004
You Got Me
Chaeyeon pursed her lips as her mother sat down across her, the girl was a middle of a meeting with her staff when the elder showed herself in.
No, she barged in on them.
“Your aunt has done us a favor, so you should be grateful.”
“Grateful? I feel like a piece of meat being sold to the market.” Chaeyeon muttered back as she stared at her computer, she was waiting for an email.
“It’s only one dinner, daughter. It wont hurt you.”
Chaeyeon wanted to roll her eyes, but she didn’t. She simply leaned back on her seat and crossed her arms.
“Still not going.”
“If you go to this, then they’d stop talking about you. Wouldn’t that be better?” Her mother turned to her, Chaeyeon let out small yawn and shook her head.
“How is this a favor? She only wants people to talk about how nice she is, how much of a loner I am.”
“Chaeyeon.” Her mother said wanly, the girl pursed her lips.
“It’s a no, mother.”
“Then, you should at least call her up and tell her you’re not going.”
“What?” The girl balked on her seat, her mother slowly turned away, sheepish.
“Eomma,”
“Y—Yes, president?” The lady said in a small voice, Chaeyeon huffed and sat across her parent.
“Eomma, what did you do?”
“You…You see…..she..she wouldn’t stop calling me..so…so..”
“So?” Chaeyeon said, her voice getting shrill.
“I told her that you’d be going. It’s this weekend at Seoul Intercon, you’re meeting him for lunch.” Her mother spoke so fast that Eminem would have been impressed.
“Eomma!”
“So, you can give her a call. You will give her a call, right?” She said while taking her purse and standing up, Chaeyeon could only stare at her in disbelief.
“I have no words.”
“Me too, daughter. So, see you.”
Chaeyeon was about to speak but her mother was already out of the room, the girl groaned and threw herself back on the leather couch.
Minhyuk grinned at his cousin as their grandparents spoke, they were discussing regarding Shownu’s return to the company over lunch. And they wanted to use it as extra PR for their new ventures.
“Is it really necessary? We can just go with the usual release and~”
“It’s also a good way to announce you are back, son.” The elder spoke, Minhyuk continued eating, pleased over his cousin’s discomfort.
“Besides, its about time you settle down.”
“Settle down? I already said that I’d be living here.” Shownu said cluelessly, Minhyuk shook his head at him.
“Do not go there. Don’t fall for the trap.” He mouthed at him, Shownu blinked back.
“A party sounds like a good idea, uncle.” Minhyuk intervened before any of the elders could speak, Shownu puffed his cheeks.
“Let’s have secretary Jin organize something. What about this weekend?”
Shownu could only nod in reply, Minhyuk chuckled to himself and went back to his meal.
“Right, Minhyuk-ah,” The elder spoke. Minhyuk faced their grandmother expectantly.
“Yes, halmeoni?”
“Make sure to tell Chaeyeon that I really love that sweater she sent me. I wore it the other day when I had tea with the Jeons, those old ladies were all green with envy.”
Shownu paused, so, his grandparents knew Chaeyeon.
“Right, how is Yeon?” Their grandfather spoke, Shownu turned to him, surprised.
“Yes, they all know Chaeyeon, you were out of town a lot.” Minhyuk said, answering his question.
“Chaeyeon is the perfect granddaughter-in-law, but all my grandsons aren’t good enough. So, tell her to come by the house and I’ll prepare her favorites.”
“Yes, I’ll call her later, halmeoni.”
“How’s her car going along?” Minhyuk spoke on quiet tones, Shownu took a sip of his drink before replying.
“Wonho was already finishing it up earlier when I left, it should probably be done by now. Why? Does she need it already?”
“I don’t think so, I offered to her drop her off earlier, but she declined.” Minhyuk murmured as he looked at his already empty plate.
“You don’t want her to commute?” Shownu asked as dessert was being served.
“She tends to do things on her own, so it’s always nice to check in on her from time to time.”
Shownu nodded back and grinned, Minhyuk sighed.
“It’s not like that.”
“I didn’t say anything.” Shownu shot back, still teasing.
“Trust me, hyung. If it were something like that, we wouldn’t be really good friends like we are now.”
“Right, our grandmother would come for you.”
“That too.”
“What kind of bull is this?” Chaeyeon grumbled as she slid down from the cab, she had her laptop in one arm as she hurriedly crossed the street. The girl had just gotten off the phone with her aunt, the lady even had the gall to argue with her how ungrateful she was.
Apparently, the young man she had set her up was a perfect catch for her hermit of a niece.
Chaeyeon rolled her eyes to herself and walked through the shop’s doors.
“Perfect catch? I’ll show them a perfect~”
“Hi, headache!”
The girl halted, she almost tripped on a bright orange toolbox in the process, Wonho appeared by the stairs, he was grinning at her.
“Oh, oppa, hey.”
“Shownu was about to call you,” He said as he walked to her, Chaeyeon turned to her Porsche, she had a sinking feeling that it wasn’t ready yet.
“Well, I figured~”
“Wonho, can you~” Shownu halted when he realized that his friend wasn’t alone, Chaeyeon turned, now she suddenly felt overdressed. Both guys were in tank tops and grease stained jeans.
