“Does this look okay? How do I look?”

“Like you’re about to be in a coffin if you don’t sit down and breathe for a second.”

“Joohyun…” Seungwan groans, tossing a pillow at her girlfriend. She is already nervous about meeting the woman’s parents but the teasing is driving her crazy. “I’m being serious! I’m going crazy right now.”

Joohyun is lying on their bed comfortably with a rather amused smile, head supported by her hand. She doesn’t understand why Seungwan’s nervous in the first place; they’ve been dating for years now – if anything, she’s probably considered part of the family already. The one thing Seungwan hasn’t done officially is visit her parents as her girlfriend; it’s been delayed over and over again because the timing never seems to be suitable. The first time was cancelled because Seungwan fell sick and Joohyun simply refused to leave her out of sight; the second was cancelled because her older sister couldn’t make it to the dinner.

The third, which is now… is about to be postponed because Seungwan looks like she’s about to pass out any moment.

“I don’t know why you’re so nervous. You’ve spoken to my mother over the phone before, and multiple times too…” Joohyun says, lying on her front this time. She scrolls through their previous messages, giggling at her girlfriend’s overuse of emojis and stickers.

“Your dad’s going to kill me.”

Although Seungwan said that by herself, she subconsciously expected Joohyun to reassure her as she always does but when Joohyun’s eyes widen in realization…

“Oh my God.”

As every other conservative family in the state, Mr. Bae was not on board with the idea of them dating which Seungwan respects despite not agreeing. He also took some time to himself before reaching out to his own daughter again. The one thing about him that Seungwan ultimately has to hand it to him is that Mr. Bae was never hostile towards Joohyun or herself. Mrs. Bae also sent updates to Joohyun during a breakthrough, which is adorable. Whenever Mrs. Bae speaks to him about how Joohyun is coping here and how Seungwan takes great care of her, his reaction always gets warmer and warmer.

If there’s anyone that truly wants the best for their family and is willing to learn and change, Mr. Bae is a great example.

… not that it changes the fear Seungwan feels.

“JOOHYUN!”

Joohyun bites onto her fist, trying to keep her laughter in. Her girlfriend is the cutest today and every day, especially when she starts panicking over the littlest things she can’t control. She can’t help but find Seungwan particularly adorable today, pacing up and down their shared bedroom with her head in hands – she resembles a middle-aged woman going through a divorce.

“Come to bed, Seungwan.”

“Are you serious?”

“Hurry up... I’m feeling cold here.” Joohyun whines, opening her arms. She knows nothing will work better than them cuddling for the afternoon; it’s the best kind of healing after a long day’s work.

Seungwan’s frown immediately vanishes, carelessly belly flopping onto the king-sized bed with a megawatt grin. She releases the breath she had no idea she was holding onto when she feels Joohyun’s fingers thread through her locks, rubbing her head so gently. It’s just the appetiser of comfort Joohyun gives her daily, whilst Joohyun basks in her arms every night. The good thing about being so similar to each other is they know every knack, every habit, their likes and dislikes… Joohyun knows and remembers what calms Seungwan down at the back of her palm.

When she hears Joohyun mumble a few incoherent words, Seungwan doesn’t even ask; she lifts herself and shuffles closer so their bodies are pressed together.

“Aren’t you worried about your dad? What if he’s still not okay with us?” Seungwan whispers softly, eyelids shut. She snakes her arms around Joohyun’s lithe waist, burying her face into the woman’s chest. “It’s been many years but it’s not always easy to accept something out of the norm…”

Joohyun presses a kiss onto the crown of Seungwan’s head, continuing to rub the latter’s head. “We’ve been together since we met in university, baby. I’m already 32… how long does he expect me to wait? If he still doesn’t accept us, I honestly have nothing much to say to him.”

“Joohyun… don’t say that. He is your father, after all.”

