Siblings Work in Business (118)
A few days after the porridge incident, Aeseul, seemingly recovered, contacted me again.
[ㅗ – Buy two coffees from Star Cafe and some bread from the bakery across the street.]
Was it the day I told her I couldn’t run errands because I was broke?
From that day on, Aeseul gave me a card specifically for her errands.
Buying coffee and bread had become a routine.
Her errands were technically part of ‘my’ job, so I couldn’t ask Do-jin hyung to do them.
So I did them myself…
I wasn’t famous enough to warrant wearing sunglasses and a mask to a cafe, so I just pulled up my hoodie and went to Star Cafe.
No one recognized me.
That was my current level of fame.
At least, it was a good thing no one recognized me while I was running errands.
I bought two Americanos and some popular pastries from the bakery across the street and headed to Aeseul’s waiting room.
“One is for you. Take the bread too.”
That was her response.
Did she think I would be grateful?
Aeseul sipped her coffee with a smug expression.
‘Is she mocking me?’
Although I could have been grateful, I valued my time more than a free coffee and pastry.
I took the bag of pastries and left the waiting room without a word.
I preferred simple pastries like sesame bread, twisted donuts coated in sugar, or sausage bread.
But today, I deliberately chose the fancy-looking ones, decorated with whipped cream and strawberries.
Because they were for Aeseul.
She seemed to only eat expensive-looking things.
But as I opened the bag…
I sighed.
“I should have just bought what I wanted.”
There was nothing I liked in the bag.
‘She’s probably just messing around on the keyboard.’
I headed home, intending to give the pastries to Eun-ji, who was taking a break today.
“What? Why are you back so early?”
“I’ll be going back. Here, eat this.”
Eun-ji took the paper bag and rummaged through it, checking the pastries.
“Holy shit, what’s gotten into you, Oppa? Wow, even coffee.”
“Found it on the street.”
“Amazing!”
Eun-ji’s voice was cheerful.
It was a bit chilly for a thin hoodie.
I went to my room to change, intending to go back to the recording studio after.
“Strawberry soboro bread! Wow, look at the whipped cream. This is insane!”
Eun-ji took a bite of one of the pastries and looked ecstatic.
“Can I eat thish?”
“Yeah, eat it all.”
Gulp
“Really?”
Although Do-jin’s words were hard to understand, Eun-ji’s intentions were clear, even when she spoke the same gibberish.
I just waved my hand dismissively, telling her to do as she pleased.
As I was putting on my shoes to leave…
“Well, there’s nothing for you anyway, with your old-man taste.”
“Hey… old-man taste?”
“What? It’s true. You don’t like these fancy pastries.”
“It’s not ‘old-man taste,’ I just like simple pastries.”
“Pizza bread is anything but simple.”
“Just give them all to me.”
“Nope, no take-backs.”
Eun-ji shook her head, hugged the bag of pastries, and ran to her room.
“Don’t leave the bag lying around, throw it away properly.”
“Okaaay.”
My bad mood from earlier seemed to have lifted, perhaps because someone else would be dealing with the potential food waste.
A few days later…
[ㅗ – Buy a bouquet.]
I received a message from Aeseul.
I had a bad feeling about this.
A hunch.
Like something was going to happen today.
After the radio broadcast, I went looking for a flower shop for Aeseul’s errand.
But it was late, and most flower shops were closed.
After searching for a while, I finally found one, bought the bouquet, and took a taxi to Aeseul’s house.
“You’re late.”
“Because some crazy bitch asked me to buy a bouquet in the middle of the night.”
“Crazy bitch? Here, it’s a gift for you, Oppa.”
My mind went blank for a moment.
What was she talking about?
I suppressed my anger and asked,
“Are you messing with me?”
“No.”
Aeseul smiled sweetly.
Seeing her smile… I snapped.
“A gift? What the hell are you talking about?”
I lost it.
I wanted to throw the bouquet, but…
…it cost 60,000 won.
Even in this situation, I was still thinking about the price. I knew I was an idiot, but I calmly placed the bouquet on the coffee table and said,
“Hey, Eoiseul.”
“Don’t call me by my real name.”
I ignored her warning and continued,
“I have a job too, you know.”
“Did you have work?”
“Yeah, I just finished a radio broadcast.”
“You call that work?”
You call that work?
I was getting angry.
‘What do you expect from a 20-year-old kid?’
I took a deep breath, counting to three…
I almost cursed, but I took another deep breath and calmed myself down.
My anger quickly subsided.
“Kid.”
“Kid? How dare—”
“Shut up and listen. While I’m still being nice.”
