Moments With You

(2/3) With One Last Kiss I Let You Go

Part 2/3

The last sun rays hit the glass windows of the communal office. Logan squints and adjusts the brightness of his screen. He looks at the evidence in the flash drive Su Ryeon gave him two days ago. A voice behind him interrupts.

"Weird research you're doing there, for someone who'll settle".

He sees his brother's reflection on the screen and curses under his breath.

"Alex". He rotates the screen, obstructing his brother's view. "Stop prying".

"Do you have something to hide, little bro?" He pulls off his red sunglasses and settles down, "something about a certain case?"

That's his brother, all right. A bad boy style that magazines would kill for and a face begging to have the tattoos slapped off it.

"Spit it out, man". Talking to his brother is worse than dealing with a teenager and he can't help but stoop to his level. "What are you doing here?"

His brother only sets foot on the firm when he needs a favour. It's usually in the form of money, or "investment" as he calls it when he's asking their father to keep financing his extravagant lifestyle. Although both brothers were expected to become lawyers, Alex left the practice to pursue his passion. Only problem is, he didn't have one. To fill the void of responsibilities, he lives off as a carefree chaebol, traveling from Seoul to New York to Milan, searching for companies to invest in when his start-up had failed. In reality, his journeys involved less business and much more pleasure. Something that Logan viewed with dread.

"I came to talk to dad. But before I went into his office, I heard Mom and aunt Mari arguing", he says with fake casualness. "It was the weirdest thing, they were talking about you." Logan closes the document and turns to his brother fully. "I couldn't help but overhear".

"I'm sure you couldn't," he says under his breath.

Alex's Cheshire cat smile evaporates.

"Bro shut up, I'm the one on your side. Auntie was telling mom that dad is going to teach you a lesson for crossing him in front of everyone. Something about undermining his legal authority in a custody battle. You know how dad is."

Taking his office is only the first step, his dad must be seething with his defiance.

"It's my case, I'll do as I see fit".

Alex stands and starts circling the office, his oversized leopard shirt flowing around him, like a frat house overlord.

He may be dressed as an eccentric idiot, but Alex is not. He's sinking his teeth in any family drama that he can find, any shortcoming that pulls focus from his own hedonistic life. And that juicy piece happens to be Logan's predicament.

Alex looks down and regards him questioningly.

"What sticks out to me is why. Why would my exemplary, rule following brother throw a fit over a mere divorce case? Except if it's not an ordinary case... for you".

Logan dry swallows.

"Every case is special for a lawyer," he evades, "especially the ones involving kids. You'd know that, if you weren't so busy parading around with models and selling air".

Alex snickers.

"We're not all made for the world of law. I don't have my life together, how could I represent clients and mess up with theirs?" Alex hits the table with his fist. "But how can you understand me, oh Saint Logan", he says with disdain, "you are the perfect son".

Logan winces and huffs indignantly.

"And look where it got me! I've been bending over backwards to satisfy mom and dad, because I thought it was the right thing to do." For years, he endured, while Alex enjoyed a carefree life."But the first time I really want to fight and make a difference in someone's life, dad puts me in my place. I'm not a perfect son, I'm... I'm their lap dog".