Meet the parents is wacky good stuff
Wtf it's like Robert de Niro's fall from grace
It's like he decided that he's done enough serious stuff in the seventies and eighties and ready to party. Anyway, Gaylord Focker is genius.
I don't even know why we're still friends…
Please tell me you, at least, like Empire Records.
Shut up, stop pretending to be a cool kid of the nineties.
You watched Jumanji and Toy Story back in '95, not Empire Records.
And I happen to like all Ben Stiller movies.
Pffftttt….
Anyway.
When did you first take Woo Bin to meet your parents?
Errrrr…. I don't know, a few months into the relationship, maybe?
Why do you ask?
When did he first take you to meet his parents?
Hmm… a year afterward, take and give?
Why is that?
Why is what?
Why do girls introduce their boyfriends first before the boyfriends do?
I don't know… isn't it tradition?
Is it because we need more assurance?
IDK WHY DO YOU ASK
Hang on, is it because they are mostly commitment phobic?
Unsure monogamist?
What.. why are you doing this to me…. Are you trying to instill my insecurity?
Jeezzzz, and all I did was asking question.
Innocent question.
Despite your pure angelic appearance, your questions are usually hardly innocent
Have I told you the story where I once met YJ's father?
No.
Why not, though.
You told me everything.
Well…
And why do you ask all of the sudden.
Just wondering… anyway, GTG.
Hey!
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Ga Eul was blessed with level headed parents. Or as level headed as can be if you compared them to, say, Jan Di's parents' sometimes downright mind boggling life decision and general silliness. Or Jun Pyo's scary mother who could freeze the whole Ocean Park in summer time with only her icy cold stares. Or…..to Yi Jeong's parents for their, well, we all know what, why and how. But we'll get there later in the story.
Being an only child, Ga Eul always thought that she had been missing out on something growing up. She said so too, to her parents once, thinking that they were a little selfish not to grant her another baby brother or sister to play with. Sulky, as a precocious six years olds tend to do, when her father said they had no plan to add another family member to their little family. 'But you said I have to share my toys, Mom. I don't have anyone to share my toys with….' She remembered her childish outburst back then and the gentle eye rolls her mother had dealt her with.
As time gone by, she reluctantly accepted her mother's argument that financially, they were better off with their little family unit as it was, so they could send her to good school instead of just any school. That feeling of missing out on something tough, still nagged her until she met Jan Di and hit it off as best friends almost instantly. It was because of Jan Di that she started working at the porridge shop in high school. Her parents never asked her to help pay the bill, but she liked the notion of having her own money. So she worked hard and put her money away to help pay for the college tuition. Plus, it was fun to work together with her best friend.
As far as Ga Eul remembered, her parents never really pried into her personal life or romance. A few times, admittedly, when Yi Jeong was still in Sweden and she led a kind of celibate life, her mother lightly touched the subject.
Don't you have a guy in your life? Isn't college life the right time to build young romance? Who or what is it really that you are waiting for, Ga Eul? You're having a secret boyfriend, aren't you?
She waved off her mother's probing good-naturedly, obviously, but not really telling her the story. It was only after her mom sat her up one night and said, with heavy heart obviously, was there anything she didn't tell her, anything at all about her? It was OK, she said, she's still her daughter. Ga Eul sat there on her bed not understanding.
I am serious, Ga Eul, her mom continued, it's all OK by me. We will have to tell your father, though…. It was then, after recovering from her dumbstruck expression at what her mom had been hinting on, that she told her about waiting for someone who was overseas at that moment and the promise he had made about seeing her after he came back to Seoul (she was careful not to say his name). They laughed about it afterward, even joking about it sometimes.
No, she could always depend on her parents to not make a scene, even at that one time when Jun Pyo's mom was out for blood over Jan Di and Jun Pyo's relationship. Her dad, then, was working for a company belonged to Shinhwa's business partner. Frankly, that episode only resolved her dad's decision to move from a big city and opened his own small business some years later down the road. Such sensible parents, which was why she was quite surprised to get a call from her Mom one day at the office.
'What is this about you moving in with that So Yi Jeong fellow?' she asked her curtly over the phone.
