Chapter 24: Meet the Choi.

Jiyong arrived to Newark airport in mid-afternoon. February was the snowiest month of year in New Jersey and he wore jeans and t-shirt. He was shivering and freezing thanks the cold weather. The sky was darker than usual and there was no single cloud in the sky.

“Damn, I brought clothes for spring; I forgot unlike London, here is winter!!!” Jiyong yelled at his trolley case before abandoning the airport.

He spent summers in LA studying English, but he remembered a thing barely. Luckily, he got a cab and went to New York.

Jiyong checked the paper with the address Daesung gave him; Astoria, Queens. He became impatient when he identified the buildings that were in Queens, he was close to see Seunghyun again.

The driver stood at the door of a two story house with a gigantic and greenish garden.

“Sir” he said to Jiyong who studied the house anxiously.

“Is this Seunghyun’s house?”

“It’s the address you gave me”

“Is Seunghyun inside?” Jiyong asked “I mean how much is?”

“96 dollars”

Jiyong paid the man and got out of the car. He stared at the house before walking forward; he stopped in front of the door and searched for the doorbell.

“Fine, ok, I’m not running away, I’m here, I love you, Seunghyun…” Jiyong pressed the bell firmly and waited for the writer to open.

Minutes later, a girl with long black hair, beautiful face and big tummy opened.

“Yes?” she questioned to the blond haired man that carried a trolley case with him.

“I think I got the wrong address, I mean, you shouldn’t open the door, it’s…”

“Are you lost?” she cut off the weird guy.

“I think so”

“Let me help you with the address”

Jiyong gave the paper to her.

“It’s here” she said analyzing the numbers “Are you looking for someone?”

“Seunghyun… Choi… Seunghyun?”

“Seunghyunie!!! A man is asking for you!!! Do I let him in? Do you owe him money?!!!” she shouted out loudly.

“What do you want?” several minutes later, Seunghyun showed up and smacked the girl’s head.

“He’s looking for you” she pointed the blond haired man.

“Ji… yong?” Seunghyun asked in confusion “What are you doing here?”

What am I doing here? Seunghyun doesn’t seem happy to see me… I’m standing before him with a suitcase… Julia Roberts looks so cool in her movies, but I’m so ridiculous…

“I think he’s freezing, I mean, it’s snowing” the girl grabbed Jiyong’s arm and dragged him into the house.

“I… have work in New York. Daesung told me you’re here… I thought paying a visit…”

“With your belongings?” Seunghyun pointed the trolley case.

“Yes… I was my way to… hotel… My cab passed by Queens… I thought you’re here…”

This is not the romantic get-together on my head… Who’s this woman? His girlfriend? She’s pregnant… 16 weeks… I will kill Kang Daesung for telling me Seunghyun loves me!!!

“Are you feeling well?” the girl asked in worry.

“He is like that” Seunghyun said.

“Take him to the living, I’ll go for snacks and soda” she said and left them alone.

“Ji… yong… The living is there…” Seunghyun pointed the right side of the hallway and Jiyong followed him in silence “You can drop your suitcase here” Seunghyun indicated the corner near to a plant for the blond haired man to keep his luggage.

Jiyong scrutinized the living room; it was small with TV and big couch and armchairs. And a window with view to the skyscrapers. The sky was darker, the moon was shining between sparkling stars and it still snowed a lot.

“Take a sit” Seunghyun said friendly as Jiyong obeyed.

Jiyong wasn’t so quiet, but he was in a stranger place, meeting Seunghyun was like meeting a stranger. On his head he imagined a thousand times a romantic reunion and kisses, but he felt trapped as he sat down on the couch.

Seunghyun was still perplexed by Jiyong’s presence; he sat down on the arm of the chair in front of the designer and stared at him out of curiosity.

“You look like grounded kids” the black haired girl said as she came into the living room with a tray of sandwiches and soda.

“Eh… This fatty is my big sis” Seunghyun said and she kicked him.

“You’re dating your sis… sister?” Jiyong exclaimed.

