Siblings Working in Business (248)
“Your recording’s screwed today, Lee Eun-ho.”
“Don’t say things like ‘screwed’…”
Eun-ho’s face paled, still uncomfortable with the mention of death, even though he had mostly recovered from his trauma. Or perhaps he was just that terrified of Eun-ji’s hysterics.
After all, when Eun-ji became a perfectionist in the recording studio, it was a nightmare.
Even the parts she usually let slide, accepting his style, would be subjected to endless retakes until they met her standards when she was in this mood.
Eun-ho’s face turned pale, a bad memory surfacing, and he muttered,
“Hey, th-that’s…”
“That’s what?”
“Abuse of power.”
“Yeah, it is. If you don’t like it, write the music and arrange it yourself.”
“…”
He wanted to retort, but he had nothing to say.
His part, the lyrics, had already been submitted.
Today was for recording the arrangement.
In other words, Eun-ji had complete control.
“Either buy me macarons for two and a half days or suffer through the recording session with me.”
Eun-ho wasn’t willing to buy her macarons for ‘2.5 days,’ as she suggested; it wasn’t worth the effort.
‘And my offer of 5 days…’
There was no way she would accept it.
“Three days.”
Eun-ho, after much deliberation, made his final offer.
“Ah, Lee Eun-ho, you’re so persistent, seriously.”
“Just realizing that now?”
“Tsk… Fine. Deal.”
Eun-ji finally relented.
‘Three days isn’t bad.’
Three days of cooking without worrying about dishes, using as many as she wanted.
She could get her revenge by creating a mountain of dishes for him to wash.
“But isn’t Manager Oppa in a meeting?”
“Yeah, so call Noona.”
“Ah, did Seul-gi Unnie say she was at the company?”
“Yeah.”
Eun-ho, as usual, grabbed his beige cardigan.
“Aren’t you cold dressed like that?”
“It’s a bit chilly, but I’m fine.”
Despite his words, he then put on a padded jacket twice his size.
Eun-ji, seeing this, scoffed.
“‘A bit chilly’? Seriously? You look like you’re going to the North Pole.”
“So? What’s it to you if I’m cold?”
“Yes, yes, Your Highness, as you wish.”
Eun-ho ignored Eun-ji’s sarcasm and sent Seul-gi a message.
[Me ― Noona]
[Seul-gi Noona ― Yeah?]
[Me ― I’m going to Joo-yeon’s shop.]
[Seul-gi Noona ― Does Eun-ji want sweets?]
[Me ― You know her so well.]
[Seul-gi Noona ― We have similar cycles lol]
Cycles?
Eun-ho, lacking knowledge in that area, tilted his head and changed the subject.
[Me ― Is Hyung-nim still in a meeting?]
[Seul-gi Noona ― Yes]
― He’s with Do-jin today]
Since it’s a progress check]
― It’ll probably take a while.]
[Me ― Oh no;;;]
Eun-ho, buried in his padded jacket, sighed deeply, seemingly troubled.
He hadn’t driven in a long time, and having Eun-ji drive…
It wasn’t just about the deal; Eun-ji looked like she was in a lot of pain, practically melting into the desk.
‘And if I buy them later…’
Eun-ho checked the time and sighed.
The Toxin members would arrive in two hours.
Which meant it was time for their recording session.
‘If this continues, not just me, but the hyungs too…’
As Eun-ji had said, they would ‘all’ be victims of her mood swings.
There was only one way to avoid this.
Give Eun-ji the sweets she wanted within the next two hours and secure peace.
Eun-ho, after much deliberation, sent Seul-gi another message.
[Me ― Noona]
[Seul-gi Noona ― Yes?]
[Me ― Would you be able to drive?]
[Seul-gi Noona ― (A ‘Ji-nyang’ emoticon tilting its head with question marks above it)]
― Of course I can?]
[Me ― Then would it be okay for us to go… just the two of us?]
[Seul-gi Noona ― Sure]
― Joo-yeon’s shop is mostly online]
― so there aren’t many customers]
― we can go quickly.]
Eun-ho’s face brightened at Seul-gi’s positive response.
However, unknown to Seul-gi, Joo-yeon’s shop was currently being swarmed by high school girls.
It was a situation even Joo-yeon hadn’t anticipated, let alone Eun-ho or Seul-gi.
Oblivious to what was about to happen, Eun-ho stood up, his heart light.
“I’ll go with Noona.”
“Hurry back.”
“Okay.”
Eun-ji, still slumped over the desk, just waved her hand without lifting her head.
“…”
Eun-ho looked down at her.
That tempting back of her head…
‘…One, two, three!’
Flick!
Eun-ho, after counting to three in his mind, flicked the back of Eun-ji’s head, unable to resist the urge to tease her.
“Ow!!!”
Eun-ji clutched the back of her head and sat up angrily.
But Eun-ho, naturally, had already run out.
Just as he left the room…
“You crazy bastard!!!”
“Haha.”
Eun-ji’s colorful scream echoed through the hallway, piercing even the soundproof booth.
Eun-ho, a wide grin on his face, feeling a sense of satisfaction, headed towards the NRY Entertainment building.
“Car keys?”
“Yes. I’m going to Joo-yeon’s shop with Eun-ho.”
“Ah, here.”
While Eun-ho was heading to the company…
Seul-gi went to CEO Park’s office to get the car keys.
