Chapter Text
“Daddy!”
The light tinkle of the bakery’s bell paired with the lilt of a sweet voice signified the arrival of Gunil’s favorite customer. He dusted his hands off, dirtying his apron with flour even further.
“Chaeyeon-ah! I told you to wait for me!”
Gunil smiled to himself, finally making his presence known as he stepped out of the kitchen and into the main area of the bakery. He held his arms out, deciding to ignore Jooyeon for the time being, and waiting for the little girl to run into his arms.
“Hi, princess,” He enveloped her small body in his arms, picked her up, and held her tightly to his chest. “Were you good for Uncle Jooyeonie?” He pressed a kiss to each one of her cheeks before finally acknowledging a scowling Jooyeon. “Thanks again for picking her up.”
“I held his hand the whooole way home, just like you told me to!” Chaeyeon grinned widely at her dad and Jooyeon scoffed in front of them. Jooyeon loved Chaeyeon–he cried when she was born–but that didn't stop him from bickering with someone 20 years younger than him.
“As soon as she saw the bakery she let go of my hand and started running. I had to chase after her the rest of the way.”
“Chaeyeon-ah,” Gunil tried to speak as sternly as he could, hating nothing more than scolding his daughter. “You could've gotten hurt. Next time you need to hold Jooyeon’s hand until you step foot inside. Do you understand?”
She nodded and frowned, throwing her small arms around Gunil's neck in a tight embrace. “I’m sorry, daddy.” Her small voice made Gunil’s heart heavy in his chest, and he felt the immediate need to remedy her sorrow.
“It's okay, baby.” He set her down at a table in the small dining area, pushing a small and simple vanilla cupcake her way. “I made this for you while you were gone today! It's your favorite. How about you eat it while I talk to Uncle Jooyeonie, hmm?” Any and all words went in and out of Chaeyeon's ear when a sweet treat was placed in front of her. Gunil couldn't help the endearing smile that fell upon his lips as she gave a quick nod before digging right into her cupcake.
Gunil stepped back behind the counter and beckoned Jooyeon to follow him, intending to talk to him while he organized some of the baked goods that were in the display cases. “Thanks again for picking her up. And tell Jiseokie I say thank you for taking her, I owe you guys big time. Ah, I can't believe I wasn't there for her first day of school. I must be the worst dad in the world.”
Gunil's last statement was said in a lighthearted manner, but it also rang somewhat true to him. Maybe he was the worst dad in the world. Being unexpectedly left alone with a baby was not necessarily on the mental bingo card Gunil had created for his life. There were many people around him who were quick to reassure him that he was, in fact, a great father, not a terrible one. Chaeyeon was turning out to be a wonderful little girl, at least so far, and anybody–including Gunil–could see that.
But he had a hard time believing she was so lovely because she was being brought up by him. Surely he wasn't the right person to give that kind of credit to.
“I'm sure there's someone out there that's worse than you.” Jooyeon leaned his elbows against the counter and shrugged, reassuring Gunil in his own teasing way.
“Very funny,” Although it was silly, and Jooyeon’s words were meant to be silly, Gunil couldn't help but find some much needed comfort in them. “How did things go? Did you get to talk to Mrs. Oh?”
“Oh, right. About that: Mrs. Oh isn't her teacher anymore.”
“What?!” Gunil lifted his head so quickly that he was sure he gave himself whiplash. “What do you mean? Who is her teacher, then?”
“It's a guy, Mr. Jungsu ,” Jooyeon started, pouting his lips in exaggeration around the last syllable of the teacher’s name. “He wants them to call him by his first name. He's really young, handsome, too.” Jooyeon’s mouth opened once more, clearly about to give Gunil more non-important information about Mr. Jungsu that he didn't care to know.
“Jooyeon-ah, I don't really care what he asked them to call him, and nor do I care about if he's handsome or not. Did he seem nice? Will he be a good fit for their class?” Gunil was quick to cut him off. “And what happened to Mrs. Oh? Is she okay?”
Gunil had done all the research possible to ensure that his daughter would end up at the best preschool possible, with the best teacher possible. Was it over the top of him? Maybe. But he just wanted to be positive that his baby was in good hands whenever she was out of his sight.