“What?!” they replied in surprise.

“Sorry… I… Kwon Jiyong, shut up! This pregnant woman is his sister, not girlfriend!”

“Are you sure your friend is ok? He’s weird…” she said in worry.

“Yeah, Jiyong is weird” Seunghyun replied.

“Jiyong?” she said “The one you talked about? The designer?”

“Yes” Seunghyun said.

“I’m Choi Hyeyoon” she approached to Jiyong and held his hand enthusiastically “Nice to meet you”

“Ah… Nice to meet you… Do you know who I am?”

“Of course, Seunghyun told me about you, his boyfriend” she said.

“What did he say?!” Jiyong blushed.

“I didn’t say that!” Seunghyun replied “I just said I pretended to be his boyfriend!”

“Why did you say that?!” Jiyong yelled at him.

“She asked me where I got the money…”

“And you said the truth? Can’t you say you stole a bank?!” Jiyong replied, ashamed.

“Please, Seunghyunie is so stupid I wouldn’t believe he’s smart enough to rob a bank” Hyeyoon said “Have fun, I’ll keep making dinner” she went away quickly.

“I’m so sorry…” Seunghyun said “I didn’t mean saying those things, but how was I supposed to know I’d see you again”

“Shut up, I’m mad at you” Jiyong replied gravely.

“You’re scarier than ever, I didn’t realize you have a vein poking in your forehead” Seunghyun said and Jiyong gave him a dirty look “I’m kidding, I’m glad seeing you”

“Really?” Jiyong asked questionably “Don’t you think it’s too surprising for me to show up in your house unexpectedly?”

“Yes, I’m surprised, I’m still… but I’m also happy…” Seunghyun said “So…, you’re working in New York…”

“Yes…” Jiyong lied.

“I thought you were in London with Seungri…”

“How do you know…?”

“You’re famous… I mean, I wasn’t stalking you, I found the news by accident on Google…” Seunghyun said.

“I like Seungri a lot like a friend now; I loved him when we went to school though… These years I’ve been holding on the past… I just want to live the present…”

“Why do you talk like a fortune cookie?”

I just told him I don’t like Seungri anymore!!! And he mentions cookies?!!!!!!!! Whatever, I wear pants in our relationship, I’ll confess first!!!

“I have something important to tell you” Jiyong said confidently.  

Someone rang the doorbell, but Seunghyun didn’t care, so Jiyong breathed deeply ready to confess.

“I had to tell you in Seoul, but I was afraid…”

“Seunghyun, open the door!!!” Hyeyoon cried out from the kitchen.

“I better go or she’ll show up with a knife” Seunghyun chuckled and rushed to open.

“Nooooo…. I can’t say anything like this…” Jiyong said.

He heard voices and steps, Seunghyun came back with an old man and an old lady.

“They’re my parents” Seunghyun introduced his family to Jiyong.

“What?! You…” Jiyong got up from the couch and bowed to them to a great extent “Mr. Choi, Mrs. Choi!!!” Jiyong wanted to disappear from the face of the Earth, he was living his worst nightmare, it was like Meet the Fockers movie!!! “Sorry for disrupt the family dinner… I’ll leave now… Sorry…” Jiyong grabbed his trolley case and ran away.

Mr. Choi and Mrs. Choi stared at each other in confusion as Seunghyun ran after the designer.

“Ji, you can stay and take dinner with us” Seunghyun said when Jiyong reached the door.

“No… It’s a family thing… I’m stranger… My hair is blond and my makeup… I haven’t had time to take a shower and change into clean clothes”

“You’re perfect like always” Seunghyun said “Besides, you aren’t stranger, my parents know you”

“Of course, I’m renowned designer… I’m crazy psychopath now though”

“Well… Actually… I talked about you to them…” Seunghyun ran his hand through his hair nervously.

“Did you talk about me to them?” Jiyong opened mouth wide “What did you say?”

“Ah… I met you in a cafeteria and you paid me for being your fake boyfriend…”

“WHY DID YOU TELL THOSE THINGS?!”

