Minho settled down on a comfort chair with his cousin, Jung Yonghwa sat across him. Yonghwa momentarily didn’t say anything as he observed Minho, who had his eyes studying around his former cozy place which dedicated to serving great coffee and the collection of books to entertain at the same time.

“I thought you’ll bring Sulli with you.” Yonghwa said. He then passed a folder to Minho.

Minho pretended not to hear him. He took the folder and looked into it with a warm smile on his face. “Thank you hyung. You’ve done a lot to help me.” Minho looked around the cozy Café again and sighed smilingly. “I still cannot believe that I’m now the owner of it.”

“Take a better care of it Minho. For 2 years I’ve been sacrificed and put a lot of efforts into this library Café.” Yonghwa said. He sadly sighed. The truth is he didn’t want to pass it to anyone else but circumstance pushed him to be cornered and was left with no other choice. But at least he was relief to have Minho is going to take care of the shop instead of him from now. He surely leaves without any worry. “Is there something you need to renovate the place?”

“No, the interior is still good. There is nothing to renovate. But…” Minho trailed off his word as Yonghwa creased his brows waiting for Minho to continue. “I think there is something lacking. I don’t know … maybe it’s about well-being benefit for the customers.”

“Eh? I don’t understand.” Yonghwa said.

“I meant it lacks something like a feeling that can improve people’s mood and reduces the likelihood of stress-related depression. Like you know people are here for entertainment and education, right?” Minho said and then he realized that he just made thing more complicated for Yonghwa to understand. Minho rubbed his nape before he added and smiled coyly. “Uhm … to make it simple I mean it’s about natural environment feel. I want the shop to be decorated in nature-like to induce people’s stress level.”

“Ah I see.” Yonghwa said and nodded his head. “You know, I’m not really intertwined being around natural surrounding and so I do have no sense in displaying any plants in my shop area. Like you see as long as it’s convenient and cozy, I think it’s sufficient.” Yonghwa smirked when Minho seemed like he avoided looking straight into his face. He chuckled. “Well, in that case, I think you should better ask for your wife’s guidance.”

Asking for Sulli’s help?! Isn’t that like he will let his guard down? Of course not and that surely won’t happen.

Minho cleared his throat and looking around. He quickly changed the topic. “Right! How about employees? The Café has been closed for over a month now. Are they going to continue working here knowing that they will change the boss?”

As much as Yonghwa wanted to continue teasing Minho but he couldn’t now. They were already engaged in an important matter. He sighed and rubbed his neck. “I think this is the problem Minho. They were all quit at once and to tell you the truth, beside the obligation I have to commit in my parents’ company, this is the other reason why I decided to sell this Café to you.”

“Aigoo hyung, what have you done to your employees to have them leave you all of sudden?” Minho complained. “Then there is no choice other than I have to recruit new people?! Aish! Seriously how will I am all alone to do a lot of things?”

“Eyyy!! That’s why I said you need Sulli.” Yonghwa said. “I know my little princess won’t turn her husband down. She’ll be willing to help you as long as you sincerely ask for her help.”

Minho chuckled sarcastically. “Forget it!” He sighed. “My final will be right around the corner, I think I don’t have enough time for this now. I’ll start doing it in a few months later after I end my vacation.”

“Vacation? Any plan going somewhere?” Yonghwa asked.

“Umm, Jeju.” Minho replied nonchalantly and finished his drink about to stand up. “I think I have to get going now hyung.”

“Oh ok. I also have somewhere to go.” Yonghwa said and prepared to leave as well.

“A date?” Minho asked, grinning to the older lad.

“And you? A trip to Jeju! Honeymoon?” Yonghwa countered back. “If your answer is ‘yes’, mine will be as well a ‘yes’.”

Minho rolled his eyes. He then ignored Yonghwa and walked off, leaving the latter let out his laughter.

“Yah!! Let make your vacation fruitful. I don’t mind to become an uncle anytime soon.”

Minho entered his house but only to surprise when he heard the giggling noise which he supposed that it was come from the veranda.

“Bwoya? He’s still here.” Minho muttered to himself.  He threw a glance at the clock. He was out for a few hours so that meant, they were alone in the house all along!!

What the heck were they doing since then?

