AN: Very short, but fun, little chapter for everyone this Friday! xx

—Early December 2020—

“I am Ji Chang-wook, actor! Heartthrob! Internationally Loved! Nation’s… heartthrob!”

“You are drunk,” Chi-gu said.

“Chi-gu. How do I do it?” Chang-wook pouted.

“You usually do it by filling a glass with alcohol and then drinking it.”

“This isn’t something to joke about,” Chang-wook declared.

They had gathered at their favourite drinking spot. Drinks and snacks were scattered across the table. Chang-wook was in a worse state than usual.

“Did he drink before he got here?” one of his hyungs asked.

“I don’t think he has been eating…”

“Deng!” Chang-wook pointed in the direction of the voice that answered correctly. 

“Why not?”

“Tummy problems,” Chi-gu chuckled. “The trip to the Philippines. He ate something that, um… didn’t agree with him.”

“TMI.”

“Now I know how she feels,” Chang-wook mumbled. Other than Chi-gu he’d kept quiet about Ji-hyun’s pregnancy. But tonight was the night he confessed to them that he was proposing to her and that they would be uncles in the new year. 

“Right. Eat up then.”

Chang-wook took the ssam wrap that was stuffed in his mouth. He chewed and then obediently accepted another. When he reached for his glass he found they had switched the alcohol for water.

“Thanks,” he mumbled.

“Ok. Now. Why did you drag us all out so late? Don’t you have filming tomorrow?”

“No. They had a problem with one of the sets.”

“So you wanted to get drunk? Is Ji-hyun still not drinking?”

“Great opening!” Chi-gu clapped. “Great opening… Ji-hyun isn’t drinking… and won’t be…”

“Wait… is she… is she pregnant?” one of his friends whispered.

Chang-wook got a silly grin on his face. He wiggled his nose at them like a rabbit. Then nodded solemnly and drained his glass.

“Congrats!”

The other men began slapping his back and pouring him drinks—of water. When things settled down, someone wondered why he was so down if he was obviously thrilled about being a father and marrying Ji-hyun.

“I have to ask Abeonim for his blessing…”

“Oh.”

“You haven’t already?”

“Does he know about, you know what?”

“No. Yes.”

“So he knows and you haven’t bowed and asked for his permission to marry his daughter.”

“Yes.”

“You are a dead man.”

“Yup. Dead. Worse than dead.”

“I know,” he howled.

“So… how did he find out and you haven’t asked…”

“It happened a couple of days ago. I was over for dinner… It was going really well. And then Ji-hyun out of the blue announced we were getting married because she was pregnant.”

“I like Ji-hyun… a lot… I mean… but that… she didn’t warn you?”

“Ouch. Tough luck Wook-i”

“So what happened next?”

“Chi-gu? Did you know about this?”

“He refused to spill the details…”

“So what happened?”

Chang-wook closed his eyes and replayed the scene in his mind:

Begin Scene.

Typical apartment in Seoul, South Korea.

[Pleasant atmosphere as a family [mother, father, two daughters] and a young man [CHANG-WOOK] laugh over a finished dinner. The younger daughter[JI-HYUN] sits next to Chang-wook. They wear couple rings. The mood changes when Ji-hyun claps for her family’s attention. There is pleasant anticipation on her parents’ faces. Her sister finds the situation funny and shares an amused look with Chang-wook, who begins to look uncomfortable.]

JI-HYUN [JCW’s future wife, if he is lucky]:

Eomma, Appa, Eonnie. I wanted to let you know that Chang-wook and I are getting married. We haven’t set a date yet.

JI-HYUN’S EOMMA [JCW’s future mother-in-law, if he is lucky]:

Isn’t that a bit sudden?

JI-HYUN’S EONNIE [JCW’s future sister-in-law, if he is lucky]:

Did you get her pregnant?

Everyone laughs except the couple.

Chang-wook grabs Ji-hyun’s hand under the table and squeezes it hard. She remains impassive but rolls her eyes.

JI-HYUN’S APPA [JCW’s future father-in-law, if he is lucky]:

Ji Chang-wook-ssi… please explain. Please explain why you would like to marry my daughter.

JI-HYUN:

Aish. Appa. That is our business. And yes, eonnie, to answer your question. I am pregnant. Now. I think that it is ten pm. Which is Ji Chang-wook’s curfew… isn’t that right Appa?