“Yeah, she's fine. She was only staying because the school wasn't able to find a replacement for her. But since they hired this new Mr. Jungsu, she decided to retire. Or something along those lines. At least that's what Jiseok told me over the phone after he dropped Chaeyeon off.” Jooyeon appeared to be getting bored of their conversation, settling for picking the skin around his fingernails as entertainment. “As for Mr. Jungsu, I think he'll be a good teacher, but I wouldn't really know. I didn't really talk to him. Had I known I was going to receive a pop quiz upon arrival I would've interviewed him.”
Gunil was shocked by Jooyeon’s nonchalance, but then again, Chaeyeon wasn't Jooyeon’s daughter, so he didn't really see the big deal. “I'd better make sure my schedule is free tomorrow afternoon so I can go talk to him when I pick her up.”
“I don't think that's really necessary. He seems nice enough. You'll probably be the only parent that goes out of their way to interrogate him for whatever reason.”
"You'll understand when you have your own kids, Jooyeon-ah. I'm just trying to look out for her." Gunil folded his arms across his chest and peeked over at his daughter, who was busy at work, licking the frosting off the top of her cupcake.
Jooyeon quietly shrugged once more, drumming his fingers against his cheeks. After a few beats of silence, he voiced a question. "Did you get that wedding cake finished? The couple is coming to pick it up tomorrow evening, right?"
"It’s almost done, about halfway,” Gunil gazed up towards the ceiling as he thought about what he'd accomplished, and what work still needed to be done. “I've baked every layer. Now I just need to frost them, stack them, and then decorate.”
“Are you sure you're halfway done? It sounds like you still have a lot to do. I thought you ‘needed all the time you could get.’” Jooyeon raised a quizzical eyebrow at the older man and put up finger quotes. “How are you going to get it all done by tomorrow evening if you plan on picking Chaeyeon up from school? Won't that set you back a little bit? You know, with the time it takes you to get there, talk to her teacher, and come back?”
Gunil's wide eyes were evidence enough that he hadn't thought about it, clearly having forgotten the entire reason he had asked Jiseok and Jooyeon for help. “It…It will be fine. I'll just sneak down to get as much done as possible after I put Chaeyeon to bed, and then do finishing touches while she's at school. I should be back before they come by to pick it up.”
“Isn't Hyeongjunie closing the bakery today? Maybe you could ask him to work on it when there's no customers! Even if he just frosted them, it would probably help you out a lot!”
“I told him he could go home early since business has been slow today. And besides, this is a commission I took on myself, I couldn't ask him to work on it.” Truthfully, even just the idea of potentially (and most likely) staying up until late into the night to finish the cake made Gunil feel exhausted, but he knew it needed to be done. He didn't need Hyeongjun’s help; he could do it on his own. “I stay up late to finish projects all the time. I'll be okay, Jooyeon-ah.”
"You work too hard, Hyung." Jooyeon made his way back over to Chaeyeon and ruffled her hair gently before pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Bye bye, Chaeyeonie. Be good for your dad, yeah? So you can come play at mine and Jiseokie's house, okay?"
Chaeyeon nodded excitedly, her small legs swinging back and forth underneath the table. "Bye bye, Uncle Jooyeonie, I love you!" She tugged on the hem of Jooyeon's shirt, signifying that she wanted him to lean down. Once Jooyeon was as close to her eye level as he could be, she leaned in and pressed a messy, frosting-covered kiss to Jooyeon's cheek.
Jooyeon tried his hardest to hide the grimace that had formed on his face, opting to wipe his cheek once Chaeyeon wasn't watching him anymore. "Goodbye, hyung. If you need help tomorrow, you know where to find us."
Gunil nodded and sent a small wave Jooyeon's way. "Thank you, Jooyeonie. I'll get those cinnamon rolls done for you as soon as I can.”
“No rush, hyung. We'd be happy to help, free cinnamon rolls or not.” With a wink and a thumbs up, Jooyeon was gone.
𝜗𝜚
"Chaeyeon-ah, stop splashing please. You'll cause a tsunami and daddy won't be able to make you cupcakes anymore." Gunil chuckled and gently cupped Chaeyeon's forehead to ensure no shampoo got into her eyes.
"Okay, daddy. What's a tsunami?"
