Brain Cells Have Left the Building
As the week went by, both Pun and Zen were looking forward to their day off on Sunday, which they would be sharing with Win and Pharm. The interns rarely had a day off all together, but would go check out the city or hang out together at the hotel in small groups if they shared a day off. However, when Pun and Zen entered the cafe that Sunday, they both stopped in their tracks and tried to pull each other behind the corner, as well as trying to cover each other’s mouths. This caused a bit of confusion, but they both managed to get behind the corner without being seen by the people they were trying to not be seen by--although the baristas were amused by their antics.
“What do you think they saw?” Phume asked quietly.
Tom and Golf looked at the customers in the cafe. There was a mixed couple with their two kids, a brother and sister by their guess, and three thirteen year olds hanging out.
“Maybe the thirteen year olds?” Tom asked, making sure to keep his voice low. “Thirteen year olds are scary”
Golf and Phume looked at each other, amused.
“I have a feeling it’s the brother and sister” Golf said, watching the siblings point out things that amused them.
From behind the corner, Pun and Zen were whispering to each other.
“That’s--” they both got out before stopping. Pun gestured for Zen to go first.
“That’s Junior, he’s one of my best friends, but he’s so chaotic”
“You said that he had an older sister, right? Well, that’s her. Porpla. She owns the apartment building I live at” Pun explained.
The two peeked out from behind the corner, Zen standing above Pun as they tried not to get caught. They glanced at each other when the two siblings talked with the baristas. When Tom gestured their way, the two of them quickly ducked back behind the corner.
“One of our rooms?” Zen suggested quickly.
Pun shook his head. “I don’t know about Junior, but I can tell you that Porpla can find you anywhere. And I mean anywhere. Running is pointless, at least for me”
Zen tilted his head at that, but was immediately startled by Junior jumping on his back.
“AI’ZEEEEEEEEEEEEN I’VE MISSED YOU!” Junior said, messing with his hair.
Pun looked slightly nonplussed, but he was swept up in a giant hug by Porpla before he could react more strongly.
“Pun! We’ve missed you at the hotel! First you leave us for a year, then you go to this hotel job! So Junior--my little brother--and I decided to come visit”
As much as Pun hated to admit it, he felt some tears come to his eyes. He had missed the apartment and all its weird chaos. There was chaos here, but it was very mundane compared to the apartment chaos.
“I’ve missed you too, Jiě” Pun told her.
“So who’s the cutie my little brother is on top of?” Porpla asked, looking mischievous.
“That’s Zen, one of my fellow interns” Pun explained.
“He’s one of my best friends” Junior said, off of Zen but his arm thrown around the taller young man’s shoulders.
Now that Junior was off of Zen, Pun could see the massive similarities between the two. If it wasn’t for the age gap, they could have been twins.
“Oh yes, the one with the braces. You should bring your friends to the apartment someday, Junior! All of you guys are so cute!”
From behind Porpla, Zen could see Pun vigorously shaking his head.
“Maybe” he told Porpla, since Porpla seemed really nice. He watched as Pun put his head in his hands.
“What are we doing again? Weren’t we gonna hang out with Win and Pharm?” Pun whispered to Zen as they showed Porpla and Junior around.
“If you think that they can handle these two, feel free to invite them” Zen hissed back, keeping his eyes on his friend, who was being loud.
Pun considered Zen’s words, then nodded in agreement. They would watch these two and hopefully send them on their merry way.
“Pray Porpla doesn’t meet Zol or Manaow, but especially Zol” Pun looked a little freaked out by that possibility, so Zen made sure to keep a look out for her, even though he was pretty sure she would be stuck inside the kitchen that day.
“If Junior meets the girls, expect flirting, especially with Del, since I’m pretty sure she’s her type”
“What, lesbian?” Pun said without thinking.
Zen snorted. “Actually, you know what...P’Soda is lesbian, so yeah, you might be on to something there”
“Speak of the devil…” Del came out of a room, wheeling a cart that had several stuffed animals on them, the ones Pun had helped her get down.
“Who is the lovely lady?” Junior asked, receiving a stuffed animal that had fallen.
“Taken” Del said shortly. Zen and Pun didn’t know what had happened, but figured it had to do something with P’Mod. “If you guys see Zol, tell her that P’Mod’s ghost story is bad and I don’t understand why it left her sleepless when she was in housekeeping”
Pun was confused but Zen chuckled and said he would if Del didn’t tell her herself before he got the chance. As Del left, Zen watched Junior, who was making fake heartbroken faces to his sister.
