Sarang had stayed in her room for only half an hour before the guilt of yelling at her brother the way she did, became too much to handle. She let out an annoyed sigh—she was very annoyed at herself—and got out of bed, stomping out of her room and to Yooncheol’s home studio. Sarang usually abided by his ‘recording’ sign when it was lit up and didn’t go in there but because they recently had a fight, she knew that he wasn’t actually recording and just had the light on so no one bothered him. Sarang opened the door and saw Yooncheol slumped in his rolling chair and was just moving his chair side to side, his headphones on. Recording my , she thought as she walked over to his chair.

“Yah, oppa.” Sarang patted his shoulder to get his attention, only to jump back when Yooncheol jolted.

“Aish, you scared me.” Yooncheol muttered. “What do you want? Didn’t you see the sign? Get out.” Yooncheol told her, trying to turn his chair away.

“Oppa, don’t be like that. I’m sorry, okay. I let my anger get the best of me and I said some things that, all though I meant, I shouldn’t have said them. You’re an adult and I shouldn’t be telling you what to do. You don’t do that to me so I should treat you with the same respect.” Sarang apologized in one breath.

Yooncheol continued to ignore her and got the chair away, going back to rotating it side to side.

“Yah, oppa! I apologized, why can’t you talk to me?” Sarang sighed, becoming annoyed with how her brother was acting. She didn’t move from her spot and just watched as Yooncheol continued rotating his chair. Just as she was about to give up and leave, Yooncheol spoke.

“You think an apology is going to cut it?” Yooncheol wondered, stopping his chair movement but not looking at Sarang.

“Fine, whatever you want, I’ll do it.” Sarang said. Yooncheol turned so he can look at his sister.

“Bring me food whenever I say.” Yooncheol simply said. Sarang stared at her brother in disbelief. It was such a simple thing, but was that really all he wanted?

“Seriously? Is that it?” Yooncheol nodded his head.

“That’s it. Let’s go and see if there’s anything to eat, I’m starving.” Yooncheol stood up, putting an arm around Sarang’s shoulders as he walked her out of the studio, making sure everything was off.

The rest of Sarang’s day went fine. She spent it with her brothers and they lazed around the house, catching up and filling each other in one the most recent things to happen in their lives. Sarang also decided to come clean about why she decided to study abroad because, why not?

“Wait, so the reason you wanted to go to that public school was because of a guy?” Jiho exclaimed, finding it hard to believe that his ‘no strings, no problems’ little sister picked a school just for a guy she had liked.

“And you left for that same guy?” Yooncheol looked at Jiho, also having the same thought as his brother.

“Yes, I have feelings too.” Sarang simply said, taking a sip of her tea.

“Okay, so, let me make sure I have this straight. This guy, you met him at one of dad’s malls and he saved you from getting beat up then helped you find Aera.” Yooncheol said, Sarang nodding her head.

“And you wanted to be, closer, to this guy so you lied to dad about going to that school for business reasons. I mean, that probably confuses me even more because dad would you let you go to that school even if you just told him the real reason. Why didn’t you just tell him the truth? Why are we just finding this out now?” Jiho asked.

“Yah, that was a sensitive time for me. You think I wanted you three to pick on me if I told you the real reason why?” Sarang stated.

“We wouldn’t have picked on you!” Jiho said, a bit miffed that his sister would accuse him of such thing.

“No, we would’ve picked on her, Jiho. Don’t lie.” Yooncheol clarified, giving his brother the stink eye.

“Fine, we would’ve but back to the matter at hand. So, after a year of just watching him from afar, which I feel like is very unlike you. Why you didn’t just go and confess your feelings to him, I don’t understand, but whatever. But after a year of just watching and pining for this guy for a year, you find out he’s becoming a dad so you leave because it broke your heart that you couldn’t be with him and the pain was too much to deal with.” Jiho looked to Yooncheol, both of them silent before they went ‘aww’ in unison and sweep their sister into a group hug.

“Yah! You almost made me spill my tea!” Sarang yelled, trying to get out of her brother’s grip.

“Our baby sister is capable of having feelings for others!” Yooncheol cheered.

“She isn’t a Tin Man!” Jiho cheered as well, both of them jumping around in a circle with their sister between them.

“Yeah, yeah. Let me go, you fools.” Sarang nudged her way out of her brothers’ arms and sat back down, picking up her cup of tea and taking another sip.

“Have you heard anything about him since you’ve gotten back?” Yooncheol asked.

“I doubt that he stayed with the baby mama. Were they together during high school? Is that why you never approached him?” Jiho wondered.

“No, they weren’t together for the year that I was there. I didn’t approach him because I knew he wouldn’t have liked me anyways.” Sarang simply said. Her face and tone was void of any emotion and it would’ve seemed like she didn’t care but her brothers knew her well enough. They also didn’t miss the look of hurt that flashed through her eyes during her last statement.

