Serving 5: Chapter 7 - "Nudity and Mornings"
Title: "Nudity and Mornings"
Series: Serving 5
Author: Vangelynn
Rating: G
Pairings: DaeRi and TopRi
Genre: Un-attempted Humor, Fluff in this chapter
Summary: After many failed attempts, Big Bang finally get themselves a new housekeeper. But what they find isn’t exactly what they expected. As they adjust to the new twenty-year-old-student house keeper, they find themselves out of their own element. Although some may not notice it and continue with their own lives, others take things too seriously. Read and discover what it's like to be Serving 5. (Pfft....Never believe my summaries X_X It's much better than this)
Diclaimer: I own all other characters but Big Bang.
A/N: First ever fan fic. I was challenged(forced) by some of you guys to start writing one. This plot in particular was in my head for quite a while, four months to be exact.
Chapter 1: "The Phone, the Phone is Ringing"
Chapter 2: "Sarang?"
Chapter 3: "Meet the Neighbors, Find a Rival"
Chapter 4: "Table Talk"
Chapter 5: "Dad, Mom, and Seungri"
Chapter 6: "Happy Birthday, Youngbae"
Warning: Skim-beta-ed; there has to be mistakes some where >__> inform me if you see any
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Youngbae’s tank slowly soaked in with the routine of life in the apartment. Jiyong was still going around complaining to Seunghyun, who was the only one who would stay long enough to hear (not listen), that the younger three spent too much time in front of the aquarium. They were starting to like it more than television and the computer. To Jiyong that was a threat.
“It’s eating up their brains!” Jiyong said to Seunghyun, who was nodding absently as he tried to beat Youngbae’s score in a game that had been his life for the past week. He stopped when it was loading and looked at the leader. “Doesn’t television and internet already do that?”
“That’s different! It’s technology. It was made to eat our brains. These are fish that I’m talking about!”
“Mhm.” Seunghyun dismissed it from his thoughts and concentrated on the game.
Youngbae loved his fish just as much as Nohrae. The bird didn’t seem to mind, since it was interested in the creatures too.
Youngbae even established their personalities. Daesung the flat yellow one was quiet and liked to hide and stay away from the others. Seunghyun and Seungri, which turned out to be closer than he thought, stayed by each other’s side constantly. They flicked and flinched simultaneously. Jiyong the rock was starting to rust. Whish was extremely surprising since it was made of plastic. Sarah, which was now ‘Sarang’ because of Seungri insisted on it, was the jewel of the aquarium. Its blue scales shinned as it swam and it’s long tail fanned into the water so elegantly that it seemed to be part of the current.
“Sarang-noona, guess what.”
Sarah dumped another pair of jeans into the washing machine. “What Seungri?”
“Did you know that the Seunghyun fish and Seungri fish are a couple?” Seungri leaned on the dryer and looked at Sarah intently.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. The Seunghyun fish is the husband and the Seungri fish is the wife. See, Noona? I told you that Seungri could be a girl’s name.”
Sarah shook her head smiling and glanced at the maknae’s grin. She picked up a bright colored shirt from the laundry pile and inspected it from the back. “This looks delicate.”
“Oh, that’s Jiyong-hyung’s,” Seungri said. “But I wore it yesterday.”
Sarah stretched the fabric under her hand and felt it. “Should this be dry-cleaned? I think I can put this in with the rest.”
“I dunno. Noona, check the label.”
“There is no label.” She laid it down for later and added more clothes into the washer. “Seungri, can you get your hyung? I need to ask him about that shirt.”
She started the washer and watched the cycle shake side ways as the water poured from the side like a waterfall.
“He’s in the shower, Noona.”
“Then get him later.”
“Oh, it’s ok, Noona. I know a way to get him out!” Before Sarah could stop him Seungri grabbed the knob of the washer and cranked it to high.
A scream sounded down the hall from the bathroom and into the laundry room. The pattering they heard from the shower stopped abruptly. An eye blink later Jiyong was standing in front of them, a towel around his waist and dripping wet. He was somewhat intimidating. His exposed abs were extremely fine, but his face was a different story. His soaked hair that still had traces of shampoo was shading his eyes, which were on fire. Literally on fire. He caught the culprit. “You!”
Seungri backed away and waved his hands in denial. “No, Hyung, I-” Jiyong’s wet hand grabbed the maknae’s arm, damping his sleeve. “Noona, tell him!”
Jiyong looked at Sarah, who was taken back, since she really hadn’t done anything. “Erm,” she reached for the shirt behind her meekly. “Does this have to be dry-cleaned?”
Jiyong let go of Seungri. The maknae shook his arm to check if his blood was still running, as Jiyong spoke. He scratched the back of his damp head. “Aigsh, you two, really!” He went to leave and resume his shower. “No, it doesn’t have to be dry-cleaned.”
The shower started running again momentarily. Seungri sat on a high stool as he gaped at Sarah, who added the shirt to the load. “Wah, Noona, I though he’d get mad, ‘cause he usually kills us if we take his hot water. And I know he doesn’t like you either.”
Before Sarah could reply Seungri popped a question. “Noona, how come you and Jiyong-hyung can’t get along?”
Sarah thought for a while, trying to think up an answer that would make Seungri think and possibly shut up for a while. “Well,” she said. “You know how people were made to love each other? There are people who were made to not get along. Like us and the Manyeo.”
“But, Noona,” Seungri said unsatisfied with the answer. “What about those dramas where this guy and girl fight a lot and then they end up together?”
