06: Something Else

Han Hyo Joo stood there frozen, unable to say anything. At a total loss for words she was standing there staring at the woman who is Lee Jong Suk's mother.
"Umma" Jong Suk began to say ushering the speechless Hyo Joo further inside his home. She allowed herself to be led by Jong Suk only to be greeted by another surprise, Jong Suk's little dogs. She stoop over to touch them then looks at Jong Suk then at his mother.
Hastily she gives her a bow, "sorry for the intrusion, I'm Han Hyo Joo" she introduced herself with a shy smile.

"Nice to finally meet you too. I'm Jong Suk's mother" the older woman replied pleasantly. "You are very pretty and tall in person" she said appreciatively.
"Oh no, I think I look haggard right now" she said, "I'm sorry for coming here like this.." she threw Jong Suk a look who just smiled as if nothing really mattered.
"You may look a bit tired, but definitely does not deter your lovely features" then she looks at her closely making her a bit uncomfortable. "But you do look pale..have you eaten dinner already?"

Hyo Joo touched her stomach and shook her head in embarrassment. "Not yet..." she said in a small voice.
"Jong Suk, you are so insensitive" she scolded her son and took Hyo Joo's hand leading her towards the table.

"Umma, I haven't eaten too" Jong Suk complains, his dogs following in his heels. Hyo Joo looks at him helplessly as his mother began to set the table and brought out the food that seemingly was good for five people or more.

"Uh.." Hyo Joo cleared , "thank you so much for these, but it's too many Omoni.." she said in a small voice looking at Jong Suk and his mother.
"Nonsense child, you both need to eat a lot since it's not easy to film in this warm weather. You must remain healthy at all times" she tells her firmly.

As she and and Jong Suk began to eat, she noticed Jong Suk's mother looking at her as if studying her features.
"You really are pretty" she tells her making her smile a bit.

"Such a lovely profile"

"Your too kind but I'm pretty sure there are more beautiful co stars that Jong Suk has worked with that you have met" she said with a sheepish grin, "Plus I'm not that feminine"

Before his mother could reply Jong Suk cleared his throat, "well that's her charm, umma. She can be feminine yet rugged in the same time, you feel totally at ease with her. She is quite kind too" he praised, he was speaking as if she wasn't there in the room with them.
His mother nodded in agreement, "I can see that now"
Hyo Joo shook her head and continued eating while exchanging light conversations with Jong Suk's mother whom she found most pleasant.

But half way through dessert, the woman announced she was leaving to Hyo Joo's surprise. She was unable to say anything to stop her, except that Jong Suk's mom bid her good bye and hoped to see her again in the future.
Hyo Joo watched Jong Suk return to the dinner table after accompanying his mother to the parking area. She folded her arms and gave him a long look, but he seem undettered by her expression and gave her his sweetest smile while he continued to eat.

"I'm leaving.." she started to get up when Jong Suk dropped his fork to the floor, sending his dogs into a brief barking frenzy.
"Why?" he asked picking up the fork, but his eyes never leaving hers. "You just got here"

Hyo Joo pressed her lips together and tilted her head.

"Why am I suddenly here and meeting your mother?" she asked him squarely.
"You don't find my mother pleasing or her cooking perhaps?" he asked instead, his voice a bit bitter to her horror. She quickly shook her head then sighs.

"I mean what am I doing here in your house? We had a different plan earlier" she said her voice coming out flat. He smiled briefly at her and shrugged his shoulders. "I told you didn't I? Someone knew I was there and took you out in time before they figured out who I was with. The world will be in a frenzy and I do not want that, especially you as well"

Hyo Joo frowned and shook her head, not quite following him. "Who are we talking about?"
He patiently smiled at her. "You value your privacy, it's one thing that's admirable about you and I highly respect that.." he explained carefully.
"You mean the restaurant?" her face cleared and she sat back. "But why your house?"

"Where else and why not?" he shot back with a question, still smiling at her apparently more amused than ever. It flusters her that Jong Suk can be so calm and unwavering as if this was an everyday thing. But to Hyo Joo it felt quite the opposite. One does not simply go to someone's house, let alone someone from the opposite gender and to top that to meet the parents.

"Obviously you would not want me to go to your place" he added with a wink. "Maybe not now, later on perhaps?"
She blinks back feeling her cheeks flush. Jong Suk can just flirt openly and leave her at most times speechless. But at the back of her mind, she would always think that he was just joking around.

She narrows her gaze and folds her arms. "All right, you win this time. But you mentioned you wanted to talk to me privately"
Jong Suk's cheery expression changed and he cleared his throat.
"Before that" he slowly got up and walks towards the fridge. "Let's have dessert..."

That she had to agree upon. Hyo Joo was craving for something sweet or cold as of the moment.

"There's ice cream cake" Jong Suk called out.

She approached him as he took out a small pretty looking cake and gave it to her. "Take this and I'll get the utensils" he said with a sheepish grin.
Jong Suk suggested that they ate the cake by the couch that was overlooking the wide windows of his apartment. They both sit cross legged in the carpeted floor, eating and admiring the view before them.

"So what did you like to talk about?" Hyo Joo broke the silence making Jong Suk chuckle.
"You really won't let that go.." he raised his eyes to met hers that was full of expectation and curiousity. Then he nodded and leaned back, "what if I say I that I just want your company this evening?"

She slap him playfully in the arm. "Quit stalling"
"All right" he laughs briefly, "it's just I was worried right after that prison kiss you ran off and never really spoke to me afterwards.."
Hyo Joo