"It's when... In cities that are near the ocean..." Struggling to find the words needed to explain tsunamis to a four year old, Gunil simply gave up. He knew she would forget about the term in approximately 30 seconds anyway. "I'll teach you about it when you're older. How was school today? I want to hear all about it! I'm sorry I wasn't able to pick you up today."
Chaeyeon hummed, making her mermaid bath toys swim under the water while she thought about her day. "I think... It was good! I played princesses with my friends and we got to finger paint today!"
"Ah, that's why your fingers are blue, right?" Gunil grabbed one of Chaeyeon's small hands and pointed out the blue tint that was still clinging to her skin. "You look like a little smurf! Or a blueberry! I might have to bake you into a pie..." Gunil mumbled and leaned in to blow a raspberry against her cheek.
Chaeyeon squealed and pulled away from her dad, giggling uncontrollably. "You can't do that! I'm not a blueberry, I'm a little girl!"
"Hmm... I guess you're right." Gunil smiled at her and went back to cleaning her up. "What about your new teacher? Do you like him?"
Once Chaeyeon had calmed down enough to speak again, she nodded. "He's verrryyy nice! And I think he's handsome. Just like you!"
There was that word again: Handsome . How handsome could this guy really be? Should he even care about what he looked like?
Despite being slightly puzzled by the reoccurrence of the word handsome being used to describe Mr. Jungsu, Gunil couldn't help but laugh at and simultaneously feel touched by her sudden comment. "You're a sweet girl, Chaeyeonie."
Chaeyeon nodded matter-of-factly before immediately continuing to talk--an attribute she absolutely received from her father. "He taught us fun new songs today and he sings verrryyy good!”
Gunil lifted Chaeyeon out of the bathtub in one swift motion, delicately setting her down on the worn out pink bath rug. “Is that so?” He wrapped Chaeyeon up tightly in her unicorn bath towel, not missing the way her small body started to shiver once it left the warm tub. Realistically, Gunil knew her shivering wasn't a result of anything he did, but it still pulled at his heart strings. “Can you sing one for me?”
“Umm… I can't! I don't remember them.” Chaeyeon pouted.
“That’s okay, baby. Maybe you’ll remember them tomorrow.” Placing Chaeyeon onto her bed and turning around, Gunil began to rummage through her small dresser in search of her favorite pajamas. “Do you want the Minnie Mouse pjs tonight? Or the Strawberry Shortcake pjs?”
“I want… Minnie Mouse!”
“Good choice,” Gunil crouched beside Chaeyeon’s little bed, and she stood up. “Arms up!”
“I can do it myself!” Chaeyeon insisted, and Gunil tried with all his might to stop the smile from dropping off his face. She was growing up, and as proud as Gunil was of her, it was hard for him to come to terms with. One day she wouldn't need him anymore–
“Help!!!”
But she clearly still needed him today.
Gunil chuckled at her small figure, her head trying to fit through the arm hole, and an arm stuck out through the hole for her head. “Still need daddy’s help?” After a little bit of struggle, Gunil was able to get her situated in her jammies, and all tucked into bed. With the blankets pulled up to her chin and a big kiss placed to her forehead, she was set.
“Daddy?” A small voice stopped Gunil just before he was about to step out into the hallway.
“What is it, baby?”
“Will you sing for me?” It was an incredibly simple request, and one that came often, but it always made Gunil feel like he was melting. Gunil knew he needed all the time he could possibly get to finish the wedding cake that was awaiting him in pieces downstairs, but his daughter would always come first.
“Of course,” He sat on the bed beside her, fingers lightly running through her still damp hair. “What song should I sing?”
Eyelids already fluttering closed, Gunil was almost certain Chaeyeon had already fallen asleep. Until her tiny voice piped up again: “The sunshine song.”
Gunil nodded, but realized she couldn't see him. He cleared his throat quietly before beginning to sing the words to the song she usually asked for. It was typical for Chaeyeon to be out like a light mere minutes after Gunil started singing, so he wasn't surprised when her breathing had slowed before he’d gotten the chance to finish the first verse.
The mountain of work that was sitting dormant in the bakery kitchen downstairs was heavy in Gunil’s mind, but he could never allow himself to leave Chaeyeon’s room without knowing she was sleeping soundly, and that the baby monitor situated beside her bed was working properly.
