“With extra cream and caramel syrup! Here’s your order,” Added a smile once the order left her hand, “Have a nice day!” and like always, Areum nailed her role in becoming the customer’s favorite. Lee Areum is just the 'cutest' barista a shop could ask for. “Hello! Can I help you with your order?”

“Ehm, ya, I want—“ Once he stood in front of the counter, “Lee Areum” He just realized something.

 “Ex— excuse me?”

“Ah— no, sorry, sorry, I— I want, eh… ah… eh…”

Before things went more awkward, a guystepped in, “Sungjae! What are you doing here??”.

Her eyes kept shifting from Her sunbae In-Guk , to the boy on the school uniform in front of her. Hanlim?. The Yellow uniform caught her eyes, is he ditching school or something? It's not even two. 

“Hyung!” the boy replied, “School period has ended, but I still need to go back cause there’s extra activity,”

“Still, what are you doing here?” In-guk repeated.

“Ah! right, my friend asked me for a coffee”

“But hanlim is like, quite far away…” Areum couldn't help to be left alone as she moved her elbow and nudged In-guk.

“Oh! Right, Areum, this is Sungjae, My cousin, Sungjae this is Areum, my friend” He finally introduced them. “Aren't we look alike??” He leaned closer to Sungjae.

“Trust me Noona, it is far, but now I know why hyuk insisted to get a coffee from here,”He shook his head and get rid off In-Guk. 

“Hyuk? Sanghyuk?” That name rang a bell, of course, “You know him?”

Sungjae breathed out “yes, that brat gave me his credit card and told me to get a coffee, and he doesn't care about me returning it or not,”

“Hyuk is like that?” She frowned.

“Hyuk is not like that?” And so does the boy. “Oh well, probably not to you, well, I can't blame him, I’m usually not this nice, but recently he has been looking troubled so yeah,”

“Really??” 

As much as he wanted to, Sungjae kept himself from talking too much. “No worries, I bet he’ll be better after a cup of coffee”

Areum smiled at the cue and prepared the order, “Okay, I'll make you the order. Hyuk’s usual for Hyuk, and… what would you like to order?”

“Ah, caramel machiatto is fine,” Sungjae nodded.

“I’ll make it for you!” In-guk stepped in, “Cant believe that you never taste my coffee, are we even cousin?”

“Thank you,” Areum received the cup that her sunbae just made, “For Hyukkie’s friend—“

“I have a name, and its Sungjae,” He cut off,

“Hmm?” But Areum is areum, she just casually wrote down the literal, “and for Sanghyuk!” She finished the last touch and served it Sungjae, “have a nice day!”

He read the name. “Hyukkie’s friend?” Sungjae slurped in despair as his eyes moved to the other cup, “Ah, Sanghyuk Fighting….” And sigh again at the unfair writing on the cup. “Areum Noona, In-Guk Hyung, thank you so much, see you!”.

“Have I met that kid? How did he know my name even before you introduce us?” Areum came back from changing her clothes, as her shift finally ended. "He even call me noona...." While still hanging around the counter, She untied her hair and let it loose to freshen up her mood. Her eyes were looking for someone.

“We have this thing called name tag,” In-guk pointed at a pin on his chest, “And who are you waiting for?”

“Ken. Do you remember him?” Areum stepped out of her working space to sit on the stool, “We have a plan today”

“Like a date?”

“Nope,” She shook her head, “Well— yeah, but— still not a date” and shrugged. “Anyway, where is he?? If he’s not coming then I can just go home—“

Long live Park Jaehwan, “YAA! SORRY I’M LATE!!!” It doesn't take a minute to summon him. “So! Oh, sorry, my god, that professor—“ ken ran and sit on the empty stool next to Areum“That professor really— really—“ 

Areum slid a glass of water to his side, “Talk to me once you are able to breath normally”.

“Thank you,” Ken took gulps of it as he emptied the glass within seconds. “Okay, give me five minutes and we’re leaving”

“Ah, Ken! It's been a while!” In-guk joined the two, “I’m In-guk, in case you forgot, hahhaha”

“On a second thought, we can just go now,” Before In-guk got to offer his hand, Ken stood up and grabbed Areum’s hand to drag her out with him. “See you around handsome sunbae!”

“handsome sunbae?” Thanks, I guess? “Oh, Areum! About earlier, I’ll email it to you later, okay?”

“Kay!” Areum exclaimed once she stepped outside the shop, “Thank you!”

