Chapter 13: Meet the Family, Part I

Yonghwa, Seohyun, and Yunji arrived in Busan no less than 3 hours later, food finished, all games played, and many awkward conversations exhausted. By the time they were getting off the train, Seohyun felt tired but knew she wouldn’t be able to rest. She would have to put on a spirited face for her in-laws that she was meeting for the first time.

“Just remember, we’re in this together. Like we were with everything else,” Yonghwa was saying to her. “If I know my family, not much has changed.”

“Just promise me one thing, Oppa. Promise you won’t abandon me on this trip. Don’t leave me alone with your omma,” she begged sincerely, her anxiety rising and rising the further along they walked on the platform.

“I wouldn’t do that, Seohyun,” said Yonghwa absentmindedly.

“And don’t just expect me to be the only one taking care of Yunji. I’m just barely taking care of her well as it is.”

“Yunji won’t leave my sight.” Again, he was only paying half attention to her anxiety.

“And please—“ Seohyun was saying but someone caught Yonghwa’s attention, and he purposely flailed his arms about, waving excitedly to whomever he saw.

Seohyun looked up and saw a man waving back at Yonghwa.

“Who is that?” she whispered.

“It’s my Hyung.”

“Samchon!” Yunji shouted, making a dead sprint toward the man. He laughed and swooped her up into a powerful hug.

“Ah, ottoke!” Seohyun whined, pulling him back. “Oppa, now I’m nervous.”

“Just act familiar and smile. I’ll lead us through everything.”

They came face to face with Yonghwa’s brother, whom Yonghwa greeted like they were the best of friends. Seohyun did as Yonghwa said and smiled cheerfully, bowing slightly to say hello.

“Sister-in-law, it’s been a long time!” said the man, greeting her warmly. “Omma has a lot planned for everyone.”

“Oh, chinja?” said Yonghwa casually, following his brother out of the train station and back to the car. Seohyun tried to act casual as well but was made even more nervous by the amount of people starting to notice who they were. Seohyun put on her sunglasses to avoid direct eye contact and hoped that the car wasn’t too far away.

Once they reached the car, Yonghwa was in his own little world with his brother, answering basic questions with ease. How was the trip down? How was composing coming along? How were Yonghwa’s CN Blue dongsaengs? Yonghwa even sat in the front seat, leaving Seohyun to sit in the back with Yunji like a child listening to her parents talk.

Finally, Yonghwa’s brother acknowledged her existence when they stopped at a light. “Sister-in-law is quiet today. Are you sick these days?”

“An-Annio,” Seohyun stuttered unsurely. “Just… a little tired from the trip. I’ll talk more from now on.”

The car atmosphere turned awkward. She wasn’t being casual like Yonghwa had instructed. Luckily her “husband” was a mood maker. He launched into a new conversation, again leaving Seohyun left out.  

Seohyun focused her attention on Yunji instead. “Yunji baby, what do you want to do most when you get to Halmoni and Harabeoji’s?”

“I want to play with Hye Joon sachon and eat delicious food,” said the little girl, bouncing Pudding on her lap.

“Ooh, that sounds like fun. What sort of games do you and Hye Joon play?”

“A lot of games,” Yunji explained very eloquently. She began describing each game calmly and clearly, and Seohyun was reminded of herself. She hid an amused smile while her pretty daughter continued to talk as if she were being interviewed.

Seohyun found out that Hye Joon was Yonghwa’s brother’s son, who was three years older than her.

Eventually, 20 minutes later, they approached a house and her brother-in-law parked. They got out and Yonghwa and he carried everything to the doorway.

When they passed the brick wall and went through the iron barred door, Seohyun saw Yonghwa’s house for the very first time.

It was large and beautiful, surrounded by flourishing plants and flowers. She smelled salt in the wind and imaged that the back view of the house would be of the sea.

Her brother-in-law, unaware of his home’s beauty, continued to walk up the stairs, lugging around her suitcase with Yunji and Yonghwa in tow.

Seohyun was too stunned to move. Yonghwa backstepped until he was standing beside her.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered.

“This is… really your family house?” Seohyun asked.

“Nae.”

“It’s… huge. I can’t believe this is your house.”

Yonghwa laughed. “You should see the inside. Come on.” He grabbed her wrist and pulled her up the rest of the stairs and through the front door.

When they walked into the living area, several people were waiting for them. Yonghwa’s mother, his father, a little boy with a bright face, and a tall, pretty, pregnant woman smiling from ear to ear all stood and greeted them. Yonghwa, Seohyun, and Yunji bowed back to everyone. Then, Yonghwa’s mother, who didn’t look much different than the last time Seohyun had seen her, pulled her into a hug, then hugged Yunji.

“Welcome home, you three,” said the woman.

“Long trip?” asked Yonghwa’s father.

“Harabeoji!” Yunji threw herself into her grandfather’s arms.

A little boy came up to high five Yonghwa, surprising him.

“It’s Hye Joon,” Seohyun whispered.

“Hye Joon!” Yonghwa shouted happily, giving him the high five and ruffling his hair. “You gotten taller since last time.”