The baby monitor had been in her room since the day Gunil had moved her crib, and he knew she was starting to outgrow it. More often than not she slept through the nights with no problem, and Gunil knew the necessity for the monitor wasn't really there anymore. However, on these not-so-rare nights where Gunil would sneak downstairs to get some extra work done, he wanted to have his end of the monitor nearby in case there was an emergency. Another case of him being an over the top, protective father? Jooyeon would probably think so.
One of the many pros that came with living where they did was that Gunil had the ability to catch up on work if it was necessary, while also being able to help his daughter if needed. In Gunil’s opinion, the perks of living in a storefront apartment mostly outweighed the disadvantages. The apartment itself was quite small, especially the kitchen, and that made it easy for Chaeyeon’s toys to clutter up the main living spaces. But Gunil didn't mind. It made the apartment look lived in, and he liked that. And, the biggest perk of all: his beloved bakery was just a flight of stairs below him if he needed a way to spend his sleepless nights.
Next to Chaeyeon, of course, the bakery was Gunil’s pride and joy. Baking proved to be a form of escape for Gunil, ever since the day his grandmother had taught him to bake cookies. Being tasked with staying up until late into the night to work on baking commissions or preparing goods for the next day always seemed daunting before Gunil began to get to work. He was always quick to lose himself in the process and the soft music he let play in the background, singing to himself on occasion. Tonight was no exception, and luckily, Chaeyeon's bedtime was at 7:30, so he was hopeful that he wouldn't have to stay up for too long.
The wedding cake was coming along nicely, and Gunil was very pleased with himself. He quickly got to work frosting the layers with the buttercream frosting he'd made earlier on in the day. He hummed softly to the Muse song that was playing quietly in the background, and let his mind begin to wander, as he always did.
Baking wedding cakes was always bittersweet to Gunil. It had always been one of Gunil’s biggest dreams to bake his own wedding cake, but amidst the chaos of planning his first wedding, he hadn't been able to. With one wedding and a kid already under his belt, he wasn't trying to get his hopes up in regards to getting remarried. But that didn't mean the thought didn't cross his mind often.
Before the passing of Gunil's late wife, he'd been content with the life he was living. It was hard, at first, to come to terms with the fact that she was gone. And with her went all the hopes and dreams Gunil had had for their small family's future. Slowly but surely, he started to find contentment once more, knowing all she'd want is for Chaeyeon to be happy and live a good life.
Surely she'd also want Gunil to find true happiness again, right? Even if it meant being with someone else?
Getting back into the dating scene was something Gunil thought about on occasion, but it scared him. His thoughts went back to his daughter, whom he loved so dearly. Dating as a young single dad in and of itself wouldn't be easy, but he also had to be sure that the person he chose would be a good mother to Chaeyeon.
It was a sort of guilty pleasure for Gunil, to think about what it would be like to remarry. To think about getting the opportunity to bake his very own wedding cake for his very own special day. What would a potential future wife look like for him? Would she fit perfectly, like a jigsaw puzzle piece, into his family?
Gunil hoped so. If she was even out there.
𝜗𝜚
Gunil inhaled deeply as he stepped inside the preschool. The building had a distinct smell and feel to it that he couldn't quite put his finger on. All he knew was that it made him feel nostalgic, reminding him of all the first days of school he experienced when he was younger. Of course, Chaeyeon’s first day had already passed, but it was the first time he’d been inside of a school in a while.
The door to the preschool director’s office was slightly ajar, so Gunil decided to peek his head in. An older woman sat at the desk, typing away at her computer with a sense of urgency. She looked up soon after Gunil poked his head through the door, and she gave him a warm smile.
“Ah, Mr. Goo! It's good to see you again! We missed you yesterday.” Ms. Choi was a kind woman, with sparkling brown eyes and a welcoming smile. Gunil had quickly befriended her at the beginning of the last school year, when he'd first enrolled Chaeyeon at the school.
Gunil greeted her back with a smile and a shallow bow. “Same to you, Ms. Choi. I wanted to be here yesterday, but I had quite a bit of work to do. I heard Chaeyeon got a new teacher though, and I wanted to introduce myself, so I cleared my schedule for this afternoon.”
“Oh, of course, Mr. Jungsu! I meant to give you a call over the summer and let you know about the teacher change, but I got busy and lost track of time. I apologize for that. But Mr. Jungsu is a fine young man, I'm sure you'll grow fond of him, just like we all have.”
