Meeting The Parents

The first he met a girl's parents was several years ago, and it was quite pleasant since he had known the parents prior. However, it's a whole different manner in this current situation. He never once met JiU's parents and now he's about to meet them acting as her boyfriend. Odd scenarios of first meetings with a girl's parents flashed through his mind, and so far nothing seems to be working in his favor. That is, according to his imagination of how such situation would play out.

JiU walks in first with Soohyun close behind. The room is quite spacious enough to fit in a study on one side and a big bedroom on the other. "Abeoji?" JiU's voice comes out differently once again into a soft and gentle melody as she calls her father.

"Right here, my flower," the same stern voice Soohyun heard earlier, came out from the study.

JiU walks to the source of the voice. Soohyun halts his momentary sightseeing of the room and follows JiU to the study. "Abeoji, why are you here?" JiU asks in a rather complaining yet gentle tone, "You should be in bed, resting."

"Aigoo, I just had to check on a few papers," the elderly man replied while sitting behind a big desk full of papers. A pair of glasses latched on to his frame. The man Soohyun saw in the pictorial earlier is a complete opposite of the one he sees right now. The sight he sees is an old and almost fragile man welcoming his daughter into his embrace.

"Who's this?" JiU's father asks as he makes eye contact with Soohyun, who smiles and bows in greeting.

"Abeoji," JiU looks back towards Soohyun then back to her father, "I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Kim Soohyun."

Her father's expression turns quiet all of sudden as he looks at Soohyun then back to JiU. The situation repeated for a good five times before he responded, "Jeongmal-yo?"

"Neh, abeoji," JiU sheepishly smiles and nods rather furiously. Soohyun praised her in his mind. The fact of how well she acted earlier with sister then now right in front of her father, just amazes him.

Her father suddenly lets out a loud and hearty laugh while keeping his hand on his daughter's. "Come here, young man," JiU's father gestures him to come closer.

"Annyeong haseyo, Mr. Kim," Soohyun bows his head politely to greet the grinning father, "It is very nice to meet you, JiU has told me a lot about you."

"Did she now?" her father chuckled while looking at his daughter, "All good things, I hope."

"Yes, sir, very amazing and motivating stories," Soohyun starts to tap into acting, "JiU admired you so, and it is delightful seeing a daughter who adores her father as much she does. And she has become quite an amazing woman because of you."

JiU, watching the scene unfold in front of her, finds herself smiling at how Soohyun explains about her father without neglecting her. Though it was agreed to make things believable, she never expected that Soohyun would do this well in front of the father she respects and loves dearly.

"Hahaha," the elderly gentleman laughs once more, "Thank you, Soohyun-ssi. I am a proud father, indeed, to see how my daughter turned into the woman that she is today."

"It is quite mesmerizing indeed, sir," Soohyun says as he holds a brief gaze on JiU.

"Please, please, don't call me sir," Mr. Kim pats Soohyun's arm, "You can call me abeoji from now on."

"Right, yes," Soohyun stole a glance at JiU, who was a bit surprised by her father's advancements, "Abeoji."

"Now that is better," Mr. Kim chuckled once more. Mr. Kim stands from his chair with JiU's help and sighs softly, "As you can see, I am no longer the strong and active man like I once was."

Soohyun, seeing JiU holds her father, mirrors her action. He helped to support her father on the other side, which earned him a chuckle. "You are quite an interesting young man. You got a good one here, my flower."

"I know, abeoji," JiU states as the trio slowly make their way to her father's bed, "He is a special one."

JiU's statement caused something to stir in the slightest in Soohyun. Her words sounded genuine and sincere, even though it was just pure acting on her part. The way she looked at him while saying such words made Soohyun's heart to beat a little faster. Her eyes focused on his was something he never thought he'd see again.

The pair helped Mr. Kim to settle into his bed. "My flower, can you give me a moment with Soohyun?" her father's question started as a surprise at first, but JiU had no reason to refuse. Instead, she tucked his bed and kisses his cheek and giving him another hug before leaving the two men alone.

"Soohyun-nah," the father begins as Soohyun takes a seat next to his bedside.

"Neh, abeoji," though weird to say to the man he met a moment ago, Soohyun stays true to his acting.

