His secretary comes in, signalling that it is time to go. Seungyoon jumps up from his desk happily and tells his secretary to prepare the car, while he tidies up his hair and puts on just a tiny bit of BB cream on his face. Just to make sure his skin glows more than usual.

Jinwoo texted him on the morning after their date, asking whether Seungyoon would be free for afternoon tea on Saturday. Well, usually he would be working, but accepting the invitation is a good chance to apologize properly in person for not being able to give Jinwoo a ride the other day. 

Humming a random tune, Seungyoon changes from a business suit into a casual attire and a pair of suede Tod’s loafers. After checking his own reflection on a mirror, he smiles in satisfaction and sets out to a tearoom in Apgujeong, where Jinwoo already reserved a private room. Finally, their first real date!

The entire place is immaculately and elegantly decorated, and Seungyoon smiles widely as the door of the room opens, revealing the breathtaking ice prince Kim Jinwoo and two other boys. Huh, it’s not just the two of us?

Song Mino washes his chocolate scone down with a big gulp of iced milk tea and waves enthusiastically at Seungyoon, pointing at the empty seat opposite Jinwoo. He sits down in bewilderment, saying hello to Jinwoo and offering his hand to the stranger beside him, “Hi, I’m Kang Seungyoon. You are?”

“Nam Taehyun, Jinwoo’s cousin.” Taehyun answers with a soft handshake and a smile that does not exactly reach his eyes. The two cousins are clearly not very generous with genuine smiles. 

“Did you come from your office, Yoonie?” Mino asks while passing him a menu.

“Yeah,” Seungyoon replies, still rather surprised and disoriented. Wait. Why is Mino here? Seungyoon stares at Mino quizzically.

“Jinwoo-hyung promised to treat me after I sent him back to his office the other day, so here I am!” Mino says.

“Ahhh, yeah, about that, Jinwoo-hyung, I’m sincerely sorry. It was very ungentlemanly of me to rush off - “

Taehyun cuts off Seungyoon’s apology. “Yeah, I heard my hyung almost had to take a taxi. If it really came to that I would have personally kidnapped you and thrown you in a trunk of a cab, Kang Seungyoon.”

“Uhh, I’m very very very sorry. I hope you guys don’t have a bad impression of me - “

Taehyun snorts. Jinwoo says calmly, “Tae, he already called me to apologize more than twenty times and it’s already settled. Seungyoon, do you wanna order your tea? Our tiered tea sets should be coming soon.”

At that moment, Seungyoon is eternally grateful to the forgiving man in front of him. And he drags his chair just a few centimetres away from the scary man on his left, who looks younger than him but does not even bother calling him hyung.

***

“Please, Mino-yah, can you help me out?” Seungyoon pokes his friend’s arm and body, intentionally poking the parts with a teeny bit of leftover fats from Mino’s overweight era.

“Yah, stop it!” Mino slides over to the other end of the leather sofa in Seungyoon’s office. “Help you out with what?”

“Getting close to Jinwoo!”

“Why me? I don’t think I can help you out much. And anyway, your families want to set you guys up, so you don’t have to put in too much efforts...”

Seungyoon sighs. “Nah, I think our families will not proceed if either of us does not agree. And I want him to genuinely like me, man. What’s the point of us being together if he is not happy?”

Mino considers this for a while. “Hmm, okay, what can I do to help, then?”

“Just give me date ideas and stuff like that. Nothing too troublesome.”

“Alright, I’ll fill Seunghoon-hyung in on the plan too,” Mino says.

“Really? Thanks a lot, buddy!” Seungyoon hugs Mino tightly and plants kisses on his friend’s cheeks. “Okay, so I’m thinking of bringing Jinwoo-hyung somewhere tomorrow. Where do you think we should go? Hmm...”

***

“He likes you.” Taehyun says flatly.

“Who?” Jinwoo is lying down comfortably on his bed, reading a book on resort architecture with a bird nest mask stuck securely on his face. 

“Stop feigning ignorance. Kang Seungyoon, of course.” Taehyun points at a picture of a wooden cabin in the Alps with outdoor jacuzzi and remarks, “This looks pretty awesome. Should we rent one for Christmas?”

“It might be too cold for grandma,” Jinwoo says. “You seriously think so? I had a feeling he’s hitting on me, but I’m not very sure.”

“You were totally distracted by Mino’s face.”

Jinwoo grabs a pillow to put his chin on. “He looks too similar to him. I can’t help it.”

“You can, if you put your heart on it. Come on, hyung, it’s been a few months. Did Jiyong-hyung try to contact you?”

“Yeah. Especially in the past few days. He left lots of missed calls and texts and emails, but I ignored everything.”

Taehyun smacks the book. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t wanna make a big deal out of it. And I feel bad to keep involving you, Tae. You had to transfer school because of me - “

“No, don’t say that.” Taehyun hugs Jinwoo’s waist and leans on his broad shoulder. “I was the one who wanted to follow you back to Korea. I don't wanna live apart from you, you know.”

Jinwoo pats his cousin’s brown hair softly. “Thanks, Taehyun-ah.”

Taehyun smiles and leans closer. “Anyway, what did Jiyong-hyung say?” 

“I didn’t bother reading his messages.”

“Huh! Why?”

“Because there’s no point doing that,” Jinwoo sighs, “Let’s not talk about him anymore. I need to get some sleep for tomorrow. Seungyoon’s taking me somewhere.”

“OMG he might propose to you!” The younger jumps excitedly. “Are you gonna say yes?”

“Nah, I think we’re going hiking or something. He told me to wear comfortable outdoor clothes.”