Oh dang... I missed Sunday by a few minutes... haha.

Well, happy Monday, everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

In the future, I will be going on a hiatus and putting this story on pause. I feel the need to reevaluate the existing plot as well as the future chapters I've written. There are also external factors in my life that need attending to, so I'll notify you when the hiatus begins. For now, please enjoy this chapter. :)

-PixelButterfly

If Wang Won had the choice between strangling himself with a python and attending one of Baek Ah's concerts for the publicity it would bring to his father's company, he would have chosen to die via snake asphyxiation.

Arriving at the packed venue had been easy and Won had been allowed to use the celebrity entrance reserved for people of Eun's stature. Fortunately, neither Eun, Jung, nor Wook were obligated to be there, giving Won some room to breathe. Of course, that was the only plus side to the night.

Instead of them Mu, Yo, and So were there to watch Baek Ah entertain swooning women and their jealous boyfriends and husbands. And though Won preferred the company of his older brothers to the younger ones, of course they had to bring their wives as if to rub in that they were happily married.

Mu's wife smiled with her arm linked to her husband's and Yo's wife reassured her husband each time he checked his phone to text Wook- who had been left in charge of Gyung, Jung, and all the other little ones in the family. Even So had brought Wook's wife's cousin, who seemed a bit too eager to watch Baek Ah play traditional instruments, sing, and croon poems for an hour and half. Won wondered momentarily if they were dating, but due to the lack of words or physical contact between the two, he assumed differently. Wang So and Hae Soo had arrived together and aside from helping her out of the car, So had not touched, spoken to, or even looked at his date for the night.

After all, Wang So was not one to date. In the twenty-some years Won had known his older brother, he had never seen So ever show an interest in dating or women.

And to put a rotten cherry on top of Won's already shitty night, Baek Ah's mother sat right between Hae Soo and Yo's wife, speaking with them and overshadowing both women in looks and height even in her late forties.

Won despised Baek Ah's mother for the sole reason that she was a famous model. Both bastard sons of Taejo, Won and Baek Ah were of the same birth. But while Won's mother was a regular woman who just happened to have caught the Chairman's eye, Baek Ah had been the product of a scandalous, highly publicized affair that had caused the divorce of Wang Taejo and his third wife; Wook, Yeon Hwa, and Eun's mother. Baek Ah had been born into the spotlight between a rich man and an obscenely famous woman, but Won had not known his father until he was four and a series of paternity tests were conducted to validate his mother's claim. Baek Ah had been instilled within the Wang household since birth due to Taejo's insistence that he live at least four days of the week with his father.

Won wanted to tear his ears off as he listened to Baek Ah's mother exclaim at how soft Hae Soo's hair was and how smooth Park Mun Seong's complexion looked. The model had an endless array of kind words for Baek Ah's in-laws and even Won's older brothers seemed to tolerate her with smiles and nods of thanks. Won finally realized why neither Wook, Yeon Hwa, nor Eun were present. Of course the Chairman would have the foresight to keep those three away from Baek Ah's mother.

They sat in a central row where cameras could easily pinpoint them amongst the packed theater. Won wished he were back in his apartment with his roommates, watching their recorded soccer game with beer and takeout. He'd text Chae Ryung to tell her to have a good night and that he enjoyed having lunch with her. Maybe he would go over some paperwork from the office or perhaps he'd just sleep early and forget about Baek Ah's existence.

But no, he was forced to wear a suit and listen to Baek Ah begin his show with a song. The idiot stepped on stage in a sparkling suit with a black bowtie, a microphone connected to his ear. Won clapped as his brothers clapped and he stopped when Yo stopped.

