"The Korean members who have already arrived two days ago will be flying to Atlanta tomorrow to join the much anticipated film of-"

"I hope you will approve of us, Noona," Hyunggu said politely as Seulgi returned her attention to her laptop, briefly distracted by the TV news. It was a strange change in his behavior, as he had never been this polite since he could speak. There was a moment of silence as Seulgi watched a couple on her computer screen, separated by thousands of miles. Love really did make people do crazy things, she thought to herself.

It was a moment of weakness; perhaps she wanted her brother to experience the love she never had. Maybe it was just her lost fantasy taking over. For reasons she couldn't explain, Seulgi agreed to introduce her brother's girlfriend through a video call. "I don't see why you need my approval, Hyunggu. You always do things your way."

It was no secret that their parents favored their middle son above all else, and it had been a difficult process for Seulgi to come to terms with it. But she believed that everyone deserved to fall in love freely. Now, however, she regretted agreeing to the call.

"But I maintain my stance. You are free to fall in love with whomever you choose, but if our parents don't approve, I cannot give you mine either."

As their secret relationship continued for six months, Hyunggu became more and more reckless with their spending. His credit card expenses were quickly adding up and would eventually reach their parents' ears. Seulgi had even helped cover some of his expenses with her own bank account.

She couldn't shake off Sunmi's comment about his new girlfriend being high-maintenance and suggested doing a background check on her. This went against everything Seulgi believed in; judging someone based on appearances or background went against her morals. But it was hard not to when Sarang seemed to enjoy lavish dates and surprises at expensive locations.

"Im Sarang, is it?"

"Yes, Unnie."

"Why are you going along with my brother's decision to keep this relationship a secret?"

Sarang stuttered, clearly caught off guard by the question. "I-I..."

"I-I believe in him," she reaffirmed, her confidence returning after momentarily losing her composure.Seulgi sighed, wishing she could believe her own words and fall for the girl's charm like her brother did.

"I believe he won't keep us a secret for much longer," Sarang said confidently. "He's already letting me meet you, so it's a start."

Seulgi had expected some clever response from Sarang, but she was taken aback by the humble image the girl had built up. Seulgi had done some research on Sarang and found out that she had a history of dating sons from wealthy families. She just never thought her brother would be one of them.

"So, when are you going to introduce Sarang to our parents, Hyunggu?" Seulgi asked sharply, noticing the sudden change in her brother's expression.

"Noona..." Hyunggu trailed off, unsure of how to respond.

"Do you even realize why they still haven't met you yet, Sarang-ssi? Our parents don't even know he's dating someone," Seulgi continued with a sharp tone. "As a woman, I want to see you have a relationship where you don't have to hide like this. It's not worth it."

"And if you truly love her, Hyunggu, you need to stop hiding her like a hypocrite and come clean about your feelings," Seulgi added.

"But you know they won't accept it!" Hyunggu protested, feeling frustrated with his sister's persistence.
Seulgi's patience with her brother had slowly run thin. Just because he had fallen in love doesn't mean he's allowed to be reckless and put the family into a jeopardy.

"Why do you think that?" She responded sarcastically, unable to believe his audacity in lying and boasting about standing up to a gold-digger during dinner with their family, when he was actually dating this very person. In Seulgi's eyes, it seemed like he was more in love with himself than with Sarang - infatuated with the idea of playing Prince Charming to a Cinderella.

She still remembered how their conversation had ruined her appetite along with Euigeon’s, who had to listen to their parents sing praises of their well-rounded son among the three siblings. No matter what she achieved, it was never enough. Being born into a successful family brought both blessings and curses; she could never escape being accused of nepotism.

Despite this, Seulgi worked tirelessly every day, always being the first one in the office and the last one to leave when duty called. Yet her efforts were never acknowledged or appreciated by her parents. Instead, for the sake of maintaining Hyunggu's good image, many of her accomplishments were attributed to him. And Seulgi had no choice but to stay silent about it. She couldn't even imagine what would happen if they ever found out who she really was.

As a woman, it only made matters worse. So she made sure not to make any mistakes - her secrets would go with her to the grave. "I'm happy that you have found someone you love, Hyunggu-ah. Truly, I am," Seulgi said sincerely. "But at the end of the day, I am our parents' eldest daughter and I have responsibilities.”

"You need to come clean or break up."Seulgi said with a finality, "Sarang doesn't deserve this. She is someone else's precious daughter." Seulgi was mentally exhausted and couldn't deal with this situation any longer. Her own personal life was in chaos, and she had no anchor to hold onto. How could she save another relationship when she was drowning herself?

