[SARAH]

“Jagi, stop it. I’m not trying to avoid this. I love that you wanna meet my parents.” I said as I was trying to get Minho to calm down. This was our first couple fight.

“Then why have you been holding it off and pushing it back? Are you ashamed of me?”

“God no! I just…I’m really proud of you. I think it’s absolutely adorable that you wanna ask my father permission when no matter what he says I’m still gonna marry you. It’s just that…” I sat back on the couch and went quiet with my head down.

“Just what? Huh? You’ve given me just about every reason in the book just to hold this off…” Minho said angrily. “What is it this time?”

“Are you sure you have to meet both of them? And does it really have to be with your parents?” I asked him as my voice had gone from raised to a very gloomy one.

Minho remained silent and I know he was shooting glares at me. I could feel it, him waiting for an explanation. The real one instead of the crap I’ve been giving him this passed month.

“It’s just that, I know how tight your family values are and while I have that, my parents, well my mom, don’t…Minho, my parents are divorced. Mom left my dad for someone else. I’m sorry. I never meant to disappoint you or your parents.” I explained.

I felt a sudden gush of hot breath and felt Minho’s arms around me. “You could’ve told me sooner jagi. I would’ve understood, but I really want to meet both of them. I can meet them with you instead. I’ll just explain the situation to my parents. Don’t worry; they’ll still love you even if they find out the truth.” He cradled me in his arms and I gripped onto his arms for fear of looking bad in his parents’ eyes.

[MINHO]

“Jagi, are you sure about this? I can still call my mom and cancel on her?” Sarah asked as she fidgeted with my fingers on the table. After a month or so, there we were, in a restaurant and I was about to meet her parents for brunch.

“Will you stop jagi? I should be the one who’s nervous. What if your parents disapprove of me?” I told her.

“No silly. Dad wouldn’t dare do that. He wants to see me happy. And in my mom’s case…Well if she disapproves of you then I could care less. She’s not invited to the wedding then.” She said coldly.

“Jagi, behave. You’re still her daughter.” I reprimanded her.

“Sending checks to make up for her presence doesn’t exactly make her my mother and so does ruining our family.” She said and rolled her eyes.

I’m getting the feeling I might have to restrain her a bit today seeing as though she has issues with her mother.

“Daddy! Over here!” Sarah jumped up waving at her father. He strode over to our table and smiled as Sarah moved to hug him.

“Dad, this is Minho, my fiancé. Jagi, this is my father, Lee Dae-Jung.” She said excitedly and I bowed to pay my respect to him.

“A pleasure to meet you, son.” He beamed at me with his soft authoritative tone. Must be where Sarah had gotten her softness.

“No sir. The pleasure is all mine.”

“Oh. Stop calling me sir. You’re my future son-in-law after all. I see your mom isn’t here yet.” He said casually when we sat down.

“Like it’s such a surprise. Come on, let’s order. Waiting on her would take the whole day.” Sarah said as she called for the waiter. Her father and I exchanged knowing looks.

Thirty minutes into the start of our conversation, I and Sarah’s appa had gotten along really well. We were laughing when a middle aged woman, but looks younger for her age, approached us.

“Well…I gotta say, you don’t seem like you need me here.” The lady said.

“Well mom…It’s not like it was my choice to invite you. And surprisingly, you showed up…What? Up to ruining this as well?” Sarah retorted and her smile turned upside down. I squeezed her thigh lightly to signal her to calm down.

“Oh please honey…Don’t get your in a bunch. I’m still your mother.” The lady said taking a seat beside abeoji.

“Now, now Valerie, our daughter is all grown up now and she’s getting married. This guy right here is Minho, and he’s the fiancé. Stop being so rude and sit down.”

“Huh…Like before, still taking your daughter’s side huh. Now who’s being rude?” She said.

“Let me guess, you approved of their marriage? Are you crazy? I thought you were a good father…Are you kidding me?! He’s a star…He could easily find someone and dump our girl on the sidewalk and break her heart. She could end up…”

“End up like what? Her sister?! No worries Val, you don’t have to leave us all over again and break the only family she has left.”

Her parents started fighting. A few other diners have started to look at us but went back to eating.

“Sorry. This is why I didn’t want you to meet both of them.” She said in shame and I can tell by the look in her eyes she was about to snap. I held her hand that was on my lap to try and keep her calm.

“Alright you two, stop it! This is embarrassing me.” She said in a raised whisper. “Dad it’s useless trying to get through to her.” She said before turning to her mom. “And you, sending cheques in place of your presence doesn’t exactly make you my mom. So it’s either you be nice and respectful to dad, Minho and whoever is in my life right now or you can loose another daughter. I mean it.” Sarah erupted.

It seemed to have quiet her mother down.

“I’m sorry, Minho, is it? I was just worried for my daughter. I don’t want her to end up like her older sister. As hard as it is to believe, I still care about her. You can call me Val by the way.”

“No worries…Erm…Val I love your daughter and I’m not looking to break her heart.” I told her.

Eventually, brunch ended and Sarah and I decided to walk to the park.

“Are you regretting meeting my parents now?” She said as she brought her legs and propped them on my lap. “Told you it wasn’t a good idea.”

“I’m marrying you jagi. I had to meet them. And it was fine. You could’ve been nicer to her though.” I told her pinching her nose.

“Did you hear what my mom said about you? She doesn’t even know you…” Sarah pouted at me.

“Exactly…Which is why I understand how she felt. She was unsure.” I told her.

“Well I am; so she can just leave us be.” Sarah stubbornly says. She encircled her arms around my neck and hugged me.

“I love you.” She whispered in my ear and I returned that with a kiss on her neck.

--->26TH chapy up...nearing the end and really feeling proud...

this may not be as good as any other story i've written but

editting and finishing it despite my work, well, that makes me proud...

enjoy guys and thanks for the support...