“Annyeonghaseyo, Yonghwa sshi,” said the tall woman who was smiling.

Seohyun saw Yonghwa freeze. Literally.

“Soo-Ye sshi?” Yonghwa was puzzled.

“Who else would it be?” said his brother indignantly, going to stand by her side and kissing her forehead.

When everyone was distracted momentarily by Yunji hugging the woman carefully and calling her ‘aunt’, Seohyun whispered to Yonghwa. “Who’s that?”

“My… my ex girlfriend. I’ve known her since childhood,” he muttered quietly so that only Seohyun could hear. “Our parents are good friends.”

Seohyun observed the girl briefly. What sort of ex girlfriend married someone’s older brother? The girl was dressed nice, and although her face wasn’t small, she was pretty. If she hadn’t been a part of the family already married, Seohyun would’ve maybe felt threatened still.

Yonghwa should’ve felt excited for his brother, but he was not over the shock of seeing her in his house as a relative.

“I’m surprised,” said Yonghwa’s omma, blinking at them. “You’re not racing upstairs to rest?”

“Uh, Omma, shouldn’t we stay down here with you and rest later?” Yonghwa asked cautiously.

“Son, I can look at you and my pretty daughter-in-law and notice when you two need rest. Unpack and rest for an hour, then we’ll have lunch all together.”

“Ok, we’ll do that. Come on, Seohyun, Yunji.”

They went upstairs and it did not occur to Yonghwa what exact room they would be staying or resting in. He went immediately to the one room he was sure of, his old bedroom. He opened it up, half expecting it to still look like he had left it before moving to the dorms for training so long ago. But it had been redecorated and there was no trace of a young man with dreams beyond Busan. A second Yongseo wedding picture, slighty different than the one over their bedroom in their apartment, hung over their bed.

“This is my own room,” said Yonghwa. Seohyun nodded.

  Yunji wandered out, and Seohyun and Yonghwa chased after her.

“Yunji, where are you going?”

“To my room,” said the little girl. Then she disappeared into the room next to theirs. At least one of them knew what was going on.

Yonghwa and Seohyun plopped down on the bed together. Yonghwa felt onto his back, facepalming.

“Oppa, you look upset,” Seohyun smirked.

Yonghwa sighed. “Soo-Ye married Hyung. Of all people, my hyung. My ex-girlfriend is my sister-in-law and the mother of my nephew. In what world does this make sense?”

“In the world that we’re married with a child,” Seohyun reminded him of how bizarre their situation was.

“How can I look at her with you being here with me though?”

She laughed. “Do you still have feelings for her?”

“Annio! I broke up with her before I started training. But still. It’s strange.”

“Come on. Let’s quickly unpack and rest,” said Seohyun, patting his leg gently. She failed to notice his alert reaction when she did it. Her touch sent an electric shock through his body, and he sat up quickly, thoughts swimming.

He distractedly lifted both of their suitcases onto the bed, and Seohyun began flumbling with the zipper on hers.

“Need help?” Yonghwa offered.

“Annio, I’ll get it,” said Seohyun, yanking as hard as she could.

The door creaked open, and both Seohyun and Yonghwa looked up and saw Yonghwa’s mother. The zipper gave and Seohyun’s suitcase toppled off the bed, her clothes spilling out onto the floor. Or rather, her lingerie. Her entire underwear drawer was all over the floor, lacy bras, see-through tank tops, and barely there underwear all for her mother-in-law to see.

Yonghwa had forgotten all about his prank the night before. He wanted to burst into laughter but couldn’t in front of his mother. Seohyun fell to her knees and quickly and nervously began scooping all of her things back into the suitcase, the lingerie first.

“Omma-ni, chusahmnida,” she said, her face red.

“I didn’t mean to intrude,” her mother-in-law was holding her own smile in in. “I just wanted to tell you that we’re eating in the backyard once you wake up. Seohyun, are you ok to eat fish?”

“Nae,” replied Seohyun, her face red hot with embarrassment.

“Nae,” Yonghwa echoed.

When the woman left the room, closing the door, Yonghwa started cracking up. Seohyun smacked him on the leg, whining, still trying to right her suitcase.

“Why would you do that? That was so embarrassing! Ah, ottoke!”

“Wae? Omma thought it was funny too!”

“Now she thinks I’m some seductress,” Seohyun massaged her temples and shook her head.

Yonghwa grinned. “I like it. It means you care a lot about me as your husband. You put effort into looking y for me when we’re alone. It’s more romantic than it is erted.”

“I don’t do anything,” Seohyun corrected him. “But Future Seohyun has a lot of courage.” She dangled something stringy with her finger. “This is attractive to you?”

“I don’t know. Put it on,” Yonghwa joked, and Seohyun threw it at him angrily.

They quickly unpacked, putting their clothes into the closet and the drawers and changed into comfortable clothes. They had been sleeping in the same bed for a little over a week so it was no longer a scary situation, but both of them kept to their own sides, turned away from each other and dozed off.

A/N: Sorry for such a long delay! I have reasons. Next chapter coming in a couple of days about the rest of the day! Thanks for your support!