“I’m stupid and nobody would believe I’m smart enough to rob a bank?”

Kwon Jiyong got super strength and chased Seunghyun with the suitcase and cornered him against the wall.

“You’re talking everything about us for people to mock at me! I hate you!”

“You’re wrong… I… I missed you… So I started talking about you… I think the way we met each other is funny…”

“Did you miss me?” Jiyong calmed down, he missed Seunghyun too.

“Of course! It’s hard to forget the time we spent together. I think about you everytime I spend my 200.000 dollars… I’m kidding, I’m kidding; don’t hit me” Seunghyun said as Jiyong turned his eyes and walked to the exit “Stay, you didn’t take snacks, I don’t think you’ve eaten for hours”

Kwon Jiyong, you’re here right now! You haven’t confessed your love for Seunghyun yet! Are you running away again? Jiyong thought and turned around to confront Seunghyun.

“I stay” Jiyong returned to the living room and left the suitcase in the corner.

Mr. Choi and Mrs. Choi took drinks as Hyeyoon played The Master’s Sun on TV; she faced her brother and his friend.

“Go to set the table in the dining” she demanded “Don’t play with the food, Seunghyunie, I’ll beat you up if you do”

“I won’t, fatty” he went to the kitchen with Jiyong following from behind.

Jiyong helped Seunghyun bringing plates and glasses to the dining room.

“Are you sure it’s ok for me to stay?” Jiyong asked.

“Yes, I talked about you” Seunghyun replied.

“The things you said aren’t good; they must be thinking I’m pitiful and nuts for paying a man to be my fake boyfriend to hunt a guy that didn’t talk to me at school”

“They think it’s hilarious, my father laughed for days” Seunghyun said.

“That isn’t making me feel better”

“Just be you and they will like you”

“Are you sure? Be like me?” Jiyong asked.

“Yes, there’s nothing wrong with you” Seunghyun said.

“For you is so easy” Jiyong replied and they finished setting the table.

Seunghyun placed bulgogi (thinly sliced beef in soy sauce), hoe (raw seafood with sesame leaves in red chili), galbitang (soup with white radish, beef ribs, onions…) on the table.

Seunghyun went to the living room and escorted his parents to the dining room, Jiyong was hidden behind, he didn’t know what to say or do, he was completely lost. Hours ago, he planned confessing his love to Seunghyun and now he didn’t confess yet and he was already taking dinner with his entire family.

The table was round; they sat down making a circle. Jiyong was between Seunghyun and Hyeyoon.

“I didn’t know we’d have a guest in our family dinner” Mrs. Choi said, she studied Jiyong.

I knew that! I had to leave, I’m a stranger!

“He’s my friend, he came from Seoul today” Seunghyun said.

“And your friend has a name?” Mr. Choi asked and waited for Jiyong to respond, but the designer was paralyzed and scared.

“He’s Kwon Jiyong, the famous designer” Hyeyoon replied.

“Oh, you’re Jiyong-ah!” Mr. Choi laughed loudly “Seunghyun has talked a lot about you”

“You’re more gorgeous than the photos he showed us” Mrs. Choi said.

“Did you show my photos on Google, stalker?” Jiyong asked Seunghyun reticently.

“No…” Seunghyun blushed badly “I had photos of you in my cellphone…”

“Did you have photos of mine in your phone?” Jiyong whispered in surprise “How? When? Where? Why?”

“Sometimes I took photos of you when you were sleeping… I’m a stalker” Seunghyun admitted, embarrassed.

“I don’t have any photo of you”

“No matter, there are a bunch of photo albums in the living” Hyeyoon overheard the conversation “You can watch all the photos of Seunghyun later. When he was toddler, Halloween, School trips, you know, everything that makes him blush”

“Why don’t you eat and shut up?” Seunghyun replied, annoyed, he didn’t want Jiyong to see his young photos.

“Let’s eat and see albums” Mrs. Choi joined.