“I’m not that late, right?” Minae asked as she approached the club’s doors, Chanyeol’s staff shook her head.

“The party just started, samonim. Don’t worry, the president is inside.”

Minae gave her a warm smile before heading inside the venue, Chanyeol’s company was throwing a thanksgiving party. It was to celebrate TVXQ and Shinee’s recent successes in Japan and Korea. Minae was greeted as she passed by, she waved back, always polite as she waded through the crowd.

She found Chanyeol, sitting by the bar with a couple of producers from the company, he glanced up as he saw her.

“You got caught up at work?” He asked as she reached him, she grinned at him.

“Kind of, the year’s almost ending. You know how toxic it can get.” She replied as Chanyeol stretched one arm to her.

“Do you want something? Or would you like to eat first?”

Minae shook her head, instead she just sat beside him and buried her face in the crook of his neck.

“Now I feel guilty for asking you to come here, do you want to go home instead? I’ll have driver~”

“No, no, you said you needed me here. For appearance purposes.” She said jokingly, he laughed and she pulled away from him.

“I’d like something greasy. Meat.” She said to him, Chanyeol called for the bartender.

“How were things today?” Minae spoke as she checked her reflection on her phone’s screen, Chanyeol leaned back on his stool and placed his palm on her back, it was something he did out of habit.

“I had lunch with eomma, like you requested.”

She smiled and bumped her shoulder against his.

“Not bad, right? Makes you feel better?” She scrunched her nose at him, Chanyeol rolled his eyes at her.

“Sure, and then I receive the usual talk about how I should quit what I’m doing and join you in that company.” He murmured back, Minae chuckled and leaned against the counter.

“Then you have to remind her that you married me.” She mused back, Chanyeol snorted and childishly leaned his head on her shoulder.

Minae slid down from her bed, she checked the time on her phone and yawned. It was a weekend and she remembered that they had plans with Jongdae.

She put on a sweater and padded out of her room, she crossed the hall and checked his studio, she peeked by the doors.

“So, he’s not up yet.” She murmured to herself as she made her way towards his room, she paused when she noticed their dogs playing in the garden.

“Chanyeollie?” She spoke as she pushed the door open, she found a huge lump on the bed and grinned to herself.

“You have to wake up or else Jongdae will barge in here.” She approached the bed and used her foot to poke him.

“It’s a Saturday!” He protested with a groan, Min rolled her eyes and continued poking him. Chanyeol grumbled and sat up, revealing his topless self.

“You promised we’d be having brunch today, and it’s been a while since we all last hung out.” She pointed out as she walked towards his closet to get a shirt.

Chanyeol yawned and slid down from the bed, Min appeared and handed him a shirt.

“It’s probably that reunion thing he wants to talk about.” Chanyeol shuddered as he put the shirt on, Minae nodded back, she took out her phone from her short pocket and paused.

“What is it?”

“I got an email from your father, I have to fly to Japan next week for a conference.” She sat down on one of the couches and curled her feet underneath her.

“Won’t that be too much work on you? You have the opening on the same weekend.” He reasoned as he sat down beside her.

“Isn’t that why you married me? To escape this?” She joked, he grinned and leaned back.

“No, you’re more than that Min.” Chanyeol murmured before dozing off again.

“Should we get breakfast out? I don’t feel like cooking.” She said as she shifted her weight, Chanyeol smiled and placed her legs on his lap.

“Did I mention I have an interview this Monday?”

“No, but that’s nice. You hate interviews.” She chuckled, he opened his eyes and started to give her one of his usual sheepish smiles. It meant one thing, he was up to something again.

“Chanyeol, what did you~”

“They want to interview you too!” He beamed at her, Minae was terrified.

“But, I~”

“People are curious about you, I mean, they thought you were a SM talent when the public noticed you.” He argued playfully, Minae eyed him warily.

“You’ll cancel Japan for me, right?” He batted his eyelashes at her. Minae exhaled and, she threw her hands up in defeat.

“Fine. Whatever Loey wants, Loey gets.” She chuckled before leaving the room for him to shower.

“Eomma, have you seen it?”

The lady looked up from her phone, her daughter had just marched in the room, disturbing her breakfast.

