After their meal ended they all went to the garden for tea. Everyone was talking animatedly making Jen feel very sentimental. She remembered when her family was still in its position before the bankruptcy the way she used to be indulged by her grandfather and how they would meet on Sundays to bond.
Her father was the only child of her grandfather so they were especially cherished by their grandfather, especially Jen. Jen had a sad smile on her face as she was lost in her thoughts. Lucas had noticed first but the rest of his family had noticed soon after.
"Jen" Lucas called softly getting her out of her thoughts. Everyone pretended not to notice what happened and continued talking animatedly to each other.
"Is something wrong?" Lucas asked as he rested his hand on her back and soothed her.
"I"m fine, I just remembered my family" Jen said with a smile.
"Are you sure?" Lucas asked and he received a nod from Jen. He decided he would not push her to talk about it. They both watched his parents look at his brothers in amus.e.m.e.nt as Jason was already making fun of James.
"Do you know how many actresses feel like they need to compete with you?" Jason asked and gave a bright smile when he saw James glare at him.
"Don"t antagonise your brother" h.e.l.len said but did not really try to stop Jason.
"Mom I"m being very serious, in the company i"m the most handsome man around, can you guess who is the prettiest?" Jason asked before pointedly looking at James.
James" gaze had turned frostier. He was very insecure about his looks, that was why he stayed away from the media completely. No one knew how much he would be teased on the internet.
"You could try cutting your hair" h.e.l.len suggested good naturedly.
"Mom, did you forget? He looks even prettier with short hair" Lucas chimed in and was soon the target of James" glare. Jen really wanted to laugh but it looked like James was actually getting annoyed. If she laughed at such a time he would surely hate her.
"That was why he decided to grow it out in the first place" Jason said and elbowed James in confirmation.
"He is really playing with the tigers whiskers, isn"t James technically his boss?" Jen whispered so that only Lucas could hear. When he heard her statement he could only smile as if telling her to wait and see.
"I see you"ve been quite idle recently, that you have time to be talking nonsense" James said with an unfocused gaze. When his eyes focused on Jason, he couldn"t help but shudder. Jason realised he had taken it too far.
"I"m actually very busy" Jason said nervously.
"You"re obviously not busy enough, i"ll have to fill up your schedule over the next few weeks.
"James, don"t be that way. I"m already very busy" Jason coaxed. He had been completely free since he had recently finished his concert tours so he was lying through his teeth.
"There has been requests for idol dramas, i"ll have to accept them for you." James said and watched in schadenfreude as Jason"s expression fell.
Who didn"t know how much he hated idol dramas? Even when he was a rookie he refused to act in them. Now that he was at the top of the industry how could he want to act in them now?
Jason could not understand how teasing James resulted in him acting in an idol drama. In the past he would just get smacked around and the most he got was a few bruises that faded after a week.
"Just kill me" Jason said desperately making everyone laugh.
"Lana"s manager has also been contacting us about going to the award show with her" James continued. Jason felt his heart sink when he heard this. Lana had been desperately pursuing him for a while. Everyone in the industry was aware of this but she just was not to his taste at all.
"This-" Jason started.
"Maybe I should also tell them the idol drama you"ll star in. The two of you would have great on screen chemistry." James finished.
Jason had worked with his brother for seven years. Once he said something he would make it happen. It was even worse since James was his direct manager. He did not move around with him but he was responsible for everything in his schedule. If he did not stop him soon, he would himself in idol dramas all year.
"Big brother I was wrong, please forgive me, okay?" Jason said without any dignity. Jen was thoroughly amused and couldn"t help but laugh animatedly.
James only looked at Jason with his grey eyes before snorting coldly but he did not say anything.
"You forgive me right?" Jason said as he grabbed James" arm and cutely smiled. Both James and Lucas looked at him in disgust but Jen was a true fan, she wanted to capture that moment but she had to restrain herself.
"Mmmh" James replied.
"So about the dram"
"You"ll do three" James cut him off.
"Th-three?!" Jason asked as he stood up.
"How about five?" James asked. The statement was framed as a question but Jason knew that he now had five idol dramas he would be in.
"Big brother, why did you change your modus operandi?" Jason asked. He was not expecting James to retaliate so ruthlessly.
"It was obviously not efficient" James said as he sipped on his tea. When Jason became quiet he felt a sudden force strike the back of his head.
"Don"t even think of getting out of it, or you"ll do idol dramas with Lana all y-" James" mouth was blocked with Jason"s palm.
"I won"t get out of it, you don"t need to say anymore" Jason said accepting his fate.
The family harmoniously sat in the garden and talked to each other. h.e.l.len and Jason were especially talkative in contrast their father Noah was very quiet.
Soon enough Jen started feeling sleepy, she had a full stomach, and sitting outside in the warm sun combined with the cooling breeze made her feel comfortable. She leaned against Lucas" side as she listened to everyone and was nodding off.
Noah noticed this first and could only smile helplessly. He only had sons but he had always wished to get a daughter. Especially after meeting Jen. He couldn"t help but wonder how nice it would be if they had had a daughter.
"I"m tired, let"s go rest first" Noah said before he stood up and pointedly looked at Lucas. Lucas then noticed that Jen was half asleep as she leaned against and smiled helplessly.