After three hours of a train trip, The two brothers sat at a table for two to rest and took their time, in their favorite cafe in their hometown. Located not far both from the station and their house. They might be from Busan but the Dong brothers are pure city boys. 

“Why does Areum’s coffee taste better?” Said Hakyeon after he finished a cup, “Did they change the recipe?”

“I don't know, don't ask me,” As for Hongbin, he’s not too much of a coffee person. He’s okay with a green tea latte and a book. “Ah hyung can I borrow your pen?”

“No,” Instead of giving him the Pen, Hakyeon snatched the book from Hongbin’s lap, “We came here to spend a time, not watching you studying alone” And put it away, “You know that I took my day off for this, right?”

“That’s because you’re being too sentimental,” Hongbin sighed, “It doesn't have to be today—“

“It does!” A some kind staring contest started, “Today, three years ago, I realized that— I'm not a good brother to you…” Hakyeon leaned on his chair to cool down, “And I’m still not one,”

As for Hongbin, he disliked this kind of serious talk with his brother, “Come on, we both know that it's not your fault” 

“But you lost 18 years of memories,” He looked down as he played with his straw, “aren't you in pain?”

To have a brother like Hakyeon, There’s just a feeling that Hongbin couldn't express. The Hakyeon who always pamper him yet scold him for everything that he do right and wrong, The Hakyeon that love to cling to him, The Hakyeon that physically have no resemblance to him, The Hakyeon who is also his number one Hyung, At that moment, those Hakyeon just got into him. And if it's not because of his rather stubborn personality, Hongbin would definitely cry just by looking how sorry his brother was. “I’m not, Hyung, come on, to be honest, the reason why I’m taking psychology is actually because I still want to know who I am,” Hakyeon looked up and staring straight at his brother, “Now I have a question, do you really longed for the old hongbin or are you fine with this Hongbin?”

A good question, which Hakyeon never thought about.

“I’m— I’m Okay with both,”

A smile spread from his face, “Good, cause I like who I am now,” as he taste his first sip of his latte, “Come on, let's stop being Emotional and go somewhere”

“Hyung, what do you think would happen, if three years ago, I didn't get a hit by a car?”

Hakyeon put his hand on his shoulder and wrapped his brother with a hug, “I probably won't love you this much” and hug him with all his might, “You will live in a deserted island as I pursue my dream to be a painter. None of us will visit mom and Date on Christmas, we'll practically live alone. None of us will probably know Ravi and the Park Brother, I might not be this close with Leo too, oh and you won't be stuck with Eunju”

Hongbin sneered and push him away. “Come on, She’s annoying and all but I owe her my life,” Their walk started to become slower as they enjoyed the activity of just strolling around the city, “The thing is that I’m glad that I only feel guilty to you, mom and Dad” as everything become more serious than ever, “I’m glad that I meet them as a new hongbin, those idiots, I would be sad if I missed just a pinch of memories with them”

“I can't believe that you said that…” 

“Oh come on! I thought we promised to not mock—“

“Fine! haahahahah,” Hakyeon stop Hongbin from walking away as he hugged him again, “Don't worry, the old hongbin is basically the samewith this one." He nuzzled. you know,  I selfishly glad that I have my second chance”

“Aren't we all aiming for that?” He hissed, “Ah Hyung, lets go to that place first,”

That place?. Hakyeon released him, “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, isn't that the place where all this drama started?”

 “You still hanging around with handsome sunbae??” Ken got out of the car and go to the other side to open the door for Areum, “Why??” 

“Why not? he’s my sunbae,” Areum got out and looked around. They were stopping at a park which she never saw and went to before. “And its not like you guys are my only friend you know,”

“You tell me that after you introduce me to a nice girl, kay?” Ken led the way as they walked into the park. 

“and where are we again??”. They sat on a bench under a tree, hiding from the sunlight. Birds came to settle on the fountain in front of them to chirp and decorate the set. Maybe I should take Kyunggi to this place, its nice.

“We need to know each other, right?” Ken reclined, “Then let's just talk, here, I like this place”

Hongbin ran from his side and stood in the middle of the road, “Take a picture of me!” he said as he waved his hands to his brother..

“You know that it's not funny right?” Hakyeon stayed at his place, “Get out of the road”

“Hahaha, alright, sorry!” And with that, Hongbin went back to the right side, which was next to his brother.

They both still hung around that street as they set their eyes on the same view. The street, the road, the people who passed by, and the giant building across them. “As an alumni, I’m so disappointed that they didn't even repaint the wall,” Hongbin pouted, “and instead, they exalt the wall, like, we can barely see anything! Only the third floor!”