Just as she was about to leave…
“Seul-gi, why do you need the car keys?”
Chang-seok, who had been in a meeting, caught her.
Although she hadn’t done anything wrong, Seul-gi stammered and mentioned Eun-ji wanting macarons.
“It’s Toxin’s recording day, isn’t it? Is she that irritable?”
Chang-seok, seeming to know Eun-ji’s condition, asked worriedly.
“I’m not sure, but when I told Eun-ho that Hyun-woo was in a meeting, he said he would go with me.”
“If Eun-ho can’t even wait, she must be in a really bad mood.”
Chang-seok, having grasped the situation from her few words, abruptly left the meeting table and went to his desk.
He rummaged through his coat pocket hanging on his chair, took out his wallet, and then pulled out a black card.
“Buy the kids whatever they want with this. And Joo-yeon is the E% friend who sent the coffee truck and desserts to the kids before, right?”
“Yes. My E% friend.”
“Then buy snacks for the staff there too. What they had before was delicious.”
“Okay!”
Seul-gi, beaming, took Chang-seok’s card.
It was the ‘company card,’ a symbol of unlimited spending power!
“Go ahead. And take a mask and a hat, just in case.”
“Okay!”
Heeding Chang-seok’s warning, Seul-gi grabbed a hat and a mask for Eun-ho and left the office.
‘Even though there aren’t usually many customers at the shop, it’s better to be safe than sorry.’
Just as Seul-gi opened the door and stepped outside…
Eun-ho was already there, looking up at the overcast sky, heavy with gray clouds that threatened rain or snow.
‘He’s handsome, even for my favorite artist.’
Seul-gi admired Eun-ho’s profile.
Just then, as if sensing her presence, Eun-ho turned around.
“When did you come out?”
“Just now. I also got the company card; CEO Park’s treating.”
“Oh.”
Eun-ho smiled, then looked back at the sky with a worried expression.
“It looks like it’s going to rain or snow soon. Let’s go before the roads get slippery.”
“Okay.”
Seul-gi got into the driver’s seat with practiced ease.
Eun-ho, usually sitting in the back, considerately sat in the passenger seat today.
“Noona, you look… familiar behind the wheel.”
Eun-ho, watching Seul-gi naturally fasten her seatbelt and prepare to drive, asked curiously.
“Ah.”
Seul-gi, slightly flustered, admitted that she sometimes drove when she and Hyun-woo were traveling together.
Eun-ho blinked a few times in surprise.
After a moment of thought, he smiled, looking at Seul-gi’s slightly flushed face, and said,
“Noona, our company…”
“Yes?”
“CEO Park welcomes office romances.”
“Yes?”
Seul-gi, not understanding at first, then realized what he meant and blushed.
“N-no, we’re not like that yet…!”
“Oh, ‘not yet’? Not~ yet?”
Seul-gi’s face turned bright red at Eun-ho’s teasing.
“D-don’t tell Eun-ji!”
“Haha, alright.”
Seul-gi sighed and then, calming down, started the car.
Just then, as they stopped at a red light…
“Wow, looks like we’ll have another office couple soon after CEO Park—”
Eun-ho, as if waiting for this moment, looked out the window and said in a slightly louder voice, as if for Seul-gi to hear.
“Don’t!”
“Why? I was just talking to myself.”
When Eun-ho feigned innocence, Seul-gi, flustered, lightly hit his shoulder and hissed,
“Seriously! Hyun-woo will check the dashcam!”
“Haha.”
Eun-ho, amused by this unexpected side of Seul-gi, continued to tease her.
By the time they arrived at Joo-yeon’s shop…
Seul-gi’s face was flushed, radiating heat from Eun-ho’s teasing.
“So…”
“Ah, stop it, stop! I’m going to call Joo-yeon, so be quiet. Shhh, shhh!”
Seul-gi, scolding Eun-ho like a playful child, called Joo-yeon.
But Joo-yeon didn’t answer.
“She’s not picking up.”
When Seul-gi said this, tilting her head, Eun-ho looked at the second floor of the building, where Joo-yeon’s shop was located.
“The lights are on in the shop, though.”
“She always turns off the lights when she leaves, so maybe she’s busy with something and not looking at her phone?”
“Should we come back later?”
“Do we have time for that?”
“No.”
“…”
When Seul-gi looked at Eun-ho expectantly, he just shrugged and smiled.
“Stop teasing me.”
“Sorry, Noona, you’re just too easy of a target…”
“Too easy of a target… seriously…”
As Seul-gi sighed in exasperation, Eun-ho, as if he was going to check on the shop himself, smiled and was about to get out of the car when…
“Wait! Eun-ho! Wear your hat and mask!”
“Ah.”
Eun-ho, as if he had genuinely forgotten, obediently put on the hat and mask Seul-gi handed him.
“And stay in the car. I’ll park and we’ll go together.”
“Okay.”
The two entered the building where Joo-yeon’s shop was located.
As Eun-ho led the way up the narrow stairs…
‘It sounds… crowded.’
Eun-ho noticed the second floor was unusually noisy.
But he had heard Joo-yeon usually left the TV on, so he dismissed it as the TV and reached the shop.
The upper half of Joo-yeon’s shop’s door was frosted glass, and the lower half was clear.
A moment later, oblivious to what was about to happen, Eun-ho opened the door…
…and froze, his eyes meeting those of the high school girls who filled the shop.