“My daughter seems to like him already, so I have high hopes.”
Everyone seemed to speak highly of Mr. Jungsu, and hearing about Ms. Choi's approval of him put Gunil even more at ease. She always had the best interest of the children at heart, and if she thought Jungsu was a good replacement for Mrs. Oh, then he trusted her.
A shrill school bell sounded throughout the building, signifying the end of the school day. “It was nice to see you! It's always a pleasure to see Jooyeon and Jiseok, but you're my favorite person to see.” She sent a wink Gunil’s way, causing him to laugh.
Gunil bid her farewell with another bow and a small wave before stepping back out into the hallway, which had, in the short time he'd spent in the office, become busy with parents ready to pick up their children. Whenever Gunil picked up Chaeyeon, he liked to be one of the first parents in the room. If he wanted a chance to speak with Mr. Jungsu, though, he figured it would be best to hang around towards the back of the crowd, rather than trying to make his way to the front.
The classroom emptied faster than Gunil anticipated, and Gunil entered with the last group of parents. His eyes quickly scanned the room, and it didn't take long for them to land on Chaeyeon, who was waiting patiently for her dad.
“Chaeyeon-ah!” He called out to her, just loud enough to make sure she would hear him, but not loud enough to cause a scene.
But it was no use. Chaeyeon was nowhere near shy, and had no problem causing a scene. “Daddy!” Her voice was high pitched, and caused a few heads to turn their way, but Gunil paid them no mind.
“Hi, baby!” He kneeled down on the ground with a big grin, holding his arms open wide. “I missed you today!”
“I missed you too! Did you make me a cupcake today?” She looked at him expectantly, and Gunil couldn't help but laugh at the hopeful smile on her face. Only 4 years old, and she was already being spoiled by having every type of baked good imaginable at her fingertips.
“Not today, princess, I'm sorry. Daddy had a busy day.” Although she was in fact spoiled, the pout that formed on her face still tugged at Gunil's heart strings. “But Hyeongjunie might've made a little surprise for you. We can check when we get home, okay? First, you need to be good while daddy talks to Mr. Jungsu. Can you do that for me?”
She nodded enthusiastically, the possibility of a treat from Hyeongjun at the forefront of her mind. Gunil stood and held his hand out to Chaeyeon, her little fingers wrapping around his pinky and ring finger.
“Hello! Can I help you?” Mr. Jungsu turned to greet Gunil after waving goodbye to the parent he was talking to previously. He was tall, with broad shoulders, and a kind face. And Gunil had to admit: he was easy on the eyes. Handsome . Everybody was right, Mr. Jungsu certainly was handsome, and for some odd reason it was making him nervous.
Gunil blinked up at Jungsu, mouth suddenly dry and all words escaping him. He cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to fill the slightly uncomfortable silence that he was unnecessarily causing. “I’m Chaeyeon's dad, Gunil.”
A smile quickly spread across Jungsu’s face. A bright smile that made Gunil feel just slightly happier by looking at it. One of his front teeth stuck out a very little bit, and Gunil wondered if he never had braces as a kid, or just neglected to wear a retainer in his teenage years.
But why would he care about any of that at all? Why was he even thinking about it? It had nothing to do with whether he was a good teacher or not.
“Ah, you're the famous Mr. Goo! I made the mistake of referring to your friend as her dad yesterday, and I think I struck a nerve. It's nice to meet you.” Jungsu turned and rummaged through the neatly stacked papers on his desk and produced a coloring page. “I was told you're a very busy man, and that I might not see you often, so you must have something you want to discuss since you're here.” He turned his attention to Chaeyeon, leaning down to hand her the coloring page. “If there's one thing I've learned from the past two days, it's that you're quite the little artist! Do you want to work on this while I talk with your dad?”
Chaeyeon smiled widely and let go of Gunil’s fingers, taking the paper into her hands instead. She made herself comfortable at a small table nearby, and got to work. Gunil was awed by the gesture, and simultaneously touched. Maybe he didn't need to speak with Jungsu anymore, he'd already proved himself to be good with children. And yet, Gunil still found himself wanting to stay and talk with him despite the evidence and testimonies he had in regards to Jungsu’s character.
