a/n* The main language is korean, anything in red is english.

It was almost 8:30 when Rian's taxi pulled up to the front of a huge and gorgeous skyscraper building. She thanked the adjussi who had been a source for good conversation during her 10-minute ride from the train station. She read over Yongguk's text message again, that said which apartment his parents lived in. She could speak Korean pretty well, and was decent when it came to understanding someone speak but reading Korean was not her strong suit. She frantically switched between Yongguk's text message and google translate (A sign of true desperation) so she wouldn't be late. 

"Excuse me, do you need help?" A short Korean woman had appeared like a ghost and stood before Rian. She had on a gold pin and a black business outfit so Rian figured she was the manager. 

"Yes please." Rian looked back at your phone. "I'm looking for room 1470, so if you could show me where the stairs are that'd be fine." Rian heard chuckles from several employees standing behind the desk.

"Are all Americans so odd?"

“Who uses the stairs?”

"Maybe they don't have elevators in America?"

"She's not from America she's from Africa, you know the highly impoverished country you see on T.V. with the skinny brown kids."

Rian liked Korea but these instances were the ones she hated having to have encounter more than anything else. She had had a long day, and didn't even have the patience to deal with educating them at this time and decided she would save that for later. She quickly turned and continued to gauge for a kind person who would be willing to help her. She settled on a lady who was standing by the elevators who looked like she was the same age as Rian. 

"Excuse me?" Rian asked in english, prepared to have to speak in korean if needed.

"Yes" The lady look in Rian’s direction and for once she was greeted by an expression other than complete shock, and/or fear. 

"Would you be able to tell me where the stairs are? I'm trying to get to room 1470."

"Well the stairs are around this corner at the end of that hallway on the right."

"Thank you so much." As Rian began to walk away she heard the lady call for her.

"Wait! You probably want to take the elevator though because 1470 is on the 14th floor."

"Really? I thought it would be the first floor." She smiled a smile of understanding as they both entered the elevator.

"I thought the same thing when I first moved in. Never felt so bad for furniture movers in all my life." We both laughed.

"What's your name?"

"Kang Soo-Myung."

"Rian" As they both introduced themselves to each other Rian extended her hand while Soo-Myung bowed instead. Then they switched and Soo-Myung extended her hand and Rian bowed. Both laughed at the awkwardness and decided to settle on simply waving.

"So are you moving in?" Soo-Myung questioned as the pushed the button for the fourteenth floor.

"No I'm visiting my boyfriend's parents."

"1470...1470...Mr. and Mrs. Bang."

"Yeah."

"I know that one of their sons went to study in America, but I always get confused on which one. Is that the one you're dating?"

"Yes I'm dating Yongguk."

"Well they are a really nice couple. So you shouldn’t be nervous."

"That's what Yongguk said." I sighed and leaned back against the elevator. "I hope you don't mind me asking but did you study in America? Your English is really good."

"Yes. That’s where I met my husband." I nodded my head in understanding. The elevator dinged so we both exited the elevator. “My apartment is this way, but it was nice talking to you.”

“Nice talking to you too.” Be both bowed at each other as we went our separate ways. As I approached the door I lifted my hand to knock and as I was about to, when the door opened.

“Rian! I was just about to pick you up. Where are your things?” Before Rian could answer she heard an older woman voice coming from behind Yongguk, and then she saw two tiny hands pull him backwards. An older Korean woman a little shorter than her appeared with salt and pepper hair cut shortly. After taking in her appearance Rian realized she was starring and quickly went into the routine she had practiced.

“Hello Mrs. Bang my name is Rian Shaw. I’m really happy to finally meet you.” To finish is properly she gave a 180 degree bow.

“Wow! You speak Korean really well. You’re really different. Yongguk told us you were a foreigner but he didn’t say you were such a pretty one.” Before Rian expressed her appreciation for the compliment, she noticed Mr.Bang sitting on the couch watching a soccer game.

“Who’s at the door? Tell them were not buying.” The latter shouted loudly.

“Honey it’s Yongguk’s girlfriend. She’s a pretty foreigner.”

