be with him and the baby." He said as his voice fell a little quiet when he mentioned their baby.

Sun hadn't missed it, but he also didn't judge Pete. After all, he had come to know the Pete Kao saw through Kao's words. Pete was insecure about these things, and the way people would view him if they knew about it. Kao had told him one too many times, for him not to see it now.

"I understand that, but right now isn't a good time. Mork will never allow you to enter even if I take you. Besides, Kao is not in the best state to deal with all of this." Sun said as he dug his wallet out of his back pocket.

"Is something wrong with Kao?" Pete asked worriedly, not being able to hide the full extent of his concern for him.

"He's fine, the doctor put him on bed rest. He wants him to take it easy these last few weeks," He said pulling the ultrasound picture Mork had given him to take care of for him because he didn't want the guys from school prying into it. "Here, the doctor gave Mork a spare." Mork was going to be angry knowing he was giving it away, but Pete was the baby's actual dad.

Pete had taken the picture and one look at it had him looking back at Sun, "Thanks, P'." He said with honest gratitude as a smile had tugged at his lips when he turned towards the picture once more.

"Hm," Sun had hummed, before patting Pete's shoulder.