'Ummm, what?' her desk was a clutter of mess and she was trying to find a functioning pen to write down some points for a meeting later that afternoon.
'Is he the same one you pined over back in college? You never told me it was So Yi Jeong the playboy.'
'Huh? Mom, what are you talking about?'
'Are you telling me that none of this is true?'
'What is not true?' Ga Eul knew she was stalling, but right now her brain seemed to stop working and stalled as she frantically recalled about everything she told her mother way back when.
'Don't act stupid missy,' she flinched at the tone her mother adopted. 'I read it just this morning on the magazine, that you are dating that handsome playboy.'
'You think he's handsome?' she brightened her tone, trying to lighten the mood, but slumped instantly as her mom started ranting about how she should have known better, and really, moving in together so fast? What was she thinking about?
'Mom,' she shut her off desperately. 'Look, I know he does not look good on paper, but they write a lot of not quite true stuff about him. You know that right?'
'And yet you decide to work on the a magazine,' her mother's tone was dry, but she could work with it.
'Well, it's different. You know that Mom.'
She sensed her mother hesitated for a while, but it was a small relief.
'Are you telling me the pictures that I get this morning are also wrong?'
'What? What picture?' she tried to wrap her head over her mother's sentence.
'The pictures of you leaving together from his house, day after day. I got about five different pictures of you'
'Where did you get those pictures from?'
'From the mail, of course.' Her mother's voice telling her she must be daft for even voicing the question. How else so people get their mail, a stork? Owl?
She groaned a desperate groan. Tiredly she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, trying to make the frown and worry lines there disappear with no avail.
'We have, well, we have some problem at the moment. I promise it's only temporary. But mom, you have to believe me, I am taking this relationship slowly.'
'Ah, so you are in a relationship with him.'
'Mom!'
'I'm just concerned, darling,' her mother sighed for a long time, 'I read those gossip magazines too sometimes, you know, to pass the time. Frankly, I don't think he's a good choice, despite his look and wealth.' A long pause there. 'Anyway, what is this problem you're talking about?'
'Well….,' she bit her lower lips nervously. Should she tell her parents? Would it make them worry over her? In the end she decided to gloss over the whole incident and instead telling her not to worry, she'd be back at her own apartment in no time at all. And yes, yes, she would take Yi Jeong to see her parents soon.
She put back the phone with a sigh of relief and slumped on her messy desk. Swiftly she pushed aside the papers and what not in front of her, the cool wooden surface felt heavenly on her forehead. After a minute of silence she stretched out, glad to hear that satisfying crack from her joints. She must have the worst fortune this year, she mused, she really has to visit one of those fortune teller stall next time she see one. How much worse is this going to be?
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They had dinner at Jan Di and Jun Pyo's residence that night, all six of them which was a rare occasion since their schedules were rarely matched. 'All we need is Ji Hoo here to make this complete,' observed Jun Pyo the Mr. Obvious, his curly hair still embarrassingly the most prominent feature even after ten years passed from their high school days.
'When is he coming back?' Jae Kyung piped up from her conversation with Jan Di. They were deep in discussion about some upcoming fund raising gala ran in upper society circle which Ga Eul didn't really understand and couldn't care less for not knowing about. Jan Di was always moaning about how she hated being thrust into such circle where she didn't have anyone to talk to who had roughly the same idea about such a thing as she did. Frankly, Ga Eul thought, Jan Di should have accepted it by now, years after being married to Jun Pyo. It was just what was expected of her.
She told Jan Di as much a long time ago, but Jan Di countered yes, of course, she had accepted her fate, but that didn't mean she had to stop bitching about it to her friends.
Jae Kyung, of course, only laughed whenever this thing happened.
'In time for your wedding, whenever that might be,' Jun Pyo paused to sip his wine, 'that's what he said last time.'
'Well that's stupid,' all eyes turned to Jae Kyung whose eyebrows turned into a tight knit. 'What if I decided to have my wedding tomorrow?'
