“Wait, how old are you again?”

The girl almost sighed and decided to take another sip from her iced tea.

“Why? You always ask me that everytime we see each other, aunt.” She replied, she met gazes with her cousin, the latter grinned at her.

“It’s just that, all your cousins have partners already, and you, you, my darling are always alone. Don’t you think that’s sad?” The lady said, loud enough so that everyone in the table was looking at them.

“No, I’m not sad. Are you sad?” She said with a slight tilt of her head, trying to get into her aunt’s nerves. She could feel her mother’s curious gaze on them.

“For you, I am. You’re not getting any younger and still no boyfriend, dear.”

Boyfriend?

As if dealing with this family isn’t enough torture.

“Maybe you should reconsider joining us, all that stuff you do, running that~”

“I believe that’s enough nagging for the day,” One of her cousins intervened, Chaeyeon’s lips curled up and picked up her drink, wishing there was alcohol mixed in it.

“I mean, I’m just looking after Chaeyeon, I don’t want her to end up all alone when she’s old.” The aunt grumbled with a roll of her eyes.

Chaeyeon leaned back on her seat and rolled her eyes at her cousin.

“I’d rather be alone, auntie, trust me.” She stated mildly, her phone pinged and she took it out.

Kill anyone yet? – Minhyuk

She pursed her lips and took another spoonful of her food before quickly typing in a reply, she could still hear her aunts talking about her as she did her thing.

“She’s one of the older girls, she should be dating by now. And married soon.”

“I know, she’s too independent. That’s wrong.”

“Exactly, that’s why men won’t have her.”

Chaeyeon closed her eyes briefly and stood up from her seat, the table turned quiet.

“Chaeyeon-ah, dessert is almost~”

“I’m off to look for men who would have me.” She said with a dry chuckle before leaving the dining hall. The girl took out her phone again.

I was about to. – Chaeyeon

“So, this is all permanent?” Minhyuk asked as he tailed his cousins towards the two-storey building, the older male picked up a couple of boxes from the back of his car and hauled them with him.

“Yes.”

“But, you are joining us, right? Like, not just here?” Minhyuk said as they got inside the building, it looked damp and dingy.

“What do you want, Lee Minhyuk?” The latter grew amused as his cousin dusted off the couch with caution.

“I mean, hyung, you were gone for two years. I was in pain for two years.”

“What?” He laughed as he took out his things from the boxes, Minhyuk glanced at the alloy rims and tool kits on the floor before speaking.

“They left me with nothing but work all those years, hyung. Just me. And the board, who kind of hates me.”

“They don’t hate you.”

“They do.” He gagged; the older male searched for the switch around the room.

“What do you plan to do with this place anyway? A shop?”

“Yeah. What do you think?”

“Totally unnecessary, but hey, you do you.” Minhyuk stood up and dusted off his pants, his phone vibrated, and he took it out.

He let out a snort as he read the message from his friend.

“It might take me some time to clean up here, why don’t you go ahead?”

“Hyung, please tell me you’ll work with us too?”

“I already said yes, now go.”

“Shownu hyung, but you see,”

“I know, I’m needed by Monday. Don’t worry. I’ll be there.” He said as he pushed him towards the door, Minhyuk cheered before running back to his car.

Shownu shook his head to himself and went back inside the building.

“Too independent. That’s wrong.” Chaeyeon muttered under her breath as she slid down from her car, she slung her purse over her shoulder as she walked.

“Men wont have her. Ha Ha Ha.” She said dryly as she reached the elevators, she stabbed her fingers on the button.

“Instead of poking around my life, why don’t they poke more botox on their faces. ing~”

“I take it that you had fun dining with the family?”

She didn’t even bother to turn her head and she raised her middle finger at the male behind her, Minhyuk guffawed.

“What did they want again? That you sell your baby?”

“No.” She said darkly, the doors pinged open and they both stepped in. Minhyuk pursed his lips, sensing her discomfort.

