“This way, HGH Group will be here to present the contract, sir.”

“The signing? Minhyuk didn’t mention that it would be moved to this week.” Shownu murmured as he reviewed the files on his table, he slightly loosened his tie.

“We just received report of it today, sir. There has been a sudden change in schedule on their side,”

Shownu nodded back and put the folder down, the other male was about to leave the room, but he stopped him.

“You’re familiar with Minhyuk’s guests, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

Shownu’s forehead creased briefly, he leaned on his desk.

“And, Chaeyeon?”

“Of course, she’s no stranger in this building, sir.”

“Good, put all calls from her straight to me. And, put her on the priority list.” Shownu said, the latter nodded back.

“Yes, sir.”

Shownu dismissed the male, he pulled his laptop closer, then he looked up as the doors opened, his cousin came strolling in.

“Hyung, why are you here?”

“I work here.” Shownu replied as he faced his computer again, Minhyuk rolled his eyes before speaking.

“Today’s a Monday, shouldn’t you be Chaeyeon’s impressive boyfriend? She said you two decided to pull off this fraud.”

“We did talk about it, so?” Shownu was confused, he leaned back on the chair, Minhyuk sighed, he took out his phone and started to call the girl.

“She usually does all her errands on a Monday, don’t ask. That’s how she is.” He sighed when the girl didn’t pick up, Shownu puffed his cheeks.

“Still, hyung, there’s always a chance of her running into people when goes around, you should go with her.”

“Min~”

Minhyuk grabbed his cousin’s coat from the rack and ushered for him to stand.

“If we leave now, you don’t even know where she is. She could be at work, and we’d be disturbing her.” Shownu pointed out as he stood up.

“I know where she is. Chaeyeon does all her shopping on Mondays, trust me.”

Chaeyeon ran her fingers through her hair as she stared at the different flavors of cereal before her.

“Do I buy a box or am I just going to eat a bit and forget about it later?” She murmured as she tapped her foot on the floor. Chaeyeon grabbed a box of Cheerios and moved along, the girl was dressed casually. She was wearing a dark denim skirt and a Chanel cropped sweater with a pair of Saint Laurent sneakers. Mondays were her escape days and she loved them.

The girl made her way towards the fresh produce section and hurried along with her list, as she was about to pick out some potatoes, she felt someone tap her shoulder.

She paused and turned, Chaeyeon’s brows went up.

“Yugyeom-ah, Joori.” She said, Joori was grinning at her.

“Why am I not surprised that you’re doing your grocery shopping today, unnie?” She said jokingly before giving the girl a hug.

“Mondays are peaceful, you know. What are you guys up to?” Chaeyeon asked, she gave Yugyeom a small nod.

“Oh, I’m planning this dinner at my place. It’s this Wednesday, we spoke about it last week, unnie.”

“Right, right. I almost forgot; I’ll be there.” Chaeyeon said as she placed the potatoes on her cart, Joori glanced around them.

“Are you alone, noona? This is a lot to carry to the parking lot.” Yugyeom said as he looked at the items on the girl’s cart.

“Oh, this is~”

“Did you leave your phone at the car?”

Chaeyeon felt a palm on her back, Joori’s gaze shifted from her cousin to the male before her.

“You usually do that when you want avoid everyone,” Shownu let out a small laugh, Chaeyeon turned to him.

“Well, aren’t you a cliché?” She humored back, Shownu mouthed Minhyuk’s name at her.

“I had to take a work call, are you done?” He pulled the cart to him, his forehead creased as he looked at her choices of snacks. Chaeyeon held onto the sleeve of his coat before speaking.

“Not even halfway through,” She replied, Shownu looked at her, noticing that she was chewing on her lower lip.

“Right, Hyunwoo-oppa?”

Shownu looked at Joori and nodded back.

“I have this small dinner thing on Wednesday, you should come with unnie. It’s just a few cousins and friends.”

“Are we going?” Shownu nudged Chaeyeon’s shoulder, the girl looked at him. Joori’s brows rose at his actions but her cousin looked like she was smiling.

“We are.” She tugged on his sleeve, Shownu’s brows rose briefly.

“That’s settled then, see you this Wednesday.” Shownu said, he looked at the girl’s hand on his sleeve again.

“See you then, unnie.” Joori said, Chaeyeon nodded back, she hooked arms with Shownu as they moved along. She let out raspberry as soon as they were out of their earshot.

“I thought she was okay, like you’re close with her.” Shownu commented, Chaeyeon pursed her lips.

“We are. We were, until…things started to change.” She murmured, Shownu pointed took her list from her other hand and started checking it.

“What changed?”

“The boy. Anyway, how did you find me here?” She asked as she pulled back to look at him, Shownu brushed her hair away from her face before speaking.

“Minhyuk said you tend to do things alone and you love Mondays, you strange being.”

“Mondays are peaceful.”

“Not for all of us.” Shownu mused back, the girl let go of him and followed him across the aisles.

“Right, I’ve been looking for that sesame thing for almost an hour. I couldn’t find it.” Chaeyeon padded after him, she grabbed a huge pack of dried seaweed.

“So, Joori is like your aunt too?” He asked as they walked towards the counter, Chaeyeon took out her wallet.

