The Meal

At 9 pm sharp Kang Jun had arrived at the door of Room 967

He had contemplated knocking but he just couldn't bring himself to do it so he just waited outside until AnLing opened the door.

When she did, seeing Kang Jun's face made her slightly jump.

AnLing: "…"

Kang Jun: "I just got here."

'Suuure you did…' AnLing doubted him, but she didn't say a thing about it to his face.

Side by side, they made their way downstairs in silence. AnLing took a few glances at Kang Jun. He was a really handsome man, it was almost unfair.

He was rich, handsome and probably powerful…

That combination wasn't something she hadn't seen before though. She was actually pretty used to it because those were the type of people the Lu family frequented, so she wasn't completely uncomfortable by his side.

As they walked out of the hotel he held the door open for her and then once they got to the black Maybach he opened the passenger seat door for her also.

She subconsciously added the word gentlemanly to her list of words that described Kang Jun.

"So, where are we going?" AnLing asked as she buckled her seatbelt.

Kang Jun didn't answer her immediately. He just looked at her for a moment. Noticing the strange look he gave her, AnLing titlted her head in confusion before saying,

"What's wrong?"

Kang Jun looked like he'd been caught off guard.

Kang Jun: "Wrong? Nothing. I'm just glad you wear your seatbelt."

'What?' AnLing's internal voice came before her real one.

"Doesn't everybody?"

AnLing was confused all over again.

In one day, texting him had become much too easy but speaking to him face to face was a whole other problem.

"Hang on." Kang Jun gripped the gear and put the car on drive.

"Hang on to w—"

Before she could finish her sentence Kang Jun sped off into the distance not giving a second thought to the speed limit. Not expecting that kind of outcome, AnLing jolted forward and felt her stomach roll.

No wonder he had mentioned her wearing a seatbelt and to hang on.

The whole trip had taken them 15 minutes, but AnLing felt as if it had been longer.

Abroad she had remembered going to amusement parks with her friends a lot but for the life of her, she was never good with roller coasters, and that was what Kang Jun's driving felt like.

She was shocked he hadn't gotten pulled over by the cops.

"You know that you'll get into a car accident one day right?"

"Anything can happen." Kang Jun shrugged. He might have been driving fast but he trusted his own abilities. He looked towards AnLing, a small smile appearing on his lips when he saw her disheveled face.

'Yeah, because of your crazy driving skills'

She had gripped her seat hard as Kang Jun had driven. AnLing knew that he noticed her discomfort and it made him want to laugh but he didn't dare.

Kang Jun took off his seatbelt and exited the car. AnLing was about to do the same but his voice stopped her.

"Wait here. I need to pick something up."

AnLing did as told.

Looking outside she saw a huge manor AnLing couldn't help but let her jaw drop.

It was surreal.

It was probably triple the size of any house owned by the Lu family and at the front, there were several expensive cars. She wasn't sure whether it belonged to them or if they had guests but still, the manor itself was enough to blow AnLing away.

It was so shocking that she began to feel herself get light headed.

Truth be told she didn't look out the window at all since Kang Jun had started driving so she had no idea where they were. She hadn't even noticed that they had driven through a small forest to get to where they were now.

A part of her wanted to get out of the car and look around but she was in unfamiliar territory and she didn't want to risk doing anything stupid.

When she saw Kang Jun walk out of the house AnLing breathed a sigh of relief.

'Let's get the hell out of here please.'

But suddenly, behind Kang Jun, she saw a small figure with familiar fluffy hair. He was being accompanied by Mingyu who wore a large smile on his face.

Once he got inside the car, AnLing turned to look at him.

Kang Jun: "Both of you have met each other before but let me introduce you anyways. Mingyu, meet Lu AnLing. AnLing meet Kang Mingyu."

They both exchanged soft greetings.

Mingyu couldn't take his eyes off of AnLing and neither could she keep her eyes off of him.

Mingyu was a cute boy and AnLing had always liked kids. He seemed nice and well behaved also thought it was strange how she had met him.

Thinking back, AnLing twirled her ring.