"JiU is a strong-headed, driven, and dedicated woman to both her work and family," Mr. Kim begins, "A quality I am very proud to know she inherited from me. I love my wife, Chungha and JiU; if it weren't for this sickness, I would still be on my feet leading the company. JiU would be living a different life instead of having to watch over a sick father and run a mass empire of business, all at the same time. I want her to experience love and support from a man who can understand her and help her improve within herself. So, my point is, please take care of my daughter. Help her whenever she needs it. Do you understand, Soohyun-nah?"

All the while listening to Mr. Kim, Soohyun finally understands why JiU wanted this contract. He realizes that she does this as a request to make her father happy. The words he heard are the words from a dying man. "Neh, abeoji," Soohyun bows his head then keeps it that way as she talks, "I will take care of her and make her happy; you won't be disappointed."

"Hehe, I thought so," JiU's father nods gently before slowly closing his eyes, "She finds herself a good one."

Soohyun leaves Mr. Kim's bedside as he starts to rest. Something is bothering him after saying such a promise earlier. Feeling like a heartless man to lie to a dying man, Soohyun exits the bedroom to see JiU already waiting with her arms crossed on her chest. But all in all, it wasn't a bad encounter like he imagined earlier.

"Let's go," her voice back to being stern and firm, "We'll be meeting mother after this."

"You're not going to ask what your father said?" Soohyun quite surprised why she didn't ask immediately.

"Oh, I will," JiU continues as she keeps walking on ahead, "Now is just not the time. I want things to finish here quickly so we can move on to meet your parents and end the day."

The way she talks, reminded Soohyun that this was all for the fulfillment of their contract. Nothing else involved besides doing each other's side of the bargain and finish everything as planned. Both parties are gaining their own goals through a simple agreement.

"There he is," JiU's mother came to hug Soohyun a little too suddenly the moment Soohyun stepped into the dining room for lunch.

"A... annyeong haseyo," Soohyun, too surprised to respond correctly.

The lady proceeds to kiss both his cheeks before finally pulling away. "Please, please take a seat," she beckons to the empty chair to a full coursed meal table.

Soohyun stole a glance towards JiU, who seems to be attempting to hold in her laugh. JiU knows full well how her mother would react concerning the fact that she has a boyfriend now. Having Chungha told her, has made her mother very excited and happy that her oldest daughter is already with a man.

"Very pleased to meet you, Soohyun-nah," JiU's mom was too excited that she dropped all honorifics and called Soohyun straight to his name, "And please call me eomma before you call me ma'am, okay?"

"Ah... neh," Soohyun bows his head after settling on his seat, "It is very nice to meet you too, eomma."

"Aigoo... I am so emotional now," JiU's mom takes a tissue from the center of the table as she taps the corner of her eyes, "I am so happy for you, my oldest daughter."

JiU reached for her mother's hand and caressing it gently, "Eomma, don't cry, or I'll cry too." As if on repeat, with her mother, JiU's tone changes to the way it was, she talked to her father.

"Yes, yes, you're right," Mrs. Kim wiped her tears away and replaced it with an ear to ear grin, "We should be happy and celebrating this moment."

JiU's mother lifted a glass of drink in the air, "Toast to my daughter and her dashingly handsome boyfriend." Soohyun, JiU, and Chungha had to follow through despite finding it a little to cringe-worthy.

From then one, the conversation was surprisingly light much to Soohyun's surprise considering Mrs. Kim's earlier reaction to finding out her daughter is dating. The three days, spending time to get to know each other, paid off as the mother asked questions concerning JiU to Soohyun and vise versa. And from this very day, Soohyun has concluded that JiU's family is quite one for the books.

Soohyun also finds out that JiU's family is a family with different careers. The father was the former CEO of K Inc; the mother is still an active chief of doctors in a renowned hospital in Seoul while the sister is a young fashion designer and choregrapher.

"So, Soohyun-ah," JiU's mother begins after eating her dessert, "What will you do next with my daughter?"

"Eomma..." JiU's words are interrupted when Soohyun blurted out his answer almost immediately.

"I would like to marry your daughter, eomma," Soohyun stated firmly with confidence. That answer caused three different responses from the three different ladies on the table.

JiU's mom starts to get teary-eyed once again, Chungha dropped her spoon on her plate with her mouth open in shock while JiU could only stare at Soohyun wide-eyed. Though already discussed, such matter still gave the shock to JiU. Soohyun had never even mentioned this to her within those three days they spent. Such an answer was random and out of the blue.

"Mwohh??" JiU and Chungha chimed together, but JiU's voice dwarfed Chungha's.