I sat there, wedged between a very defensive Hanbin and the window of the cafe, trying my absolute best not to burst out laughing. Seeing the two Jeon brothers—usually the pillars of stoicism and composure—bickering like two toddlers over who kept a bigger secret was the highlight of my semester.
"I am not acting like Doyoon," Hanbin muttered, though he was currently sulking over his coffee because Hyuk-oppa had just brought up a story about Hanbin's childhood obsession with organizing his socks by color.
"You kind of are, Hanbin-ah," I whispered, nudging him with my elbow.
"Minah-ssi," I said, turning my attention to the lovely woman sitting across from me. "How do you do it? Hyuk-oppa seems so... well, solid. Does he ever just stop being the 'perfect older brother'?"
Minah laughed, a warm, musical sound that seemed to instantly melt Hyuk-oppa's stern expression. "Oh, Danoh-ya, you have no idea. Behind that 'reliable businessman' exterior is a man who spent forty minutes choosing which tie to wear today because he was nervous about this cafe visit. He's just as much of a perfectionist as Hanbin-ssi, just in a different format."
"Minah," Hyuk-oppa groaned, though he was smiling. "You're ruining my reputation."
"Your reputation is safe with me," she teased, reaching over to pat his hand.
It was fascinating to watch them. If Hanbin and I were like a complex piece of experimental code—constantly being tested and refined—Hyuk-oppa and Minah-ssi were like a perfectly polished application. They moved in sync, finishing each other's sentences with a level of comfort that only comes from months of secret, dedicated dating.
An hour later, we were seated at a quiet, upscale Italian restaurant that Hyuk-oppa had insisted on. The lighting was low, the music was soft, and the sibling rivalry had finally simmered down into a comfortable, albeit slightly competitive, atmosphere.
"So," Hyuk-oppa said, swirling his wine glass. "Hanbin told me about the coding project you two did. The 'Danoh-Hanbin Integration,' he called it? Or was it just 'Project A'?"
"He called it the 'Variable Synchronization Protocol' at one point," I replied, grinning as Hanbin stiffened beside me.
"I did not," Hanbin intercepted, his ears turning a familiar shade of pink.
"You did! In the lab, at 2 AM!" I turned to Minah-ssi. "He's so romantic, right? Most guys give flowers; Hanbin gives me optimized algorithms."
"Algorithms are more durable than flowers," Hanbin argued, finally looking at me. "Flowers wilt in three days. A well-written script lasts forever."
Minah-ssi leaned in, her eyes sparkling. "See? That's the Jeon charm. My first gift from Hyuk was a custom-designed ergonomic chair for my office because he was worried about my posture. I wanted a necklace, but I got lumbar support."
The table erupted in laughter. For the first time, I saw Hanbin truly relax. He wasn't the "Ice Prince" here, and he wasn't the grieving grandson. He was just a younger brother, being teased and protected in equal measure.
As the night wound down, we stood outside the restaurant. The winter air was sharp, but the warmth from the dinner—and the wine—kept the chill at bay.
"We should do this more often," Hyuk-oppa said, shaking Hanbin's hand before pulling him into a brief, manly hug. "And don't think you're off the hook for keeping this from me, little brother."
"Likewise, Hyung," Hanbin replied, though the edge in his voice was gone.
Minah-ssi gave me a warm hug. "Let's exchange numbers, Danoh-ya. We need to have our own meeting soon to discuss how to handle these two. I have a feeling we're going to need a joint strategy."
"I'd love that," I said, feeling a genuine sense of belonging.
As they walked away, Hanbin and I stood under the glow of a streetlamp. He took my hand and tucked it into his coat pocket, his fingers lacing through mine.
"You okay?" he asked, looking down at me.
"I'm more than okay," I said, leaning my head against his shoulder. "I think I like your family even more now. Especially since I know your 'Perfect Hyung' gets flustered over neckties."
Hanbin let out a soft huff of a laugh. "The data on my brother has been significantly updated tonight."
He stopped walking for a second, turning me to face him. The city lights were reflected in his dark eyes, and for a moment, the world felt very quiet.
"Thank you, Danoh-ya," he whispered.
"For what?"
"For being the reason I had to tell him. For making the 'Ice Prince' want to be seen."
He leaned down and kissed my forehead, a lingering, sweet gesture that made me feel like I was the most important variable in his universe. I realized then that while Doyoon was struggling with his "loading screen" and Hyuk-oppa was navigating his "secret architecture," Hanbin and I had finally found our perfect rhythm.