“Korean-American?”

“No”

“Japanese?”

“No”

“Chinese?”

“Why don’t you stop being lazy and see for yourself?” Mr.Bang slowly turned and his face went from smiling, to a frown and then full on disgust. In that moment Rian felt very hot, physically and mentally. How could Yongguk not tell his parent’s she was Black? Telling them I’m a foreigner tells them little to nothing about me, except that I wasn’t born in Korea. Mrs. Bang guided Rian to a seat on the couch.

“I like your outfit. Did you come form work?”

“Thank you and yes.” I nervously held my hand in my lap

“How did you learn Korean?”

“I watch a lot of videos, and listen to a lot of Korean music.”

 “That’s perfect because I speak terrible English.” We both chuckled at her confession.

“Like I tell my students ‘You probably speak better than you think.”

“You’re a teacher?”

“Yes. I taught in Busan. Today was our last day.”

“How old are you exactly? You must be about 26 to be a teacher…”

“Well I was born in 1993 and I’m not sure how to figure my Korean age.”

“93? That makes you...22.” Mrs. Bang nodded in agreement to her own statement. “You look really young for 22. You look barely out of high school.”

“Thank you.” Rian was beginning to wonder how Mrs. Bang could be so nice. She had heard about girls not getting along with there boyfriends mothers and how they were always so mean, but Mrs. Bang was defying any nervous thought that Rian could think of.

“You came in here I wondered ’what’s a young girl like her doing with an old man like Yongguk?” Me and Mrs. Bang laughed.

“Rian, you seem like an interesting girl and I have so many questions to ask.”

“What would you like to know? I’m an open book.”

“Well first the formalities.”Mrs.Bang took a sip of tea and cleared . “How long have you and Yongguk known each other?”

“Well we’ve been dating for almost a year and a half. But we’ve known each other since I was a freshman in college three years ago.”

“What are you studying?”

“I’m majoring in business marketing and Psychology and minoring in biology.”Mrs. Bangs eyes seemed to grow and Rian looked at Yongguk nervously ”Did I say something wrong?” Rian questioned.

“No she’s just really impressed.”

“Of course I’m impressed what’s a smart thing like you doing with a bozo like him.” She gestured lazily at Yongguk.”What money is a song-writer going to make? Honestly…”

“Mom your supposed to be complementing me.”

“I can compliment who I want, I’m your mother.” She gestured as if to hit Yongguk. “What do you plan to do after you graduate?”

“I’m not quite sure. Perhaps continue to get my graduates degree I suppose.”

“Do you want to have kids.”

“Definitely.”

 “Your religious affiliation?”

“I’m Christian”

“I like you already.”

“Does that mean I have your approval?”

“Absolutely.” Mrs. Bang turned to face her husband “Tell her what you think sweetheart.You haven’t said anything.” Mr.Bang abruptly stood and exited the room. I looked at Yongguk for an answer but he followed his father and left the room as well.

“Rian, I have to be honest with you, we didn’t expect you to be…black...” Rian nodded her head in understanding. “… not that that’s a problem but we just didn’t expect it. Similar to how I imagine your family will react if they were to meet Yongguk. You’re unique especially to us and my husband can be…stubborn at times so I apologize in advance for his cold behavior.”

“Actually Yongguk has already met my parents, several weeks ago. And, don’t worry, I understand if Mr.Bang is not used to me. Korea is very homogenous society, which I was well aware of before I came here. To be honest it was your approval I really wanted the most.”

“Why is that?”

“Well they say that if you win the heart of the mom you win the heart of everyone in the family.” Mrs. Bang smiled brightly.

“Oddly, I think that saying is true.” She stood and motioned for Rian to to follow her to the kitchen. “So tell me more about what you teach.”

“I was hired to teach English and I’ve been teaching there for the last semester. I like it very much. The kids are really opinionated and talk too much sometimes. But overall they were all really sweet. Actually since today was their day many students left me notes and gave me gifts.”

“Little kids can be so sweet.”

“Oh these aren’t little kids. I taught juniors and seniors in high school.”

