Heejin was smiling as she took her seat across the male, Hyungwon was checking the menu.

“Do you have any allergies?” He asked the girl, Heejin shook her head and put her purse aside.

“I can’t anything, oppa.” She replied, Hyungwon gave her a quick smile, he raised his hand for the waiter.

“We’re not waiting for Jaehee unnie? She may have something she wants to eat.” Heejin said as she picked up the menu, the waiter walked towards them. Hyungwon asked for some wine before speaking to her.

“Jaehee usually orders the same thing.” He shrugged in reply, Heejin nodded back at him.

It was silent for a few minutes, Heejin glanced at the older male, Hyungwon was checking his phone. It was probably work, he was always so busy.

“Oppa, next week…do you~”

“She’s here.” Hyungwon suddenly spoke as Jaehee appeared by the doors, she was smiling as she walked up to them.

“Was traffic that bad?” Hyungwon asked as the girl took her seat.

“No, it was fine. I had a meeting this morning, it was…bloody.” She muttered before facing Heejin, she grinned at her.

“So, what did I miss?” She asked, Hyungwon leaned over and his fingers hovered over her left ear, Heejin looked at him.

“Your hair got tangled with your earring.” He commented before pulling away, Jaehee scrunched her nose at him and patted her hair down.

“Oppa ordered food for us, he mentioned you order the same thing every time.” Heejin added, Jaehee chuckled.

“I kinda do, so, how’s work?” She said as the waiter returned with their wine and starters.

“I started a few days ago, so far, I haven’t really lost much sleep over it. But, appa is a bit…”

“True, when I started working, abeoji was always calling and asking questions, but it’ll pass. Right, Hyungwon-ah?” Jaehee turned to him, he looked up from his phone, and blinked at her.

Jaehee almost sighed, but their food had arrived.

“Unnie, do you have plans this weekend?” Heeji began as they picked up their utensils.

“You do. Minhyuk’s party.” Hyungwon replied, the girl paused and looked at him.

“Is it his birthday?”

“No, a company event. You said you’d come.” Hyungwon eyes narrowed briefly and then he started cooking.

“You know what, you should come and be my plus one.” Jaehee chirped, Heejin paused, her eyes went to Hyungwon briefly.

“I—Is that okay? I don’t want to~”

“Eat slowly.” Hyungwon commented, Jaehee paused, her lips curled up.

“Just come with us, okay? Minhyuk won’t mind.” She said as she finished her pasta, Hyungwon’s eyes went to her.

“I took a cab here.” She said to him, Hyungwon eyes went to her.

“Unnie, where~”

“Can you lend me your car? I’m kind of needed back at the office, I’d ask Juyeon to pick me up but~”

“Lee Jaehee.” Hyungwon said, his tone sharper than intended, it frightened Heejin. But Jaehee was grinning at him.

“Pretty please?”

“We talked about this.”

“You did. I didn’t listen, now, car keys?” She stretched one arm to him, Hyungwon’s forehead creased but he reached for his coat pocket.

“Grow up, please.”

“Later.”

 

 

 

“I called your sister’s office, she’s not around.”

Juyeon glanced at his mother as they walked into the department store. He had just finished classes when the elder called and asked him to accompany her.

“She’s probably out for lunch, eomma.”

“I thought she preferred eating at her office?”

“With Hyungwon hyung, I think. And another friend.” Juyeon replied, his mother smiled and nodded.

“Ah, right, how’s your sister doing?”

“What do you mean, eomma?” He asked as they got on the escalator, the elder smiled and hooked arms with her son.

“Do you think she’s seeing someone? Because, I had lunch my sister last week,”

Juyeon’s brows went up slightly, his mother didn’t notice how he had tensed up.

“R—Really? What did auntie say?”

She didn’t seem to hear his question because she went on to ask more questions.

“Your sister’s not hiding a boyfriend from us, right?”

“W—Why is she not…allowed to have one?”

“It’s not like that, you silly. Of course, I’d like to meet him if she ever has one.” She continued as they entered one of her favorite pastry shops.

“Why? Did you think your father and I would give the man trouble? We’re not that type of parents.”