Simply hushing her girlfriend, Joohyun hums a melodious tune that lolls Seungwan to sleep rather unwillingly. If there’s one particular issue that they can’t seem to agree on amongst everything in their lives, it’s this longstanding problem. Seungwan firmly believes in family means blood ties that can’t be let go off so easily, but Joohyun is the opposite. She knows better than to beat a dead horse* and that’s also how she makes decisions for many things – a situation can only be changed if two people are willing to make an effort.

Seungwan already made many steps to get approval from her family. It’s time her father wakes up and smell the coffee* before it’s too late, because Joohyun is never going to leave Seungwan.

“Mmm… I love your daughter… Sir, I promise…”

Even in her damn sleep, she’s dreaming of their meeting – Seungwan tries her darn hardest to be perfect in her parents.

How can Joohyun think of leaving?

*

It wasn’t easy getting started on their journey, more so because Seungwan bought so many daily necessities and delicacies for her family; there was simply not enough space to fit them in Joohyun’s Porsche. 

“Stop sulking, baby. You’re still driving like you insisted.” Seungwan chuckles, not even opening her eyes to look at her girlfriend. She already knows what kind of expression Joohyun has. “You’re just driving my car instead of yours.”

“Shut up. You and your bloody huge bag of presents.”

The very day Seungwan bought the vitamins, nutrients, preserved foods and presents, she had a feeling Joohyun would be throwing a tantrum today. She tends to overspend when it comes to the precious woman, but blowing almost two thousand dollars on her family? Joohyun ought to teach her a lesson; maybe Seungwan should start sleeping on their living room sofa till she promises not to spend more than a couple of hundreds ever again.

“Joohyun, promise me you won't lose your temper with your father later. I don't want to see your mother upset again….”

“He started it the last time though.”

“Does it really matter?” Seungwan sighs. She hates being the cause of arguments like this but seeing Mrs. Bae shed tears at the dinner table was more heart-breaking than anything. “Just… just think of your mom, okay?”

Mrs. Bae was surprisingly supportive of their relationship and her reason was fairly simple too – Joohyun is her daughter; of course, she’d know. She already figured it out when Joohyun, unlike her elder sister, never brought back anyone. She kept secrets, always online till dawn and then laughing loudly whenever she was on the phone with God knows who. All these signs point to Joohyun dating or being in a relationship and yet, there was never anyone who came home with her. Not only were her parents continuously assuring her that they wouldn’t judge her boyfriend, they also promised to be on their best behaviour.

So, when Joohyun still didn’t bring anyone home but her lovey-dovey behaviour intensified instead, Mrs. Bae had a strong feeling her daughter leaned towards the same .

Joohyun’s grip on the steering wheel finally relaxes at a stoplight, taking the time to consider her girlfriend’s words. “I promise I won’t argue with him, okay? It was just that one time. I don’t want my mom to be stuck in the middle either…"

Seungwan extends her hand and tenderly rubs Joohyun’s head without talking; she knows Joohyun feels assured and comforted with that action.

“Good girl.”

The drive continues uneventfully, the playlist is the only source of change throughout their journey. Seungwan occasionally breaks out into a belt here and there, making Joohyun want to smack her out of embarrassment but it also makes her laugh and that’s all Seungwan wants. Ever since they got out of bed this morning, their nerves have been taking over them because of this meeting. Despite Joohyun’s efforts to come across unfazed, she can’t hide her anxiety. She hasn’t been home for almost three years due to the pandemic, so she’s naturally worried.

However, as the car pulls up into the driveway, Seungwan also starts to feel antsy in her seat. She notices the tiny details before they even enter – the air-conditioner is on, the family car is parked in the garage; they’re definitely waiting.

“Babe, let me help.”

“It’s okay,” Seungwan says as she lugs the paper bags out of the backseat; at least she has something to keep her hands from trembling if ever. “You just go ahead and ring the doorbell; I’ll be right behind you.”

