Part of Her
Scars
I sat on a stool in the garage, staring at the floor. I was thinking about what happened with Krystal last night; I couldn't understand what came over me.We hadn't even dated for that long; what was I thinking?!
"Hey kiddo, pass me the wrench?" Mr. Jung asked, interrupting my train of thought. "How's training?" He asked as I handed him the tool.
"It's just fine, sir."
He continued to work quietly for a few more seconds before looking at me and asking, "You and my girl, you guys okay?"
I just looked at him, suprised. I knew he could tell something was off, but I wasn't expecting him to be so blunt.
"You guys fight?" He asked. I shook my head.
"No, sir. We didn't fight...."
"You promised to take care of her, remember?"
"I know, sir, and I won't ever stop doing that."
"When are you going to stop calling me that?" Krystal's dad asked me.
Confused, I asked, "What do you mean, sir?"
"Why do you call me that," he asked. "Didn't I tell you to call me Uncle instead of 'sir'?"
"I-I'm sorry Uncle...sir." I couldn't do it; it was too awkward to call him anything else but "sir". He let out a laugh.
"Don't force yourself; call me whatever you want to. I think of you as my own, you know." Mr. Jung said. He was still smiling as he got up and wiped his oil-covered hands with a rag.
I didn't know how to respond to his kindness. I didn't deserve it.
"It's okay if you don't want to talk. Just...don't hurt my baby girl, okay kiddo?" As he turned to go inside, I knew I couldn't hide what happened from him.
"I'm scared, sir," I blurted out. Krystal's dad turned around and grabbed a spare stool. He pulled it over and sat next to me.
"Scared of what?"
My voice was barely audible as I said, "Me."
"Why would you be afraid of yourself?" He asked me, genuine concern in his eyes. I gulped and tried to find the right words to explain to my girlfriend's dad that I wanted his daughter ually, but I just choked on my own words.
"Well...I...you see...um...." I mumbled. I guess he somehow understood what I was trying to say, because he leaned back slightly and started to speak.
"You know Amber, when you fall in love with someone, you just can't get enough of them. You want to be near them, you want to hear their voice whole day long, just thinking about being apart is unbearable," he paused. When he spoke again, his voice was softer, almost like a whisper. "Then there'll come the time when you need to have them become a part of you; for you to be a part of them."
I lifted my head to look at him. Mr. Jung simply smiled at me. "Soojung's mom and I, we are happy that Soojung has you, because we know that you'll take care of her. Don't be afraid of how you feel. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be a part of each other." He got up and ruffled my hair.
"Now, you up to play a round of football with the girls?"
I smiled and stood up. "You do know that I'm a girl too, right?"
Krystal's dad chuckled. "Of course I know that, but you're the rare kind that doesn't spend hours in front of the mirror." We laughed and went inside the house.
The ice melted and the doubt faded away.
I knew that the way I feel about her is not a sin; it's not wrong to want her, to want to be a part of her.
I smiled when Krystal ran and flung herself into my arms when I was inside.
"I love you," Krystal said. I thightened the hug.
"I love you."
I could feel Soojung's parents smiling as they watched.
"Honey, what do you say about having a game of football and the loser has to cook dinner?" Mr. Jung asked his wife.
"Deal. I'm teaming up with Amber" Mrs. Jung announced.
"What?" Krystal protested. "No, I'm with Amber!"
"Sorry, Soojung. You get your dad," her mom responded and linked her arm with mine.
"But mom, that means I'm cooking dinner," Soojung whined as I laughed.
"Yah! Why doesn't anyone believe in my skill?" Mr. Jung pretended to be hurt.
"Because you're that bad, yeobo," Mrs. Jung planted a kiss on his cheek as we went outside. Mr. Jung laughed.
"Betrayed by my own family."
It was the best dinner I've ever had.
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