“Do you have any concerns you would like to address with me? I'd be happy to answer any questions you have, if you have any.”
Oh, right. His concerns. “I, um, I think I mainly just wanted to introduce myself. And meet you in person. Mrs. Oh was her teacher last year–Ah, I'm sure you already knew that. I had just gotten used to sending her off to be with Mrs. Oh all day and I was surprised to hear she would have a new teacher this year. It’s just that–”
“You just want to make sure she'll be in good hands here. That she'll be safe with me.”
“Yeah,” Gunil breathed out, surprised at the way Jungsu was able to read him, but also somewhat glad he didn't have to say the words himself. “Yeah, that's exactly it. My best friend Jooyeon–the one who picked her up yesterday–thinks I'm crazy, overly protective. And maybe he's right, but it’s hard to not be when she's all I have left, you know?”
The realization that Gunil had probably said too much hit him almost instantly. He tried to laugh off his last statement, as if he'd meant it in a joking manner. If he tried hard enough, maybe he would be able to play it off as a joke, albeit a dark one.
Jungsu didn’t show any signs of discomfort or awkwardness towards anything Gunil had said, but nodded solemnly, with a sincere look on his face. “I completely understand,” It felt nice to be taken seriously. “It must be hard. To have a full time job, and also be the sole parent to a little girl. I can't even imagine being in your position.”
Gunil hadn't intended for the conversation to take such a serious turn, and even though Jungsu didn't seem fazed by his words, Gunil himself was feeling embarrassed for being vulnerable with a stranger. It felt better to just let out a quiet yeah in response
Luckily for Gunil, Jungsu continued to speak, clearly not expecting to hear anymore from him. “You can rest assured that as long as she is in my care, she will always be safe and taken care of. I promise you that.”
Jungsu spoke so earnestly, and Gunil could tell he was being genuine. He couldn't help but suddenly feel silly for even questioning Jungsu's ability to be a good teacher to the young children. Then again, he never would have felt so content in leaving Chaeyeon with him if he’d listened to Jooyeon and not stopped by.
“Thank you, uh, Mr. Jungsu,” It sounded funny in Gunil’s mind to refer to him as Mr. Jungsu , but he figured it would be better to be respectful. “It really means a lot to me.”
“Jungsu. You can just call me Jungsu. And it's no problem. It’s really the least I can do. Is there anything else I can do for you? To make you feel more comfortable?”
Gunil usually had a mountain of questions and concerns to run through when it came to Chaeyeon, but he was satisfied with what Jungsu had not only told him, but showed him as well. He still tried to think of anything he could possibly have a problem with, but came up with nothing. He shook his head.
“No. Not right now, at least. Thank you again.”
“Well, if you think of anything, please feel free to contact me anytime,” Jungsu reached into his pocket, pulling out a notepad and a pen, quickly scribbling something onto the paper. “Here's my phone number. Don't be shy. I'm available even outside of school hours. It was so nice to meet you. I hope to see you again!”
“It was nice to meet you too,” Gunil took the paper gently from Jungsu’s hand with both of his. He looked at it for a moment before folding it up and stuffing it into his pocket. “Chaeyeon-ah, let's go!”
“But daddy, I'm not finished yet!” Chaeyeon whined, kicking her legs underneath the table.
Gunil raised his eyebrows at her in warning, a silent reminder that she needed to be on her best behavior in front of her teacher. “You can finish it when we get home. Don't forget about that treat from Hyeongjunie that's at home waiting for you…”
She perked back up immediately at the reminder, and smiled up at her dad. Gunil knelt beside her and helped her put her coloring page and crayons back into her backpack. “Goodbye, Mr. Jungsu!” Chaeyeon called out, wrapping her hand around Gunil’s two fingers once again.
Jungsu waved back with a bright smile, and then brought his focus back to Gunil, sending him away with a wave and a smile as well. All Gunil could muster was a timid wave in return.
It was a successful meeting, and Gunil was happy with the outcome, thinking about it as he skipped back home hand in hand with Chaeyeon. Mr. Jungsu was kind and empathetic, and Gunil had to admit it: he was handsome as well, just like everybody said he would be.