Ignoring Baek Ah's performance, Won reminisced about his past and how he had gone from a poor, fatherless child to a person of importance within one of the largest Groups in Korea. Won knew that he was lucky to have the last name Wang; he had a younger half-sister and half-brother on his mother's side, and after his sister's birth, Won remembered wondering why he had to move away from his crying mother. He had later understood that after she had presented him to Taejo and the paternity tests came back positive, instead of paying child support like his mother had requested, his father had taken him from his mother's custody through a brief and bloody legal battle. And so, Won grew up as a rich boy who went to private schools and vacationed with his father's family in Hawaii and Europe while his sister and brother on his mother's side grew up poor and wanting.

Now, watching his younger brother perform on stage, Won wanted to gag. He had done everything he could to go to lie, cheat, and grapple his way through the workings of his father's company until he stood where he was- working beneath Yo. Won knew that out of his brothers, Yo was the most shrewd and conniving, and that was why he chose to work for him. And yet, even after loyally serving his brother, Won had yet to know if he would rise any higher than his current standing.

Too careful to actually glare at Baek Ah, Won maintained a straight face as his brother continued into woo his audience with sweet poison. There was only an hour left. Won reassured himself that he would survive.

The complete opposite of Won's dour mood was Soo, who sat between So and Baek Ah's lovely mother, Jeon Mi Sook. She beamed as she listened to Baek Ah play the gayageum while singing a romantic ballad, his long hair braided into an intricate knot and tied back with a golden ribbon that glimmered beneath the lights. Each plucked note resonated throughout the concert hall, playing with the strings of every woman's heart and further pulling Soo and Mun Seong toward the edges of their seats.

Sincerity and adoration mixed with romance, and passion laced every word that came out of Baek Ah's mouth. When the song ended, Soo found herself pressing closer and closer to So until their legs touched. She quickly set herself straight before anyone could notice the barest of smirks toying at So's lips or the fingers he trailed up Soo's thigh before placing them into his pocket.

Baek Ah gracefully accepted his applause as he sat down beside his instrument and spoke as if he would to a lover, embracing each member of the audience with his soft words and romantic poetry. His mellow voice was graced with a calming smile and he recited his poems with ease, erasing stress and replacing it with amorous words about walking beneath cherry blossoms and watching love bloom beneath the trees. He closed his eyes as he spoke, reminiscing calm days of still waters and the radiant sun.

So scoffed and Yo seemed to do the same as they both watched their significant others swoon over their younger brother. Mun Seong held a hand to her chest as if to calm her racing heart and Soo held her hands close to her face as a pink blush overcame her cheeks. Between them, Baek Ah's mother nodded to her son's amorous lament, her bony arms crossed over her body.

Glancing at Mu, So raised his eyebrows as the older man cracked his knuckles. His wife seemed no better at keeping her enrapturement hidden than any of the other women in the audience. So sat back in his seat and crossed his legs as he listened to Baek Ah speak to his 'wonderful and darling fans'. There was a certain persona the usually quietly romantic Baek Ah took whenever he met his fans or took to the stage. Calm and logical Baek Ah was replaced by one who was in love with each of his fans and wanted to embrace every single one of them. His ostentatious clothing certainly proved that point.

Being Baek Ah's first fan, So thought about his younger days, when he had given Baek Ah the money to buy tickets to a traditional Korean music festival. Until then, Baek Ah had wanted nothing more than to be a teacher, but returning from that festival had made him change his mind and immediately take up gayageum lessons. He had been eight.

Now, sixteen years later, watching his younger brother address hundreds of adoring fans, So felt a warm nostalgia in his chest. He remembered a past form of Baek Ah as he watched his brother perform.

Unable to be a street musician in Goryeo due to his princehood, Baek Ah had coerced the King into allowing him to travel about, drawing the lives of the people. He had travelled about in clothing befitting an average man, his paint set always in hand and his book full of little drawings and figures. So remembered Baek Ah being the happiest when he was painting the people or playing instruments with local bards.

So clapped as Baek Ah's poem ended and later stood to give his younger brother the standing ovation he deserved, happy that his younger brother was still doing what he loved.

