“OUCH!” Jackson shrieked, “Ouch! Oww! Youngji! Stop hitting me!” He curled up his body, covering his face from Youngji’s Punch.

Youngji didn’t even care with Jackson’s screaming, she kept hitting his shoulder with her fists to vent her frustration. Those were not even powerful punch, so she didn’t understand why Jackson should shouted as if he was in deep pain.

“YOU, STOP SCREAMING!” Youngji yelled back at him. The car was kind of shaking with their fight.

“YOU! STOP PUNCHING ME!”

Youngji stopped, scowling and curling her lips, folding her arms across her chest. It was the most exasperating situations she had since she knew and associated with Jackson. She was furious but at the same time she also felt super nervous.

“Why do you always do that?” Jackson complained, rubbing his painful shoulder.

Youngji turned her head so fast as if she could take her head off; glaring at Jackson. “Do what?” she hissed.

“Hitting me.”

“That’s why!” Youngji pointed the gate in front of their car. “Why didn’t you tell me we’re going to visit your parents’ house? Are you crazy?”

“I said, it’s a surprise. You said yourself that you like surprise.”

“But not this kind of surprise!” She let out another hiss. “How can I visit your parents with this kind of outfit and don’t even bring anything for them. It’s rude.”

“Hey… Youngji, stop being panic.” Jackson finally understood what made her so furious. “What’s wrong with your clothes? They are ok. And you don’t have to bring anything, I don’t even bring anything.”

“You are their son; of course it’s ok if you don’t bring anything sometimes because they miss you more than the things you bring. However, I am a stranger.”

“What do you mean stranger? You met my parents once.”

“And that was years ago. They probably forget who I am.”

“They don’t forget you. Especially my mom, she remembers you.”

“How come?” Youngji asked; demanded answer.

“I don’t know, she just remembers you. And besides, I’ve told my mom that today we’re visiting and having dinner with her.”

“Oh God!” Youngji buried her face in her palms.

“Now, could you please help me, Youngji?”

“What?”

“Can you go to that intercom and told them to open the gate for us?” Jackson asked; he grinned, pointing the intercom on the gate.

“What? No! You do it yourself!” Youngji snapped. She then watched Jackson got off the car and jogged to the intercom, after a while the gate slid open.

Jackson drove the car entering his house’s gravel yard, Youngji could hear the crack noise from the gravel under the tires. She scanned the whole yard that looked stunning. A large grass field becomes the base of several ornamental shrubs and flower plants. The gravel path divides the green yard in two sides which drives them to the front terrace. Youngji could feel the gravel under her feet.

“Yaa! You really are a rich boy.” Youngji whispered while they were waiting for the front door to open.

“These all belong to my parents. It’s not mine.”

Youngji ignored him, she asked him instead, “How do I look? My hair’s ok? I supposed to fix my make-up.”

“Relax… you’re fine,”Jackson chuckled.

The door was opened and a beautiful middle age woman welcomed them. Youngji smiled and bowed, several times, that made her looked funny, she even felt like doing something so stupid and awkward. Jackson’s mom was still like she remembered. The last time they met was about more than five years ago when they were coming to Seoul to be a guest for Jackson on the Christmas celebration episode. She still looked amazing.

She hugged Jackson tightly while whispering something in Chinese… or Cantonese, what’s the difference? Youngji wasn’t really sure. The welcoming hug was long enough because Youngji could sense the warmth between them; the relationship between them was too beautiful. After releasing him, Jackson’s mom moved her attention to Youngji, gave her a big smile and a motherly warm hug.

“Annyeounghaseo.” Sophia greeted and bowed to Youngji, and Youngji bowed even lower and returned her greeting. “Come.” She linked her arm to Youngji’s, guided her to the large living room that connected to their pantry and kitchen. It was a wonderful house, almost everything was in white combined with a little gold color, but yet looked very modern.

“I think my mom likes you better than me.” Jackson said to Youngji. Youngji turned her head looked at Jackson who was following them behind, goggled at him.

“It’s because I don’t have a daughter.” Sophia said in English, so Youngji would understand. She then smiled and squeezed Youngji’s hand gently.

On the counter Youngji could see bunch of vegetables and meat, it looked like Sophia was preparing something.  Sophia turned her head to Jackson with a surprised expression and talked fast in Chinese. From Jackson’s excited reaction Youngji assumed it was something good. Sophia went upstairs hurriedly.

Youngji stared at Jackson, asking for translation. Jackson caught her message, “She told me that my brother will also visit. He’s in town because he has business here.” Youngji nodded.

 “Where’s your dad? I don’t see him.” Youngji asked.

“He is in Shanghai for business. But I told him we’re visiting and he said hello for you.” Jackson explained. “Sit here. I’ll take you some water.”

Youngji gave another nod. Sophia showed up from upstairs while talking on her phone. Youngji watched her giving her phone to Jackson, and Jackson started to talk with the caller cheerfully. After a while he gave the phone back to his mom.

After finishing her talk on the phone, Sophia took Youngji’s hand and invited her to sit on the sofa with her, while Jackson was lying down on the carpet. They engaged in conversation, eventhough Youngji didn’t fully understand Chinese but she knew some words, and she could understand a bit. Sophia sometimes invited her in their conversation in her broken English, and of course Jackson was kind enough to translate all their conversation in Korean.

Suddenly the door bell rang, and Jackson got up from his seat to get the guest. He showed up from the front door with a person who looked like an older version of Jackson. Jackson’s older brother. He hugged his mother with the same vibe like Jackson hugged his mom previously. After that he greeted Youngji, shook her hand.

“Hello, Youngji. It’s nice to meet you.” Jackson’s brother greeted her in English.

Youngji was a little bit nervous that she suddenly should reply in English. “Hi. Nice to meet you too.”

“I’m sorry, but do you speak English?” He asked carefully.

“Yes, a little bit.” Youngji answered. 

“Jackson said you lived in Australia before.”

“In New Zealand. But, I didn’t really live there; I went to New Zealand to study English. It was just two years, when I was in junior high.”

“Hmm… I see.” He nodded, “And I think Jackson was right about you.”

“About what?”