2 days before the D-day:
"I had this custom made for you guys, so you guy have to wear it!" Mom said as she pulled out matching designer clothes.
"Personally made by your uncle Sangho's designer, the best of them all." She added.
"Ma, you can't be for real." BaekHyeon said.
"What you guys are twins, there's nothing wrong with matching." She stated.
"But you didn't ask If we wanted to match." I added. "Come on, your Lola and Halmeoni really wanted to see you guys in these." She sighed.
"Fine, we will wear it." We both agreed.
"Great! Now go try them on."
BaekHyeon and I exchanged glances, both clearly unenthused about the idea, but we knew better than to argue any further. When Mom wanted something done, it was as good as set in stone.
We trudged upstairs to my room, where the clothes were already laid out, neatly folded and waiting for us. I picked up my outfit, running my fingers over the fabric. It was expensive, no doubt, and meticulously crafted. Uncle Sangho's designer clearly had put in a lot of work.
"I swear, Ma's been waiting for an excuse to match us up again," BaekHyeon grumbled as he grabbed his shirt.
"Yeah, ever since we outgrew those sailor suits, she's been itching for a redo," I joked, trying to lighten the mood.
BaekHyeon laughed, a sound that was too rare these days. "Those were the worst."
We both started changing into the outfits, the room going quiet for a bit. As I slipped on the tailored pants, they surprisingly fit perfectly, hugging my legs just right without feeling restrictive.
BaekHyeon glanced over at me, already half-dressed. "Not gonna lie, these are kinda nice."
I shrugged, "They are… but I still don't get why we have to match. We're not kids anymore."
He nodded, tugging at his collar. "True, but you know how Lola and Halmeoni get. This might make their day."
I stared at myself in the mirror, the sharp lines of the outfit making me look more put together than I usually felt. "Yeah, I guess."
BaekHyeon adjusted his jacket in front of the mirror, taking a deep breath. "It's only for one day, right?"
"Yeah," I muttered. "Just one day."
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At Lola's fefe house:
As we pulled up into their driveway the house looked bigger than I remember, it was very mordernize mansion unlike the halmeoni and harabeoji luxury old money mansion.
As we got out of the car cousin Quinn came running up to me and Hyeon, "My Twins, I haven't seen you guys in forever!" She rejoiced as she hugged us.
Quinn was the third youngest cousin from dad's side of the family, she was 2 years older than us. She was also the cousin we were closest too, I guess it's because we were always around her growing up.
"I've missed you guys so much!" She smiled hugging us tighter.
"We missed you too." We replied in unison.
"You can't be hugging them like this forever Quinn, let's head inside." Dad said as he and mom headed inside.
Quinn finally let go, grinning as she looped her arms through mine and BaekHyeon's. "Come on, let's catch up while we walk inside. You guys look sharp, by the way. Matching, huh? That's new."
"Don't remind us," BaekHyeon groaned. "Mom's idea, obviously."
Quinn chuckled, "Of course it was. But honestly, you two look great. Plus, you know how Lola is—anything to keep her happy."
We followed our parents inside, the air-conditioned coolness immediately hitting us as we stepped into the grand foyer. The house was even more modern than I remembered from our last visit. High ceilings, clean lines, and a lot of open space. It felt almost too perfect, like it was made to be shown off.
Lola's voice came from the living room. "My babies are here!" She appeared, arms wide, her smile as big as ever. Lola might have embraced a more modern lifestyle, but her warmth never changed.
"Lola!" we greeted in unison, breaking away from Quinn to hug her.
She kissed our cheeks, squeezing us tightly. "Look at you two, so grown up and handsome. You look just like your father did when he was your age."
I glanced over at Dad, who smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "Let's not talk about that, Ma."
Lola laughed, patting his arm. "Alright, alright, come on, everyone's waiting in the garden."
We followed her through the house, passing by luxurious modern furniture and sleek decor. When we finally stepped out into the back garden, I was hit by a wave of nostalgia. The space was beautifully arranged, with long tables set under string lights and a soft breeze that carried the scent of flowers.
As we took our seats, the garden buzzed with the chatter of aunts, uncles, and cousins. It felt good, being surrounded by family, even if the formality of it all still felt overwhelming at times.
BaekHyeon leaned over to me, whispering, "At least the food's always good."
I smirked, trying to suppress a laugh. "True."
