Chapter 26.
The front door clicked shut as Lucy and Kim-Jo slipped quietly into the darkened house. Breathing a small sigh of relief, Kim Jo quickly turned the deadbolt. He reached out and flipped the wall switch, bathing the foyer in sudden, bright light. As the darkness vanished, they turned to face each other, sharing a quiet, lingering moment.
That moment shattered instantly when they looked toward the living room.
Sitting side-by-side on the long sofa were Seo-joon and Lee-dae. Both of them were wearing massive, identical grins, watching the entryway like cats waiting for a mouse.
"Going somewhere?"
Seo-joon asked, mischief dancing openly in his eyes.
Kim Jo immediately looked away, his face flushing as he nervously scratched the back of his neck to avoid their intense gazes.
"Errr... well,"
he stammered, completely caught off guard.
Lucy crossed her arms, looking between the two brothers.
"Sunny? Jimmy? Why are you guys not sleeping yet?"
Lee-dae didn't answer right away. Instead, his grin widened as he pointed two fingers back and forth between Lucy and Kim Jo in a knowing gesture.
"We were waiting for the two of you,"
he teased.
Lucy let out a soft smile, entirely unbothered by the interrogation.
"Are you really waiting for us?"
she asked, her voice dripping with playful skepticism.
"Or are you just waiting to let loose all the gossip gathered in your throats?"
Lee-dae's jaw dropped in genuine surprise, his teasing confidence evaporating in an instant.
"Ha! No, we were—"
"Goodnight,"
Lucy interrupted smoothly.
Before either of them could utter another word of protest, she spun on her heel and walked down the hallway to her room. She slipped inside and clicked the door shut behind her, leaving the boys to their own devices.
The moment her door closed, the heavy silence broke. Seo-joon leaped up from the sofa and bolted across the room, a wide, unstoppable grin plastered across his face as he closed in on Kim Jo.
Lee-dae followed closely behind, coming up to clamp a heavy, celebratory hand down on Kim Jo's shoulder.
"So," Lee-dae demanded, leaning in eagerly. "How was the date?"
Kim Jo shifted uncomfortably, casually rubbing his chin as he desperately racked his brain for a way to evade the question.
"Today's date..." he began slowly, trying to sound nonchalant. "...is twenty-five of this month."
He deadpanned the joke, hoping it would deflect them. Instead, it backfired completely.
Lee Dae burst out laughing at the terrible dodge. Seo Joon, however, wasn't letting him off that easily. He stepped closer and glared hard at Kim Jo, his eyes narrowing playfully.
"Don't worry," Kim Jo muttered quickly, trying to make a break for it as the heat rose to his face. "I will always tell you when it gets to thirty."
Before they could block him, Kim Jo bolted past them and sprinted up the stairs toward his bedroom.
"Hey!" Seo Joon yelled, immediately tearing after him in a wild chase up the steps.
Downstairs, Lee Dae pushed himself up from the sofa, still shaking with laughter as he hurried toward the staircase to follow them.
"Ya! Wait for me!" he shouted up the stairwell.By the time Lee Dae made it upstairs, Kim Jo had already barricaded himself inside the room. Seo Joon was practically throwing his weight against the door, calling out to the inside.
"Tell me, tell me, Jimmy!" Seo Joon pleaded loudly through the wood. "Did you kiss? Did you?"
"Ha!" Kim Jo's muffled voice echoed back from the other side. "Don't... go to sleep! Go to bed!"
Suddenly, the door clicked and gave way. Seo Joon burst into the room and immediately lunged forward, locking Kim Jo into a tight, inescapable bear hug.
"Och!" Seo Joon cheered triumphantly, squeezing his friend. "They kissed! They kissed!"
"No, no..." Kim Jo protested breathlessly, struggling and shoving at Seo Joon's chest to break free from the suffocating hug. "We didn't..."But his defenses were entirely broken. Giving up on the physical struggle, Kim Jo yanked his phone out of his pocket and tapped the screen to check the time. Seeing how late it was, he muttered under his breath,He sighed, looking at his friend who were still buzzing with energy, ready to gossip into the early hours of the morning.
Lee Dae slipped into the bedroom and quickly shut the door behind him. He immediately made a bee-line for the bed, flopping onto it carelessly with a heavy sigh of absolute comfort.He propped himself up on his elbows, raising his eyebrows suggestively as he looked between Kim Jo and Seo Joon.