Sarah sighed and slid the empty basket into the corner. “A drama is fiction just on television. It’s unlikely to ever happen in real life. For example. What’s that popular drama that’s been showing recently? The one with the high school and there are these four guys…”
“Boys Over Flowers!” Seungri suddenly went alive. “I love that drama! Especially the episode when they went to the island and Jandi and Jihoo kissed and Junpyo got really mad. But Daesung-hyung won’t let me watch it. He says it’s too violent.”
Sarah opened her mouth to continue her point.
“Noona, what’s your favorite F4 member?”
“…Yijung?”
“Yeah, a lot of the noonas like him because he’s cute. My favorite is Woobin. I used to like Kim Hyunjoong-hyung until I found out about his plastic nose.” He looked up at Sarah from his seat. “Did you hear about Solbi’s plastic surgery?”
“I-”
“She looks like a cream puff now. Jiyong-hyung said that you must have done something to your eyes, since he says only Seunghyun-hyung is born with those eyes. Why do people get plastic surgery, Noona?”
“Because they think that their-” Wait. How on earth did they end up talking about this? What had they been talking about? Sarah had to escape before anything else came from the maknae. “I’ll tell you later, Seungri. I have to pick up the mail now.”
She left the maknae on the stool blinking as she left. He shrugged his shoulders. “I wonder what Youngbae-hyung is doing…”
As Sarah sorted the mail on the kitchen table, she reveled in the sudden peace she had. Weekends weren’t always the quietest days in the apartment. She put Jiyong’s letter in Daesung’s pile absently. It had already been two weeks of housekeeping and already it felt like she had been there forever. Not that it was tiring, it was fun in a sense, but she was afraid that the job was growing on her. She had a subtle feeling that she was enjoying it too much. What would she do if she lost her job?
Youngbae came in with an empty bowl, which had been heaped with leftovers from last night, and Seungri following him like a shadow.
“Gosh, Hyung, don’t just leave it in the sink. Wash it for once. Don’t let Sarang-noona do all the work.”
Youngbae hunched his shoulders and squirted the washing liquid on his bowl. “I was just about to do that.”
“Hyung!” Seungri adjusted the faucet. “Don’t use too much water!”
Sarah took no notice of them, since her ears had already grown use to hearing background bickering. She sighed as she laid another letter down on Jiyong’s pile. She felt a pang of pity for the others when she realized that Jiyong’s pile was considerably larger than the others. Oh, Noona, that’s because the bills are signed under his name. Seungri had told her. But still she felt some sympathy for them. Especially, Daesung; his was the smallest.
“Seungri, will you go away!” Youngbae tried to shoo the maknae as he sat down beside Sarah. Seungri pulled up a chair and squeezed in between the two.
“Noona, what are you doing?”
“Sorting…”
“Hey, Sarah.”
“Mm?” She looked up from a frilly pink letter and at Youngbae.
“We were going to have a picnic outing tomorrow and Manager gave us half the day off. I was kinda wondering if you could-”
“Cook?”
“No, Noona!” Seungri’s head blocked Youngbae’s face as he spoke. “If you could come along!”
Sarah went back to distributing the mail. “You know I’m always off on Sundays and it’s the only day I’m free. I’m busy.”
“Aww, Noona, busy doing what?”
Youngbae elbowed the maknae. “Yah, she has a life too.” He looked at her, understanding completely. “It’s okay if you can’t go. Jiyong-hyung asked me to ask you. He’s the one that wanted you to come along.”
Sarah stopped halfway from adding a letter to Daesung’s neglected pile. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Seungri said. “He said we needed someone to carry the supplies.”
Sarah almost ruined Daesung’s pile by smacking the letter on the table. Kwon Jiyong was such a pain even when he wasn’t around.
The doorbell rang.
Youngbae was immediately volunteered by Seungri to answer it. He got up reluctantly and went to the door. Before he touched the knob Jiyong came running up behind him like a bullet.
“Outta my way!” He knocked the hunk of muscles down as he rushed to answer the door with his free hand. The other was drying his hair with a towel.
A deliveryman was standing outside with a package by his feet. He looked at Jiyong who was obliviously flicking water at him with the towel. “Kwon Jiyong?”
“Yep!”
He handed him a billboard. “I have a package for you. Can you sign here please?”
“Sure.” Jiyong took the form as the deliveryman picked up the package.
“HOMFG,” The man grunted under his breath when he felt the incredible weight of the package almost drag him down.
“Can you hold this?” Jiyong slung his towel over the suffering deliveryman’s head. Now with his writing hand free Jiyong went to signing the form more conveniently. He stopped after a few seconds and tapped his foot thoughtfully, looking at his signature, and torturing the deliveryman. He stared at the mouth-less smiley face beside his signature.
“Should I use a happy face? I was upset this morning. So I could use a frowning face. But then I didn’t feel too bad after that so I could use a line as the mouth.”
“Please hurry up,” the deliveryman said, his legs ready to give into the weight.
“But I’m happy now,” Jiyong said drawing a curve under the doted eyes. “Because I got my package. Here you go!”
They traded items. Jiyong took the package eagerly, the weight having no effect on him. He didn’t have to worry about it. He handed it to Youngbae, who just managed to get himself back on his feet.
“Hmph!” Youngbae nearly fell over from the weight. “Yah, what the heck is in here?”
“Tsk, stop complaining,” Jiyong rummaged the kitchen drawer for something pointy. “Set it on the kitchen table.”
Before Sarah could protest Youngbae set the dusty package down with a thump on the clean table. She moved the mail away as Jiyong found a pair of scissors.
Seungri was jumping from excitement as he hovered over the box. “Oh, Hyung, what is it?”
“Just wait and see.”
Daesung wandered in. “What are you guys doing?” He peered over Jiyong’s shoulder curiously. “This looks interesting.”
Jiyong used the sharp end of the scissors to cut through the tape that was sealed on the edges.
