“It’s not that easy.”

“It is. Just make an offer and get it over with.” Jaehee pointed out as she picked up a few cartons of milk, Hyungwon glanced at her and sighed.

“It’s a company, a whole company, we’re tying to acquire, young miss. Not a bag of chips.”

“Same thing.” She shrugged at him, Hyungwon sighed and just pushed the cart forward.

“Why are you still here and not getting ready?” He asked her as they reached the fresh produce area, Jaehee blinked at him.

“Don’t you have that party tonight? You should get going.” He chided as he picked up some onions, Jaehee shook her head.

“I have like two hours, Hyungwon. Don’t be too obvious that you just want to get rid of me.” She pointed out, Hyungwon let out a chuckle and urged her to move forward.

“So, you and Heejin, huh?” She asked as she padded after him, the male sighed in reply.

“Come on, I know she likes you. I can feel it.”

“No. You’re just imagining things. Do I need eggs at home?” He asked, the girl nodded and grab some for him.

“Come on, even twelve year old Juyeon noticed it.”

“Let’s go get some chips.” Hyungwon said, ignoring her statements. Jaehee grinned and followed him.

“So, she doesn’t have a chance? What if things work between you two? I mean, I’m sure your parents would approve of her, she’s nice and polite.” She stated, Hyungwon turned to her.

“She’s like a sister to me. Like you. But, you’re a bit of a pest.”

“Hey!”

Hyungwon grinned and mussed her hair before facing the aisle of chips again.

“Besides, describing her as nice and polite is quite mean of you, miss Lee.”

“Mean? Mean?!” She repeated while grabbing a bag of Lays.

“You mentioned just those things, so she’s not pretty or beautiful? Look, you’re the mean one.”

“Hey, it’s the inside that matters!”

Hyungwon raised his brows at her, the girl gasped and covered .

“I mean..she’s pretty too. I guess.”

“This conversation won’t end well, let’s get some coffee and those crackers you like so much so I can drop you off.”

“But, if she’ll confess to you, she has a chance, right?”

“Depends if you shut your mouth.”

“Chae Hyungwon!”

 

 

 

Chanyeol was beaming as he saw Jaehee walk in the party, the girl looked a little lost as she waded through crowds in her printed Fendi tube dress with matching heels. But as always, she looked beautiful that it almost hurt.

“Jaehee-ya!”

The girl’s eyes focused on him and she smiled.

“I’m sorry I’m a little late. I had to do help Hyungwon with some stuff. But,” She looked around with a smile before facing him.

“Great party. And congratulations!” She said over the loud music, Chanyeol smiled and simply leaned over to kiss her cheek, her eyes widened briefly but she grinned at him.

“Come, my friends are already here.” He took her hand and led her to one of the booths at the back, Jaehee looked around, seeing some familiar faces in the crowd, most of them were singers or TV personalities. She grimaced slightly as the loud beats made the hairs on her back rise.

“Jaehee, finally you’re here!”

She smiled before taking a seat, Chanyeol ordered some drinks for the group and the girl leaned back on her chair. Chanyeol and his friends were discussing about their surfing trip in a couple of days and she suddenly realized how intense it was going to be.

She puffed her cheeks and checked the time on the Audemars timepiece, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Did you just check the time?” Chanyeol asked with a teasing grin, the girl blinked at him.

“I think I left my phone in the car.” She replied, he chuckled and nodded back.

“Don’t even think about going home early, I’m sure Juyeon can manage being alone for a few hours.” He lightly said, Jaehee shook her head. Their parents had left for Moscow this morning, her father suddenly had an emergency meeting there, and they would be gone for a few weeks.

“I’ll go get my phone. I’ll be back.” Jaehee whispered to him, Chanyeol nodded and made way for her as she left the booth, the girl scrunched her nose as she waded through the crowd again. She didn’t really enjoy being in a room filled with slightly tipsy people, and the dim lights and loud music didn’t help either.

She got out of the club and took her phone out from her purse, she typed in a quick text to her brother.

Are you still up?

Noona, it’s only ten thirty. -Juyeon

She sighed and leaned back against the wall, she saw her Audi right across the street and frowned at it. It was just so tempting to hop in and drive away, then she could go home, wash off her make up and sleep.

Is something wrong, noona? Do you need me to come by and pick you up? -Juyeon

She tilted her head and chewed on her lower lip. Sure, it was fun being around Chanyeol and his friends, she didn’t really mind how loud they can get. Chanyeol’s presence has always been calming to her, he did often make her try new things that she would never do.

But being in a party, and having to stay up late was probably her boundary. She missed her bed so much.

So, she did what she did best. Call Juyeon and ask for help.

“Noona,” He answered.

“Actually, I think I had a bit too much to drink and my tummy feels funny. Can you get a taxi for me? I’m here at~”

“No, I’ll take a taxi and I can drive you home.” Juyeon replied, she smiled, thankful for a younger brother who wasn’t a brat.

“Does Chanyeol hyung know? Why can’t he drive you~”

“No, I didn’t tell him. He’s busy entertaining guests. Will you be here in ten minutes? I’m hungry.” She asked.

“I’ll grab something to eat on the way.”

 

 

 

Hyungwon picked up his fork and stared at the steak on his plate, he was about to dig in when his mother started talking.