Silence.

Ji-Hyun:

Right, Oppa. Let’s go.

Ji-hyun takes Chang-wook’s hand and drags him from the apartment. Chang-wook keeps trying to bow but stumbles when Ji-hyun continues to pull him backwards.

End Scene.

“Chang-wook? Wook-i? Are you? Did he pass out.”

“I was not at fault. It was Nam Ji-hyun! She took control… She blocked abeonim’s number on my phone… I can’t reach him…”

“You can unblock numbers…”

“Would you? Do you know how scary he can be?” Chang-wook looked stricken. 

“So when are you going to talk to him?”

“Tomorrow. We are having a meeting…”

“Gentlemen. Let us raise a glass to a man about to face his death… hungover.”

Everyone burst out laughing. The rest of the night was spent giving Chang-wook pep talks while congratulating him on his blissful future. 

—

Ji-hyun’s appa checked the address he had been given. The building looked like any other VVIP office building in Gangnam. He rarely had a reason to visit buildings like this but today he was. He walked into the black marble foyer to find it empty except for a large guard, who stood with his hands clasped in front of him. He was meant to be intimidating but today was one of the few days when Ji-hyun’s appa was not going to be intimidated by anything. 

He walked straight to the elevator and paused. There was no way button to summon the elevator.

“Mr Nam?” 

The guard smiled. He reached over and used a key card to start the lift.

“You went in without receiving your key card. We improved security since that incident.”

The older man nodded. There was nothing to be embarrassed about. He hadn’t been told about getting a key card.

When the doors opened he went to the door at the end of the corridor. He used the key card and went through onto the large terrace. He took his time observing the man in front of him. There was no denying how handsome he was. Tall, broad shoulders, but a boyish face and boyish charm. Ji-hyun’s appa had looked into him when he had first noticed his daughter’s crush. The action roles, the saeguks… all gave an impression that was completely destroyed when you met Ji Chang-wook in person. The worries of a father, scared his daughter had fallen for a handsome face, evaporated on hearing stories from her. He had not liked some of the BTS scenes—what father would? Ji-hyun was, after all, still his baby. But she bounced around like a child when she talked about her work. That satisfied.

That June changed everything. She almost lost her sparkle. Luckily his daughter was made of strong stuff. She had pulled through. She did so well on her exams that he briefly regretted she still pursue her career as an actress. The next year… no… not quite year, had brought on significant changes. He watched her go from fearless and carefree to serious and dedicated. Never cynical, still his Hyun-i, but more aware of how cruel the world could be.

This man, though. He had brought the light back into her eyes. They sparkled together. 

The news that they were expecting a child had shocked him and his wife. But he was also secretly thrilled. Probably, he thought, more than the young couple. They were in for challenges. Diapers, tantrums. These two too sweet, kind people would have their patience tested. They would have sleepless nights… But most importantly, they would have a precious child to love and care for.  

However, what kind of father of a daughter would he be if he didn’t make the man who wanted to marry his daughter sweat while asking for permission to marry her.

“Ya,” he called.

“Abeonim,” Chang-wook bowed low.

“You didn’t tell me I needed a key card,” he settled on a bench and relaxed. He looked up at the young man who dithered, unsure if he should stand or sit. “Aish. Sit. Do you want me to get a sore neck?”

“Yes… I… No, I don’t want you to get a sore neck,” Chang-wook rubbed his hands on his thighs and plastered a bright smile on his face. “Abeonim… You probably know what I want to say to you.”

“No. I don’t”

He watched with amusement the actor visibly gulp.

“I… I want to ask for your blessing.”

“What kind of blessing?”

“I… I want your blessing on… for me to marry Nam Ji-hyun. For us to marry. She… she has said she would like to marry me. But I realise you learnt about that… and she… I… She is very independent. Actually, I love that about her. She always goes her own way. I hope she is always like that. And if we have a daughter, I want her to be just like her eomma. Don’t you think so? I mean. I need your blessing. I just. I can’t imagine living without Jiji by my side. Her smile. I didn’t know what happiness was until I met her. Not on set. I liked her before that. Jiji… she was so… brilliant. Sparkly. When we met the first time. Properly. She sparkled. I was so blown away. She…”

He trailed off.