"You really kissed?"
Kim Jo let out a long, exhausted sigh, running a hand through his messy brown curly hair as the interrogation started up all over again.
"Tell me! Tell me, tell me!"
Seo Joon chanted, practically bouncing with excitement. The movement caught the room's ambient light, shifting the intricate strands of his long, weaving hair beautifully over his shoulders.
"Did you kiss? How was it? Was it smooth?"
Seo Joon leaned in too close, a ridiculous, mock-romantic look on his face. He slowly reached up, touching his own lips with a dramatic, dreamy sigh.
"Was her lip so soft and sweet? Can I taste it?"
"You don't dare!"
Kim Jo yelled, snapping instantly as his face flushed a dynamic red. He glared daggers at Seo Joon, pointing a threatening finger right at his face.
"I'll kill you if you do!"
Before Seo Joon could offer a witty comeback, a voice sliced through the thin walls of the house, loud and clear.
"I am not ready to bury someone in this house, Jimmy!"
Lucy yelled from her bedroom down the hall.The threat hit the room like a physical shockwave. For a split second, the bedroom fell completely silent. Then, looking at each other's stunned faces, the three boys burst into a fit of breathless, uncontrollable laughing, trying their best to muffle the sound so they wouldn't anger her further.
****
Morning.
Ga Eul walked out of her bedroom already prepared for school. She was holding her samsong Galaxy phone smiling.
Quickly,she opened her chat and began to text someone.
TEXTING: Good morning Yi Jung Love. How was your night? Did you dream about me?
She texted adding two smiling emojis and sent it.
The morning sun filtered softly through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the lavish Park estate, casting a warm, golden glow across the grand dining room. At the center of the room sat a polished mahogany table, where the family gathered for breakfast.
At the head of the table sat Mr. Park, a sharp, commanding tycoon whose reputation preceded him in high society. As the brilliant co-founder of a multinational conglomerate alongside his long-time business partner, Mr. Kim—father to Kim Jo—Mr. Park held the reins of one of the city's most powerful corporate empires. Despite the high-stakes demands of his career, he remained a deeply devoted family man who cherished the lively, chaotic energy of his household.
Opposite him sat Mrs. Park, the very definition of grace and timeless elegance. A legendary former supermodel who had transitioned into a powerhouse high-fashion designer, she still commanded the runway and ran her own luxury fashion line. She possessed an impeccable eye for detail, a dramatic flair, and a fiercely loving heart that kept her deeply involved in her children's lives.
Their children, Yi-Jung and Paige, sat across from each other, enjoying the quiet morning routine. For a few moments, the only sounds were the soft clinking of silverware and the rustle of Mr. Park scrolling through morning market updates on his tablet.Suddenly, a soft beep broke the silence.
Yi-Jung pulled his phone from his pocket, his eyes scanning the screen. It was a text message from Ga-Eul.
"Good morning, honey pie! the message read. How was your night? Hope you dreamt about me?"
Almost instantly, a brilliant shade of crimson rushed up Yi-Jung's neck and flooded his cheeks. He stared down at his lap, trying desperately to school his expression, but it was too late. Mrs. Park set her porcelain teacup down, her sharp eyes instantly catching the sudden, nervous shift in her son's posture. A knowing, playful smile played on her lips.
"Son," Mrs. Park noted, leaning forward slightly. "You are blushing."
Yi-Jung snapped his head up, thoroughly shocked. "Huh? Am I?" he stammered, the flush on his cheeks deepening to a dark, giveaway pink.
Paige perked up instantly, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Oh!" she chirped, lifting her teaspoon and tapping it rhythmically against the rim of her glass to capture everyone's attention. "I have an announcement to make! Mom, Dad... Yi-Jung has a girlfriend!"
Mrs. Park's eyes widened dramatically.
"Oh my Gawd! Son, is that true? You have a girlfriend?"
Yi-Jung opened his mouth to offer a frantic denial, but before a single word could escape his lips, his phone began to vibrate violently in his hand. The screen illuminated, flashing the caller ID vividly: Eul Sweetheart.
Leaning over, Mrs. Park caught a glimpse of the flashing text. She gasped in absolute delight.
"Park Yi-Jung! Answer that phone call right now!" she commanded, her voice ringing out in pure excitement.Fumbling under the intense, collective gaze of his family, Yi-Jung pressed the answer button and brought the phone to his ear, looking incredibly nervous.
