“Omo~!  _______, that’s him?!” MinJung squealed.  Since your umma was on business, you decided to let JongHyun over.  He had to meet MinJung since she is your best friend and your only friend.  You nodded.  MinJung circled around JongHyun, observing him.  JongHyun felt nervous now.  You watched MinJung and laughed.  MinJung smiled.  ”I like him.”  She then turned to him with a serious expression.  ”Take good care of my little _______.  I don’t like it when she’s sad, so don’t make her cry.  Make her happy and always support her.”  JongHyun smiled.

“I promise,” he simply said.  MinJung smiled.

“Good.  Oh, _______, your umma is coming back tomorrow.  Just a heads up,” she said.

“Thanks, unnie.  Oppa, are you hungry?”  JongHyun’s attention soon turned towards you and he nodded.  ”Okay, you can explore around if you like.  I’ll call you when the food’s ready.”

JongHyun watched you and MinJung happily chatting as they walked to the kitchen.  He smiled and started to look around.  ‘This place is freaking huge!’ he screamed mentally.

“Wow, this house is really beautiful,” JongHyun said to himself.  He then stopped when he saw picture frames.  He looked a family one and smiled.  It was you at the age of five with your appa and umma.  ”She looks so happy.”  Then he saw another picture with you and your appa.  ”They look really close, too.”

“We were.”  JongHyun jumped at your sudden voice and turned around.  He nervously chuckled.  You giggled and walked towards him and stood next to him.  You smiled when you looked at the picture.  ”He was my best friend.  I was much closer to him than umma.  That’s why I have to be careful when I’m out.  They’ll notice me easily without my hat and sunglasses.  I always stuck with him.  He did so many great things.  He was able to bring business back on top and he did a lot of charity events.  I would help out a lot.  It was fun.”

“So, I’m guessing that losing was the hardest thing ever, huh?”

“It really was.  MinJung unnie helped me through it.  Sometimes umma, but she worked a lot.  When my umma is out for business, unnie takes me out.  We bought a few wigs, too for disguise but soon enough, we realized that a hat and sunglasses are better.”

“I still think that the wigs are an awesome idea though,” MinJung said.  They turned around to see her standing there happily.  ”Well, the food’s ready.  Let’s eat.”

__________________________________________________

”_______~ah, it’s time for lunch,” your umma called.

“Araso!” you responded.  ”Oppa, I gotta go.  I’ll call you later, bye.”

“Okay, bye bye.”

You hung up and headed downstairs.  You took a seat next to MinJung and giggled.  MinJung did the same, leaving your umma curious.

“What’s with the giggling girls?” she asked.

“O-Oh nothing,” you answered.

“There must be something,” she replied.

“Don’t worry about it, umma.  You know that MinJung unnie and I laugh too much.”  She only nodded and started to eat.

“Who’s the boy, _______?” she suddenly asked, having you and MinJung off guard.  You nervously laughed.

“Umma, what are you talking about?”

“I heard you saying oppa when I was walking down the stairs after calling you for dinner.”

“O-Oh…”

“So, tell me?  Is this the guy you wish to marry?” she asked.  You bit your lip.  ”What does he do?  Basketball?  Run a business?  A dancer?”

“H-He’s…none of those.”

“You left the house while I was gone, did you?”  You only nodded.  You couldn’t lie.  Your umma only sighed and got up.  ”I don’t want you seeing him again.  Excuse me.”  Your eyes widened.  MinJung glared at your umma as she headed upstairs.  She then turned to you and comforted you.

“Don’t listen to her, _______.  You just need to knock some sense into her,” MinJung said.

“I-I guess.  Be brave, like appa.  Besides, I don’t think it’s going to be that hard.  You’re right, I just need umma to remember her past to understand.”  MinJung smiled.

“That-a-girl.”  You smiled and headed to your room.  You grabbed your phone and quickly called JongHyun.

“Yobesayo?” he answered.

“Oppa!” you said cheerfully which made him smile.

”_______~ah, what’s up?”

“Not much, I’m just wondering…when do you want to meet umma?”

By the next week, you had JongHyun come over.  You invited him inside and lead him in the study room where your umma was in.  You knocked on the door.

“Umma, I want you to meet someone,” you said softly and nervously.  Your umma turned to see you and JongHyun at the door.  She sighed.

“What did I tell you?” she asked sternly.

“I don’t care, umma.  If appa were alive, he would’ve love JongHyun oppa and…”

“Oppa?”

“Yes oppa.  He’s my boyfriend and I love him!”

“Yah, Park _______!  Get him out of the house!  You!  I don’t want you near my daughter again!  Understood?!” she yelled.  JongHyun just shook his head.

“No, I can’t do that,” he simply answered.  ”I can’t.”  JongHyun looked straight at your umma and bowed.  ”I, Kim JongHyun, am in love with your daughter.  We’ve been going on dates for a month and after, I asked her to be my girlfriend.  We’ve been together for about half a year.  _______ didn’t want to tell you about me so soon, but I wanted to tell her.  I wanted to wait until your daughter was ready to tell you about me.”

“I don’t care.  You can’t be with my daughter.  You’re not fit enough…”

“What about you, umma?!  You and appa married!  Appa was rich and you were like JongHyun oppa before.  You had to work so hard for a living!  You had to convince his parents that you two can be together.  However, that was easy since they like how tough you are.  It proves that you’re able to help out with the business.  JongHyun oppa is so smart, umma.  He’s so smart and really hard-working!  Isn’t that enough?” you asked.  Your hands were formed in a fist.  You held in your tears.  Your umma stayed silent.  JongHyun looked up and faced your umma and then at you.  He walked towards you and held you.

“It’s okay, _______,” JongHyun said sadly.  You turned to him, letting your tears fall.

“What?  You’re going to give up just like that?” you asked.  JongHyun frowned.

“If your umma doesn’t like me then…”

“I don’t care.  What the hell happened to ‘She can’t make your decisions.’  and ‘You have the right to choose the one to love and marry.’?  I’ve been listening to those words over and over.  And the more I think about my appa, I have this courage to talk to umma!  Don’t give up oppa!”

”_______ and JongHyun, stay here.”  You two faced your umma and nodded.  You stood next to JongHyun and held his hand tightly, nervous on what your umma was going to say.  You knew that whenever she stays silent, she’s thinking over things.  JongHyun bit his lip, but carefully watched your umma.  She was looking at JongHyun, quietly observing him.  ”You two win.”  Your eyes widened.

“U-Umma?”

“You’re right.  I was like him before, maybe even worst until I met your appa.  JongHyun, I trust you that you’ll take care of my daughter, but to warn you, while taking care of my daughter, you have to be able to handle the press,” she informed him.  JongHyun smiled and bowed continuously.

“Kamsahamnida.  Kamsahamnida.  I promise you that I’ll take care of your daughter.  I promise that I’ll be able to handle the press.  I’ll face every obstacle that’s in my way to protect everything.  The family and her.  Kamsahamnida,” JongHyun said so thankfully.  Your umma smiled and patted JongHyun on the back before leaving to her room.  You two then faced each other.  Full happiness, you jumped at him to hug him.

“Whoa!” he exclaimed once he caught you.  JongHyun hugged you tightly and laughed.  ”I’m so happy now.”

“Me, too.”  You looked up and leaned up to kiss him.  JongHyun slowly pulled away and hugged you again.