“Junior, she’s taken. By one of our fellow interns, no less. Don’t worry, you’ll find someone someday” Zen put his arm around Junior, steering him towards the restaurant.
The four of them sat at a table, Pun and Zen slightly on edge, unsure of what these two were capable of, but hoping that because it was a public setting, it wouldn’t be too bad.
“Here are your dishes, guys” Even though a full time staff member had taken their order, Tops was serving them.
“Thanks, Tops” Pun said as he took his dish from him.
“Oh, Pun, where do you get all these cute friends??” Porpla exclaimed.
Tops smiled uncertainly, looking a little overwhelmed by Porpla’s forceful personality. Pun smiled reassuringly at Tops, who looked a little calmer when Porpla focused on her food.
Once they had finished their food (the lunch went surprisingly well, filled with laughter from stories about the apartment and Zen’s friend group, but never going too far), Pun took Porpla to the front desk to meet Pao before she left.
“Jiě! How’s the apartment?” Pao said with a big smile.
“That Yuri keeps trying to sneak in even though Om takes her on dates every day” Porpla pouted.
“I bet it’s the thrill of the thing” Pao nodded solemnly.
Porpla laughed and pinched his cheeks. She said goodbye to Pao and Pun, hugging Pun before she left with Junior. Once the two siblings were out of sight, Pun and Zen both let out sighs of relief.
“That sigh could have knocked over Pharm if he was here!” Pao joked. “Was it really that bad?”
Pun shook his head, running his fingers through his hair. “I thought it would be worse, actually. But you know Porpla”
Pao nodded. “Well, you and Win are letting me fend for myself today, and I need to pay attention, so…”
Pun laughed, getting the hint. He and Zen left, texting Win and Pharm to see where they were.
“Tone! Akk! What are you guys doing here?” was what Win and Tops heard when they entered the cafe for their free drink, late in the evening.
“Felt like popping by” the shorter one replied. “Tone missed working here, as well”
“Well, we’re glad to see you” Phume told them, a large grin on his face. “Unfortunately, you have to pay for your drinks now”
The two young men smiled widely, the shorter one bringing out his wallet to buy the drinks. Win and Tops waited behind them, Golf noticing them after a minute.
“Hey guys, these two are the winners of last year, Tone and Akk” he told them.
“They’re engaaaaaaaaaaaaged” Tom said sing-songily, grinning at Tone and Akk’s interlocked hands.
“Hey, I’m not the winner” protested the taller man. “Akk sabotaged himself”
“And it was the most romantic thing we’ve ever seen” Tom snickered, nearly dropping the mug he was holding out to Akk.
“I think this must be the ToneAkk Neung never shuts up about” Win muttered to Tops, smirking.
“Your usuals, guys?” Golf asked as Tone and Akk moved to the side.
“Yes, please” Tops answered for them.
Win smiled softly at Tops, marveling at how Tops always knew what Win was thinking.
“So when’s the wedding, guys?” Phume asked.
“We want details!” Tom said.
“Well, it will be in the winter, we’ve decided. Even though we met in the summer, it’s just so much cooler in the winter” Tone said matter-of-factly.
“Kin is going to be my best man, and two of my cousins will be my groomsmen” Akk supplied.
“What about you, Tone?” Golf asked as he made Win’s drink. “Any groomsmen in mind?”
“I’m thinking maybe Toey as my best man, and I’m still deciding for my groomsmen. Probably Kay as one of them, though”
“No high school friends or anything?” Phume asked, clearly surprised, stopping what he was doing with Tops’ drink.
A dark look passed over Tone’s face, while Akk shook his head at the baristas.
“Never mind” Tom said after an awkward silence. “I’m sure the wedding will be spectacular. We heard all about the proposal from Nook and Valen”
Akk’s face brightened at the reminder of the proposal.
“I really wasn’t expecting it, you know?” he told the baristas. “We had discussed moving places and all that, and marriage a little bit, but I never expected it that early!”
“We had dated for almost a year, Akk” Tone said fondly.
“Still” Akk said, a broad smile on his face.
“Here you guys go” Tom said, having rescued the drinks from Golf and Phume.
Win and Tops, who had been standing slightly awkwardly to the side, thanked the baristas and left.
“That had to be them” Win said as they walked to the elevator, out of earshot of the cafe. “I remember Neung mentioning some of those names”
“I agree, it was them” Tops said with a smile.
Win smiled and brought Tops to his side, putting his arm around his waist as they waited for the elevator.