Soojin yanked the Levante’s door and slid in the car with ease, Shownu glanced at her.

“What? I don’t have the time to wait for you to open the door for me.” She said as the male shifted gears and watched as she put on her seatbelt.

“I’m glad you invited Jisoo and her friends.”

“I did realize that I need new ones, I can’t be stuck with you forever.” She pointed out, Shownu scoffed and stepped on the pedal.

“How are the things with your office coming along? Do you need help?” He asked, referring to the office space the Swiss Bank had rented, Shownu signed the contract the other day.

“Not really, I have people coming over tomorrow to deliver furniture, don’t worry, I’ll call~”

“I’ll be there with lunch.” Shownu replied, the girl nodded and glanced at the window, she saw the huge buildings ahead of them.

“Jisoo lives here.”

“Ah, I haven’t been here in a while, what do they call it now?” Soojin puffed her cheeks, she grimaced, realizing how tall the infrastructures were.

“They still call it condominium complexes, or penthouses.”

“I could never live in such a high place. It’s terrifying.” She shuddered, Shownu smiled and eased the car into the curb.

“Will you be drinking tonight?” He asked as he put the car on park.

“I want to. Can I?” She nodded, Shownu smiled and unbuckled his seatbelt.

“I’ll go ask call Jisoo. Wait in the car.”

Soojin leaned back on her seat and browsed through her phone, she got a few messages from Mr. Schmid.

“He better send someone soon, I can’t do things alone.” She muttered to herself, she saw Jisoo step out of the revolving doors with Shownu.

“They look cute together.” She grinned to herself and waved back at Jisoo as they neared the car.

“Soojin doesn’t really want to show her face at their family home yet, so..she’s stuck with me or I’m stuck with her.” Shownu mused as they walked towards his car, Jisoo grinned.

“Family issues?”

“Not really, her and her father aren’t..on the best terms right now.” Shownu carefully stated, they reached the Maserati. Soojin looked up from her briefly to wave at them and she grew busy again. Jisoo paused, her brows went up as she faced Shownu again.

“Can you give me a minute?” He gave her an apologetic grin as he brought his phone to his ear.

“No, it’s fine. Is this about CJ and E deal?” Shownu asked soft tone, Jisoo chewed on her lower lip and opened the car’s back passenger door.

“Oh no, he’s working again.” Jisoo heard Soojin grumble as she pressed the window button and it rolled down.

“Hey, talk on Monday. It’s a weekend, Son Hyunwoo.” Soojin hollered, Jisoo grew amused and looked at her boyfriend. Shownu made a face at his friend before tucking his phone away in his coat pocket.

“They should let their Golden Boy rest. That’s enough harassing you.” She called out, Shownu rolled his eyes and got in the car.

“Thank you for calling him out on that.” Jisoo mused from the backseat.

“Of course.”

“Please, don’t gang up on the driver.” Shownu pointed out with a grin before driving away from the complex.

“This is a new place, huh?” Soojin asked as she crossed her legs, Seri nodded before sipping on her drink. The two girls were seated at their own table, waiting for Jisoo and her friends to come back with more drinks.

“It is, I think it opened a few months ago.”

“The Chaes aren’t coming?” Soojin’s eyes scanned the area, she spotted Shownu and Jisoo by the bar, the two were chatting and she smiled as she saw the look on her friend’s face. The male was smiling like a fool as his girlfriend spoke to him.

“You know their little one can be a handful, they decided to stay home.” Seri mused, Soojin chuckled, remembering their friend’s toddler.

“A legit excuse.” Soojin laughed under her breath.

“You know, I don’t get it.” The Im girl spoke after a few minutes of silence, Seri tilted her head before speaking.

“Your dad?”

“Yeah, I don’t understand why he has to get married. I mean, I’m not against it, but he knows halbae and halmae does not approve of her. Plus, does he really think that him and that girl would last? You’ve met her.” Soojin pointed out as she finished her martini.

“Did you check if your father prepared a prenup? Just to be sure.” Seri asked her, Soojin exhaled and leaned back on then padded seat.

“I don’t know, should I ask?”

“You should check.” Seri nodded at her, Soojin fiddled with her watch before speaking.

“How’s work? It hasn’t been long since you transferred.” She grinned, Soojin let out a long sigh at her question.

“Oh, this is going to be good.” Soojin pulled the bowl of pistachios to her.

“Abeoji thinks we can adjust some laws to our tastes. My grandfather is even worse, I don’t even know why I’m still with them. Should I retire early?”

