Chapter 43

Spring Break.

"Seriously, I thought I could escape from you just once because it's vacation," Hyunjin rolled his eyes. "Then again, I spoke too soon." He watched as Jeno approached his cousin, who came from the kitchen.

Jeno laughed, "Good morning to you, too, Hyunjin!" He said. His eyes traveled inside the Hwang residence and saw no traces of Yiyeon around.

"Ah, right. If you're looking for Yiyeon and Yikyung-hyung, they went to the airport earlier this morning," the other boy said, yawning. "I think they're on their way back."

"Airport?" Jeno raised a brow.

Hyunjin frowned, "Did Yiyeon forget to tell you? Their parents are coming back to Korea today," he said. "And shit, I woke up late. So I haven't prepared anything." Now panicking, Hyunjin rushed to the kitchen. "Yah, mind letting a hand?"

"What the fuck," Jeno cursed and followed his friend to the kitchen.

***

"Hyung and Yiyeon left at around 5 AM. If I'm not mistaken, their parents' flight will land at around 5:40," Hyunjin said while cutting the spam. "Can you pass me the onions?"

Jeno did what he said and went back to cooking the rice. "Yiyeon didn't tell me. Now, I'm slightly worried."

Hyunjin scoffed, "Why would you be worried?" He raised a brow.

"The last time I saw their parents was when we were still dating—before everything went to shit," Jeno sighed. "I wonder if they still know me, or I don't know, man. Maybe they see me as the person who hurt their daughter."

The other boy stopped cutting the ingredients and looked at Jeno, "Talk like that one more time, and I swear, this knife would fly towards you," he rolled his eyes. "I think you know that no matter how much a person wronged Yiyeon, she wouldn't talk ill of them. So I'm pretty sure that you're good, bro."

"You think so?" Jeno asked.

"Well, of course, dumbass," Hyunjin sighed. "Now, please get the kimchi inside the fridge."

***

"Shoot."

Yikyung pressed on the breaks as they halted under the red light. He then looked at his sister through the rearview mirror, "Why? Is it Jeno?"

"Jeno?" The guy seated beside Yikyung asked. "What does your ex-boyfriend has to do with this?"

Yikyung continued driving and didn't say a word.

"So you two are gonna keep things hidden from us?"

Yiyeon sighed, "Yikyung, you jerk. I was planning on telling them later at home, but here we are."

"Is something wrong, sweetie?"

"Nothing, mom," Yiyeon shook her head. "Jeno and I got back together a few months ago. Everything is settled between the two of us, so I hope you don't lash at him once we get home."

"Isn't that the same person who hurt you?" Yiyeon's dad looked at her.

"Well... yeah," Yiyeon hesitantly answered. "But as I said, we're good now."

"Noona, who's Jeno?" 

Yiyeon turned to her side and saw her little brother tugging the sleeve of her sweater.

"Jeno is Yiyeon-noona's boyfriend, Yeonseok," Yikyung answered.

The boy tilted his head sidewards, "What's a boyfriend?" Yeonseok asked.

"Hmm... how do I explain this," Yiyeon could only give her older brother a death glare. It was as if he was putting her in a hot seat. What the fuck, Yikyung.

"It was like before eomma and appa got married. Appa was also eomma's boyfriend," Yikyung answered. 

Yeonseok nodded, somehow understanding the concept Yikyung explained. "Then, hyung, do you have a boyfriend?"

"What the fuck—" Yikyung almost bumped the car in front of them as he tried to look at the kid who was seated behind him.

"Language, Yikyung!"

"Eyes on the road, dumbass!" Yiyeon slapped her brother's shoulder as she continued laughing.

Yikyung rolled his eyes and regained his composure, "No, I don't have a boyfriend, and before any of you ask, I don't have a girlfriend either. What the hell."

"Only Yiyeon-noona has a boyfriend?" Yeonseok asked.

"That's right," Yikyung nodded.

"Then, will noona marry Jeno-hyung?" Yeonseok asked.

"What the fu—" Yiyeon covered her mouth as she almost cursed in front of her brother. "Oh my god, can we just drop this conversation?" 

***

"Quick, hand me the pairs of chopsticks!" Hyunjin ordered as Jeno quickly ran back to the kitchen to get the chopsticks that Hyunjin was asking for.

They received a message from Yiyeon telling them that they were already near, and if their calculations were correct, they'd arrive in less than five minutes.

Once they had prepared the table, Jeno threw himself on the couch while Hyunjin lay on the floor. "I can't believe we were able to cook a lot of dishes in a little over an hour," Jeno said.

"I felt like we entered a cooking show or something," Hyunjin said as he stretched his arms and legs.

A couple of moments later, they heard the gate opening, followed by the roaring of the engine of the car driven by Yikyung.

"They're here."

Hyunjin and Jeno went outside to greet them.

"Auntie, uncle!!" Hyunjin greeted them as he gave them a hug. "Welcome back to Seoul!" He laughed. Then, he crouched down to greet Yeonseok, "Hello to you, too, young man. I don't think you remember me, but it's nice to see you all grown up!" He chuckled as he ruffled his hair.

Yeonseok turned to Yiyeon and pulled the hem of her sweater, "Is he Jeno-hyung?" He asked, making the people around them laugh.

She shook her head, "No, love. That's Hyunjin-hyung, our cousin. Before you went to Italy, you used to play with him a lot."

Yeonseok's face seems to lighten a bit, "Jinnie-hyung!" He said as he hugged Hyunjin. 

"That's right! Oh my god, you remember me!" Hyunjin laughed as he carried the boy.

Yiyeon looked at Jeno who was quiet all throughout. She took a deep breath as she walked toward him and held his hand. "Eomma, appa, I suppose you know Jeno, my boyfriend." She smiled.

Jeno stepped forward as he bowed, "Nice to meet you again, mo—ma'am, sir. Welcome back to Seoul," he smiled.

"Jeno-yah, how many times should I tell you that it's okay for you to call us mom and dad?" Yiyeon's mom said as she gave him a hug. "It's nice to see you back in each other's arms," she smiled.

"Ah, right, Jeno-yah," Yiyeon started. "I think this would be the first time you'd meet Yeonseok. When he was born we were... uh, you know... not together," she said and scratched her nape.

"Yeonseok-ah, meet your Jeno-hyung," she said as her brother gets off of Hyunjin's arms.

Jeno and Yeonseok stared at each other before Jeno cleared his throat.

"Hello, Yeonseok-ah—" Jeno crouched down and extended his arm in front of Yiyeon's brother.

Yeonseok frowned and crossed his arms, "No! You can't be with noona!"

- tbc.

I'M BACK AFTER A LONG HIATUS!!