I felt Hyesung grunted then pulled away abruptly – thus ended our kiss. “Eric, do you even want to do this?” He asked in displeased and pouted. His fingers were still on the back of my neck, but his eyes were matching his exasperated pout. He was upset. “You’re spacing out.” He said flatly.

“Huh?” How could he sense that with his eyes closed?

“You’re thinking about something else, right?” He then let go of his hands and placed them on my shoulders.

“Yes. I mean no. Well, yes. But it doesn’t mean we have to stop.” Damn, what if he changes his mind because of this? I tightened my grip on his waist and was about to lean forward when he pushed me lightly and held me in place.

“What are you thinking?” He asked despite my silent protest.

“I’m sorry, Hyesung-ah. But please, can we just continue what we’re doing just now?” This time I held his back and put more effort to bring him closer.

With unimaginable swift, he already put his hands on my cheeks and pushed my head away from kissing him. “You were spacing out just now when I kissed you.” He pouted. “What’s in your head?”

“You.” I answered spontaneously but he only squeezed my face in dissatisfied. “Hyesung-ah, it hurts~ ” I whined when he gave more force to the crushing on my both cheeks.

“I remembered about that night when we met my parents!” I shouted. He let go his handclasp right away.

“Why would you think about it at the moment like this?” He asked in disbelief.

“I don’t know. Somehow I just did. Now stay still.” I used the vacant moment when Hyesung furrowed his brow in confused to crash our lips together.

***

Two weeks before

“Too much? Or too less?” Hyesung asked for my opinion when he opened the door for me that day. I was picking him up to meet my parents on the hotel. I looked at his red wool sweater under his black jacket suit. Oh , how could he make a sweater looked so gorgeous? I lifted my thumb up and nodded frantically.

“From one to five?” He asked again while stepping out his apartment.

“Six and a half.” I answered firmly.

“Only that?” Hyesung chuckled playfully.

“Eleven!”

“Very good.” He chuckled heartily. “Let’s go.”

Despite his light joke just now, Hyesung then spent his time on our trip in silence. He frequently exhaled heavily and touched his hair endlessly. He was too much nervous now. And somehow his jittery self brought me some anxiety too. When we finally arrived at the hotel and I handed my car to the valet, I walked inside with my head was dizzy. I believe Hyesung was not even better, judging by the way he took a deep breath every five seconds.

We walked into the elevator which would take us to the restaurant floor. My parents were supposedly waiting for us there. I glanced at Hyesung just to find him stared at his shoes. So I touched his hands and said “It’s going to be alright” to him. He actually smiled after I said that and nodded. With one long exhale, we stepped out the elevator with, honestly, nothing to hope. But what the hell, we’re going to do this anyway.

My parents halted their conversation and lifted their gaze to us the moment we arrived. We greeted and bowed calmly despite our heart were beating like crazy. But then I caught a small yet evident gleam on my mother’s eyes when she looked at Hyesung. And then I feel like dancing. Ha! I told you that Hyesung was gorgeous! And his photo I showed you wasn’t photoshoped! Now you could see him for yourself, Mom.

She never drew her gaze on Hyesung as she invited us to sit. Whereas my father acted surprisingly calm all along. A waiter then come and brought us green tea. I had to admit my parents’ sense of humor though. They were really going all out to make us nervous. Instead to have dinner at our restaurant, they actually had us have dinner at this traditional Korean restaurant. With sitting on the floor and green tea and restrained manner towards elders.

Hyesung was still too nervous though. With his back straightened, he frequently his lips and fixed the strands of his hair. I eyed my mother, wondering when they would start talking.

“Hyesung-shi, may I talk straightforward to you?” Finally my mother asked.

“Yes, of course.”

“Why do you like Eric?” She asked nonchalantly. “From Eric’s and Minwoo’s story, you seem to lack nothing. Why are you willing to get stuck with him?” And for the clear reason, I hated my mother’s belittle tone when she said ‘him’.

“Mother, may I talk straightforward to you?” Hyesung answered with another question. My mother smiled bemused at that and nodded. “One thing that I really like about him is the fact that he never give up on me. Other thing is because somehow I can trust him to the level I’m willing to show him the part of me that isn’t pretty – and yet, he isn’t disappointed at me.” Hyesung continued firmly even though his cheeks were burning. I knew he was dead embarrassed right now to talk like that in front of me. But he didn’t stop anyway. “I have to admit that sometimes he drives me crazy, but I still like him.”

