The al had been generous, and there was still plenty left over. Harin and Mirae rose from the table together, moving in sync to clear the remaining dishes. They worked with the easy cooperation of won who had done this many tis before, balancing plates and bowls without spilling, carrying everything to the kitchen.
From the dining table, Seo-yeon could hear the sounds of the dishwasher being loaded, the clink of glass, the murmur of their voices as they worked. It was a dostic scene, comfortable and routine, and sothing about it felt incredibly intimate.
When they returned, the table was cleared but imdiately replenished. Yura had brought out an assortnt of desserts—fresh fruit, small cakes, delicate pastries—along with fresh bottles of alcohol. Harin and Mirae claid the soju and beer, while Joon-ho, Yura, and Seo-yeon stuck with wine.
The atmosphere had shifted with the arrival of the drinks, the earlier formality giving way to sothing more relaxed. The alcohol was taking effect, loosening tongues and lowering inhibitions. The conversation, which had been polite and sowhat guarded during dinner, began to drift into more private territory.
"LUNE is absolutely insane right now," Harin said, pouring herself another glass of soju. "We've got three new projects in developnt, another wave of trainees coming in next week, and the expansion plans for the international markets are moving faster than expected."
Mirae nodded in agreent, sipping her beer. "It's exciting, but exhausting. I feel like I haven't had a full night's sleep in weeks."
"Tell about it." Harin knocked back her drink, her eyes slightly glazed. "But it's worth it. The results are incredible."
Yura, who had been nursing her wine more slowly, smiled at them. "I'm glad things are going well. I can't say I miss the chaos, honestly. Taking care of Nari has been… fulfilling in a different way."
"You've got good help," Mirae pointed out. "Saena is amazing with her, and I know you have other assistants who step in when you need them."
"I do, and I'm grateful." Yura's expression softened. "There's sothing special about watching her grow, about being there for all the little monts. The first smile, the first steps, the first words—it's not sothing I want to miss."
The conversation drifted to other won in their circle, and eventually, Ji-hye's na ca up.
"Have you heard anything from Ji-hye lately?" Harin asked, turning to Joon-ho. "I heard there were discussions about her moving overseas."
Joon-ho nodded slowly, swirling the wine in his glass. "She's in talks with several teams in Europe and the US. The offers are good, and the opportunity to play at that level is sothing she's always wanted."
"But what does that an for… you know, everything?" Harin pressed. "Are you two going to try to make it work long-distance? Or are you letting her go?"
Joon-ho considered the question, choosing his words with care. "I'll support whatever she decides. If she wants to chase her career, if she wants to play overseas, then I'll help her make that happen. We can try the long-distance thing, see how it goes. Or we can accept that this might be a natural ending point for our relationship, that we might each have our own paths moving forward."
He paused, his expression thoughtful. "Either way, I want her to be happy. And I want her to have the career she's worked so hard for."
"At least she's co so far from where she was before," Harin said, her voice softer. "Everything with her ex— the scandal, the way he tried to destroy her reputation, the way the dia turned on her…" She shook her head. "She was a ss back then. And then there was the injury, on top of everything else. It seed like her world was falling apart."
"It was." Joon-ho's tone was solemn. "But we worked through it. The therapy sessions helped, having soone she could trust, having the space to heal. She's stronger now than she's ever been."
"She really is." Mirae added her agreent. "Whatever happens next, she'll be okay. She's not that broken girl anymore."
Seo-yeon had been listening quietly, absorbing the information. Ji-hye was a na she'd heard ntioned before, but this was the first she was learning about her story. A volleyball player, apparently, with a complicated past and an uncertain future.
There was sothing about the way they talked about her—not just as a romantic interest, but as a person they genuinely cared about. It was different from how she'd expected a man like Joon-ho to speak about his conquests. There was respect in his voice, genuine concern, a desire for her happiness even if it ant letting her go.
The alcohol had made her bold, and she found herself asking the question that had been on her mind.
"How many won are there?" Seo-yeon asked, her voice slightly slurred. "How many won are… Joon-ho's?"
The question hung in the air for a mont, and then Yura laughed—a warm, amused sound that made Seo-yeon smile despite her embarrassnt.
"Depends on how you count," Yura said, leaning forward slightly. "If we're talking about won who've fallen under his hands, who've experienced what he has to offer…" She trailed off, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Well, let's just say it's practically half of the upper-class won in this country."
Seo-yeon's eyes widened in surprise. "Half?"
