Chapter 8 | Care for some tea?

“Hey, ate! I didn’t see you there.” Joy flinched when she saw her sister drinking tea in their kitchen. She took some water but spilled one-fourth of it from surprise.

“You seed oddly excited.” Irene noticed there’s something new with Joy’s mood.

“I thought you were with Seul? Wendy and I asked her to come to dinner with us but she told us she was rushing to see you.” Joy sat beside Irene on one of the stools in their mini bar.

Irene didn’t know what to give Joy as an excuse this time. She gets nervous whenever Joy asks her about Seulgi. Sometimes, she thinks why Joy chose her major when her sister is so good at investigating.

“Uhm, she told me she needed to run some errands.” Irene could only say this. The more she lies, the more she’d have to lie again.

“I see.” Joy took a sip from her glass. The reason she wanted to drink water was because she got too thirsty from her and Wendy’s endless conversations over dinner. “Ate, take care of my best friend, okay? Seul’s always taking care of everyone else but herself.” She told her sister. Her best friend deserves it all.

“You’re seriously putting that up with my girlfriend? Go up and get some sleep. You’re being creepy.” Irene playfully slapped her sister’s shoulder.

“Whose girlfriend?” Yeri popped like a mushroom in between Irene and Joy. “Hey, Ate Irene! You have a girlfriend?” She asked her eldest sister.

This was what Irene was afraid of. These questions are making her anxious. She could only look at Joy to ask for help.

“Not my story to tell.” Joy alternated glances from Irene to Yeri.

“Maria Katherine Yeri Bae! Would you shut up! Mom and dad will hear!” It was Irene who was shouting in panic.

“You’re the one being too loud, ate!” Yeri, the youngest, countered. “Do you want me to call you Maria Irene Joohyun Bae? Will you be glad at that?”

Irene was reminded of Seulgi’s teasing. This was exactly like it. What more if Yeri would join forces with Seulgi? It would be chaos for sure. Just thinking about it make her head ache.

“Wooh, drop the mic!” Joy was just enjoying this moment. For once, it’s her Ate Irene who’s arguing with Yeri.

“Maria Joy Sooyoung Bae!” Irene could only reprimand her sister. Clearly in panic, she just says whatever’s the first thing on her mind.

“Dang, you’re being too loud. Why don’t you just say who your girlfriend is so that this midget would shut up?” Joy rolled her eyes.

“If I’m a midget, then what do you call Ate Irene? An elf?” Yeri chimed.

“Oh, I’m not the one who said that.” Joy turned her gaze away from their eldest attempting to giggle a bit with Yeri’s comment.

In almost a whisper, Irene said Seulgi’s name. She knew, Yeri would push all her buttons just to know the tea.  

“What was that? Do you want me to wake up mom and dad if you won’t say that a bit louder?” Yeri was getting more impatient at this moment because she cannot lipread what her eldest sister is saying.

“Seulgi. Are we good?” Irene quickly stood and rushed through the stairs