"Deal"

 

 

Today felt so dull. After picking up Im Jinah at my house and placed her back to Jongin’s place, I went back to the hotel. Working usually helped me to pass everything I had in my mind, but fors this evening, it didn’t work. I’ve been trying to reading the hotel performance monthly report, but it seemed that I didn’t get what the report said about. I didn’t get the number, the chart, I even thought that I didn’t even understand the language.

Im Jinah stole my attention.

Ever since I left her after our small talk, I couldn’t stop thinking about my words to her. I’m afraid she didn’t get it well, I feared that she get me wrong, and even worse, if she refused my proposal. I should be thinking on the methods I shall use to make her agree towards this. We could hit two targets at the same time. Yes, I should tell her that.

A knock on the wooden door of my office was heard, I let the visitor in. It was Chen, my personal assistant.

“Good evening, Sir. I’m here to report you on the events that were held in our hotel today” he said politely. I nodded and let him continued his report.

“Total 4 medium events were held today, all went well with no consent from the users. All meetings rooms were booked for total 10 companies. One report of miss-coordination, it was coming from the new employee who had just passed his probation. Action had been taken and it was completely understand by the users. Other than that, we have no problem” he said, reading on his report.

“Is my schedule clear for today?” I asked him. As I remembered, I didn’t have any appointment tonight. It’d be better for me to go to Jongin’s place again, before the reporter downstairs spotted me leaving the hotel. It was crazy since last night and up until now they still didn’t giving up to get the latest news from me and her. And talking about Jongin, that brat hasn’t been calling me all day.

I checked up on my phone to call me but what Chen said made me looked at him with a blank expression.

“I’m sorry?”

He cleared his throat before he repeated his sentences. “Mr. and Mrs. Im are here. They’re staying at the Presidential Suite since this afternoon, registered under Mr. Kim’s name. They are Miss Im’s parents and you’re scheduled to meet them tonight”

“A minute. I don’t get it” I put my hands up in defeated mode. “Why her parents are here?”

“They’re just back from their trip in Europe and Miss Kang Sora happened to pick them up in the airport along with Mr. Kim” Chen explained. “They couldn’t go to their home since the reporters are staying at the front of their house-“

“And they’re brought here? Aren’t those paparazzi stayed outside also?”

Chen nodded, trying to calm me down. “I know. But since their faces aren’t yet released to the public, their presence here are going to be less recognized compared to their neighborhood. Plus they have to see what their son-in-law-to-be doing for life”

“Chen. Are you being serious here?”

“Hyung” he said in certain tone. It always like this, when we argued over a thing other than work, Chen will always drop the politeness he took every time we’re working. And since he’s my junior back in university, it’s understandable for him to call me hyung.

“Hyung, you’re asking a girl to be married to you. Don’t you think you have to talk to her parents?”

“Well, I do think like that. But wasn’t it too fast?”

“So are you going to ask them when you’re about to go to the altar? Or when? After you married her? She’s pregnant, everyone in the country currently talked about her being married to you, yet her parents have no idea about your existence which is their future son-in-law?”

Silent. I couldn’t say anything to Chen because what he said made sense and I have to admit that it’s indeed true. I forgot the presence of her parents for a while, since I was focusing on my plan and over the fact that Im Jinah might not be agreed with the whole plan. But to think of it again, Chen was right; I have to see them and asked for their permission.

“Hyung” Chen said again. “If you really want to do your plan, then now is the right time to steal her attention. Make her believe that you’re serious about your plan and that you’re not just blurting some random things”

“They’re going to be the grandparents of your children. Before everything goes back to its place, you have to tell them and make sure that Miss Im is aligned with you regarding your marriage”

Chen giving me a serious look and he seemed satisfied since I couldn’t say anything to him for a while. But not until realized something is wrong with his words.

“She’s involved also in this matter?” I raised my eyebrows. There’s no way she would join me to tell her parents that I’m going to marry her.

“She’s on her way here. She knew you’re going to talk to her parents”

And that was the end of my conversation with Chen thirty minutes ago. I had my dinner (just a coffee though, I couldn’t eat anything; this thing matters more than my need of food) before I prepared myself to meet Mr. and Mrs. Im, my future in law. I stood in front of their room currently, with my arms folded in front of my chest.

