Monday. A special day, the best day of the week according to some people. But not today. Certainly not today.

“Why do they always do everything important on Monday?” Kyungsoo groaned, pulling his red plaid jacket tightly around him. It didn’t matter that the car was already heated to perfection, his actions were warranted for dramatic effect.

“Maybe they just want to talk business.” Suho offered, trying to stay positive. Even if he said it he did not believe it, at least not that this would be a simple talk about the latest status of Monday Enterprises. When the Kang parents summoned their four sons to their penthouse for a chat, first thing Monday morning, it was not going to be anything easy or simple or trivial. And they all knew that, even if they were trying to convince themselves this time it was different.

“Uh, sorry to burst your bubble guys but the rumor around the office is that your parents are about to hand your as-“Chanyeol quipped, until he was stopped by Yixing slamming on the breaks.

“Sorry, sorry.” Yixing looked over his shoulder, apologizing. He couldn’t see the men in the back seat of the town car, the partition prevented that, but he was apologetic none the less.

“It’s okay.” Minseok answered, trying to shush their ever faithful secretary.

“Like I was saying, it doesn’t sound pretty. In fact it sounds like it is all about their retirement.” Chanyeol took a bite out of the apple he was holding, staring out the tinted windows with interest, as usual he was easily distracted.

“Great, office gossip. I guess we will find out for ourselves soon.” Minseok said firmly, going back to reading his emails. It was no use panicking yet, nothing was decided.

***

“Oppa!” Ji Hyo swatted away the offender with gusto, not ready for affection so early in the morning. She needed a few cups of Americano and a full breakfast before she was ready to be so cuddly.

“Mongji Mongji” Ji Hyo’s husband nudged her playfully, his face alight with affection.

“Yah!” In twenty years Ji Hyo had never shied away from telling her significant other when to back off. The unfortunate thing, or maybe the fortunate thing, was that he never quite listened. Unless she hit him on the arm with force, then he knew she was serious.

“Sorry.” Gary smiled, not really sorry but deciding to appear agreeable. He took a swig of his orange juice, leaning back on the bed to take in the sight of his wife waking up. After all of these years she was still beautiful to him, especially with her hair all mussed up and her face puffy after a good night’s sleep.

A knock sounded on the bedroom door, causing Ji Hyo to jump.

“Ma, Pa, your sons should be here soon.” It was Kang family maid, Lizzy, an exuberant woman who brought a lot of charm to the house with her countrified ways (which were adorable, if anyone who ever met her was being completely honest about their first impressions of the woman).

“Thanks Lizzy.” Ji Hyo replied, groaning as she ran a hand through her hair, “That is today, isn’t it.”

“Yep. I can just imagine their faces…” Gary broke into a wide grin, chuckling to himself.

“You know they are going to hate us.” Ji Hyo sighed.

“Yeah, well, I don’t see any other way. Plus wasn’t this your idea?” Gary nudged Ji Hyo playfully, this time she just accepted his actions.

“Yeah, I guess it was.” Ji Hyo nodded, staring off into space as she remembered what had brought this all on. Gary and Ji Hyo had spent the better part of thirty years building Monday Enterprises, a widely diversified conglomerate that had a hand in half of the major industries in South Korea. They had worked hard, loved deeply, and one day it hit them – they wanted to take one of those elements out of their lives. The working hard that was, the loving deeply would continue, hopefully in their retirement.

The Kang’s had four sons, all very different boys who had one main thing in common – they were stubborn to the point of being labeled insufferably difficult to deal with. As the kids grew up Gary and Ji Hyo often wondered why they were so hell-bent on always getting their way, but they were quickly clued in by their close friends that they themselves were stubborn when they wanted something – part of the reason they had become so successful.

The Kang brothers were grown men now, having made their way through university and into the family business. Now it was their parent’s wish to see one of them take it over. Of course, being the couple they were, they couldn’t imagine making succession planning easy. Because one thing, other than being stubborn, that this couple was known for was being intensely competitive. And they had thought of just the right mixture of competition, filial promise, and inheritance to make their retirement something to look forward to (apart from the entire concept of retirement that is).

“We should film their reaction.” Gary grinned and nodded happily, thinking of the impending meeting.