Joohyun shakes her head whilst she takes small steps towards the front door, today better go smoothly. Seungwan has always worn her heart on her sleeve when it’s just the two of them; her emotions can’t be hidden from Joohyun even if she tried. No matter how many times Seungwan pretends to be okay with the rejection from her father, deep down Joohyun wishes things were different. Spending their youth and early twenties together – not to mention sharing an apartment – should already be a tell-tale sign that they’re in for the long run.

Rapping her knuckles on the freshly painted door, Joohyun calls out, “Umma! Appa!”

The rapid footsteps take Joohyun and Seungwan by surprise; it doesn’t sound like just Joohyun’s parents at home. The door flies open but there’s no one, until Seungwan lowers her gaze and finds a little girl.

“AUNTIE JOOJOO!”

“Hey, Chaewon!”

Well, well, well…

If Seungwan was extremely nervous and anxious a minute ago, all her emotions just doubled – the tiny princess being here means Joohyun’s older sister’s family is also home today.

“We finally meet in person, Son Seungwan.”

Oh God, kill me now.

Joohyun’s fingers find Seungwan’s hand atop her knee, the younger woman’s knees bouncing non-stop because of how scared she is. She feels just a tiny bit sorry for her poor girlfriend, it must be overwhelming for her. Although she already met Seungwan’s family back in Toronto, the Sons are private people with relatives scattered across the globe so it’s never quite as crowded. Surprisingly, the Baes gatherings are usually more crowded and livelier, which is quite the opposite so it’s no wonder Seungwan feels pressured.

The toddler named Chaewon approaches them with both hands behind her back, her little foot drawling circles on the floor. She looks up with a shy smile, “Auntie Joojoo… Is this your girlfriend?”

“As a matter of fact, yes. Why do you ask, Chaewonnie?” Joohyun crosses her arms playfully. She has only seen her niece over facetime because of the pandemic but this is a first, seeing her reaction to her own girlfriend.

Seungwan’s nerves are significantly calmed because of how cute the toddler is; she doesn’t hesitate to scoop the young one and put her on her lap. She tries not to jump when Chaewon suddenly throws her arms around her neck, trapping her in a suffocating embrace.

“Because she’s cute and I like her!”

Whilst Joohyun and Seungwan watch over the youngest for a bit, Mrs. Bae finds herself unable to take her eyes off them. She did – is still doing her part to make sure her husband sees the reality.

“What are you looking at so intensely?”

“Your daughter.” Mrs. Bae teases, pulling her husband’s arms around her. She counts it as a good sign when he doesn’t back away the way he used to. “Seungwan is holding onto Chaewon so Joohyun’s feeling a bit jealous, clearly.”

“Chaewon’s a child though.”

Mrs. Bae spins around on her heels and faces her husband with crossed arms, an annoyingly spiteful smile on her face. “Weren’t you exactly the same though? You were always sulky whenever I was busy with your brother’s children.” She takes pride in watching him try to find excuses for his childish behaviours years ago before their daughters were born.

Whilst their daughter is enjoying her time with Seungwan and Chaewon, Mr. Bae can’t help but imagine what their future would be like. He knows Joohyun definitely wants to have a family of her own, and she likes children too. The topic of having children seem to be a relationship breaker for many young couples these days; the generations’ priorities definitely change with time. In actual fact, Mrs. Bae has spoken to Seungwan in great detail about children; his wife just refuses to tell him what they said because he still doesn’t openly acknowledge their relationship. Of course, that was more than two years ago.

“Um… Auntie?” Seungwan pokes her head into the kitchen, albeit bashful when she sees the older couple in each other’s arms. “Joohyun wants to hand you and … Mr. Bae some presents.”

Although Mr. Bae’s stoic expression doesn’t change throughout, Seungwan can’t help but feel that the general atmosphere isn’t as tense as the first time Joohyun brought her home. She’ll never forget that day for the rest of her life; the way Mrs. Bae welcomed her with open arms and Mr. Bae completely ignoring her existence.