Suddenly, a random thought came to mind.

"Did I ever tell you my full name?" AnLing said turning to Kang Jun.

He paused as he was putting on his seatbelt and then he looked straight in front of him.

Kang Jun: "Regardless"

Mingyu: "…"

AnLing: "…"

She might be changing his name to Regardless Kang tonight.

AnLing wanted to laugh but she held it back and looked out the window towards the manor.

At the window from the second floor, an old man peered out making eye-contact with AnLing. Seeing him, she cocked her head in surprise.

Why was he looking at them all snakily like that?

Then dreaded words came to her ears, bringing her back into reality.

"Hang on."

AnLing felt her heart drop and she began to hold onto the seat as if her life depended on it because it actually might…

Arriving at the restaurant AnLing had no appetite. Because of Kang Jun's driving, she actually felt pretty sick but once they were seated and Kang Jun ordered a couple of dishes her appetite came.

Looking at food seemed to always make her hungry.

The table was quiet for a while but then Kang Jun spoke.

His melodious voice attracting the attention of all the people around them. despite music playing.

"Order whatever else you want."

AnLing looked and Mingyu and he did the same to her. They both weren't sure who Kang Jun was addressing.

Looking down at them Kang Jun sighed and the corrected himself.

"You can both order whatever you want. Don't mind me."

Both AnLing and Mingyu shrugged and began to dig in. They spent almost the whole meal just eating. No real conversation was made.

"Thank you for the meal," AnLing said.

"No problem. It was all Mingyu's idea. He wanted to see you again." Kang Jun said nonchalantly, as he picked up his wine glass.

A 'clank' sound suddenly echoed. It was the sound of Mingyu dropping his spoon into his bowl of soup. The boy's mouth was open and his face was slightly red.

"Dad!" Mingyu screamed.

"What?" Kang Jun said innocently a laugh lingered on the tip of his tongue.

"Stop lying." The blush that appeared on the boys face worsened. Begging the question of who's idea was it really but that is not what came to AnLing's mind. Instead, something else occupied her thoughts.

Dad…?

Didn't he tell her that he wasn't the boy's father?

AnLing pursed her lips.

"I thought he wasn't your son?" She said, her eyes glued to Kang Jun.

The atmosphere turned heavy.

'Why would he lie? His son is so cute.' AnLing thought.

Kang Jun: "He's not."

'What?' She was confused with what was going on. Mingyu had clearly called Kang Jun dad. She couldn't have made it up?

"But—"

Suddenly a small shout cut AnLing off.

"Wait!"

AnLing turned to Mingyu, but Kang Jun stayed as composed as ever.

Mingyu: "I'll explain."

He drank a glass of water and then spoke.

"My father died when I was barely one year old. I don't remember him much but I know that he was the eldest son of the Kang's, and so, I was raised by the entirety of the Kang family's main house."

Mingyu paused to take a breath.

AnLing was a bit shocked by how articulate the boy was. Compared to how he had been the last two times she'd met him, he was more outgoing.

She had almost believed that he had a problem with speaking.

"He is my second uncle," Mingyu said, pointing at Kang Jun. "Long story short, he was always there and he took care of me so sometimes, I call him dad. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding."

Mingyu hung his head low.

AnLing understood now, but one thing bothered her. She was taken aback by his apology.

"Why are you apologizing?"

Mingyu was silent and continued to look down at his food. He began to pick at it.

From across the table, Kang Jun looked at Mingyu for a moment.

"She's right. There was no need for an apology. You weren't in the wrong. I was." Kang Jun took the opportunity to accentuate all the words he said.

If he was closer he would have patted Mingyu's head.

Though instead, AnLing did it.

Great minds really did think alike.

Despite the fact that she didn't do anything to him, she felt like she was responsible. Had she said something she shouldn't have had or brought up memories the boy would have much rather forgotten?

She could only assume. So, in order to calm the guilt within her, she cheered him up in the only way she knew she could.

Bewildered, the little boy lifted his head up and then eyed the two people with a blank but somewhat heartfelt expression.