“How are things with you? Does that ahjumma come by to clean you place regularly?” She asked, Hyungwon nodded back while chewing.

“She comes by three times a week, eomma. But, who decided that we eat here?”

Hyungwon saw his father grinning at them.

“They told me this was a god place.”

“For couples on their dates. Look at how this place is decorated.” Mrs. Chae hissed at her husband, Hyungwon eyed the pink and gold curtains on the wall, accented with white hearts floating on the ceiling. He chuckled and continued eating.

“How’s work, son?”

“It’s fine, abeoji. Did you see the files submitted manager Roh’s office?”

“I have. What do you think?”

“I think he needs a break. A permanent one.” Hyungwon replied with a shrug, his mother slapped his arm.

“Be nice! He was a friend of your grandfather’s.”

“Exactly, he should be resting at home. All his ideas are archaic, we need young blood on the company. Remember years back? He was the one who was so against to us starting the online banking movement.” Hyungwon pointed out, being his usual blunt self, Mr. Chae shrugged at his wife, not wanting to argue with his son.

“Well, I’ll look into it. Do you have anything new in mind?”

“I was thinking about targeting younger clients. High school kids, our move to open accounts with struggling university students was a big success. How about we allow something similar to younger kids?” He began, Mrs. Chae smiled at her son as the two men conversed about work.

“Right! I heard Heejin dropped by your office the other day. I didn’t know she was back in town.” She said, Hyungwon simply nodded back at her.

“Well, son?”

“Well, what, eomma?”

“The first person she visited is you, what could that mean?”

“That…she needs more friends?”

“Chae Hyungwon!”

Hyungwon sighed and his father chuckled on his seat before dabbing his lips with a napkin.

“Son, why not give her a chance? She’s a nice girl.” Mr. Chae intervened, Hyungwon looked at him.

“We’re just friends, abeoji. I don’t see her that way.”

“Then, why not give her a chance? She’s always been very vocal about how she likes you.” Mrs. Chae hummed with a smile.

“And, I like her. We know her family too.”

“We’re just friends, eomma. I don’t see her that way.” Hyungwon repeated, his mother sighed at him and went back to eating.

“How’s Jaehee doing? She sent us a box of flavored croissants last week.” Mr. Chae asked with a smile.

“Ah, your other child? She’s doing okay, I think.” Hyungwon replied as he picked up his drink.

“Well, how about you invite her to appa’s birthday next week, I’d love to see her.” Mrs. Chae was smiling at the mention of her father’s party, well the Lotte Group clan always loved parties.

“Eomma, that would pointless.”

“Why? Will she not come?”

“No, isn’t she always invited?”

“Ah, right.”

“Our other child.” Mr. Chae mused at his wife.

 

 

 

“She wasn’t feeling well?” Hyungwon made a face as he stood by the kitchen counter, he was at Lee house to drop off the snacks Jaehee made him buy the day before.

Juyeon nodded over his coffee.

“She was fine when I dropped her off here.”

“She said she drank too much.” Juyeon replied, Hyungwon snorted and sat down on one of the stools, he poured himself some coffee.

“And, you bought that?”

“Well…I did, hyung.” Jueyone slowly blinked at him, Hyungwon was about to reply when they heard footsteps approach the kitchen. Jaehee appeared, already dressed in a pair of nicely fitting skinny jeans, an off shoulder corset type top and platform sneakers.

“Wow, is this what a hangover looks like? You even had the time to curl your hair.” Hyungwon said dryly, Juyeon pressed his lips together, not wanting to laugh.

“I didn’t know you’d be coming over. Unannounced, as usual.” Jaehee said to him as she joined them.

“Juyeon said you went home early last night.”

“Is that like a bad thing?” She muttered as she picked up her chopsticks and started eating, Hyungwon pulled her hair back before it the strands could touch the rice and tucked them behind her ear.

“And that you had too much to drink that’s why your stomach felt weird. Really?”

Jaehee sighed and looked at him, Juyeon let out a chuckle.

“Okay, fine. It was too dark inside, and it smelled funny. Maybe it was all the sweat coming from people, or just those hormones being emitted when humans get . I don’t know. It was dark and smelly.”

“It’s a club, Jaehee. It is supposed to be dark. And it’s your boyfriend’s party.”

Juyeon leaned back on his chair, of course, only one person could call his sister out on her crap and fake alibis. It was Hyungwon.

“Exactly, it’s his party. I don’t have to stay as long as he will.”

Hyungwon shook his head and started eating.

“I mean, it’s his kind of fun. And, I just..didn’t really see the point of..staying out too late. I got tired.”

“You were there for like…twenty minutes, noona.”

Jaehee shushed him, Hyungwon looked at her.

“Did you even tell him that you needed to leave because you weren’t feeling well?” Hyungwon asked as he took another spoonful of beef, Juyeon turned to his sister.

Jaehee stopped moving.

“Wow.” Hyungwon deadpanned.

“, I meant to text him.” She scrambled back to her room, Juyeon grimaced and continued eating.

“Hyung, how’d you know?”

“What? That she was lying?”

“Yes.” Juyeon chuckled, Hyungwon grinned at him.

“She was never a fan of clubs, you know your sister.”

 

 

 

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