“Yes and no. She’s aware how over the top her mother can be, but sometimes she does take her side for no reason. And, I’ve always been careful.”

“But, you two are good?”

“Yes, of course. Great timing, by the way, and in your CEO costume too.” She chuckled as Shownu helped her load the things on the counter. Chaeyeon caught the girl behind the counter stare at him for a few seconds. She grinned to herself.

“Maybe we should know each others’s schedules.” He said to her, Chaeyeon nodded in reply.

”Well, you know my Mondays now. What’s on your schedule after this?”

“Lunch.” Shownu quickly said, the girl let out a laugh.

“Good, I’m paying today.”

Shownu scrunched his nose at her and moved along, Chaeyeon puffed her cheeks and saw Joori and Yugyeom making their way towards the produce section.

“Hey,” She felt Shownu’s hand on her back again, she turned to him.

“Stop stressing over it, I don’t think she’ll see through us.” He said softly, Chaeyeon rolled her eyes at him, Shownu chuckled and let go of her.

“It’s still just her and Minhyuk, huh?” The male asked as he joined his secretary in the elevator, the latter nodded back.

“Yes, however, she’s been hanging around this auto shop.”

“Auto shop?” Jinyoung repeated, his secretary produced a bunch of photos from his bag and handed them to his boss.

“We’re not really sure who owns this place.”

“Look into it.” He said, the doors pinged open. Jinyoung stepped and his secretary followed him.

He was browsing through the pictures, Chaeyeon was openly smiling as she spoke to the guy who was wearing a tank top and greased denim jeans. Minhyuk was in the background too.

“And, she was also seen with this other guy quite a number of times too. He was also at her recent launch.”

Jinyoung was examining a photo of Chaeyeon standing next to a tall male, she was speaking with him as he stood beside her, her arm hooked around his.

“Who is he?”

“For now, we have nothing, sir. He must be a random acquaintance she’s made.”

“He’s at the auto shop too.” Jinyoung murmured, they arrived in his office and he sat down.

“Yes, sir.”

“Why is Chaeyeon running about town with her mechanic?” Jinyoung let out a laugh as he tossed the photos away, his forehead creased, and he loosened his tie.

“I’d like to know about him.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And, find out why he’s hanging around Chaeyeon so much. He shouldn’t even be in the same room as her.”

Minhyuk was smiling as the two joined them at the table.

“See? She purposely left her phone in the car. I know her.” He stated, Shownu pulled the chair for the girl.

“Yes, what part of I’d rather do things alone~”

“What do you feel like eating?” Minhyuk cut her off, she glared at him. Shownu picked up the menu.

“You’re not going to work today?” He asked, Chaeyeon nodded back and peered over the menu in Shownu’s hands.

“Minhyuk-ah, can we share this?”

“The pasta? Hell, no. I’m hungry.”

“But this~”

“Just order what you want, if you don’t like it then give it to me.” Shownu said as he called for the waiter, Chaeyeon stuck her tongue out at her friend.

“Joori invited him over to her place for dinner.” Chaeyeon said, the two guys looked at her.

“Can you rephrase that?” Shownu asked, his forehead creasing slightly, Minhyuk laughed.

“I mean, small gathering at her place this Wednesday.”

“With other people.” Shownu added, Chaeyeon snorted and pointed at the pork skewers on the menu, he nodded back at her.

“See? You already have you first schedule of appearance.” Minhyuk said happily.

“Did it sound bad?” She quietly asked while nudging Shownu, he nodded back at her.

“Oops.” She murmured to herself.

“Where are you off to this afternoon, slacker?” Minhyuk asked as Shownu prepared to grill the meat.

“I’ll be going to see Wonho oppa, he mentioned something about a Supra at the shop. I want to see.”

“You know your cars, huh?” Shownu asked.

“She does, hyung. She’s basically a man.”

“I’d want to argue back, but I do know a few things.” She leaned over to fix Minhyuk’s tie, the latter batted his eyes at her.

“Where were you today? Why is this all…a mess?” She murmured as she decided to do his tie again, Shownu looked at the two and smiled.

“I had a couple of meetings earlier, and I had to haul this bear here.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“But, babe, if I didn’t, then you ran into Joori alone that would just trigger again.” Minhyuk reasoned, Chaeyeon shrugged and plopped down on her seat.

“It’s already enough that he was at my party.”

“But, you two have to look real. The real thing, you know.” Minhyuk said, Shownu could hear the genuine concern in his cousin’s voice.

“And, it’s Shownu hyung, he won’t ever be mean to you like me. However, I know I do mean a lot to you, more than him, really.”

“Good thing you know, pretty one.” Chaeyeon shot back, but she was smiling.

“So, try to be nice and at least keep up with the lie, alright? They did back off after seeing him.”

“I’m right here.” Shownu commented in a dry tone, Chaeyeon laughed and squeezed his wrist slightly.

“Okay, I’ll drop by your office tomorrow and come see Son Hyunwoo too.”

“Come see me first, not him.” Shownu said as he placed a piece of meat on Chaeyeon’s plate.

“Hey! I mean more to her.”

“I’m the impressive boyfriend.” Shownu commented, Minhyuk was about to argue back but the girl shoved a piece of lettuce to his mouth.

“Meet me at the lobby then, children.”

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