“Well, this is a lot.” Miyoung murmured as she went through the files, she puffed her cheeks and inched closer to her desk.

“I can move some of the meetings to next week, ma’am, if you want. I’m sure the people from the marketing division will understand. Vice president Hwang’s engagement is this weekend.”

“It’s fine, it’s the moving around that gets to me. How did my sister manage?” She said with a good-natured smile, the lady grinned back at her.

“A lot of coffee refills and a good support team.”

“Oh Sehun, of course.” Miyoung nodded, the girl turned to her laptop and was about to ask for some coffee herself when the doors suddenly burst open.

“Young master!” Her secretary was surprised to see the male, Miyoung stood up, confused.

“Oppa, what..brings you here?” She asked, wondering if she forgot that she was supposed to meet him or there was a meeting she didn’t know about.

“Miyoung-ah,” He blurted out, she blinked back at him.

“Can…you leave us?” Shownu turned to the secretary, the latter bowed and quietly left the room. Miyoung grew concerned, there was this wild look in his eyes that confused her.

He looked worried and angry at the same time.

“Oppa, what~”

It took him three long strides to reach her, Miyoung tilted her head.

“I…wanted to see you.” He stated as his eyes went to her arms, then down to her wrist. He noticed how she was wearing a stack of Cartier bangles on top of her watch, his forehead creased.

“Okay, is this about the Jeju project? Because I was just going over the email the contractor sent. And I haven’t had much time to~” She halted when Shownu slowly reached for both of her arms and held onto them. Miyoung’s eyes widened as his fingers enclosed around her wrist, her bracelets pressed tightly against her skin. But, he wasn’t hurting her in anyway, he was simply holding onto her.

“Oppa?” She spoke, Shownu was still looking at her hands, or her arms, she wasn’t sure.

“Son Hyunwoo?” Miyoung slowly reached to tap the tip of his shoe with hers, Shownu blinked and finally looked up, still not letting go.
“I…I…How are you feeling?” He finally spoke, meeting her gaze. Miyoung grew amused.\

“Is this how you say hi now?” She let out a chuckle, and Shownu’s brows rose.

“I just…I decided to drop by and check on you and your sister.” He blurted out.

“Well, unlucky you, unnie’s leave has begun.” Miyoung replied, not bothered with Shownu’s hands on her wrists.

“Oh, well then~”

For the second time, the doors burst open again and they both looked up.

“I have so many questions.” A bored voice asked, Shownu immediately drop his hands to his sides as he saw the two males who had just arrived.

“Yeah, me too. Did you two come together?” Miyoung asked, Hyungwon peeled his gaze away from Shownu and smiled at her.

“Sort of, what’s up? Are we disturbing a meeting?”

“We are never a disturbance. I know I’m not.” Sehun announced as he made himself comfortable on Miyoung’s seat, Shownu looked at him, sensing the edge in his tone.

“Hi, have you eaten?” Hyungwon asked as he reached out to kiss the side of her head.

“I did. I had a bagel earlier.”

“That’s it?” Shownu blurted out, Sehun grinned at him.

“Well, I had deadlines and unnie’s not here so, I~”

“You know what, let’s get lunch. Minah’s still with the elders for preparations and they wont let me come along.”

“Get lunch by yourself.” Miyoung sighed at him.

“He’s right, you should get a proper meal.” Hyungwon spoke, Shownu looked at the girl.

“How bad can it be, Hwang Miyoung? Your best friend, your ex and husband, in one table.”

Shownu and Hyungwon grimaced, Sehun really did like pushing her buttons.

And risking his life.

“Oh, it’s about to be ex-best friend too.” She hissed at him.

“Bring my bag.” She grumbled before walking out of the room, Shownu sent Sehun a look.

“You guys decide who brings her bag.” Sehun chuckled before followed the girl.

“How’s Miyoung doing?”

Minah looked up from her salad, she was having lunch with her parents.

“So far, she doesn’t really have a lot of questions at work. She does call me when she needs to clarify a few things, but other than that, I think she’s having fun, actually, eomma.” She replied, she noticed how her mother paused, as if weighing in her words.

“What is it now? Is it because she hasn’t been attending social events like you asked her?”

“But, Miyoung was never the type to, even before.” Mr. Lee chimed in, Minah nodded at him.

“I know that. I know how my daughter is. But,” She paused and gently put her utensils down.

“Aren’t you curious? Or did you not notice?”

“What?”

“She told me she’d talk to me about her husband and Eunyoung. It’s been almost a month, and she hasn’t contacted me yet. And, I don’t know if I should press her to talk, she’s an adult after all.”

“Why? Do you not like the young man? I think he’s the perfect man for Miyoung.” Mr. Lee said with a smile as he continued eating. Minah looked at her mom, growing curious and then she noticed how the elder had pressed her lips together.

“Eomma, what is it?”

“I..just..” She stuttered, Minah grew amused at her mother’s reaction.

“I just…..It’s just that I’ve always assumed that it would be Hyunwoo, you know. All those years of them being together, it’s like I’ve programmed myself to actually have him as my son-in-law. There I said it!”

Mr. Lee chuckled on his seat and reached for his wife’s hand.

“Eomma, there’s nothing wrong with Hyungwon.” Minah sighed at her, not admitting how questions were starting to pop out in her head.

“I know. I find no flaw in him and it bothers me. He’s painfully polite and well-mannered, and it doesn’t hurt that he is one of the Chae grandchildren too.”

“You were trying to find flaws in him?” Mr. Lee chuckled mored and his wife hissed at him.

“I just…I just wish we knew more, you know. I mean, your sister has not even showed them a single photo from their wedding day ever since she got home, what a strange girl she is.”

