Gu Junpyo and Geum Jandi: Gu Seong Min (age7), Gu Seong Hee ( age5)
Yoon Jihoo and Oh Hani: Yoon Eun Hee ( age7), Yoon Jun soo ( age 1)
So Yi Jeong and Chu Ga Eul: So Dae Jeong ( age7), So Ha Neul ( age 3)
Song Woo Bin and Ha Jaegyeong: Song Hae Ryung ( age 6 )
Chapter eight : The Vase. ( not in Song Hae Ryung's perspective)
"O-O-o... I think this one is a girl..!.. " Jandi placed her index finger on one of the little black and white pear shaped images on the screen.
" mwo?" Ga Eul and Yi Jeong gasped in unison, Ga Eul shifting her head more at the side, to clearly see the ultrasound. And Yi Jeong straightening up and pressing his lips even more on the back of Ga Eul's hand which was trapped in his, while his other hand clutched her coat. The ultrasound test was that one time the former Casanova became a five year old who was afraid to climb up a stage. It was the same when it was Ha Neul and even worse when it was Dae Jeong; the first time of course, Yi Jeong barely managed not to faint.
" then..." Yi Jeong swallowed a bit, " is it a boy and a girl.. "
" hmm.. it seems..." the radiologist, who was a teammate of Jandi, back at Shinhwa medical school, adjusted the device so that particular being was more centred and highlighted on the screen.
" Ye.. it is..." she smiled at Ga Eul who let out a soft chuckle in return. And another chuckle was exchanged between the parents before Yi Jeong gently squeezed his wife's arm, grinning widely. Yi Jeong's smile never left his face even when he aided Ga Eul to climb down from the bed and let her adjust her dress. He placed a kiss on her forehead as soon as she stood up, and another on her lips, just before they lead themselves out.
After the gathering, he had come straight to the clinic as he was not to miss the tests and always made sure to be with Ga Eul while it was, as much as possible. Junpyo had accompanied him as he had to pick up Jandi while Woo Bin went to the airport to pick Jaegyeong.
Awaiting with Ha Neul, Gu Junpyo sat outside, until they were done with the scan, though he was mostly consumed in his phone than babysitting the toddler.
" Mwo?" he looked up at the three adults who were grinning wide, coming out of the radiologist's room.
" It's a girl" Jandi grinned at her husband.
" Two girls?"
" Ani.. one girl and the other's a boy.."
" mwo !...so you two.? ... ah.. finally.." he gave a friendly slap on Yi Jeong's shoulder making the couple to slightly blush.
" The hard part will be after they arrive though..." Yi Jeong chuckled, and smiled with Ga Eul who picked up Ha Neul.
" ye... they still don't know that these are twins..." Ga Eul patted the little swell on her abdomen before cupping Ha Neul' s little hand which was punching it, before placing a kiss. " And this one is already too jealous.." and placed another kiss on the toddler's cheek. Ha Neul's displeased expression and the glare at his unborn siblings, made Yi Jeong to grin wider as he dishevelled the little black mess of his hair and caught the chubby hand which reached to his.
" Where's that Jihoo? Have anyone seen him ? " Junpyo complained looking sideways. Jihoo was not present at their gathering and as always the great Gu Junpyo was annoyed to be ignored.
" Ani... they were having a lot of patients today...as doctor Kim has been on leave...but Hani told they would be back to pick up Eun Hee..." Jandi replied.
"Arasso then..." Junpyo sighed, annoyed. " Woo Bin has picked up Jaegyeong... and we'd better be going..." and with that he lead the way out of the hospital.
" Hurabeujji' s place ?" Ga Eul gave Yi Jeong a quizzical look while comforting the three year old to calm down.
" hmm" Yi Jeong answered with a nod.
" Wonder what trouble they had caused Hurabeujji.. then.. " Ga Eul chuckled again allowing Yi Jeong to join her as they followed the almost-half-way-out Gu Junpyo.
Though how much they would have wondered, they probably couldn't have predicted the least of the situation that the young F4 Juniors had caused. The situation ; of course, which with a loud CLANG had silenced the whole residence enough to hear a bird chirping and a cricket creaking in distance while the guilty yet guiled stared at the shattered pieces of porcelain.