“And, do what?”

“Let my brother take over.” Seri hummed with a grin, Soojin shook her head.

“I don’t think he’d fall for that.”

Seri was about to stand to ask for another round when a group of three guys walked up to them.

“Hey, are these seats taken?” The man who was wearing a boldly printed Versace silk shirt asked casually.

“Yes, our friends are just getting drinks.” Seri replied, always the diplomat, while Soojin remained silent.

“Come on, you’ve got to use new lines. Everyone knows that’s a lie, pretty face.” Versace leaned forward and sat down, his two pals followed.

“No, our friends are really-”

“Don’t be like that, drinks are on us.” Silk Shirt Number Two chimed in, Soojin felt his hand on the back of her chair and she sent Seri a look.

“Really, we came with friends. And they’ll be back soon.” Seri grimaced as the other male took the seat next to her, and he inched closer to her.

“Is it your first time here? You seem like new faces.” Versace hummed and winked at them, Soojin grimaced.

“Yes, it’s our first time here. My father usually doesn’t let me go out alone at night.” Soojin finally spoke, Seri mentally grimaced and started looking around.

“Really? Why? Is it because his daughter is so beautiful that he’s afraid~”

“No, it’s because he’s a mafia lord. Appa tends to have the worst tantrums, one time this classmate of mine sat too close to me that he cut off his balls. With a bread knife.” Soojin said with a sweet smile as she faced the males, the table grew eerily quiet.

“Oh no.” Seri muttered under her breath, Shownu glanced at their table and she set him a look.

“H—Hey, no need to make up s—stories like that, we’re trying to be friends.”

“Does it look like I’m joking?” Soojin cocked her head and tucked her hair behind her ears.

“Look, if you’re not interested you could have just said so, no need to be rude about it.” Silk Shirt Number Three scoffed at her.

“Sure, who wants to go first? What kind of knife would you like?” Soojin shot back with a smirk, one of the males stood up and slammed his palm on the table

“You~”

“Are things okay?” Another masculine voice asked, Seri felt Shownu’s presence behind her, she turned her head and saw his hand on Soojin’s shoulder, holding her back. Seri hid her grin, it was like high school all over again, with the older boy having to prevent Soojin from picking a fight.

The males eyed Shownu warily, he met their gazes, unbothered.

“Your girls are feisty.” Versace smirked at him as he slid down from the seat, his two friends followed. Soojin was about to open but Shownu beat her to it.

“They aren’t required to be nice to everyone.” He simply replied before sitting across the two.

“You should have let me speak my mind.” Soojin said as Shownu waved for the waiter, and asked for more drinks.

“I’m glad he didn’t.” Seri chuckled, Shownu exhaled and looked at Soojin.

“Let’s not pick fights, Im Soo, it hasn’t even been a month since you got here.” He said to her, Soojin made a face at him and shoved more pistachios in .

“It’s pretty late, do you want to get something to eat before going home? Just something to absorb the alcohol.” Shownu mused as he took Jisoo’s hand in his, the two were walking back to his car. The valet had offered to come get it, but the couple preferred not to.

“Fast food would help.” Jisoo said with a small smile.

“I’m glad you had fun. And, I’m glad you put up with my friends.” Shownu chuckled, pulling her closer to him.

“Well, Seri has always been quiet but I love it when she talks. She used to scare me, you know. She’s..such a career woman, not in a bad way, but she’s…intimidating. And ridiculously pretty.” Jisoo blabbered on.

"Well, she’s always wanted to be a lawyer since we were kids." He replied good-naturedly.

“Hmmm, Soojin too. She’s quite something, huh?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve always seen her as this..mystery, you know. Because she’s always out of town, and spending time with her now, like..a lot of time, I just realized..in real life, she’s…really something.”

“Is that a good thing? I do hope you two get along.”

“Oh, I like her. Although, I don’t know if she feels the same. She’s not how I imagined her to be, not like how I heard about her.”

Shownu chuckled, they were already near his car.

“My friends said how she can be a bit..prissy and cold, turns out she’s not.”

He nodded along and unlocked the vehicle, Shownu opened the door for her and the girl faced him.

“How long have you two known each other?” She asked him, he tilted his head before speaking.

“Since we were babies, our families are old friends.”

“And, you two always got along well?” She asked as she slid inside the car, Shownu was smiling as he leaned down to kiss her cheek.