Joohyun raises her eyebrows when Seungwan gestures to the gifts she brought; the stupid woman she loves doesn’t want to give them personally. She rolls her eyes as she unpacks, taking out the cans of birds’ nest and dried foods first – of course, Seungwan won’t dare to admit it. It’s not right to take credit though, not when Joohyun was busy snoozing in bed when her girlfriend went out to buy all the necessities for the family. It’s when Mrs. Bae herself raises an eyebrow in disbelief; she knows her daughter better than that.

Just before her father bends to open the bag, Joohyun gently holds onto his hand and sighs. “Actually… Umma, Appa. These gifts weren’t bought by me. Seungwan went out early in the morning two days in a row to make sure she got the best products off the shelves.”

Seungwan facepalms at the admission – this is not what they discussed in the car. She knows what her girlfriend is trying to do but oh God… this can go so wrong in multiple ways.

“I can tell, Joohyun.”

“W-What?”

“Between you and your sister, you’re more like me, honey. You’re hardly awake early, especially on Friday mornings or the weekends – hell, even on your off days. These are clearly not bought by you.” Mr. Bae laughs, ignoring the offended expression on his daughter’s face.

Whilst father and daughter continue to (shamelessly) bicker about each other’s sleeping and rising habits, Mrs. Bae is more interested in looking for Seungwan. She can tell how worried the young woman is about getting approval from her husband despite Joohyun assuring her every opportunity she gets. The two-year pandemic and lockdown gave both her and her husband plenty of insight – hopefully – on their younger daughter’s life. It’s rather lovely to see the constant effort to prove her worth towards the family; the younger generations these days are more focused on themselves.

In her eyes, Seungwan is a keeper.

When Mrs. Bae finally sees the ends of Chaewon’s pink frilly dress peeking out of the kitchen, she knows where Seungwan is taking refuge.

“Son Seungwan, what are you doing there?”

“Nothing, hehe…” Seungwan laughs nervously, getting up from her crouched position. She straightens her crumbled shirt and scoops the giggling toddler into her arms. “Just playing hide and seek with the little princess here, aren’t we?”

When Chaewon shakes her head innocently, Seungwan almost wants to pass out.

*

“So… Seungwan, what have you been up to the past two years?”

Seungwan quickly puts down her cutlery, hands going to her legs in a polite posture immediately. “I’ve been working in my parents’ law firm for a long while now, so the cases have just piled up because of the lockdown and stuff… I’m about to make partner within the next two weeks, so there’s that.”

Mr. Bae maintains the poker face but he is thoroughly impressed with his daughter’s girlfriend; making partner with another law firm before turning thirty years old is not common at all. He is a businessman himself, so he’s also sceptical of doing business with people who take over their parents’ or family’s company. Truthfully, he himself knows Joohyun and her sister aren’t interested in the business and he always thought of passing his own company down to family only. Of course, if Seungwan is willing to do it then… that’ll be best.

Ultimately, he wants to know about her thoughts and standpoint about her future with Joohyun; there’s nothing more important than that.

“Appa… you’re gonna scare her away!” Joohyun whines, waving her hand in front of his face to break his eye contact with her girlfriend. She can feel just how sweaty Seungwan’s palm got from that short conversation.

“It’s okay, Hyun. Just eat.”

Before Joohyun can argue back, she finds a piece of meat stuffed into .

Seungwan lifts her hand and tenderly ruffles Joohyun’s hair, momentarily forgetting they’re in the presence of her parents. “I’m fine, your dad’s just making conversation. You should focus on eating; you didn’t have breakfast this morning so you’re probably hungry.”

Mrs. Bae can barely take her eyes off the couple, her chest swelling with pride at how Seungwan takes care of her daughter. All she ever wants is someone to treat both her children the way they deserve to be treated; to be loved the way they deserve to be loved. She had several meetings and conversations with both Seungwan and Joohyun over Facetime once every few months; every time it happens, she finds herself more taken with the young woman. Acceptance is one thing, but Seungwan has achieved much more than just acceptance from her.

