All the way home Sojin was thinking about the situation. He really wanted to have Kat over for a formal meeting with his family. Not just so he could feel comfortable spending the night together, but because he really likes this woman and he wants her in his life. He would also like to start officially dating before he gets any older.

Sojin drove into the driveway, locked the car and went inside. His mother already had most of the meal on the table. everyone else was in the living room. His grandmother said hello first.

He had always been happy with the relationship he had with his grandmother. He could do no wrong in her eye, or so he thought.

"Why are you coming in so late?" Grandmother said.

"I took Kat home and she lives about half an hour away," he said.

"I suppose you will be taking her home everyday," Grandmother said.

"If it pleases her, then yes I will." Sojin said.

"Why doesn't she want to meet your family? Are you keeping her hidden for some reason?" Grandmother shot back.

"Grandmother, she is not hiding. Look, I wanted to get to know her before she meets everyone. We just started going out," he replied.

"So you're going on weekend trips with someone you hardly know? Grandmother said in return.

"If this is how you are going to react, I don't want to continue discussing it. I don't need to justify anything. I am a grown man. Now I would just like to sit and have a nice meal with everyone," Sojin said.

"I agree, lets just have a nice meal. Yoon Ha and Jong Hyun, please come in and sit down," mother said.

Jong Hyun walked by Sojin and looked at him as if to say…I would help you but I am still an outsider myself. YoonHa had promised to back her brother up, but she was waiting for the right time. There would be no reason for her to make Grandmother turn on her.

Everyone gathered around the table for dinner. Sojin had all but lost his appetite, everyone else was starting to eat, but it remained very quiet.

Sojin decided to break the silence first.

"I do want to have Kat over for dinner and meet everyone formally. Although we have just started dating, we have know each other for some time. I have not come clean with this yet, with her, but I have liked her for some time. I lacked the confidence to confess my feelings to her. Recent event made me realize I was being foolish, waiting…waiting for what? I didn't know. I decided to take a chance and for some reason it worked. I assumed she had no reason to dislike me. She was friendly with me, but she is friendly with everyone, that is her way. It is also one of the reasons I really like her. We had coffee. We had lunch and a dinner together. We are off to a good start. " He said.
 

"Speaking of which, when did this start, it seems terribly new?" Mother said.

"Does time really matter? I will just say that it has been fairly quick." he answered.

"How quick?" Grandmother asked.

Sojin knew this would come up and he was prepared as he answered, "about a week."

"Well, that is very fast. I don't like her. She must have been desperate or maybe she wants to just play with your feelings. How can you really know anything about her in less than a week?" Grandmother questioned.

Grandmother continued, "Where is she from? What about her family?"

Sojin took a deep breath and laid his spoon on the table next to his bowl.

"She is American. She is not Korean. She speaks several languages. She is a few years older than I and she has one sister who is younger. She lives in California and is married with 2 children," Sojin said.

Silence filled the room. Sojin picked pup is spoon and continued eating.

Grandmother looked at Sojins mother. Yoon Ha looked at Sojin. Jong Hyun looked at his bowl and just kept eating.

Soin was trying to figure out which detailed bothered them more. He was ready for a fight if it came to that, but he hoped that it would not.

Yoon Ha spoke first, "I think it's great. Have you ever seen Sojin this happy? This is good for him mother, grandmother. We should support him and welcome her."

Sojin started to speak but his mother beat him to it.

"Look, I want my son, my only son, to be happy. I know you blame me for things ending with that other woman, but it only proves she was not right for you. Now, I feel you are getting too old, too old to marry. But….son….she is older than you? She is not Korean? How do you get along?" She said.

"Very well mother. We we get along quite well. She may not be Korean but she understands our culture as much as anyone can who's ancestors don't go back 5000 years in Korean history. Honestly mother, the older I get the less I understand our culture. Why are we so determined to keep others out? Korea will never equal American when it comes to diversity in cultures but why shouldn't we at least be open to a little bit of that diversity? As far as the other thing, I don't blame you for my relationship not working out. I only blame myself. What she found lacking in me, Kat must feel the opposite. My feeling is, she is not looking for what I lack, but rather what I have to offer." He said.

Yoon Ha gave her brother a hug and looked at him, again as if for the first time.

"Brother, you were not ready before. But now, it is obvious that you are. That space in your heart cluttered with junk, like old relationships, heartbreak and loss. You seemed to have cleared it out. It's been a long time coming and you shouldn't waste anymore time." Yoon Ha said.

Grandmother spoke up next, "you promised your father you would take care of his family. You would turn your back on us for this woman you hardly know?"

"Gandmother!" Yoon Ha exclaimed.

Sojin looked at his sister and said," No, please. I will handle this. Don't disrespect your grandmother even if she is wrong. You are wrong Grandmother. I would never turn my back on my family. But, if it comes to it, I won't live here without her, if that's what we decide. It's up to us."

"Does she want you to live with her?" Mother asked.

"No mother, we have not talked about this. We are still trying to figure out each others favorite color or favorite food. That is a conversation for much farther down the road. You can be sure that is something I have been thinking about, even before we went out. I have spent time thinking about my life, where it was going, would I just live here forever, alone. I will be honest, It's not a future I would despise. But, given this chance has made me think…I do want more from life." Sojin said.

Jong Hyun said, "We should meet her. She must be wonderful…she likes Sojin, who I look forward to having as a brother in law. She must be amazing."

