It’s finally summer break. I’ve been waiting for this time to come because Hyejin, Byulyi, and I will be finally going back home, which means we are free from the stress of school and we could eat as much as we want without worrying about budgeting.

Yong’s coming with me this time as well. She volunteered and insisted on driving us to Jeonju even though I told her that it might exhaust her. She said that it’s fine and argued that we would reach Jeonju faster if she drove us. She also said that it’s convenient and we wouldn’t be spending money if she’d drive us.

I just agreed because it might be an endless argument if I’d insist. Also, I couldn’t say no to her.

Our suitcases, Ggomo’s food and some of his toys filled the trunk in Yong’s car. Hyejin and Byulyi were sitting in the backseat. I’m in the passenger seat and Yong was driving us, getting more and more nervous as we neared Jeonju, while Ggomo was lurking somewhere in the car.

“Yong…” I said, facing Yong beside me while we’re on our way to Byulyi’s house since we’re dropping her first.

“Yes, love?” Yong whispered softly.

“Your hands are shaking. You’re turning pale. Is there something wrong?” I asked nervously as I frowned at her.

She shook her head before she sighed heavily. “I’m just nervous in meeting your parents”

I smiled softly and watched her gulp hard. She’s been nervous ever since I told her that I wanted her to stay in my house for the rest of her day off while we’re on break. My parents already knew about Yong and they’re excited to meet her. That’s what I told her to reassure her that she has nothing to worry about.

“Oh, we’re here!” Byulyi said excitedly. “Just wait outside and I’ll open the gate so you could park inside”

“Can’t I park on the side?” Yong asked, glancing briefly at Byulyi through the rearview mirror.

“You can but it’s safer to park inside” Byulyi said while Yong just nodded.

Byulyi climbed out of the car and hurriedly opened their gate that led to their garage. Yong moved the car inside Byulyi’s house while I turned around and peeked at a sleeping Hyejin in the backseat.

I tapped her knee and said, “Hyejinie, we’re here in Byulyi’s house”

“Five more minutes” she mumbled as she curled even more on her seat.

“We don’t have five more minutes. We're right in their garage already. Byulyi said her mother prepared cookies for us” I said and giggled when Hyejin instantly opened her eyes and sat up straight.

She widened her eyes at me and asked, “Where are the cookies?”

I laughed at her and heard Yong chuckled as well. “We’re in Byulyi’s house already. We have to go down now” I said to her as I unfastened my seatbelt. I turned to Yong and said to her, “You’ll have to go down with us, Yong”

“Why?” she asked, surprised by this as she got even more nervous.

I leaned over and unfastened her seatbelt. “We’ll have to greet Byulyi’s family” I said to her before I climbed out of the car. Yong was still inside, confused by what I meant as I jogged to her side of the door. I opened her door and held her hand, pulling her out of the car.

“I have to meet Byulyi’s family?” she asked, her hands felt so cold in mine.

I nodded and smiled so wide at her. “We’ll have to meet Hyejinie’s family later too,” I said and closed her door before we followed Hyejin and Byulyi who’s dragging her suitcase with her.

“I have to meet all of them?”

I chuckled at Yong and kissed her cheek before I whispered, “Yes”

“Why?” she asked, feeling more anxious now.

“That’s what we always do when we’re back here. I couldn’t just leave you in the car.” I held her other hand and walked backward while she’s slightly frowning at me. “I’d have to introduce them my girlfriend who insisted on driving us here”

“I’m nervous” she mumbled.

I stopped walking and held her waist before I leaned forward and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around me and closed her eyes as she leaned her forehead on mine. “You have nothing to worry about. Meeting them will be the hard part but once you get to know them, it won’t be bad, Yong. So don’t think too much, okay?” I whispered to her softly as I rubbed a comforting hand on her back.

“I’ll try not to,” she whispered before she sighed heavily, making me smile at her.

“Hey, lovebirds! Move already!” Hyejin shouted, making me smile when I saw Yong smile so wide when we heard that.

I kissed her again before I held her hand and walked us to the front door of Byulyi’s house where an impatient Hyejin was waiting for us. “Let’s go, Yong. You’ll love them!” I said excitedly.

