Ahyoung exhaled as she took the seat across the male, Jinyoung was fidgeting with his phone before finally looking up to meet her gaze.

“Thanks for meeting me.”

“At some point we do have to talk.” Ahyoung replied, her tone terse. Jinyoung his lips before speaking.

“Ahyoung-ah, I’m sorry I overreacted the other day, I had way too much to drink and I wasn’t thinking right.”

“Jinyoung-ah, you were aware that you were drunk and yet you chose to go there and messed with their party.”

“I…I just didn’t like how you are always in their company.” Jinyoung said softly, Ahyoung let out a sigh.

“Did I ever tell you which friends you should hang out with and which ones you shouldn’t speak to?” She replied, the male before her fell silent.

“Ahyoung-ah, I’m just worried about your safety, they~”

“I can’t do this anymore.” Ahyoung cut him off, she had her eyes on her empty wineglass as she spoke.

“W—What do you mean?”

“I think it’s best if we…I think we both need space from each other, Jinyoung-ah.”

“Ahyoung, let me explain. I understand that~”

“That’s the problem, you never understand. You never listen, and it’s not only frustrating,” She said as she slowly stood up, Jinyoung tried to reach for her arm, but the girl pulled back.

“It’s suffocating, Jinyoung-ah.” She finished before turning away from him, Jinyoung let out a shaky breath as he watched the girl leave the restaurant.

“This is really good.” Seri mused as she got herself another serving of roasted chicken.

“You usually don’t like dry meat.” Chanyeol murmured, his wife shrugged back at him.

“Right, what were you two up to this afternoon? Did Seri drag you around downtown again, Soojin-ah?” Sehun asked good-naturedly.

“Seri was asking about this vintage store a few blocks away from my shop, we went there.” Soojin replied, Sehun grinned at his friend.

“Right, you mentioned you were in need of that system update for your security team at your building, how did it go?” Suho asked, Soojin’s eyes went to him and she noticed that something was off about the older male. He was usually all smiles and had this very warm vibe to him, but he didn’t look so good now, there was a constant crease on his forehead.

“Are you chatting me up in the hopes that I didn’t notice how Samsung owns fifteen percent of Park Holdings too?” Seri asked, the three men all looked away, Soojin blinked.

“Five percent for each of you, how cute.” Seri continued, Chanyeol gave her a sheepish smile.

“Don’t worry they’re not bad people, these guys are just being petty.” She spoke to Soojin, the latter laughed and they continued with their meal.

“Oppa,” Seri spoke, Suho turned to her.

“I noticed that some videos and photos still flying around, I already have people on it.” She said, Suho smiled at her.

“Thank you, Seri-ah. I didn’t know it would grow this big.” Suho commented, Sehun and Chanyeol glanced at each other.

“Well, Park Jinyoung is a big .” Seri shrugged back.

“Okay, time for dessert!” Chanyeol stated happily before standing up from his seat.

“How’s Ahyoung doing?” Sehun leaned closer to Soojin, the girl looked at him.

“Not so well, she’s bothered by Jinyoung’s actions. She’s trying to understand him, I think.”

“I bet you’re celebrating inside.” He said teasingly, Soojin sent him a dry look.

“Of course, you are hurting for your friend, but don’t you feel just a little..tiny bit of joy over Park Jinyoung’s demise?”

Soojin turned to him, she was surprised at how close his face was to hers, but Sehun was still smiling.

“If you ever mention this to Ahyoung, I’ll douse your boba tea with red pepper sauce.” She shot back, Sehun laughed and pulled away.

“And she bites back.” He mused before offering to help his cousin slice the cake, Soojin glanced at Seri and noticed who the girl was smiling as she poured herself another glass of juice.

“Seri, do~”

“You two look cute together.”

Ahyoung tossed her car keys on the coffee table as she went around the living room, she plopped down on one of the couches and closed her eyes.

It was supposed to hurt, but strangely, it didn’t. She didn’t feel bad for all the things she said to Jinyoung. Instead, she felt relieved.

And that kind of made her feel bad.

“Ahyoung-ah,”

She sat up as she heard her mother’s voice, the lights were suddenly switched on and she found her parents staring at her.

“Sorry, I got caught up in traffic.” She fibbed as she sat up, her mother side and took the seat beside her.

“By the way, I heard the rumors, I even saw the video.” Her mother commented, Ahyoung glanced at her father, the latter could only shrug at her.

“It’s true, eomma. I was there, I saw everything.”

“I’m telling you, that man is not good news. He never was in the beginning, he always wanted to talk about work, he never asks about how you’re doing.”

Ahyoung looked away and bit on the insides of her cheek.

“What could he possibly be thinking attacking that Samsung chairman at his own party?” Mrs. Lee went on.

“I—I don’t know.” Ahyoung murmured softly.

“Daughter, we’re only saying this because we’re worried about you and, your mother and I don’t mean to interfere with your choices, but,” Her father was looking at them.

“That man, I don’t think…he’s good for you, darling. I don’t think…your relationship with him brings you peace.”

“Abeoji, I~”

“I can see it in your eyes every time we ask about him, Ahyoung-ah. You never want to talk about him.”

Seri left the table after finishing her cake, Soojin was explaining how to roast coffee beans to Chanyeol while Sehun listened in. Mrs. Park made her way out of the dining hall, she was on her way to the stairs when she noticed a lone figure standing outside at the patio.

Seri tilted her head, it was pretty cold outside and yet Suho didn’t seem to mind it. The girl put her phone down and made her way towards the glass doors, she quietly slid them open and stepped out.

Seri was about to tap him on the shoulder when she realized that the older male was staring at his phone, trying to type a message. She peeked over her shoulder, her eyes focused on the name above the screen.

Ahyoung

She paused, her brows going up. Suho was typing and then deleting whatever he had typed over and over again. Her lips quirked up before making her presence known, Suho turned to her and quickly hid his phone.

And now it all makes sense, Kim Junmyeon.

“Well, now I wont ask you why you actually allowed those two to buy a company on a whim.” She said with a teasing smile as she leaned on the balustrade beside him, his eyes widened.

“Seri, it’s not~”

“You don’t have to explain, oppa. It finally made sense to me.”

Suho looked away and clasped his hands together.

“You like her. And then you saw Jinyoung in China, huh?” Seri said softly, Suho let out a breath before replying.

“I thought it was going to go away, you know. Some mere…attraction that I could..”

“This mere attraction turned serious then?”

“I never meant her harm, I didn’t want her to get hurt realizing what Jinyoung was doing, Seri.”

“You were avoiding us, well, her. This was the reason why, oppa?” Seri asked him with a small smile, Suho nodded and pulled his coat closer to his frame.

“Most guys would simply go for the kill, you know? Tell her all that, and you gain everything.”

“That would be very wrong, Seri. I’d rather protect her from that, but I know it wasn’t right as well.”

“Still, it’s an honorable thing, oppa.” She bumped her arm with his, Suho shook his head at her.

“Ahyoung deserves someone who gets her, oppa. And I have an inkling,”

“Seri, don’t.” Suho sighed, the girl laughed.

“He might be nearby.”

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