“I was about to call you.” Shownu said to her, Wonho returned to the Porsche and let the two talk.
“Is it that bad?”
Shownu smiled and leaned against the car, he crossed his arms before speaking.
“We just need to finish a few things and your car’s good to go. But, it might take some time.”
Chaeyeon pursed her lips and looked around.
“There’s a café nearby, I’ll get some work done while waiting.”
“No, no, don’t go out alone. It looks like it’s about rain.” Wonho commented, Chaeyeon paused and looked at him.
“We have an office upstairs.” Wonho said while waving his wrench at her.
“The coffee shop’s nearby, I can walk you.” Shownu said, not wanting the girl to feel that she has to stay with them.
“Are you kicking me out?” Chaeyeon mused, the latter halted.
“Yeah, are you kicking her out?” Wonho shot back while peering over the car’s engine.
“N—No, I just..I thought you’d prefer~”
“I’ll take up Wonho oppa’s offer. Where’s your office?” She asked, Shownu gestured for the girl to follow him.
“Minhyuk mentioned something about a party for you.” Chaeyeon said as they climbed up the steps, Shownu winced to himself.
“I see you’re excited about it.” She said lightly, Shownu held the door for her and nodded.
“Very.”
Chaeyeon chuckled before setting her laptop down on the coffee table, Shownu glanced around before speaking.
“It won’t be that bad, you’ll get used to it eventually.”
“You ran away from all these events, didn’t you?” Shownu replied with a smile, Chaeyeon raised her thumb in response.
“Can I get you anything?”
“You can get me a perfect catch.” She shrugged to herself, Shownu paused, his brows going up.
“That was my stress speaking, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine here.” She stated as she sat down and opened her laptop. Shownu puffed his cheeks, he walked towards his desk and took a seat.
Chaeyeon was quiet as she started typing on her laptop, and then she let out a sigh and pushed the device away from her. From his desk, Shownu could see the deep frown forming on her face.
The door swing opened, and Minhyuk appeared.
“Yeon, when~”
The girl shook her head at him, she put her phone down before wordlessly stepping out of the room.
“Did you piss her off?” Minhyuk asked his older cousin.
“I wouldn’t dare.” Shownu replied, he glanced through the windows and saw Chaeyeon already leaving the shop.
“You better catch up with her.” He said, Minhyuk nodded back and jogged after his friend.
Chaeyeon let out a shaky breath and leaned against the lamp post, she ran her fingers through her hair.
She hated how she felt guilty over arguing with her aunt because she turned impolite, when all she wanted was for them to stay out of her life.
And now she felt horrible for being snarky with her.
But if only they could just let her be and understand that she wasn’t looking for a man and she didn’t need one.
“What is it, babe?”
Chaeyeon turned to her left, Minhyuk was approaching her.
“Is it work? Doesn’t look like it.” He commented as he stood next to her, Chaeyeon chewed on the insides of her cheeks.
“I just…I don’t get it.”
“We all don’t get it.” He murmured, Chaeyeon glanced at him before hooking arms with the male.
“I got a call today, something about me having to meet this guy over lunch because apparently it is a mortal sin to not have a boyfriend at my age.”
Minhyuk frowned and shook his head.
“And I even got reprimanded for it because I didn’t want to go. Don’t you think….Why can’t they just mind their own business?”
Minhyuk sighed and just made the girl lean on his shoulder.
“Maybe they’re intimidated by you, that’s why they want to turn you into someone who’s like them.”
“What did I ever do to them?”
“Because you’re too independent, they’re threatened by it.” Minhyuk stated, Chaeyeon rolled her eyes.
“Do you want me to come up with something and make it all go away?”
“I asked you to make it go away, remember?” She said with a small smile, Minhyuk chuckled and they were already walking back to the shop, Chaeyeon held onto his hand comfortably.
“I did, and I think I have something.” He said as they walked through the doors, Shownu and Wonho were chatting by the counter.
“Please let it be a pair of Vans because my feet are killing me.” She said referring to the Valentino pumps she had on, Minhyuk sent her a look.
“Really?” She cleared .
“Really. But before that, hyung, can you put away all the tools she can pick up and may aim at me?”
“What?”
Wonho started to laugh, refusing to clear out the room.
“What are you two up to again?”
“I know how to make this go away, Yeon!”
Shownu eyed his cousin warily, Chaeyeon shook her head, not reacting to Minhyuk as she sat down on one of the stools.
“Okay, let us all hear it.”
“What does he want to go away?” Wonho asked, confused with the male’s words.
“Should I get the tools away from her?” Shownu asked his friend in a low voice as he eyed the remaining tool kit on the counter.
“You should get a fake boyfriend!” Minhyuk finished, Chaeyeon could only stare at him.
“What?”
“Let’s hire you a fake boyfriend and all these will go away. No more matchmaker, no more nosey aunts and no more~ ”
“I have no words.” Chaeyeon interrupted him, Minhyuk winked at her. The girl picked up a screwdriver off the counter and Wonho guffawed. Shownu looked on, amused and a little concerned.
“Come on, Yeon. This would fix everything. Hire a fake boyfriend and…..don’t kill me!” Minhyuk started to run away from the girl as she started to come for him with the screwdriver in her hand.
“No more Minhyuk sounds better!”
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