“Oppa, we should!” Ji Hyo’s face lit up. Yeah, there was something about these two that at some point could be called a little bit sadistic. But hey, they were kind people when it came down to it.

Gary jumped out of bed to go find a video camera.

***

Sehun was not having a good morning. Nope, not even a little bit. The two bottles of wine had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now they were certainly not a good idea. He had a pounding headache, was probably still drunk, and now he had to go to a family meeting. Just great.

He stumbled out of the taxi cab in front of the building his parent’s lived in, throwing money to the cab driver without a word. As he approached the door he heard a car horn, which made him jump and clutch his pounding head.

“Is the maknae still drunk?” Of course it was his hyungs and their oaf of an assistant (Chanyeol, who was as close to the four of them to practically be the fifth Kang brother). Of course.

Sehun turned to see a grinning Chanyeol tripping from the car, all long limbs and energy.

“I am not drunk.” Sehun answered, even if he was pretty sure he was.

“How many times have I told you not to drink so much?” Suho was on him next, putting an arm around the much taller man. It was freakish, Sehun’s height compared to the rest of his family. Kyungsoo, Minseok, Suho and the Kang parents were not tall people, but Sehun was. His Mother told him he took after his Grandfather (which he had never met), his hyungs always asked why they couldn’t take after their grandpa too.

“I know, I know. Let’s just get this over with.” Sehun answered, fully expecting the next hour or two to be painful, and not at all a help to his hangover.

“Finally you say something reasonable. Let’s go.” Chanyeol held the front door open for the Kang brothers, playfully gesturing them inside. It was time to face their parents.

***

The four brothers, plus Chanyeol (Ji Hyo and Gary knew there was no point in keeping him out of the conversation, he was practically family) were seated on the long white sofa in the living room. The Kang penthouse was decorated with a modern bent, all clean lines and a lack of clutter. White was the theme of the place, which meant there was always vigorous cleaning required to keep the abode looking presentable (which Lizzy did with aplomb).

Gary and Ji Hyo were seated in two oversized white chairs, facing their nervous sons. An oblong black coffee table separated the sofa from the chairs, acting as a sufficient barrier between one generation and the next.

“I think we should watch a video, sons.” Gary was smiling. The Kang brother’s tensed. When their Father smiled like that it was usually because he had something up his sleeve.

“What a great idea Oppa!” Ji Hyo grinned. Oh no, when their Mom and Dad were this cheerful without obvious reasons something was certainly going on.

Gary picked up the remote, turning on the large flat screen. Of course there was a video already queued up, this whole thing had been planned.

Kyungsoo suddenly felt sick, he leaned closer to Suho, who he would swear was shaking slightly. Minseok seemed calm, but he was good at not looking nervous when he actually was. Sehun was considering throwing up, but he just frowned and stared at the television. The video began.

Gary and Ji Hyo were the first stars, scenes of their last vacation to Paris flashed on the screen. Their sons watched anxiously, pretty sure their parents had not called them here to watch vacation videos. Finally, after scenes of their parents holding hands and strolling down lamplight streets (even as adults the guys had a desire to let out a “Ewwww” at their parents affections) the video cut to their parents seated at the head of a long conference table.

“Hi kids. Do you know that Paris was our first vacation in seven years?” Ji Hyo looked at the camera, smiling.

“Appa and Umma deserve more vacations, don’t you think?” Gary followed up.

Suddenly another person walked into the frame, then another.

Sehun really thought he was going to throw up. He grabbed Kyungsoo, squeezing his hyungs hand in terror. Minseok lost his composure too. If their parents had called on “the uncles” something complicated was sure to arise.

The Kang children had grown up with five uncles, which of course were not real uncles in the sense that they were not blood related. No, they were the five closest friends that the Kang parents had- lifelong friends. Crazy friends. Five guys that were as competitive, as out-there, and bizarre as the Kang parents themselves. The brothers had heard fifteen different versions of how these five men and their parents became friends, all different, all equally bizarre.

Lee Kwang Soo, Yoo Jae Suk, Ha Dong Hoon, Kim Jong Kook, and Ji Suk Jin were all sitting at the conference table now, smiling back at the camera. Smiling right into the Kang brother’s souls.

