When Jaehyun strode through the tinted glass doors, there was a series of raised heads and hushed whispers. He had grown up receiving a good amount of attention, but he knew that he wasn’t the source of the morning crowd’s impolite gawking.

Standing outside the doors, a woman with leopard-print sunglasses on her nose and arms crossed over her ribs tapped her foot impatiently, shooting Jaehyun an expectant look. She eyed the door, as though annoyed it wasn’t opened yet – better yet, as though it would open itself. She haughtily flicked her ice-blonde curls over her shoulders, accentuating her point. There was only two people who Jaehyun knew thought they were above opening doors, and she was one of them. Jaehyun stifled the urge to roll his eyes, backtracking to the door and tugging it open for her.

Frowning slightly at his tardy instincts, she daintily stepped over the threshold, bypassing the crowd and making her way right to the cashier. Jaehyun bowed his apologies to the line she cut, following quickly behind her.

“One double ristretto, venti, half-soy, non-fat, decaf, iced vanilla double shot mocha frappucino,” the woman said, her coffee order sounding more like a arithmetic formula. “Also, I’d like extra chocolate syrup, and no whipped cream.” She cocked her head, catching the sight of Jaehyun with narrowed eyes. “Please put it on his tab.”

Jaehyun stared as she pranced to the sitting area, leaving even the cashier gaping. He sighed, handing his card to the cashier. “And one iced Americano, please.”

He strolled to the woman, who had made herself all-too-comfortable on a plush beige armchair. “Did Taecyeon-hyung cancel your cards again, Sooyeon-noona?” he asked, pulling a chair across her.

“No,” she said. She removed her sunglasses with a flourish and clipped them in an unnecessarily expensive-looking velvet box. “I just figured that since you don’t have a girl to spend money on, you might as well spend some on me.”

Jaehyun proceeded to just roll his eyes, eased out of his customary morning politeness. It was a habit he picked up in grad school and clinical training, but it would be quickly switched off at the presence of Sooyeon – rather, both his sisters.

Jaehyun had two older sisters – one five years older and the other one year, but both acted like they were a whole generation younger than him. They were typical trust fund babies spoilt rotten by excess and excessively adoring parents, accustomed to having doors opened and red carpets rolled out for them – the type to cry bloody murder when the latest limited-edition Hermes sold out in Milan. They were the bane of society and also Jaehyun’s existence, but for some reason they always sought to get meddle in it.

“You should get married,” Sooyeon said, like it was the easiest decision in the world, like her younger brother wasn’t putting out the flames of marriage every single day at his ing job. She tucked her hair behind her ear with a perfectly manicured nail. “I mean, those good looks of yours aren’t going to last forever.”

Jaehyun chuckled. “That’s exactly why I’m not getting married – what if someone leaves me when I don’t look this good anymore?” he replied. He figured he would just humor her.

“Excuses,” Sooyeon scoffed. She then leaned forward and looked at him with a glint in her eye. “You know, Seulgi isn’t like that.”

Jaehyun sat back in his seat and laughed. He had heard that song and dance before.

“I’m not kidding,” Sooyeon insisted, looking visibly offended at how she wasn’t being taken seriously. “You should just marry her. Skip the dating. You’ve known each other longer than most couples anyway.”

There it came – the meddling. He had grown up in a household of three women who were too rich to have anything better to do, whose meddling had only escalated exponentially ever since he went over thirty. He could understand why Seulgi had been dodging dinner invites when it was set at his home.

“Seulgi and I are just friends, and we both intend to keep it that way,” Jaehyun said. It was a rehearsed answer he had been repeating for so long that Sooyeon could mimic him while he was saying it.  

“I know,” she sighed dramatically. “It’s such a pity.”

Jaehyun draped his arm over the top rail of his chair, crossing one leg over the other. “So, why’d you ask me for breakfast today?” he asked. “I just had dinner with you, Soojung and Mom yesterday night.”

“Why? I can’t want to see my own brother two days in a row?”

Jaehyun snorted. The sentiment would have been touching if it were actually real. “You and Soojung only ever seek me out for two things – to steal my credit card, or to borrow my money.”

She creased her brows. “That’s the same thing.”

“Exactly,” he said. “Except, with the latter, you girls actually ask nicely.”

It was Sooyeon’s turn for her eyes to turn in her sockets. “Rude little ,” she said, glaring at her smiling, unfazed brother. “I’m here because I have a favor to ask. Non-monetary.”

“Oh?” He shifted upright. That was new.

“A close friend of mine is having problems with her marriage,” she said. Her eyes were fixed on Jaehyun. “I told her that I have a younger brother who’s literally Saint Valentine, and can–“

“Nope.”

The pager on the table promptly buzzed, giving Jaehyun an excuse to duck out of the conversation and head to pick up their coffee orders.

“Why?” Sooyeon protested, chasing him to the counter.

“Because,” he said, passing the receipt to the girl at the counter, “your friends are divas. I’m busy with my clients as it is. I don’t have time to handle another high-maintenance diva.” He could see the girl turn a little googly-eyed when he stared at her. She started to scribble something on the coffee collar – probably her number. He would tell her that he wasn’t going to call, but he was too busy for that, too.