The Qing dynastic vase...
Huramoni's birthday gift...
is... broken?
...
"ITS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Hae Ryung snapped back at Eun Hee.
" H-HOW COME IT ALL BE MY FAULT ? WHEN IT WAS GU SEONGMIN WHO THREW THE BOOK AT HELLO KITTY !"
" I DID NOT THROW IT PURPOSELY! NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF SO DAE JEONG HAD SHOWN ME THAT STUPID -WHATEVER THING HE WAS DRAWING AND IF YOU HAD JUST KEPT THAT CAT ON YOUR LAP! " Seong Min defended himself.
" HELLO KITTY WOULDN'T HAVE RUN OFF IF YOU TWO HADN'T YELLED THAT LOUD!!"
" actually... nothing would have happened if Song Hae Ryung had not drawn that sword..." Despite the others yelling, Dae Jeong added calmly.
" oh.. so it is all MY FAULT NOW!!" Hae Ryung crossed her arms. " What if hello kitty had just JUMPED ONTO THE VASE..?..."
" ha..." Dae Jeong let out a sigh, " WILL ALL OF YOU STOP THAT BLAMING GAME NOW !!" and yelled at the other three making them go silent and stare amazed at him, as if wondering since when did he had possessed such a loud voice.
" No matter what.. it would be me who would have to clean the kiln for the rest of the eternity!" and he added with another sigh, returning back to his usual calmness. " After all... it was me who Jeungjobu-nim left in -charge..." He stood up and went near the crime scene.
" Waite! I don't remember anything like that?" Hae Ryung again crossed her arms.
" Neither do I... " and Seong Min agreed.
And they were both shot and silenced with Dae Jeong's fierce glares. " Well, that was what he MEANT back when he left!" and he sighed again.
" Ye... and it seemed you have broken Jeungjobu-nim's trust..." Eun Hee added sincerely.
" And they say trust is like a vase, once broken.. can not be repaired..." Seong Min became sincere too but it was only a glare or a stare or an annoyed sigh he got in return.
" Excuse me...?... trust is like glass! Not vase..!.." Hae Ryung corrected him.
" Glass or vase.. it's still the same..."
" Anniyo... it's not...a vase could be mended..." Dae Jeong stood up after studying the pieces.
" GREAT! Then mend it! You are the potter after all..." Hae Ryung exclaimed at last easing herself from the fear.
" But... I am not sure if it would be right to mend this kind of a vase... I think... these broken pieces will be worth more than a mended vase..."
" see? " Seong Min scoffed. " I told you.. it's still the same..."
" mwo? What nonsense are you talking about? Can't you see? This is a matter between life and death!"
" Well, personally.. I don't think huramoni Kang will kill us... I mean it's just a vase after all.."
" A QING dynastic vase.." Dae Jeong emphasized.
" Ye and quit been optimistic Yoon Eun Hee! Though she won't kill us she would probably exile us! Which is still the same.." and mimicked Seong Min's own words in a sing song way at him who in return sticked out his tongue at Hae Ryung.
" A...nd it will take a long time..." Dae Jeong grinned, revealing his dimples.
...
...
...
" we are Dead!... " Seong Min fell back to his seat. " we are totally dead... and there's no place to run away...I'll be thrown in to the streets..." he buried his head in his arms and shook it wildly.
" ah .. please do stop that whining.." Hae Ryung said wearily while collapsing onto hers.
" ye.. we'll find some way.. " Eun Hee sat and smiled trying to lift up the mood while Dae Jeong came calmly and sat on his previous place silently.
" So.. what are we going to do?... any suggestions?" Dae Jeong asked calmly and forcing a smile while looking across the smug faces, as if to give some hope.
After a considerable silence...
" Can't we just sweep it under a carpet? Or just throw the pieces away?" it was Eun Hee.
" Then what can we say when they ask about it?... we'd definitely get caught..!..." Seong Min sighed between a sob, of course he was more than terrified.
" Ye.. Seong Min is right..." Hae Ryung agreed, probably for the first time in her life for something told by Seong Min. " We are not supposed to hide the evidence..."