"At least." Yura's tone was playful, but there was truth beneath the teasing. "And these aren't just random won, either. We're talking about CEOs, celebrities, politicians' daughters, heirs to major conglorates, won at the top of their fields." She started listing nas, and with each one, Seo-yeon's surprise grew.
Won she'd seen in magazines, won she'd heard discussed in business circles, won she'd admired from afar. All of them, apparently, had been part of Joon-ho's world.
"I had no idea," Seo-yeon admitted, feeling a little overwheld. "I never imagined…"
"They're all beautiful, successful, powerful won," Yura continued, enjoying her reaction. "And they've all chosen him, in their own way. So for a night, so for longer, but they've all experienced what he has to offer."
She turned to Joon-ho, her expression curious. "But out of all those won, who's really in your inner circle? Who
are the ones who actually matter to you?"
Joon-ho took a slow sip of his wine, considering the question. When he spoke, his voice was calm, certain.
"You, Yura. You've been there from the beginning, and you've never wavered."
Yura's smile was warm, acknowledging the truth in his words.
"Harin." He nodded toward her. "You've proven yourself over and over again, in business and in everything else."
Harin lifted her glass in acknowledgnt, a small flush coloring her cheeks.
"Mirae." His eyes moved to her. "You bring sothing different to the table, sothing I value. Your perspective, your experience, the way you see the world—it matters."
Mirae ducked her head, hiding her smile behind her glass.
"And Ji-hye." His voice softened. "Whatever happens with her career, whatever happens between us, she'll always have a place. What we went through together created a bond that doesn't just disappear."
He took another sip of wine, then turned his gaze to Seo-yeon.
"And now, you."
The simple declaration hit her with unexpected force. Seo-yeon felt her cheeks heating, a flush rising from her neck to her hairline. She was in his inner circle—recognized, acknowledged, accepted alongside won she'd only heard about until now.
It was overwhelming and wonderful, a confirmation of everything she'd been feeling but hadn't been able to put into words.
"?" she managed, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You." Joon-ho's eyes held hers, his expression serious. "You belong here, Seo-yeon. With us."
The room went quiet for a mont, the weight of his words settling over them. Then Yura was smiling, her eyes bright with approval. Harin and Mirae were lifting their glasses, cheering sothing they couldn't quite articulate but felt deeply.
"To new beginnings!" Harin declared, her glass raised high, her words slurring slightly from the alcohol.
"To family!" Mirae added, her own enthusiasm matching Harin's.
They were getting properly drunk now, the soju and beer loosening their inhibitions, making them louder, more affectionate. Harin draped an arm around Seo-yeon's shoulders, pulling her into a clumsy hug.
"You're one of us now," she announced with drunken sincerity. "Whether you like it or not."
Seo-yeon laughed, the tension draining from her body. "I think I like it."
"Good." Mirae joined in, her own coordination slightly off as she reached for another drink. "Because we're not letting you go."
Yura watched them with amusent, her own alcohol intake making her more relaxed than usual. She caught Joon-ho's eye across the table, and sothing passed between them—a shared acknowledgnt of how far Seo-yeon had co, of how well she was fitting in, of the future they were all building together.
The conversation continued, flowing from one topic to another with the randomness of drunk talk. They discussed old stories, shared secrets, laughed at inside jokes that Seo-yeon didn't yet understand but found herself smiling at anyway. The hours passed unnoticed, the bottle levels dropping, the laughter growing louder.
At so point, Harin and Mirae moved to the floor, leaning against each other as they continued drinking. Yura joined them, leaving Seo-yeon and Joon-ho at the table, the space between them charged with unspoken aning.
"You okay?" Joon-ho asked quietly, his voice cutting through the noise.
Seo-yeon nodded, her heart full. "Better than okay."
"You fit in well," he observed, his eyes warm. "I knew you would."
"It helps that they're so welcoming," she admitted. "I was nervous, coming here tonight. I didn't know if I'd asure up."
Joon-ho reached across the table, his hand covering hers. "You don't have to asure up to anyone, Seo-yeon. You're enough, just as you are."
The simplicity of the statent made her throat tighten. She squeezed his hand, unable to find words to express what she was feeling.
Around them, the others continued their drunken revelry, but Seo-yeon's attention was focused entirely on the man across from her. This was what she'd been searching for—this connection, this acceptance, this sense of belonging.
And she knew, with sudden clarity, that she wasn't going to let it go.
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