Ji Hyo woke up with a stuffed nose. Sunshine was peeking through the curtains signaling the first day of the year has come. She was planning on catching up on her sleep today but her stuffy nose abrupt her slumber. 

I must have caught a cold again, she thought with most annoyance. Somehow colds won’t leave her easily once she caught them. It might have something to do with her aging physique and weak immune, she thought. The lack of rest and irregular meals weren’t much help either. 

She went to the bathroom to wash up and clear hear nose as she recalled what happened last night. It was the awards after party last night. Fortunately she didn’t drink much hence the headache-free morning. This morning felt particularly quiet to her since it was new year’s day after all. A day she should have spent with family, gathering around in the warm room while eating her mom’s comforting rice cake soup. Not today though, as all of her family members were in Pohang spending the day with the elders. Not even Seung Moon was home to keep her company. She hadn’t checked her phone but she was pretty sure there was no new notifications at a glance which means still no news from Dong Wook. 

Then she remembered, Kwang Soo! 
Yes, Kwang Soo went home with her last night and should be sleeping in her brother’s room by now. 

After brushing her teeth she went out to see Kwang Soo sprawled on her couch half awake. 

“You’re up? That’s odd,” she remarked. 

“Oh, noona. You’re up too,” surprised to see her. 

“Oh. Can’t sleep. My nose is stuffed,” she said as she sniffed her nose, sitting down beside him. 

“Aren’t you going home to greet your parents? It’s the new year’s,” she asked. 

“I’m going. My mom called me home just now,” he said as he glanced at her pale face. 

“Noona, you should really get your nose fixed. You’ve been sniffing around for years,” he nagged. 

“Aniya, it think I caught a cold. I don’t sniff for fun, you know!” 

He put his wide palms on her forehead then cupped both her cheeks with his palms, covering almost all her tiny face while staring into her eyes. Ji Hyo was a bit surprised by his warm hands enveloping her cheeks. He drew his hands to his own face to compare their temperature before she could even complain. 

“You’re warm. Again,” he sighed at the fact that she got sick so easily these days. Cold, fever, gastric pain were all so regularly happening to her. 

He got up from the couch. 

“Go get ready. Come with me today,” he commanded. 

“Where? You’re going back home, right? Aniya, I’m gonna sleep it off today. Seung Moon should be back tonight, or tomorrow morning, I think.” she refused him. 

“Get ready or I’m dragging you along looking like that. Just come with me today. I’ll take you home after we had a meal with my family.” 

“It’s okay, Kwang Soo-ya. I’ll take some meds and just sleep all day. It’s your family thing, I don’t want to impose. It won’t be right for me to come,” she insisted. 

“Sure. Then you’ll collapse later and there’s no one here to help you and you have to call in your poor manager on a family holiday like this to take care of you. It’s not like you’re a stranger. You know everyone in my family. It’s also about time you greet the parents of the dongsaeng you bully all the time. I’ll make sure you get a proper scolding from my mom today. I’m gonna shower now then we’re going. I’m gonna carry you if I have to,” he said adamantly. 

Kwang Soo seemed resolved, wouldn’t take no for an answer. So wearily Ji Hyo went back to her room to get ready. She took a quick hot shower and dried her hair speedily. She dressed comfortably in thick cozy jumpers and legwarmers under her jeans. She rummaged through her closet and retrieved as many skin care gift sets as she could gather. One of the perks of being a skincare model was the enormous supply of skincare items that could last her for years. She also picked some brand new scarves and two coats with the tag still on and stuffed them into shopping bags. 

There was a gentle knock on her door, Kwang Soo peeked through the tiny opening. 

“Are you done?” he asked cautiously, worried she wasn’t properly dressed. 

“O. I’m done. Come here and help me with these,” she called him in. 

“What’s all these? Are you moving in with me?” Kwang Soo startled by the mountain of goods in front of him. 

“Will all your aunts and relatives be there? I don’t know if I’ll have enough gifts for everyone,” she said as she busily organized the goodies. 

“Noona, don’t bother. My relatives would be happy with just taking a selfie with you. No need for all these. Let’s just go,” he said. 

“No way. It won’t be right for me to come empty handed. Besides it’s been a while since I sent something for your mom. I kind of feel bad now that I’m gonna impose on your family thing. Your mom should like these scarves, right? I got this for your little sister also,” she said sincerely. 

His heart warmed up as he heard her sincere sentiments toward his family. 

“They’ll love whatever you got them,” he said as he began to pick up all the goods from the floor. 

Ji Hyo followed him and they went out to start their trip to his family home in Namyang-ju. Ji Hyo waited in the car as Kwang Soo made a quick trip to the cafe in front of her building to pick up some breakfast for them. 

Kwang Soo came back with some drinks and sandwiches. 

“You didn’t get me an Americano?” she asked when she sipped the hot beverage that turned out to be ginger tea. 

“No coffee for you. Just drink that and eat quickly then take your meds,” he said flatly and started driving. 

Ji Hyo started munching obediently while occasionally feeding Kwang Soo his sandwich and some berries they packed from her place. 

“Just sleep. It’s fine,” Kwang Soo told her when he caught her starring blankly ahead with her droopy eyes. 

“Aren’t you sleepy? You’re not hangover?” 

“Just a bit. I told you I didn’t drink much last night. Just sleep I’ll be fine. We’ll be there soon anyway,” he assured her. 

“Alright. I’ll just rest my eyes for a bit,” she gratefully leaned back and meld into her seat. 

Kwang Soo chuckled to himself knowing full well she would drift into deep sleep and possibly snore in minutes. 

Their peaceful drive was interrupted by her phone ringing. She startled awake by the ring and answered instantly. It seemed like the other person was doing most of the talking while Ji Hyo only looked blank. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sure it was nothing though. We just had a bit to drink and things turned out that way. Sorry for all the trouble...” she said apologetically while shifting in her seat to sit up straight. The phone slightly fell out of her grip while moving and she accidentally hit the speaker button whole trying to grab the phone. 

“Get a hold of yourself and stop acting so cheap with men! This is why you can’t land significant roles when you carry yourself with no dignity! I have to clean up this mess so do me a favor and keep yourself off more men today, will you?!” the other person yelled angrily at Ji Hyo on speakerphone. 
It was Baek Chang Joo, her company’s CEO. 

Ji Hyo was shocked at his harsh words. The CEO hung up before she could say anything back. Chang Joo was never harsh or rude on her before during their relationship even af