Spending time with Kris really got me thinking about whether or not I was ready to move on. If I remain single my parents will think they need to help me and force me to marry that Park Hyungmin guy.. but they might also force me into the marriage if I date Kris again. I wish I could spend more time being single to clear my head but I know it won't be long before my father starts trying to find out if I'm dating. 

Speaking of the devil he's calling me right now. 

"Neee Appa?" 

"Jaemi, why are you answering your phone this way? Have I upset you?" 

"Aniyo, wae?" I ask curiously 

"Are you so old you can't call me 'daddy' anymore? I am 'appa' now?" 

I could hear that he was slightly hurt even though he was clearly trying to make it sound like a joke. 

"Aniyo!" I chime into the phone.

"Arrasso." He chuckled. "Where have you been lately? Umma and I both want you to come see us when you're available next." 

"Jinjja? Well I don't have much to do today. I'll come over for dinner tonight." I reply 

"Ahh. good. I'll call umma and tell her so she can figure out what to make. Will it just be you or do you have any guests?" 

I knew that's what this dinner was going to be about. 

"Aniyo. I have no guest to bring." 

"Wae, don't you have that boyfriend?" He asked 

"Aniyo appa. I don't have anyone right now." 

"Arrasso. Well I need to call umma. We'll see you later." 

With that he hung up before I even got the chance to say bye, I knew he was going to use this to try and get information about my dating life. Umma never asks about who I'm dating she assumes if I want them to know I'll tell them. 

I should bring someone. I wonder if Lay is available. 

To Lay:
"What are you doing tonight?" 

From Lay: 
"What are you wanting to do?" 

To Lay: 
"Let's spend some time tonight?" 

From Lay: 
"You just want to hang out? Okay. Well I'm not doing anything feel free to come get me whenever." 

To Lay: 
"Jinjja? I'll be there in 30 minutes. It's already nearing dinner time." 

When I picked Lay up I made sure he was dinner worthy. I didn't tell him where we were going he would have made an excuse because he thinks he's always intruding when in reality umma and appa love him. 

"So where are we going for dinner? I assume we're going some where?" He asked looking over to me. 

"Neee. I hope you're hungry." I smile still looking to the road. 

"Ne, I didn't have lunch today. Hey isn't this the road your paren-" he said looking around but cutting himself off to glare at me. 

I bring my hand up to my mouth to hide my smile and muffle my laugh. "Neee, umma and appa probably miss you!" 

"You could have at least told me. I look horrible. Aish." He pulled the sun visor down to inspect his hair. 

"Jinjja? You look fine." I say as we pull into the driveway of my parents house. 

When we get inside we are engulfed by the smell of food. Appa comes to greet us having heard our movement when entering. I took Lay's jacket from him and put it in the coat closet. Appa seemed surprised to see Lay with me. "Yixing-ah?" He quickly wiped the look of surprise from his face. "You seem to be healing quickly. How are you feeling?" 

"Ne, I'm feeling well. How have you and Mrs. Jang been these days?" Lay asked bowing politely to appa. Having heard an extra voice umma comes to the door as well. Her face lights up as she comes to a stop next to appa. "Yixing-ah, I hope you came with an appetite?" 

"Ne. I always have an appetite for your meals, Mrs Jang." Lay replied causing umma and appa to laugh lightly. Appa took Lay with him to his office. He has a growing collection of cigars that he is always waiting to for a new prey to lure into his office to show them to.

As soon as Lay and appa are out of sight umma and I go into the dining room to set another plate at the table. "You should have told us before hand that you were bringing Yixing-ah with you. i would have already had a plate set for him." 

"I know, I'm sorry. It was unexpect for Lay and I both." I lied. But she wouldn't ever have guessed it. When the plates where set umma sent me to fetch appa and Lay. Lay giving me a smile of relief as I interrupted appa's story about how he came into the possession of each individual cigar. 