“I don’t think so, eomma.” He mused at her as he picked out some cookies.

“Why?”

“It’s nothing, can we get that cake noona likes so much? The one with strawberries?”

“Okay, let’s get that.”

Juyeon glanced at his mother, he exhaled before joining her by the counter.

“What if I don’t like the guy, eomma?”

“What?”

“What if I don’t like the guy noona’s seeing.” He repeated, Mrs. Lee looked at him.

“What are you saying?”’

“Just…what if, eomma.” Juyeon shrugged and asked for the cake.

“Then, you talk to your sister. I’m sure she’ll hear you out, what a jealous boy you are.”

 

 

 

Hyungwon watched as his Audi sped off, he heard Heejin walking behind him. He faced the girl just as she stood next to him.

“Did you like the food? Jaehee asked me to choose the restaurant, I should have asked you before making a reservation.”

“No, I had a nice time, oppa. The food was great.” Heejin was in the process of searching for her keys in her purse.

Hyungwon checked his watch briefly and nodded at her.

“About the party unnie mentioned, I know it made you uncomfortable. I can..back out of it and call her the day before. I know that Minhyuk oppa is a close friend of yours too, and I don’t want to seem like I’m intruding.”

“It’s fine, Jaehee will just ask questions. Anyway,” Hyungwon slowly went down the steps, Heejin walked with him.

“Oppa, I can drive you back to the city, I~”

“Heejin-ah, can we talk?” Hyungwon finally met her gaze, the younger girl nodded in reply.

“Yes, of course.”

Hyungwon pressed his lips together and put one hand in his pant pocket.

“I know…I know what you’re trying to do, and I’m aware of how Jaehee seems to have been very..helpful with it. But,”

Heejin’s forehead creased, but she nodded at him.

“I appreciate that you’ve been trying to reach to me. To us. However, I really would appreciate if we remain as friends.”

Heejin paused, but she slowly nodded, not really knowing what to say.

“It’s not that something is wrong with you, you’re a good friend. I’ve known you since we were kids. It’s just that I really think we would be better off as friends.” Hyungwon continued with a small smile.

“I…Maybe you’re right, oppa. Anyway, my car is~” Heejin paused when she noticed a black Mercedes Benz sedan roll into the curb, Hyungwon turned to her again.

“It’s fine. I’m kind of in a rush. See you around.” He said before giving a small smile, Heejin watched as the car’s driver stepped down from the car and opened the door for him.

Heejin let out a shaky breath and quietly got inside her car.

 

 

 

Jaehee tugged on her ponytail gently let her curls down, she was already on her way to her car when she heard someone calling her name.

She paused and saw Chanyeol jogging towards her, her eyebrows grew knitted together.

“Jaehee-ya,”

Her fingers curled around her car keys and she nodded at him.

“Is this…a bad time?”

“I was just..about to head home, oppa.”

“You’re going home early today.” He carefully said, sensing the girl’s hesitance.

“Yes, Juyeon wants to have dinner together. What..What brings you here without calling?” She replied as she took a quick glance around them, the parking lot was empty except for the security guards roaming around.

Chanyeol followed her gaze and let out a small sigh.

“Jaehee-ya, is something..wrong?”

“What..do you mean, oppa?”

“You left us there. At the beach. I thought you were having fun, you were looking forward to surfing.” Chanyeol reached for her free hand.

“I was. I mean, it was fun.” She quickly said, Chanyeol nodded back at her.

“So, what went wrong? Did something happen and~”

“No, no. I just…I just wasn’t feeling well, and I didn’t want to dampen the mood, oppa. Your friends were there too, and…you needed the break.”

“Still, you should have told me that you were going to leave.” Chanyeol reached for cheek, but the girl moved back.

“I..kind of have to go, oppa. Juyeon’s waiting. My parents are home too.” She said as she pressed the button on her keyfob, the Audi’s lights blinked.

“You changed cars?”

“No. It’s…Hyungwon’s. I really have to go. Call me later if you want.” She stated before turning away from the male, Chanyeol watched as she got inside the R8 and drove off.

He let out a shaky breath before walking back to his car.

“I wanted to talk things out, Lee Jaehee.”

 

 

 

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