𝜗𝜚
It wasn't unusual for The Pastry Corner to have a steady flow of customers during business hours, and Gunil was beyond grateful to have so many wonderful people enjoying his work. However, the perfectionist in him had a tendency to make even the just slightly more busy days seem overwhelming.
What if they ran out of a specific type of pie that a customer had desperately been craving, and he effectively ruined their day by telling them the bakery was out of stock? What if the coffee machine broke after three people had already placed an order for a latte?
So many possible situations, and not a single one had an ideal outcome.
Gunil liked to think that he was good at keeping his stress at bay, but if any single person were to disagree, it would be Han Hyeongjun.
“Gunil-hyung,” Hyeongjun spoke over his shoulder as he worked at the coffee machine, Gunil hurriedly boxing up croissants at the counter opposite of him. “Respectfully, you're driving me insane.”
“What?” Gunil paused for a moment to turn and give Hyeongjun an incredulous look.
“You're stressed, and it's stressing me out.” said Hyeongjun plainly. “It's not even busy enough for you to be acting like this.”
“Acting like what?”
“You know. Running around like a chicken with its head cut off even though there's no reason for it,” Hyeongjun shrugged and set down the drink he was working on to face Gunil completely. Gunil was appalled that Hyeongjun even thought they had enough time for him to stop working entirely. “And I can tell you're exhausted, hyung. I've worked all by myself on days that were much busier than this, and I was just fine. Please go take a little break.”
"I-I don't need to take a break. I'm not tired, really. What if something goes wrong, and the crowd becomes too much for you to handle?"
"You're always stuck on the ‘what if's’, hyung. Go lay down for a few minutes. Please, do it for me. If I end up needing anything I'll just come upstairs and get you. I know where the spare key is."
Gunil felt partly relieved to hear Hyeongjun say he would be able to handle everything on his own, and he did trust him. But it was always difficult for him to step away from work when he didn't really have to.
Hesitantly, and with the smallest hit to his pride, Gunil took his apron off and headed upstairs to take the quickest catnap known to man. Surely 15 minutes would be enough for him to wake up feeling recharged and calmed down, ready to get back downstairs so he could help Hyeongjun.
He settled down onto the worn out sofa in the small living room, smiling at the reminders of Chaeyeon scattered about the room in the form of her toys. They also helped him remember that he was supposed to pick up Chaeyeon from preschool in just a few short hours.
Two weeks had gone by since the last time Gunil picked Chaeyeon up from school, and although he was forever grateful towards Jooyeon for being so willing to help out, he did miss skipping home with his daughter, big smiles plastered on both of their faces. It was always a nice surprise for Chaeyeon to see her own father there waiting for her, and Gunil enjoyed the extra special time they got to spend together on their walk home from school.
Picking Chaeyeon up himself also meant he would get to see Jungsu again. He knew for a fact that he would at least see Jungsu, and the possibility of the two of them having another conversation excited Gunil.
He still wasn't sure why, though. Jungsu would probably just make for a good friend, is all.
Setting an alarm just in case his 15 minute nap ended up being somehow longer, Gunil pulled the living room throw blanket over his shoulders and allowed himself to drift off into a much needed sleep.
𝜗𝜚
Waking up to the afternoon sunlight was always a disorienting feeling. Or, at least it was to Gunil. The yellow-orange light from the sun flooding in through the windows always seemed blinding when he first opened his eyes.
Gunil rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands, willing them to adjust to the light. He reached for his phone, and when the time appeared on the screen his heart sank into his stomach.
3:00.
Either his 2:00 alarm never went off, or he slept right through it, and that meant poor, sweet, little Chaeyeon had been sitting at the school for 30 minutes, waiting for her dad to come pick her up.
He didn't even bother checking to see if his hair had become messy during the time he was napping. All that was on his mind was Chaeyeon, and whether she was okay or not.
He rushed out the door and down the stairs, ignoring the eyes of customers that turned toward him as he ran through the bakery and out onto the street.
What would Jungsu think? He probably thought Gunil was the worst dad in the world. What kind of dad neglects to pick his child up from school?
Gunil shook his head, trying to get the thoughts out of his mind. Why did Jungsu’s opinion matter anyways?
Very out of breath with hair sticking to his sweaty forehead, Gunil burst through the doors of the preschool. The air flow from the AC was a welcome feeling, cooling him down almost immediately. He couldn't help but shiver at the sudden change in temperature. He stopped for a moment to gather his bearings, and to catch his breath.