“Yah! Who forgot to flush?” Seunghyun yelled, as he came in the kitchen, looking for someone to confront. He stopped when he saw them crowding around the table. A sense of interest stroked him as he pushed Seungri aside to see.
Jiyong sliced through the line of type allowing access inside. Even Nohrae, who had wondered where everyone went, flew over to see what Jiyong had ordered. He removed the top layers of bubble wrap and passed one to Seungri, who was immensely happy, and the other to Youngbae, who gave it to Nohrae to play with. After fishing through the sea of Styrofoam and packaging peanuts he found his prize. He pulled it out for all to see.
The room went dead silent as they speculated it. Finally, Seungri ventured to say something.
“Hyung,” he said, whispering and tugging on Jiyong’s sleeve. “What is it?”
Jiyong laid it on the table. “It’s an antique statue.”
“It’s a naked man.” Youngbae remarked blandly.
Jiyong shot a warning glance at him. “Yah, almost every other artist has some kind of expensive antique. I’m just following the trend.”
Seunghyun still couldn’t believe Jiyong’s taste. “Gosh, Ji, as if it isn’t hard enough to keep this apartment ‘G’ rated.”
“It was expensive?” Sarah herself was amazed.
Jiyong growled under his breath. “Excuse me, is that sarcasm?” He snatched the statue and left, completely ticked off from their lack of favor. They just couldn’t understand.
“It’s not gonna last,” Seunghyun tsked. “The odds of having a statue of a naked man stay long in this place is high.”
“At least I got bubble wrap!” Seungri giggled childishly and wiggled to a comfortable position on his chair and start popping his new definition of entertainment. Daesung managed to squeeze into the same chair and join the maknae. Youngbae took his pile of mail from Sarah and went to his room.
The two maknae’s were seated on the couch facing the television Seungri had used up the entire pack bubble wrap and remembered that his favorite show was on. Sarah had left along time ago, since Youngbae said she could leave early. The apartment was quiet as the stillness muffled the background noises; music coming from Jiyong’s room, the washing machine humming, and the noise from the television.
Seungri was watching intently, his eyes glued to the screen and he chewed his nails unconsciously.
Daesung wasn’t giving as much attention to the game show. He was too happy to have the maknae by his side. It wasn’t like they couldn’t see each other everyday, they shared the same bed after all. It was just that Seungri had a way of warming his heart every time he was near him.
He slid his arm behind the maknae’s back and wrapped his hand around his skinny waist, pulling him closer. Seungri didn’t seem to mind and kept on chewing his nails.
The show cut to commercials, freeing Seungri’s thoughts to wander. He noticed his hyung’s hand around his waist and looked up, smiling at him, brightening Daesung’s world right away. He snuggled closer and laid his head warmly on Daesung’s shoulder.
Daesung was so happy he could die. Seungri was usually too busy being the maknae of Big Bang or Mr. V.I. to stop for moments like this. He missed this so much.
Daesung buried his nose in Seungri’s soft hair and closed his eyes, breathing gently. If only this could last forever
Then Seunghyun came.
Obviously bored, he sauntered in not bothering to ask what they were watching and sat on an armchair next to the couch. Seungri shot up immediately and looked at Seunghyun wide-eyed, causing Daesung to die a little inside. He felt the maknae start to wriggle free from his grasp.
Not this time, Seungri. He tightened his grasp on him hugging the maknae closer. Seungri wasn’t close to giving up. He wanted so badly to sit with Seunghyun, who was ignoring them so well that he seemed dead. Struggling against his hyung, he whined when he realized how strong those muscles actually were. The sturdy hands kept him there as he squirmed violently. Finally, he sunk down beside Daesung to catch his breath.
Daesung smiled in victory. But Seungri wasn’t finished yet; it was time to use the trick that never failed him.
He left a sudden peck on Daesung’s cheek and looked eagerly into his hyung’s surprised eyes. “Hyung, will you let me go please?”
Against his will, Daesung let go of Seungri before he could stop himself.
The maknae gurgled for joy, having won against his hyung again and rushed to Seunghyun’s side.
He went up close obliterating Seunghyun’s personal space. “Hyung, can I sit with you?”
Seunghyun blinked at Seungri then at the couch. “Look at all that space!”
“But I want to sit with you,” Seungri said dipping closer.
Seunghyun sighed and moved to the side freeing some space. “Fine.”
Seungri squeezed in eagerly, being in seventh heaven just from sitting next to his hyung. He laid his head on Seunghyun’s shoulders the same way he did with Daesung.
Seunghyun was extremely uncomfortable and tried to shrug the maknae off. But the scene seemed so perfect in Daesung’s eyes. So prefect it was sickening.
He couldn’t stand it.
“I’ll go to my room.” He said aloud, although no one asked. It left no impression on Seungri and he continued his excessive happiness on Seunghyun, who wanted so desperately to leave.
As usual all dismal thoughts between the maknaes were forgotten the next morning. As if there were any in the first place.
The dreams that invaded Daesung that night ebbed away as he dissolved into reality. His dreams (if he remembered) them were piles and of gooey confusion like the Monday morning soup that Jiyong used to make before Sarah became housekeeper. Nothing made sense and seemed in place.
The maknae, he was sure, had sweet dreams of unicorns, rainbows, and ice cream. Seungri mentioned once that he had actually dreamed of him, but it turned out to be a sad dream.
Daesung lifted a lazy eyelid open to look around. Judging by the soft light that had managed to seep through the blinds and that no one was in the shower yet, it was around 6:30. Too early for his liking.
He searched around the covers for the maknae. Yes, he was there breathing gently and most likely smiling. It was funny. Seungri always smiled as he slept even through nightmares.