It reminds her so much of how her husband looks at her.  

“Thank you for the things you brought over today, Seungwan. I appreciate the thought, but it’s really not necessary. You can’t possibly buy expensive tonics every time you come over… you’ll be bankrupt before you two even get married.”

Every time she comes over?

Does that mean…

“Grandpa likes Wannie!”

Everyone at the table falls silent, eyes heavily fixated on the toddler who has sauce all over . The atmosphere isn’t cold or uncomfortable, but it does take them all by surprise. The young girl – who might be changing lives today – doesn’t even seem to care about anything in the world, swinging her legs back and forth as she shovels rice cakes into . The power that kids possess whenever they speak is remarkable, because kids at that age do not know what a lie is, consciously at least. They simply say whatever they see or feel, more focused on the tangible things than non.

Joohyun grabs onto Seungwan’s hand instinctively, her protectiveness kicking in out of the blue. She can’t tell what her father’s thinking because of the unreadable expression on his face.

“Look, Seungwan…”

“Appa.”

“Hyun, please.” Seungwan pleads.

Mrs. Bae puts down her own cutlery, gesturing to Joohyun to leave the table with her at once. She knows where this is going and there’s never been a time where things go according to plan. Her daughter’s temper is definitely shorter than Seungwan’s so controlling this requires some force.

Joohyun groans as she gets up and leaves the table, sliding her hand into her mother’s. “Umma, why would you leave them both? You know how Appa can be sometimes. Seungwan was so nervous yesterday and all night; she literally kept tossing and turning in her sleep…”

“Just let your dad handle this. I have a feeling he’s already realized he can’t change anything anymore… he was looking at the two of you with Chaewon just now too, and his gaze was just different.”

I sure hope so…

Seungwan has no idea what to do with the sudden silence, though she’s thankful Chaewon is still beside her because then her attention is successfully diverted. The toddler making a mess all over and pretending she didn’t just breathe those few heart wrenching words. She can’t help the sweat droplets that begin to drip down her face; Mr. Bae’s gaze is burning into the side of her face and she doesn’t want to turn towards his direction; it’s bad enough her legs already tilt towards the edge of giving way whenever Mr. Bae looks at her.

“Wannie… mine?” Chaewon reaches over and grabs the last piece of rice cake on Seungwan’s plate, flashing her puppy eyes at the woman. She erupts into fits of giggles when Seungwan leans over and pinches her little nose. “Thank you!”

Maybe Joohyun’s sister leaving her daughter here for the afternoon is doing more than a favour.

Mrs. Bae was a bit worried because Chaewon is usually so clingy to her mother, often crying whenever she realizes her mother still hasn’t reached their family home. It was his idea to let Chaewon stay since Joohyun was bringing her girlfriend over, it’s another way to see how patient she can be.

In short, it was a test.

“Mr. Bae, I’ll just bring Chaewon to clean up and then be right with you, if that’s okay.”

“You do that. I’ll wait and then we can finish up lunch together.”

Seungwan notices the change in his tone, and her heart lightens up at once. She knows Mr. Bae is particular about meal times and table etiquette, so for him to smile like that despite her leaving halfway is an improvement. She can tell Chaewon’s having a blast by herself though; the princess is sitting on the sink counter trying to sing whilst Seungwan is wiping for her. This makes her think back to their own discussion about childbirth and children again; Joohyun is keen on having kids, and she’s ready to go ahead with the IVF.

The only thing they’re waiting for – Seungwan’s insistence, Joohyun’s annoyance – is Mr. Bae’s approval.

“Wanwan,” Chaewon tugs on the older woman’s sleeve, leaning in to rest her face against her arm. “I want to sleep.”

“Let me give you to your Aunt Joojoo so she can accompany you, okay?”