“And why not? You’re an awesome girl and I’m not just saying that because you’re my sister.” Yooncheol offered, Jiho also agreeing. They both moved from their arm chairs and sat on either side of Saran on the couch.

“You think I don’t know what the public thinks of me? It was even worse during that one year at that school. I didn’t talk to anyone and made no efforts to reach out and make friends and when I did talk, it was to tell someone off. That whole school thought I was a stuck up, . I was in the lowest of the low ranks in that school. Why would someone as sweet and kind as him, want to be with someone like me? Let alone, talk to me.” Sarang looked down at her cup of tea, sighing at the memories.

“Didn’t he recognize you from the mall, though?” Jiho asked, his sister’s hair.

“Don’t you remember? She went from tomboy to girly girl that year. He wouldn’t have recognized her after that.” Yooncheol explained to his brother before wrapping an arm around Sarang’s shoulders. “But if you showed him the real you, not the you that you show to the public, he would definitely fall for you.” Yooncheol said, trying to reassure his sister.

“And then what? Get my heart broken again when he says we can’t be together because of his son’s eomma?” Sarang scoffed, but leaning her head against Yooncheol’s shoulder and holding Jiho’s hand.

“Son? How do you know he has a son? You’ve seen him again?” Jiho exclaimed, lifting his head from Sarang’s shoulder to look at her.

“I saw him earlier today. He was at Minsungie’s house to fix his showerhead. I met his son too.” Sarang said, not moving her head.

“And how was it? Meeting his son? Did he tell you anything about his eomma?” Yooncheol wondered. Sarang shrugged her shoulders.

“Not much. Just that he doesn’t see her much because she doesn’t live in this country.” Sarang explained.

“So he has full custody of the kid? And there’s a high possibility that him and the baby mama aren’t together romantically? Now’s your chance, Sarang!” Jiho excitedly said. Yooncheol smacked his brother on the arm.

“Yah! They could be doing long distance while she’s abroad getting money for them. Don’t get our sister’s hopes up.” Yooncheol scolded.

“This is our sister’s chance for love! How can you say that, hyung?! She can prove to that guy how much better she is for both him and his son and boom! Our Sarang is happy.” Jiho cheered.

“Aish, you’re so dense sometimes. Why do you think she left that school in the first place?! She didn’t want to be a home wrecker! And she won’t be a home wrecker.” Yooncheol muttered the first part more to himself before speaking at a normal volume for the rest.

“Both of you shut up. No strings, no problems.” Sarang sat up straight, glaring at both her brothers.

“You probably started living by that motto because of this guy. And you can stop living by that motto for the same reason.” Jiho cheekily said, prompting both his siblings to roll their eyes. They worried about their brother sometimes…and the company when he takes over after their father retires.

“Again, thank you so much for fixing my showerhead. Do you have a card? For sure I’m going to call you guys again next time something breaks.” Minsung said to Taeyang as he walked him and Sanggyun down to the company’s van.

“Oh, right, here. I work most days, all day but I assure you that everyone else there is just as good as a worker as me, in case I’m off any time you call.” Taeyang told him.

“Alright. Oh, Mr. Taeyang, can I ask you something about your brother?” Minsung wondered, noticing that Sanggyun and Jiwoo were out of hearing range.

“Mr.? If my brother can call me hyung, so can you. Judging by how you talked about your hyung, we’ll probably see each other more often. But sure.” Minsung laughed at Taeyang’s comment before asking his question.

“Is he single? What’s his relationship with Jiwoo’s mother?” Minsung wondered.

“Oh, well, uh, I don’t want to upset you, Minsung but he’s not-“ Minsung quickly cut off Taeyang.

“No, no, no! Not for me! For my friend, the girl that was here earlier.” Minsung explained, causing Taeyang to sheepishly chuckle.

“Oh, sorry. Well, uh, they talk once a month. They weren’t together, even before Jiwoo. They’re not romantically involved and the only reason they talk is because of Jiwoo. She doesn’t live here either and to be honest, I don’t like her. That’s all I can really say but tell your friend to not waste her time. All of Sanggyun’s focus is on Jiwoo and earning money to make his life better. I don’t know your friend personally, but judging from how she was with Jiwoo and how much you care about her, she seems like a really nice person and I would hate to see her get hurt.” Taeyang said.

“Thank you, hyung. If any of my friends have anything broken at home, I’ll for sure recommend this company to them. Tell your brother and Jiwoo bye for me.” Minsung smiled. Taeyang assured him that he would before heading to the van where Sanggyun and Jiwoo were already waiting.

“Bye-bye, hyung!” Jiwoo yelled after Taeyang rolled down the window.

“Bye, hyung!” Sanggyun also yelled. Minsung laughed and waved to them.

“Bye!” He waited until the van was gone before going back inside and up to his apartment. He sent Sarang a text when he was in the elevator.

“Hey, when you get back, come over! I have some stuff I have to tell you! Tell Nakta hyung and Xero hyung and uncle Sungwoo that I say hi!”