"Hello?" he managed, his voice tight.
"Hiii!" Ga-Eul's cheerful, bright voice echoed clearly from the receiver. "Good morning, honey pie! How was your night? Hope you dreamt about me?"
Yi-Jung turned a blinding shade of pink, completely paralyzed by her affection.
"I... I... I..."
"Told you!" Paige interrupted with a triumphant giggle, looking at her parents. "He has a girlfriend."
"Hello? Yi-Jung?" Ga-Eul called out through the line, confused by the sudden silence.
"Um... Ga-Eul..." Yi-Jung replied, his voice barely a murmur.On the other end of the line, Ga-Eul's tone shifted, sounding noticeably downcast.
"Ga-Eul? No more 'sweetheart'?"
Feeling the heavy weight of his family's unblinking stares, Yi-Jung bit his lower lip, giving in to the pressure. He cleared his throat and forced the words out as softly as possible.
"Sweetheart... my night was great, and I dreamed about you."
An identical, collective
"Awwwnnn!"
erupted in perfect unison from Ga-Eul on the phone, Mrs. Park, and Paige across the table.Mr. Park couldn't help but chuckle warmly at his son's expense.
Sweating under the collar, Yi-Jung quickly stood up from the table, desperately grabbing his belongings.
"Um... sweetheart, see you at school," Yi-Jung said quickly into the receiver."
Sure!" Ga-Eul replied cheerfully.
"Bye."
"Bye, lover boy!" Ga-Eul teased.
The line went dead.
Yi-Jung stood there, completely speechless, staring at his blank screen.
Mr. Park leaned back in his chair, a wide, proud smile stretching across his face.
"Mind bringing her over for dinner sometime?"
Mr. Park inquired smoothly.
Yi-Jung gasped, his eyes wide with horror.
"Huh? Ummm... no... no..."
"Park Yi-Jung!"
Paige called out, laughing.Unable to take the teasing for another second, Yi-Jung snatched his school bag and practically sprinted away from the dining table.
"Bye Mom, Dad, and Sis! I'm off!"
he yelled over his shoulder, his footsteps echoing rapidly down the grand hallway.Outside the estate, the personal driver stood waiting and immediately opened the rear door of the luxury car.
Yi-Jung scrambled inside, breathing a sigh of relief as the vehicle smoothly pulled out of the driveway and took off down the road.
Back in the dining room, Mrs. Park was still beaming, thoroughly entertained by the morning drama.
"Did you see how he looked when he said 'sweetheart'?"
"He is such a funny boy,"
Paige agreed, and the three of them shared a warm laugh.
Mr. Park glanced down at his gold wristwatch, realizing the time had flown by. He was cutting it incredibly close for his morning corporate meeting with Mr. Kim. Standing up, he adjusted his suit jacket and leaned down to plant a soft kiss on his wife's cheek.
"See you later, my love," he murmured.
"See you soon," Mrs. Park replied warmly.With a final nod to Paige, Mr. Park gathered his briefcase and exited the estate, leaving only mother and daughter at the expansive table.
Mrs. Park poured herself a fresh splash of tea, her expression softening into one of maternal concern.
"Paige... have you heard from your fiancé?"
The bright smile faded slightly from Paige's face, replaced by a quiet longing. She shook her head.
"No, Mom..."
"You're worried about him, aren't you, child?"
"Yes, I am," Paige admitted softly, looking down at her hands.
"I really miss him."
Wanting to lift her daughter's spirits, Mrs. Park gracefully pivoted the conversation to brighter news.
"Well, your assistant called earlier this morning."
Paige's head snapped up, her curiosity piqued.
"What? She did? What did she say?"
"She said you officially won the female lead for that major new movie script,"
Mrs. Park revealed, a proud twinkle in her eye. "The role of 'Rei,' right?"
Paige let out a thrilled scream of pure excitement, her previous sadness instantly melting away.
"Yes!!!"
"And that's not all," Mrs. Park continued with a chuckle.
"I am hosting my big fashion runway show this weekend, and I want you there by my side.
"Yes!!! I will definitely be there! When is it?"
"Sunday..."
"Next two days?!" Paige calculated quickly, her eyes wide.
"Alright... so what should I wear?"
Mrs. Park let out a beautiful, knowing chuckle, looking every bit the legendary elite model she was. "Leave that to me."