By the gleeful sound, Minho could know that Sulli and Jinki conversed so happily with each other. Much to his curiosity for what they were doing, Minho made the light steps in order to get a peep. He saw them sitting by the chairs, having their back facing him. He couldn’t see their faces and much to his annoyance which he only heard the voice but couldn’t see their expression.

They were talking about some books which Jinki recommended Sulli to read where it benefits in taking care of plants and such.

“Is she a dummy to you when it comes to the welfare of her so called babies?” Minho mumbled.

Some minutes passed by just like that with Minho continued to peep and randomly comment in dislike then and now to his self but then he realized something.

“What am I doing? This is my house for a Pete’s sake, why being sneaky like a thief? And why the heck I’m interested in their conversation until creeping here quietly to eavesdrop?” Minho then straightened his back and subconsciously moved away from his hidden spot.

“Aish! I’m craz--” His was taken by surprise as if he was caught red handed when he saw Sulli and Jinki noticed his presence and staring at him.

“Oh you’re back.” Sulli said and stood up with Jinki beside her. “I thought you--”

“You thought what? Why? Disappointed? That I came home early and then cut the moment here?” Minho cockily cut Sulli off. He saw her frowned at him while Jinki gave him a friendly smile. Minho briefly looked elsewhere when he realized what he just stupidly did out of his irritation. “Well … I mean I’m home now, so well … just continue what you’re doing.”

With that Minho gave Sulli one last look before swirled around and haughtily walked away.

“What’s with him?” Sulli uttered and Jinki just replied her by shrugging his shoulder. “Don’t mind him. Where we were earlier?”

Jinki smiled in reply and he sat down back on the chair as Sulli told but not before he took one last glance at Minho’s vanished figure. He chuckled with the way Minho slammed the door shut a bit rough.

After changing into comfortable clothes, Minho settled down on the couch. He glanced to the veranda to see what the two were doing.

“I see! Too many stories telling each other to catch up huh?” Minho mumbled alone in a mocking tone. He suddenly hit himself on the head. “Just how many times for today I have to repeat it to you, Choi Minho. It’s none of your business, ok? She has nothing to do with you for you to care for her every move, pfft…”

An hour went by quickly, as Minho entertained himself by reading book to ignore those two existences. But it was quite hard to do so since the complex of the house isn’t helping at all. He could perfectly hear and even clearly see them from where he was sitting. They seemed so happy together while he was pissed by himself alone.

 ‘Should I kick them out of the house?” Minho told himself and briefly shut his eyes out of annoyance. He couldn’t put his mindfulness to what he was doing right now and it was so irritated.

‘Alright I’ll just shut the door.’ With this thought, Minho harshly closed the book and rose from his seat. He glanced at the clock before he strode to the doorway of the veranda.

“YAH!! Do you know what time is it now? It’s freaking 6 in the evening, shouldn’t you cook dinner already?” Minho was taken aback to himself when he unexpectedly threw away his previous intention out of the window for shutting the door and turned out that he lashed out at Sulli who was now surprise at his sudden outburst.

“What the hell is wrong with you Choi Minho! Mind your manner, we have a guest here. You can talk normally, no need to raise your voice. And btw am I your maid for you to order around?” Sulli yelled back which surprised him to stumble a step backward.

She just told him to mind his manner but she, herself couldn’t even control her own outburst.

Great, a nice show for a guy whom she called a ‘guest’ here.

Minho suddenly flushed in embarrassment. Jinki was there witnessing their foolish argument. Then he managed to respond Sulli along with a fake smile to save the situation.

“Forget it wife. I’m just hungry.” He said and glanced at Jinki. “And I see that you two seem too engross in talking. It’s been hours since then, doesn’t your throat get sore? I think it’s time to REST now.” Minho subconsciously taunted at Sulli.

“What?” Sulli chuckled in sarcasm. She joined the ride to get back at him. “And rest? Who’s talking here? Am I given time to your term so called ‘rest’ then when you just ordered me to cook you dinner?”

Minho was about to counter back when Jinki spoke up.

“Well Sulli, I think we should call it a day in catching up now.” Jinki said and smiled at Sulli before looked at Minho. “I’m sorry Minho. We just too engrossed engaging in conversation and careless to notice the time. I should leave now and it’s time to give back your wife.”

Minho fought the urge to release a triumphant smile. It felt good somehow for Jinki knowing his place and was still aware that Sulli is his wife.

“Sunbae, why don’t you have dinner here?” Sulli asked Jinki.

