“Appa! I’m sorry appa! Ahhhhh!! That hurts! Stop beating me! Aaaahhh. HELP ME!!!!!!!!SOMEONE CALL THE POLICE!!!!!!!!”

Hyoyeon and Hyukjae’s eyes simultaneously darted towards the hallway. She gave him a look and he nodded, finished his coffee and stood up.

It was time.

They strolled into Mr. Lee’s office and were not at all surprised to find Donghae clinging onto the coat-stand, eyes closed and yelling on the top of his lungs while his father just stood there plugging his ears with his fingers.

Upon catching sight of Hyoyeon he shook his head helplessly, “Take care of him please.”

She gave him a mock salute and marching over, took firm hold of Donghae’s collar and pulled him off the stand. “That’s enough theatre boy, showtime’s over.”

Donghae opened his eyes and immediately shut up. Taking her hand off his collar but not letting go, he gave both Hyoyeon and Hyukjae a cheeky look, “Took you guys long enough. Appa almost made my ears fall off with his scoldings.”

Hyoyeon tried to extricate her hand from his firm hold but when that didn’t work, she used her other hand to smack him on the back of his head. “Ya your dad might not hit you, but I sure can! Stop being such a baby and say sorry.”

Hyukjae let out a snort. It was always amusing to see how Donghae’s suave playboy demeanour suddenly turned to tantrum-throwing man-child in their presence.

“Geez Hyo, do those iron pills literally turn your hand into iron or something? I might have a concussion.”

“Oh” her expression softened, “did I hit you too strongly? Mianhe.” She soothingly massaged the spot and seeing the smile back on his face, gently cooed, “Now apologize to your dad okay?”

“As you wish, princess!”

Add in a cheesy wink and Suave Donghae was back in the building.

He rushed over to his father and hugging him tightly put on an aegyo voice, “Sorry Appa. You know I love you and want to be just like you when I grow up, right?”

“This brat! You’re already grown up!” Mr. Lee rumbled good-heartedly.

“I mean when I’m an ahjusshi, duh.”

A few more minutes of father-son bantering later, Mr. Lee extended his hand warmly towards Hyukjae, “Son! It’s good to see you again.”

“Same here abeonim,” he smiled back. “Donghae tells me your international business plans are going well?”

“It’s expanding fast so I have to make another trip to New York next month. To be honest, I’m getting too old for all this flying. When are you boys going to graduate and take over so that I can retire and grow oranges in Jeju?” Just like Donghae, he had a forever boyishly handsome face that had charmed many a young lady in his own days.

“One more year, abeonim.. I think..” Hyukjae’s voice trailed away as both men turned their attention to the sound of bickering coming from their left.

“Hyoyeonahhhhhh”

“Lee Donghae! Stop messing up my hair. You really like this hairband so much? Here, you put it on!”

“I don’t want the stupid hairband! I just …”

She looked at him expectantly waiting for him to continue but Donghae clamped his mouth shut. Then, trying to hide his disappointment, he turned away and took his phone out.

The situation was totally lost on the girl but the two men watching the scene exchanged knowing looks.

“Hey it’s been a while since I’ve seen all my kids together so let’s go to dinner. I’m treating!”

**********************************************************************************************

Fifteen minutes later, they were all sitting on the floor of Mr. Lee’s longtime friend’s restaurant feasting on delicious kalbi and a very mouth-watering array of soups and side dishes.

The conversation flowed as easily as the bottles of soju (consumed mostly the men) until it was closing time and they were the only customers left.

Mr. & Mrs. Kang came over to join them after closing up shop.

A while later,

“One more bottle!” Donghae requested in warbled speech, his eyes glassy.

“I think it’s enough for today. We Lee men always get the worst hangovers,” his father patted his head.

“But.. we just started.. the night is still young.. even though you may not be appa!” he giggled uncontrollably at his own joke. With a fake angry look Mr. Lee retorted, “What is this? Pick on your father’s old age day?” earning a laugh from everyone. They were more like brothers sometimes and could pass off as such when Mr. Lee was out of his stuffy business suits

Hyoyeon who was sitting beside Donghae pried the shot glass away from his hand. His mouth opened and closed like a goldfish unable to protest causing Mrs. Kang to chuckle with laughter.

“This young lady is like a magician when it comes to our Donghae, Dongwonah.”

“Exactly Aunty, aren’t we perfect for each other?” Donghae excitedly turned to Mrs. Kang knocking over the basket of lettuce leaves in the process and ignoring it, “So tell her she has to marry me immediately!”

“Ya Lee Donghae, shut up!” Hyoyeon mumbled under her breath, cheeks almost as red as the hot coals they had used for their barbeque. When Donghae got drunk he always talked about wanting to marry her but Hyoyeon figured it was just a drunk habit and that he must say that to any living breathing female that’s in his beer goggled eyes’ vicinity.

‘But why do I always have to be around when he’s drinking with adults? Awkward.. I can’t even smack him.’

“That’s enough Donghae, you’re making the poor girl uncomfortable” Mr. Lee intervened, “and anyway, I won’t agree to it. Our Hyoyeonnie deserves a real Prince.”

