A while back an anon asked for a scenarios where Taeyang doesn’t speak the same language as your parents and is adorably shy about it. This is kept pretty vague so hopefully many of you can relate to a different language somehow. If not, I hope you still enjoy this short bit of fluff. -Admin Em

Warnings: kinda vague to stay relate-able. Cheesy.

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“Relax, they’re going to love you,” you say, squeezing Taeyang’s hand as he stares nervously at the house you grew up in.

“What if they don’t? We won’t even be speaking the same language,” he sighs.

“Hey, you came to a whole new country to meet them. That counts for something and they appreciate that. You know a few phrases, and for the rest I’ll be your translator, don’t worry,” you remind him.

He take a deep breath, giving a small nod before the two of you walk up the stairs to the front door. A moment after you knock, a woman opens the door and wraps her arms around you. Taeyang can hear her saying something excitedly in your native tongue. You kiss your mother’s cheek before pulling away to introduce Taeyang.

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you,” he says slowly, hoping that he had said the phrase properly. He didn’t want to mispronounce something and offend anyone.

He must have done well as your mother smiles at him and returns the greeting before gesturing the both of you inside. You move to hug everyone present and introduce Taeyang, who speaks with a bit more confidence each time he talks to someone. “I didn’t know so many people would be here,” you whisper to him, taking hold of his hand once again. All he can do is nod as your mom speaks up.

“Dinner is almost ready.”

You relay the message to Taeyang. He sees someone gesture to the open space on the couch and he doesn’t need words to know that it’s an invitation for both of you to sit. “You have a....nice home,” he says slowly after looking around.

Your father mumbles some sort of reply and all Taeyang can make out is thank you and Korea. Taeyang looks at you, waiting for you to translate. “He says thank you and wants to know if you have a nice house like this in Korea.”

“Oh, um, can you tell him about our apartment?”

With a nod, you begin doing so. When you stop someone else in the room makes a comment. “Grandma says we should get a bigger place to raise kids someday.”

“Someday,” Taeyang smiles at the family member that spoke up. He hears you repeat the word beside him.

A silence falls over the room as Taeyang tries to think of what he can say to start conversation. He’s nervous and his mind just seems to be blank. He’s saved as your mother steps into the room to announce dinner is ready.

Your grandfather is the first to speak up at the table, “Tell us about yourself.”

It takes a moment for Taeyang to realize this was a phrase you taught him. He clears his throat, once again to remember more. “I am a singer in a group called Big Bang,” he says slowly, before he begins listing off some of the other hobbies you translated for him.

“My aunt wants you to sing,” you say as someone makes a comment.

“Oh, um, okay,” he gives a nervous smile before starting to sing the chorus to one of his ballads. When he finishes, he can see admiration in the eyes of some of the people sitting at the table.

“Beautiful,” your aunt comments. That’s another word he knows, it was a word he learned early on in your relationship to compliment you in your first language.

“Thank you,” he replies back before starting to eat again. There’s light chatter around the table, only some of which you can translate for him between talking and eating.

“That was good,” he tells your mother as he finishes.

“Thank you,” your mother says slowly in Korean. Both you and Taeyang look at her in surprise, it would seem Taeyang wasn’t the only one trying to lessen the language barrier. “Want to play a game?” Your mother asks, reverting back to her own language.

You and Taeyang both nod, returning to the living room. You quickly explain the rules to your boyfriend before things get started. He’s quiet and unsure at first, but as a second round leads into a third, he’s laughing and having a good time.

Eventually, you look at the clock only to gasp, “It’s late, we should get back to the hotel.”

“So soon?”

“We will come back tomorrow,” you assure your father. You hug everyone and Taeyang does the same, able to say his own well wishes.

When he reaches your mother she softly says, “You are good for _________,” in Korean.

“Thank you, I had a nice time,” he tells her just like he practiced with you.

When the two of you are in the rental car again, he settles into his seat with a content smile as you start the engine. “See, I knew they would love you! You did great even with everyone else around,” you praise.

“I had a great teacher,” he tells you, making you give a soft laugh at how cheesy he is. “It was really nice your mom is trying to learn Korean too.”

“I had no idea she was doing that, but I’m really glad too. It’s nice to see you and my family connecting.”

“I’ll keep learning and improving,” Taeyang vows before adding, “If you don’t mind helping me more.”

“Of course I will!”

“Thank you. But for tonight, let’s just head to bed,” he chuckles. He’s glad the hotel isn’t far away. He feels drained from all the nerves earlier in the evening.

“That sounds like a great plan,” you agree, pulling into the hotel parking lot. Mentally, you’re a bit exhausted from all the translating, it had been a while since you had to do it so quickly. It doesn’t take either of you long to get settled into bed and to fall into a deep slumber.