I know I haven't updated any other story since creating this OTL I will try to update them soon!! I was in a little writing struggle for a bit but I think I'm back. I'll update at least one of them before I update this again, okay? For now, enjoy this chapter haha Jinyoung is actually my fav character I'm sorry lol This was a short chapter tho (a lil less than 4,000 words) oops (p.s Hongmin if you're reading this I love you~! :D)

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Eventually, the twenty-sixth came. Christmas the day before had gone well, and normal. Sooyoung spent it similar to her days off, breaking up arguments and making food. Jinah spent it as she normally did, awkwardly. Their cousins always came over and made her uncomfortable. Although Sooyoung’s ‘Merry Christmas Jinah unnie!! :D Spread the Christmas cheer!’ text did make her day at least somewhat better. Not like she was one to admit it though.

 

    It was around four in the afternoon when Jinah had to make sure her family was prepared to go along. Her mother reluctantly decided to come along, while her siblings joyfully wanted to come along. Especially Jinyoung. Apparently he had a ‘special’ present prepared for his ‘wife.’ Jinah’s heart was warmed that her brother enjoyed irritating her assistant, which she admitted was weird, but her family was messed up.

 

    Sooyoung had been preparing all day for the event, taking about an hour to choose an outfit. It was another time she desperately wanted Jinah’s opinion on the dress, but she wanted it to be a surprise and didn’t want to annoy her. 

 

    At five the people could start coming. First Sooyoung’s parent’s friends came, they always wanted to come first to help make food and gossip. They always loved to ask Sooyoung every little thing about her life and set her up on blind dates. She had gone to some before and none of them went well. Then her grandparent’s friends came over. They usually just complained about everybody either not being married yet, not having kids, not having a job, or doing something incorrectly. Generally, they complained. But they were the oldest in the building so she had to respect them.

 

    Finally around that time the youngest visitors came. Well, other than the kids of her parent’s friends. They were the youngest. But the youngest featured guests. Her friends. Other than Jinah she invited Kaeun, Jooyeon, and Yiyoung. 

 

    Kaeun arrived first with some kind of cake, then Jooyeon (along with her boyfriend) brought a wrapped gift for her. Yiyoung had texted her beforehand explaining how she couldn’t come due to a conflicting schedule. Of course, Jinah had to come fashionably late. She was a fashion designer.

 

    As soon as she happily opened the door to expect somebody else, Jinah walked in with her family following her. They walked right past Sooyoung and turned to the left into the living room. She wondered whether Jinah had forgotten where the hostess was. It was like she didn’t know who Sooyoung was!

    When they had walked in Jinyoung gave her cheerful smile and a wink, but that was expected. She somewhat regretted telling her to invite Jinah’s whole family. Jinmi, the youngest in the Im family, was somebody new to Sooyoung. She was a petite and proper sixteen-year-old, and greeted her properly.

 

    It wasn’t until Sooyoung stood next to Kaeun awing about her boss’ dress that Jinah seemed to notice that her employee was there. 

 

    “Why did you invite her again?” Jooyeon asked holding her wine glass. Her boyfriend was talking about some sport with one of the friends of Sooyoung’s parent’s. 

 

    Sooyoung leaned over and whispered, “Because we made a deal. Don’t worry about it, she’s not that bad outside of work.”

 

    Kaeun giggled, “Of course you would know that, you’re practically dating her.” A jumble of laughter erupted from the small group of friends. 

 

    It was then Im Jinah came over and the laughter immediately stopped. Jinah rolled her eyes, “We’re not on the job, you don’t have to be afraid of me. What were you discussing before?” 

 

    Jooyeon quickly searched around the room, “Well...not anything especially necessary to mention to you.”

 

    “You were talking about me, weren’t you?” Although the words sounded conceded, Jinah’s voice was as if she was a mother who knew her kids were lying. 

 

    “Yeah.” Jooyeon responded quickly and took another sip from her alcohol, “It wasn’t anything negative though.”

 

    “Negative or positive, I don’t care. How was everybody’s holidays yesterday?” Jinah was cool on the aspect and passed through the subject calmly. Sooyoung wanted to scream about how Jinah had trained herself to not wonder about people talking about her and to pass it on, how much of a goal it was for her to be like that.