I’ve been preparing myself properly; I’d practiced my words several times before I could go to the main point of my visit to their room: getting their permission to marry Im Jinah. I tidied up my shirt and suit, hoping that I looked proper in front of them. I never did this before, meeting with the parents of my girlfriends. Let out the fact that I didn’t even date Im Jinah. I have no experience in talking with my future in law; I only know how to talk on business deal.

I cleared my throat and about to press the bell rights when someone yelled a loud “WAIT!” and a hand covered mine. I looked to my side and found Im Jinah, trying to breathe normally as she covered with small sweats around her forehead and neck. She grabbed onto my hand tightly and again, taking a deep breath before she could say anything.

“Mr. Wu” she called me, almost like a whisper. “Ar-are you…Are you going to talk… with my parents?” she asked me.

I nodded, looking at her in confused. What did her do earlier that she looked so tired and being sweaty like this?

“Are you okay? Are you hurt somewhere?” I asked her, removing her grip in my hands and held on her arms. “Wait. Are you running here?”

“I’m afraid I’m too late to come here” she mumbled, closing her eyes as she started to breathe normally. “You haven’t met them right?”

“Are you running in those things?” I appointed her shoes. It was a wedges type of shoes, not to high but still, it has heels.

“I have no time”

“Didn’t I tell you that you have to remove those things during your pregnancy? There’s a baby inside you” I reminded her again.

“Yes I know!” she snapped suddenly.

No, no, no. According to what I see in the internet, I have to be calm no matter how anxious she was and no matter how wrong she was today. I rubbed her arms softly, asking her to look at me.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. There’s nothing with those heels. Now please get your breath again”

She slowly breathed normally and started to get relax. She looked at me and she gave me the helpless look.

“Is it true that you’re going to talk to my parents about the marriage?”

I nodded. “It’s been aired everywhere that you’re pregnant and I’m about to marry you. It’s your parents’ time to know about it…” I looked at her reaction, trying to re-counter if she objected the idea of this marriage. But contrary to my expectation, she didn’t say anything but looking down to the ground.

“There’s no way I could do this without you right?” she weakly said, wiped the sweats that’s running on her cheek. She sighed and looked at me, maybe trying to look for the answer of her question. Or maybe she just need a consolation, since all I saw was her eyes being teary and she bit her lower lips in order to hold on her tears.

“I promised you I won’t leave the baby and I’ll make sure that both of you get a good life, forever”

She looked at me in silent. Her eyes showed confusion but somehow, there’s a sign of hope in there.

“Don’t promise on forever, Mr. Wu. There’s nothing permanent in this world” she managed to reply, wiping her tears away. “But do promise me a thing”

“Tell me”

“Never hurt my parents. You can do anything you want, anything you wish as long as I agreed with it, but don’t involve my parents in this matter”

“How do you want it?” I asked her. I didn’t get the idea of not involving this matter along with her parents. Aren’t they the one I need to ask for permission to marry their daughter?

“I’ll agree with you about this marriage thingy”

I glanced at her in surprise. I really thought that she’s going to object it.

“But don’t tell my parents what we are actually. Let them believe that you and I are dating just like what you’ve been saying to the media. I guess we can agree with that?” she continued, giving me a questioning look.

I watched her face as she said those words. She’s indeed wanted to follow my plan and that’s more than enough for me. I could do anything to help her and what she’s been asked for me to fulfill didn’t seem to be hard. I nodded, giving her assurance.

“I promised you”

“I’m serious, Mr. Wu. Never hurt my parents” she repeated again, as she fixed her clothes and for the last time wiped the sweat around her neck.

“I wouldn’t dare”

It’s silent for seconds before I could hear her voice again.

“You better keep your promise”

 

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“Dad…” she called her father and all he did was intertwined his fingers in front of his chest, eyes closed. His face barely shown any expression, but I knew that he’s thinking. Her mother sat next to him and all she did was looking at Im Jinah in disbelief.

We gathered at the living room; I sat next to her on the couch while her parents sat across us. Once I got in to their hotel room along with her, none of us was talking. Well, we started with explanation of course, about the pregnancy, the news of marriage, and of course about the plan of the wedding.

“Are the two of you known what are you talking about?”

Mr. Im finally let out his voice after both of us kept talking in the whole session. He’s pretty tall and looked so calm and contented in his pants and polo shirt, giving him a charismatic aura that I admitted. The wrinkles around his eyes and forehead shown the hardship of life he had been passed. And never once he shown his emotion; well, he should and must have been angry, but I couldn’t see it.

