Meeting My Mother

With all the commotion outside and Mrs. Park's loud voice, I've been wondering why my mother didn't come out and argue with her like usual. Turns out, she was busy cooking while playing loud classical music. That's good, though. At least she didn't have to sour her mood for the day.

"Eomma (mother), we're here," I called out to her loudly because of the music.

She didn't respond, so I immediately went to the speaker and turned the volume down.

Finally noticing us, mother turned around, and her face lit up when she saw us.

"Ye-Ji'ya, you're here! I didn't hear you."

"I told you not to play your music too loudly. Your hearing will deteriorate early if you keep doing that."

"Aigoo, you only come here to nag me, huh?" she replied, clicking her tongue. "And in front of such a special guest, too!" Turning to Agent Helios, she smiled so nicely and warmly at him, obviously liking what she was seeing. "Hello dear, welcome to our humble home! Please relax and treat it like it's your place."

"What the—eomma, you're acting too familiar!" I whispered to her.

"It's okay," she whispered back. "He's your boyfriend, right?"

"Huh? H-How did you…."

'That's right. I haven't told her yet. I did say I'm bringing someone, and it's a man. But does that always mean that he's my lover or something?'

"I'm your mother," she said, tapping my shoulders. "Since when did you bring anyone home except for that only friend of yours, huh? You only invite important people home, and since he's a man, that only means he's your lover, right?"

Well… I guess this makes things a lot easier, right? No need to explain much?

"You're… technically right," I agreed hesitantly.

"I've been looking forward to meeting you, Mrs. Kim," Agent Helios introduced himself and offered his hand for a shake. "My name is Jeon Eun-Woo, and I'm…" he looked at me first before continuing, "ahm, I'm not sure if Ye-Ji already told you, but—"

"She hasn't, but I already guessed, my dear. She's not the type to tell her love story to her poor, lonely mother," she assured him and held his hands. "Actually, she never explains anything to me at all. What a bad daughter, huh?"

"I'm sorry for only meeting you now."

"It's okay. She probably didn't let you until now."

"Ah, you really know your daughter."

"Of course."

"Ha-ha-ha! By the way, please have this. I thought you might like it."

"Woah! A gift for me? Oh my, you didn't have to."

Tsk. Look at them chatting so closely as if they already knew each other for a long time.

"Anyway, my dear, just call me mother, okay? No need to be shy."

Eun-Woo blushed and scratched his cheeks.

"Will that be alright?" he asked, acting so shy about it. What a great actor.

"Aigoo! Of course, it is. Now, why don't we all sit down and eat together? I bet you haven't eaten breakfast, right?"

"Woah. How did you know… mother?"

"My daughter has never been in a relationship, so she wouldn't know how to take care of her man."

"Eomma! I'm your daughter. Why do you keep bad-mouthing me?"

She gave me the "eye" as if I did something wrong. Wait, did I do something wrong? Or was she angry that I didn't tell her sooner? How in the world would I do that when this whole setup just happened last week?

Shortly after so much nagging from my mother, we sat at the dining table and ate together. My mother prepared a lot of dishes as if the whole neighborhood would be eating with us. She kept giving the juicy meat and the best part of the chicken to Eun-Woo while leaving the tasteless ones to me. Because of that, I couldn't help but scowl while I ate, and I got scolded for it!

'Why are mothers so stingy to their children but nice to the guests? Haah… And she doesn't even filter her words in front of the guest! Ugh, I feel so embarrassed. I want to hide somewhere.'

"So tell me, Eun-Woo'ya," my mother chatted while we ate, "did my daughter blackmail you into having a relationship with her?"

Oh my goodness! Eommaaaa!

"You can be honest with me, you know. How can such a kind, polite, and gentle child be with my cold and boyish daughter? I would understand if you got deceived by her pretty face, but she's really—"

Kind? Polite? Gentle? Oh, please. He's the exact opposite of that! He's savage, rude, and the most ungentle person I know!

"Eomma!" I called her out in a tone obviously complaining.

"Ye-Ji'ya, if you're done eating, why don't you go to your room and let me talk with the handsome man, huh?"

"Pft! Ha-ha-ha-ha!"

Eun-Woo laughed out loud. It looked too genuine as well. He's really enjoying this, huh? Ugh. I should have pressed his father for more embarrassing stuff about him when I had the chance!

After laughing that probably lasted a whole minute, he answered my mom's question with the sweetest smile he could give.

"No, mother. I wasn't blackmailed," he said. "Thank you for the concern. But honestly, that part of hers is what I like."

"Ahhhh…" my mother sighed like a hopeless romantic. "My daughter doesn't deserve you."

"No, I'm the one who doesn't deserve her."

'Ewwww. I can't believe he can say such lies with a straight face. That's so cringey!'

"And… actually," Eun-Woo continued, "the reason for our visit today is not only to meet you but…."

He then stood up and bowed so politely.

"I would like to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."

Woah. The shivers those words gave me! And seeing him say it so seriously as if he meant it. He's a really great actor.

Glancing toward my mother, she was shocked. Of course, who wouldn't be? It's her first time meeting him—someone she barely knows—then, he suddenly asked for my hand in marriage. Which mother would just agree to that?

"Sure, my dear. Take good care of my daughter."

What the—I almost spat the water I was drinking. She agreed? Just like that?!

"Eomma, aren't you letting your daughter marry so easily?"

I was too stunned by her response that I ended up asking what was on my mind.

"Aigoo! You're already lucky someone even considered marrying you,'" she replied to me, clicking her tongue. "Besides, you probably said yes to him already, which means you trust him, right? And you love him enough to introduce him to me. Why should I prolong it by raising drama?"

"You barely know him."

"But you know him, right? You're the one who's marrying him. You wouldn't say yes if you didn't, right?"

"Well, that's true, but…."

"Aigoo. I said yes, so go ahead and get married," my mother dismissed me. "While you're at it, give me many grandchildren, okay? It gets lonely when you grow older, so it will be nice if I have a grandson or a granddaughter to take care of, right?"

"Ha-ha-ha! We'll do our best, mother. And thank you for accepting us."

"Ahhh, such a polite child. Why don't you both spend the rest of the weekend with this lonely mother? You don't have anything scheduled for tomorrow, right?"

"Sure, mother," he agreed without even consulting me. "In that case, why don't I bring you somewhere nice today? Let me repay you for the delicious meal and warm welcome."

"Oh, this child. There's no need for that."

"Aww… but it's the least I could do," he pouted. "I always looked forward to hanging out with mother since…"

"Oh, sure! Let's go! Where do you want to go, huh?"

And so, the conversation went on. They just talked to each other like I wasn't there. Am I really my mother's daughter? Or did she already replace me with Eun-Woo? She always wanted to have a son. So this is the feeling of being abandoned, huh?

'I gotta say, though… Agent Helios is one heck of a manipulator. Look at how easily he gained my mother's trust. He'd really make a bad enemy. Tsk, tsk, tsk. What a devil.'