When we got inside, we removed our shoes before we walked further inside the house. “Mr. and Mrs. Moon! We’re here!” Hyejin shouted excitedly as I jumped on my heels and smiled so wide while leading Yong inside Byulyi’s house.

We’ve stayed in each of our houses a lot of times that it felt like staying in either one of our houses is like being in our own home. Our parents are also close to each other. Byulyi placed her suitcase in the living room and motioned for us to follow her.

“Byulyi! Is that you?!” Mrs. Moon shouted somewhere from the kitchen.

“Yes, Mom!” Byulyi shouted as we headed towards the kitchen.

I leaned closer to Yong and whispered, “That’s Byulyi’s Mom.” I chuckled softly when I saw her gulp hard before she cleared .

“She sounded strong” Yong whispered worriedly while I just squeezed her hand.

Byulyi’s mother was in the kitchen pulling out freshly baked cookies from the oven when we got in the kitchen. I smiled so wide while Hyejin started clapping her hands when we saw the cookies.

Byulyi kissed her mother’s cheek to greet her while Hyejin grabbed one of the cookies right away. She kept on blowing the cookie on her hand as she moved forward and kissed Mrs. Moon’s cheek. Byulyi’s mother could only sigh when she eyed the cookie on Hyejin’s hand while Hyejin shamelessly smiled at her.

I moved to Mrs. Moon next, dragging Yong with me. I smiled at her and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “Hello, Mrs. Moon” I said before I stepped aside and pulled Yong closer. “This is Yongsun, my girlfriend. She drove us here” I smiled at Yong and slightly jumped on my heels.

Yong reached a hand to Mrs. Moon and shook it as she said, “Good morning, mam. It’s nice to meet you”

I moved to hug Yong’s waist and squeezed her tightly when I saw Mrs. Moon smiling at her. “Isn’t she pretty? She’ll be staying for here for the whole week”

“Aren’t you staying for the whole break?” Mrs. Moon asked Yong while Yong shook her head and smiled at Byulyi’s mother.

“She has to go to work and has the whole week only,” I answered. “But she’ll be back here again when she’s off from work.” I faced Yong and smiled at her before I faced Mrs. Moon again. “She’s an amazing flight attendant” I proudly said while Mrs. Moon chuckled at me.

Hyejin scoffed before she mumbled, full of cookies, “Am I expecting something like this in my house too?”

“What?” I asked as I pouted at her.

“You’re carrying Yongsun like your trophy” Hyejin said, reaching for another cookie before passing one two Byulyi who’s silently eating beside her.

“She’s not my trophy. She’s my girlfriend” I whined as I pouted at them. “I’m proud of that”

“Is that so?” Yong suddenly asked, using her teasing voice again as she patted my head.

I dropped my hold around her waist and pouted at her. “Yong…”

“I dare you to hit her!” Byulyi shouted excitedly and snickered but stopped when her mother glared at her.

Yong chuckled softly and pinched my cheek while I scowled at her. She faced Mrs. Moon again, ignoring me, as she bowed at her. “It was nice to meet you, mam”

“You too, and thank you for driving them here” Mrs. Moon as they shook hands again.

Mrs. Moon packed us cookies as we said goodbye to them. Byulyi walked us out and helped Yong back her car out of their garage. We didn’t get to see Byulyi’s father and younger sisters since her father brought her sisters with him for grocery shopping.

We headed to Hyejin’s house next. Yong seemed so relaxed when when we walked out of the Moon residence but she’s back to being nervous again. I smiled at her, finding her amusing and adorable but I reached a hand over and squeezed her knee to comfort her.

When we arrived in Hyejin’s house, we met her mother and father. Her older sisters were still at work so we didn’t get to see them. I proudly introduced Yong again to Hyejin’s parents. Yong expected for Hyejin’s mother to shake her hand but was surprised when Hyejin’s mother suddenly leaned to her and kissed her cheek. We were chuckling at her startled face before she awkwardly shook the hand of Hyejin’s father.

We didn’t stay that long as well. We headed back to her car and headed to my house. At this point, Yong was beyond nervous. Luckily the drive from Hyejin’s house to mine was only short or else we won’t survive because she looked so pale and was having a hard time driving.

I let her park her car right at the drive way of our garage. I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed out of the passenger before I jogged to the driver seat. Yong was staring at nowhere when I got to her. I was even the one who turned her car off and unfastened her seatbelt.

