13. Secret that i want to hide (Hyo Joo POV)

we enter a big theater near Hyun Jae's neighborhood. Hyun Jae's parents , specially his mom want to meet me again. at first I was hesitated, we just dating for a month now.

yesterday his mom called me and said they will watch a musical and had a family dinner. I was so frustrated. I really want to go, but I just think if is it to fast or not to meet his parents. I had meet his mom, but his dad. But I wasn't able to say goodbye properly last time, also Hyun Jae really want to go. so at the end I said "yes".

and now we are, in the line to enter a theater. Hyun Jae moms put her hand on my shoulder, like want to give me a courage. maybe she can feel my nervous. Hyun Jae and his dad stand in front of us. I just meet Hyun Jae's dad when we wait for them at theater. I greet him and we directly enter the theater. I don't had a chance to talk with him, so I really drown in my anxiety.

"Hyo joo" hyun Jae's mom talk closely to me

"Hyun Jae's father is a good person, no need to worry okay. he likes you, he just keep it cool"

after hear that I feel better.

I'm sitting on the left of Hyun Jae's mom, his dad and hyun Jae's sitting on the right side of his dad. the parents sit in the middle of us.

finally 1 hour musical end and there an intermission, the break between musical. we going out from theater to grab some snack. I walk with Hyun Jae's mom to snack bar while Hyun Jae and his dad sitting on the theater waiting room.

"Hyo joo, take whatever you want. we have 30 minutes to eat before the second part starts. also don't think too much. take it as a chance to know more about Hyun Jae and ours"

sometimes I just surprises with Hyun Jae's mom, she treats me like her own daughter. like she really wants me to be part of the family.

after pick some food and drinks.

we bring the food to our corner in waiting room.

"dad, this is Hyo joo. i didn't have a chance to introduce her to you. we such in hurry to enter the theater "

"Hello sir, my name is Hyo joo"

"Oh, no need to be so formal, Hyo joo"

Hyun Jae's mom smiling

"darling, she's been nervous all the time"

"really, oh I'm sorry maybe cause we so hurry so my face a little scary" hyun Jae's dad laugh

"no, not like that sir.. I really.. I just"

"calm Hyo Joo. Hyun Jae's mom told everything about you. and this one keep told about you to me every time I called him"

Hyun Jae's dad pat Hyun Jae's head

"as long as this kid happy, we never had a problem with that"

it's been awkward for a while but as we eating and talking ,the ice finally melted.

"Excuse me , I'll go to restroom"

"Oh yes, we'll enter in 10 minutes" hyun Jae's said

I walk to a restroom, i really want to pee. when I get out from a toilet I wash my face, clean it and fix my make up. actually I don't wear much make up. I just put some lipstick cause it wipe off when I eat.

I walking out from a restroom to the waiting room.

"Hyo Joo" I stop walking

I know this voice, it's my step mother

I keep walking

"So you ignore your parents now?"

I stop and turn around. she walking close to me

"what are you doing here?" She asks

"I'm watching musical"

"hm, with who? alone?" She asks with disparage tone

I just quiet

"or you lie to me?"

"I'm not liying "

"then why you not answer my question "

"cause I don't need to. I think we don't have to talk anymore. this is public place and I don't want to humiliate myself and dad reputation"

I walk away

"Hyo Joo!"

she walk to me and grab my arm

"can you show a little respect to me!"

"you are the one who started disparage me. and I won't provokes by that kind of strategy. I came here to watch a musical, with who and how it's not your rights to push me answer it"

"what are you doing?"

it's my dad, no wonder. she won't come alone here. also Alex stand behind my dad.

"Oh, honey. I just say hi to Hyo Joo" my step mother let my arm off.

I bowing to my dad

"Hyo joo, what are you doing here"

"I watching musical "

"alone?"

"no"

"Hyo joo" Hyun jae walking to me

he's bow to my parents

"Let's go inside, the musical will starts "

"who are you? why you with my daughter?"

my dad voice raise a little

"chairman Lee, she's with us" Hyun Jae's parents come to the rescue

"Oh, chairman shin"

they both shake hands

"it's been a while chairman Lee, we don't know Hyo Joo is your daughter " Hyun Jae's dad put his hand around my shoulder just like his mother did before.

"Yes. it's been half year since our last project"

my dad eventually had meet Hyun Jae's dad at some business project before.

"You must be proud having daughter like Hyo Joo. I hear she get full scholarship, also she's a hardworking girl. no need to mention her beautiful as her mom, Joo Ah. is that treat your longing for Joo Ah?"

I'm surprising by the fact Hyun Jae's dad knows my mom.

Hyun Jae's dad smiling to me and wink his eyes

"I'm sorry chairman Lee, but Hyo Joo is ours for today. oh this is our son Hyun Jae"

"chairman Shin, how about we eat together after the musical? we also watching it" my step mother said

"hm, I'm afraid I must refuse it. today is my birthday so we'll have a family dinner. Ofcourse it's including Hyo Joo"

"see you next time chairman Lee"

we walk away and watching the musical. Hyun Jae's mom keep talk with me about the musical, at the point I almost forgot what happened earlier.

after watching musical we going to a fancy restaurant. Hyun Jae go to a restroom.

"hyo joo"

"Ah yes sir"

"You must be had a many questions in your head"

I just look down

"It's okay Hyo Joo. we were friends back at the college. your dad and me. and I know your mom, we also come to your parents wedding. darling you had it right "

"Yes, it's always there"

Hyun Jae's mom take some pictures from her wallets

it's a picture of my mom and dad wedding with another two person, I assume it was Hyun Jae's parents.

"Joo Ah is a friends of mine. we are the one who set them up. that time we really happy"

"since first time I saw you, I just think you look like Joo Ah, but I never expect you were her daughter" Hyun Jae's mom hold my hand

"Joo Ah daughter is our daughter too, and the fact you both dating is a good news for us. as you know Hyin Jae never date someone, or introduced us to a girl. but you are the one and he introduced you this fast to us it's mean ypu are really special for him"

"Yes, Hyo Joo. we are so grateful. Hyun Jae is a shy kid, he always obey us and avoiding problems. but since with you I can see he change, in a good way. he can express many emotion. so Hyo Joo don't feel uncomfortable around us. cause both of us support your relationship with Hyun Jae"

I feel the weight on my shoulder finally lift up, something that I try hide all the time is revealed but it turns out to be a good thing.

Hyun Jae's mom then show me some of Hyun Jae's childhood photo that she also keep in her wallet. we laugh together.

"hm, what I missed? everyone look so happy"

Hyun Jae sit beside me

"it's secret" Hyun Jae's mom smile

"what is it about?. Hyo Joo did they said something embarrassing about me?"

I just turn around and laugh

"mom. do you show that photo again?"

we all laugh, Hyun Jae scratch his head

"what ever you saw, forget it okay. it's so embarrassing "

"no, I won't. it's cute" I winked to Hyun Jae

then we laugh together. I look at Hyun Jae's family. maybe I didn't have a family like them, but being know and close to this family surely a blessing for me.

sometimes things will short out in a good way. even it's turn out to be bad way, it's worth than hiding something all the time. it's just give you pressure and make you act not the way you really are. honesty sometimes bitter, but ibetter to say it out.