The brothers and their spouses were allowed backstage after the concert ended.

After saying good-bye to Baek Ah's mother, they were led by an attendant behind the scenes where people worked to bring down lights and to roll the grand piano off of the stage. The controlled chaos moved like a beehive and So mentally took notes on how to maintain such an orderly way of business.

So stood beside Yo as Mun Seong and Soo walked in front of them, arm in arm, their eyes wide as they surveyed the inner workings of the show. The two giggled like children and whispered to each other while looking back at So and Yo before bursting into laughter and continue to gossip. So assumed their coffee dates were working, judging by how close Soo had gotten to Yo's wife. The two grasped each other tightly as Baek Ah appeared from behind a curtain, his glittering suit discarded and replaced by a plain, lavender t-shirt and jeans. An unlit cigarette dangled from his lips and Baek Ah pocketed his lighter when he saw the disapproving looks of his older siblings.

"Brothers!" Baek Ah called, spitting the cigarette out and greeting them with open arms. Baek Ah's modelesque height had come from his mother and he stood just as tall as Yo and skinnier than any of the other brothers. "Thank you so much for coming to my show!" Bowing to his siblings, Jung also greeted his sisters-in-law and Soo. "I hope you enjoyed my performance."

Patting Baek Ah on the shoulder, So gave his brother a warm smile as Mu congratulated Baek Ah on his successful show. "May your poetry book reach the nation's bestseller lists," Mu said with a proud clap of Baek Ah's back.

Kind words and happy smiles abounded and even Yo nodded to Baek Ah as he said, "I don't think Mun Seong or Soo could peel their eyes from you."

Soo and Mun Seong both nodded and beamed when Baek Ah turned to them and bowed, thanking them for their support. Usually, Baek Ah treated his fans as if they were lovers, but around his family, he retreated back into his usual, mellow self, making sure they were satisfied with his concert and asking if they thought there was anything wrong with his performance. Neither Soo nor Mun Seong had any negative words for Baek Ah.

The Ferrari hummed as it glided through the dark streets of Seoul. So kept one hand on the wheel as he used the other to hold Soo's, rubbing her knuckles with his thumb. He listened as Soo asked questions about Baek Ah, her wondrous expression the same look that had been on her face when she watched the performance.

"Was Baek Ah always so tall and handsome? I know that he was tall in Goryeo, but goodness, a suit does look good on him," she gushed. So peered over at his partner as she wistfully wondered if Baek Ah read poetry or sang to his girlfriend. He wondered if she had ever gushed about him to her friends. "I think that would be so romantic."

"Are you planning on leaving me for Baek Ah?" So sent a challenged frown to Soo. "You sound like you'd jump into his arms at first chance. I'm beginning to regret asking Wook to let you come with me without that annoying bodyguard."

Soo made a face at So. "I wouldn't leave you for Baek Ah, but I think he would be an extremely romantic person. After all, he does write those beautiful songs and poems. Imagine being his girlfriend and having him write something specifically for you." She stared out the window as fat drops of rain trickled down the glass. The mood of the car suddenly seemed to shift as she gazed at the light drizzle. "When have you ever sung for me?"

Scoffing, So pressed his foot against the brakes at a red light. "Baek Ah wasn't always such a romantic. When he first tried to write for someone, his efforts turned out terribly. And if you want me to sing for you, marry me."

A burst of laughter flew from Soo's lips as she turned to face a grinning So. "Is that your condition for everything from now on?" She began to poorly mimic So's voice, holding a finger up as if to point to the many things she wanted. "Want to go on a drive? Marry me. Want to use my library card because you lost yours? Tough luck, only the Mrs. Wang So may use my library card. Want to borrow my shirt to wear to bed? Well, that's something only my wife can do, so marry me."

"Correct," So nodded in approval. "You're a fast learner."

