“Do you want to get high?”

 

That line was the last thing I remembered. I woke up , alone in my room and, Pie was not around. She left a note on my bedside table saying: “Something’s come up. I’ll be back.”

 

“Why I am ?” I asked myself. “Nah” I shook my head and went straight to shower.

I took a sip of my tea while looking at the city on a beautiful morning. Suddenly, Pie showed up. I wondered how she came inside my home.

 

“Hey, Kim!”

“Hey, Pie!”

“Did you check your phone? Aunt In called you.”

I stood up and checked my phone. “Oh my God! My father wants to see me! I have to get there right now!”

“Hey, Kim!”

I panicked. “What should I wear?”

“Wear this. I’m sure you look good in this.” Pie already prepared what I should wear.

“You know?” I asked wondering.

“Yep, Aunt In called me early. I was not able to sleep by the way” She smiled.

“Why?”

“You snore so loud.” She laughed. “You were passed out after we…. you know.” She pointed to the bed shyly.

“You know what?” I asked.

“You don’t remember anything do you?”

I nodded. “What do you. Do you mean something happened?”

“Hurry up, Kim! Your father, remember?” Pie changed the subject.

“Oh.” I hurriedly changed clothes. “I did not mind changing while Pie was in my room.”

“Kim, I should go.”

“Come with me.”

“To meet your father?”

“Yeah, please?”

Pie, looked at her watch. “Okay, I have a tutor this afternoon, so I’m free this morning.”

“Thank you, Pie.” My phone rang. “It’s Aunt In. Let’s go.”

 

“Hello, dad.” I greeted my dad while he was playing chess on his iPad.

“Hi, Kim!” He stood up and hugged me. “I missed you. How are you?” He noticed Pie standing a couple of steps away from us.

“You have company. What is the name of this beautiful lady?” He extended his arm to shake hands with Pie.

“I’m Pie. I’m Kim’s…”

“Girlfriend?” My dad asked.

“Friend, dad. A friend.”

“Oh, I thought this the moment I meet your…”

“Dad, please?”

My dad smiled and offered us to sit.

“How are you, Kim?”

“I’m fine, dad. How about you? I thought you and mom are in the U.S.?”

“I need to get back here. There are some problems in one of the businesses.”

“Oh, and mom?”

“I left your mom there. I know she can handle everything. And this is the perfect chance to see you. I missed you so badly.”

“I missed you too.”

Pie's phone rang. “Excuse me, sir and Kim. I need to take this call.” Dad and I nodded as she left.

 

“Do you like her?”

“Dad?”

“I like her!”

“Sshh, dad. She’ll hear what you said.”

I looked at Pie, she smiled at me while answering her phone.

My dad smiled. “You both like each other. I know that.”

“She has a boyfriend, dad.”

“And?”

“And what, dad?”

“She’s not married. Go for it!”

“Dad, please.”

“I just want you to be happy, Kim. I want you to be happy, really happy. I know your mom and I can’t give you one.

“It’s okay, dad. I understand.”

“I’m sorry, Kim. I know you saw the news. Your Aunt In told me. I know you were hurt by what your mom said.”

I nodded.

“I love what you are, Kim. I love every inch of you.”

“But mom didn’t.”

“Just let her be for now. I know she will accept you sooner.”

I nodded. “Thanks, dad.”

“Thanks for what?” Dad wondering. “I should be the one thanking you.”

“Huh?”

“Thank you for understanding us. Especially your mom.”

 I smiled.

Pie went back to our table. “How’s the heart-to-heart session?”

Dad and I smiled.

“What do you do for a living, miss?” Dad asked.

“Just call me Pie, sir. I’m teaching math to kids.”

“That’s what I like for my Kim. Love kids.”

“Dad!”

Pie laughed.

 

“I think you know our situation between Kim and me, do you?”

Pie nodded. “Yes, sir and Kim fully understand. Kim has a nice heart.”

My heart melted. No one told me that except Aunt In and Hongyok.

 

The servers came and served us breakfast. There was silence when we started eating.

“I have a meeting at 11 o’clock.” Dad checked his watch. “Is it okay….”

“It’s okay, dad.”

“Thank you for coming, Kim.” He stood up and kissed my forehead. “Talk to you soon, okay?”

I nodded. “Thank you also for this, dad.”

“Talk to you soon also, Miss Pie.”

“Yes, sir.” Pie laughed.

Dad left us alone.

“Your dad is cool.”

“Yes.” I nodded.

“Don’t mind your mom. You have the coolest dad.”

I smiled. “Thank you, Pie.”

“Well, thank you for the free great breakfast. I canceled my tutor this afternoon by the way.”

“Huh? Why?” I asked.

“To accompany you. I thought you will have a misunderstanding with your dad. It is the opposite as I expected. But, I already canceled, and have nothing to do, you must stick with me.”

“We can go anywhere. Where do you want to go?”

“Anywhere?”

“Yes, anywhere.”

“To the beach.”

“To the beach it is!”