“What? That’s … ugh. What are you talking about?” he stuttered, turning a blotchy pink.

“Nothing,” she said, all innocence.

“Aubrey’s like a little sister to me. She’s like you. How could Mom and Dad…? I feel nauseous.”

“Geez, bro. Calm down. I’m just messing with you.” Tara released the laughter she was holding back, clutching her stomach.

“You’re a little brat. When are you going to grow up?” Jack tried to glare at her, but he was holding back a grin. He was also a really good sport. “You know what you deserve?”

“No.” Her laughter abruptly ceased. “Please not that. Mom told you guys not to do that anymore.”

“She did? I have no recollection of that,” her sweet oppa said as he lunged for her. He grabbed her around her midriff and used his other hand to tickle her belly.

“Ahhh. Stop. Please,” she wheezed as she giggled like a kindergartener high on cotton candy.

Alex walked in on them and stopped in his tracks. After studying the scene for a few seconds, he dashed all her hopes for help from him. “It looks like you have the situation handled, Jack. I’ll be in the garage if you need reinforcement.”

Figures. Jack and Alex were fraternal twins and they always, without fail, sided with each other. Even so, it still stung. Shrieking with tortured laughter, she yelled, “You are heartless, Alex Park. Heartless.”

“Good morning to you, too, baby sister.” With an annoyingly jaunty wave, he went on his merry way.

“Assholes, the both of you.” The insult gave her no satisfaction when it wheezed out of her in a breathless pant.

“Tara, you know better than to use such language toward your big brothers,” her mom chided as she walked into the kitchen. But she wore a wide smile, as though she found the situation hilarious but felt it was her duty as a good mom to teach her youngest how to respect her elders. Just as Tara was about to howl in frustration, her mom continued, “And Jack. Stop that. You’re thirty years old, not seven.”

He promptly released Tara and walked over to Mom to peck her on the cheek. “Sorry. I’ll do my best to remember that I’m old.”

Her mom affectionately slapped her son on the shoulder and turned him toward the hallway. “Be on your way. I want to chat with my daughter.”

“Yes, Mother.” Jack winked at Tara and grabbed a Fuji apple from the fruit basket before he sauntered out of the kitchen, throwing and catching the apple in the air.

“You slept in today,” she said, switching fluidly to Korean. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Of course, I am.” Oh, no. Mom knows. She always knows everything. “It was a long day, and I just needed some extra sleep.”

“Are you sure that’s all?” Her mom peered at her with her X-ray vision. Tara’s heart threatened to tear through her chest like the Kool-Aid man. “It’s okay to feel a little down. Aubrey just got married. You could feel sad for all those girls’ nights in and out you used to have, and worry about your friendship changing.”