 

    “Mine was fine, overall. Nothing weird. Hongmin got me himself as a present, probably because he’s cheap.” She had a small jut of laughter and continued, “He also said the true present would come during New Years so looks like I just have to wait.”

 

    “Hongmin, he’s your boyfriend, right?” Jinah asked and Jooyeon waved at him sweetly, he waved back after noticing them looking at him and smiled. Jinah realized that although she had heard the Marketing employee had had a boyfriend, she was never truly sure. She would have to get to know her employees better.

 

    “That’s cute! My cat just threw up on my carpet, it wasn’t very fun to pickup.” Kaeun jumped in and added her own part to the conversation, although she looked restless. Sooyoung wondered what made her jittery.

 

    “Well, that’s very nice to hear Jooyeon, you seem like a delightful couple. That’s not very nice, Kaeun, I hope it doesn’t throw up again soon. I’m guessing yours went well Sooyoung?”

 

    Kaeun thought of her own comment from earlier and lightly chortled, although she wasn’t sure if anybody else was thinking of the same thing. Sooyoung nodded, “Yes I suppose so. Same to you?”

 

    “Yes, the usual. Uncomfortable cousins and tiresome family members.” At the mention of Jinah becoming uncomfortable, Sooyoung was reminded of the rain question.

 

    “Have our families interacted at all yet?” She asked openly, even though Jooyeon and Kaeun were confused about the subject.

 

    Jinah looked around a bit before responding, “Our mothers have talked a bit it looks like, but so far not a lot of progress. It’s still early on, though.”

 

    Sooyoung smirked, and Kaeun was reminded yet again about her dating remark. If they were curious about their families talking together, could they really be dating? And be up to that level already? 

 

    “What do you keep laughing at, Kaeun?” Jinah questioned and Sooyoung had trouble containing how she felt about the family being so open. Although personal things were closeted, they were open about anything else. 

 

    “I’m sorry, I was just reminded about our conversation that mentioned you in it before you came over. It’s more of a neutral thought, to be honest. An opinion of sorts. I’m just laughing because of how reality is resembling it.” Kaeun tried to be as vague as possible while explaining, because it was impossible to lie to Im Jinah.

 

    Jooyeon heard that and chuckled to herself as well, switching between reality and fantasy. Jinah acknowledged the explanation, “So it was that kind of discussion. I assure you, whatever you were thinking, it’s not true.”

 

    Sooyoung felt the urge to elbow her friends in their guts so tried to get them away, she didn’t want to be made fun of and joking around in front of Jinah. “Jooyeon, I think I saw Hongmin mention the present to one of those guys over there. I think he might’ve said marriage? You didn’t hear it from me though.” She ‘zipped’ her lips with her fingers and leaned her body toward where the good looking man was standing with Jinyoung. Sooyoung suddenly felt scared for Hongmin, Jinyoung was a weird kid.

 

    Jooyeon stood up immediately at the word ‘marriage’ and kindly excused herself to go annoy her boyfriend about revealing exactly what her present for New Years was.  She held onto his arm after introducing herself to Jinyoung and then dragged the poor man to the corner next to the stairs to interrogate him. Sooyoung cocked her head subtly, one down, one more to go.

 

    Kaeun noticed a bit of a tension between the other two, although she wasn’t sure what kind of tension. She smiled yet again and started up a new conversation, “So Jinah, you’re looking stunning as usual. I’m not usual curious about your outfits, but I am curious about who or how you did your hair.”

 

    “That’s an understandable question, and I’m glad you asked that. For my hair today I...” Jinah went on to describe some process Sooyoung couldn’t care less about as much as she tried to pay attention. Sooyoung wasn’t all about hairstyling, honestly. Within her boredom, she thought of ways to get Kaeun away.

 

    Eventually one came to mind. “Oh yeah! Kaeun-ah, I remember my mom was curious about your enthusiasm about coffee. She wanted to know about some recipes or something, I don’t remember it all very well.”

