A little favor

Traffic in Seoul can be hell sometimes. It was something even the filthy rich couldn't avoid, and that's why Seo Eun Hye is taking her business calls right there in the middle of the stagnant highway in her Tesla.

It was about 6 pm, but the sun looked like it wasn't saying bye yet. It was the time when all good-paying jobs closed but she wasn't coming from a job, she was going to the company she managed for her parents while they dealt with the invincible workload.

Eun Hye lets out another frustrated sigh, banging her head on the steering wheel of the electric car before looking at her map status. She was nowhere close to the company.

Her car was soon filled with the intro to Euphoria by Jungkook. It has been her ringing tone ever since the masterpiece was released, her assistant, Heidi, was calling.

Eun Hye snatched the phone of the holder and picked the call with lightning speed, "Heidi...please give me some good news.." She sounded desperate, but it was fine.

Heidi and Eun Hye was pretty close, and had one good thing in common; they worked fine under pressure.

"Uh…"

Silence echoed after Heidi didn't say anything.

"What did Mr. Kwan say? Just give it to me straight, the project hearing is this weekend and this is Friday!" Eun Hye snapped, frustration from the traffic getting to her as she rake her hands through her hair.

Heidi cleared her throat, knowing the sooner she let it off her chest, the quicker they could brainstorm on another solution.

"He said we shouldn't contact him again, and that the seventh time would make him file a restraining order against us...as a company. He said he is not one to be bought out, he doesn't deal with buyouts like us.." Heidi stopped talking after she realized she couldn't hear Eun Hye breathing.

"Ma...are you there?" She asked, waiting for a response.

Meanwhile, Eun Hye was trying to manage a melt down in the middle of traffic. She gripped her steering wheel till her knuckles turned white. She needed to keep her cool.

"That arrogant prick…" Eun Hye finally spoke up.

Strong distaste in her voice as she looked out her window to see one of their digital billboards displaying colorful lights. It was of some upcoming BL actors advertising facemasks.

"We could call Cho Jeong?..." Heidi suggested.

"I'm running a company, Heidi, not a charity event." Eun Hye snapped, letting out a stressful breath as she hung the call.

She tried to calm herself down and think of a possible alternative when her phone started to ring again.

"Fuck! What is it?!" She snapped at no one exactly before checking who it was. <i>Wangjanim</i> (Prince charming) with a heart emoji displayed as the caller ID. She sighed before picking up.

"Min-a, now is not a good time. I have a fire to put down at work and-"

Her younger brother, Seo Min-a didn't let her finish before groaning, "Noona…you need to chill out. You sound like you need to get laid.." Eun Hye rolled her eyes at his usual arrogant voice.

"Okay, goodbye.." She was about to hang up when she heard him speak up, this time with urgency.

"Wait wait wait, I need your help, please.." Min-a pleaded. It sounded strange to her so she gave him a listening ear. "Could you pick me up at Sky house sports center?" His voice sounded meekly like a squirrel.

Min-a usually played basketball every Friday and Sunday evenings. Sky house was just close to home which meant it wouldn't actually be an issue picking him up but pressure from work made her think otherwise.

"Have you forgotten how to drive?" Eun Hye asked in a bored tone.

"Workshop has my car.." Min-a replied in a sheepish voice.

"Third time this month, Seo Min-a. Third time! What the heck do you use it for, bullfighting?" Eun Hye exclaimed, searching her rare view mirror to see how long the traffic was getting.

"Noona, don't shout. Else you will grow older quickly."

"This littl—.."

"Please…" Min-a begged.

He had the habit of popping up with the worst timing. Last time, he was caught with explicit drugs, fentanyl, and some candy he claimed was for stress. Eun Hye had the leisure of bailing him out because according to him, she has <i>"Big girl connections"</i>

Sighing, knowing she couldn't refuse her younger brother. Eun Hye grudgingly consented to pick him up.

She looked at herself in the mirror, her fringe was still in the perfect position on her forehead making her round face appear more solid. She pouted her lips, making a smacking sound before straightening her back.

"You are doing the right thing. Family first." Eun Hye reminded herself.

"Alright alright…" She replied, unmotivated.

"Noona, you are the best. I would be outside-" Eun Hye didn't let him finish. Though she was close to Sky house sports club, with this traffic, it would take at least an hour to get to him.

"The traffic here is-"

A loud obnoxious horn cuts her off from behind, startling her. She took a deep breath to kill the murderous content in her blood. She looked ahead to see the cars already far ahead.

"What the fuck…" Eun Hye grunted. Disbelief never tasted this salty.

The horn blared again, Gae-Sae-Ggi!