"And Sarang-ssi, if you truly value yourself, don't stay in a relationship like this."

She wished they could understand how lucky they were - to have the freedom to openly love each other without fear.

____
 

"I warned you not to be foolish."

Seulgi chose not to comment on her youngest brother's cold tone that irritated her. She was too tired to argue again. "I didn't tell you this for your opinion, Gonnie. I'm simply informing you that we have talked via Facetime and I convinced them to end things before it gets out of control."
"You will regret this."

There was a reason Seulgi never discussed matters of love and romance with Euigeon. Her younger brother seemed incapable of experiencing infatuation or crushes.

Love and romance. Pain and heartbreaks.

He had his moments, but when he realized he had feelings for someone, he would do whatever it takes to suppress them, afraid that it would hinder his ambitions.

But maybe it was a blessing in disguise - not going through the cycle of love and loss repeatedly. Sometimes, the pain wasn't worth the fleeting happiness.

"What is there to regret? I gave them a chance. It's clear that Hunggyu truly cares about her."

"She's just  after our money."

"Wasn't that our mother's reputation when Appa married her?" Seulgi's comment was dry and cutting.

"How dare you-"

"This is their last chance. After this, they are free to do as they please."

"He won't end things."

Seulgi felt conflicted. She couldn't help but feel like a hypocrite, ruining someone else's relationship when she didn't have one of her own. "If he messes this up, I'll make sure to ruin his life with my own hands."

"He will, and he'll drag you down with him. Noona, you'll regret not listening to me."

The call ended abruptly, without a goodbye.

It was suffocating.

Seulgi sat in silence, her mind reeling with conflicting emotions. She couldn't shake off the weight of her brother's words, the ominous foreshadowing of regret hanging in the air. Her family dynamics were a tangled web of secrets and expectations, each member carrying their own burdens and fears.

As she stared out of the window, the city lights blurred into a sea of uncertainty. How had they all ended up here, entangled in a mess of love and deception? Seulgi knew she had made a choice that would have repercussions, but she couldn't bring herself to regret it just yet.

____
 

The sun shone through the window, its brightness enough to seep through Seulgi's eyelids. Like most mornings after indulging in heavy drinking, she woke up with a throbbing headache and aching body. She couldn't remember which hotel she ended up in last night, but she hoped it wasn't too far from her home.

As she tried to move, she realized that her limbs were bound by something heavy. Seulgi was used to waking up in unfamiliar places, not knowing who she spent the night with.But this morning was different; she knew exactly who was beside her. Seulgi turned to face the girl next to her and opened her eyes to see Yooa, hugging her as if they had been together for a long time. The room and bed were unfamiliar, but Yooa was not - even though the amount of alcohol Seulgi consumed last night would make her mother faint and pray for her salvation at church.

Seulgi let out a sigh of relief realizing that both of them were fully clothed this time. "Yooa," Seulgi patted her back as she untangled herself from the girl's embrace. Daylight was a reminder that she had to hurry home and prepare for her afternoon class. With great effort, she managed to free herself from Yooa's hold - who seemed awake but still clinging on. It was almost comical how Seulgi didn't have to search for scattered clothes this time around.

“Yooa-ah”, she repeated.

Yooa finally groaned and released her grip on Seulgi, winking cheekily. "Is this your usual routine when you wake up next to someone?"

"I usually wake up if that's what you're asking." 

Seulgi squeezed her eyes shut as a sudden wave of nausea hit her. She really needed to leave. 

"Then why-"

"We met by chance, Yooa. I went to the bar to get drunk. And you are not definitely someone I'd hi and bye the next morning."

Wendy will kill me if I do 

Seulgi didn't need to turn around to know that Yooa was smiling at her words. Crisis averted. The girl had been all over her last night, and Seulgi didn't expect to see her at the bar she frequented for some alone time.
"I would like to pick up where we left off."

"We'll see," Seulgi replied, struggling to come up with a better response due to her hangover. She turned around and gave Yooa a sweet kiss before leaving, trying not to vomit in the process.

___


"How do I look?" 

"Stunning. Where are they taking you tonight?"

"Mystique opened a new place and we thought it would be the perfect spot to impress our guest."

Seulgi despised surprises. They never seemed to go well for her. As she examined herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but wonder if this one would be any different. Her hair was slicked back, Wendy's gift of sleek chain-drop earrings accompanied her look, and her signature sultry eye shadow completed it all. Her dress was black and sheer with long sleeves, perfectly fitted to her body with a slit just above the knee, leaving little to the imagination.