“You want to go in?” 

“No, it's not like there's anything in there,” Hongbin took out his phone, and take a picture, “Move away, Hyung! You’re blocking the building!”

“Ya! How on earth I could block a building that big???” Hakyeon reformed his place, and posed, “Just put me in the pic, what's wrong with that?”

He insisted to find a better angle as he started to move forward, crossing the street, and walking away from Hakyeon.

“Hey!!! Don't use your phone when you cross a street!!” Hakyeon tried to reach for him, “Hongbin—“

HONKKKKKKK

"And so by the age of 16 I finally got to help my brother who was.. Wait, how old was Hyukkie? Hmm, 13? Yeah, he was probably 13 and he could finally ride a bike! But like, he was very clumsy and got off balance easily, so he just fell off and say " Ken tried to hold his laugh, "I was like, where did you learn that!? And then he said that I learn it from me!"

The little talk she had with Ken went smoothly, when they reach an hour of nonstop talking. They talked about everything, everything that popped into their heads. A new side she found from Ken is that he’s honest, too honest sometime as she sure that there were some part that she shouldn’t have heard. 

“And so that's how hyukkie got to curse for the first time,” Ken crossed his arm, “And I feel guilty for taking away his innocence"

“ahahaahahahahah, yeah right, ahahaahahaah” For Areum, it was entertaining, “Okay, noted, Park Jaehwan can't keep a secret! ahahaha”

“Hey!! What are you talking about???” He frowned, “Noted, Lee Areum's laugh is wide and wild….” And Ken literally wrote it down, “Ya!! I bet you didn't even write it down!!”

“Oh, I wrote it!” Her tummy was still hurt and her face was still bright, “here!!” As she pointed at her head, “Hahahahahahaha”

Just what does my brother sees in her… 

After awhile, Areum managed to get up “Oh! Look, Ken, it's almost four, we should go home—“

“Not yet, we’re not  done yet!” Ken Got up and grab her by the wrist as he led her again “You have to eat this or else we're not friends ” to an ice-cream stand on the other side of the park.

"How is it? That special flavor that you eat is Hyuk's favorite," Ken wanted to make sure. "When we were a little Hyuk always begged for me to buy him this!"

“Hmm! It's good!!” The joy of eating an ice-cream under a willow tree, Areum felt like she was in heaven. "What else, do you have anymore recommendation?” 

Ken put a thought on answering it, “Hmm… wait…” since He wanted to give a perfect answer, “Ah! If we have an extra time lets go this playground, Me and Hyuk used to go this place after school if we didn't get picked up by the driver,”

“And Why is that place is essential?”

“You remember the annoying girl who broke my brother’s heart? If I could turn back the time, then three years ago, I wouldn't take him to that park”

“Ah, so he met her there….”

"He started to fall for her, like, Yeah, I know she was pretty and all but like, Hyuk! How can you fall for someone just by looking at her! It doesn't make sense!” He hissed, “I guess my brother was too naive and I was.. Off guard…”

Ken..

“I’m sensing that it will be hard for him to get a girlfriend with you examining everything,”. After gazing more of the view around, she got her eyes back to Ken, “So what if Hyuk fall for someone again, what are you going to do?”

Ken dropped the ice cream before it got to reach his mouth. Out of all people, do you have to be the person to ask?. 

“Ah, I know, I bet you'll interrogate the girl and make sure that she's a good one…”

Hell, I am, why do you think I agree to spend more time with you??

“But How do you know whether the girl is good for Hyuk or not?”

“That's the thing, I can’t,” while wiping the stained from his shirt, Ken got to reflect on the question. “I can only make assumptions about why he likes her and that's it. and then I can only think of a way to make sure that he won't get hurt…. Okay, why am I being this emo, tsk, Forget it. Any other question?”

“Actually, I do,” She rested her chin on her hand as she sat cross-legged, “Why do you specifically, insisting us to do the chit-chat here? On this very nice park which I just know and I think I need to go to this place more often and take Kyunggi with me…”

“Oh, You’re curious?” He asked, “Well, this place is practically our second home, by our, it means me and Hyukkie,” Like before, Ken couldn't stop smiling once he brought his brother's name, “You see that house— eh I mean that bookshop over there? That was our house”

Areum narrowed her eyes to get a clearer view of the building, “That little bookshop was your house??”