"Then what?
" We replace them... with false evidence..." she added in a know it all tone."thinkig of it... Can't we glue it ?"
" mwo?"
" the vase.. can't we glue it ?"
" Glue a vase?" Seong Min scoffed. " sounds ridiculous!"
" moreover... " Dae Jeong spared a glance at the broken pieces. " Its a disgrace for the kiln god..."
" oh then let us be exiled sparing the honour of this kiln god... would he save us from huramoni?!!"
" Hae Ryung has got a point... " Eun Hee went thoughtful for a moment, " at these kind of a situations... " she hesitated, " I think... it's alright for us to be a bit... uhm..self...ish..." she uttered the last part in a squeak.
Just then,
" Agashshi.. your drinks are ready..."
It didn't took much time for a wave of fear to run through all of the F4 juniors.
" CHEN!!" They all uttered in unison.
" We are dead we are dead.. we are going to get caught..." Seong Min started crying.
" agh! Every one! Don't panic.. arasso then... let's glue it... Eun Hee, go and distract Chen.. Seong Min, find a broom and clean up the mess.. Hae Ryung, help me glue the vase.. have anyone got a super glue?"
Dae Jeong gave quick instructions to everyone and the tension made them follow the plan. Eun Hee ran to the door immediately, and faced Chen as calmly as possible. Taking the drinks and handing them over to Seong Min who was behind her, she asked Chen to bring something else for her as she believed 'Cocacola would spoil her teeth' and offered herself to help her find something more... healthier... As for her usual politeness the actions weren't suspected.
As soon as the coast outside the room was cleared by Eun Hee, Seong Min ran out, but within a matter of seconds came running back.
" Where are the brooms kept? " He asked from Dae Jeong in a slightly louder voice for the situation, almost making the two flinch and froze and sigh, before answering.
" In the basement, go straight through the corridor then turn left and then right and climb down the stairs."
" Arasso." There he went back running, to the basement as he was guided. Though he took a considerable time to find the switch to on lights and another few minutes to find the brooms.
" oh.. the super glue... I think I have got one... " Hae Ryung started searching her backpack. She almost shed everything that was in it, to the ground.
" FOUND IT !" and she tossed it at Dae Jeong, who succeeded on catching it.
" By the way... why do you keep a super glue with you?"
He was answered with a glare, " STOP questioning and just be glad that I had it!"
Dae Jeong dismissed the glares and calmly went to the vase and studied it's broken pieces. The vase; was broken in to three main pieces. It appeared as the sword had stroked it from a side and the neck was cut cleanly. While the sudden strike had made it fall to the ground and shatter into two. Dae Jeong studied all those three pieces and placed them together, tightly, a pair at once. And he sighed in relief as though they have been shattered, the pieces at least seated perfectly together.
" The super glue.." he held his hand as if he was a surgeon asking for the scissors.
And Hae Ryung handed it over to him Like the assisting nurse.
He with immense calmness placed a layer of glue on the cracked perimeter and placed it neatly on the other.
" hold this still." He instructed her and she obeyed.
" FOUND IT!" and again the Seong Min's exclaim made them flinch and the neat line of glue to mess. Dae Jeong spared a glare at him before rearranging the glued pieces and letting Hae Ryung to hold them still. He then glued the neck part just as before.
There followed about ten long minutes, in which Dae Jeong and Hae Ryung held the pieces to be bonded while Seong Min placed the sword back in its sheath before placing it on the wooden supports. He then swept out the soil fallen from the bonsai tray when Hello kitty had jumped onto it feared from the sound of the breaking vase.
Dae Jeong and Hae Ryung holding the vase together, made them look like they were posing for a some sort of an ancient painting while Seong Min lazily swept the floor and made way through the kitten and the bunny by sliding them aside from the broom. For which he received a lot of glares and even a punch on his face if not Hae Ryung was holding the vase.
" Seriously ? .. one hand sweeping ?" Dae Jeong asked lifting an eyebrow.
" Ye.. even a sloth from Zootopia would have swept the floor faster than you do !" and Hae Ryung was received a glare in response for her compliment.