“Yes, I know, Dad…” she answered with a weak sound. “I admitted th-“

“It was my fault” I cut her in. It’s time for me to show that I’m being serious over taking his daughter and future grandchildren’s life. “I was careless that night”

“Jinah” her mother called her. But them Mrs. Im couldn’t say anything other than wiping her tears and I could sense Im Jinah felt sad over her reaction.

She looked down to the ground, unable to say anything. “I’m sorry” she muttered.

I didn’t really know her and her family. I’ve just known that she’s the only children in her family, just like me. And during the whole meeting with the Ims, it seemed that she and her parents was so close that her suddenly being pregnant like this made quite a big commotion within them. And somehow, the guilt built in me that I thought that I should really step in between this parents-daughter relationship.

“I’m-I’m planning to marry Jinah” I said unknowingly. She looked at me with questioning look, but I ignored her. “I want to be responsible for all of the things that happened”

Her father looked at me along with her mother, somehow making me feeling all awkward and nervous. I never felt like everybody is judging me, I always feeling confident and sure. But for the very first time, I felt like I’m helpless and so scared, I don’t know why.

“You do know that what the two of you been doing is wrong?” her father asked us, but he looked mainly to me, so I nodded politely towards him.

“Yes, we did wrong” I answered before she could open .

“And you do know that your marriage, will be followed by a presence of baby, that the two of you going to take care for the rest of your life?” her father said again.

“Yes, Dad” she replied, looking at her father. “I’m sorry that I was so careless”

“Sorry would do nothing, Jinah” he said coldly. “You’re creating another human being that you currently carry inside your body. It wasn’t only about you,” he appointed me,” being married to my daughter, Kris. It’s more than that”

He cleared his throat and I let him taking his time before he continued to talk.

“How old is it right now?” her mother asked her.

“It’s on the seventh week, Mom” she replied, softly rubbed her stomach.

“And when are you planned to hold the wedding?”

Im Jinah looked at me, realized that it’s my part to answer. “It’s in the next four weeks, the latest. We have to prepare everything really quickly and I think it’d be better to do it before the bump appears”

Her father closed his eyes again. I couldn’t tell whether he’s satisfied or not with my answer.

“Do your parents approved about my daughter’s pregnancy and your wedding plan also?”

I exchanged glance with her father and I just nodded. I could feel her staring at me with a weird look.

“I have only my mother with me, and she’s fully agreed to this wedding. I’m planning to hold on family meeting once you agreed to this marriage” I embraced myself as I explained.

“So Mr. Im, are you giving us your blessing for this marriage?”

No one was talking and there’s a tense in between silence. Even though this marriage was not something real, I felt like I’m asking for something that’s really hard to give by. I never felt really serious like this, not even when I’m doing a negotiation with my business partner. It’s so tense.

“The two of you are going to be a parent of a baby that’s soon will come to this world. I’m telling you it’s not an easy task to do. There’re so many things you two going to face and at some points, it could get really annoying that you might think to give up. Your marriage life will not be only about you and even the two of you will probably start to feel like hating on each other, just because things are not doing well”

He stopped talking as he looked at the two of us.

“It’s not you who should ask me whether I’m going to give my blessing or not, Kris” he said, glancing at me. “It’s me who should ask you. Are you ready to take responsibility over my daughter’s happiness and the baby that you’re going to have?”

And just by that, he leaned on his seat and pierced his look to me. I knew the answer, that’s all the things I would give to her and the baby. But my tongue found it hard to help me answered the question. Even I felt like I’m losing my voice. No, there’s no way back now. I glanced to Im Jinah; she looked down to her lap as she played with her fingers, waiting for my answer also. I should end this quickly.

“I’m ready, to be take care of your daughter, the baby inside her, and to make sure that they’re happy and not lack of anything”

I managed to say it out loud and after saying it in one breath, I heard him approving my answer and that’s just like the most relieved feeling ever I’ve ever experienced; more relieved compared to when I saw the stock going down and suddenly raised again.

“I’m not happy with what the two of you did, but I’ll let you reflect for everything you did. So if the marriage is one of the way for you to be better in time as you take your responsibility over your life and the baby, then go on” Mr. Im ended his speech, as he cleared his throat.

“I’m sorry, Mom and Dad…” she muttered the words again and this time, tears coming down from her eyes. She quickly wiped it away before tears fell more.