“Come on, Yeon, you know you can do whatever the hell you want. And, you can say whatever the hell you want to in front of me.” He prodded as he eyed the logo of his friend’s company on the elevator wall.

“Right, I’ve seen some crazy , and then there’s you.”

Minhyuk grinned and hooked arms with the girl.

“Well?”

“It’s the usual, Why Does Chaeyeon Not Have A Boyfriend episode. Plus, why I need a man lecture and, they say that I’m not trying hard enough.”

Minhyuk burst out laughing and the girl elbowed him, the two stepped out of the elevator together.

“But, you don’t need a man. You are a man.”

“I just…I don’t get why they have to really drill that on me. I was never bothered by it, why should they be?” She said, ignoring her friend’s comment.

“They want to see mini Chaeyeons walking around.”

“Good, can they give birth on my stead? Do I really want my vagi~”

“Chaeyeon!” Minhyuk grimaced as they got inside her office, now the girl was grinning at him.

“See?”

“I don’t want to see. Anyway, I brought you coffee.”

Chaeyeon happily took the drink from him, Minhyuk plopped down and stretched his legs.

“Long day?” She asked him, Minhyuk pursed his lips.

“Not really, I was helping my cousin unpack. He’s kind of back in town.”

“Oh, the one you said who would help you slave away for the company? Nice.”
“Yeah, at least he has an outlet. That hyung loves cars.”

“You do have an outlet, babe.”

“And, what’s that?”

“Disturbing me at work.”

“Right!” He nodded to himself, Chaeyeon chuckled and plopped down beside him.

“Seriously, mini Chaeyeons might not be a bad idea.”

“Watch a birthing video then we can talk.”

“Okay, topic has been dropped.” Minhyuk solemnly nodded, Chaeyeon rolled her eyes and leaned back. As usual, going out with her family required a lot of energy and it always made her feel stressed out.

“Well, we’re almost done here.”

Shownu looked up from the desk, Wonho was grinning from ear to ear as he leaned against the Audi R8 parked inside the shop.

“Do your parents even know you started this shop?”

“I think they do, Minhyuk probably mentioned it by now.” Shownu stood up from his seat and stretched his arms.

“It’s nice to be back, huh?” Wonho asked as he tossed him a beer, the latter chuckled and quickly opened it.

“Did they ask you to report to the company right away?”

“They were subtle about it, but it’s okay.” Shownu replied, the two males heard the door open, and Minhyuk came walking in.

“You’re back.”

“Hyung,” He greeted his cousin’s friend with familiarity.

“What was that emergency earlier?” Shownu asked him as the younger male got himself a beer, Wonho plopped down on the couch, his brows went up as he caught a whiff of the perfume on Minhyuk.

“You were with a girl, huh?” He started to chuckle, Shownu looked at his cousin, amused.

“You ditched me for a girl?”

“Hmm, not sure if she counts as a girl. But, okay.” Minhyuk shrugged before taking a long sip from the can.

“When did you get a girlfriend?” Wonho said with interest, Shownu sat down across the two.

“It’s not like that, I’m not even sure if she’s a girl.”

“Ah, your friend?” Shownu asked, his phone buzzed and he opened the text message.

“Yes, her. I should introduce her to you two sometime.” Minhyuk murmured, then he noticed that his cousin was staring at his phone with concentration.

“I guess work is already calling?” Wonho said with an amused grin, Shownu puffed his cheeks nodded.

“It was my parents. We have a party this weekend?” He faced his cousin, Minhyuk shrugged in reply.

“Maybe this time I can not show up, and let you do all the work.” He said with an excited grin, Shownu stood up from the couch and tossed the empty can at him.

“I’m going to clean up upstairs.” He said before leaving them, Wonho leaned back on his seat.

“Your cousin is amazing for having the patience to deal with you.” He commented, Minhyuk beamed at the older male.

“He’s the only sane one in this room, hyung.”

Wonho paused, but he started to nod back.

“True.”

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