" Gu SeongMin..." Dae Jeong let out a smirk, " have you even touched a broom before ?" and another glare.
" Hasn't it dried yet?" Seong Min asked with a sigh literally flinging the last bits of dirt out into the garden.
" Let's see..." Dae Jeong slowly released his hands and Hae Ryung imitated the act. And the vase remained steady and stable. Dae Jeong as calmly and as slowly as possible placed the vase back on its previous position, and the trio let out a loud sigh in relief.
The fourth chance to flinch and gasp, came when Eun Hee came running to the room slid closing the door behind her and exhaled loudly.
" waeyo?" Dae Jeong asked and the other two were concerned again.
" They are here..." she exhaled even more.
" who?"
"Bumonim..."
" You mean Jihoo samchan and_"
"_ Anniyo!.. all of them!!" She exclaimed. " even Jaegyeong oni..."
" Quick! Everyone return back to where you were!" Hae Ryung exclaimed.
" Where's that sketch book?"
" here it is !"
"Hide the broom! hide the broom... "
And it was tossed into some corner of the garden.
" listen every one!.. from now, till death, we are not to tell anything about this to anyone... Arasso?"
Hae Ryung looked into every eye.
" Arasso."
" Ye.."
" Hmm."
Not leaving another second for further discussions the door slid open and the adults came in.
" Yoh... what's up?" Woo Bin first peeped in.
" A-appa.." Hae Ryung smiled, hesitantly. " OMMA!" but she exclaimed and ran at Jaegyeong, when seeing her. The fear enhanced the excitement even more.
Jaegyeong hugged her tight while exchanging a bow and a chuckle with the others.
" C' mon... pack your things..." she giggled and patted Hae Ryung. As all of her pencils and books were still left on the floor.
She obeyed her mother immediately and waved the others good bye when leaving; an unusual thing, for the adults to stare and chuckle for a moment. And after a another few good byes the other's left Head Master's residence as well.
Gu Seong Min's silence, So Dae Jeong's nervousness, Yoon Eun Hee's anxiety and Song Hae Ryung's obedience, remained till another few days. Of course at the party they were at their best of discipline.
Yet none of them were quite good at keeping secrets, as for Dae Jeong, a couple of days followed he came running to Ga Eul and embraced her tight.
" Waeyo...?.." Ga Eul chuckled stroking his hair while Dae Jeong managed to bury his head in her chest.
" omma... ... please stop Huramoni Kang from putting that vase in to the auction..." he murmured, while his face was still buried.
" Wae?" Ga Eul made him lift his face and look straight in to her eyes.
" Omma... please don't tell appa... " he was hardly holding back his sobs. " That vase was glued..."
" mwo?" and Ga Eul was beyond surprise when he explained everything that happened. And it remained a secret, till the night two days before the auction.
The night, two days before the auction; when Yi Jeong was burying his face in her neck caressing their newly known twins, she chuckled and patted his head.
"Sunbae... do you know why they objected that much when chairman Kang told she would put the vase into auction?"
" Waeyo?.." Yi Jeong asked, more interested on continuing the chat while their nightly activities than the answer itself.
" Because its glued."
"Mwo?" he paused. Ga Eul chuckled even more and explained him everything that happened. Yi Jeong was not less surprised than Ga Eul was.
And the vase was again brought back to discussion in an F4 gathering just before the auction to be commenced.
It appeared that none of the F4 juniors were good at keeping secrets as they have all told that to someone.
Dae Jeong to Ga Eul, Seong Min to Jun Hee, Hae Ryung to Chen and Eun Hee to Jihoo.
Though Junpyo was quite upset that it wasn't with him, that Seong Min had shared the secret, he agreed with Jihoo, when he suggested to keep it as a secret; the fact that they all know the secret. And as for the auction, Junpyo gave the highest bid and bought the vase and kept in Jun Hee's office.
As for the F4 juniors, who held the guilt of revealing the secret while they thought that the other three had kept it, the vase became the key incident, starting another remarkable lifelong friendship... and of course, it marked the very first of their adventures that were soon to begin...
A/N :
if in any case you would wonder if a vase could actually be glued... it could I am telling from personal experience :)
reviews?