For dinner umma made Galbi [Korean Barbeque]. It's one of my favorite dishes, which in turn makes me wonder why they are trying to butter me up. "Umma, you didn't have to go through the trouble of making this." I said taking the middle seat and Lay sitting directly across from me. "Aniyo. It was no trouble at all.

Appa suggested it." 

She smiled warmly over to appa who replied with a loving a smile. As umma started passing out the meat appa started questioning Lay. "Yixing-ah, you're getting to the age that its about time to find a nice girl." Lay start to fidget in his seat. "Ne, Mr. Jang" He cleared his throat. 

"Are you seeing someone? She must not like you spending so much time with another girl and eating at her parents house?" Appa asked causing Lay to choke. 

"Aniyo. i'm not seeing anyone." He managed to get out. 

"Jinjja?" umma asked suddenly interested in the conversation. 

"Ne." Lay replied trying to remain focused on his food. 

I could feel my face growing red from my parents not only barging into my life but also Lay's. I could only imagine what they were thinking. "Umma, the food is delicious. Can you teach me to cook like this?" I was trying to cut off this conversation. I had a small feeling where they were going with all the questions. 

"Mwoh? You want to cook?" She asked causing her and appa to look up to me. 

"Ne, wae?" 

"Honey, you haven't ever been interested in kitchen work or any work for that matter." Appa said chuckling. 

"Ani appa. You should know better than anyone how umma is in the kitchen. She doesn't let me help her." I whined pushing the food around on my plate. 

"Nee, you will have to come see us more often so that umma can teach you." 

"Arrasso." I agreed, having successfully pulled their attention away from Lay's 'love life'. 

On the car ride to drop Lay off, being his bestfriend I had grown curious about his love life as well. But I have more of a right to ask him than umma and appa. 

"Lay.. you aren't dating anyone?" I asked bluntly surprising him. 

"Mwoh? You too?" he replied "Ani, I'm not dating anyone, wae?" 

"I'm just curious. You aren't even interested in dating anyone? Like you don't even like anyone?" 

"I've never said there wasn't someone that I was interested in. But I'm not currently meeting anyone." 

"Jinjja? Do I know her?" I ask. 

"Ani, you don't know her." He said diverting his attention to his phone.  

"Are you going to tell me anything about her?" I glanced over to him. 

"Why is everyone so curious about who I'm interested in now?" He asked putting his phone away. I prolonged the ride to drop off Lay because I wanted to talk to him more. I had realized today that he's always listening to my problems and worries, and here I sit not even knowing the girl that he currently likes. He finally tells me who it is he likes. As he talks I can only think of how lucky she was to have him in her life, even if it was long ago. Anyone to gain his love and to maintain it after all these years of him being gone. 

"Are you going to date her again?" I ask. 

"I don't know. I've been gone awhile. It would be too much for me to expect her to have been waiting for me." he looked out the window. I know he had to miss her. I miss Kris and I talk to him, I'm sure it's way more than Lay talks to her. "Ani, you can at least have hope, right?" 

"You should contact her. Say 'hi', ask how she's been. Coming from a girl's point of view she probably misses you, and even though won't show it I imagine it probably hurts to not hear from you." I was going to say more but I really only hoped that he would at least tell her 'hi'. I can tell from the emotions displayed on his face that he misses her. 

"Ne, I'll think about it." He smiled to me. "Thank you for listening to me today. I didn't know it but I needed to talk to someone about it." 

We had finally arrived back to his dorm. After we finished up we gave our goodbyes and he got out of the car. I waved to him as I pulled out. When i got back to my apartment I plopped down on my bed.  "It's been a long day." I sighed with my body laying lifeless on the bed. Just as I closed my eyes my phone started to vibrate and play my ringtone. I almost ignored it, but curiousity got the best of me. "E.DEN? You never call me." 

"Hello?" 

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Hi guys. 

Story update. Hope you all enjoy! (^^)