“Oh come on!” Sooyeon cried. She stomped her foot petulantly, looking more like a five-year old refused a toy at a children’s store rather than a thirty-eight-year-old woman who was just advising her brother on his relationship status five minutes before. “Don’t you have that, that Hippopotamus Oath or something?”

“You mean, the Hippocratic Oath?” he corrected, eyeing her amusedly. “Sorry to say, as a therapist, I never had to swear an oath. Hence, even if you were dying, I don’t need to save you.”

He could see that Sooyeon was close to wringing his neck. She closed her eyes, using hand motions to try to regulate her breathing. “Fine,” she said. “I’ll stop nagging you about marriage for two months if you find a way to help my friend. What do you think?”

He deliberated the offer. “Make that six, and find a way to let that extend to Mom and Soojung.”

“Done.” They shook on it.

“Alright,” he nodded. “I’ll fix your friend an appointment with Jungwoo this week.”

Sooyeon’s eyes widened. “What do you mean, ‘with Jungwoo’? We just made a deal for you to help her out!”

“Your exact terms were ‘find a way to help your friend’. Referring her to Jungwoo is ‘a way’, too.” He smiled slyly. “Seulgi taught me a thing or two about legal negotiations.”

“Oh my god – Jung Jaehyun!”

He grabbed his iced Americano and dashed out of the café before Sooyeon could put her manicured fingernails around his throat.

Beep. Jungwoo glanced over at his phone, briefly taking his eyes off the sausages and eggs sizzling on the pan. His expression soured at the message flashed across his home screen.

“Who is it?” Seulgi asked, still in her fluffy pink pajamas. She swung the refrigerator open and extracted her orange juice, taking a swig directly from the carton. “Are you late for a morning appointment?”

“No,” he replied, tossing his phone aside. “I actually keep track of everything, unlike a certain somebody.” He paused, snatching the carton from her in horror. “God, Seulgi, use a glass!”

“I don’t have time to wash one,” she groaned, scowling as he poured the contents of the carton into a glass.

“Well, you can make time. You always manage to be late for everything, anyway,” he replied. He handed her the glass, much to her annoyance.

Her lips curved into a small frown. “I’ve only been late once,” she defended.

“All the time.”

“For nothing important.”

“For my graduation.”

Seulgi groaned. “So, who messaged?”

“Changing the topic because you know you can’t win – I see.”

Jungwoo was wearing a knowing smirk that she wanted to wipe off his face, but Seulgi’s stomach was growling ferociously and the sausages and eggs were starting to smell good. She shuffled to the kitchen counter and chose to sulk in silent defeat. You win some, you lose some, she repeated to herself, fixating her eyes on the food.

Jungwoo took the pan off the stove, setting their one-pan-breakfast between them. “It was Jaehyun,” Jungwoo said, watching Seulgi dive headfirst into their breakfast. He clicked his tongue and took a dainty bite of the eggs. “He referred a client to me.”

“Isn’t that good?” Seulgi said, between mouthfuls. “Everyone Jaehyun knows is pretty loaded, no?”

“Loaded, yes, but also difficult,” Jungwoo sighed. Jaehyun’s sisters were perfect examples. Imagining either one of them as a client was the stuff of Jungwoo’s nightmares. “Which is why the lazy er doesn’t take those cases.”

Seulgi chortled. There was some truth to his words. Jaehyun was always unnaturally free for someone supposedly so busy. On nights that Jungwoo turned down her offer for dinner citing his unending flow of client appointments, Jaehyun was always knocking on the door of Seulgi’s office with fried chicken and two bottles of Soju. He taught himself a new sport every few months, and never turned down weekend plans. Him passing clients over to the workaholic Jungwoo was probably just another one of his smart delegation strategies.

“Sounds like you’re going to have a busy week,” Seulgi remarked, digging her fork into a piece of sausage.

“Oh, well.” Jungwoo shrugged. “How about you? Are you still going to see Taeil-hyung in Incheon on Saturday?”

“I am!” she beamed. “Do you want to come?”

Jungwoo shook his head politely. “I’m good. I have some work in the morning and bowling plans with Jaehyun after. Besides, Taeil-hyung would want some family time with you.”

Seulgi set her fork down, gazing softly at him. “He’d want some family time with us. You’re family too, Jungwoo.”

She could see a shadow pass behind Jungwoo’s eyes. He had visibly stiffened, turning uncharacteristically silent. Seulgi picked up her fork and resumed eating quietly. She had said her piece, and knew not to take things further unnecessarily.

“Well, you’re not going to catch me calling you ‘noona’ in public,” Jungwoo chuckled.

Seulgi sniffed, smiling. “I don’t want you calling me that either. Makes me feel old.”

He laughed a little, slowly rising to his feet. He thoughtfully pushed the pan towards Seulgi. “You finish the rest. I’ll go and get ready first. Just leave it in the sink – I’ll do dishes later.”

“You’re the best!” Seulgi che