After dinner the adults headed inside and all the kids stayed in the garden chatting away and catching up. "Jihoon and BeakHyeon, the stars of the show!" Cousin Mike said as he walked up to us. "How are you guys feeling? The big party is in two days!" He smiled.
Mike was the fourth oldest cousin, he was right In front of Quinn. He was the fun cousin, the literal definition of life of the party.
"We're feeling great, we're finally going to be adults." Hyeon replied.
"I have a great Idea, how about we have a pre birthday celebration tomorrow. What do you think?" He suggested.
"Great idea!" Quinn agreed.
Hyeon and I shot each other hesitant looks unsure of what to say, we weren't really the type to have a whole party the night before our birthday.
Before either of us could respond, Mike was already planning it out in his head, his excitement palpable. "We can have it at the beach house! It'll be just us cousins, nothing crazy—just food, drinks, and music. Come on, it'll be fun."
"Yeah, what's the harm?" Quinn chimed in, nudging me. "It'll take some of the pressure off the big day, right? Just a chill hangout."
I exchanged another glance with BaekHyeon, who gave a small shrug. He seemed just as unsure as I was, but we both knew it'd be hard to say no. Mike and Quinn were persuasive, and if we declined, it'd just seem like we were trying to avoid hanging out with the family.
"Alright, fine," I finally said, trying to sound more enthusiastic than I felt. "But nothing too wild, okay?"
Mike clapped his hands together, grinning from ear to ear. "You got it! Tomorrow, we'll head to the beach house around noon. Just us and a good time."
Quinn smiled, leaning back in her chair. "It's gonna be fun. We'll make sure you two relax before the big day."
BaekHyeon and I both nodded, though I could tell he was feeling the same way I was—nervous, but also a bit excited. The next two days were going to be a lot, and maybe this pre-celebration wouldn't be the worst thing.
Suddenly cousin Jay climbed up on a chair with a box of beer in hand, "I got beer, so everyone gather around for a game of ping pong cup!" He announced.
Jay was another party hungry addict, he was Mike's younger bother. I guess you can say he followed in his brother's footstep, but then again when you're family is rich you wouldn't have a care in a world.
"Count me in!" Mike and Quinn cheered in unison.
BaekHyeon and I exchanged looks again, this time with a mix of amusement and hesitation. Jay was always like this—bringing the wild energy to any gathering, no matter how casual it was supposed to be.
"Come on, don't be party poopers!" Jay grinned, waving the box of beer in the air. "We're celebrating, aren't we? What better way to kick things off?"
"Yeah, it's just a game," Quinn said, nudging me. "Besides, you guys could use some fun before all the serious stuff happens."
Mike clapped BaekHyeon on the shoulder. "Exactly! This is the perfect way to unwind. No harm, just a little beer and some ping pong skills."
BaekHyeon sighed, glancing over at me. "What do you think, Jihoon? Are we doing this?"
I hesitated for a second, but then I thought, What's the harm in a little fun? We'd spent the whole day preparing for the big family event, and the last thing I wanted was to overthink everything. This wasn't a big, fancy party—just our cousins and a harmless game.
"Alright, why not?" I finally said, shrugging.
"That's the spirit!" Jay rejoiced, jumping off the chair to start setting up the game. He grabbed a few red cups and lined them up on the table, tossing the ping pong ball in the air like a pro.
Mike and Quinn quickly joined in, grabbing their beers and claiming spots around the table. A couple of other cousins drifted over, too, laughing and chatting as they watched Jay finish setting up.
BaekHyeon took a deep breath and nudged me. "Guess we're doing this. Ready to lose?"
"Please," I shot back with a grin. "I'm about to wipe the floor with you."
"You wish," he laughed.
As the game started, the tension that had been lingering in the air all day seemed to melt away. We were just a group of cousins, hanging out and having fun, like we always used to. The familiar sounds of laughter and lighthearted teasing filled the garden, and for the first time in a while, I felt like I could actually relax.
BaekHyeon and I teamed up against Mike and Quinn for the first round. The ping pong ball bounced back and forth across the table, and the competitive streak in both of us kicked in. BaekHyeon managed to sink a perfect shot into one of their cups, and we cheered as Mike groaned dramatically.
"Beginner's luck!" Mike laughed, downing his drink.
As the night went on, more cousins joined in, and soon the garden was filled with the sound of ping pong balls bouncing and cups clinking. Jay's wild energy kept things lively, and for the first time in a long time, it felt like we were all just kids again—no responsibilities, no big expectations, just enjoying the moment.
TBC