“You got your point there. Eric would drive you crazy.” My father added impatiently. And I knew he was just venting out his own frustration right now.

Hyesung stole a glance at me before answered. “I’m confidence I can deal with that.” Once again, I was mentally dancing.

“How is your parents’ thought?” My mother asked.

Hyesung touched his hair once then said slowly. “I don’t think I could tell you how exactly their thought about this. Because I could only imagine what it feels to walk on their shoes and my guesses could be inaccurate. But my father said he would let us try – he didn’t give his blessing yet, but he would let us try.” Unconsciously, I nodded and smiled proudly even though nobody looked at me.

“It would take months or even years.” My mother said quickly. “Or never. So what would you do?”

“We’ll try one day more.” He looked at me when he said that as if he needed my agreement. I nodded noticeably so my parents could see it.

“Your feeling could changes.” My mother commented mercilessly.

“Then we can fall in love again. As long as we stay together, we can fall in love over again.” Someone suddenly talked before I realized it was me who talked. Three pairs of eyes then stared at me in surprised.

“See what I’m talking about?” My mother suddenly half-shrieked in frustration. “He can’t shut up, Hyesung-shi. And you said you like him?

“What?” I almost choked in my surprise.

Hyesung didn’t have a chance to answer because my father abruptly interrupted. “Eric is my son and I know I shouldn’t say this. But sometimes he could be very weird and you said you like him?”

Okay, I have some bad feeling right now.

“Hyesung-shi, Eric could look great sometimes, but I spoiled him too much, his whining is worse than a toddler does.” I couldn’t believe my mother just said that. “And do you still like him?”

Despite he was being too surprised right now, Hyesung managed to nod.

But my grin was soon vanished when I heard his words. “I know he whines too much.”

Both of my parents nodded approvingly. “And he has no friends. For many years he attended school and then worked, he only has one friend. ONE! Minwoo. Just because Minwoo is too kind I guess.” My mother started her nonsense once again.

“Hey, I have another friend. His name is Junjin – Hyesung’s cousin.” I blurted out. And then Hyesung turned his head to look at me with an expression of “So what?”

. I just gave them a solid proof that I whine too much.

“And you still like him?” My father asked in a tone that unexpectedly sincere.

For my surprise, Hyesung chuckled when he said. “Yes, I still like him.”

My parents froze after heard that answer. And then, no matter how hard they tried to restrain a smile, it appeared anyway.

My father leaned back on his seat and commented in relaxed. “I still think that you two won’t make it.”

“What if I can prove you wrong, Father?” Hyesung asked daringly.

“Then you’re free to prove me wrong as much as you wish, Hyesung-shi.”

And suddenly I felt very very dizzy. Like someone just hit the back of my head. This was too much. This sudden change was too much. Did it really happen?

“Can we order the food now? How about sashimi?” My mother then asked me in much glee. As if the fact that his son brought his boyfriend to meet her didn’t affect her appetite whatsoever. “Do you like sashimi, Hyesung-shi?” She asked again when she looked at the menu.

He nodded. “Yes, I do. And please call me Hyesung, Mother.”

My mother closed the menu and smiled. “I like you, Hyesung.” She said before she concentrated on the menu again. Whereas my father leaned back on his seat and drank his green tea slowly. Leaving me with my dizzy head and confused mind.

***

“The moment she saw you, I knew she would like you.” I whispered on his ear. I held him closer and nuzzled my head on his.

“Hmm?”

“My mother.”

I recalled that night when I took my parents to the hotel. During the trip, for no exact reason, I blabbered like a fool. I talked about everything about us. From the moment we met to the fact that Hyesung broke up with his girlfriend for me. I told them about Minwoo and Junjin. I told them of our break up and our meeting again. I told them about his parents and their unwillingness to give their consent. I basically talked about everything (except for the particular things that were so private). They seemed to not care and not bother to listen to me. They stared blankly outside the window when I was talking nonstop despite the lack of their interest.

But who knows? Maybe they were listening all along.

“Don’t you think that this was too easy?” Hyesung asked in drowsy state.

“I agree with you.” We barely doing anything, but yet it went so smoothly. Turns out, what we fear the most wasn’t as terrifying as our imagination. All we had to do was facing it.