“Oddly, yes. Luckily, Changkyun came along.”

Jisoo let out a laugh.

“But, she came home so suddenly, is her boyfriend okay with that?” Jisoo stated, curious.

“She doesn’t have one. Come on, let’s go get something to eat.” Shownu mused, the girl nodded and watched as he shut the door. Jisoo leaned back on the seat and carefully put on her seatbelt.

“So, she’s been staying with the Sons all this time?” Chairman Im spoke, Changkyun looked up from his plate.

“Yes, at one of their hotels, noona took one of the suites.”

“Your eldest?” The woman beside his father spoke, Changkyun mentally grimaced. He had messaged his sister to join them for brunch, he knew she saw his text but Soojin didn’t reply.

“Why didn’t she head straight home?” Mr. Im asked as he checked his sandwich.

“Right, I’m sure we can prepare her room right away. The maids are always~”

Changkyun saw his father’s secretary rush into the room and pushed the double doors open, one of their female staff held the other panel.

“I’d like a mimosa, and, my usual brunch.” Soojin strode in wearing a matching tweed skirt suit and a pair of pearl earrings. Changkyun watched as his father’s fiancé shrunk down on her seat.

“Yes, it’s good to see you, young miss.” The maid bowed with a smile, Soojin grinned and winked at her.

“Hello, secretary Yoon.” Soojin greeted her father’s longtime assistant before taking her seat beside her brother.

“Soojin-ah,” Mr. Im cleared his throat, his daughter met his gaze and put on a polite smile.

“I hope Changkyun’s invitation to me for brunch was sanctioned. I wasn’t sure if I really am invited.” She spoke as her glass was being filled with water.

“Of course you’re always welcome to come home, Soojin.” Mr. Im sent her a look as the girl’s favorite dishes were being served, she smiled at the bacon and waffles.

“Is that so, abeoji?” Her short reply made the room grow eerily quiet, even their father’s secretary quietly left the hall.

“If this is about the wedding, I was going to call you. But, things got hectic and it slipped my mind~”

“How convenient.” She replied as she picked up her fork and put some sausages on her plate.

“You invited my mother, but not me, your daughter.” Soojin commented, her eyes went to the woman beside her father.

“Makes one wonder.” She continued, Changkyun flinched on his seat but he continued eating.

“What your father said is right, we got really busy with the wedding preparations and there’s a lot of things going on. We even~”

“I didn’t ask you.” She said with a saccharin smile, the lady shut .

“Soojin-ah, be nice. She’s part of our family now.” Her father sternly said, Soojin simply put food in .

“Now, tell me, what kind of assignment did they give you? Why send you here?”

“I am to meet clients.”

“Do you need my help?” Chairman Im asked, Soojin tilted her head before shaking it.

“No, why would you offer to help now, abeoji? Didn’t you just say that you’re so busy with wedding preparations?” Soojin chuckled, the chairman’s fiancé flinched but she looked away from the girl.

“I wouldn’t want to get in the way.” The eldest spoke in between bites.

“When are you going to join your brother then?” The elder said as Soojin refilled her mimosa, Changkyun sent his father a dry look.

“Depends. Maybe if Swiss Bank ever fires me.”

“Im Soojin, I’m not getting any younger, you should be helping~”

“We are not having this talk, abeoji. I’m not done with my work yet.” She said, the elder exhaled and shrugged.

“Fine. Will you be at YooMin’s event this Wednesday?”

“Ah, right, the Sons are throwing a party. It’s for their new building in Ansan, right, darling?” The lady spoke again.

“Probably. Hyunwoo didn’t tell me anything. Yet.” Soojin said as she poured syrup on her waffles.

“Well, going with Hyunwoo may not be proper. You should call Baekho, you two are friends too, right?”

“Well, I can call him later.”

“Are things with hyung and him okay?” Changkyun asked quietly, Soojin pursed her lips.

“Honestly, I don’t know.”

“Those two shouldn’t be pitted against each other, they’re cousins.” Mr. Im chimed in, Changkyun frowned and resumed eating.

“Abeoji, it’s not like it’s their fault. It’s Baekho’s parents, they’re the problem.” She muttered under her breath, her father sent a look.

“What did I tell you by being picking sides?” His father stated, Changkyun grinned to himself, his sister has a very famous answer for that one.

“I am to be neutral because it’s a family affair. And that, I pick Hyunwoo's side.” She solemnly spoke, the elder sighed and continued eating.

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