“Yo, we need to go, babe!” Jay called in the general direction of Jessi’s closet.

 

“Yeah, yeah, I'm coming! Grab the boxes from my coffee table, please! -” he heard her drop something and rolled his eyes in amusement. He stacked the box of chocolates on top of the round ivory box. Curious but unwilling to take the blame if something got messed up, he refrained from opening it. It turned out to be a fortuitous decision as just then, his girlfriend walked out, shaking her hair back and grabbing her purse. 

 

“Okay, leggo,” she told him, stepping into some very high heels. He noticed she was dressed more conservatively than usual, her only concession to her usual dinner outfit the sky high Louboutins. 

 

Damn, he ing loved her in heels. It made being shorter than pretty much all the guys he knew worth it to have her taller than him and looking so domina- he shook himself out of the thought process, locking the door and heading to the garage with her. This was dinner with his mom. It was important since they were meeting for the first time. God, this was nerve-racking. Jessi was the first serious partner he’d had in years. This had to go well and he was preparing to make that happen. It wasn’t that he thought that his mom wouldn’t like her or that they wouldn’t get along, it was just that either could happen that was worrying. He was sure that anyone would be nervous, it was the first time the two most important women in his life were going to interact. Getting in the driver’s seat, he was operating on autopilot as he drove them to the restaurant. 

 

It was probably for the best that he was a little checked out and trying to think positively because noticing Jessi’s crisis would have sent him further into his head. She was fidgeting in her seat, adjusting the silk blouse modestly buttoned up and tucked into a leather wrap pencil skirt, both less fitted than usual. She was still decked out in gold accessories but she had made an attempt to look a little more… appropriate and Korean in light of meeting the most important woman in her man’s life. Sighing, she flipped down the mirror and reapplied the rosy lipstick, her makeup lighter to look a little less aggressive. She wasn’t surprised that Jay hadn’t noticed. He usually didn’t see the difference between her with makeup or without if she wasn’t wearing a bold lip color or dark eye makeup. Which was kinda sweet, she guessed. 

 

Content with her looks for the moment, she settled back into her seat and grabbed Jay’s hand from the gear stick. Smiling at her briefly when the light turned red, he pressed a kiss to the back of her hand, “Don’t worry about anything. This is gonna be great.”

 

Shooting a fake smile back, almost grimacing, “Who said I was worried. I'm good.”

 

Just shaking his head, Jay to the street that would take them to the restaurant. Noticing how close they were getting, Jessi reached back and grabbed the boxes. If she wasn’t nervous before, she really was when Jay opened her door and helped her out, letting her carry the gifts she was clutching so tightly. She began to second-guess all the tips and advice on meeting his mother that Jin Kyung, Mi Ran, and Groo had given her about the dinner. Maybe the leather was a little too y. And the shoes. Well, if anyone had a problem with those, it was all Jay’s fault. He had like a low-key for her in them, she thought archly. The gifts were also suggestions with her own flair. She hadn’t asked Jay about it, one, because there was a only a slim chance that anything he could tell her would be helpful, and two, because he was confident that all she had to do was be herself. He was sweet but optimistic. She just wanted Jay’s mom to like her and to make her own family proud by impressing her, unlikely as it was.

 

Jay handed the keys to the valet and they were shown to the private room on the second floor. His mom was due to arrive right after them, so they quickly settled at the round table and placed the orders. 

 

As soon as the waiter left with the menus and dropped off the wine, his mom walked in. She stood up immediately, shaky smile pasted to her face as Jay walked to her and embraced her warmly. Mrs. Park was a stunning woman, looking nowhere near old enough to have kids in their 30s. This was the lady who had put Jay on his path and supported him through all his ups and downs. She’d raised the man Jessi was in love with and remembering that helped sweep her fear aside and she was reminded that it was worth making the effort to get along with the person who basically started to shape the person Jae-beom was. So, gathering her courage, she waited for them her introduction, demurely folding her hands before her. 

 

They finally turned to her and Jay extended a hand towards her and she said hello. “Annyeong-haseyo, Jessi imnida! It’s so nice to meet you, eomma-nim.”

 

Mrs. Park smiled at her and grasped her hand before returning the greeting. “Ah, you're so pretty! Aippeora, ai aish!” she teased, quoting her song. 

 

Laughing, Jessi kept going, “Naega nal bwado!”

 

Jay was noticeably excited about the lighthearted exchange as he seated them both at the round table. The ice was broken and they kept chatting. He was barely speaking, leaning back in his chair and staring hopefully at the two bonding. He knew there was no reason to worry about the two. His mom was so sweet and Jessi made friends with everyone. Looking up at the sharp kick to his ankle, Jessi was staring at him with eyes narrowed. “Can you pass the boxes. Jae-beom?”

 

“Uh, yeah. Here, babe.”