 

    Kaeun almost immediately sprung up from her seat. She loved sharing her knowledge about the caffeinated drink and anything of the sort. “Does she really? I’m so glad to hear that! If you excuse me, I’ll go now, since I don’t know how long she’ll be without anybody to talk to.” Two out of two, cha-ching. 

    After the rushing body of the younger female ran into the kitchen, Sooyoung was alone with Jinah. It wasn’t weird to be alone with Jinah, or even rare at that matter. It just felt different outside of work. A good kind of different to Sooyoung at least.

 

    “Okay, we’re alone. What did you want?” Jinah smiled and lightly rested her right hand on Sooyoung’s thigh. “Were you hoping for Jinyoung to come over so you could hit him where it really hurts? I heard that you were pretty angry last time you saw him.”

 

    Sooyoung stared at the beautiful hand lingering on her body and suddenly felt a wave of heat rush over her body. Stupid sickness, let me live! “Well, if he wants to come over, he can. But no, I’m not hoping he’ll come over. He was all smiley earlier, he must have something planned to torture me more.” She leaned back a bit more and tried not to focus on the other woman’s hand. 

 

    “He said he did,” Jinah lifted her hand and looked at her assistant with some fret, “Are you still a little sick? You felt hot there.”

 

    Sooyoung hated that the topic changed to herself, “Well, I guess so. I don’t think I have a fever though, it was probably just a hot flash or something, like a side effect to the pills.”

 

    Jinah nodded, “I see, that can be a side effect. Oh, look who’s here!” Sooyoung sighed, her brother was there.

    “Hello Sooyoung! Am I ‘in your area’? I am genuinely curious whether I’ll be able to have children or not because it just so happens you set us up to meet again.” He set his cheeky self down where Jooyeon had sat beforehand.

    Sooyoung rolled her eyes, “I set it up so our families met again, not technically us. Your sister and I have a deal of sorts regarding that subject. Nothing for you to know.”

 

    “Is it that if our families get to know each other you’ll make your relationship public?” Sooyoung resisted herself from kicking his private parts right there and then. But she couldn’t until they were away from her family, it would be rude.

 

    “Jinyoung, I swear we cleared that up already. You don’t need to bring it up yet again.” Jinah responded maturely, even though Sooyoung could hear the irritation in her voice.

 

    “I know, I know. I just love to tease Sooyoung about it.” No wonder he didn’t fit in with that family, he’s too childish for sure. Why didn’t his mom kick him out sooner? Then she remembered he left the house himself and wondered why his mom wasn’t the one to kick him out.

 

    “I see, and do you see how much you’re aggravating her? Maybe you should stop soon.” Sooyoung couldn’t believe how Jinah repeatedly stood up for her. It was very sweet.

 

    “I do see, and it’s fun! Don’t you like to mess with her at lunch sometimes?” He asked then nudged her, “Unless you mess with her another way.” He rose his eyebrows and smirked mischievously. Jinah rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the gut a bit harder than kiddingly.

 

    “Im Jinyoung! Get out of my house right now!” Sooyoung truly couldn’t be in the same building as the younger man one more second. She grabbed his wrist, made him stand up, and pushed him from the back toward the door. After about halfway he understood and left. Everybody had stared at her, and she might’ve ruined her chance of knowing Jinah’s secret, but it didn’t matter.

 

    Outside the front door, Jinyoung was laughing way too hard. “You really kicked me out!” He sat down on the walkway and clapped, “I didn’t think you would!”

 

    “Why do you think that? You were so...” Sooyoung held her fists up and let out a big breath of air, “Come in during dinner. Otherwise, stay out.” 

 

    “So I’m still at the party? But you’re keeping me out in the cold? What if I get hypothermia? Will you take responsibility?” 

 

    “No, even if it’s on my property, it’s your responsibility to take care of yourself. Go to one of my neigh-actually don’t. I don’t want them to know you.” Sooyoung headed back toward the door.

 

    “Fine, fine. Am I allowed in if I behave myself?” He tried another innocent look and stood up, wiping off his backside from the dirt.

 

    “Try again in an hour.”

 

    “But what am I supposed to do during the hour? Won’t my family miss me?” 

 

    “I don’t know, think of something, you’re smart aren’t you? If you’d excuse me, I’d like to get back to my party.”