He proudly nodded, “We lived with our grandma and mom until we entered high school, I mean I entered High school and hyuk was still on junior high”

“Not with your dad?”

“Nope,” He shook his head, “Our parents, well, they, have a unique relationship, they married but they lived separately,”

“Ah, I see…”

A smile left his mouth, “Thank you,”

“For?”

“for Not saying sorry,” Another smile left, “I was perfectly fine with it, they’re both happy, but Hyuk… hmm….” He looked down on the grass and played with his hand, “I don't know, he— without him realizing it, he became a very complicated person, l think, in a way, it affected him,” Ken popped out his bubbliness and went into a deeper thought, “I, on the other hand, I can do better as a brother—”

Areum set her ear to listen while she tried to not look at Ken, whom she know that a space and a friend is what he needed the most.

“I think, as a fellow over protective siblings, you can relate to me, you know— the— the feeling of wanting them to be happier and, like— yeah,” 

“You felt like it was partly your fault for every kind of unpleasantness in life that they went through,” Areum laid back onto the grass and asked Ken to join her to letting go of the pain on the chest, “Ken, Do you know why I agree on this stupid plan and ended up spending more time with Park Jaehwan?”

Ken laid next to her as each of them set their eyes on the leaves of a willow tree that protect them from the sunlight. “Cause I’m awesome?”

“Sadly, That’s a thing, but,” She giggled, “Cause I admire you and how much you love your brother. It's almost like you live for him,” Areum tilted her head to the side so he could see Ken, who was looking at her at the same time, “I would love to have a brother like you, you need to value yourself more”

What the hell is wrong with her?. “Oh really?” Ken used a scoff to cover his thought.

“Yeah, Jaehwan oppa~” She grinned.

Ken immediately stood up and dust off, “Ekwh no! Don't call me that! Please!” He said as he started to walk away..

Areum saw his lips curled upwards while he walked away from her, and in a way, it made her happy, “Ya! Ken, Are you bailing on me! Where are you going??” Despite the whines, she did her best to run and caught up with him.

“Picking up my brother, of course!! Just look at what time is it now!”

“Now?? but— but— its almost five and— my brother! How about my brother?? I haven't seen him!!”

Ken rolled his eyes, “Relax,” he couldn't believe that Areum was just like him, having a brain filled with her brother, “He’s with Leo hyu—“

“He’s with whom?” Areum was starled, “Ah! No! Ken!!!” And then ended up whining like a baby, “Leo again?? Seriously?? Ah, I swear to god Kyunggi will definitely call him appa!!” 

Argh, this girl…. Do I even want her to be my sister even if its in law?. “It's either that or he will end up in a dumpster like the last time,” Ken scoffed, “Do you really want Ravi to be the babysitter?”

For a moment, Areum forgot just how inhuman Ravi's studio is. “No, I don't, thanks for reminding me”

“You’re welcome--” 

“Give me your phone” Areum begged, “Can I borrow your phone? My battery is dead! It's an emergency!!”

“Huh? Okay..” He gave it away.

She looked at the history and scrolled down, “ah, you hardly call him, huh”

“Him? Who?” Ken doesn't get a bit of her, and just watched her put the phone on,

“Leo, It's me, Areum”

“Don't you have anything better to do?”

“Are you sending me off?” Ravi tried to keep up with Eunju’s pace, but for holding 10 shopping hands with his two only hands, He needed more efforts, “Are you done?”

“Not yet, one more store,” of course, with her hand unoccupied, Eunju opened a glass door of the last store to visit. This time with a more sense, she let Ravi go in first, “Let's go, we can go home after this”

“Yeah, let's make it quick, my hands are numb”. Can't you see just how much I love you?.

Like the previous five stores, it was a designer store for women that they went into. Located along the Gangnam district, For people like Eunju, it was like her playground.  And for People like Ravi, who happened to befriend with people like Eunju, It was like a nightmare.

“How do I look?” With a knee length white dress, Eunju came out of the dressing room and turn around to show the flow and details of the dress. “Cute?”

“Honestly,” Ravi took a moment to enjoy it, “You look amazing,”

“That I already know, thank you” She looked at herself in the mirror, “Now this one I can keep for myself!” She exclaimed.

Ravi sat up, “Hm? What do you mean?” 

“Those bags of cloth on your hand, aren't for me,” Eunju went back to the dressing room to change, “Now how about this one??” She came out with a different dress this time. A black y lace dress that made her look ready for a party.