"Strange how I still used your library card, have a set of keys to your car, and have one of your sweatshirts in my closet," commented Soo as the car continued through traffic. So made no reply, only continuing to hold Soo's hand. He shrugged his shoulders as if to agree that it was a strange phenomenon.

"So how bad, exactly, was Baek Ah's poetry in the beginning?" Soo asked. "Talent like his isn't something you can train into. It's a gift you're born with. You can't become a romantic, you have to be born with it."

Raising a skeptical eyebrow in Soo's direction, So shook his head. "Baek Ah was born a romantic- I'l grant you that- but he wasn't born with the natural gift of a lyricist. You said you wanted Baek Ah to read a poem to you? Well I just happen to have one of his first ones- and his best one, in my opinion- memorized."

So bit back a laugh when Soo eagerly sat up and leaned closer to him, her doe eyes wide and sparkling in the dark of the night. She smiled up at him as she urged him to recite it. "Maybe you'll get something from me in return as well," she teased.

Clearing his throat, So went through the sweeping motion of pretending to add dramatic flare, releasing Soo's hand, he gestured toward the cloudy night sky and heaved a pained sigh. "Roses whose petals are red," he paused to gaze deeply into Soo's eyes, emotion clouding his own. "Violets that bloom blue."

He stopped the car on the side of the road and released his grip on the steering wheel to cup Soo's face and press his forehead to hers, their breaths intermingling. He could feel Soo's excitement beneath the palms of his hands, her anticipation mounting. "Please let me…" trailing off, So waited.

"What?" Soo asked softly, her closed lashes fluttering against So's cheeks. "What's the rest?" Closing his eyes, So tenderly pressed a sweet kiss to Soo's lips before completing the poem in a hoarse whisper.

"Please let me go down on you."

He pulled back with a laugh when Soo's eyes burst open and she smacked his arm with all the force she could muster. "I don't believe it!" she exclaimed, a furious blush on her cheeks. "Baek Ah would never write something like that!"

Guffawing, So continued to drive as he listened to Soo's denial. "I have the original signed copy in my folders at home in Ulsan. I can show it to you sometime," he laughed. "I stole it from Baek Ah when we were young to use as blackmail, but ended up keeping it as a good memory."

He smirked as Soo continued to shake her head, refusing to believe Baek Ah would ever write a poem that was as vulgar as it was bad. "No! Don't ruin my image of Baek Ah!" she exclaimed, holding her hands over her ears in an attempt to block the poem So repeated to annoy her. So grinned as he pulled into the underground parking lot and located a spot near the entrance to Wook's apartment building.

Stopping the car, he looked at Soo and leaned close to her, peering into her sparkling eyes. "Can I have a kiss before we go in?" he asked. So watched as Soo jutted her bottom lip out in a pout. "It's not every day your boyfriend ruins the image you have of his famous younger brother." Her frown made So smile and he bumped their noses until Soo gave a dramatic sigh and nodded with a roll of her eyes.

Lips met in between the two seats and Soo raised a hand to hold the back of So's neck, pulling him closer to her. Short, abrupt kisses gave way to languid caresses with open mouths. Hands drifted through hair and So pulled away to gaze at Soo, chuckling as she whined at the loss of contact. "What's that? What do you want me to do?" he asked, hoping she would kiss him or express discontent so he could kiss her harder. So smirked as he prepared to kiss Soo in full force, but he waited as there was a pause. Soo touched her chin as she pondered over his words.

Her hands made their way to So's collar and he felt himself being pulled forward until they were bare millimeters apart. "Roses are red, violets are blue," Soo hissed as she clambered over the side of the car until she was kneeling over So and reaching down to shift his seat so that he was laying flat. He gazed up at Soo as she pushed him down by the shoulder, her tiny body easily fitting on top of him. "You've never had car sex, have you?"

Cringing and laughing at the same time, So shook his head before raising his chin to meet Soo's lips. His hands grasped her legs and slowly, his calloused fingers inched her violet dress up to reveal rosy thighs.