“Seen what?” She asked, the young girl set the magazine before her. She sighed before picking it up, the first thing she saw was a photo of her niece, her forehead creased.

“They’re awarding her, eomma. Asia’s top leading women.” She screeched, the elder sighed and set the magazine down.

“I cannot believe this. A tramp like her just married their son so she could~”

“We know that already.” The elder snapped, she leaned back on her seat and drummed her fingers on the table.

“Maybe it’s time people know the truth, eomma. We should tell the public.”

The lady exhaled and looked at the portrait on her wall, it was a photo of her and her brother, taken during their teen years. The Jung elders sat down in front of them and their background was the lush Jung manor.

“It’s all that child’s fault. And her of a mother. If..it weren’t for them, oppa would still be here. He’d still be alive.”

Her daughter, Jung Aera leaned back on her chair and crossed her legs.

“Eomma, let me handle this.” She said to her mom, Jung Eunhye gave her child a small smile and nodded.

“Make it quick. It’s time we finally get rid of her.”

“This looks good.” Minae smiled as she peered over the bowl of flavored chicken, the friends were at a local fried chicken place, enjoying some lunch.

“We rarely get to see you nowadays, how are you, princess?” Baekhyun asked her, he never did drop his nickname for her.

“Slightly busier than the usual. I mean, there’s so much happening for ShinHan right now, I’m afraid I might not be able to keep up.” She shrugged as she picked up a drumstick.

“Have you guys heard? My wife’s getting an award.” Chanyeol said excitedly, Jongdae looked up from his plate.

“What is it? Most patient lady of the year? Since, she puts up with you.” Baekhyun chortled, Chanyeol sent him a look.

“One of Asia’s top leading women,” He said proudly, Jongdae cheered and mussed her hair.

“Right, its..supposed to be this big party, you know, ball gown level and all.” She shuddered and the guys chuckled.

“And she still hates formal events, that is one thing that didn’t change.” Jongdae mused at her.

“When is it?” Chanyeol asked as he slowly removed the meat off the bones and placed them on her plate.

“Next Friday, will you come with me, PD Park?” She spoke to him as she started to nibble on the meat.

“I’ll be there. In a tux.” He mused at her, she snorted and picked up her cola.

“Sauce might get on your hair.” Chanyeol pulled her hair back, she gave him a nod as she continued to chowing down.

“Min, your hair.” Chanyeol nagged again, Minae ignored him and he just continued holding on to her hair.

Baekhyun and Jongdae grinned at each other, it was nice see Minae smiling and joking around. A few years ago, they were all afraid of not seeing her back to normal again. They all thought that they would lose her then, it all chewed them out.

Chanyeol was smiling as she spoke to him, she was wanting to get tickets for TVXQ’s encore concert in Seoul.

“But I don’t want to go and meet them, okay?” She said to him, Chanyeol chuckled.

“It’s their concert, Min. And, you’re going with me backstage~”

“No! I don’t want to! Take somebody else.” She whined.

“Who else am I gonna take? My other wife?”Chanyeol blinked at her, confused.

“She’s always excited to see them, but never wants to meet them.” Baekhyun pointed out and poured her more cola.

“They’re literal gods, you don’t just approach them and say hi you know.” She pointed out as she picked up a napkin and looked at Chanyeol.

“Yunho hyung has always wanted to meet you, he likes what you’ve done for Sunny Orphanage.”

“Tell him I say hi then.” She nodded back, not budging as she wiped the sauce of the side of his lips, Jongdae elbowed Baekhyun and they both grinned at each other.

“We might as well forget that all this isn’t real.” Jongdae murmured to himself as he picked up another drumstick.

“I’ll keep that in mind, vice president Park.” Chanyeol scrunched his nose at her before taking a sip from her glass of cola.

“Right, Chanyeol, I need snow tires, the roads are~”

“I know, I changed them this morning. You can use the Audi, I still have to fix the Jag.”

“Great, thanks.” She beamed at him and playfully pinched his cheek, Chanyeol gave her a thumbs up and went back to eating.

“Sometimes they trick me too.” Baekhyun nodded to himself.

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