 

    “Wait! I have one more thing to say left!”

 

    “What?” He ran the two feet over to her and so close to the point Sooyoung felt an invasion of personal space. She started backing away toward the other side of her house. “Do you want me to sue you?”

 

    Jinyoung sighed and backed away, “Dang it! I was seeing if I could kiss you.”

 

    Sooyoung put a hand to her lips immediately, “Kiss me? Who do you think you are, a famous actor? A drama character? I know I said your family is close to a drama, but I didn’t know you would take it seriously! Seriously, this time, get off my property!”

 

    He started laughing again. Would he stop that and take me seriously? “I wasn’t thinking that way, I just wanted to see your reaction! I wouldn’t kiss my sister’s girlfriend.”

 

    “For the final time, I’m not dating your sister! Get out, get out! Or I’ll really hit you where it hurts!” 

 

    “Fine, fine. Have a nice Christmas!” He ran off her front yard and up to the street. Sooyoung felt relieved, but also nervous. Why did everybody keep calling her Jinah’s girlfriend? When Jinah obviously didn’t have romantic feelings for her? Not that she was disappointed at that, though. Her stomach felt weird again and she blamed it on the weather, retreating inside. She did wonder where Im Jinyoung was off to, though.

 

 

    After returning to the party, where gossip thrived on the scene, she sat back down to her previous spot. Jinah’s face was full of surprise.

 

    “So you really did kick him out? I didn’t know you were a woman of your words, Park Sooyoung.” 

 

    “Park Sooyoung! Get over here now! I need to discuss something important with you!” She could hear her mom from a mile away. Sooyoung excused herself and scurried over to the angry woman in the kitchen.

 

    “What was that all about? Why were you so angry at son-in-law? Did you two fight?” 

 

    “Mom! I thought I had this straight, I’m not dating anybody in the Im family!” Sooyoung tried not to scream to her mother’s disappointed face. “Anyway, that man just enjoys getting me mad and since I had enough of it, I kicked him out. You understand right?”

 

    Her mother sighed, “I’m lucky I only had one kid. Imagine if there was more of you, all troublemakers. I wonder how people live like that.” She began cutting the vegetable (Sooyoung wasn’t sure which one it was, exactly) in a more violent manner.

 

    “It’s okay, at least the party isn’t boring anymore, right?” Sooyoung put on a cheesy smile and hugged her mother gracefully, “Don’t worry, I’ll get married off soon and then you’ll be fine. But not too soon, since I want to live a little.”

 

    “True, but don’t make too much trouble before then. Now go have fun with those friends of yours. Is he still outside? Invite him inside, tell him he can eat first. Dinner is almost ready.”

 

    “About that...he walked away and I don’t know where he went.”

 

    “Park Sooyoung! Go find him right away!”

 

    “But mom-”

 

    “No excuses, you kicked him out, now bring him back!”

 

    Sooyoung sighed, “Fine. Can I bring a friend with me to find him?”

 

    “Go ahead, do whatever you want. Just bring him back, alive.”

 

    “No need to sound like a gang leader, mom.”

 

    “Just go, Sooyoung-ah!”

 

    So Sooyoung grabbed Kaeun and Jinah (Jooyeon was occupied, Hongmin was a full-time job) and ran out into the night with them. It was pretty fun, in her opinion. Both Jinah and Sooyoung called him, although he only answered Jinah. He said that he wasn’t returning to the party unless Sooyoung apologized for her behavior and bought him coffee.

 

    This ended different than expected... Sooyoung thought as they rounded on the cafe Jinyoung was at. “I enjoyed today, Sooyoung! I had fun talking to you and following in the dark to Nana’s immature younger brother! I especially loved talking to your mom about coffee.”

 

    Sooyoung pat her friend on her head, “I’m glad you had fun today, Kaeun. I don’t know if we’ll be back for dinner, would you mind eating something at the cafe?” The three of them had been out an hour, and had asked a couple neighbors too in case they saw him. All the girls got from them was annoyed looks and some light answers, but nothing much.

