Chaewon stared at the food laden table with a plate in hand, she scrunched her nose and looked around.

“It’s like they want to starve you.” A voice said, she turned and almost rolled her eyes.

“They must have forgotten whom this cookout is for.” She nodded back, Sehun chuckled and picked up a chicken lollipop, he dropped a few on her plate.

“Noona made kimbap for Hwan that might interest you.” He replied as he spooned a couple of marinated crabs.

“I want to eat that too.” She said to him.

“Does that translate that you need me to open them up for you?” Sehun grimaced, she grinned at him.

“I just got my nails done.” She frowned at him. Sehun sighed and put more in his plate, Chaewon chuckled and they walked to the table.

“Auntie!” Hwan beamed as his aunt sat down beside him, Sehun took the seat across hers.

“You’re enjoying the party, aren’t you?” She asked while ruffling his hair.

“Kind of.” Hwan beamed at her, Sehun cracked one of the crab claws open and placed the meat on the girl’s plate. Hwan tilted his head at the action.

“I want the~”

“I know.” Sehun placed more meat on her plate, Chaewon smiled to herself before digging in while her brother could only stare.

“Wait,” Hwan spoke, Kai grinned and didn’t move.

“What is it, nephew?” Chaewon asked playfully.

“I thought you two didn’t know each other, why are you asking uncle Sehun to open crabs for you, auntie? Is he your assistant?” He asked, not mincing his words.

Hyebin almost dropped her champagne, Joohyuk his lips and went back to his meal.

“W—what?”

“Hwan, she simply asked me to help her since she just got her nails done.” Sehun chimed in, trying to save themselves from the awkward situation.

“I don’t think that’s it.” Hwan pouted, and then he started to fish something out of his pocket, Kai leaned in.

“I saw this at auntie’s study, you two do know each other.” Hwan argued in a whiny tone, now everyone was looking at him and the photo he just put on the table.

“Auntie, you’re sitting on uncle Sehun’s lap, how could you not know him?”

Sehun could only stare at the photo, it was a photo of him and Chaewon. She was smiling while sitting on his lap, while he was pointing at the camera with a sly grin on his face.

Chaewon’s eyes widened as she blinked at the boy.

“W—Where did you get that?” She blurted out.

“At your study, auntie. You haven’t start unpacking much. I think you’re just waiting for appa to do it for you.” Hwan puffed his cheeks, the table grew quiet, even Changwook had no idea what to do.

Before anyone could react, Joohyuk stood up and grabbed the photo.

“What is this? Ooh.” He said with a coy smile as he looked at the photo.

“Well, this is a bit awkward.” He said jokingly before nudging Chaewon.

“Joohyuk~”

“It’s fine, Sehun-ssi. You don’t have to explain.”

“I wasn’t going to explain. I just need you to put that away.” Sehun spoke, Kai looked up, his eyes went to his friend.

“It makes everyone uncomfortable, put it away. Please.” Sehun met his gaze evenly, Chaewon looked away, and then she turned to Hwan.

“Auntie lied, sorry, Hwan.”

“It’s okay, you and uncle Sehun make a pretty picture, right, appa?” Hwan beamed at his father, Changwook balked.

“What do you think, hyung?” Kai chuckled, Sehun glared at him.

“Hwan, son, drop it.” Hyebin intervened, the boy pouted and nodded back. Chaewon exhaled and put her fork down, Sehun looked at her, his brows going up.

“I’m gonna finish this at the patio.” She murmured as she stood up, she got her plate and turned to Joohyuk.

“What? I’m not mad.” Joohyuk winked at her, she shuddered before leaving the table. Sehun sighed and leaned back on his seat.

Chaewon let out a shaky breath as she put her plate aside, she ran her fingers through her hair before leaning against the balustrade.

“Wow, this day could not get any more ed up.” She muttered under her breath, and then before she could continue speaking to herself, her phone started to ring.

She stared at the screen and realized it was her assistant.

