Fate and Destiny

SIXTEEN

Their life settled in a routine within the next few weeks.  In the morning, Joy would make breakfast and made sure that both boys eat before they leave the house.  Then Sungjae goes to his office in his car while Joy and Youngjae are driven to school by Jongkook.  For Joy and Youngjae, Jongkook is their designated driver.  But, in truth, his main job is to be their bodyguard.  Aside from him, one more follows them in a separate car, while two others are posted at the school.  Sungjae doesn't want to take chances with their safety.  Joy would also prepare an extra lunchbox for Sungjae every morning.  Although this made Eunkwang and Changsub more curious about the state of his relationship with Joy, they were also thankful that Sungjae is now guaranteed to eat lunch every day.  His hyung-deul could also see changes in Sungjae's temperament.  He smiles more often and laughs freely now.  His face looks brighter.  His aura is more pleasant.  Even the people in the office who only sees him from a distance are less scared of him now.  "I just wish he would also cut his hours at the office," Eunkwang said during their regular Friday night meet-up at The Big Wave.  "And schedule our golf game on Saturdays," Changsub suggested.  All of them were already there except Sungjae, of course.  "I know what you mean, hyung. I really want to take Seulgi out on weekends," Hyunsik piped in.  "I can't meet regularly with Yeri to help her practice her photography on weekends," Peniel added.  "Wendy and I can hardly go out on weekends," Minhyuk whined.  "Yah! Yah! Am I the only without a lovelife here?" Ilhoon protested.  "Who's got a lovelife?" Sungjae asked as he entered the VIP room.  "All of you," Ilhoon complained.  "I don't have a lovelife," Sungjae denied.  "So what are you and Joy?" he asked him.  "We're Youngjae's guardians," Sungjae replied.  "What Ilhoon mean is, what are you and Joy to each other," Changsub said.  "I don't know. Housemates? It's still too early to say we're friends, but were getting there," he said.  "But she's beautiful, isn't she?" Minhyuk prompted.  "That she is. And she's very nice, too," Sungjae agreed.  "So it's not impossible to fall for her?" Peniel prodded.  "Yeah," Sungjae said without thinking.  Realizing what he just said, he quickly back-pedaled.  "I mean, it's not impossible, but I haven't fallen for her," Sungjae said a little defensively.  "Nobody said you did," Hyunsik teased, patting him playfully on the shoulder.  "So it's okay to ask her out?" Ilhoon asked.  "What?! I thought you like Irene noona?" Sungjae said in a slightly agitated voice.  "Yeah. But she shut me out. So, I guess it's time to move on," Ilhoon said, looking sideways at him.  Sungjae was speechless.  They guffawed at the panicked look on his face.  "Ilhoon's just kidding. He's still hung up on Irene," Eunkwang chuckled, taking a seat across Sungjae.  "Yup. You obviously haven't fallen for Joy," Hyunsik said amusedly when Sungjae exhaled, obviously relieved.

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It was close to 11:00PM when Sungjae arrived home.  Just like the previous nights since they moved in, he found Joy in the kitchen having tea.  "Hi!" Sungjae greeted, coming into the kitchen. He sat across her at the counter, automatically reaching for the cookie jar.  Joy smiled at his action.  "You're having a cookie but have you eaten dinner yet?" Joy said, pretending to scold him.  "Yes, eomma. Can I have a cookie now?" he joked.  "I met with the hyung-deul at the bar and we had dinner there," he told her when he saw her eyeing him dubiously.  "You always meet on Fridays?" Joy asked him.  "Yup! I always see Eunkwang hyung and Changsub hyung at the office, but not the others. Unless we set a date, we would hardly see each other because of our schedules. And we all have a share in The Big Wave, although Ilhoon hyung owns it, so we sort of talk about the business, too," he explained.  "You're really close to them," Joy observed.  "I would trust them with my life. Peniel hyung, Ilhoon hyung and I have been friends since our university days. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have finished college. I was kind of lost when Sungjin hyung left, but they kept me going. Then when I took over the company for appa, Eunkwang hyung, Minhyuk hyung, Changsub hyung and Hyunsik hyung were the ones who guided me. They taught me everything I know to successfully run the business when others would have probably let me fail. They kind of filled up some part of Sungjin hyung in my life," he told her.  "You really missed Sungjin oppa, didn't you?" Joy said.  "It was as if I lost half of me. I was devastated when Minhyuk hyung told me what happened to him. But at least we have Youngjae now. It's like a part of him has been given back to us," he said.  Sungjae took Joy's hand.  "Thank you for sharing him with us," he told her.  "It was the right thing to do. You're his family and he should grow up surrounded by the people who love him. I wouldn't begrudge him that," Joy said, automatically covering his hands with hers.  They stayed like that for a while.  It was Joy who broke the moment when she became aware of their hands clasped together.  "I'll go to bed now. Goodnight, Sungjae-ssi," she said, pulling her hands gently from his.  "Goodnight, Sooyoung," he replied.  Peniel hyung was right. It's not impossible to fall for you, Sungjae said to himself, watching her walk out of the kitchen.  He sighed, running his hand through his hair, he then headed for his own bedroom.

