152. Expect The Unexpected

"Dad. I think I've waited long enough don't you think? It's time for Yeon and I to move to our own place."

"Okay." Dad Joss seemed aloof in his response. Sipping his cup of coffee, he went on about savoring the aroma and taste of it.

"You're okay with it?"

"Why wouldn't I be? I've been supporting you two getting your own place for the longest time and now that things are going well with the case, I don't see why not. You two deserve to understand how it feels to pay rent, and don't move into my other apartment. You're no longer in college and making a lot of money on your own. It's time I put that place in the market for sale."

"I wasn't thinking of moving there. That apartment is way too small for Yeon and I and quite far. Moreover, I've actually been pondering over throwing in the question to Yeon."

"Really?" Dad Joss pretended to be taken by surprise. "I'm at a loss for words."

"That habit of yours, always mocking me..."

"You are lucky Yeon is not the snooping type. He'd have already become aware of your plans."

"You saw it?"

"You mean your proposal plan? Of course not!"

"I changed the locks after Niel left! How'd you find the spare keys?"

Placing his cup on top of a coaster, dad Joss said, "Stannie, we know every corner of this house... More-so, you should know you can't hide anything from Robin including a mare spare set of keys. He is the one who found your other box stacked with fairy tale ideas. I particularly have profited most from your date recommendations for they have spiked up the charm in my relationship with your dad. We've become teenage-like lately, dancing our gruesome work schedules off and singing away to your hearts content. It's been ages since we've done a mud bath let alone visited an amusement park together!"

"You two will pay for my extravagant dates with Yeon for the rest of your lives, and yet you claim to not have money? If you don't want to loose more of your finances then I suggest that you stop being busy bodies."

"I'm very much innocent. Your dad doesn't even care about how much I'm I stand to loose whenever he snoops around and oftentimes, I'm not even with him so blame him not me."

"Like I've never heard that excuse before." Sitting beside his father in the living room, Stan added. "Anyway, I found a place to move into. It's close to home and about ten minutes walk from uncle's place."

"I thought you'd wanted to move far away from us."

"I did but Yeon doesn't so I have to compromise. He seems to like working with you both and his project with uncle was doing so well. I wouldn't want him to let his dream go just like that. I've also looked into it and saw the potentially of finances coming in."

"Tell me more."

"I can't disclose much as of the moment majorly since I don't understand the science part of it however, capital wise, in about two to three years, it will lift off in a very profiting way by a great margin."

"I should probably meet up with your uncle, though he doesn't know Yeon is assisting me in my lab. He may become exceedingly jealous believing I snatched his apprentice from him."

"But Yeon enjoys working on fated mates."

"He enjoys anything to do with science and whatever suggestions he's made so far, whenever we put our heads together, our findings have longevity. My workload is at the pharmacy is also reduced by far. I can help your dad with a thing or two whenever he is overwhelmed and I get to come home early like today..."

"...And have time to go through my things."

"Just move your stuff to Yeon's room. We want to remodel that place. What will happen if Elric and Niel come visiting then lack a comfy place for the twins? Or Yeon's parents with Haesol which by the way, did you see her latest picture that Yeon's dad sent us?" Dad Joss spoke, extending his phone towards Stan to explore his gallery. "She is very beautiful!"

"I thought you didn't like kids?"

"How heartless do you think I am? I said I didn't want Robin's attention taken away by you two getting pregnant."

A smile formed across Stan's face as he swiped through his father's phone. "We'll, at Elric's baby shower, I fantasized a lot about me and Yeon having a family. I know he doesn't want to get into that parental mode when he feels like his life is constantly being watched. I detest it too so as hard as it is, when he is ready, and we've moved to our own place, we can start one."

"Shouldn't you at least propose? That ring has been sitting there for almost six months."

"What the..!"

"Yeon has taken long getting ready and I'm hungry." Dad Joss jumped in almost immediately to avoid being interrogated by his son. "Do you think he fell asleep?"

"I'll go check on him, but we are not done talking...!"

'Mention his fated and he forgets everything just like Jiwon. How unsurprising.'

"Relax.." Dad Joss stopped Stan by holding onto his shoulder then gave a gentle pull for him to sit down. "Take it from me. Hogging your partner like that only irritates them more. Give him space to breath. Don't be in their face all the time. Act like you don't care then let them miss you a little."