Eun-ho’s gaze at the seated Aeseul was cold.
“These few minutes, these few hours you waste calling me around…”
“…”
“Might seem trivial to you, but my time is more valuable than this bouquet, or the coffee and pastries you throw at me.”
“…”
“If you’re going to play these stupid games, don’t call me. I’ve been patient so far, but past or whatever…”
Eun-ho paused, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes for a moment.
His chilling gaze softened as he opened his eyes again.
Had his patience grown from dealing with Aeseul?
That wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
Eun-ho turned his gaze to the bouquet.
He pushed it towards Aeseul, a subtle act of defiance.
The bouquet landed softly on the table with a rustling sound.
“I’m leaving.”
I felt suffocated.
I hated working out, but I was grateful for the 24-hour gym membership the CEO had given me.
I pushed myself hard, my knees and back aching.
I couldn’t afford to mess up like Eun-ji.
But the worst was yet to come.
“What’s this, Eun-ho?”
“…”
Pictures of me entering the hotel with a bouquet, with coffee, with ice cream…
And the medicine from my first visit.
“Is she your girlfriend?”
“Ha, haha, haha.”
“Lee Eun-ho.”
A hollow laugh escaped my lips, and I rubbed my aching head.
I had specifically asked the lawyer not to tell the CEO about this.
He kept his promise.
But perhaps that’s why things got worse.
I had made a mistake from the start.
How was I supposed to explain this?
I felt a headache coming on.
“I need to go somewhere.”
“Where are you going?! Explain the pictures first—”
“…I need some time to… sort things out.”
CEO Park was about to press further, but he stopped.
Eun-ho had never seemed this distressed, even when being overshadowed by Eun-ji.
He wasn’t the type to show his vulnerability.
But now, he looked like he was about to crumble.
“Eun-ho! You shouldn’t be like that to the CEO…”
“Leave him be. He needs some time to think.”
Manager Do-jin was about to scold Eun-ho, but CEO Park stopped him.
“I’ll be back.”
Eun-ho bowed his head instead of thanking him.
His expression as he left the company was similar to when he glared at Aeseul yesterday.
Before he even left the building, he took out his phone.
“Hey, come out.”
He didn’t have to say her name.
In a quiet, private room at a secluded restaurant…
Aeseul and Eun-ho sat down.
“Bring us whatever.”
Aeseul waved her hand dismissively at the waiter who came to take their order.
Even in this situation…
‘Ha…’
…I felt stupid.
Because I was thinking, ‘How can she say that without even knowing the price?’
“So.”
Aeseul, after the waiter left, finally spoke.
‘A reporter sent me pictures of you entering the hotel.’
That was all I said, but she seemed to already know what was going on.
“There’s no problem.”
“What?”
I was taken aback by her casual reply.
Aeseul poured water into a wine glass and said,
“Just admit to the dating rumors. It’s good publicity, having a rich girlfriend.”
“Are you crazy?”
The words left my mouth before I could filter them.
“Are you quitting as my errand boy? Breaking the contract?”
“Why are you connecting the two?”
Aeseul smiled meaningfully.
“Then let me ask you. What do you think is the best way to cover this up?”
Aeseul placed an expensive-looking bag on the table and continued,
“I received these photos.”
“…”
I had wondered if she orchestrated this herself, but it seemed like she didn’t.
The photos Aeseul showed me were from the day I first confronted her.
When she didn’t even know I was coming.
There seemed to be a crowd that day, and a reporter must have been among them.
I couldn’t understand her.
Aeseul was smirking, as if this was a good thing.
“Why are you smiling?”
“It’s funny.”
I was about to say something, but then stopped.
I knew I would only end up cursing.
Click
The now-familiar sound of a lighter.
Aeseul lit her cigarette.
I wondered where she would flick the ash, but then…
She used the wine glass she had just filled with water as an ashtray.
‘Ha.’
I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.
And this woman was portraying herself as a ‘bright and cheerful 20-year-old’ on TV.
The internet was filled with nothing but positive comments about her.
Her diss track against Eun-ji was dismissed as a rookie mistake, and Eun-ji, with her ‘strong’ image, was the one being targeted.
“Even if we cover this up now…”
Aeseul continued nonchalantly, seemingly unaffected by my disgust at her actions,
“There will be reporters who dig deeper, won’t there?”
“…Obviously.”
It was so obvious that I had nothing to say.
If the reporters dug deep enough, they would eventually find out about our past.
And then Eun-ji would…
“Fuck…”
I wanted to destroy everything.
But…
I couldn’t stop thinking about Eun-ji.