Three heads shot up at that comment - Donghae with hurt, Hyukjae with curious surprise and Hyoyeon – was simply speechless.  

Donghae, who always wore his emotions on his sleeve, suddenly stood up, “If we are done drinking then let’s go home. I’m sleepy.”

Hyoyeon felt terrible – terrible that a long running joke between them had caused soft-hearted Donghae a blow to his ego. She was still shocked that Mr. Lee would think more highly of her than his son. Everyone knew Lee Donghae was the most adored, loved and indulged son in their neighbourhood.

‘Must be the soju,’ she surmised and awkwardly stood up to join the others who were also already on their feet.

**********************************************************************************************

Mrs. Kang who hadn’t been drinking offered to drop the Lees home since they were neighbours but this drew an immediate protest from Donghae.

“I have to see Hyoyeonie home. It’s not safe out on the streets at night!”

Hyoyeon smiled and pinched his cheek lightly, “I go home by myself all the time when you’re away in Seoul Hae, trust me, I’ll be fine. Just go home and get a good sleep. I’ll come make you haejangguk in the morning, ok?”

“No I said I will drop you!”

Donghae was a stubborn guy on a normal day but that multiplied tenfold when he was drunk so Hyukjae assessed the situation quickly and spoke up, “I have to take a taxi home so I’ll drop Hyoyeon off on the way.”

“Nonsense, there’s enough room for you all to stay over,” Mr. Lee patted his shoulder but Hyukjae really had to go home – there was an important research project he needed to finish and Hyoyeon's aunt and uncle preferred to have her sleep at home.

So finally, the party split into groups of two and headed in opposite directions.

However, considering that it was almost 3 am, the streets weren’t really teeming with cabs. So Hyoyeon called a company – ‘15 minutes’ they said, and so the pair settled down on a street bench to wait it out.

**********************************************************************************************

They were silent for a few minutes – an easy kind of silence where the quietness seems to work as conversation. Hyukjae was the first to speak, “So Hyoyeon, are you seeing anyone?”

“Eh?” Hyoyeon’s eyes were as wide as saucers. If she had to make a visual map of all the things she expected to talk to him about, this would be way off the map – like the North Pole or something. Or maybe even entirely off the map like an undiscovered island.

‘Does he like me? No, there has been no indication at all so far.. But why else would he ask me such a thing, out of the blue? This is so random.. and do I really have to answer him?’

Watching the way her face was contorting with rapid thoughts, Hyukjae let out a chuckle. “Relax, I’m not asking because I’m interested in you or something. You’re not my type; in fact you violate the very first rule.”

Hyoyeon almost gasped.

‘How did he know what I was think.. oh wait a second, that was kind of insulting and uncalled for – after all he is the one who asked ME! And was it really necessary to point out in vivid detail? Rude!’

Feeling snubbed for no action on her part, Hyoyeon crossed her arms and gave him a cold look.

“So are you?”

He looked at her inquiringly, waiting for her response but she simply looked ahead, past him – keeping her lips in a tight line.

Once again, there was that urge to chuckle – but only because she looked like a pouty little schoolgirl, especially with the bow on her hair. The kind of girls he used to tease relentlessly when he was in Elementary School … (because he liked them).

But he was a grown up now so he decided to take the grown up route. Lifting his hands up in surrender, he apologized, “That came off rude, didn’t it? Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Hyoyeon observed him coolly while the wheels in her head were turning. She was still annoyed at his comment – ‘what did he mean by “not his type”? What’s so great about him that I should want to be his type? And yes we’ve met a few times but is it enough that he can talk to me like this? ….. But should I really harp on it and make it awkward? We’re probably not going to see each other the much anyway. Fine Kim Hyoyeon, you are a mature, sensible 24 year old woman, act cool.’

“That’s alright. No offence taken.”

She had to bite her tongue to stop the next sentence from stumbling out. ‘What the heck is your type then, Mr. too-good-for-me?’

“Ok thanks,” Hyukjae shot her his megawatt gum-revealing blinding smile, “That was really cool of you. I sometimes speak too bluntly.”

‘But I can tell that you’re still not satisfied. I wish I could give you the answer you want, but I can’t because it’s not my secret. One day, if we become better friends I’ll tell you my number 1 rule – I don’t go after girls my friends are in love with.’

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A/N 

Wow that took me a number of days - writing little chunks at a time. i am really bad at setting things up so while most of the drama is already written up, my fillers can go on forever (which is the main reason for slow updates). sorry about that!  

For this chapter, I hope that in the midst of the word vomit (sorry to sound gross :P), you find something of interest/ to enjoy. The last part just sprang up today and I think it will change my original idea a little but not too much.

Thank you to the new subscribers and all the lovely people who commented. I take it that you are giving me the liberty to include rated stuff.. which i might just do. I sort of wrote a bit a few days ago (so weird and awkward but i'm thinking of it as a challenge lol)  In any case, i will change the tags on the story when that happens and give you fair warning in the chapter before so you can skip it if you want :)

Please do comment if you have the time... simply because it makes me happeeeee~~ lol