She wore a set of black bra and underneath, barely visible due to the complex patterns on her dress. It was y without being trashy, revealing just enough skin. Seulgi struggled with wearing such a revealing dress for their night out. Taeyong had promised to introduce her to a potential investor at one of New York's most exclusive clubs, not forgetting to mention that she would need to wear something "nice."

She didn't need to ask for clarification on what that meant. "Don't start anything you can't handle, Lee Taeyong."

"I know, but first impressions are important," he replied smugly. "And you still haven't told me who this mystery guest is! I should at least do some research before meeting them."
"And you still haven't told me who this guest is, Taeyong! I'm supposed to do research about whoever this person is."

"No, no, sweetheart! It's a surprise. A surprise that will leave you in awe of Lee Taeyong's impressive connections." Seulgi sighed at his overconfidence.

Wendy asked with concern evident in her voice. Seulgi shook her head and took another look at herself in the mirror, trying to calm her nerves.

"You look hot! I'd totally hit on you if you weren't my cousin."

"Ew!" Seulgi cringed at the thought. "You don't even like girls!"

"Hey, I'm as straight as spaghetti. You never know."

"Where do you even learn these things from?"

"It's a secret."


___

 

The club was unusually crowded, making it difficult for Seulgi to navigate her way through the crowd. As she sat down, someone acknowledged her presence with a nod. To her dismay, her dress rose up, revealing more of her thigh than she intended. She could feel the eyes of some onlookers in the corner. Scoffing, she ordered a martini and sipped it quietly, eying the dancing crowd.
  

Rolling her eyes, she ordered a martini and sipped it quietly while observing the dancing crowd. The inside of the club was vastly different from its exterior; the expensive membership fee she paid every year was evident in the lavishness and extravagant behavior of the patrons.

Seulgi headed straight for the main bar on the right side.“Keep the martini’s coming until I say stop,” she said to the familiar bartender whom she was friendly with,generously tipping him with hundreds of bills.He nodded knowingly and served her another glass, shifting it to her over the counter.

“This one’s on the house, Ms. Kang” , he winked and Seulgi smiled gratefully.

Thanks to the annual membership fee that costs thousands, she and Taeyong were able to secure a VIP table without having to compete with A-list celebrities and attention seekers who wanted to flaunt their wealth at this exclusive NYC nightclub.

Taeyong already had her phone ringing before she even finished her first drink. Letting out a sigh, she grabbed her second glass and headed up to the second floor. "You have to be accommodating, Seulgi," Taeyong's voice echoed in her ear. "He's a guy, but you know what I mean. Be nice and don't scare him off like you did with Mark."

Seulgi glared at Taeyong, even though he couldn't see her clearly in the dimly lit room. Either he had amnesia or he was completely delusional; he was the one who convinced Mark that she was interested in him despite his unwanted advances

"He ing kissed me!"

"I didn't know you play for the same-" Mark's whiny voice started before being hushed by Taeyong. Despite being angry, Seulgi couldn't stay mad when she found out that it was Taeyong who gave Mark the wrong idea. "I can be nice to a gentleman, but anyone else will meet my fist," she grumbled as she took small sips of her drink while watching Taeyong excitedly jumping around their table and Mark scrolling through his phone.

"There he comes." Suddenly, she noticed someone approaching in the dimly lit and crowded room filled with bass, booze, and bodies; there was no mistaking him for anyone else.

"Jackson, this is-"

"Kang Seulgi. Ms. Seulgi, it's a pleasure." Jackson said, finishing Taeyong’s sentence. Seulgi instinctively extended her hand as she stood up to greet the popular Wang heir. Jackson held onto her hand for a few seconds longer than necessary before letting go.

"It's an honor to see you again, Mr. Wang. How was your trip?"Seulgi said smoothly, trying not to let her irritation show.

"It went smoothly. And you, Ms. Seulgi?" Taeyong raised an eyebrow in surprise, and Seulgi wanted to laugh at his reaction. They had only met a few times at business conferences and forums, exchanging polite greetings but never engaging in small talk like this. And his tone seemed almost taunting. "It's quite a glamorous party, Mr. Wang. We are grateful that you have taken an interest in Sundisk." Taeyong naturally joined her side with his charming smile, and Seulgi could tell he was about to say something when Jackson interrupted them.

"I actually came here to speak with Ms. Seulgi alone, if you don't mind." He stepped close into her personal space and grinned at her.

Seulgi immediately took a step back to maintain her personal space.

Jackson Wang was known for being a master manipulator, skilled at putting people at ease and getting what he wants from them. She slid her arm into Taeyong's as she tried not to let her irritation show, ignoring the growing tension from her friend.

"We are all equal partne