"Omma.  I've invited someone over for dinner tonight."  Shin Hye told her Omma as she sat down for breakfast.  

"Of course, dear.  Your friends are always welcome.  Do you want the private dining area?" Omma replied as she continued to putter around the kitchen putting things away and wiping down the counter before she left for the restuarant.

Shin Hye watched her Omma puttering about with a loving smile on her face. She adored her Omma.  They've had their differences over the years, but it was always minor.  However, their relationship had strengthened over the last several years as Shin Hye grew into womanhood. Her Omma was her rock when she was younger and she still was.

She was nervous about telling Omma about Min Ho, even though she was pretty sure that her parents would like him.  She had never introduced a boyfriend to her parents before, she didn't know how they would take that.

"Omma.  He's…"  Shin Hye stumbled over her words.  "He's more than a friend."

Omma stopped her puttering and looked at her.  Shin Hye could see the look of relief in her eyes.

"I see." Omma smiled, relieved.   "You are ready?" 

Shin Hye nodded feeling immediately contrite.  She hadn't realize how much worry she had been putting her Omma through while trying to maintain her secret life.   She had been so wrapped up in her own worries, she hadn't thought about her Omma's feelings or her worries.

Shin Hye got up from the table and wrapped her Omma up in a big bear hug.  Omma hugged her back tightly,  both of them relieved that there were no longer secrets between them.

"Omma.  I'm so sorry for making you worry.  I should have told you earlier."  Shin Hye apologized.

"I'll tell Appa."

Shin Hye nodded.

"Omma.  It's…"  She started to say.

"Lee Min Ho."  Omma completed for her.

Shin Hye looked at her in surprise, then smiled. Maybe she shouldn't have been surprised. Her Omma was her Omma, after all.  She knew her daughter  well.

"You two are not that good at hiding your feelings plus I have mother's intuition."  Omma admonished.

"Do you think I would have said what I said to him at your birthday party if I didn't know?" Omma rolled her eyes at her making her laugh.

"Why didn't you say anything to me?"  Shin Hye asked. 

"You are a grown woman now.  I didn't want to intefere in your life."  Omma replied, patting her cheeks lovingly.  "I know you will make the right decisions."

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing?" Shin Hye had always valued her Omma's opinion, even when it was painful to hear.  "I mean.  We have to date in private."

"We can't even begin to think about the future yet."  Shin Hye added.

Omma looked sad upon hearing that. Her smile faltered.  Shin Hye could tell that she was still concerned for her. Worried about scandals. Worried about antis.  She wished she could take all her worries away, but she couldn't,  because it would mean she would have to give up Min Ho.

"I'm meeting his family tomorrow."  She told her, hoping it might help ease her worries a little. Meeting his family was taking a big step forward in their relationship, another protective layer.

"Don't worry.  They'll love you."  Omma patted her cheeks again.  Her smile was a little brighter.  Her eyes were shining with unshed tears.

"Does Appa know?"  Shin Hye asked.

"No. You know you're Appa.  You're Appa is clueless."  Omma laughed, but her smile was full of love.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

"Shin Hye come help Omma bring out dessert."  Omma said as she got up from the table.  Shin Hye gave Min Ho's hand a reassuring squeeze before she got up to follow her Omma out of the private room.

Min Ho suddenly felt nervous without Shin Hye by his side. He was alone with Shin Hye's Appa. He didn't know that meeting the family was going to be this nerve racking.

He looked nervously at Shin Hye's Appa who was staring at him in silence, his face expressionless.

"Are you nervous?" Shin Hye's Appa finally asked.

"Yes, Aboenim."  Min Ho replied.

"Good.  So am I."  The older man told him.

"Yes, Aboenim."  Min Ho said automatically then frowned.

"Pardon?" Min Ho wasn't certain he heard him correctly.

"I'm nervous too.  First time, you know."  Shin Hye's Appa wiped his hand on the napkin again.  Min Ho looked at his gesture just now noticing how fidgety his fingers were and how often he had done that.

"I have to get it right.  Make a good impression."  He confided in Min Ho, smiling bashfully.

"Aboenim, I think that's what I'm suppose to do.  Make a good impression on you."  Min Ho told him. He wanted to chuckle. Shin Hye's Appa was just as nervous as he was.

"Is that right?"  Her Appa grinned, slightly embarassed.

"Yes, Aboenim."  Min Ho grinned back.

"How am I doing? On the good impression."  Min Ho asked him, feeling at ease with the older man's friendliness.

"Fine.  You're doing fine."  He replied.

He cleared his throat but didn't say anything.  Min Ho thought maybe he should say something to the older man, but he didn't want to be too forward.

"So.  You are dating my daughter."  Her Appa finally said.

"Yes, Aboenim." Min Ho nodded warily.  This was it.

"What are your plans?"  He asked.

"Plans?" Min Ho repeated.  His thoughts were jumbled together.  He'd been thinking about what he was going to say all day, now he couldn't remember them.

"Yes.  Your plans regarding my daughter."  Her Appa clarified.

What do you say to the father of the woman you love? Are you suppose tell him that you wanted to marry her?  He and Shin Hye hadn't even talked about marriage or the future yet.  They had avoided those kind of conversations. They have been living stolen moment to stolen moment, neither one daring to look too far into the future.

He didn't know how, when, or what the future that was going to be. But now that they were taking that next step in their relationship, they shouldn't avoid the subject any longer.  They should at least plan out some sort of future together, he thought.

Of course, they were going to marry eventually.  He loved her.  He needed her.  He wasn't ever letting her go. 

"Aboenim.  I like Shin Hye very much.  We are still getting to know each other. We haven't really talked about the future."  He told her Appa truthfully. "But I promise you that my intentions are honorable." 

The older man just looked at him trying to gauge his honesty.  Min Ho's gaze did not waver even though he was nervous.

"Good.  Good."  He finally said, nodding to himself.  He must have saw what he wanted to see.

"Are you still nervous?" Her Appa asked him again.

"Yes, Abeonim."  Min Ho told him. He was resisting the urge to rub his sweaty palms on his pants.

"Good.  Just make sure you stay that way or Shin Hye's Omma will think I didn't do my fatherly duty."  Her Appa advised him with another bashful smile.

"Let's have a drink."  He said as the reached for the whiskey, pouring some into Min Ho's glass then his own.

"Yes.  Thank you. "  Min Ho took up the glass and saluted him.

"Shin Hye is my only daughter.  She's a good girl.  She's loving and trusting."  Her Appa said after taking a swig of his drink.

"Yes Aboenim."  Min Ho agreed.

"Make sure she stays that way."  He said, directing a hard stare at him letting Min Ho that he was not as doddering and clueless as he seemed.

"Yes Aboenim."  

"Ah.  Here's dessert."  He said as Shin Hye and her Omma stepped back into the private dining area.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You were no help."  Min Ho accused her.

They had just left the restaurant.  Shin Hye's Omma had asked Min Ho to take Shin Hye home.  She had an fan signing event tomorrow morning and she needed her rest.

"Appa was very nice."  Shin Hye stated as she smiled over at him.

"Your Omma, she kept staring at me."  Shin Hye's Omma had charm and aegyo.  She also had an disconcerting stare.  Min Ho could still feel those eyes unnerving him. 

"It's because you're so handsome."  Shin Hye praised, trying to soothe him.  She reached for his hands across the