I hopped out and made my way inside, seeing the crew had taken over the entire back corner. Soohyuk was the first to approach, man-hugging me the moment I got within reach.

“Thought you weren’t going to show,” he said as he patted me on the back.

“Taeyang ed about the same thing,” I said. “You guys know I wouldn’t ever bail. But once you knock up Chaerin, you’ll learn that it isn’t always easy to get out the door on time.”

He pulled away and walked with me toward the tables they’d reserved. “Slow your roll. There’s no knocking up. We’re just getting in a -ton of practice.”

“Then, maybe it’s Taeyang’s turn,” I said, moving over to my middle brother, hugging him the same way.

“What are we talking about?” Taeyang asked.

“You and Hyorin having kids,” I replied.

“Please don’t put that into the universe,” he shot back. “We’re staying in the engaged phase for a while. If Hyorin gets the baby bug, we’ll steal Everly for a few days.”

“According to Eve, she’s no longer a baby.”

“That’s my girl, full of sass,” Soohyuk said.

I shook hands with Youngdon, one of our best friends, who happened to be the top entertainment agent in the country. I then moved on to his partners, Max and Daesung, who were also agents, before finally making my way over to Haejin.

“I brought you a little gift,” I said to him and took the napkin-wrapped cookie out of my pocket and set it on the table in front of him.

“What the is this?” Haejin asked, unwrapping it.

“Yeji made it.” I smiled. “You know, the girl you’re driving into the ing grave.”

“Jesus Christ.” He held up his whiskey. “I need ten more of these just to deal with her. If she wasn’t a Kwon, I would have fired her a long time ago.”

For some reason, I doubted that.

I nodded toward the dessert. “Eat the cookie. Trust me, it’s one of the best you’ll ever have.”

He inspected the top and bottom. “You’re sure she didn’t poison it?”

“She doesn’t know I brought it for you.”

If she had, she would have set the whole tray on fire.

I wouldn’t tell Haejin that. He didn’t need the ammunition to make her life even worse.

“ me.” He moaned as he chewed. “You weren’t kidding. This is exceptional.”

“She’s good, isn’t she?”

“At least she’s good at something since it’s certainly not law.” He took a drink from his tumbler, washing down the sweetness. “Maybe she should become a baker. That sure as hell would save her a lot of headaches—headaches I plan to give her.”

“You know she’s going to be one of the top litigators at our firm.” I squeezed his shoulder. “And the moment she passes the bar, she’s going to give your a run for your money.”

“Bull.”

I smiled. “Don’t underestimate that girl, Haejin.”

He waved me off. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Jiyong.”

When Daesung joined us, starting up a conversation with Haejin, I took a quick inventory of the tables. All the guys had drinks, and a waitress wasn’t anywhere in sight. So, before I took a seat, I decided to head to the bar and place an order.

“What can I get you?” the bartender