When the lunch was served, the waiter kept Barbeque Chicken steak and Lemonade in front of Su Yeon, Special Mandarin noodles in front of Huang and Spaghetti pasta in front of Ming, and the rest of the dishes according to the other's order. Everyone started eating.
Huang and Su Yeon started tasting small portions to decide what should they eat. The noodles were a bit spicy for Huang so he exchanged them with Su Yeon since the steak was a bit less spicy for her. Huang stopped her and said, "Wait, first help me cutting this steak into smaller pieces, I can't because of this sauce."
Su Yeon was also struggling with mixing those noodles with the sauce which was on the top. Ming sighed and said, "By this, you will ruin your shirt, leave it. Let me do it, you help Huang with cutting that steak."
Ming mixed the noodles with the sauce, Su Yeon was cutting the steak into small pieces and Huang was enjoying her lemonade. Looking at Ming who was mixing the noodles efficiently without messing the sauce Zhen exclaimed, "That is why I always tell the staff to mix it beforehand while ordering such type of dishes, it's so difficult to do without getting drops of sauce on your shirt!"
Ming passed the dish to Su Yeon who was waiting for her like a child. When Ming tried her Spaghetti pasta, she closed her eyes with satisfaction, "So delicious!"
Su Yeon and Huang both looked at her with puppy eyes. Ming warned, "I am not going to share my… Su Yeon I dare you to take more than one bite!" Su Yeon had already taken her plate and separated a spoonful of pasta at her and Huang's plate and then returned it to Ming.
Looking at their bickering Nam Gil said, "I know that Ming and Huang were neighbors so they were friends since childhood, but I wonder how come Huang and Su Yeon became so close friends?" everyone looked at them.
Huang and Su Yeon looked at each other and laughed. Huang said, "Please don't remind me of that day Su Yeon!" Su Yeon was laughing continuously.
She started to tell, "You remember when we were in middle school, maybe in 7th grade, our school trip went at an amusement park…" everyone nodded and suddenly Ming also started laughing when she remembered the pitiful face of Su Yeon.
Su Yeon continued, "Back then when we tried that 360-degree ride, everyone was alright except for me and Huang. So we both decided to rest for a bit and then join you guys later."
Boys remember the bad condition of Huang. He had vomited till his stomach became empty. They had told him to rest a bit. Su Yeon was also in bad shape. It was her first time to try such a horrific ride.
Ming added, "After some time, I came to check on her, but what I saw was extremely funny. Huang was continuously talking to Su Yeon like a drunkard person telling his sad story and Su Yeon was sitting ideally holding her head. I knew it was a dangerous thing to go as Huang would have not let me go as well, so I escaped."
Su Yeon laughed and told, "After some time, I also started talking and we talked about almost everything. We didn't know where you people were so we were checking every station while talking continuously. Huang was hit by a water balloon because a girl could not hold it properly and shot at him by mistake…umff" Huang stuffed a piece of steak in her mouth, "Enough enough…"
Jin mumbled incoherently, "Where the hell was I that time…" but Lan heard it as she was sitting beside him. She said, "That trip was a disaster! I had begged Nam Gil and Ji Min to stop… we have tried almost every ride."
While eating Lan realized that the bread which was served with the pasta in her plate was finished. She always liked the bread they serve. When she was about to look at other's plates, Jin passed his piece of bread while talking to Zhen. He did it subconsciously like it was a habit.
Lan and Zhen paused and looked at him. No one noticed that Zhen placed his bread back as he was about to give it to Lan.
After a second, Jin realized what he has done and looked at Su Yeon. To his dismay, she was busy getting scolded by both Ming and Huang probably because of her lame joke. He retracted his gaze from her and looked on his both side and ignored their stare.
Zhen continued to talk and Lan was secretly looking at Jin. Jin was listening to Zhen but he was disappointed that Su Yeon didn't notice him. A small part of him expected her to get jealous.