Minho looked at her in surprise yet annoyed which written all over his face. Why she got in the way when he was already success of getting rid of him out of here?

Jinki noticed Minho was pissed, he smiled.

“No thanks. It’s okay. I have somewhere to go later.” Jinki declined mannerly.

“Oh if you said so. Maybe next time then, and I’ll prepare a nice meal to welcome you.” Sulli said.

Jinki chuckled which made Sulli and Minho frowned. What’s so funny about?

“It’s reminded me of how Auntie used to say that to me too, ‘a nice meal’. Umm… well then I’ll make sure that I’ll be available one of these days to accept your offer. And may I expect that I’ll have another nice meal coming from you?” Jinki said, smiling at Sulli.

She returned back a sweet smile and gladly replied with a big ‘yes’. Minho rolled his eyes. Sulli walked with Jinki to the doorway, leaving Minho remained irritated behind their back with a scowl on his face.

‘A nice meal?! I wish you’ll choke to death by that time … no that’s a little cruel, maybe just get the upset stomach or diarrheal. Whatever just makes Sulli’s dishes will scare the hell out of him. Let’s see if you dare to expect more meals to come.’ Minho’s evil thought emerged from his genius brain and many funny images of Jinki suffered with the disease, leading him to laugh his self out.

“What are you laughing about?” Sulli’s voice snapped him back to reality.

“Nothing.” Minho replied nonchalantly and stopped laughing in instance. He saw Sulli already stood still before the opened fridge. “What are you doing? Hurry up, didn’t I say that I’m hungry?”

“Shut up frog or I’ll starve you to death.” Sulli yelled without looking at him. She pouted while looking at the various edible substances fully packed in the fridge. Scratching her head in amuse she said. “Yah Minho! I have no idea what should I cook. Umma filled the fridge with too much things enough to get me headache to think now?”

Sulli tapped her chin in thinking, didn’t realize that Minho was already behind her. Following her suit, he bent down to look into the fridge.

“Why don’t you tell me what’d you like to have for dinner? I will--”

Minho and Sulli had their eyes widened when Sulli suddenly spun her head around, only to meet with Minho’s face was just in a few inches away from hers. Both of them fallen struck dumb, unable to get a word out and made any move away from each other while having eyes contact. In mere second they felt like they had been bewitched by a sorceress, but in fact they were too mesmerized by respective beautiful sight before their eyes.

Minho subconsciously broke the eyes contact and moved his gaze down to Sulli’s lips.

Damn! It was luscious and enchanting.

Minho slowly tilted his head to the side, instinctively he moved further forward and closed his eyes, somewhere within him excited to what was going to come next, but to his dismay Sulli rejected his attempted kiss. She quickly retrieved her head as he felt it by her ponytail hit his face lightly. Minho opened his eyes only to see Sulli had her back head facing him.

Sulli didn’t say anything next as she took the meat and some vegetables out from the fridge. She stood straight and shut the door, slightly pushed Minho away to make her way into the kitchen.

Minho’s gaze followed her figure, somewhat he felt bitter inside seeing Sulli giving her back to him.

‘What would you expect from her? And what the heck you just did by trying to kiss her? Again?’ Minho scolded himself mentally. He quickly made way out from the kitchen in frustration but then he halted and turned to look at Sulli. ‘Did she reject me … because of that Jinki?’

Unknowingly to Minho, Sulli actually responded to an emotional trigger by the incident earlier. She palpated her cheek to feel the temperature. It was hot and he knew she's probably flattered by Minho attempted to kiss her again earlier.

‘Bwoya?? Why he is always like this? I hate it when I always lost my sanity and gave in to him whenever we kissed. Thanks god, this time I was able to rule my saneness.’ Sulli said to herself. She sighed and then proceeded to work on cooking but then she stopped with a thought, she smiled sarcastically. ‘Why did I think of her all of sudden? Of course how could they have never shared an amazing kiss together? Wait!! Did he ever think of Suzy when he kissed me?’

With that Sulli immediately turned her head around to see Minho. She was surprised to catch him was also looking at her.

But this time, their eyes contact was far from what they had shared earlier. They were glaring and scowling at each other with animosity, at least that’s what they thought only, because maybe in fact obviously they were just being in denial in something certain which is still unexplainable for now.

To be continued….

Wishing you merry Christmas and a prosperous new year, everyone :)

Thank you.

Take care.