Thursday could not come any faster to Aeyah.

Her first ever afternoon tea date with her father.

True to her promise, that weekend Joohyun let the little girl pick her dress. They had to send Jae, Yong Sun and Yonghwa away from the little girls’ section of the department store. Her Appa had to be surprised with her dress the little girl told her mother. Only Park Ahjussi was allowed to stay within distance.

“Of course.” Joohyun agreed.

When the day came, Joohyun and Min Sun just had to smile as the little girl critically looked at herself in the mirror.

“Do I look alright Omma?” Aeyah looks at Joohyun

“You look beautiful Aegyah.” Joohyun nods.

“Yooh Moh?”

“Of course.” Min Sun smiles. “You’re our Princess.”

When they come down Jae was just coming out of the kitchen with a maid carrying his afternoon snack.

“Oppa – how do I look?” The little girl does a slow turn for her brother.

“You look like Aeyah.” Jae replies but he catches his mother’s warning glare. “Uhm – pretty I guess.”

Aeyah scowls and heads out to the foyer. “Omma, let’s go.”

Joohyun was dropping Aeyah off before heading to Sunny’s house. Yonghwa and Aeyah would be fetching her later.

As the SUV stopped at the entrance to CNB Holdings, Aeyah turns to her mother and once again asks if she looks alright.

“Aeyah – you look lovely. As always. “Joohyun leans to kiss her daughter.

Aeyah lets her mother’s warmth and love embrace her. Today her mother looked lovely as usual. Even just dressed casually in jeans, a simple white shirt, white cardigan and low boots – her mother was beautiful. All her classmates and teachers said so – often remarking that her mother looked more like a younger aunt.

“See you later Omma.” Aeyah kisses her mother’s cheek.

“Princess.” Guard Park was holding the SUV’s door open for Aeyah. He holds out his hand and his kind eyes convey how proud he was of his little charge.

“Park Ahjussi do I look pretty?” Aeyah looks up at her guard as they watch the SUV go down the driveway.

“Of course.” Guard Park replies. “Always.”

They enter the lobby where Aeyah was greeted by a bowing receptionist and 2 of her father’s guards.

Then she saw him.

He was smiling at her. Tall and slim. As handsome as her father.

Her Minhyuk Samchon.

“Hyukie Samchon!” Aeyah laughs as she lets herself be lifted and kissed. Her favorite uncle – just don’t let Jungshin Samchon know.

“Ah – ah – my dress Samchon. I have a date with Appa.” She scrambles down from his arms and fixes her dress.

“My you look so pretty Aeyah!” Minhyuk hunkers down and holds the little girl’s hand.

Indeed she was.

Her mother had set her curls in soft waves and held back by pretty silk butterfly hair pins. The metallic green jacquard Kenzo dress suited her coloring perfectly. Her ivory tights and ivory patent leather shoes with a very cute Roberto Cavalli floral shoulder bag completed the outfit.

“Let’s go to your Appa. Guard Park – I’ll take it from here.” Minhyuk holds Aeyah’s hand.

“Are you excited?” He asks her.  He gives a little laugh as her head nods vigorously.  Hyung’s little girl was by far Minhyuk’s favorite. She reminded him so much of Hyung especially in their early years in college – outgoing, out spoken, mischievous and loving. She was her father all over again.

Taeyeon was standing outside the elevator when they come out. She gushed and cooed over Aeyah.

“Appa is just finishing his meeting downstairs.  It went on longer than usual. How about waiting for him in his office? Or with Taengoo Imo – my desk has papers and colored pens.”

“Can Samchon just take me to Appa?” Aeyah asks.

Minhyuk and Taeyeon look at each other.  Yonghwa was in a meeting with the Russian reps and the meeting had been going on the whole day.  It was tense and seemed to be going nowhere.

“Please.” Aeyah tugs at Minhyuk’s hand. By now she’d forgotten her mother’s instructions to act like a lady, be polite and obedient. “Please Samchon.”

“We will just wait outside the boardroom Noona.” Minhyuk tells Taeyeon. As always he spoiled Aeyah.

“Are both of you sure?” Taeyeon asks. “Hwejangnim has a very important meeting right now Aeyah.”

“I promise not to be noisy Imo.” Aeyah raises her hand.

