10 years later

“Halmeoni, you need to turn on the camera” Jessica suggested to her grandmother through the webcam call that is set up for the two relatives to talk. “What?!” Jessica flinched at the sound of her grandma sudden rampage. “Halmeoni, all I said is to turn your camera on. It’s the camera icon…”

“I know, I know” Jessica was interrupted by her annoyed grandmother. “You kids think you know everything about the internet these days. Just because I’m old, I can still work this”.

Jessica chuckled at how frustrated her grandmother was at something so simple, “Grandma, I can still hear you”.

“Whatever, just tell me what button I have to press”

“So now you need my help”, Jessica replied trying to hold in her laughter. “It’s the icon that looks like a webcam, at the bottom left of the page”. Finally the icon was pressed, and Jessica could finally see her grandmother. It’s been ten years since Jessica has been to Korea because of her father’s business coming into bad terms of bankruptcy. For years the Jung family fought to regain the wealth they once had. A couple of years later they were able to gain the money they once lost, meaning they have sufficient money to come back to their home country, Korea. But that time Jessica was in her last year of High school, she begged her parent’s to stay in America to spend her last high school summer with her friends. In other recent years, she had no time to visit her grandmother in Korea because college gave her no time to.

The relationship with her grandmother was something Jessica did not want to lose. So when she has little time in her hands she would give her grandmother a ring. She also made her grandmother get Skype to see her in person, but most of the time it ends with Jessica’s grandmother throwing a tantrum on how stupid the internet is. Today may have been one of those lucky days, her grandmother finally worked the webcam without causing too much of a fuss about it.

“There I can see you now, and you can see me” Jessica smiled at seeing her grandmother’s presence. Seeing her, made her realize how much she misses the old woman. Jessica’s grandmother looked frustrated, probably from trying to work out Skype for the last hour. “Oh Jessica”? Grandma Jung leaned in closer towards the camera to see if it really is her granddaughter, her frustrated look disappeared upon seeing her pretty granddaughter.  “You look beautiful” her grandmother continued, “I remember how pretty and cute you use to look but now you look beautiful. Ahhh I’m proud to call you my granddaughter”.

“Aishhh here we go again” Jessica chuckled embarrassingly. Jessica is one of those people who was beautiful as child and still just as beautiful now. “You know you would look so much more beautiful if I can see you in real life. You should come here for the summer like you use to as a child” Her grandmother suggested.

“How many times do I have to tell you, I would love to but I can’t I’m busy with school” the girl pouted over the Skype call. “Aishh, don’t give me the excuse, I know the reason why you haven’t been here in years. It’s because you want to hang out with your boyfriend right?” Grandma Jung questioned her, narrowing her eyes at her granddaughter through the screen. It was also true that Jessica hasn’t been visiting her grandmother in years because she much rather spend her summer with her boyfriend. “Who told you?” Jessica felt bad, never did she want her grandma to know this certain revelation. She didn’t want to break the old lady’s heart. “Your mother of course!” it was weird to find the old woman happy rather than being upset, “I’m sorry” was all Jessica could say.

“No don’t be, I use to be like that with your grandad. I always wanted to spend time with him! It’s called young love” grandma Jung continued. “But since I haven’t seen your beautiful face in years, come this summer. Your parents are coming in fact they are already on their way and you can bring your boyfriend to! Your mother tells me he’s very good looking, apparently he looks like an idol. What nationality is he?”

“Half American, half Korean”

“Ahhhh so he does have Korean in him! Good, he can come here then” Jessica’s grandma quickly made assumptions, something that Jessica wasn’t liking. “I love you and all but I can’t. It’s weird making him meet my extended family, I promise one day grandma”, for Jessica she wanted to show off the love of her life. It’s not that the relationship wasn’t serious, in fact the relationship between the two is too serious for their age. At 22, Jessica is living in an apartment with her live-in- boyfriend of three years. It not that she doesn’t love her grandma enough for her to meet the boy of her dreams.  It’s just Jessica is afraid of commitment, she knew for herself that she is not mentally ready for such a big jump. Isn’t meeting your family a big deal in a relationship? It means the next step right?