 

His mom was smiling at the endearment but her eyes widened when she say the size of the gifts. Jessi stood up and offered them both to her with both hands. Eomma-nim took up Jessi’s offer to open them and was pleased when she saw the huge assortment of chocolates from Brooklyn Jessi’d had shipped in. But, the round box was the stunner. Inside was an assortment of a couple dozen perfect lilac roses. 

 

“Are these real?” Eomma-nim asked excitedly.

 

“Yeah, they’re actually pretty amazing because they’ll stay alive like this for a year.”

 

“Mom loves roses, those are beautiful,” he told her with a smile, impressed by the thought she’d put into it. 

 

She smiled widely with her lips pressed together; pleased by their reactions and making a note to thank her amazing friends for the suggestion of flowers and candy.

 

The conversation began again, his mom asking polite questions about Jessi’s family and answering hers about when he was a kid in Seattle. A few minutes in, after the food had been served, her phone went off. After a quick glance, she stood up to take the call, “I’m so sorry, but it’s my manager. Excuse me for a sec.”

 

After she left, mother and son locked eyes, Jay silently asking the obvious question. “So?” he prompted.

 

“I like her,” his mom confirmed, nodding her approval.

 

He slumped back, relief singing through him. “Great, I’m glad.”

 

“But,” she continued. His heart, finally unburdened, dropped again. “She’s not your usual type is she? Like those girls in all your videos.”

 

He was reminded that being his biggest fan and supporter meant that she was watching all the explicit vids he was dropping. Coughing to cover up shock that she’d bring it up, he defended his girl, “Yeah she is! But that’s not that I've been with all those girls or that they’re my type. Or that she’s like the girls in the videos, just that she’s y too. Not that that’s the only thing I'm interested in. Or that-“

 

Chuckling at his frantic speech, she held up a hand and finally ended it. “It’s not my business what you like about her physically, it was just an observation. I’m glad she’s not just someone you met on a set and started dating just because of her looks, that’s all. And I can see why you two are together.”

 

“Really?” Jay asked nervously. “Why?”

 

“You two are 85% the same,” she said simply.

 

“What? 85%” He was a little lost.

 

“I liked her right away. At first, I just thought she was just a nice girl, not overly formal and not trying too hard, but as we kept talking, I realized that she reminded me of you. The way she sees things, her sense of humor, the way importance she puts in her work, the way she feels about her family, it all aligns with you. And that’s why she feels like one of our own. At times, it was like you were the one I was talking to you. That’s why you’re together.”

 

He thought about it. What she was saying wasn’t anything he hadn’t thought before, though not all at once. They moved quickly in their relationship, quicker than either one had before, because the trust was immediately there. They had the same values but they were not the same person, that was for sure. He said as much to his mother but apparently, she’d considered of that as well.

 

Clicking her tongue, she swatted at him, “Of course not! Why would anyone be with the exact same person? What I said was that you agreed on the important stuff. Opposites attract is a nice idea but 15% opposite is the best amount. That keeps it interesting without compromising the big stuff! Like me and dad,” she offered. 

 

“Okay…” he replied, trying not to get into a conversation about his parents’ relationship. “I mean, she makes me feel like I'm home, like she understands me better than anyone else can. And I get her. It’s kinda amazing how I met the one person with almost the same history as me,” he laughed. 

 

Rubbing his back supportively, his mom offered some cliché advice, “If it feels like home, it’s right. Don’t let her go.” Patting him sharply on the cheek a few times for good measure, “I'm already getting attached. And I am always ready for more grandchildren.” 

 

Jay just ducked his head as he laughed. Just then, Jessi walked back in, taking her seat quickly, catching Jay’s hand in her own instinctually. “I’m so sorry, scheduling conflict,” she explained. “I didn’t wanna disappoint so I'm doing 2 shows next Friday.”

 

His mom met his eyes, raising her brows at Jessi’s work ethic and pointing at him slyly. He just rolled his eyes and they finished their meal leisurely, just enjoying each other’s company.

 

Dropping his mom back to her place in Seoul, the couple drove back to his place. 

 

“Your mom’s great,” Jessi said, head lolling to the left to fix her gaze on his profile. 

 

His hand, resting on her thigh, rubbed circles into her skin. “Yeah,” Jay agreed easily, “and she really liked you too.”

 

Covering his hand, playing with his long fingers, she lowered her head. “Really? Did she say that or are you guessing?”

 

“No, she said it! She really likes you and she said you already feel like family,” he assured, raising her hand to press a kiss to her palm.

 

“Yeah?” she asked, cautiously excited.

 

“Yeah. We both think so. I love you and she does too.”

 

“Good. That’s great! I'm so happy, Jay, about everything,” she exclaimed, gesturing widely with both their hands.

 

He looked toward her and smiled, leaning in for a proper kiss. Thankful for the red light when she traced the seam of his lips with her tongue and her hand gently tugged at his hair, he needed no more incentive to race home and begin their private celebration of completing meeting the parents. Seeing him pressing the accelerator, she threw back her head and laughed.