“Mom….”Sehun whispered, looking at Ji Hyo, hoping she would make her baby feel better with a kind word explaining that there was nothing to worry about. But that didn’t happen, she just motioned for him to pay attention.

“Your parents have worked hard, and what have you four done? Huh?” Lee Kwang Soo started out, wagging a finger at the camera.

“Yah! Your parents deserve vacations and rest.” Ji Suk Jin, the oldest of the uncles pointed menacingly at the screen.

“You know I love you guys.” Yoo Jae Suk started, only to be interrupted by Kim Jong Kook.

“Hey, don’t try to seem like the nice guy!” Kim Jong Kook scolded Jae Suk, but before he could continue Lee Kwang Soo was talking again, “I love you more.”

“Uncle Haha always bought you kids candy, remember?” Dong Hoon, who everyone referred to as Haha, chimed in, trying to monopolize the camera.

“Yah! You guys were supposed to convey a message!” Ji Hyo shouted, showing her quick temper as the five guys continued arguing (which was a typical occurrence when they were all together).

“Oh yeah, sorry. So – your parents want to retire.” Kim Jong Kook looked sternly at the camera, “And one of you needs to take over their company.”

“Don’t you feel like something is missing in your lives?” Haha asked, tilting his head cutely.

“If you want to be happy you need to get married.” Jae Suk chimed in. Suk Jin looked away from the camera at that statement, it was a running joke that Uncle Suk Jin missed his single life.

“That’s right. It is simple. The first one of you to get married wins the company.” Gary explained, looking far too cheery.

The four brothers jerked their heads from the direction of the television to where their parents sat. Their parents were calm, still smiling, very unlike the four brothers, who all felt like passing out.

“Keep watching kids.” Ji Hyo instructed them without turning away from the television.

“Your Father is correct. And there are some rules. “ Ji Hyo, the video version, explained.

“No fake marriages. We will see right through them.” Haha said, shaking his head at the idea.

“Yep, and this has to be for love.” Lee Kwang Soo explained, making a kissy face at the camera.

“And all seven of us have to approve of your spouse.” Jong Kook smiled cutely, which was disturbing to the entire room, disturbing enough that the other five people began teasing him. “Which means no secret weddings, no trying to pull something over on us.”

“Happy hunting kids.” Gary and Ji Hyo said in unison, smiling as the camera cut to black.

Gary flicked the television off, staring at his four sons with a eating grin on his face.

“Questions?” He asked.

“You guys are sick…” Sehun muttered under his breath.

“You mean Sehun could get the company if he finds a spouse before I do?” Suho asked, wide eyed.

“Yep.” The Mother answered.

“But I am too young to get married!” Kyungsoo whined.

“Then loose the company and your inheritance.” Gary answered.

“Do you guys always have to make everything a competition?” Minseok, who rarely talked back to his parents, had to say something. This idea was just ludicrous.

“Well, we are talking about a multi-million, almost one billion dollar company. We can’t just give it away willy nilly.” Ji Hyo explained.

“So give it to the person who is most qualified! What does marriage have to do with it?!” Kyungsoo griped.

“Monday Enterprises only came about because of a successful marriage.” Gary gave his wife a loving look, “Oh, and you guys seriously need to find someone. Because it is just getting sad at this point.”

“Dad!” Suho exclaimed.

“It is true. When was the last time one of you guys had a date? Huh?” Their Dad did have a point. As of that day not one of the brothers had ever been in a serious relationship, and they were all adults. Of course they had school romances, but they were never serious. Since they had come of age they had all indulged in one thing or another that they swore kept them from dating (too much work, too much clubbing, too much bird watching, too much collecting Japanese figurines, the list could go on forever).

“And all seven of you have to approve of the person?” Minseok asked, knowing this would never be an easy task.

“That’s right. We can’t have just anyone join the family.” Their mother answered.

“Why don’t you just fire us?” Sehun said solemnly.

“Because what would be the fun in that?” Ji Hyo smirked, “Besides, whoever wins the company can decide for themselves if the rest of you still have a job. Best be nice to each other from now on.”

“Seriously, you guys are like the best parents ever.” Chanyeol, who had remained quiet during the entire meeting, suddenly spoke up, his face full of admiration for the Kang parents. He didn’t bother to look over and see four very angry, very frustrated pairs of eyes glaring back at him.