This time too Lan caught what he was thinking and smiled sadly with a hint of jealousy. Nam Gil and Ji Min saw what happened just now even if they were eating. Nam Gil whispered to Lan, "You must have lost your mind to think like that." Lan replied, "I can't help but get confused every time…" Ji Min shook her head in disappointment.
Soon the atmosphere restored because of Nam Gil and Su Yeon's lame jokes and comments.
While eating Ji Min remembered something and asked Su Yeon, "Su Yeon, your home town is also in City K, right? You must know many places there." Su Yeon who was bickering with Ming looked at Ji Min and replied, "Ahh my native place is at the other side of City K, which means near the coastal side." Ji Ming nodded they continued eating.
When Nam Gil brought up the topic of staying in City K, the first thing that appeared in Su Yeon's mind was asking to Wang Family. They were the major political party and very popular. Mr. Wang once told her to bring her friends to visit here. She and her friends can stay at their mansion during the trip, but it would be very awkward to ask them even if she knows that Wang family dots on her very much. Also, something is not right between her and Wang Lufan, which she thinks is important to sort first.
They finished with the lunch and then went to Nam Gil's place. Zhen took Su Yeon, Huang, and Ming in his car and the rest went as they came. They reached Nam Gil's place and relaxed by playing some card games. Nam Gil gave a glass of whiskey to everyone.
While playing, Su Yeon asked, "Does anyone know how to play Poker? I mean, not the basic game but tricks." Everyone looked at her as if they have seen something totally unexpected.
When it comes to adult things, Su Yeon, Lan, and Huang were always considered minors because of their lack of knowledge in those fields. This question was like a bomb for everyone!
Nam Gil said first, "Su Yeon, my child! Tell me the name of that person who ruined your innocence," he patted her hair like a father. Everyone started laughing. He continued, "No one here knows how to play Poker."
Zhen widened his eyes and asked, "Wait a minute, what did you ask… the tricks? Does that mean you know how to play that game?"
When Su Yeon nodded her head, Ji Min said, "Woah! How do you know these things?" she wiped her invisible tears and said, "Nam Gil, our kids have grown up!"
Su Yeon rolled her eyes and said, "I just wanted to search and try different things like playing Poker, listening to classical piano pieces, etc." Her tone of speech was so innocent that everyone who was 'Adults' got speechless.
They continued to play and in between Nam Gil asked, "What is to be done if a lemon got injured?" everyone was confused and started thinking about it.
Lan suggested, "Squeeze the juice out?" Zhen added, "Give a treat?" others could not think of anything.
Suddenly Su Yeon started laughing at her own thought and said, "Lemon-aid!" Nam Gil gave a high five to Su Yeon and they both started laughing loudly. Lan got that joke and joined them in laughing. The rest of them started giving a dirty look.
Ming and Ji Min knew something like this would happen when it comes to Nam Gil and Su Yeon.
Zhen pulled a handful of his hair, Jin dropped his cards and shook his head. Huang almost wanted to beat both of them with a pillow.
By cracking some lame jokes, bickering, and playing some games, they spent the whole evening like this. Later Zhen dropped Su Yeon, Ming, and Huang. Jin dropped both Lan and Ji Min. Everyone went home in their way.
…
Su Yeon came home, took a nice bath and went to have dinner. While eating she told how her interview went well and what trick the interviewer used on them.
The next day Su Yeon got a mail from Song Empire that she was selected for the winter internship. She had to start working from tomorrow itself as an intern in the finance department. She told her parents and on the family group. This family group was of her maternal relatives, who were equally important to her.
She had her maternal grandparents, two uncles and their wives, and one aunt. One of her uncles told the basic idea of her work. Her aunt reminded her about the corporate manners and etiquettes. They all were so important to her because as she had spent most of her time at her maternal Grandparents' house than with her parents. Since her mother was the eldest sibling, Su Yeon was also the eldest one amongst the cousins and the most spoiled one.
...
In the outskirts of the Imperial City,
A man, sitting in a wheelchair, was smoking a pipe waiting for his subordinate to report.