“Alright. Stay with Minhyuk Samchon. Imo will come down later to check on you.” Taeyeon replies. Her mind was running a mile a minute. There were still revisions to the contract that she had to oversee with the legal team.

“So let’s be good and just wait over there.” Minhyuk tells Aeyah as they step out to the Legal Department.

But it took them a while to get to the Legal Department’s Boardroom because they had to keep on stopping. Minhyuk had to stop and introduce Aeyah to the female staff who told her how pretty she looked.

“Ommo! You look so pretty!”

 “You look like Hwejangnim!”

The last remark brought a frown and Minhyuk was quick to signal the girl not to mention that.

“What are you talking about – she looks so much like Samonim!” Kang Sora, Jonghyun’s secretary exclaims and glares at the female staff. The frown went away and was replaced with a smile.

“Actually she looks just like her grandmother.” Atty Kap Soo comes out of his room.

“Harabuji! Harabuji!” Aeyah runs and embraces the Legal Head.

“Oh, my pretty little Agassi!”  The old man gathers the little girl in his arms. Minhyuks lifts the little girl so that she could embrace Atty. Kap Soo. “Are you here to see Appa? He’ll be out soon.”

Yonghwa and Aeyah barely made it to the cut off for afternoon tea at the Park Hyatt.

“Ah Hwejangnim.” The maître d’ bows. “Samonim called and said that you would be a bit late.”

Yonghwa holds Aeyah’s hand. He knew that his daughter was sulking – the pouting lips and the set jawline – it was like he was looking at his reflection.

“Now Aeyah – Appa said he was sorry.” Yonghwa tells his little girl as he helps her sit down.

“I know because of your work.” Her eyes were still downcast.

“So why are you still like that?” He asks. Sometimes he felt that he needed a map or a codex to help him with his growing daughter. Or Joohyun to explain.

Aeyah sighs. Really her Appa was too distracted sometimes. “You didn’t even notice what I was wearing.” She stands up and turns around slowly.

Yonghwa could feel his wife’s disapproval even if she wasn’t there. Aeyah was sensitive about being a girl – lately his attention was always either on their youngest or their eldest.

You’re her first boyfriend. Her first love. Every other boy that follows will compared to you. She has to compete with her brothers for your attention. Do well Oppa!

“Princess – you’ll always be beautiful to me. I’m your Appa. Today you look especially beautiful.” Yonghwa hunches down and takes his little girl in his arms. “Appa is happy that we’re able to spend time together just the 2 of us.”

“I’m happy too Appa.” Aeyah kisses her father and whispers in his ear. “I have you to myself.”

Yonghwa was still chuckling when their afternoon tea was served. It proved to be a bonding time for them. They had a grand time tasting all the pastries. They have tea and took time for Yonghwa to catch up with his daughter’s activities.

“Everything alright with school?”

“Yes – Oppa checks my homework every day.” Eyes roll.

“How about piano?”

“Omma said she will arrange for you to listen to us play our new pieces.” 

“You don’t sound excited.”

“Hmmmm.” Pops a savory pastry and looks everywhere except her father.

“Why not? Do you want to stop playing the piano?”

“NO!” Eyes roll. “Grandpapa and Grandmamma will be disappointed and that can’t happen.”

“Too much eye rolling Jung Aeyah.”

“Mianeyo Appa.” Eyes wide, pretty smile.

“Riding lessons. Your riding teacher has only praises for you.”

“Oh, I’m so excited about that Appa – Blossom and I will compete someday. Can I compete Appa? Can I? When I’m 7?”

“I’ll talk to your Omma and your teacher.”

Eyes roll, turned down lips.

“Stop.” Yonghwa wipes his daughter’s face. “I’m not saying no.”

“But you’re not saying yes either. Omma will say yes if you say yes. My teacher will say yes because you say yes. Because you’re Appa!”  Blinking eyes, pink cheeks, gesturing hands all over the place.

Then she suddenly stops, sighs and puts her hands on her lap and leans on the chair.

“What?” Her father asks.

“I just remembered. Halmoni said I should be on my best behavior when I have afternoon tea because I’m a lady.”

Yonghwa chokes on the opera cake and had to drink a huge gulp of tea.

“Don’t laugh Appa.” Hurt tone. “I’m trying my best.”

“I know Princess. Appa is sorry for laughing.”

Ah Joohyun would die from laughter when I tell her about this.