"Lucky bastard…"

~~~~~

Eun Hye's car came to a halt in front of Sky house. The glass front was so clean she could see three doors through the first one. She scoffed. "They might as well have just left the building without walls."

Min-a stood by the side pillar at the end of the stairs. Two girls stood beside him, trying to make conversation but he was ignoring them, typing off on his phone.

Eun Hye rolled her eyes. Some days, she wished her younger brother was ugly. She knew he couldn't be regular because, with their wealth, their parents would fix him to look great. But he came out like a natural angel.

Min-a is a student at Korean University, an influencer model, and loves basketball and painting. He had his long hair tinted silver, it was packed into a loose ponytail. He was 6'4 ft, wearing ripped denim jeans, a brilliant jaw, and a high cheekbone, with a red set of lips, a trait they both shared with their mom.

Eun Hye felt weird after realizing she was secretly admiring her brother, and she honked the horn.

Min-a raised his head immediately, relieved to see her car. He walked away from the two girls in gym clothes without looking back.

"You look so beautiful," Min-a said with a broad smile, the moment he got into the car.

"Don't patronize me. You owe me." Eun Hye replied bluntly, driving off towards the highway leading to their up-city mansion in Gangnam.

"I know, I know, thanks," Min-a mumbled, distracted as he went through his phone.

"So, I see you got some new girlfriends..why are you still having a hard time choosing one?" Eun Hye asked with a playful smirk.

Min-a tensed up, turning off his phone before looking straight ahead. Eun Hye noticed Adam's apple go up and down. Something he does when he is nervous.

"Calm down, Min. I'm just asking. I think dad is waiting for you to bring a girl from one of the major families soon. You are turning 22 very soon…" Eun Hye reminded him.

Min-a loved his father, but he was just too demanding. His father and his sister always talk about meeting his non-existent girl.

He instead, likes the idea of fucking around, no strings attached, no commitments. It made him feel free, he was too young to be tied down. Besides, most of the girls here were the same. It wasn't just his looks or his talent, it was just his last name.

Their 'Seo' family name was amongst the major families that had power and wealth in Gangnam and throughout Seoul. He didn't want to participate in the political aspect of being a Seo, he liked his reputation. Playboy delinquent with charms of the devil, it had a ring to it.

"You know what they are, Noona. They're just after the name. They are too easy. I want someone to put me to the test, someone that can challenge me to grow feelings for them." Min-a said, without knowing what exactly he meant by that.

Eun Hye nodded either way. "Whatever, the clock is ticking…" She sighed and reminded him again.

"What? Are you playing cupid now?" Min-a chuckled, picking up his phone to scroll through his thousands of Insta messages.

He needed a new fit for the opening party of Velvet Club tomorrow.

He had invested some thousands in it alongside his friends, so he planned to enjoy every bit of its benefits.

They arrived home soon enough to meet their parents having dinner on their spaced see-through glass dining table.

Eun Hye felt nerves crawling up her stomach, she couldn't meet their father's gaze knowing she hadn't still secured the desired artist for the project hearing tomorrow.

She dodged the dinner hall, following Min-a to his room.

"What are you doing?" Min asked, stopping his track and turning to look down at her due to their distinct height difference.

"Nothing…" she muttered, "can't I spend some time with my dear little brother?" Eun Hye tried to act likable and cute. It didn't work on Min-a.

Instead, his face developed a small frown. "Ew. No." That was all he said before he got into his master room, but left the door open behind him so she followed him in and closed the door.

She looked around his room. She didn't come here often because his art was displayed all over his wall. He even used a side of his walls for a Canva.

Min's art was...androgynous, if you were to put it in the simplest way. They were all creepy and didn't fit into any box of art Eun Hye knew about from working with digital artists. She had convinced him once or twice to sell his art but he refused, saying he wasn't a sell-out.

That's when the idea of lightning struck her.

"Okay...I know that look. Devil, not today. Go out. I'm not doing any life-endangering tasks for you." Min-a read her immediately and her face collapsed.

That's what happens when your parents only birthed two kids, they end up knowing each other a little too well.

"You haven't even heard the idea yet, please Min. Dad can't find out that I haven't secured the artist he is obsessed with." Eun Hye whined coming close to him to clasp his hands together with her smaller ones.

Min-a calmly removed his hands and rolled his eyes at her beseeching face. He took his shirt off to head into the shower.

"You stink." Eun Hye scrunched her tiny nose.

"Okay. Goodluck with dad.." Min-a shrugged nonchalantly, heading towards his bathroom.

"Wait! Come on, I have taken a bullet for you." She reminded him in a whiny voice.

"From a paint gun, Noona," Min-a stressed, shaking his head at his older sister.

"Same thing. Look, you owe me, you know." Eun Hye smiled victoriously, knowing she had backed him into the corner.

"So much being family.." Min-a grumbled, rolling his eyes. "What is it?"

"I need your help tonight." Eun Hye let out.

"Reason?"

"To convince this arrogant artist to work with our company."