The More Handsome Brother

^_^

She choked on her drinks when Mei Mei suddenly announced to the other two at the table that she co-owned the Red Door. It is something that she does not want other people to know about.

For many reasons, but one of them was that she invested in this establishment while still in university. She now calls it an investment, back then, she just wanted to help Mei Mei's second older brother to put up a business that he was passionate about.

A black sheep among the Nakamuras' children, Mei Mei's second older brother attended no university rather he opened several random businesses at the age of nineteen and went bankrupt within a few months of opening.

Until he opened the Red Door together with the last money he had, and with the money that she had in her secret bank account. Later on, Mei Mei also put some money on her brother's business behind their father's back.

The Red Door was the first business he set up that did not go bankrupt in its first three months.

As the saying goes, the rest is history. He owned multiple nightclubs throughout Japan, and she grimaced at the thought that two years ago, they secretly ventured outside of the country.

Andrei said accusingly, "I didn't know you were interested in business."

Laurie rolled her eyes at him, "I haven't been interested even before now. I invested in a business I like and forgot about it," she said, scanning the lounge bar again, before saying, "I never expected this business venture to work."

Andrei squinted his eyes on her, disbelief was all over her face, "Here I am thinking that you are destitute, but it turned out, you are a freaking business owner."

She sipped her drink, thinking of a way to make Andrei lose interest in the information he heard. "I'm not really an entrepreneur. I'd say I'm more of an investor," she said, leaning back in her chair.

She gave Mei Mei a warning glance but she just shrugged her shoulders.

"What's the difference? Nothing! However, the fact remained that you hid that you had investments under your name," he pouted and sipped his drink.

"And does it annoy you? Shouldn't you be proud that I am not a bum like everyone assumed?"

She felt the irritation rise up from her chest with the way Andrei was acting. She went easy on the alcohol, knowing that she lost her mind when she had too much alcohol in her system. The last thing she wanted was to fight with Andrei tonight.

Mei Mei's older brother chose that moment to show himself and cut short their bantering.

"Laurie, hisashiburi desu yo?"

Bella, who has been sitting quietly all this time, minding her own business, audibly gasped next to her when Ryu sat down next to her.

She couldn't blame her. Ryu looked like a cocky rock star. They used to call Ryu the handsome brother and he truly is!

Ryu is considered taller than average Japanese men. Despite his lanky build, his body is well-toned from playing a lot of sports. His hair reaching the edge of his sharp jawline was professionally styled, so it always looked like he just got up from bed. His droopy eyes contribute to that illusion.

He only wears black from head to toe. He has a full-sleeve tattoo on his left arm and a red diamond stud earring on his left ear.

He is the total package of Bella's weakness in a man -- no wonder she gasped as though an Adonis graced their table.

Bella elbowed her, and she couldn't help but grin.

"Ryu, these are my friends." She opened her hand to Andrei first, "Andrie Tan, and this is," she leaned back so Bella could see Ryu, "...my beautiful friend Bella."

Ryu leaned forward to offer his hand for a shake to Andrei, "Nice to finally meet you, Andrei," he smiled knowingly.

She averted her eyes from Andrei's questioning gaze as to why Ryu seemed to know him.

She was saved from Andrei's dagger look when Ryu bent across her lap to reach Bella, and not only shook her hand but held it to his lips for a kiss.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, mi Bella."

She whacked Ryu's head upon hearing what he called Bella, "Behave yourself! You sleazy, bastard!"

Seeing Bella giggling like a teenager at Ryu's antics, she rolled her eyes and pushed Ryu off her lap.

"Would you like me to move so you two could flirt to your heart's content?"

She asked him mockingly which he just answered with a small chuckle and a wink at Bella, who had the audacity to act coy when she was already crushing on the eldest Nakamura. Does she intend to have both brothers?

"I would love to, but tonight I have to leave you to enjoy yourselves since I have a meeting with some associates," he winked at Bella who kept on blushing like it was the first time she had ever been openly flirted with.

He stood up after pressing her cheeks so hard that she felt his fingers buried in her cheeks painfully.

"You guys can order whatever you want...everything will be credited to Laurie's account anyway," he laughed at his own joke.

He waved his hands as he left their table, his mobile phone, pressed on his ears.

"He is always busy. You should tell him that you are going to have lunch at home this weekend for him to come home."

"He still doesn't --"

"Yup, he and father were still stubborn with each other," Mei Mei lowered her gaze with sadness.

Bella leaned on her shoulder and asked, "Why?"

"Ryu always did whatever he wanted without considering the opinion of our father. The fact that Ryu never lowered his head towards our father, made my father extremely angry at him, so he removed him from the family registry."

"He did what?!" she asked incredulously. "How did I only hear about it now?"

"Well, you never came back after breaking Hideaki's heart!"