Daesung hugged him like a teddy bear, lazily and securely. Before he neared the state of drifting back to sleep the door creaked open allowing the painfully yellow light from the hall way blind him.
He groaned and turned to see who it was, as he squinted at the light.
It was just Jiyong. Still in his flower printed pajamas and hair tied up in his ahjumma-sleeping bun.
“Do you have the glue?” He whispered too loudly.
Daesung used all his strength to point to the desk beside the bed before dropping it lifelessly around Seungri. “Top shelf, to your left,” he mumbled.
“Thanks.” Jiyong got what he needed and left, remembering to close the door behind him.
Daesung sighed and dived deeper in the covers leaning his head on the back of Seungri’s neck. Jiyong was the only one who woke up this early and for the most ridiculous reasons. Why the heck did he need glue? Daesung didn’t want to know.
We’re going on an outing today. He thought knowing that sleep wouldn’t come back to him after Jiyong’s interference. It was about time they spent some quality time together. Their lives as stars were starting to rule them. Manager was wise in giving them a break.
He wished Sarah could come along. Then again that would probably be robbing her social life. And she still had to study too. He knew that she was sneaking study time while she was on housekeeping duty. While waiting for the water to boil or Jiyong to get out of the bathroom, she either had her nose buried in a textbook or a notebook in hand. He caught her once filling forms and browsing through the listings section in the newspapers on the kitchen table. Not that he opposed it. She was just looking for a part-time job, since the house keeping couldn’t pay enough. He was just worried. Won’t she get tired? If she ever fell dead from exhaustion he would be there to revive her and get her back on her feet, anyway.
He twirled his finger around Seungri’s hair. It was weird. All of them woke up with oily rustled bed hair, but Seungri’s hair maintained the same texture day and night.
The maknae stirred a bit and woke up slowly. Obviously, he had had one of those dreams of unicorns, rainbows, and ice cream, since he smiled even more brightly than before. He turned to face Daesung.
“Good morning, Hyung!” He said, his voice still raspy from sleep.
Daesung kissed the maknae’s soft cheeks, welcoming him back into the world of stardom, confusion, noise, and innocence. “Good morning, Maknae.”
“Hyung, we’re going to the park today!” Seungri said in excitement. His body was still too stiff to move.
Daesung grinned. “Seungri, you’re so childish. If I had known you liked that idea so much I would have brought you there everyday.”
Seungri giggled and squirmed his legs to and fro under the sheets trying to get the blood running. “Hyung, you’re so corny.” He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “We hardly get to go somewhere with the others. The last time we did that was when we got lost in the middle of nowhere for two days. Do you remember that, Hyung?”
The memories flooded Daesung’s thoughts and he chuckled as he recalled them. “Yes, I do.”
Seungri laughed out loud, probably waking Seunghyun in the next room. “Jiyong-hyung was so paranoid! I’ll never forget that.”
He looked back at Daesung. His face was bright and almost glowing from the morning light that had already cracked through the blinds and onto the bed. The innocence caused Daesung to plant another kiss on his cheek near to his lips. It was probably the ice cream.
Jiyong was out of the apartment for a stroll, giving everyone else a chance to breath and go on with a normal life without having to worry about the fussy leader.
Youngbae, who had just taken a shower, was in a very lousy mood. His best hat, which he had saved for the outing, was gone again and he was sure who took it.
He entered Jiyong’s room with Nohrae, who was still tired and leaned on its owner’s neck for support, on his shoulder. He nearly bumped into the maknae behind the door.
“Seungri, what are you doing here?”
“Changing.” The half-dressed Seungri walked out of the closet. “There’s this nice jacket I saw Jiyong-hyung wearing.”
Youngbae came in and searched Jiyong’s shelf. “Fine. Just don’t ruin anything.”
“Seungri?” Daesung poked his head through the wedged door. “What are you doing here?”
Seungri turned to face his hyung. “Hyung, have you seen that jacket that Jiyong-hyung wore to the Haru Haru performance last week?”
“No.” Daesung stepped into the room. “But I’ll help you look for it.”
Youngbae rummaged Jiyong’s lyrics that were on display on his bed. Where the heck is my hat?
“Yah!” Seunghyun stormed into the bedroom, holding a bowl of vacant milk. “Who cheated and fished through the cereal to get the toy? You know you can’t do that! It’s the law!”
“Well it wasn’t me!” Daesung said as if Seunghyun had been confronting him.
“I don’t like the Captain Crunch toys,” Seungri said from the closet. “They scare me.”
“My hat!” Youngbae cried for joy when he saw it on the top shelf next to Jiyong’s naked statue.
“Youngbae-ah!” Seunghyun barked, figuring out for himself who raided the cereal box.
Youngbae jumped from the sudden noise, as he was about to reach for his hat and knocked the statue off. Daesung made an unsuccessful lunge for it and missed. The statue bounced off his head painfully and landed in Seungri’s hands. Seungri went paranoid from touching a naked statue and dropped it. Instead of catching it and saving the day, Seunghyun whisked his bowl of milk away in fear that the statue would land in it and get it contaminated. They watched horrified as it fell to the ground and broke into pieces.
Before they could blame each other, the security lock on the main entrance rang happily and they heard Jiyong arrive.
