Narrator POV 

Hyungwon knew that something was up when he saw the secretive smiles exchanged between the two elders. His stomach churned as he stared at his Yukhoe and suddenly wondered if maybe it had parasites crawling on it. 

“Why aren’t you eating?” his father asked, “You used to always complain how we never got to eat this enough.”

“H-Huh?” Hyungwon looked up dazed, “I… I ate with the guys already.” 

“Your friends?” Ara’s mother smiled as she scooped some vegetables onto his plate, “You should invite your friends over sometime. I would love to meet them.” Maybe I can pick one out for Ara. 

Hyungwon shoved a piece of cauliflower into his mouth just so he wouldn’t have to respond. He could totally imagine Minhyuk running around the house calling her the evil queen in Snow White.

“Was Wonho there?” his father asked cautiously. 

“No,” Hyungwon swallowed his bite, “He left early.” 

“He went home?”

Hyungwon shrugged, he was pretty sure his buddy was clubbing but that was none of his father’s business. The mere fact that his father brought up Wonho was what worried Hyungwon. The only times Wonho came up in conversations was when his father needed something from Chinook. 

Ara’s mother glanced at his father uneasily mouthing something to his father who dismissed her with a wave of his wine glass. 

Looking around, Hyungwon’s eyes floated to the empty seat. She has work? Class? Eating with her boyfriend? But for some reason, Hyungwon knew that it wasn’t any of those things. His gut was telling him that she shouldn’t have been absent today. 

“Why do I have to be here if she isn’t?” Hyungwon couldn’t think of another way to phrase this question without sounding overly concerned because for one, he was not worried, he was simply curious. 

“Watch your tone,” his father dabbed his mouth with a napkin, “Your sister is… working overtime at her new job.” 

Something in his voice set off a trigger in Hyungwon’s head, and the old lady’s cheshire smile wasn’t helping at all. 

Clearing his throat, he placed his silverware down, “I’m done,” he excused himself from the dinner table. 

On the way to his room, he saw the door across his left ajar and hushed voices could be heard from the other side. 

“Why do we even need to clean this room,” one of the maids sighed, “We know she’s not coming back any time soon.” 

“Shh…” the other maid remained cautious, “You’ll get in trouble if you talk too much.” 

“Oh C’mon, they’re all eating at this hour unlike us. But seriously, who would want to come back? Like Hyungwon Oppa is hot and attractive, but Wonho Oppa is a freaking God.” 

The other girl giggled with agreement. 

“Besides, she’d never have a chance with Hyungwon Oppa, she’s stuck with being his sister.” 

“Where is she?” Hyungwon swung the door open and got a good glance at the two unprofessional maids. 

“Y-Young Master,” they quickly bowed embarrassed, “We’re sorry.” 

“P-Please don’t fire us,” one trembled, “I need this job to support my parents.” 

“Tell me what’s going on,” Hyungwon’s tone revealed no mercy.  

The two exchanged eye contact nervously without uttering a single word. 

“You should know… that firing you right now is the least I can do,” Hyungwon growled.

“Master Chae drugged Miss. Im and sent her to Mr. Shin’s house,” one of them confessed quickly. 

What in the world, Hyungwon found it hard to not charge back downstairs. He was never fond of the way his father did business but usually he’d turn a blind eye however this just crossed the line. 

“Consider yourselves lucky,” Hyungwon mutter, “The next time I heard you speak without honorific’s considered yourselves done for.”

*                      *                      *

Wonho turned the tap off and stepped out of the shower. Beads of water dripped down the tips of his wet hair gliding gracefully down his jaw line and over his chiselled chest.  

This was one of the few times Wonho was home at night when he was actually sober.

After drying himself with a towel, Wonho looked at himself in the mirror through his wet bangs. He was supposed to be eating with the guys toda