Saturday morning arrived with clear skies. The golf course was already busy by the time Jihan steered his sedan into the club's parking lot. Beside him, Tae-hyun stretched lazily before climbing out of the car.
"I still don't understand why I agreed to wake up this early."
"You wanted to learn," Jihan countered, closing his car door.
"I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Maybe if I buy expensive clubs I'll magically become good."
Jihan walked toward the shop. "You won't."
"...You really know how to encourage people." Tae-hyun sighed, a faint smile touching Jihan's face before disappearing just as quickly.
The equipment store sat beside the clubhouse, its glass walls displaying rows of polished clubs beneath bright lights. As soon as they stepped inside, Tae-hyun wandered away to stare at the endless racks. "So many... Do people actually own more than one?"
Jihan picked up a driver from the display. "They do. Because they enjoy spending money."
"...That's the first interesting thing you've said all morning."
----
Across the parking lot, another taxi pulled in. Min-woo climbed out first, followed by Jae-min. The trunk popped open to reveal the broken golf club inside.
Jae-min looked at it with visible annoyance. "I still don't know how it snapped."
"You swung like you were chopping firewood," Min-woo snorted. "You hit the ground."
They started toward the entrance. Just before reaching the door, Min-woo's steps slowed as his eyes shifted through the glass. "Oh."
Jae-min frowned. "What?"
"They're here." Min-woo lowered his voice, looking through the showroom windows. Jihan stood near one of the display racks while Tae-hyun wandered farther inside examining different clubs.
Jae-min's pulse skipped once. "...Already?"
"I'll disappear." Min-woo turned sharply and slipped behind a row of shelves near the back of the shop. Working in the Kang residence had made one thing very clear: Jihan could never see him here.
Jae-min watched him vanish before letting out a quiet breath. "...Guess it's just me." He pushed the door open.
The shop smelled faintly of fresh leather and polished wood, with rows of golf bags neatly arranged beneath warm lighting.
An employee greeted him with a smile. "Looking for anything today?"
"A replacement driver. Maybe something that survives longer." Jae-min pointed toward the broken club tucked beneath his arm.
The employee laughed. "I'll show you a few."
They disappeared farther into the store. Jae-min picked out a driver, then grabbed practice balls, gloves, a towel, tees, cleaning spray, and a travel cover. He didn't need half of it, but a full basket was much easier to struggle with.
By the time he reached the front aisle again, both arms were occupied. He adjusted the stack awkwardly, and a box slipped. Before it reached the floor, someone caught it.
"You seem determined to buy the entire shop."
Jae-min looked up. "...Mr. Kang."
Jihan was already holding the fallen box. For a brief second, surprise crossed his face before settling into something quieter. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"I could say the same," Jae-min smiled sheepishly.
"I come here often."
"Then I suppose I'm the coincidence."
The corner of Jihan's mouth lifted ever so slightly. "Perhaps."
Footsteps approached, and Tae-hyun stopped beside his brother. "...Lee Jae-min. Nice seeing you again."
"You too."
Tae-hyun looked down at the mountain of equipment balanced in Jae-min's arms. "...Planning to become a professional?"
"I wish." Jae-min lifted the broken driver. "I broke mine. It turns out the ground is harder than it looks."
A laugh escaped Tae-hyun before he could stop it. Even Jihan looked away for a moment, hiding what looked suspiciously like amusement.
"I warned you not to swing that hard," Jihan said..
"I remembered after it broke. Convenient timing."
"I thought so too."
The conversation settled into an easy rhythm, free of forced back-and-forth as morning shoppers drifted around them.
By the time they reached the register, Jae-min's basket looked embarrassingly full. The cashier began scanning everything one item at a time.
"That'll be—"
"I'll take it together." Jihan placed his card on the counter.
Jae-min looked over. "...Mr. Kang? You don't have to do that. I really can pay."
"I know. I'm paying anyway." Jihan's tone remained calm. There wasn't a hint of arrogance in his voice; it sounded less like generosity and more like a decision that had already been made.
The payment terminal chimed. Done.
Jae-min stood there for a moment before bowing his head. "...Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Outside, the morning sun had climbed higher. Jae-min bent to gather the shopping bags, but there were far more than he'd intended, and the handles dug into his fingers. "...Maybe I overdid it."
"You think?" Tae-hyun laughed.
Before Jae-min could answer, the weight suddenly disappeared from one side. Jihan had already taken more than half of the bags.
"I've got these."
"...Mr. Kang, it's only to the parking lot."
"I know."
Jae-min hesitated before yielding. "...Thank you."
The three of them walked side by side—or rather, Jihan and Jae-min walked ahead while Tae-hyun followed several steps behind, carrying only one small paper bag. He stared at his brother's back, then at Jae-min, a slow frown settling on his face.
Since when... His brother didn't even carry Tae-hyun's shopping, yet here he was carrying someone else's without being asked. "...Interesting."
When they reached the edge of the lot, Jihan looked around. "Where's your car?"
"I didn't drive. I actually came on my bike." Jae-min pointed toward the far corner of the parking area where a black motorcycle sat between two cars. "I still have to get that home."
Jihan's eyes followed the gesture. "...I see." For a second, it looked as though he wanted to say something else. Instead, he handed the bags back. "Ride safely."
"I will."
Tae-hyun climbed into the sedan first. As the door closed, he glanced through the window at his brother still standing beside Jae-min. Only after another brief exchange did Jihan finally return, and the sedan pulled away.
A minute later, Min-woo stepped out from behind the side entrance and walked over. "Well?"
Jae-min set the bags beside his bike. "He paid. And he carried my shopping."
"I noticed." Min-woo let out a low whistle. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then a grin slowly spread across Min-woo's face. "I think we've got him."
Jae-min looked toward the road where the sedan had vanished, the morning breeze stirring the loose ends of his hair. "...I think so too. So, what's next?"
Min-woo leaned casually against the motorcycle, folding his arms. He thought for a long moment, his smile returning.
"...Now, we make him fall."