“Uncle Hyeongjunie told me to color like this.”
“Did he really? Your uncle must be a very good artist!”
Two voices followed each other in quick succession, one more familiar than the other. Gunil could recognize Chaeyeon’s voice anywhere, and although he hadn't quite committed Jungsu's voice to memory, he was almost certain the other one belonged to him.
He ran a finger through his hair and prayed to God that his cheeks weren't too red from the running he had just been doing. He rounded the corner and stepped into the completely empty classroom, taking in the sight that was before him.
There, sitting at one of the tiny tables, in the tiny chairs, was Chaeyeon and Jungsu. It would have been a humorous sight–Jungsu and his large stature sitting in a plastic chair meant for a 4 year old–if Gunil didn't feel so guilty and embarrassed for not picking his daughter up on time. The two of them were quick to notice him as he approached the table.
“Daddy!” Chaeyeon stood up quickly from her seat and ran towards Gunil. Her short arms wrapped around his legs tightly. “You're here!”
“I am, baby, I'm here,” He ruffled her hair with one hand, while running the other up and down her back gently. “I'm sorry I'm so late. I'm so, so sorry.”
“It's okay, daddy!” She pulled back and looked up at him with a big grin. “I was having fun! Come look at the picture that I colored!” She grabbed one of his hands with both of hers and tugged him over to the table. “Look! It's me, and you, and Uncle Yeonny! And Uncle Jiseokie and Hyeongjunie too.”
“It's amazing, sweetie! I love it so much! We can hang it up on the fridge as soon as we get home.” Gunil smiled for the first time since he woke up from his nap. He turned his attention towards Jungsu, who was watching the two of them with a small smile. “I'm so sorry for not showing up on time. I feel terrible. You probably think I'm the worst dad ever.”
Jungsu shook his head. “Not at all. Based on this picture she drew here, she clearly comes from a very loving home. And even loving fathers make mistakes sometimes. It was obviously an accident, and those happen. I can remember a few times my mom forgot to pick me up from school when I was little.” Jungsu chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.
It worked just a little bit. “It won't happen again, I swear on my life. It's never happened before, and I will not be making a habit out of it.” Gunil laughed along with Jungsu, helping Chaeyeon put her picture into her backpack. “Thank you so much for waiting with her. Is there any way I can make it up to you? I feel bad that you had to stay after hours because of me.”
Jungsu shook his head once more. “That's not necessary. I'm just doing my job. And besides, I promised you that I would look after her and that she would be safe with me. I would never break that promise. I wasn't planning on letting her out of my sight until I was 100% certain that she was safely with you.”
Gunil wished there was a way to convey just how entirely grateful he was toward Jungsu for all the kindness he'd shown him and Chaeyeon in a mere two weeks. But there wasn't, really, unless Gunil wanted to step into what he considered overly vulnerable territory. Maybe if he was talking to Jooyeon, or Hyeongjun, or one of his parents, he would be willing to completely pour out his heart while giving thanks. But Jungsu didn't need to see him like that. He was practically still a stranger, and he'd said too much during their last meeting.
“Thank you, seriously. It really means a lot to me,” Was what he settled on, deciding it made him seem grateful enough, without showing just how emotional he felt. “Should we go, Chaeyeon-ah?” He stood and held his arms out for her. She slid her backpack on and stood, waiting for Gunil to pick her up. He did so with ease.
“Goodbye, Chaeyeon! I'll see you tomorrow!” Jungsu smiled and waved, and Gunil noticed for the first time how he had blinked rapidly both times he’d seen him with a big smile on his face. Cute.
Chaeyeon waved back, and Gunil made sure to send a small wave Jungsu’s way as well. There were many thoughts running through his mind as he stepped back outside. Focusing on one thought at a time was probably the best idea, starting with the smallest ones that wouldn't drive Gunil mad if he thought about them too long.
Jungsu said it wasn't necessary to make it up to him, but Gunil wanted to do it anyway. And what would be better than Gunil using the talents and resources he had at his disposal to do so? But what would be the best thing for him to bake?
Maybe some red velvet cupcakes? Or a blueberry pie? Or! Maybe a box of chocolate croissants…