Hanging Out With Friends

When I woke up, I found Ok Hye-In still sleeping in my arms, a soft smile playing at the corners of her mouth. I carefully extricated myself from her embrace, trying not to disturb her.

Stepping out of the room, I stretched and yawned. It was Sunday, so there was no school to worry about. I spotted Vladena in the kitchen and walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and kissing her neck. "Morning," I murmured, "Thanks for taking care of me."

Vladena turned to face me, kissing me back before saying, "Vlad, Jung Da-Jung got divorced yesterday. You were occupied with Ok Hye-In, so I thought I'd tell you now."

I nodded, taking in the news. "Is that so?" I asked, then continued, "Do you have to go to work today?"

Vladena shook her head. "No, but today is Jung Da-Jung's first official day in office. Yesterday, JBC announced the results, and she won first place in the test on her own merit."

I looked at Vladena, "Please take care of Ok Hye-In for me," I said, then added, "I'll go and meet Jung Da-Jung."

I quickly showered and headed out to Jung Da-Jung's house. On my way, I called Hong Shi-Woo. "Meet me at the front of your house," I said. "We'll go practice basketball." He also said he'll be there in 10 minutes.

No sooner had I hung up the phone than Jung Da-Jung appeared, wearing a blue shirt and a black skirt that ended above her knees. She looked stunning; no one would ever guess she was 37.

She spotted me and smiled, "Vlad, you're here. Are you waiting for Hong Shi-Woo?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I am." I looked her over, taking in her outfit, and asked, "Are you heading out somewhere?"

Her face lit up, "Today's Aunt's first day at her new job. She got a position at JBC."

I smiled back at her, "Congratulations on your success."

She glanced at her watch and said, "Okay, I should get going or I'll be late. Have fun ."

"Have a good first day at work," I replied.

She smiled, "Thanks, Vlad," and headed towards the bus stop to go to JBC.

After a while, Hong Shi-Woo showed up, but he wasn't alone—Hong Shi-Ah was with him. I looked at Hong Shi-Woo and said, "You made it." Then, turning to Hong Shi-Ah, I asked, "You're joining us?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I didn't want to stay home and be bored."

I smiled, "Alright, let's go together."

We started walking towards the basketball court and passed a convenience store. I turned to them and asked, "Did you guys have breakfast?"

They both shook their heads, so I led them to a nearby café, ordered breakfast, and picked up the tab. Once we finished eating, we continued towards the basketball court. On the way, I spotted Seo Ji-Ho, Hong Shi-Ah's childhood sweetheart, coming towards us.

He greeted us briefly, "Hey, what's up?" but kept walking, saying he had something to do. I noticed Hong Shi-Ah seemed lost in thought and didn't see the bump in the path. She tripped, but I quickly reacted and caught her, asking, "Are you okay?"

She blushed slightly, "Yeah, I'm fine." I let go of her and this time, I walked beside her as we continued on our way.

Hong Shi-Ah suddenly had an idea and said, "I'm going to call Bo-Bae and some other friends. Otherwise, I'll be bored just watching you and Hong Shi-Woo play."

She quickly made the call, and by the time we reached the basketball court, Bo-Bae, Hwang Young-sun, and Uhm So-Mi were already there waiting for us. They waved and said hello as soon as they saw me.

Hong Shi-Woo and I started practicing, playing for hours. In between games, Hong Shi-Ah and her friends brought us water bottles to stay hydrated.

After we finished playing, Hong Shi-Ah and her friends suggested, "Why don't we just hang out for a while and chill?"

We all agreed, and soon everyone started sharing their stories and hobbies. Hong Shi-Woo, being a bit shy, didn't stay long. After a while, he said his goodbyes and headed home.

Meanwhile, the rest of us continued to enjoy each other's company, relaxing and chatting the afternoon away.

Soon I took them to have lunch somewhere fancy and said " Don't worry about the bill, it's my treat "

After a hearty lunch accompanied by cheerful conversation, the group began to disperse, returning to their respective homes. Before parting ways, we exchanged contact information, promising to keep in touch.

Cloaked in invisibility, I took to the skies, soaring back to my villa. There, I found Vladena and Ok Hye-In seated together, their laughter echoing through the air. I approached them, dropping my invisibility, and greeted each with a tender kiss.

Turning to Ok Hye-In, I asked softly, "Would you like to return to my world with me, or would you prefer to stay here?"

She met my gaze, her eyes reflecting her resolve. "I'll stay here with sister Vladena. When you've found our other sisters and added them to our unique family, then I'll return with you."

I glanced at Vladena, realizing she must have shared my plans to unite Jung Da-Jung and the others with our growing bond.

I turned to Vladena, a question burning in my mind. "Vladena, what's become of Hong Dae-Young?"

She met my gaze, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "He's considering marriage to that actress we hired. It seems guilt has driven him to this decision."

A sense of finality washed over me. Hong Dae-Young's chapter was closed, and it was time to focus more on Jung Da-Jung. I nodded, processing this new information, and then asked, "And what of Jung Da-Jung? How are things at the office?"

Vladena's expression brightened. "She's made significant strides. She's already contacted JBC and we have given her the news show. They've even recognized her as the top scorer. Her colleagues have had mixed reactions: Kwon Yu-Mi seems envious, while Lim Ja-Young is genuinely happy for her."