“Goodness. I can only imagine the amount of patience you must have. You are a brave soul.”

“You could say that.” Rian suddenly realized that her body was calling for the bathroom, and figured these would be a good time to excuse herself. “Mrs.Bang where is the bathroom?”

“Go down the hall second door on the right.”

“Thank you.”

As Rian was using the restroom she heard a familiar voice though the door. Lucky for her the bathroom was connected to the master bedroom. The nosey side of Rian couldn’t help it as she tried to press her ear to the door without falling off the seat.

“I raised you better than this. You come home with that…black !”

“Don’t call her that. You don’t even know her.” Yongguk was speaking with such force that she almost didn’t recognize his voice.

“You’re right I don’t, nor do I want to know her. I know enough about her people than to get close to one.”

“Stop talking about her like that.”

“I will talk about her anyway I please. This is my house and I’m your father. They warned me about this.”

“Who warned you about what?”

“My collegues. They say when you send your child to study abroad they always come back tarnished by the Americans.”

“I’m not tarnished by her. If anything she has made me better.”

“Are you so foolish boy! That girl is going to drag you though the mud and toss you aside. Are you listening to me?”

“No dad are you listening to me? Rian isn’t the monster you’re making her out to be. She had been amazing to me.”

“Pft I’m sure she has. But you can’t build an actual relationship off of Yongguk.”

“Who said anything about dad…” I’m still a . Why does he think we’ve had ?  “…I meant the times when she has listened to my frustrations. The times when she allowed me to express myself. The times when she made me feel invincible by just smiling at me.”

“Yongguk you are simply blinded by lust and I refuse to let you dishonor this family this way.”

“Dishonor? If anything you should be honored. Rian busted her off to learn Korean to make a good impression to you and mom. She was so nervous about meeting you. So afraid you and mom wouldn’t approve. She the only reason I cam back home is because of her. Not for mom and I definitely didn’t do it for you.” Rian’s mind was running rampant with questions and emotions, when her train of thought was suddenly interrupted.

*Slap*

“You will not disrespect me in my home. I gave life to you. Where is your respect? You weren’t like this before. Don’t you see what she has done to you?”

“Whatever respect I had for you is long gone…” Rian pulled away from the door afraid to hear anymore. She approached the sink to wash her hands. After she dried her hands she looked at herself in the mirror and did something she only did in private. She cried. Not the cute one-tear-streak kind of cry but a full on sobbing. Her nose began to run and her eyes were red and puffy. Rian didn’t realize how long she was in there until she heard a knock on the door.

“Rian are you going number three in there?” At the sound of Mrs.Bang’s voice Rian composed herself. “Do you need more paper?” She continued to inquire.

“No ma’am I’ll be out in a moment.” Rian blew her nose and quickly wiped my face, and decided to stay in the bathroom until her eyes were no longer red. A few minutes later she heard a knock and Yongguk’s voice through the door.

“Rian,are you sick?”

“No. I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah just give me a second.”

Rian closed my eyes, breathed deeply and prayed for God to give her strength, patience and to not think unkind thoughts about Mr.Bang. No one would have heard it but she would’ve felt guilty about cussing out an old man in my head. She straightened my outfit and did a final inspection in the mirror as she opened the door and made her way back to the living room.

“Sorry for taking so long. My allergies have been out of control.”

“I have some medicine you can take.”

“Thank-”

Yongguk quickly interjected. “Actually mom we’re leaving.” He spoke heavily and seriously.

“But she just got here.”

“I know but that was before I knew how dad would behave. If I’d known bringing her here would mean she’d be torn apart by his ugly attitude I wouldn’t have brought her at all.”

“Yongguk he’s an old man who’s just caught in his ways. Give him time.” Mrs. Bang tried to reason.

“At the expense of what mother? Rian being bullied by someone who barely knows her. I can’t deal with him right now.” Yongguk grabbed Rian’s hand and lead them towards the door. Rian looked at Mrs. Bang and saw the look of pity and sadness in her eyes.

“Goodbye Mrs. Bang.”