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After Story Author Side Notes:
- 9 pages. I told you guys it would be short :P
- Was pretty busy during the Easter Weekend. TONS of church activities, but there was lots of food XD
- Hm...I feel pretty bad from bashing the delivery man :(
- To tell you the truth Kim Bum is actually my favorite F4 member, so I was being biased. And no offence to the Kim HyunJoong and Solbi fans ^_^'
- It's odd, but I feel like I'm losing viewers o_0
Series: Serving 5
Author: Vangelynn
Rating: G
Pairings: DaeRi and TopRi
Genre: Un-attempted Humor, Fluff in this chapter
Summary: After many failed attempts, Big Bang finally get themselves a new housekeeper. But what they find isn’t exactly what they expected. As they adjust to the new twenty-year-old-student house keeper, they find themselves out of their own element. Although some may not notice it and continue with their own lives, others take things too seriously. Read and discover what it's like to be Serving 5. (Pfft....Never believe my summaries X_X It's much better than this)
Diclaimer: I own all other characters but Big Bang.
A/N: First ever fan fic. I was challenged(forced) by some of you guys to start writing one. This plot in particular was in my head for quite a while, four months to be exact.
Chapter 1: "The Phone, the Phone is Ringing"
Chapter 2: "Sarang?"
Chapter 3: "Meet the Neighbors, Find a Rival"
Chapter 4: "Table Talk"
Chapter 5: "Dad, Mom, and Seungri"
Chapter 6: "Happy Birthday, Youngbae"
Warning: Skim-beta-ed; there has to be mistakes some where >__> inform me if you see any
________________________________________
Youngbae’s tank slowly soaked in with the routine of life in the apartment. Jiyong was still going around complaining to Seunghyun, who was the only one who would stay long enough to hear (not listen), that the younger three spent too much time in front of the aquarium. They were starting to like it more than television and the computer. To Jiyong that was a threat.
“It’s eating up their brains!” Jiyong said to Seunghyun, who was nodding absently as he tried to beat Youngbae’s score in a game that had been his life for the past week. He stopped when it was loading and looked at the leader. “Doesn’t television and internet already do that?”
“That’s different! It’s technology. It was made to eat our brains. These are fish that I’m talking about!”
“Mhm.” Seunghyun dismissed it from his thoughts and concentrated on the game.
Youngbae loved his fish just as much as Nohrae. The bird didn’t seem to mind, since it was interested in the creatures too.
Youngbae even established their personalities. Daesung the flat yellow one was quiet and liked to hide and stay away from the others. Seunghyun and Seungri, which turned out to be closer than he thought, stayed by each other’s side constantly. They flicked and flinched simultaneously. Jiyong the rock was starting to rust. Whish was extremely surprising since it was made of plastic. Sarah, which was now ‘Sarang’ because of Seungri insisted on it, was the jewel of the aquarium. Its blue scales shinned as it swam and it’s long tail fanned into the water so elegantly that it seemed to be part of the current.
“Sarang-noona, guess what.”
Sarah dumped another pair of jeans into the washing machine. “What Seungri?”
“Did you know that the Seunghyun fish and Seungri fish are a couple?” Seungri leaned on the dryer and looked at Sarah intently.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. The Seunghyun fish is the husband and the Seungri fish is the wife. See, Noona? I told you that Seungri could be a girl’s name.”
Sarah shook her head smiling and glanced at the maknae’s grin. She picked up a bright colored shirt from the laundry pile and inspected it from the back. “This looks delicate.”
“Oh, that’s Jiyong-hyung’s,” Seungri said. “But I wore it yesterday.”
Sarah stretched the fabric under her hand and felt it. “Should this be dry-cleaned? I think I can put this in with the rest.”
“I dunno. Noona, check the label.”
“There is no label.” She laid it down for later and added more clothes into the washer. “Seungri, can you get your hyung? I need to ask him about that shirt.”
She started the washer and watched the cycle shake side ways as the water poured from the side like a waterfall.
“He’s in the shower, Noona.”
“Then get him later.”
“Oh, it’s ok, Noona. I know a way to get him out!” Before Sarah could stop him Seungri grabbed the knob of the washer and cranked it to high.
A scream sounded down the hall from the bathroom and into the laundry room. The pattering they heard from the shower stopped abruptly. An eye blink later Jiyong was standing in front of them, a towel around his waist and dripping wet. He was somewhat intimidating. His exposed abs were extremely fine, but his face was a different story. His soaked hair that still had traces of shampoo was shading his eyes, which were on fire. Literally on fire. He caught the culprit. “You!”
Seungri backed away and waved his hands in denial. “No, Hyung, I-” Jiyong’s wet hand grabbed the maknae’s arm, damping his sleeve. “Noona, tell him!”
Jiyong looked at Sarah, who was taken back, since she really hadn’t done anything. “Erm,” she reached for the shirt behind her meekly. “Does this have to be dry-cleaned?”
Jiyong let go of Seungri. The maknae shook his arm to check if his blood was still running, as Jiyong spoke. He scratched the back of his damp head. “Aigsh, you two, really!” He went to leave and resume his shower. “No, it doesn’t have to be dry-cleaned.”
The shower started running again momentarily. Seungri sat on a high stool as he gaped at Sarah, who added the shirt to the load. “Wah, Noona, I though he’d get mad, ‘cause he usually kills us if we take his hot water. And I know he doesn’t like you either.”
Before Sarah could reply Seungri popped a question. “Noona, how come you and Jiyong-hyung can’t get along?”
Sarah thought for a while, trying to think up an answer that would make Seungri think and possibly shut up for a while. “Well,” she said. “You know how people were made to love each other? There are people who were made to not get along. Like us and the Manyeo.”
“But, Noona,” Seungri said unsatisfied with the answer. “What about those dramas where this guy and girl fight a lot and then they end up together?”
Sarah sighed and slid the empty basket into the corner. “A drama is fiction just on television. It’s unlikely to ever happen in real life. For example. What’s that popular drama that’s been showing recently? The one with the high school and there are these four guys…”
“Boys Over Flowers!” Seungri suddenly went alive. “I love that drama! Especially the episode when they went to the island and Jandi and Jihoo kissed and Junpyo got really mad. But Daesung-hyung won’t let me watch it. He says it’s too violent.”