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In the nights that followed, Sungjae would always catch Joy in the kitchen having tea when he comes home, no matter what time.  She's been here for weeks now. Is she still adjusting or does she have insomnia? Or maybe she just really likes to drink tea before sleeping? I should ask Youngjae what's her favorite, Sungjae thought after another one of their night-time encounter in the kitchen.  Sungjae got the opportunity to talk to Youngjae on the Friday morning of that week as they waited for Joy who went to change after she spilled sauce on her skirt.  "Jaejae. Do you know what your eomma's favorite tea?" he asked him.  "Eomma usually drinks chamomile tea but she doesn't really like tea that much. She prefers coffee," Youngjae replied.  "Are you sure? I always see her drinking tea when I come home at night," Sungjae said in confusion.  "Maybe she was waiting for you. When she stayed with us in Jeju, she would always drink tea while waiting for eomma and appa to come home. She said she can't sleep until everyone's home and drinking tea helps her relax," Youngjae said candidly.  Sungjae was about to ask him again when Joy came rushing back.  "Let's go, Jaejae. We're going to be late. See you later, Sungjae-ssi," Joy said, ushering Youngjae into the car.  "Bye, appa," Youngjae said as he waved goodbye to Sungjae.  He looked at the car as it drove away.  "Was she actually waiting up for me?" Sungjae asked himself as he got into his own car.

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Youngjae's words kept coming back to him the whole day.  When he met his hyung-deul for their regular Friday night meet-up, Sungjae was still pre-occupied with the matter.  He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear Eunkwang calling him.  "Yah! Maknae!" Eunkwang said, tapping his shoulders.  "Huh?" Sungjae snapped out of his trance.  "You haven't touched your food. Is something wrong?" Eunkwang asked him worriedly.  "No. I'm fine," he said, shaking his head.  "Hyung. Does Hyolyn noona always wait up for you to come home?" Sungjae asked him.  Among them, Eunkwang and Changsub are the only ones who are in a committed relationship.  Changsub and Chorong are married, and Eunkwang and Hyolyn are living together.  "Yes," he replied, puzzled by his question.  "Every night?" Sungjae asked him again.  "Yes. Why?" Eunkwang said again.  Sungjae hissed, shaking his head.  "What's this about, Sungjae?" Minhyuk asked him.  "Wow, hyung. I've been so inconsiderate," he said.  "What are you talking about?" Peniel prompted.  "Whenever I come home, no matter how late, I would always catch Sooyoung in the kitchen having tea. At first I thought she couldn't sleep because she was still adjusting to her new surroundings. Later on, I thought it's either she's insomniac or she just like drinking tea. But this morning, when I asked Jaejae what's her favorite tea so I could buy it for her, he said she doesn't like tea that much and she only drinks it when she's waiting up for someone.  Jaejae told me she couldn't sleep unless everyone's home," Sungjae related.  "So she's been waiting up for you?" Peniel clarified.  "I think so, hyung. And I always come home late," Sungjae said, berating himself.  "I guess it's the maternal instincts kicking in," Hyunsik said.  "She sees me as her child?" Sungjae asked him.  "No. I mean, it's a woman's caring nature. They want to make sure that the people they care about, or at least the people who matter in their lives, are always safe," Hyunsik explained.  "Seulgi can't sleep unless I let her know I'm already home. So I make it a point to text or call her the minute I step inside my apartment," he added.  "Same. Wendy freaks out if I don't let her know once I'm home," Minhyuk shared.  "Chorong wants me to text her when I leave one place and when I arrive at another. She said she just wants to be sure I got there safely," Changsub piped in.  "Me, too. Or else I'll get an earful from Hyolyn when I get home," Eunkwang agreed.  "Yeri, too," Peniel said.  Looking at his watch, Sungjae saw it was barely 8:00PM.  "I gotta go, hyung," Sungjae said, rushing out of the room.  "YAH! DRIVE CAREFULLY!" Ilhoon yelled after him.  "Wow! I wish I have someone to bother me with updates like you, guys," Ilhoon said, shaking his head.  Ilhoon jumped from surprise when his hyung-deul yelled, "THEN CALL IRENE!" at him.