THIRTY FOUR

“I wish I could stay longer.”

 Yonghwa replied as he snuggled by the crook of her neck. She had to smile because it was somewhat ticklish but she restrained herself, replying instead, “Me too… but you have to go back as soon as possible. Anyway, I’ll be home after a week or so.”

“Good.” He lifted his head to look at her, “Let’s have dinner at my house.”

“Your house? With the boys?”

“No,” he shook his head taking her hand that was resting on her stomach and lacing their fingers together, “My parents’ house in Seoul. I think it’s time for you to meet my family.”

Seohyun looked at him for a moment quite hesitant. Meeting his family was a huge deal for her since it has always been him and her inside their tiny bubble. Although their closest friends knew their relationship but meeting his family was giving her the butterflies. “Isn’t it too soon?” Seohyun said in a small voice while his thumb caressed her cheek.

He shook his head and chuckled, “It’s just about right. Why? Don’t you want to?”

“No, no… it’s not that,” she mumbled as his brows lifted. Seohyun leaned closer and pecked a kiss on the tip of his nose to reassure him, “I’m just nervous…”

Lifting himself up, Yonghwa adjusted the pillows and rested his back against them then pulled her on his chest, “They’ll like you… don’t worry. My parents are cool… I think they’d even be very ecstatic. But you won’t be meeting my brother.”

Seohyun sighed knowing eventually she would really meet them. It was just overwhelming; she has never been introduced formally that way. She met Minho’s family before they even became a couple and it was only for a short while that she got to be around them so she was a bit uneasy this time. Shaking her negative feelings off, she spoke softly, “Come to think of it, we haven’t talked about your family yet. How old is your brother?”

“He’s five years older than me, he’s a banker, works in London. He’s as busy as I am.”

“Still single?”

“He is… but as far as I know he’s also dating someone.”

“And your parents?”

“My father runs a financial firm and my mother owns a few boutiques so you two would probably hit it off.”

“Hmmm…” Seohyun nodded thoughtfully then plopped her arms on his chest and rested her chin on the back of her hand, “Do you visit them a lot?”

“Not really, they live in Busan and rarely go to Seoul. But I call my mother sometimes,” he said then grinned at her, “In fact, I often tell her about you…”

“You do?” Her eyes widened in surprise, “What did she say? Did she know me?”

“Of course, silly!” There was a spark of light humor in his eyes noticing how worried she actually looked. Yonghwa added blithely, “She keeps on telling me to bring you home to meet them.”

“That’s a relief,” Seohyun took a deep breath again and pouted, “But I’m still very nervous of the thought.”

“Don’t be. You’re part of the family now…”

She smiled as he moved forward to plant a small kiss on her forehead. Family. How nice it sounded.

Seeing that sparkle in her eyes, Yonghwa took her by the arm and slid her more so she was balanced on top of him. He cupped her cheeks and brushed her thumb on her skin, “I love you… I can’t wait, Hyun…”

Seohyun knew what he meant about waiting. After all, he had been hinting it. Once, he sent her a link of her runway picture from a few years back where she was wearing a wedding dress followed by a message that said, ‘The most beautiful bride… soon.’

She laughed it off that time but it was making her feel nervous now. She sighed yet again knowing it would be impossible right now especially for him. For her, maybe it was okay since some of her friends are already talking about marriage. But she knew his situation and she knew it won’t be happening any time soon.

Anyway, she thinks she won’t really be ready for that. She, like him, is still on top of her game and she still has so many plans including business school. Maybe one day, if things simmer down for him, maybe they could start planning. Meeting his parents is a big step and probably it was time for him to meet her own. With that, she looked at him and said, “I want you to meet my mother and my sister too.”

“In France?” Seohyun nodded then he darted his gaze up on the ceiling, “Hmmm… I think we should plan that, my schedule right now won’t really permit that.”

“I know, next time when it would be okay for you. I think Hyoyeon Unnie will visit Seoul this month, we should have dinner with her.”

He frowned, “Is she scary?”

Seohyun laughed noting how the table seemed to turn. Shaking her head, she replied, “No,  Hyoyeon Unnie is really fun but she can be scary at times… but she won’t really be one for you. Actually, Mom is scarier.

“Should I be worried that she is?”

“No…” Seohyun pressed her lips together when she got reminded of her adoptive mother. Then she smiled seeing the wrinkles forming on his forehead, “Umma has the kindest heart but she’s the toughest person I know… but she’s very sick, Oppa.”

Yonghwa circled his arms around her waist and settled on her back. She leaned closer meeting his lips and they kissed gently. He pulled away and smiled at her, “Yeah, let’s visit her one day, I really want to meet her and thank her personally.”

“Thank her for what?”

“For you… I owe her you…” he pressed another kiss on her lips, “Do you think she’ll like me?”

Seohyun looked at him for a moment since it was the question she didn’t really want him to ask her. But she smiled setting aside her reservations, “Umma will surely like you.”

“But?”

“I didn’t say but…”

“There’s a ‘but’, it’s written all over your face.”

It amazes her sometimes how Yonghwa knows her so well. She sighed, there was no point in hiding how she felt, “With our current situation, if she was as strong as before, I don’t think we’d be possible. She’d surely make us break up.”

“Why?” Yonghwa asked as soon as she said that but he nodded watching her sad eyes—he knew of course, so he nodded listlessly, “Okay, fair enough…”

She could feel the weight in her chest seeing the hard lines of his face so she soothed his bare chest with her palm and smiled, “But she will see how happy I am and that you’re taking good care of me.”

“By the way, she’s not married?”

“Divorced, she was already divorced when she took me in. I met her ex-husband a few times and he’s really nice too but I never really have a chance to get to know him well. Hyo Unnie adores him though so he must be really nice.”

“Come here, you…” he hooked his arm on hers lifting her closer to his face then grinned mischievously, “Enough talks… what time do you need to work tomorrow.”

A smile escaped her own lips knowing what he was thinking, and she liked it, “Hmmm… after lunch?”

Yonghwa‘s hand was already heading down, “So you have all morning to sleep. But for now…”

She giggled as he caught her lower lip between his teeth and kissed her hard at first until he flipped her down and hovered over her. Then, his kiss became gentle and unhurried and his body covering hers until he grabbed one of her thigh to permit his body on hers. And Yonghwa claimed with light s and steady rhythms that it was actually a painful torture for her. She moved against him desperately until Yonghwa removed his lips from her and g