Chapter Six: Frankenstein

“Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.” 

                “Oh, honey, good, you’re back!” exclaimed the only other person besides Gayun to have a key to her store. Her mother was sitting atop of her desk, holding her super large purse in one hand while going through her phone with the other. Her younger brother was playing his PSP Vita while sitting atop a smaller stack of books. She couldn’t see her younger, already married, sister but was pretty sure that she was behind a shelf or something.

                “W-What are you doing here?” Gayun asked, suddenly feeling the weight from the bags Seunghyun had taken before returning to her hands. She glanced to where the man had been standing only to realize she had been completely abandoned. Jerk.

                “She said we had to come visit you,” her younger brother, Gahyun, answered without every looking up from the handheld device.

                “Why is that?” Gayun asked again after taking another step in to the store. When her mother visited, it was never a good thing for her and it was even less of a good thing when she brought her siblings. It usually meant either another family get-together she needed to attend or a blind date her mother had set up.

                “I just wanted to check on you,” her mother said innocently, “I wanted to see how things were doing with the shop and everything.” Lies. She would have called if that were the case.

                “How has this place gotten more books? I didn’t think there was any more room,” her sister added finally coming out from the back of the store, “And did you pick up another cat? Honestly, Unnie, you’re going to end up as a crazy, lonely, old cat-lady if you don’t watch yourself.” Her mother snickered while her mother sighed dramatically.

                How was she related to these people again?

                “Shut up,” was her brilliant retort.

                “She has a point,” her mother warned, “At your age, you should be dating! I want all my babies to be happy and married. Honestly, why couldn’t you have found a husband while you were still in college?” The last part she said while rubbing her forehead. At least she had finally put the phone away.

                “Watch out, Omma,” Gayun grumbled, “or you’re going to get wrinkles.”

                “Don’t be silly,” she clucked, “I pay too much on my skin care to get wrinkles… Besides, I’m too young…” She picked her phone back up and examined her face in the mirror. Gahyun finally looked up to offer his big sister an apologetic look before returning to his own fantasy realm.

                “Look, what we’re trying to say is that we need to find you a man,” her younger sister said, now definitely showing that she was pregnant. Of course, she was wearing only the most fashionable maternity wear that her husband had paid for.

                “Gain*-ah, I don’t need-”

                “Of course you need a man!” her mother interrupted, “Someone has got to get you out of this shop and on a date! You’re an attractive, young woman, even if your choice in fashion is rather questionable, and you should be dating or getting engaged by now.”

                “I-”

                “So since you obviously aren’t going to,” Gain continued, “Omma and I have found someone to go out with you! He’s a little bit younger than you but he’s the son of a CEO so his family is loaded! You won’t have to work at this stuffy bookstore anymore!”

                “But I like working here!”

                “He’s very handsome too!” her mother squealed, “He looks just like Lee Minho except his nose is just a little bit crooked. It’s nothing some plastic surgery won’t fix though.”

                “Omma, I can’t-”

                “I showed him a picture of you at my wedding and he immediately agreed,” Gain grinned, “Though before your date, we’re either going to have to go shopping or you’re going to have to borrow something of mine. Will you even fit into any of my clothes? Never mind. What’s more important is your hair-”

                “I can’t go out with him!” Gayun shouted, finally causing both women to shut their mouths and her brother to actually pay attention. She hadn’t meant to raise her voice but she just couldn’t take it anymore. There was no way she was going to be able to go out on a date with him or start a relationship with someone who would expect something she was completely unwilling to give.

                “And why not?” her mother frowned. Gayun opened to reply but couldn’t find the words to tell her mother she was aual. She couldn’t come out now, not like this.

                “Jagiya,” Seunghyun’s voice called from the top of the stairs, turning everyone’s attention away from her, “Is something going on?” He came down wearing only a pair of gray sweats which he had definitely not been wearing previously. He had a towel carelessly tossed over his shoulder and his hair was still damp. Had he taken a shower? That seemed to be what he was trying to go for with the whole get up.

                “W-Who are you?” her mother asked, her eyes glued to his abs. Even her younger brother couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from the shirtless demon. Gayun allowed her eyes to glance him over and she supposed he was something nice to look at, but she had also seemed him with a milk moustache and tree cats draped over his body.

                “I’m Lee Seunghyun, Gayun’s boyfriend. Who are you guys?” he asked before finally stopping on the final step. She could smell just the faintest trace of his usual scent which caused her lips to twitch up into a smile. His eyes moved up to meet hers for a moment and she could tell he found this whole thing amusing.

                “We’re her family,” Gain said, sounding a bit star struck.

                “You didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend,” her mother finally said, turning to look at her daughter who was currently smirking. Gayun had never really smirked before but it actually felt kind of nice, like she finally had the upper-hand for once.

                “I was going to call you later today,” she lied and, somehow, the lie came very easy. She walked past her family over to Seunghyun who, for affect, took a bag from her before wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She leaned in to his touch, grateful for once that he was there. “So, you see, I can’t go out with that guy.”

                “Don’t worry about it,” her brother finally spoke, “He was kind of a jerk, all self-absorbed, just like Gain-noona.” He returned Gayun’s smirk before returning back to his game with an indignant sister spluttering about how she is totally not self-absorbed and where would he even get that idea because she totally does not act that way. At all.

                “Well, you seem like a nice man,” her mother complimented, “You’ll have to come over for dinner sometime. My husband, I’m sure, would love to meet you.”

                “Sounds wonderful,” He replied, “but I think that we need to go put away some groceries. So, if you wouldn’t mind…” He looked back at the door before returning his gaze back to Gayun’s mother. She blushed, suddenly becoming embarrassed that she hadn’t noticed the many plastic bags and mumbled apologies.

                Almost immediately, her book store was empty again. Seunghyun used his magic to lock the door before magically becoming dressed again. She let out a sigh of relief and let her head lie on his shoulder for a moment while she enjoyed the silence.

                “Thank you,” she said after a moment.

                “It’s fine,” he replied before turning to go back upstairs with the bags he carried, “I went upstairs once I realized you knew them, but then I heard what they were saying.”

                “They’ve always been like that. I’m used to it by now.” She closed the door with her foot, making sure that the three cats had enough time to get in before she did so of course. Gayun set the bags down on the counter before immediately putting the eggs and milk into the fridge. Seunghyun stood by and watched as she went through the bags.

                “I don’t like it though,” he argued, “No one gets to bully you but me.” Gayun stopped what she was doing to look up at him. He wasn’t lying, she could tell from the set of his jaw. Her family had actually upset him.

                “You know you’re going to have to pretend to be my boyfriend from now on,” she mumbled before putting the apples in the fridge along with the other fruits. She wasn’t looking at him but she could feel the atmosphere become lighter and assumed that he had begun to relax. Her point was proven when she turned to see Minty up on the counter, rubbing up against Seunghyun’s hand.

                “I don’t mind. I wouldn’t have pretended in the first place if I did.”

                “Maybe I won’t have to banish you after all.” She smiled at him after saying so, causing him to snort before going on about how a puny human like her definitely didn’t have the stuff to banish a powerful demon such as himself. Even if she did, he’d find her eventually and somehow that idea comforted her.

*pronounced Ga-In; also, had nothing to do with the singer Ga-In, I just liked the name

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