“Do you realise that you are rambling?” Ji-hyun’s appa asked. 

“Abeonim!”

“Now. Before I give my blessing… I have some questions.”

Another visible gulp.

“First. And I want an honest and open answer. Do you spend time with anyone who would bring disrespect or bring shame to my daughter’s name?”

“I stopped spending time with people whose behaviour did not match my morals while I was in the military. I… I still have some wild friends but not the kind to do anything to bring harm to Ji-hyun-ah’s name.”

“Second. You got my daughter pregnant. That shows a degree of irresponsibility. Do you have any reason to think you have been irresponsible like that before or will be in the future That there will ever be any hint of scandal…”

“No. I, umm, to be honest I was not really, um,” Chang-wook blushed. “My dating life… It was rather, um, sporadic? Before Ji-hyun… I’ve had girlfriends, of course. After I met Ji-hyun… no other woman…I haven’t looked at another woman. Three years loving Jiji… I was so lucky to know… Ji-hyun, she was, is the only one I think about. Not just… not like that… I respect her!”

“Third,” Ji-hyun’s appa pressed on. Never once giving away how pleased he was with the answers he was hearing.

Gulp. 

Ji-hyun’s appa grinned. But his final question was serious and he was curious how the young man would answer it.

“Do you think you can handle her being more successful than you? If she were to become a more famous actress than you are an actor… Would you be man enough to see that happen.”

He watched a frown cross Chang-wook’s face. So far the young man’s answers had proved his devotion Ji-hyun. But this frown worried him. Men could be fickle if their wives were more successful than them. He did not expect Ji-hyun to ever earn more than her husband, but her reputation as an actress could be greater. A father could say that without shame.

“Abeonim. Ji-hyun is an amazing actress. I would never have… She is ambitious. Frankly, I find that y. She is going to get projects that if the role was open to me, I would never be offered those projects. Sometimes I wonder if you realise how good she is… No disrespect. But she is under your watch. Distance… She is truly amazing. Quietly, beautifully amazing. They created an entire scene out of nothing for her! Do you realise how much money that cost? And, I know, they are giving her a Baeksang for her role in “The Northern Night”. I’m not meant to know. But they asked me to present an award… And what other reason…”

“You have a lot of faith in her I see, but you didn’t answer my question…”

“Abeonim! Abeonim! Do you need me to quit acting? I will! I will quit acting! I will leave the industry for her.”

Ji-hyun’s appa couldn’t contain it any more. He started laughing. Great belly laughs that shook his entire body and brought tears to his eyes. 

“Young man. You are the worst. Do you know that? So easy to wind up.”

“Uh…”

“You have my blessing. I heartily give you my blessing. And if I didn’t Ji-hyun would marry you anyway. My wife and your eomma, let’s call them and tell them the news.”

“No need!”

Both men turned to see the women in question emerge from behind a large live wall covered in moss and ivy.

“How long have you been there?” he asked.

“Oh… maybe half an hour before oppa arrived?” Ji-hyun said. She looked wicked and her father worried what she would have done if he had refused… or pretended to refuse Chang-wook.

“You heard everything?” Chang-wook looked pale.

“Of course!” Ji-hyun’s eomma said with a smirk.

“Our son… your… your prepared speech was much better than that rush…” his eomma was giggling.

“Eomeonim! I liked what he said. I thought it was sweet,” Ji-hyun defended her oppa.

“Aish. No accounting for taste when you are in love.”

The two men were overwhelmed. Their attempt to have a serious, manly conversation devastated by three women.

“SARANGHAE!” the women cheered. Ji-hyun let off a glitter bomb. Chang-wook watched his eomma pull out a light stick and enthusiastically wave it back and forth. Ji-hyun’s eomma ran forward with hats proclaiming the wearer “5 years old”. 

“A little party. To celebrate.”

“Aish. These women… let’s get out of here…” Ji-hyun’s appa muttered under his breath.

Chang-wook nodded and made a break for the door. He followed Ji-hyun’s appa into the hall and into the elevator.

“Abeonim? I understand. But why did you want to leave?”

The older man reached into his jacket pocket. He produced two Cuban cigars.

“Do you think they would have let us smoke these? Welcome to the family, by the way.”