“But I’m so happy these days when our mothers are getting along very well.” Hyesung said half-smiling before let himself fell asleep.

***

“Mom, you can’t suddenly call me and told me to fetch you like this. I have works to do.” I grunted when I opened my car door for her. Three days after our meeting with Hyesung, my mother called me one morning and told me to fetch her on the hotel.

“I remembered you left your works some times before.” My mother said in relaxed while fastening her seat belt.

I groaned because I didn’t have anything to reply her. “But Father is in the office.” I started the engine when I recalled the memory of my father sighed heavily when he dismissed me a while ago.

“Your mother is bored to be left alone on the hotel. She needs to go to a spa.”

“Mom!” I groaned desperately. “You could’ve ridden a taxi!” It was a far better option rather than calling out her son who was busy working to drive her to a spa! And she scolds me for doing anything I want? I learned from the best!

“I cannot go to the spa alone, right? I need a company. Or it would be too lonely.” She argued as if stating a clear fact to a fool.

“So you mean you want me to accompany you to have spa treatment?” I asked dumbly. Wow, my mother was exceptional. She actually wanted to bring her son to have spa treatment with her? Perhaps I got my weirdness from her too.

“You’re hilarious, son. But no, I’m not going to ask you to come with me.” She said rather bored. And somehow I felt relieved after she said that. I couldn’t stand the possibility of me spending one day only in bathrobe and letting someone I didn’t know to put mask on my face or my back. I even shuddered to think about it now.

“So?”

“I need you to take me to Hyesung’s mother.”

“Why?” I turned my head so suddenly I thought I could have broken it.

“I’m taking her with me.”

“We can’t come without notice. She doesn’t even know you.” I almost yelled in panic. I was about to pull over when my mother gestured me to keep driving.

“I called her last night and she said okay.”

“How could you manage to do that?” I pulled over anyway. I had to think straight if I want to drive safely. And now I definitely couldn’t think straight.

“Well, Hyesungie gave me her number and he also told her in advance about I would call her. So she isn’t too shocked.”

“Nobody told me anything.” I said perplexed. “And why do you call him Hyesungie? He doesn’t even let me call him like that!” I know I acted ridiculous now.

“Well, I’m going to ask Hyesungie’s mother, why do I have to ask for your permission?” My mother teased me. “And I could call Hyesungie anything I want.”

I blinked. And gawked.

“You will thank me later, Eric.” She smiled assuring. “Now drive. She’s waiting.” She ordered while still smiling.

I knew I should thank her that time. Or say ‘I love you Mom for doing this’. Or something along like that. But I couldn’t even move my mouth – I was so stunned. And I decided to think about it later, since I needed my brain to work properly to drive. I couldn’t overuse it right now by trying to think many things at the same time.  

When we arrived at Hyesung’s parents’ house, his mother actually let us in. But dear God, that awkward expression she had the moment she saw us! She must be in much agony to do this. It made me wonder what kind of words Hyesung and my mother said to her to make her agree. I acted as an obedient and silent driver to them during the trip to the spa. It was ironic though, how my mother talked happily and Hyesung’s mother answered shortly as if she wished she was somewhere else.

I took them to the spa and my mother was kind enough to let me go back to my office. She reminded me to come pick them up later though.

“When I call you, you have to come and pick us. Okay, Eric?”

My father only nodded knowingly when I got back to my office. So I thought, he knew about my mother’s whereabouts and also her plan. In his silence, I knew I shouldn’t talk about it right now. Just let my mother does what she had in mind. Just believe in her.

And now, I believe God must be created my mother possesses super power. Because when I pick them up at the afternoon, I saw two mothers walked closely with bright smiles on their faces. Or perhaps the answer was as simple as this – to approach a woman, one should use woman’s way. That was something I couldn’t do. But my mother surely had the ability.

One day of spa treatment together, and they looked like a close friend.

I thought I was wonderstruck again. The moment they walked nearer, I could see how bright their smile was. On Hyesung’s mother’s face, I saw Hyesung’s smile. So this was that wonderful smile of him came from, I thought. So this was why no matter Hyesung and his father shared similar face, I could never found his smile on his father.

“Mother, you should smile more often!” I exclaimed happily. “You’re so pretty when smiling like that. No wonder Hyesung smiles so wonderfully, he gets it after you!”

At first she was shocked. But then she smiled even wider.