Sohyun sighed as she picked up another document to review. It’s her first day at the office after her trip to Bali. She has been swamped by paperwork since morning and now her brain is throbbing from exertion. Glancing at her watch, she inwardly groaned. It’s only 11am but it had felt like she had been sitting behind her desk forever.

Hearing a knock on her door an hour later, she raised her head to catch her sister stepping into her room.

“Let’s go for lunch,” Sooyoung called out. “Oppa getting the car.”

Placing her pen down and closing the document she was reviewing, Sumin stood up and stretched. The stretch felt so good. Sohyun is used to moving around, because of her dancing and cheerleading, that the hours behind the desk is uncomfortable for her. She glanced at her sister as she grabbed her jacket and handbag before asking, “Where are we going for lunch?”

“We are having Japanese.” And with that, Sooyoung her heels followed closely by Sohyun.

Listening quietly to her older siblings chatting about the impending engagement that was happening in three weeks, Sohyun quietly ate her lunch. At a pause in their conversation, she bravely asked the question that has been bothering her.

“Oppa, are you really proceeding with the engagement? We don’t need this marriage. Our company is good on its own.” She has seen their financials and the company is in a strong position.

Both older siblings put down their chopsticks and focused on the youngest.

“We are good now. But we need to strengthen the company to make sure no one can take over ours,” her brother replied patiently.

“Is there anyone looking at taking over us?” She asked worriedly. It never occurred to her that there could be a takeover.

Both shook their heads.

“Not yet. But we shouldn’t wait until someone is going to. We need to do this move to ensure it doesn’t happen,” Sooyoung explained.

“What about Miyoung-unnie? It’s not fair to her,” Sohyun pointed. Although that’s the usual strategy to fend off attacks, her heart can’t accept it. She felt guilty when she saw a flash of pain crossed her brother’s eyes. It must not have been easy for him too.

“She knew it from the very beginning. I was upfront about it. So she should be accepting it.” It was the same explanation but somehow this time, Sohyun felt it lacked conviction. She noticed her sister glanced worriedly at their brother, who kept his face stoic.

After several moments of silence where the three siblings quietly ate their lunch, her brother spoke.

“Jongsuk is very impressed with Seungho. He is thinking of asking him to join the company after graduation. That is if Seungho wants to work instead of going back to his family business.”

Sohyun smiled. She is really proud of Seungho who has been working diligently. “I’m not sure but I think he may want to work for a couple of years before going to his family business. Anyway, I think Jongsuk oppa is really working him too hard that I barely get to see Seungho. But I know he enjoys the work. He often tells me he is learning a lot.”

“Will he be your date for the engagement?” Sooyoung asked.

“Most likely. That is if Jongsuk-oppa gives him a break that night,” she grumbled.

Laughing at the disgruntled face, Seojoon promised to get Jongsuk to give Seungho the time to attend. Then in a more serious tone he asked, “Aren’t you going to introduce him to Omma before the engagement?”

“And me! You haven’t introduced your boyfriend to me too,” Sooyoung complained.

Sohyun looked uncertainly at her siblings. She worried her mom may not be accepting Seungho because of his background. “Must I?”

But her brother reassured her that it be ok. And insisted that she bring him over for lunch that Sunday.

Sneaking glances at the door, Sohyun was nervous as she sat with her family at the living area. Her mom and sister were listening to her brother explaining about some work issues but she could barely listen to anything being said.

Surprisingly, Seungho was happy to accept the lunch invite. She blinked at his immediate acceptance, thinking of the hours spent wasting as she worried about how to broach the subject. When she questioned whether he is really ok with it, he just said, yeah. Shouldn’t he meet her mom before the engagement party, he had pointed out to her. Scratching her head, she accepted that she has to forget the Seungho before they started dating. He is now all in the relationship and her heart swell in happiness.

Hearing the door rang, she stood up. “I’ll get it,” she announced excitedly.

At the door, her face lit up seeing him, in a casual pants and shirt with a blazer hanging casually on his lean frame. His hair was pushed back, showing off his handsome profile and his dreamy eyes. He had a basket of flowers and a bottle of wind in one hand. He looked really good. Actually more than good, cause he could easily pass off as one of the models from the top magazines.

“Princess,” he called out softly. Sohyun had been grinning at him since she opened the door a couple of minutes ago. “Can I come in?”

Shaken from her reverie, Sohyun giggled. She realized embarrassingly how she had stared way too long at him. Stepping back, she pulled the door wider, “Come in! Come in.”

Stepping in, he placed his free hand lightly on her waist before pulling in for a light kiss on the side of the head. “You look beautiful,” he whispered. His breathy words near her ear sent a tingle of goosepimple down her arm.

“Thank you. You look really good too.”

Smiling at each other, they turned their heads when they heard a slight cough and found her mom and siblings standing a few feet away. Sohyun blushed, wondering how long her family had stood watching them.

“We wondered what happened when the two of you didn’t come in,” her brother explained, his tone was light and teasing. “Sohyun-ah, aren’t you going to do the introduction?”

Shyly she introduced Seungho to her mother and her sister. Her sister winked naughtily at her, causing Sohyun to wonder what was that for but she didn’t dwell much on it as she was nervous about her mom's reaction. Her mom was pleasant, wasn’t cold though she wouldn’t actually call it warm, but she was polite towards Seungho. She had thanked Seungho for the gifts and invited him into the living area.

Her mind was still wondering if her mom reaction was good or bad, when her sister grabbed her arm and whispered; “He is hot! My baby sister sure knows how to pick her man.” While trying to shush her sister unsuccessfully, Sohyun was relieved when he sister murmured that she thinks her mom approved. She turned to her sister with widened eyes, seeking confirmation and received a quick nod before being pushed towards Seungho who was standing next to the couch waiting for her to be seated.

They sat on the couch while her mom and brother sat on the two armchairs. Sooyoung half sat on the arm rest of the armchair where her brother was seated as she wanted to be able to look at Seungho from the front.

There were small chats about the day and the weather when suddenly, her mom asked about his family.

“Your family has a resort in Jeju?”

Seungho shook his head slightly. “It’s just a small bed and breakfast.”

“Nonsense,” her brother interrupted. “It is not a huge resort, but it is one of the highly ra