Every eye in the room was on him. He was wrong to speak. He knew this now. But he is excited about having another outsider around. Plus if she and Sojin got married and lived here, he might be free to marry Yoon Ha and take her away. After all these years of school and being engaged for a couple of years. He was ready to take her away somewhere quiet, just the two of them. As much as he liked Sojin and would like to see him be able to leave these women, it was kill or be killed (so to speak.)

Sojin said, "lets just settle this. There is no reason to wait, how about tomorrow night?"

Grandmother said, "yes, tomorrow. We need to meet this woman. We can decide after dinner."

"No Grandmother! There is nothing for you to decide. Except, you will like her or you won't, but it will have no bearing on our relationship." Sojin said firmly.

She looked at Sojin's mother and said, "do you see how your son is talking to me. Is this the son you raised. His father wouldn't let him speak this way?"

Mother said calmly, "lets please just have a nice meal and try and welcome her. Sojin is not asking for to much from us."

With that last comment (and everyone knew it was directed at grandmother) there was no more talk on the subject. Dinner continued in almost complete silence.  After dinner, Sojin thanked Jong Hyun for trying. He gave his sister a hug and asked that they both be there for dinner with Kat. They said of course. They wouldn't miss it. He gave them both a disapproving look as if they would just be coming for the show.

"Yes brother, we will be here for you." Yoon Na said.

Sojin went to his room and sat in his cozy chair by the window. He liked this spot for reading or watching TV. Thinking back, he had started spending more and more time here, alone. He wanted those days to end. He looked around the room picturing how it would look with Kat here. Her stuff, her furniture. the room was too small for all that. Her apartment is small but bigger than this room. How could he ask her to leave so much and come here? Would she want to come here? After dinner tomorrow he would know for sure what they would do next.

Sojin took out his phone to send a text message.

(Sojin) ** Kit Kat, how are you?  Miss me?

(Kat) ** Who is this?

(Sojin) ** Ha, funny. I would like to invite you to dinner tomorrow night?

(Kat) **Well, aren't you very eager?

(Sojin) **Not like that, but I do want them to meet you.

(Kat) **hmmmm

(Sojin) **I may also be eager.

(Kat) **So, work 2morrow. you get the coffee, then your house for dinner?

(Sojin) ** yes. yes and yes.

(Kat) ** you know, I won't sleep tonight.

(Sojin) **me neither.

Both Sojin and Kat had trouble sleeping. Lots of tossing and turning. Kat got up early, ready and out the door well before her usual time. Sojin arrived at work early as well. He had 2 coffees and was sitting at the desk, talking to the night shift guard.

Kat came through the lobby doors and smiled at Sojin. Something she had done many times before. Today Sojin came around the desk and met her with coffee in hand. He walked her to the elevator.

"How are you?" he said.
"Fine. Tired, you know," she said.
"Yes, I know," he said.
"Anything on your agenda for today?" He said.
"Just getting through today and tonight," she said.
"Please don't worry, it's going to be a wonderful day," he said.
"See you for lunch, maybe the noodle place across the street?" she asked.
"Sounds great," Sojin said as he gently took her arm and guided her through the open elevator doors.

He didn't need to help her, he wanted to. He also enjoyed making contact with her, even if it was just touching her arm in a caring manner.

Kat turned and looked at Sojin as the door slowly closed. He smiled and she blushed a little and looked at her shoes.
Sojin was happy. This is what it's like to have your heart beating, to have meaning in your step. This is what he had been wanting and now he looked forward to every day with her. He hoped that she felt the same.

The morning turned out to be very busy. There was a gas leek in a building not too far from the hospital. It sent many people to the emergency room. Sojin was busy helping with the flow of traffic, organizing the hospital guards. The ER became a zoo full of people. This took most of the morning and a bit past the noon hour. Sojin was happy to be occupied, it left less time to think about the evening that was fast approaching.

Kat helped with a conference call. It was simple and kept her busy for a while. She enjoyed the diversion.

Back in her office, she heard about the gas leak. No major injuries. Lots of people in the ER. She knew Sojin would be very busy. She hoped he would be free for lunch. She knew he had a habit of skipping meals if he was really busy. She didn't like it and wanted to help when she could. Her phone alerted her to a text message.

(Sojin)** crazy morning, I can meet for lunch at 1:00 out front.
(Kat)**ok, see you then.

They both liked this noodle place. It was close but today not that quiet…they ordered and took a seat.

Kat began the conversation, "I am a little nervous about tonight."

Sojin quickly said, "don't be, it will go well. Yoon Ha and Jong Hyun will be there."

"I am sure they are very excited about meeting the woman who is steeling their son's attention. I am sure your mother really liked hearing about your weekend away with me. What did you tell them about me? I am sure they wanted information, I can't see you refusing…did you refuse?" Kat said.  

"I did tell them about you. American, smart, wonderful, beautiful smile…all the things I adore," he replied.

"I should bring them something. Your grandmother, your mother. I have read about this. Usually you would be meeting my family first, you would bring something, right? Yes, that's what I should do.  I should bring something for your sister as well. Okay, I have a plan. Lets hurry with lunch and go back to the hospital. I think I know exactly what to do," she said.

"I am sure you do, it will all be fine. Gifts would never hurt. I am sure it would be greatly appreciated. It's a nice custom to adhere to. Don't stress about it to much, please," Sojin said.

Sojin said the words. He heard them coming out of his mouth. He wanted to reassure her and at the same time he had a bad feeling that no matter what she did, tonight had the potential for disaster. He was confident in his sister, he was no longer worried about his mother, but something gnawed at him when it came to his grandmother. She had always found no fault in anything he did, but this was different. Her behavior last night had him a little worried. Alright, a lot worried.