Back at the hospital Kat headed right for the gift shop. The Seoul General Hospital had a wonderful gift shop and lots of items that didn't scream "hospital gift shop" and that's what she needed. She found a beautiful fruit basket for Grandmother, a face and hand cream set for Mother and a beautiful pair of earrings for Yoon Ha. The earrings were little silver starfish. Hopefully this would remind her of Kat and her brothers trip to the coast. She also got a picture frame for Sojin. The frame also had a cluster of little starfish in the corner. She planned on putting a picture from their trip in it. She's sure that he will like it.

Kat made it back to her office with everything. Now she just had to wait for the end of the day. She was quiet for a moment, then felt nauseous. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to her sister.

(Kat) ** Hey, meeting the family tonight. they will hate me. what should I do?
(Kelly)** they will love you. you will be fine.
(Kat)** I am too old to worry about dating. Why did I come to this country?
(Kelly)** you love it there. I think you really like this guy, that's why you care so much.
(Kat)** shut up, no I don't…do I?
(kelly)** I need to see you together to know for sure. Next time he's there, Skype me…if his family doesn't kill you.
(Kat)** you're no help, why do I even talk to you?
(Kelly)** you love  me- I'm all you have. unless you want to keep it that way, you better impress them.
(Kat)** hanging up now. I will call after I get home tonight. unless it is awful..in which case I will jump off a bridge and you can live on without me.
(Kelly)** So dramatic. I love you. You will be ok, don't give up.
(Kat)** love you, goodnight.

Kat nervously worked as best she could until 5 o'clock. Sojin came to her office to help her with the gifts. He was shocked with how quickly and perfectly she selected them.

"I talked to Kelly for a bit. She helped me relax a little," Kat said.

"I'm glad. It really will be okay Kat. We are in this together." He said.

"Alright, we should go. I don't want to be the reason we are late." She said.

They walked to the parking lot. Sojin loaded all the gifts in the trunk of the car. He opened the passenger door for Kat. Before she got in she gave him a hug, it wasn't super romantic, but more like a hug for comfort. Sojin held her for a little while.

Kat looked up at him and said, "lets just run away!"

"We can do that, just say when." he replied.

"No…we can't. Lets go. I'll be a grown up," she said.

With that, they both got in the car and drove away.

Sojin's mother had been fussing with the menu for dinner. She wanted to make a traditional Korean meal with all the side dishes that Sojin loved. She took a moment to look at everything and was pretty satisfied. She wanted this meal to be great. She wanted to like Sojins friend. She wanted to be the kind of mother he needed her to be.

Sojin called ahead to let them know they would be on time. He was a very considerate man. Hopefully this woman would be deserving of a man like him, she thought. Mother began placing everything on the table. Grandmother was helping her with dinner but wasn't sure why they were trying so hard to impress this woman from America. It should be up to her to impress us. Mother begged her to please give Kat a chance.

Yoon Ha and Jong Hyun arrived first. Sojin's sister wanted to make sure they were not late and even early if possible. She was determined to support her brother as promised.

"Something smells wonderful mother," said Jong Hyun.

"Yes Mother, you outdid yourself. Everything looks fantastic, "Yoon Ha said.

"Oh, it's nothing really. Just dinner for my family," mother said.

"…And one stranger," added Grandmother.

"Grandmother, like it or not, this is Sojin's girlfriend, lets meet her before passing judgment." Yoon Ha said.

"Well of course I will," Grandmother replied.

Kat and Sojin didn't say much during the car ride. Kat was nervous, he could tell. Sojin suggested listening to some music which Kat quickly protested. Kat felt comfortable at the hospital and became more and more nervous the farther away they got. Visiting dignitaries she could handle. Groups of vomiting children never phased her. Meetings where she felt like a ping pong ball being hit from side to side were a piece of cake. But mothers and grandmothers…she felt foolish and simple. How could she possibly impress anyone?

When they arrived at the house, Sojin helped Kat with the gifts. He opened the door and let Kat enter first. They made there way to the living room where everyone was gathered.

Sojin introduced everyone. Kat was comfortable with the process and meeting new people. She was perfect when it came to language and customs. This part she could handle. She handed Grandmother the fruit basket and wished her continued good health. To Mother she gave the face cream set and wished her continued beauty. (Kat actually thought she could see grandmother roll her eyes, but she did not flinch) and then Sojin introduced his sister and Jong Hyun. Kat gave her the gift that came in a tiny little gift bag.

Mother spoke first and said, "this was very nice of you Kat. Thank you."

Grandmother said, "yes thank you dear for the fruit. It looks very seasonal."

Sojin looked at this grandmother but did not say a word. He then looked at his mother and she smiled brightly. It made him feel better. Yoon Ha opened her gift bad and seemed to really like the earrings.

"Oh, starfish from the ocean. Thank you, this will be a happy reminder of my two special people.

Kat bowed to everyone and said all the right things, when she came to Jong Hyun she smiled and asked if he would please accept an invitation to a baseball game in the coming season. We could have a double date, Kat loved sports, and from the look on Sojins face, this was news to him. He smiled immediately thinking he was the luckiest man alive.

Jong Hyun agreed that would be wonderful. I look forward to it.

Grandmother was still not sold on this person who seemed to stroll in and try and buy everyone's favor. She would not be won over that easy. If this woman has an ulterior motive, Grandmother would find it out.