 

    “Of course not! I can’t wait to see how they make coffee!” Sooyoung smiled, Kaeun was being excited about coffee, as always. She began to wonder what her friend’s interests were other than the beverage and pastries.

 

    “As for me, I was hoping about your mother’s cooking but I’ll take whatever food I can get right now. I am quite hungry.” Jinah jumped into the conversation as they entered into the cafe.

 

    “I know it’s the day after Christmas but I didn’t think it would be this empty...” Sooyoung said in a lower voice to her companions and they strolled over to the only person in the shop other than one employee. 

 

    “You guys came faster than I thought,” the man was sitting comfortably cross legged on one of the chairs, a coffee of some sort on the table in front of him. He had his phone in his right hand and showed it to the guests, “I could’ve beaten my high score if I had some more time.”

 

    “We don’t care about high scores, we care about you going to the party.” Kaeun first initiated conversation and sat down across him, gesturing for the others to join her.

 

    Jinyoung laughed, “Do you think she does? She’s the one who kicked me out of her property in the first place.”

 

    “You know I had a very clear reason why! I could sue you!” Sooyoung defended herself from her seat in the middle, directly across from Jinyoung. She felt herself starting to get riled up but immediately felt Jinah’s hand on her knee. The feeling from earlier erupted inside of her but she was sure to make itself stay hidden, she had to be calm and collected for this.

 

    “You wouldn’t sue my family when you know we have enough money for you to last until retirement.”

 

    “That’s not what’s important right now, is it? Can’t we just focus on the fact that both of you need to apologize for your actions? I hope you both understand why you should feel sorry for how you treated the other.” Jinah’s seriousness stayed until the end and she stared at the two culprits with fierceness. Sooyoung’s thoughts were trying to maintain focus on being apologetic but the fact that Jinah was touching one of her body parts made it very hard.

 

    Jinyoung didn’t move his eyes from the other side, while Sooyoung attempted to do the same. The amount of charisma in their family was unbelievable. Nobody wanted to be the first to apologize, that released weakness. But Sooyoung was mainly hoping he could go first so she could focus on the hand still burning on her skin.

 

    “While you guys decide who apologizes first, I’ll be getting coffee. Anybody want anything?” Kaeun rose from her seat and Sooyoung felt less protected. Jinah responded with something but she stayed silent. She could get something after the tension dissolved.

 

    Jinah moved her hand from Sooyoung’s knee and they both noticed the difference automatically. After the warmth subsided, she felt somewhat forced to speak first. “I-I’m sorry, for kicking you out and making a scene about it. I should’ve expressed my disliking to you differently. I can’t promise me not eventually hitting you my foot where your reproductive organs are, though.”

 

    He nodded, “Understandable. I also forgive you. I’m sorry for continuously irritating you when you said to stop and not controlling myself in certain situations. Although I get why you would want to hit me in my reproductive organs, I’d wish you didn’t.” Jinyoung did a slightly smirk and drank a last sip from his coffee.

 

    “What about reproductive organs? I don’t usually hear people that aren’t scientists discuss like that,” Kaeun came back drinking from the straw of the iced coffee that was in her hand. 

 

    “They were just apologizing, not talking about . Our family isn’t like that.” Jinah corrected the younger woman and accepted her coffee with a slight gesture of thanks.

 

    Jinyoung raised his eyebrows and turned his attention to Kaeun, “Well, we could be, if you wanted us to. Why, am I too attractive that was the first thing that came to mind?”

 

    Kaeun shook her head, gently chuckling. “No, although you are quite handsome, you’re not my type. Too cocky, obviously.”

 

    “I would argue, but it isn’t a lie. Oh well, I don’t need another woman thinking about having with me.” 

 

    “Can we change the topic please? It’s a bit...inappropriate.” Sooyoung didn’t like thinking about around Jinah. It made her feel uncomfortable, especially since the woman was her boss and sitting right next to her. 

 

    “I see, I see. Don’t worry, after your cute friend eats whatever that food she got, we can return to that special party of yours.” Jinyoung was clearly more relaxed by now and was ready to be himself again. “So did your mom make you find me or did Jinah?” 

 

    Sooyoung sighed but softly giggled. Maybe getting their families closer was a good idea.