Sarah opened her mouth to continue her point.
“Noona, what’s your favorite F4 member?”
“…Yijung?”
“Yeah, a lot of the noonas like him because he’s cute. My favorite is Woobin. I used to like Kim Hyunjoong-hyung until I found out about his plastic nose.” He looked up at Sarah from his seat. “Did you hear about Solbi’s plastic surgery?”
“I-”
“She looks like a cream puff now. Jiyong-hyung said that you must have done something to your eyes, since he says only Seunghyun-hyung is born with those eyes. Why do people get plastic surgery, Noona?”
“Because they think that their-” Wait. How on earth did they end up talking about this? What had they been talking about? Sarah had to escape before anything else came from the maknae. “I’ll tell you later, Seungri. I have to pick up the mail now.”
She left the maknae on the stool blinking as she left. He shrugged his shoulders. “I wonder what Youngbae-hyung is doing…”
As Sarah sorted the mail on the kitchen table, she reveled in the sudden peace she had. Weekends weren’t always the quietest days in the apartment. She put Jiyong’s letter in Daesung’s pile absently. It had already been two weeks of housekeeping and already it felt like she had been there forever. Not that it was tiring, it was fun in a sense, but she was afraid that the job was growing on her. She had a subtle feeling that she was enjoying it too much. What would she do if she lost her job?
Youngbae came in with an empty bowl, which had been heaped with leftovers from last night, and Seungri following him like a shadow.
“Gosh, Hyung, don’t just leave it in the sink. Wash it for once. Don’t let Sarang-noona do all the work.”
Youngbae hunched his shoulders and squirted the washing liquid on his bowl. “I was just about to do that.”
“Hyung!” Seungri adjusted the faucet. “Don’t use too much water!”
Sarah took no notice of them, since her ears had already grown use to hearing background bickering. She sighed as she laid another letter down on Jiyong’s pile. She felt a pang of pity for the others when she realized that Jiyong’s pile was considerably larger than the others. Oh, Noona, that’s because the bills are signed under his name. Seungri had told her. But still she felt some sympathy for them. Especially, Daesung; his was the smallest.
“Seungri, will you go away!” Youngbae tried to shoo the maknae as he sat down beside Sarah. Seungri pulled up a chair and squeezed in between the two.
“Noona, what are you doing?”
“Sorting…”
“Hey, Sarah.”
“Mm?” She looked up from a frilly pink letter and at Youngbae.
“We were going to have a picnic outing tomorrow and Manager gave us half the day off. I was kinda wondering if you could-”
“Cook?”
“No, Noona!” Seungri’s head blocked Youngbae’s face as he spoke. “If you could come along!”
Sarah went back to distributing the mail. “You know I’m always off on Sundays and it’s the only day I’m free. I’m busy.”
“Aww, Noona, busy doing what?”
Youngbae elbowed the maknae. “Yah, she has a life too.” He looked at her, understanding completely. “It’s okay if you can’t go. Jiyong-hyung asked me to ask you. He’s the one that wanted you to come along.”
Sarah stopped halfway from adding a letter to Daesung’s neglected pile. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Seungri said. “He said we needed someone to carry the supplies.”
Sarah almost ruined Daesung’s pile by smacking the letter on the table. Kwon Jiyong was such a pain even when he wasn’t around.
The doorbell rang.
Youngbae was immediately volunteered by Seungri to answer it. He got up reluctantly and went to the door. Before he touched the knob Jiyong came running up behind him like a bullet.
“Outta my way!” He knocked the hunk of muscles down as he rushed to answer the door with his free hand. The other was drying his hair with a towel.
A deliveryman was standing outside with a package by his feet. He looked at Jiyong who was obliviously flicking water at him with the towel. “Kwon Jiyong?”
“Yep!”
He handed him a billboard. “I have a package for you. Can you sign here please?”
“Sure.” Jiyong took the form as the deliveryman picked up the package.
“HOMFG,” The man grunted under his breath when he felt the incredible weight of the package almost drag him down.
“Can you hold this?” Jiyong slung his towel over the suffering deliveryman’s head. Now with his writing hand free Jiyong went to signing the form more conveniently. He stopped after a few seconds and tapped his foot thoughtfully, looking at his signature, and torturing the deliveryman. He stared at the mouth-less smiley face beside his signature.
“Should I use a happy face? I was upset this morning. So I could use a frowning face. But then I didn’t feel too bad after that so I could use a line as the mouth.”
“Please hurry up,” the deliveryman said, his legs ready to give into the weight.
“But I’m happy now,” Jiyong said drawing a curve under the doted eyes. “Because I got my package. Here you go!”
They traded items. Jiyong took the package eagerly, the weight having no effect on him. He didn’t have to worry about it. He handed it to Youngbae, who just managed to get himself back on his feet.
“Hmph!” Youngbae nearly fell over from the weight. “Yah, what the heck is in here?”
“Tsk, stop complaining,” Jiyong rummaged the kitchen drawer for something pointy. “Set it on the kitchen table.”
Before Sarah could protest Youngbae set the dusty package down with a thump on the clean table. She moved the mail away as Jiyong found a pair of scissors.
Seungri was jumping from excitement as he hovered over the box. “Oh, Hyung, what is it?”
“Just wait and see.”
Daesung wandered in. “What are you guys doing?” He peered over Jiyong’s shoulder curiously. “This looks interesting.”
Jiyong used the sharp end of the scissors to cut through the tape that was sealed on the edges.
