GA IN 

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I spend the next few days trying to figure out what Kwonnie’s real opinion about the whole matter is. But he doesn’t once waver. In front of me, he is a dreadful liar, yet he doesn’t offer any telltale signs that he doesn’t believe what he’s saying. He seems to genuinely believe that this is the best—and maybe only—solution for us.

We’re both rushing work of some sort today, so the conversation moves intermittently.

“So what are we going to tell Mom and Dad?”

I ask this, but actually it just refers to his Mom and Dad.

“What will yours say?”

“They’ll take it better than yours for sure.”

“How do you know?”

“It’s obvious isn’t it? Your family is more conservative than mine. My parents only have one daughter, so Dad obviously isn’t obsessed about the continuity of the family line.”

Kwonnie sniffs, “So blunt.”

“Pardon my bluntness. But you’ll love me anyway right?” Kwonnie chuckles in response, “I daresay that’s the reason why he’s so hung up over you behaving manly. ‘Cause he was afraid that you won’t be able to get married, then all the family lineage nonsense goes up in flames.”

“It’s in flames anyway.”

“Luckily I didn’t promise your Dad anything.”

“Why have I not heard of this?”

“I came very close to arguing with your Dad. About children. He point blank told me that he wanted a boy grandchild from me. I told him that I couldn’t promise him that.”

Kwonnie sighs, “Fortunately you didn’t promise him.”

“Then he rattled on about how ensuring the continuity of the family line was my responsibility. Something along those lines. I told him that my life did not revolve around producing an heir for him. That refers to your Dad.”

“No wonder he thinks that you’ll step all over me.”

“Then he went on to say that obeying the husband was the duty of the wife,” Now I was really getting worked up, “That really did it for me. I very bluntly told him that if he was looking for an obedient, malleable, spineless daughter-in-law, then he would just have to take it up with you.”

“But he never said anything to me?”

“You would bite his head off,” I drawl, “You don’t know just how intimidating you suddenly become when you defend me.”

“Sorry, I really try very hard to be a filial son. But on some matters, Dad and I simply do not see eye to eye. This happens to be one of them, and he just cannot be reasoned with. Mom does a very good job at getting to him though.”

“Fortunately your Mom likes me.”

“Yeah, she does like you very much.”

“What I can tell you is that if you don’t want parents interfering with your decision, you can’t tell them the truth.”

Kwonnie stays silent for a very long time, “Actually I know, I just know that Dad will tell me to try my luck. Test, and abort the foetus if it’s a major. But I don’t want to do that. I’ve also thought about this. If we tell our parents the real reason, there may be finger pointing. I don’t want them to ferret out where the fault lies.”