After a rigorous practice, Chaeyoung finally got a chance to rest. Moving her wrist in a twisting motion, she relieves the muscles and ligaments that has probably become stiff from the long hours of practice. There's only a few days left before her audition for Julliard and her mom has been very anxious about it. Worst of all, she hasn't seen Jisoo in a while now.

Sungwoong Park, Chaeyoung's father walked in just when she heaved a big sigh.

"Having a hard time?"

Chaeyoung, surprised, quickly turned to face her father. Chairman Park, a man in his 50's smiled at his daughter and ushered Chaeyoung to come for a hug with open arms. Having not seen her dad for months, Chaeyoung basically jumped up and ran into her father's arms.

"Dad!" She exclaimed in delight. "Were you here the whole time?"

Chairman Park nodded. "I was listening."

"You didn't even tell me!" Chaeyoung scowled and punched her dad lightly on his chest.

Having a childish personality, Chairman Park feigned pain at the hit area which only earned more punches from Chaeyoung. Laughing it off, Chariman Park explained he didn't want to disturb her.

"Your mom would kill me." He joked. "By the way, I heard you got into trouble with your mom."

Chaeyoung just looked down instead of answering. Chairman Park knows his daughter receives a lot of pressure from his wife. Jiwoo only cares about Chaeyoung's career as a violinist ever since she saw her daughter fiddling with a violin as a child. Since then, Jiwoo Choi only worked on making Chaeyoung the best. It's like she didn't want her daughter to be buried in a patriarchal world. She didn't want her daughter to experience what she went through as a woman in this family.

"Please understand your mom, pumpkin." Chaeyoung's dad began. "She's doing all this for you. To put your name out there."

"I know." Chaeyoung mumbled.

--

During dinner, the entire Park family gathered all the food at the pavilion outside. Chairman Park was sitting at the head of the table, cutting his steak with that fatherly smile. Jiwoo Choi sat on his left side with Chayoung beside her, while Chanyeol sat on his father's right side. It's been a while since their family have gathered complete together for dinner. The dim yellow lights from the pavilion set a serene and fancy mood during the entire meal.

"This is nice." Chairman Park announced and took a sip of his wine.

"It is, honey." The madame agreed. "I just wish we could do this more often but I know you're busy."

"How's everything with you kids?"

"Chaeyoung finally got her invitation to audition for Julliard." Jiwoo Choi said proudly, grabbing Chaeyoung's hand and smiled at her.

"That's amazing! Congratulations, pumpkin!" Chairman Park, cheered.

"I've invited a special tutor for her from Julliard too so our Chaeyoung can especially prepare for it." The madame added. As a way of saying, 'You've worked hard.' The Chairman patted the madame's arm softly. "Anything for my daughter." She said.

"Thanks, mum." Chaeyoung said timidly.

Meanwhile, Chanyeol, who took after his father's childishness, was also just eating his dinner with his dimple showing. "Julliard is just a piece of cake for Chaeng! You didn't have to hire a new tutor for her, mum. Right, sis?"

"Ah, by the way... Chanyeol's event in Hong Kong recently was a huge success." The Chairman boasted as well. "Perhaps we should celebrate these good news with a bottle of champagne." He gestured with his hand and one of the staffs automatically went and came back with champagne.

"Where were you the whole day with your phone off?" The madame suddenly asked to Chanyeol. "I know what day it is."

Chairman Park paused from eating his dessert, sensing this is where the evening stops being pleasant. Chaeyoung was already looking at her brother who just continued eating happily and even asked for another slice of chocolate cake. In an attempt to prevent what was bound to happen, the Chairman reasoned out for Chanyeol.

"He probably went out with a girl, honey. Let him be."

"Well... if that's the case, I still don't like it. Your grandfather wouldn't like it."

--

After dinner, Chairman Park opened another bottle of wine in his office and brought Chanyeol with him. There's an entire window that stretched throughout the wall, overlooking the fountain in their garden. It's currently autumn so only the bushes in the maze were green. Chanyeol was sitting on his father's chair in front of his desk, getting comfortable. Chairman Park didn't mind. That seat's going to be his in the future anyway.

"He has grown old hasn't he?" Chanyeol's dad broke the silence first.

"By a year." Chanyeol answered humorously. But the chairman didn't laugh. He wasn't surprised his dad knows he still visits Seongsu Kim even though he told him not to anymore. The two were best friends after all. "He's just as old as you."

"It sounds like you two had a great time. I should have come with you."

"Yeah, It was fun."

"What about his daughter?"

Chanyeol paused and pursed his lips, reluctant to say anything. He took the wine glass to his nose and inhaled the fragrant of the well fermented vine fruit before exhaling a big sigh.