I pocketed her keys before I helped her out of the driver seat. I moved forward and hugged her tightly, sensing how nervous she is. I kissed her cheek before I whispered, “You’re doing great meeting my friend’s parents earlier. Meeting my parents is something like that too”

She buried her face on my neck and mumbled, “What if they won’t like me?”

“That’s impossible” I said, chuckling softly at her. I kissed her temple and said, “They’ll love you. They’ll love you a lot, Yong.” I held her hand and started dragging her to our house. “Let’s go. I’m excited for you to meet them”

Yong tugged on my arm and said, “What about our suitcases and Ggomo?”

“I’ll get them later. Let’s get inside first.” I pushed the door open and kicked my shoes before I shouted, “Mom! Dad! We’re here!” I smiled at Yong who’s still breathing heavily from nervousness before I walked us further inside my house. “It’s not as big as your place in Seoul, but this is where I grew up” I told her while she shook her head at me.

“Your place looks perfect” she mumbled while I chuckled at her when her eyes seemed so unfocused.

“Wheein, is that you?”

I turned around and saw my mother coming from the kitchen to greet us. I smiled at her as I dragged Yong to my mother and kissed my Mom’s cheek before I said, “Where’s Dad?”

“Coming!”

I looked to my side and saw my father coming inside the living room from the garage. “Dad!” I shouted as I dropped Yong’s hand and ran to my father. I threw myself at him while he caught me and lifted me in his arms. I kissed his cheek while he laughed at me.

“You’ll have to stop doing that. Your father might not be able to carry you anymore” my mother warned while my father carried me to them.

“My baby’s getting heavier already” father said while I glared at him right away. He chuckled at me and placed me back on the floor beside Yong before he patted my head.

“Stop calling me that” I said to my father while still glaring at him.

“Whee… Stop glaring at you father, love” Yong whispered beside me.

I pouted at my father right away, which made both of my parents laugh at me. I pouted at Yong next and whined, “Why do you always tease me?”

She pinched my cheek and whispered, “Because you look so cute when you’re being teased. Now, stop frowning. You forgot to introduce me”

“Oh, sorry.” I smiled so wide and hugged Yong's waist from behind as I said, “Mom, Dad, this is Yongsun. She’s my girlfriend. The one I told you about. This is her!”

Yong held a hand on top of my arms while I gently rocked us sideways. I kissed her cheek and shoulder before I leaned my chin on her shoulder and squeezed her tightly while I continued to rock us. She struggled to bow to my parents with me holding her before she reached a hand to my parents and shook their hands.

“She just turned twenty five a few months ago and is working as a flight attendant” I said proudly as I smiled so wide. I glanced at Yong and saw her still looking nervous in front of my parents so I kissed her cheek before I faced my parents again.

“She’s older than you?” my mother asked.

“Yup!” I said while I could hear Yong gulping beside me.

“That’s a relief. We always worry that no one would look over them there. I hope our daughter and her friends are not giving you a hard time” Mom said while I pouted at her.

“She’s not. They’re not, Mrs. Jung” Yong answered right away.

“Okay… You met her already. Can we go now? I want to take her around” I said excitedly, moving to Yong’s side to hold her hand while I jumped on my heels from excitement. “You’ll get to see the beach, Yong. I’d take you to our school before too. There’s a lot of things to eat and do there. You’ll love it!”

“Wheein, don’t you want to rest first?” my father asked.

I pouted at him and whined, “But she’ll only stay for a couple days before she’ll work again. I want her to have fun while she’s here.” I faced Yong and stopped jumping when I saw her tired eyes. “I… You…” I stuttered before I sighed. “Okay…” I whispered while Yong just squeezed my hand.

“Let me just take a nap then we can go wherever you want to” she whispered, giving me a small smile.

“Go get your suitcases, Wheein. Let me take Yongsun to your room” my mother said.

I kissed Yong’s cheek and headed back to her car. I grabbed Ggomo first and freed him inside the house. I carried his food and toys next and brought them in the living room. I travelled back to Yong’s car one last time and grabbed our suitcases before I locked her car. I carried them inside the house and then to my room.

Yong changed out of her clothes and was wearing my sweatpants and shirt. She was lying down on my bed already when I got inside our room. I placed our suitcases besi