“Vice president, I’m sorry for calling at such a late hour, but its regarding the project with Samsung.”

She winced and glanced back at the house.

Always with Samsung.

Samsung.

Blech.

“Go ahead, what is it?” She put him on speaker phone and started nibbling on some crab meat.

“KS Construction has sent in the new blueprint, Samsung has already approved of it, but vice chairman Oh wants to hear what you think.”

“A new one? Are we expecting the same rectangular Tide pods shaped buildings again?” She sighed, not noticing a young male approaching the front door.

“Well, would you want me to send you a picture of it now?”

“You don’t have to; KS Construction can go to hell with their rectangle~”

“Do they really look like that? Rectangle Tide pods?”

She looked up and her eyes widened, she ended the call and put the crab claw back on her plate.

“D—Do I know you?” She asked him, the male shook his head and walked towards her, Chaewon blinked at him.

“I was invited here. Tell me, what else did you not like about the proposal?” He asked her again, his gaze unwavering.

“What..What are you talking about?” Chaewon was taken aback, but the male just gave her a small smile before picking up her plate from the balustrade.

“It might rain soon, it’s not good eating out here.” He said to her, now Chaewon was worried.

“Wait, who~”

“Oh, hyung,” Sehun was standing by the doors, her eyes went to him.

“Hyung?” She repeated, Sehun nodded back to her and he joined them.

“Chaewon-ah, this is Do Kyungsoo, his family owns KS Construction, the firm we’re working with.” Sehun said with an encouraging smile, her eyes widened and her hand flew to .

“What is it? Were the crabs too spicy?”

Kyungsoo’s eyes went to her again and he offered his hand to her, Chaewon mentally sighed before shaking his hand.

“Not really. Show him in. Go.” She muttered under her breath, Sehun gestured for the older male to walk ahead of him and he glanced at her again.

“Are you okay?” He asked her, Chaewon looked up and nodded.

“Yeah, just go.” She muttered, Sehun smiled before leaning over to brush the bits of food from the side of her lip.

“He heard you badmouthing the blueprint, huh?” He said teasingly, Chaewon elbowed him and he laughed.

“Just go away and show your guest in!”

“You two,” Hyebin sighed as he walked in the kitchen, wherein she found Kai and Joohyuk laughing like drunken hyenas.

“Using my son too?”

“Well, Chaewon would never suspect the angel.” Kai hummed, the girl shook her head at him.

“But, noona, what happened? Chaewon was pissed when she got home.” Joohyuk spoke and he crossed his arms.

“Ah, something happened at the company.” Hyebin bit her lip before facing the two.

“Her father’s in town, and…Changwook wanted to keep her in the dark about it, but he personally came over earlier. And caused quite a scene too.” She said, worry clouded her face as she continued.

“And, he knows that..Chaewon and Sehun have…kind of reconnected. And, honestly, I don’t want to meddle, but this is worrisome.”

“What does he want?” Kai asked, the girl shook her head.

“His two children don’t want to hear him out, Chaewon refuses to even talk to him.”

“What if he sees this as Sehun’s doing? Sehun telling her not to listen to him. Then, that’s just wrong.” Joohyuk murmured, Kai poured himself a glass of wine.

“But now, I think,” Kai begun, he glanced back at the table, Sehun had reappeared with a newcomer, and then Chaewon was back.

Kai watched as the girl walked to Sehun, she tugged on his sleeve briefly. Sehun turned his head and leaned down as she whispered something to his ear.

Sehun nodded along as she continued, and then she pulled away, waiting for him to reply.

Sehun’s lips started to move, Chaewon grinned and she nodded back. She got her drink from the table and with another encouraging nod from Sehun, she started talking to the newcomer beside him.

Kai noticed how Sehun had a small smile on his face as he watched Chaewon speak to the other male.

“If their father does something again, I doubt Chaewon would not notice it. And,” Kai faced the two again.

“I don’t think Sehun would back down again. He’s not going to let her be taken away from him, his Chaewon.”

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