Mrs. Bae’s gaze moves from the television to Seungwan, smiling when she sees how her granddaughter clings to her; it’s great to see them get close so quickly. She can’t help but roll her eyes when Joohyun jumps to her feet and places her hand on Seungwan’s face – her daughter is so dramatic. When the young couple share a kiss (more like, a couple of kisses), she really understands them. The amount of love and support they give one another is remarkable, especially for a couple who has been together for almost ten years.

They’re just like the parents…

Seungwan squeezes her eyes shut and prays for a bit, bracing herself for the possible lashing she’s going to get from Mr. Bae. She pulls out her chair and halts there, staring at the food on her plate – there wasn’t any of those before she brought Chaewon to the sink.

“Eat up. You need to have your energy if you’re going to be working at law firms.”

“T-Thank you, Mr. Bae…”

For the first time since Mr. Bae has been fully aware of his daughter’s relationship with this woman sitting in front of him, a genuine smile blooms on his face. He can’t even hold back a chuckle right after; the one thing Joohyun is absolutely right about though? Seungwan is definitely one of the most expressive people he has ever met in his lifetime, easily in the next as well. The number of expressions that Seungwan just displayed over the span of two minutes is very comical, and all because he placed some food on her empty plate.

Intertwining his fingers and flexing his fingers, Mr. Bae looks up and rolls his neck. He didn’t need to maintain this strict façade or play the role of a terrifying, overprotective father anymore. Ever since Joohyun finished college and entered university, he has toned down quite a lot.

“Call me, Appa. Just like how Joohyun calls me.”

*

“WEEEEEE!”

Joohyun can’t help but rub her temples in mild embarrassment, the silliest smile on her face when she sees her girlfriend sprawled face flat on their bed. Well, not that there’s anything wrong about it – hell, Joohyun literally burst into tears when Seungwan came running into the living room. She scooped Joohyun into her arms and twirled her around while yelling. It might sound like an exaggeration but it was difficult to tell if it was tears or snot running down the lower part of her face – Seungwan might be a generally joyful person, but wow she can be such a cry-baby.

“Babe, scoot over.” Joohyun mumbles, patting Seungwan’s . She rolls her eyes when Seungwan doesn’t move, instead mumbling incoherent words. “You are so…”

“Lovely, I know.”

“Oh, shut up!”

Before Joohyun can start her barrage of complaints, Seungwan flips over and grabs Joohyun in a chokehold. “Did you just tell me to shut up? You naughty little rascal!” She ignores the struggling and attempts to tickle her in their weird position, pressing kisses onto Joohyun’s crown.

It takes a while before things calm down, and Joohyun now has Seungwan’s head resting on her lap. She tries not to make a face at the sensation of her girlfriend massaging her hand – every single time this happens, Seungwan makes fun of Joohyun to hell for having an -face. Joohyun thoroughly enjoys the comfort level they have, not all couples have the freedom and the boundaries. They might have some jokes, teasing and occasional wrestling and pillow fights in bed but their relationship just keeps getting stronger.

Seungwan finally stops and lies atop her girlfriend, one hand supporting her frame and the other twirling the loose strands beside Joohyun’s head. “I love you.”

“I love you too, honey.” Joohyun’s eyes twinkle, hand caressing Seungwan’s cheek tenderly.

“We can finally start making babies?” Seungwan wiggles her eyebrows suggestively, ignoring how silly she must look. She can already feel Joohyun’s naughty hands going round to her . “HEY!”

“Haven’t we been for the entirety of our relationship?”

A couple of giggles later, nose rubs here and there… before the girlfriends begin to let themselves be consumed with love and affection, as the way fate intended it to be. A shooting star crosses the night sky later on, unbeknownst to the happy couple – just like how Joohyun’s parents gave their sincere blessings. There is nothing more important than their happiness, and maybe a couple of children down the road will be a big obstacle but right now?

Seungwan needs Joohyun, and Joohyun needs Seungwan.

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