“Then for whom--" before he got to put on the question mark, Ravi was already astonished by how Eunju look, “Ya— you—“

“For Areum of course, her wardrobe ” Like Ravi, she was satisfied with the one she wore, “Hmm, I’ll just take this one—“

“I’ll buy that for you”

Eunju turned around from the mirror, “What?”

“You look pretty in that, we should celebrate it!” Ravi got up and gave her a thumb, “good job!”

“Only in this, huh?” She scoffed and got into the dressing room to change back. “Being pretty is my daily routine, you know, I breath by being pretty!” 

Yeah, No doubt.

Eunju came out with the two dresses in her hand, “So, the black one or the white one?” 

“the Black one!!”

She nodded, and went to look for the clerk, “Ah, I’ll—“

and out of nowhere “Debit card can do, right?” Ravi got up to finish the payment. 

“Why did you pay for that?” Even after she finished her shopping, Kang Eunju still couldn't accept it, “Ravi! Answer me!”

After minutes of walking in silence, The guy who has been silenced because of  i don't know that it's a 800,000 won dress! Finally made an eye contact. “Why not? Isn't it normal for a guy to do that?”

“But—“

“Come on, I’m not as rich as you are but i'm not poor either ” He sighed, “Let's go, My hand’s tired”

“But that kind of thing is only normal when the guy is dating the girl!!”. Ravi stopped making more steps. “RavI!”

If what's in his hands weren't worth 1,5billion won, he would definitely drop in down just so he could fist his hand. “Why do you think the boyfriend bought it for the girlfriend?”

After a few steps, Eunju could catch up on Ravi and stood next to him. “What?”

“Was it because she looked pretty in that? Or was it because he will do anything to make her feel pretty and happy?” 

“Is that a question or—“

“Or maybe both?” He tilted his head to the side as he looked in her eyes. The two of them might stand in the middle of the crowd, on a street where they didn't recall the name of it, but for sure, Ravi got to make it seem like it was only the two of them. “I might not be a boyfriend, but If you want to think of it, I’m no different than them”

Her eyes twitched, “Ya, Ravi, what the hell are you talking about?”

“Nothing,” He smiled, “Nothing to worry about, let's go home while I still can use my hand to drive—“

Eunju grabbed ravi by the hand, and snatched the bags away from his right hands. At first Ravi refused to give her the weight, but with Eunju pinching on his arm to let it go, he couldn't say no. “You right, let's go home while you can still use your hand,” After she got a hold on her own shoppings, she could understand why Ravi’s hands were in pain.

“thanks, I guess,” Eunju put on the bags in the trunk.

Ravi closed it, and open a door for her “For?”.

“For the dress…” She hissed.

“Only if you use it when I told you to” He winked, “Okay?”

“What? Why??” 

“I don't know, I just feel like I need more appreciation”

Far from all the drama, Leo and Kyunggi were having a good time in the house. The kind of good time where only the two of them could enjoy. A light play on the backyard involving a plastic ball and giggles. A little picnic with cookies, ice cream, and a book to read. 

“And so by the end of the night, the boy asked—“ 

Kyunggi pointed at Leo’s ringing phone. “Phone?”.

“Hmm, yes, phone,” Leo took his phone and looked at the caller ID, Why is he calling?. He doesn't see the need to pick it up so, “The boy asked—“

“Pick up” But Kyunggi kept staring at the phone  with curiosity, “Pick up?”

Leo picked up the phone, “Ken—“

“Leo, it's me, Areum”

He almost dropped his phone before he got to mouthed a 'thank you' to Kyunggi, “Oh , hello”

“Where’s my brother??” It was clear that she only cares about a thing, “where is he??”

“He’s in front of me,” Leo shrugged, “why?”

“Can I talk to him?” 

Leo held the phone for Kyunggi, while trying to listen to the conversation. “Kyunggi-yaa, have you eat? What are you doing now? are you having a good time? Do you miss me? Huh? noona love you yaaa! give me a kiss! a kiss!”. 

What Leo saw was Kyunggi blinking his eyes with no responded as his sister blabbered on the phone. He then put his phone back to him, to clarify everything, “He had lunch already, Now I’m reading him a book, I assumed that he has a good time since he haven't cried nor whine about you,”  He sighed, “I’m hanging up, bye—“

“Wait! Why??” 

“Call me again when you really want to talk to me, bye” . 

Leo puts his phone away and laid back, “I think she’s afraid of me,” He chuckled, while let kyunggi playing along with his face, “Well she better be”

*i'll upload the next chapter immediately since this chapter and the next one was originally a whole one*