“Yah! Who forgot to flush?” Seunghyun yelled, as he came in the kitchen, looking for someone to confront. He stopped when he saw them crowding around the table. A sense of interest stroked him as he pushed Seungri aside to see.
Jiyong sliced through the line of type allowing access inside. Even Nohrae, who had wondered where everyone went, flew over to see what Jiyong had ordered. He removed the top layers of bubble wrap and passed one to Seungri, who was immensely happy, and the other to Youngbae, who gave it to Nohrae to play with. After fishing through the sea of Styrofoam and packaging peanuts he found his prize. He pulled it out for all to see.
The room went dead silent as they speculated it. Finally, Seungri ventured to say something.
“Hyung,” he said, whispering and tugging on Jiyong’s sleeve. “What is it?”
Jiyong laid it on the table. “It’s an antique statue.”
“It’s a naked man.” Youngbae remarked blandly.
Jiyong shot a warning glance at him. “Yah, almost every other artist has some kind of expensive antique. I’m just following the trend.”
Seunghyun still couldn’t believe Jiyong’s taste. “Gosh, Ji, as if it isn’t hard enough to keep this apartment ‘G’ rated.”
“It was expensive?” Sarah herself was amazed.
Jiyong growled under his breath. “Excuse me, is that sarcasm?” He snatched the statue and left, completely ticked off from their lack of favor. They just couldn’t understand.
“It’s not gonna last,” Seunghyun tsked. “The odds of having a statue of a naked man stay long in this place is high.”
“At least I got bubble wrap!” Seungri giggled childishly and wiggled to a comfortable position on his chair and start popping his new definition of entertainment. Daesung managed to squeeze into the same chair and join the maknae. Youngbae took his pile of mail from Sarah and went to his room.
The two maknae’s were seated on the couch facing the television Seungri had used up the entire pack bubble wrap and remembered that his favorite show was on. Sarah had left along time ago, since Youngbae said she could leave early. The apartment was quiet as the stillness muffled the background noises; music coming from Jiyong’s room, the washing machine humming, and the noise from the television.
Seungri was watching intently, his eyes glued to the screen and he chewed his nails unconsciously.
Daesung wasn’t giving as much attention to the game show. He was too happy to have the maknae by his side. It wasn’t like they couldn’t see each other everyday, they shared the same bed after all. It was just that Seungri had a way of warming his heart every time he was near him.
He slid his arm behind the maknae’s back and wrapped his hand around his skinny waist, pulling him closer. Seungri didn’t seem to mind and kept on chewing his nails.
The show cut to commercials, freeing Seungri’s thoughts to wander. He noticed his hyung’s hand around his waist and looked up, smiling at him, brightening Daesung’s world right away. He snuggled closer and laid his head warmly on Daesung’s shoulder.
Daesung was so happy he could die. Seungri was usually too busy being the maknae of Big Bang or Mr. V.I. to stop for moments like this. He missed this so much.
Daesung buried his nose in Seungri’s soft hair and closed his eyes, breathing gently. If only this could last forever
Then Seunghyun came.
Obviously bored, he sauntered in not bothering to ask what they were watching and sat on an armchair next to the couch. Seungri shot up immediately and looked at Seunghyun wide-eyed, causing Daesung to die a little inside. He felt the maknae start to wriggle free from his grasp.
Not this time, Seungri. He tightened his grasp on him hugging the maknae closer. Seungri wasn’t close to giving up. He wanted so badly to sit with Seunghyun, who was ignoring them so well that he seemed dead. Struggling against his hyung, he whined when he realized how strong those muscles actually were. The sturdy hands kept him there as he squirmed violently. Finally, he sunk down beside Daesung to catch his breath.
Daesung smiled in victory. But Seungri wasn’t finished yet; it was time to use the trick that never failed him.
He left a sudden peck on Daesung’s cheek and looked eagerly into his hyung’s surprised eyes. “Hyung, will you let me go please?”
Against his will, Daesung let go of Seungri before he could stop himself.
The maknae gurgled for joy, having won against his hyung again and rushed to Seunghyun’s side.
He went up close obliterating Seunghyun’s personal space. “Hyung, can I sit with you?”
Seunghyun blinked at Seungri then at the couch. “Look at all that space!”
“But I want to sit with you,” Seungri said dipping closer.
Seunghyun sighed and moved to the side freeing some space. “Fine.”
Seungri squeezed in eagerly, being in seventh heaven just from sitting next to his hyung. He laid his head on Seunghyun’s shoulders the same way he did with Daesung.
Seunghyun was extremely uncomfortable and tried to shrug the maknae off. But the scene seemed so perfect in Daesung’s eyes. So prefect it was sickening.
He couldn’t stand it.
“I’ll go to my room.” He said aloud, although no one asked. It left no impression on Seungri and he continued his excessive happiness on Seunghyun, who wanted so desperately to leave.
As usual all dismal thoughts between the maknaes were forgotten the next morning. As if there were any in the first place.
The dreams that invaded Daesung that night ebbed away as he dissolved into reality. His dreams (if he remembered) them were piles and of gooey confusion like the Monday morning soup that Jiyong used to make before Sarah became housekeeper. Nothing made sense and seemed in place.
The maknae, he was sure, had sweet dreams of unicorns, rainbows, and ice cream. Seungri mentioned once that he had actually dreamed of him, but it turned out to be a sad dream.
Daesung lifted a lazy eyelid open to look around. Judging by the soft light that had managed to seep through the blinds and that no one was in the shower yet, it was around 6:30. Too early for his liking.
He searched around the covers for the maknae. Yes, he was there breathing gently and most likely smiling. It was funny. Seungri always smiled as he slept even through nightmares.