"You sound like uncle."

"Ow Shut it. I'll ring Yeon so sit down and remain silent."

Stan was excited when he saw Yeon running down the stairs and dad Joss laughed upon seeing his son's reaction. He then proceeded to set the table up. "Anyone for dessert?" He asked. "I'll keep it in the warmer in advance."

"What is it today?" Yeon asked, sitting beside his fated.

"You know Robbin. He made hot chocolate cake before leaving. I have to warm under low heat and I can only reheat it once."

"I'll have a bite later."

"Speaking of which, what took you so long Yeon?" Dad Joss asked, his back facing both Stan and Yeon.

"I got curious about the other room so I checked it out. I thought you were planning to have it renovated since Stan is no longer occupying it."

Both Stan and dad Joss froze for a brief moment, their eyes trying to read Yeon's mind.

"What's with you two?" Yeon inquired and when his eyes finally rested on Stan, Yeon appeared suspicious of the two. "Why are you acting all fidgety? Your facial expression merits suspicion Stan."

"Let's talk about this later." Stan replied dismissively

Dad Joss was even more astonished when Yeon instantly agreed and watched him stand up to approach him at the dining table. Soon enough, Stan joined them with the cutleries, placing them quietly on the table mats. A loud silence followed after between Stan and his dad, Yeon watching both of them exchanging glances as if a non verbal communication was happening between them. It frustrated him to be left out until he finally decided to break the silence.

"If it's about the ring I already know it."

"What?" Both Stan and his dad asked in unison.

"Is it not the reason why you two are gesturing at each other with your eyes?"

"It is the ring!" Dad Joss exclaimed, confirming in excitement.

"Dad!"

"Stan," Yeon called out to his fated gently. "You were moving your stuff in my room so I tried to decongest it by transferring some of your stuff back after Niel had left on that day he'd slept over. Of course I was going to bump into it! Your box of secrets too, that's what you call it right? Elric told me all about it before and how you like to write down your plans. Moreover, Niel has met up with a number of your books. He didn't read through that much but he definitely felt embarrassed for you..."

" Wait wait wait...Elric did what now?"

"He knows, and seeing how dad Joss is ecstatic, I'm guessing dad Robin knows about it too."

"Oh he knows alright!"

"That's because you two snooped around my things!"

Yeon laughed. " Stan you're terrible at hiding things. I bump into scribbles of things in our room from time to time. It's great that you like to jot down your plans for the day so you don't forget but if you don't want anyone stumbling on them, hide them better. Your phone password is also my birthday. How predictable can you be then blame others for your carelessness?"

Dad joss burst out laughing, prompting Yeon to laugh too. Stan watched them for a while as dad Joss held onto his tummy as if he were hurting then afterwards, he placed a hand on Yeon's shoulder for support.

"We were just talking about it you know Yeon. He's had that ring for far too long."

"Yea I know." Yeon nodded and the two went on, roaring in laughter.

"Stan, I'm only laughing because of your dad but it's funny really. If you wanted to propose you could have just gone ahead and done so."

"Then will you marry me?"

"Yes, sure."

"What! No! You can't just say 'yes sure'!"

"What do you want me to say?" Yeon was almost chocking from laughter at how Dad Joss seemed to flail around, grabbing onto the table for support. He looked like he'd fall to the floor at any moment.

" I don't even have the ring with me to begin with! Nether have I knelt down or said my poem!"

"Y-You have a poem?" Dad Joss snickered on. "How come I didn't see it? Where did you hide it?"

"Knowing Stan, he probably has it crammed or something." Yeon said and joined into the snickering. "I'm sorry Stan but your dad's laughing is contagious..."

His face twisting from trying to speak and controlling his laugh, dad Joss continued. "He looks disappointed. He probably had hoped you'd cry before saying yes..."

"Why would I cry? I've seen that ring for a while now..."

Looking disappointed, Stan mumbled to himself, "Well, this definitely is embarrassing and opposite of what I'd envisioned."

"What's happening here?" Dad Robin appeared from the door, a look of confusion on his face but seemed torn between joining in the laughter or inquiring what was happening despite the look on Stan's face showed contempt.

