Chapter 36

“Can you stop fidgeting?”

“Your hands are clamy”

“Your voice is shaking”

“You’re sweating!”

“Yonghwa! My heart is beating like 1000 miles per hour I might go to cardiac arrest at this point!”

“I’m not having a field day myself!” he countered

“Let’s just do this some other time huh?” Joohyun turned around and headed back to the car when Yonghwa grab her arms

“Oh no let’s just get this over and done with!” pulling her at their door step

“I think I’m going to throw up!” fanning herself

“Get yourself together J! It’s not like we committed a crime or something!” looking at her in the eyes while slightly shaking her

“Yeah? I’d rather confess killing Donghae oppa’s most beloved goldfish Darwin in senior year!” her face full of panic

“You killed Darwin!?” 

“Uh- not really it was an accident!!” feigning ignorance

“OMG you killed Darwin!?” his eyes almost bulging out

“Yonghwa!!! I overfed him that was it! It’s not like I killed him on purpose! Is that our issue right now?!” trying very hard not to shout

“No, but you killed Darwin” he silently spoke scratching his head remembering how Donghae the college student cried as they attended the funeral service of his most beloved goldfish in their backyard

Joohyun looked at him in amazement, how now aside from them telling their family the real score between them, she may also need to admit to being the one responsible of Darwin the goldfish’ untimely death.

Yonghwa closed his eyes trying to calm himself down while holding her hands afraid she might suddenly break into a run. Ever since they told their friends about them, they have also decided that they need to tell their family together. It’s not like they can keep it hidden forever and the more they keep it from the family the more they’ll get in trouble once they are found. They are no longer children so they have to act their age. This is the first time in months that both families will sit down for dinner, the twins are home and Jessica has her off day. It was also a baseball night and from where they are standing they can hear the men cheering. Yonghwa loosened up his tie and looked at the now pale Joohyun

“Okay one last time, breathe Joohyun!”

“Okay let’s do this!”

They entered the house and found chaos in the living room as expected, chips and cans of beers where everywhere, there are even boxes of chicken and pizza. Jessica just emerged from the kitchen bringing in a bowl of soup to the dining table followed by Yonghwas mom with grilled meat in a big plate.

“Who’s grilling?” Joohyun asked as she set down her bag and gave Jess and his mom a  hug

Mrs. Jung chuckled “no one, we ordered this as well”

“Oh”

“Everything was ordered, I don’t think any of those men are capable of helping out so yeah, no home cooked meal for tonight, well sort of” Jess shrugged

“Unnie, I missed you!” she squealed hugging Jess again

“Mianhe, I was really busy Joohyuna, I got crazy working hours”

“I know” she pouted but still in the arms of the older girl

“Oh you two are here!” Joohyuns mom exclaimed bringing in some more dishes. The guys turned around and found the two standing; they were so busy watching that they didn’t even notice they arrived. Joohyun then gave the two dads a hug and a flying kiss to the twins since she’s not willing to go through the obstacle course of food just to get to them.

“Everyone let’s eat first the soup will get cold” Yonghwa’s mom shouted while clapping her hands. They scrambled to their seat noisily except for the two who’s trying their very best to stay calm. They started eating and was deep into the conversation when

“Joohyun why aren’t you eating are you okay?” Heechul nudged her

“Ah yeah uhm” she looked at Yonghwa who was seating beside her, one look and they knew that both of their faces show anxiety. He knows that he needs to be the one to speak for the two of them, he’s the guy so he should man up but he can’t seem to find the right words to start the topic, let alone he seems to have lost his voice. He cleared his throat and as soon as he did that he felt bullets of sweat start to emerge from his pores. “How can this be?” he thought. He took a deep breath and gather up all his courage

“Excuse me, I have something to say”

All the commotion around the table halted and all eyes were on him. “This is it” he thought. Joohyun was almost at her breaking point and just wanted to cry. There is no problem being together but the thing is the blessing from their family is very important to them. For some people, they say what’s important are the two people in the relationship but not for them, each of their family has been a constant presence in each other’s lives, his parents mean so much to her as her parents is to him and so does their siblings and them knowing their relationship and being okay with it is their goal. It’s one of the key to their happiness.

Everyone was waiting for him to speak he swallowed a couple more times when he finally found his voice

“Joohyun-“

“I killed Darwin!” Joohyun stood up holding the hem of her shirt

“What?” where mostly the response of their family

“Joohyun?” Yonghwa stared at her confused she looked down on him pleading with her eyes. He shook his head as if to contradict whatever it is that she’s planning. She then looked at the faces of their family thinking of what else to say

“I’m sorry oppa It was an accident!” Heechul and Jessica were covering their mouth since they are on verge of laughing their heart out. Both dads were as confused as Yonghwa for a different reason and the moms are both chuckling, Donghae on the other hand had his mouth wide open in surprise

“You killed Darwin?” Donghae asked with shaking voice

“Oppa I’m sorry, I was feeding him one minute and the next he was already floating, I must’ve overfed him, I’m sorry” she was fidgeting with the loose thread of her torn jeans. Heechul just had to let is out

“Yah! Joohyuna don’t tell me you haven’t gotten any proper sleep since your senior year because of guilt?!” he was laughing so hard slightly banging the table as the rest of the family laughed. Joohyun now felt bad for Dongahe because no one’s taking it seriously. And well Yonghwa had enough. He pulled Joohyun down to sit and he stood up, the second she saw this she knew

“Joohyun and I are together”

The mixed emotions of the people around their tables hasn’t died down, some are laughing, some are hysterically laughing, some are sulking. He closed his eyes and spoke louder

“Joohyun and I are together”

“Oh what Yonghwa?” Jessica was trying to catch her breath from laughing while Joohyun was pulling his hands to sit down

“I said Joohyun and I are dating”

His father then spoke

“That’s good you two should be dating I mean you’re no longer kids, some of your friends are already marrying where did you meet this girl?”