“Just do well, you two…”

Mr. Im stood up and went to his bedroom, whereas Mrs. Im just looked at the two of us in silent.

“Just go home for now. We’ll talk again, Jinah” her mother said as she stood up and hugged her only daughter. For the first time, I saw her looking like a lost little girl, being hugged by her mother. It’s weird but some part of me was somehow feeling like consoling her also, but I tried to ignore it as best as I could.

We bid a goodbye not too long after that. I do understand that most of us need to get rest after what we’ve just discussed, but the most important thing was that we got approval to get married. She hugged her mother for the last time before I opened the door for her, letting her out first. It was right when I nodded to Mrs. Im that she touched my hand and rubbed it softly. I felt her charm as a mother and at that point, Im Jinah looked a bit similar with her mother.

“Please take care of Jinah, Kris”

I smiled to her and nodded.

“I will”

I didn’t know where I have my confidence to promise her the things but once I saw her, I immediately felt that her daughter is indeed my responsibility for now. I knew I shouldn’t promised things I couldn’t keep, but for once, I felt like I’m gonna go all the way to keep this promise.

 

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“Do you want more?”

I offered another pack of xiaolongbao to her, she looked hesitant at first but then I made sure that if she really wants it then she should have another xiaolongbao. She took it and happily munched the snack. We’re just back from the hotel when she suddenly craved for xiaolongbao.

I let out a scoff as I leaned to the back, arms on my side, at the park near Jongin’s apartment. I sighed and she unknowingly looked at me.

“Is it tiring?” she asked, slowly munching.

“What?”

“The whole things. Meeting with your mother, meeting with my parents, avoiding the reporters…”

I straightened my back as I sat closer to her. I shook my head, looking at her.

“We’ve been this far and I think it’s just the start, so we should be ready for more later on”

“Don’t take my father’s words too seriously. He didn’t really mean it when he asked you to be responsible of me”

“He meant it”

“He just wanted to test you. My dad doing lot kinds of testing like that for all of my ex- boyfriends” she shrugged casually. 

“So he did this often? Were you had so many ex-boyfriends?” I raised my eyebrows as she looked back at me with a funny face.

“What? You’re investigating for my past now Kr- err.. Mr. Wu?”

“Call me Kris” I told her.

“My tongue slipped off, sorry. And sorry if earlier my father just called your first name and-“

“Jinah”

“Yes?”

She stopped talking as she found herself being surprised to respond to me as I called her first name. Somehow her face looked so cute from here with that expression.

“Call me Kris. Isn’t it weird for a couple to call each other with their last name?”

I smirked as I got her thinking.

“Ok” she muttered, continued to eat the xiaolongbao in her hand and somehow I found myself smiling over her shy reaction.

“Let’s be a good team. To work on this marriage and to take care of the baby” I said as I gave my hand to her. She looked hesitated as she glanced at my hand.

“I couldn’t do it by myself” I said. “I will need you also to play your part”

She bit her lower lips, thinking.

“But aren’t we supposed to talk with your mother again? I haven’t really talked with her though the last time I saw her”

Yeah, my mother. It’s another story though.

“That’s our tasks tomorrow. To see my mother and to do press conference, and don’t forget, to see your agency. We have a lot of homework…” I blew an air and looked at the dark empty sky.

“Just keep your promise. Never hurt my parents…” I heard she said the words I promised her earlier.

“I won’t”

But as I heard the word ‘promise’, I remembered something.

“Anyway about earlier. No more running, you’re pregnant” I told her.

“Ok…”

“And no more heels! I’ve told you to stop using it, haven’t I?”

She rolled her eyes but in the end she shook my hand.

“Deal”

I smiled back to her and for the very first time, in our sober condition, we did talk in such a comfortable environment. No anger, no emotion, nothing. And it felt fine, to talk with her in such manner. Somehow today, the tense between us got lower and I think, we’re ready to do this long journey.

But as I recalled it again, those things were not the only things that needed to be done. I still have to explain to her about my family also, and the most important things: the real reason of why I want to be married to her. But that can wait; I’ll reveal things one by one later on.

“Kris?” she called me and somehow, the memories of that night appeared. She used to call me like that during that night. I didn’t know why but I felt kind of laughing to myself for remembering that event out of the blue.

“Yes?”

“Can I have some more xiaolongbao?”

The baby is indeed half Chinese.

 

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