"Stannie here...proposed..." Dad Joss struggled to form up the words. "..and Yeon said 'yea sure'"

"I hate my parents." Stan said to himself and watched in awe as his other dad joined into both his fated's laughter and his partner's. He despised it the most that his proposal plans had been reduced to nothing, his efforts and thoughtfulness producing instant guffaws yet, he'd anticipated that Yeon might resist a little and had a dialogue prepared in advance to convince him, a dialogue that had been his long memorized poem.

"That hurt my feelings Stannie but I'm too happy to care."

The three went on, laughing hysterically until they cried and the more Stan appeared displeased by their hysteria, the more it became too funny for them to not continue laughing on.

Seeing that Stan was still frowning, in the midst of his laughter, Yeon took the liberty to pacify him and knelt down on one knee. His action sending everyone's eyes widening and Stan's jaw dropping.

"Will you marry me then? I don't have a ring but we can use the one you bought..."

"I'll go get it!" Dad Joss volunteered and was striding up the stairs when dad Robin called him back.

"Oh my, seems he got the reaction he wanted." Dad Joss said, not surprised to find a dumbfounded Stan caught off guard.

Yeon stood up then proceeded to embrace his fated when his silence had become too long and too loud.

"Yes," Stan finally replied, covering his face to hide his flushed face from his parents. "I will be honored to marry you."

There went the laughter again, first from dad Joss then dad Robin. "Even his reply is old fashioned!"

Yeon was tempted to join in but controlled himself. "If you want, you can tell me the poem later."

"Okay."

"We can also execute the plans you had before proposing though I don't know if it's a good time to travel out of the country considering our current circumstances."

"Don't worry Yeon. Elric's mother said things are going well." Dad Robin assured. "In fact we should be getting a verdict soon. Our Stannie here has waited for this day for the longest time so we shouldn't keep him waiting..."

"T-This isn't how I'd planned everything...and the ring won't fit me anyway since it's your size."

"It's fine. I can get you one that matches with mine but I'll have to take down your size..."

Uncovering his face after they pulled apart, Stan replied. "I know my size...I-I can just order it."

Yeon smiled, relieved to have completed everything in a manner of minutes and just like that, he sighed in relief and sat down again beside his fated, who appeared lovestruck, trembling from both confusion and excitement. "That's settled. Let's have dinner."

Of everyone, dad Joss was the one who seemed to have enjoyed the scene the most that even now, he still fought keeping a serious face. "Because of you Yeon, I've witnessed my son receiving flowers and now a proposal."

"I agree with you honey. I must say coming to a home full of surprises does make me have something to always look forward to."

"With that in mind, I guess we have no use for the room anymore Stannie. You can move all your beloved belongings to the new house."

"New house?" Both Yeon and dad Robin asked.

"It was supposed to be a surprise but someone has a big mouth." Stan shot his father a piercing look.

"What more surprises do you have up your sleeve? I thought you weren't going to move for a while Stannie?"

"You just said things are improving now according to Elric's mother."

"Then have a wedding first. Do things properly but until then, you two can't move out."

" I second." Yeon agreed. "A civil wedding would suffice. I'm not a fan of big crowds."

Forming a mocking laughter, dad Joss advised. "Yeon, you should probably read Stan's diary and his attention to detail at describing everything concerning his wedding day..."

"It's fine dad. It's not the ceremony." Stan replied, his eyes fixated on his fated and his face evermore flustered. "As long as Yeon is there, I'm contended."

"No Stan. Even I'll feel bad if I just have it my way all the time." Holding his fated's hand, Yeon insisted that they do things Stan's way this time round.

"Really?" Dad Robin replied in Stan's stead. " I'm great at event planning."

"Yea, why not."

Stan chuckled and embraced Yeon once more.

"When are you planning to have your wedding?"

"My original plan was a week after proposing but today was full of spontaneity. I need to collect my thoughts and think things through calmly..."

"A week is too short." Dad Robin seemed to disapprove as he shook his head. "Where are we going to find a black and white horse within a week?"

"Horses?" Yeon asked. "What does horses have to do with the wedding?"

Pointing at Stan, both dad Robin and dad Joss answered, " Ask your fiancé."