Minah could only nod back at her mother and she started eating.

She has a point, ever since Miyoung got home she didn’t even tell her details about her and Hyungwon. She never discussed how they met, shared how they fell in love.

Nothing.

Even when Minah asked for her documents so that she could process Miyoung’s take over for her office, she only gave her personal documents. Nothing about her husband and their child, and those two were technically her next of kin.

“Anyway, let’s not pressure her to talk. Maybe she’ll open when time comes. At least she’s home and she’s with us.”

“And not with our Hyunwoo.” Mr. Lee said teasingly, which earned him a slap in the arm.

Shownu kept pace with the girl as they stepped out of the elevator, she was staring at the two males ahead of them in wonder and also, horror.

“What are you thinking about, miss Hwang?” He asked her, she blinked and turned to him.

“Those two.” Her reply was quick, Hyungwon and Sehun were already steps ahead of them.

“Why?”

“Why are they chatting as if they’re friends?”

“They can’t be?” Shownu grew amused as she pursed her lips together, a sure sign that she was bothered and confused.

“No. But they’re too chummy, it’s like something is up and they’re not telling me. I’m worried.” She turned to him, Shownu smiled at her.

“What now?” She sighed at him.

“You don’t like it when your husband and best friend are getting along?” He said while buying his hands in his pockets.

“You ask me that, and yet I never asked why you were being strange earlier.”

Shownu stilled, Miyoung saw how his forehead creased at her words and she nudged him.

“Oppa, you’re like an open book. Don’t even try.”

“I—It’s nothing.” He fibbed, his eyes went to her wrists again, both were now covered with the coat she had on.

“You say that now.” Miyoung mused, knowing not to press him to talk.

“Well, if you need to talk about it, I’ll lend you my ears. I used to talk until yours bled when we were younger.” She grinned at him, Shownu looked at her and he felt his stomach tighten.

“I’m…going to agree with that.” He replied.

“But, Miyoung-ah, things…things are okay, right?”

“What do you mean?” She asked as they reached the revolving doors.

“I mean..things here..being back in Seoul, it’s alright…right?”

“I guess, it’s alright. Oppa, why are you being weird?” She let out a laugh, and Shownu couldn’t help but smile back.

Yes, keep on smiling.

“It’s nothing. Go, Hyungwon’s waiting.” Shownu nodded over to the two males, and then Miyoung balked as Sehun and Hyungwon laughed together.

“Why? What’s wrong?” Shownu asked her.

“I think I just witnessed one of my nightmares come true. Those two becoming bffs.” She muttered under her breath as she rushed towards them, Shownu watched as she shooed Sehun away and got inside the car.

Something’s up and you’re not telling me. And you’re probably never going to talk about it.

But, I feel like I have to protect you.

I have to.

I want to.

Sera’s cheeks were as pink as her Fendi purse as she stepped towards the counter, she as having lunch with her friends and she offered to pay for everything.

But, her credit cards didn’t seem to agree.

“Are you sure? Did you try again?” She questioned the male behind the counter.

“Yes, ma’am. Would you like another card?” He said in a polite tone that sickened her, Sera took out her wallet again.

“This, I’m sure it will go through.” She said through grtitted teeth as she handed her car card to the male.

“I didn’t. You were the one who told on her.”

“Well, I had to because you were planning to broadcast to the whole school~”

“Well, if she wasn’t being such a towards sweet potato ahjussi then I wouldn’t have to tell the school that she has eleven toes!”

Sera paused, recognizing those voices. She turned her head and then her brows went up, she was right. It was Miyoung and Sehun, with her husband and Shownu.

Her forehead crumpled and her fingers curled around the strap of her purse tightly.

“Oh, Sera.” Miyoung blurted out, surprised to see her. Sera had to stop herself from smirking at the girl, she always did have a knack at being coy. Her eyes went to the three males surrounding the girl.

I used to buy your “one of the boys” act until I realized that you’ve always been a flirt.

“I’ll go reserve us a table.” Shownu spoke, Sera noticed how his eyes were on the other girl as he talked. Miyoung, like the old times, faced him and nodded.

Just like high school, she controlled you. How pathetic.

“Oppa, don’t be like this.” Sera spoke, Shownu paused and turned to her. Sehun and Hyungwon looked at each other, waiting.

“Don’t be awkward with me.” She continued, Shownu gave her a small smile.

“It’s good to see you.” He spoke, Hyungwon noticed how Miyoung’s fists were curled tightly.

“Excuse me, ma’am. This card won’t work as well, it has been denied by your issuing bank.”

Sehun looked at the male behind the counter and he tilted his head. Sera’s eyes widened and she paled.

“What?” She was stunned, Hyungwon looked away, hiding his smile.

“Which bank is that? Is that your card with us?” Shownu asked her, and then he saw the credit card. His eyes went to Hyungwon.

“It’s been denied? I don’t think you’re the type to be able to max out your cards, I mean, you don’t shop like Miyoung,” Sehun said in a playful tone.

“Well, her cards really don’t have a limit so, my best friend cannot relate.” Sehun chuckled and casually hooked one arm around the girl’s neck, Sera turned away from then.

“I’ll just call them later, I’ll pay in cash.” Sera said with a controlled smile and she faced the counter again.

“Are you sure? I can~”

“Hyung, she doesn’t need help. And you don’t need to invite her to our table, she already ate. Come on.” Sehun spoke as he walked ahead, pulling Miyoung along with him.

Shownu turned to Sera again before excusing himself, Hyungwon lingered a few steps behind the group.

“I don’t understand.” He spoke, Sera turned to him, stunned that he had spoken to her.

“Yes?”

“Why you try so hard. He’s never going to choose you.” The corners of his lips quirked up and he walked past her.

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