16th October 2024

Jiyoon finds Hongbin and Sohyun intensely concentrating on their practice papers, and therefore opts not to disturb them. She then chances upon Hakyeon, Taekwoon and Hyuna in the boys room, with a wall calendar in front of them.

“Oh, noona, good timing!” Hakyeon comments, “when will you be free?”

“Anytime?” Jiyoon responds vaguely to the similarly vague question.

“I was about to say not to tell me tomorrow night. I didn’t expect to get a response worse than that.”

“Okay how about noona, when can you not take leave from work?” Taekwoon prevents the conversation from descending into a never ending pit of vagueness.

“There’s a critical release in February of next year. I mean, I don’t think I need to tell you’ll that November is a no go, because Hongbin and Sohyun have exams. Then in December, you’ll have exams.”

“January is fine then?” Hyuna perks up at this news, and props herself up.

“Why, are you’ll thinking of going on a holiday?”

“We want to plan one, you know, so it’ll give all of us something to look forward to, after a difficult year. So we’re trying to figure out if we have a common free time.”

Jiyoon side eyes three of them.

“I know what you’re thinking noona, so don’t worry.”

“Praytell then, Hakyeon, what am I thinking?”

“That before Hongbin and Sohyun get their results, you don’t know if you can afford that kind of expense.”

“Got to give it to you kids, yes, I was kind of thinking about that.” Kind of, because with three of them on scholarships or bursaries, partly a function of their academic ability, partly because of their family background, Jiyoon could actually afford that kind of expense. Not that she would be telling the children that though.

“But don’t worry about it!” Hakyeon declares.

“You brats better not tell me that you’ll conned Sungyeol into paying for everything.”

Hyuna smiles sheepishly, “Sungyeol oppa will fund me, but Taekwoon oppa and Hakyeon oppa will fund Hongbin and Sohyun. Even though, to be honest, Sungyeol oppa offered to pay for everything.”

Hakyeon lets out a dramatic sigh, “but we all know that noona would not agree to that, so we had to turn the offer down.”

Taekwoon nudges Hakyeon in the ribs and mouths something Jiyoon cannot discern.  

Hakyeon and Hyuna look at each other hesitantly, with Hyuna pointing insistently at Hakyeon, “you’re older.”

“Age doesn’t count for anything in this household, you know that.”

Hyuna frowns, and makes a cross with her arms, “I can’t do it.”

Jiyoon snorts, “what is it? Just shoot.”

Hyuna and Hakyeon look expectantly at each other, and it’s finally Taekwoon who addresses the issue, “noona, we were wondering if you would be okay if hyung tags along.”
“If he’s free, I don’t see why not.”

It’s a pleasant surprise to Hakyeon and Hyuna. 

“What did I say?” Taekwoon mutters, “noona would be okay with it.”

Hyuna claps excitedly, “then we can start planning!”

“As if any of you are much good at planning. Why don’t we just give up and just have a list of attractions, and just do what we feel like.”

“That’s a fabulous idea.”

“Knew you were going to say that. Just goes to show that you’re not much good at planning, Hakyeon.”

Sungyeol peeps into the room, with his towel sitting uselessly on his b