Kat was sitting at her desk staring at the small stuffed kitten. The note was neatly written and she had read it a couple of times to make sure she got it right.

She said it out loud, "would you like to meet my family?"

It's not a bad thing. It shouldn't be wrong to want to introduce your friends to your family. Is It? Maybe Kat was just thinking it was a little too fast. But then realizing she has already turned 50, no time like the present. Maybe he's afraid to wait any longer for the obvious fact that I am only getting older as the days go by.

Oh no! Kat thought to herself. What has he told them about her. It's way to early to be talking about someone you really just started seeing. Maybe his mother is interested in seeing who might be stealing her son's attention. Please don't let her be one of those types of mothers. She had heard her friends talking about their boyfriends parents or in-laws. It wasn't usually favorable.

Kat pulled out her hand phone and sent a text.

(kat) Meow--thank you!

(Sojin) You're welcome.

(kat) I'm a little nervous, I've never met a Korean mother before.

(Sojin) just tell me when you are ready, no rush.

(kat) o k, c u after work.

(Sojin) o.k.  ^..^

Did I really just do that? Did I really just make that cat face and hit send? What is wrong with me? Sojin could not clear his mind of it. He had become so childish. WHY? He was still sitting at the guard desk when his partner, Kim Sung Lee spoke up.

"I've never seen you text before, in fact I didn't even know you had a hand phone," said Sung Lee.

Sojin replied, " I have had a phone, I have just never used it during work hours. We have a phone right here, why would I need my hand phone?"

Sung Lee said, "maybe you have never needed to send private text messages to your girlfriend on the seventh floor, before now. You actually are kind of scary now, you seem happy. You smile a lot, not to me but I have noticed to others and especially your girlfriend on the seventh floor."

"Okay, you keep saying girlfriend, what exactly do you mean?" stammered Sojin.

"Dude, if I have to explain this to you, it's gonna get awkward. You know who I mean. Everyone knows who I mean. It's not like you have been transparent for the last year or so. Frankly if you took any longer I was going to have a matchmaker arrange the whole thing the old fashioned way. I am really glad I didn't have to do that." said Sung Lee.

Sojin looked at his partner, his friend, with such a shocked look on is face. He was trying to figure out just when it all became known. Sojin can admit to himself he is not the quickest when it comes to subtle or women or anything really. He's not slow, it's more extreme focus. He is incredibly focused and he has always been happy living life that way. Of course he has never had a girlfriend, nothing serious anyway. He had never felt this way before. He had never been so unfocused.

Sung Lee slapped him on the back and said, "this calls for a celebration."

"What do you mean?" Sojin said.

"Maybe we should go out for a drink, after work. What do you say? I could call the guys. This is absolutely worth celebrating," said Sung Lee.

Just then the elevator doors opened and Kat walked out. She was tired and looked it. Of course Sojin showed his concern right away. It had been a very long day, that felt like it started yesterday and just continued on and on. She was very tired and wanted to just go home and sleep 10 hours.

Kat stopped at the guards desk and spoke with Sojin. She expressed how tired she was and really needed to rest. Sung Lee perked up, saying this would be the perfect opportunity to take Sojin out for a drink, if Kat was going home to rest anyway. She let him know it sounded like a wonderful idea. She did insist that she join them next time because it sounded like fun.

Kat waited for Sojin to finish up and change quickly out of his uniform. She sat in a comfy chair in the lobby. He was quickly ready to go. He told Sung Lee he would walk her to the train station and meet him at the designated spot after. Sung Lee said he would order food and drinks and be waiting.

Sojin and Kat walked slowly to the train station and didn't say a word, until he felt so crazed by the silence he spoke.  

"I really hope I didn't do the wrong thing by inviting you to meet my family." he said

Kat quickly replied, "no, not at all. I like the idea as scary as it may sound. I am just not sure…maybe it's too soon. We hardly know each other, it would seem awkward introducing someone you hardly know. Your mother, at the very least, would be curious as to why she never heard of me before."

"Oh she's heard of you. I have told them lots about you." Said Sojin.

More awkward silence. Now Kat just heard something very interesting and it took Sojin a minute to catch up to what had just happened.

"I mean, I don't normally talk about people, women, you know…but I I I have mentioned you I believe at some time or another to my mother or my sister. Noting specific. General, just general conversation about work and…

Kat was enjoying this way too much. She started to laugh. She couldn't let the poor guy go an any more. He was terribly cute and this was just perfect.

"It's okay, I understand what you mean. I am sure I have mentioned "the guard" to my sister at least once or twice. Okay a dozen times at least." said Kat.

"Oh thank goodness, I know I was sounding really stupid there." said Sojin.

"No worries, not at all. You are usually so cool and collected, I enjoyed watching you struggle a bit.  I am sure she will not be totally surprised then, when we do finally meet." Kat said.

Sojin loved the way she was able to take a potentially awful situation and make it not so bad, and without thinking about it, he leaned in and hugged her goodbye. Thinking nothing of it, she hugged him back. Then as if you could actually hear the screeching sound, they came to a halt and broke from the hug at the same time. It wasn't as if they wanted to, it's just that all of a sudden they realized they were in public and hugging made others uncomfortable. She hated this cultural difference. Especially now. They both looked at their feet for a couple seconds then said goodbye. She gave him her most reassuring smile and he did the same.

Kat boarded the train and settled in for a short ride home. Sojin walked back to meet his friend and have a drink. It was as good feeling he had about her. He knew that in everyday she was perfect and that his family would love her instantly. Well, at least he hoped they would.