Daesung hugged him like a teddy bear, lazily and securely. Before he neared the state of drifting back to sleep the door creaked open allowing the painfully yellow light from the hall way blind him.
He groaned and turned to see who it was, as he squinted at the light.
It was just Jiyong. Still in his flower printed pajamas and hair tied up in his ahjumma-sleeping bun.
“Do you have the glue?” He whispered too loudly.
Daesung used all his strength to point to the desk beside the bed before dropping it lifelessly around Seungri. “Top shelf, to your left,” he mumbled.
“Thanks.” Jiyong got what he needed and left, remembering to close the door behind him.
Daesung sighed and dived deeper in the covers leaning his head on the back of Seungri’s neck. Jiyong was the only one who woke up this early and for the most ridiculous reasons. Why the heck did he need glue? Daesung didn’t want to know.
We’re going on an outing today. He thought knowing that sleep wouldn’t come back to him after Jiyong’s interference. It was about time they spent some quality time together. Their lives as stars were starting to rule them. Manager was wise in giving them a break.
He wished Sarah could come along. Then again that would probably be robbing her social life. And she still had to study too. He knew that she was sneaking study time while she was on housekeeping duty. While waiting for the water to boil or Jiyong to get out of the bathroom, she either had her nose buried in a textbook or a notebook in hand. He caught her once filling forms and browsing through the listings section in the newspapers on the kitchen table. Not that he opposed it. She was just looking for a part-time job, since the house keeping couldn’t pay enough. He was just worried. Won’t she get tired? If she ever fell dead from exhaustion he would be there to revive her and get her back on her feet, anyway.
He twirled his finger around Seungri’s hair. It was weird. All of them woke up with oily rustled bed hair, but Seungri’s hair maintained the same texture day and night.
The maknae stirred a bit and woke up slowly. Obviously, he had had one of those dreams of unicorns, rainbows, and ice cream, since he smiled even more brightly than before. He turned to face Daesung.
“Good morning, Hyung!” He said, his voice still raspy from sleep.
Daesung kissed the maknae’s soft cheeks, welcoming him back into the world of stardom, confusion, noise, and innocence. “Good morning, Maknae.”
“Hyung, we’re going to the park today!” Seungri said in excitement. His body was still too stiff to move.
Daesung grinned. “Seungri, you’re so childish. If I had known you liked that idea so much I would have brought you there everyday.”
Seungri giggled and squirmed his legs to and fro under the sheets trying to get the blood running. “Hyung, you’re so corny.” He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “We hardly get to go somewhere with the others. The last time we did that was when we got lost in the middle of nowhere for two days. Do you remember that, Hyung?”
The memories flooded Daesung’s thoughts and he chuckled as he recalled them. “Yes, I do.”
Seungri laughed out loud, probably waking Seunghyun in the next room. “Jiyong-hyung was so paranoid! I’ll never forget that.”
He looked back at Daesung. His face was bright and almost glowing from the morning light that had already cracked through the blinds and onto the bed. The innocence caused Daesung to plant another kiss on his cheek near to his lips. It was probably the ice cream.
Jiyong was out of the apartment for a stroll, giving everyone else a chance to breath and go on with a normal life without having to worry about the fussy leader.
Youngbae, who had just taken a shower, was in a very lousy mood. His best hat, which he had saved for the outing, was gone again and he was sure who took it.
He entered Jiyong’s room with Nohrae, who was still tired and leaned on its owner’s neck for support, on his shoulder. He nearly bumped into the maknae behind the door.
“Seungri, what are you doing here?”
“Changing.” The half-dressed Seungri walked out of the closet. “There’s this nice jacket I saw Jiyong-hyung wearing.”
Youngbae came in and searched Jiyong’s shelf. “Fine. Just don’t ruin anything.”
“Seungri?” Daesung poked his head through the wedged door. “What are you doing here?”
Seungri turned to face his hyung. “Hyung, have you seen that jacket that Jiyong-hyung wore to the Haru Haru performance last week?”
“No.” Daesung stepped into the room. “But I’ll help you look for it.”
Youngbae rummaged Jiyong’s lyrics that were on display on his bed. Where the heck is my hat?
“Yah!” Seunghyun stormed into the bedroom, holding a bowl of vacant milk. “Who cheated and fished through the cereal to get the toy? You know you can’t do that! It’s the law!”
“Well it wasn’t me!” Daesung said as if Seunghyun had been confronting him.
“I don’t like the Captain Crunch toys,” Seungri said from the closet. “They scare me.”
“My hat!” Youngbae cried for joy when he saw it on the top shelf next to Jiyong’s naked statue.
“Youngbae-ah!” Seunghyun barked, figuring out for himself who raided the cereal box.
Youngbae jumped from the sudden noise, as he was about to reach for his hat and knocked the statue off. Daesung made an unsuccessful lunge for it and missed. The statue bounced off his head painfully and landed in Seungri’s hands. Seungri went paranoid from touching a naked statue and dropped it. Instead of catching it and saving the day, Seunghyun whisked his bowl of milk away in fear that the statue would land in it and get it contaminated. They watched horrified as it fell to the ground and broke into pieces.
Before they could blame each other, the security lock on the main entrance rang happily and they heard Jiyong arrive.
____________________________________________
After Story Author Side Notes:
- 9 pages. I told you guys it would be short :P
- Was pretty busy during the Easter Weekend. TONS of church activities, but there was lots of food XD
- Hm...I feel pretty bad from bashing the delivery man :(
- To tell you the truth Kim Bum is actually my favorite F4 member, so I was being biased. And no offence to the Kim HyunJoong and Solbi fans ^_^'
- It's odd, but I feel like I'm losing viewers o_0