RE: Keep it in the Family (Secret Class) 176 — Everything Happens for a Reason IV (Conclusion)

Eun Ha's POV:

Him alone had pulled the three of them back together, making them behave like a family once more.

Still, Jae-il stayed their brother, and the trio remained siblings no matter what.

Nevertheless...

Eun Ha found herself questioning whether they sensed even a sliver of that same tension.

Mia and Su Ah huddled close to Jae-il around the laptop; Mia apparently figured it'd be hilarious to display some popular fan edits of him, positioning the device squarely on his lap for all to see, much to his annoyance.

Their forms and features pressed so near that elbows and shoulders occasionally rubbed, though neither her daughters nor Jae-il appeared to mind or feel uneasy—they simply stayed so intimate with him.

"Oh! Check out that shot's angle, oi!"

"......"

"Oh, for fuck's sake. Not again." Jae-il grumbled while his face dominated the laptop display.

A close-up of his face and broad shoulders from the recent interview, lips curving upward in dramatic slow-motion. Followed by a swift cut as EDM beats ramped up. Lens flares and motion blurs marked each shift, bass dropping perfectly timed, then a slo-mo clip of him netting the final goal at the Asian Games, camera fixating on his quad's swell, next one showing him peeling off the drenched shirt, sweat beads tracing his torso.

Suddenly, the track cut off with a closing image of Jae-il's face from that interview, edited dreamily with purple eyes glittering like a cartoon princess's.

Eun Ha couldn't stifle a snort at the sheer cheesiness.

"Okay, that's enough." Jae-il reached for the laptop, but Mia yanked it away laughing, sliding it onto Su Ah's lap instead.

"Oh, c'mon, Jae-il! We're just appreciating your fame!" Mia chuckled, shooting Su Ah a mischievous glance. "Right, Su Ah? He's like a living anime hero."

"......" Su Ah stiffened, eyes locked on the screen. She gulped, cheeks flushing softly pink. "It's... quite artistic." She uttered, voice pitching up slightly. "The editing is surprisingly good."

Jae-il hid his face in his palms with a weary groan. "I'm going to change my name and flee to some isolated mountain."

"Don't overreact. You're a national icon." Mia proclaimed, tousling his hair fondly. He batted at her hand, yet a faint, unwilling smile tugged at his mouth.

Eun Ha observed them, juice neglected in her grip.

A subtle closeness existed among them. They formed an image of a joyful, contemporary family—one that appeared slightly blurred to her.

She noticed Mia's fingers resting a touch too long on Jae-il's shoulder, caught how Su Ah's gaze, once pulled from the screen, locked onto Jae-il's profile with a mesmerizing, unsettling focus.

"Stop acting like you despise the spotlight, Jae-il!" Mia exclaimed in her usual bold manner. "Just watch this!" She grabbed another clip from her sister's lap and hit play.

Jae-il wrestled the laptop back from Mia, halting the chaos. "Noona, I swear to God—"

Mia's mouth arched when he ribbed her, eyes sparkling with mirth behind her stoic facade. That fake frown couldn't sustain the chill for long before it shattered.

Eun Ha's gaze sharpened oddly.

It showed in how she prodded Jae-il's legs while scrolling more absurd edits. Her elbow and shoulder grazed him repeatedly.

Nothing sinister or hidden seemed to drive it—just sincere, heartfelt fondness.

Yet it unsettled Eun Ha deeply.

Su Ah sat on Jae-il's opposite side, sweeping hair from her forehead as she stared at the display, seeming poised to rest her head on her little brother's shoulder.

From an outsider's naive view, nothing alarming or unusual occurred. The sisters epitomized ideal modern sibling ties: teasing exchanges, easy physical touches, jokes, banter, endless laughs. But having glimpsed the hidden reality, Eun Ha now deciphered the undercurrents.

They'd always acted this way.

Still, closer scrutiny of their exchanges revealed those instants where gestures and stares veered—not fully improper, but edging toward suspect.

Eun Ha cleared her throat, drawing Jae-il's playful gaze from Mia to her own. His grin softened at the corners but held. "Mom?" It brightened faintly. "I hope you're not planning to mock me too."

"N-No, I was just thinking—" Eun Ha stuttered, glancing at her hands. "—well, it's nice to see you all bonding."

The statement emerged toneless, a bare fact devoid of feeling, yet Jae-il took it in stride with a subtle nod before refocusing on Mia's renewed laptop grab.

"Actually..." Eun Ha pressed on, calming her racing heart. "Um... the girls might not have said, but... I've been considering a family trip. Just us four. Maybe to the beach? Or mountains. Somewhere relaxing. Before your season ramps up, Jae-il."

Silence dropped abruptly over the room.

Mia and Su Ah went still. They shared a fleeting, cryptic look before turning to Jae-il.

He leaned back thoughtfully, eyes fixed on her.

Eun Ha's pulse thundered in her chest. It felt like she'd spilled a secret. Had she sunk so low?

Just a typical maternal idea. Normal moms proposed such things. Why then did it loom so huge?

"A trip...?"

Eun Ha nodded, face unusually flushed.

"I think it's a great idea, Mom." Mia replied hastily, tone overly cheerful. "We should go for it. Right, Jae-il?"

"......" Su Ah stayed mute, pivoting to Jae-il with wide, hopeful dark blue eyes.

"It... could be fun, I guess." Jae-il responded deliberately, still eyeing Eun Ha. "When did you have in mind?"

Eun Ha exhaled sharply. "Soon. This weekend, perhaps. If you're available, naturally."

"Not this weekend." Su Ah cut in softly. "The comet, remember?" Her glance at Jae-il hinted at a private plan. "We planned to head to the mountains for a clearer view."

"Oh. The comet." Eun Ha's smile wavered. "Right. Saw it on the news." Her eyes darted between Su Ah and Jae-il, probing for clues.

"A comet indeed." Jae-il echoed casually. Eun Ha managed a feeble laugh.

"Can I come?" Mia pressed forward eagerly, face turning beseeching. "I want to see the comet too!"

"You can't come." Su Ah retorted, sharper than normal. "We're climbing a mountain—can your pampered city legs manage?"

"Pampered?! I can trek for days without tiring, you snarky nerd!"

"Okay, okay." Jae-il lifted a soothing hand, wry smile forming as they squabbled. "Mia Noona, we'll plan something after the comet, so relax."

Mia puffed out a breath but relented, arms folding as she slumped into the couch pouting.

Eun Ha viewed the banter distantly. A comet. Mountains, just those two. Su Ah and Jae-il. It didn't have to imply more. Right? Mountains could be risky solo; inviting her brother made sense as company. Logical, even.

"Then, next weekend?"

"......" Mia and Su Ah pondered quietly before nodding.

"As long as your cold doesn't knock you out..." Jae-il teased, smile persisting.

Eun Ha laughed, rolling her eyes. "I'm not fragile, and it wasn't serious." She dismissed with a wave. "I'll recover by then."

"Alright." Jae-il confirmed with a solid nod. "It's a date."

Casual words, likely innocent, but "date" spiked her heartbeat like she was fifteen again, crushing on that distant senior.

"......"

A date... no, more like a family outing, a road trip... yeah, that sat better.

Yes, no—a definite family trip. Absolutely a date.

She dropped her gaze to her hands, cheeks burning uncomfortably.