“Would Agassi want another pot of tea? Or pastries?” The pretty waitress asks Aeyah.

“No thank you. My father and I are done now.” Aeyah answers the waitress in her politest tone and a smile.

“Hwejangnim.” The pretty waitress comes back with the check for Yonghwa to sign.

“Let’s go Appa, Omma is waiting.”  Aeyah stands up and holds out her hand to her father.

“Ah of course.” Yonghwa stands and smiles at the server. “Thank you.”

“Appa don’t smile too much.” Aeyah looks up at her father as they step into the elevator with their guards.

“Huh? Waeyo? Smiling at who?” Yonghwa looks at his little girl.

The guards lower their eyes and hide their smiles. They knew just how possessive Aeyah was of her father.

“Park Ahjussi – why are you smiling?” Aeyah scowls.

“Nothing Agassi.” Guard Park shakes his head.

“Oh, Yeobo – we’re on our way to fetch you.” Yonghwa calls his wife. “Someone wants to come up and say hello to her Imos.”

Joohyun opens the door of Sunny apartment and sweeps her little girl in her arms. The little girl talks a mile a minute telling her mother what happened during her afternoon tea date. Her father just smiles indulgently and just let’s her do all the talking.  

“Omma – I told Appa not to smile too much.”  Aeyah’s remark made everyone laugh. Yonghwa felt his cheeks heat up when Joohyun levels a teasing glare at him.

“When did I do that?” He asks Aeyah.

“Hmm…if you don’t remember…” The girl scowls and tosses her head. Her mother and her friends double up with laughter – Aeyah’s expression was so like her father’s that it was comical.

On their way home her parents look at her in surprise when she sighs and kisses her mother then her father. “Kasahamnida Omma, Appa. I had a wonderful day.”

“Anything for our Princess.” Joohyun embraces their little girl. Her heart was so happy that Aeyah’s date with her Appa was successful.

“Omma you remember when I was 4 and I told you I was going to marry Appa?” Aeyah holds her mother’s hand.

“I remember.” Joohyun nods. Very clearly. Aeyah cried when Joohyun told her that little girls can’t marry their fathers.

“I’ll just marry Minhyuk Samchon instead.” She declares.

Yonghwa starts laughing and Joohyun had to bite her lower lip, her eyes were tearing from mirth.

“Appa!” Aeyah shakes her father. “I’m serious.”

“Aeyah – darling – Princess. Minhyuk Samchon is my friend. He’s as old as Omma.” Yonghwa takes out his handkerchief and wipes his eyes before passing it to his wife. Joohyun puts it over – Aeyah would be hurt if her mother laughed.

“Princess he’s a bit too old for you.” Joohyun clears and kisses the top of Aeyah’s head.

“He can wait for me.” Aeyah crosses her arms and pouts. Her parents look at each other and hold off on their laughter.

“Well you had a happy afternoon.” Joohyun comes to the bedroom after putting Aeyah to sleep.

“Yes I did – I feel much better.” Yonghwa smiles at his wife. “Aeyah took my mind off business matters for a while.” Her husband launches on his version of his afternoon tea date with his daughter. As he expected Joohyun could barely stop laughing.

“So it’ll be better tomorrow?” Joohyun dries her eyes and snuggles against him.

“Definitely better.” Yonghwa replies and kisses her forehead. “So are you all set for the showcase of our house?”

“Deh Oppa. Eunji Imo has invited some lifestyle editors and there might be pictures taken are you alright with that?”

“She asked me about it and I told her as long as it’s alright with you.”

“Ah Oppa – Yoona Unnie and I found an office space for our design firm. Can you and Jongie Oppa come and visit it?”

“Alright just have Taeyeon schedule it. Oh, by the way Buin I might be losing my assistant soon. During Yong Sun’s party Wooyoung Hyung told me that he was going to propose soon.”

“Really?” Joohyun embraces him. “I’m excited and sad at the same time. The unnies and I had a feeling that he would because he kept asking Fany Unnie what stone Taengoo Unnie would prefer. I’m sad for you because Taengoo Unnie manages your schedule so well. But how about you Oppa?”

“Well I’m going to give my blessing but your Unnie is very efficient and I just hope my next assistant would be just like her. Taeyeon would train her of course.”

The day of the show case came and the 2 friends were