They all gathered around the table for dinner. Sojin sat next to Kat and across from Yoon Ha and Jong Hyun. They all awaited quietly for grandmother to begin. Grandmother also started the conversation with her first of many questions for the female visitor.

"How old are you Kat and what kind of name is KAT?" grandmother said.

"I am 52. Kat is short for Kathryn. Kathryn McDaniel, it's Irish. My parents were second generation Irish-American's," she said.

"Have you ever been married before? Grandmother asked.

"No ma'am, I have not," Kat replied.

"Why not? A woman your age, were there no offers?" Grandmother said.

Sojin jumped in and told Kat she did not have to answer that as he asked his grandmother to please be fair to their guest.

"Kat is a wonderful person and you should be happy to get to know her little by little. Please don't question her character, I do not like it." Sojin stated.

"I am just curious why she never married," said Grandmother.

"It is okay Sojin, I can answer her. I never met the right person at the right time. I was busy with school, so it was not the right time. Then I was busy with work, but the men were not right. I did some traveling and then back to school and again the time was not right. That leads us up to South Korea. I think now the time is right, as well as the man." she said as she looked at Sojin and smiled.

"What about your parents," mother said.

"They both died in a car accident. They were hit by a big truck. It was late at night and the driver fell asleep. It was a difficult time. My younger sister was in college, I was working. Our family was cut in half in an instant." Kat said.

Mother replied, "oh dear, how very tragic."

Sojin looked at her and said, "Sorry. I had no idea it was such an accident. I am sorry."

Grandmother said, "it would seem you don't know very much about her. I can only assume she knows less about you. This is exactly why I have my reservations about this relationship."

"Well, I plan on fixing that soon. I plan on seeing her everyday and not just at work. I want to spend as much time with her as possible." Sojin stated.

Mother replied, "time will make the difference. Young people need time together."

"Well, they aren't young people. I think they are too old to try and start from scratch like this. They may just be too different for each other." Grandmother stated.

Sojin spoke up, "Grandmother we appreciate the interest you are taking but, as you said, we are not young people. We are satisfied starting this relationship on our own. We are different. But it is those differences that appeal to one another. We watched each other from a distance for a long time. Now we want to go forward and see where it leads."

Kat looked at Sojin and said, "that's perfect. Exactly what you said. You are wonderful (and cool she whispered.) I agree with Sojin completely."

Sojin smiled at Kat. He wanted to kiss her but he could wait. No sense in being too scandalous in front of Grandmother, he thought. Kat looked away quickly feeling like she may commit the awful sin herself. Her cheeks flushed and Grandmother rolled her eyes again. Kat smiled and looked at her soup.

Everyone began to eat, as if they all heard the same silent bell ring, signifying the end of this round. Sojin wiggled his knee a bit under the table. He was trying to distract Kat, but she held firm. She would not give in and get them in trouble, not tonight.

After dinner, Kat insisted on helping YoonHa with the dishes. Jong Hyun and Sojin helped them clear the table. They all talked about school and travel. Kat and YoonHa got a long so well, this was no surprise to Sojin. They spoke as if they had all known each other for years. At one point YoonHa turned to Sojin and announced this lady just might be too good for you.

Sojin said, "I know. The more I learn about her, the more I think you may be right."

Kat said, "Lets not count him out yet. He has a lot of wonderful qualities. Some I am sure, I have yet to discover.

Then it got quiet. Kat could feel her face turning red. The guys just looked at each other as Kat and YoonHa went back to the dishes.

YoonHa smiled and quietly leaned over to Kat and said, "I am sure their are."

Kat smiled and didn't say another word.

Before they said goodnight for the evening, Sojin asked Kat if he could show her something and they walked into his room. She was not sure if it was against some rule to be in his room, she felt less and less like an adult as the evening went on.

He said, "what do you think?"

Kat wasn't sure what to say except, "it's nice. Bigger than I thought it would be. Nice bed-as she winked and made a clicking sound with her tongue."

Sojin's eyes got big and he smiled.

"You know what I mean, as opposed to no bed, beds are nice," she said.

Sojin gave her a hug and laughed. They enjoyed trying to embarrass each other. They both knew they were still a little gullible around one another.

"Oh wait! I have something for you," Kat said.

Kat remembered the the last gift of the evening that was meant for Sojin. She popped out to the living room to get it.
When she came out of the bedroom she caught Grandmother and YoonHa in heated debate. They both turned and looked at Kat, so she excused herself after grabbing her purse, and made her way back to Sojin's room.

Kat gently closed the door and looked at Sojin. She motioned over her shoulder to the living room and said, "I think I interrupted something. I don't want your sister to get on your Grandmother's bad side just for sticking up for us."

"I think my sister can handle herself. She has verbal moves she can bring out on Grandmother and she will never know what hit her. I would almost like to watch," he said as he tried to head for the door.

Kat was determined to stay out of it and she grabbed his arm as he went by. She wanted to give him his gift. She knew he would love it and couldn't wait to see his face. It was nothing big or expensive, but rather from the heart. Kat wasn't sure if she had expressed how she was feeling. Until recently she had no idea she could feel this way, now she couldn't turn those feelings off. She hoped he was feeling the same.

Sojin took the small gift bag and opened it. Inside was the frame with the picture of them from the beach.

She looked at him and said, "perfect, huh?"

Sojin replied, "yes-perfect. Thank you."

Sojin hugged her again and kissed her gently. He figured he had about five minutes before someone came in to "check" on them. He didn't care, they used their five minutes wisely.