'Then he'll be here tomorrow,' Jun Pyo shrugged his shoulders easily. 'It's that easy. Plus, it's not going to be tomorrow, monkey girl. I know for a fact, as my darling wife informed me last night, that you girls are going to go for a wild hen's party to Bali before your wedding. Whenever that might be. And you're still here now. So….' He calmly ate another piece of steak from his plate and smiled beatifically at Jae Kyung who jutted her lower lip at his tone.
'Yes, well, I think he should come back here quickly,' Woo Bin nodded at his fiancé. 'He's missing all the fun. Isn't he, Yi Jeong?'
'Hmmm.'
'Or are you afraid he's going to snatched Ga Eul from under your nose, like he almost did last…..' he trailed and grinned as his friends all glared at the same time at him. 'What?' he shrugged and grabbed his drink. 'To spice things up, you know.'
'Shut up, Woo Bin Sunbae,' Jan Di narrowed her eyes. 'It's all water under the bridge.'
Jun Pyo looked at his wife like she was sprouting nonsense.
''What bridge?' he said confused. 'Which water? Of course there will be water under the bridge. Else it's just a ditch….'
Jae Kyung snorted. 'There's a reason why we would never work, darling,' she laughed before helped herself for another heaping pile of bean salad.
The conversation resumed, with the boys mostly talked about their soccer team. Meanwhile Ga Eul was still thinking about the phone call from her mother earlier.
'You're awfully quiet, Ga Eul,' Woo Bin glanced at her as Jun Pyo as usual launched himself into a monologue about the merit of FIFA and its corruption for South Korea Soccer team. I mean, come on, everyone would want to talk about something else, right?
'Am I?' Ga Eul replied, a bit distracted, which earned her Woo Bin's warm smile.
'Don't tell me you're thinking about that hen party already…'
'No!' she felt her cheek warmed. 'Oh maybe a little bit,' she cheekily added. The cheeriness only lasted a few seconds though before her pinched expression came back in full force.
'Now, I know you're not telling the truth. Come on, tell us all about it.'
Under Woo Bin's gentle persuasion she took a long deep sigh and recounted what was said over her phone conversations with her mother. 'I mean, who sent those pictures to her? It just doesn't sit right however I see it,' she ended her story. The room had fallen into silence as other conversations stopped once she started talking.
'It is disconcerting,' Jan Di nodded.
'Yeah,' she sighed. 'Anyway, my mom wants me to take you and meet the family,' her eyes focused at Yi Jeong. 'I told her we are a little preoccupied at the moment but will do so soon. What else can I say?' she shrugged her delicate shoulder as Yi Jeong rubbed her lower back with his warm hand.
'Have you met Yi Jeong's parents?' Jun Pyo asked her curiously. 'I need to know if they are as accepting as my mom toward my darling wife,' he smirked as Jan Di's face suddenly turned green.
'Well…..' Ga Eul glanced at Yi Jeong's face. His expression was carefully blank. 'I met your dad a long time ago….' She stopped and looked around. 'I'm sure he doesn't remember, though.'
A snort escaped Yi Jeong's lips. 'Oh he remembers all right,' he said. 'Don't worry Ga Eul. He likes you. He thought I was an idiot then. That was the first time he was right about something.' He forced a smile and poured some more wine into his empty glass. 'No one is more accepting than your mom, though, Jun Pyo,' he raised his glass and laughed as everyone followed suit.
That is, everyone except Woo Bin.
He sat stock still in his seat, eyes vacant like his thought was hundreds of miles away from here. His expression was serious with forehead frowning and eyebrows knitted tightly together. Jun Pyo waved a hand in front of his face.
'Hey Bro?'
'Hmmm?'
'Hey.' Yi jeong nudged his best friend.
'What? Oh, sorry, what was that again?' He spluttered, coming back into life. 'I just had an idea. Sorry. I can't believe how I missed that. So stupid,' he kept muttering.
'What is it?'
Woo Bin raised his face and slowly turned his head, pointedly looking at everyone at the table. 'I'm a genius Sherlock Holmes, ladies and gentlemen,' he said regally, 'I really am. Don't ask me anything else until I think this through, though.' He grinned widely and grabbed his glass, 'come on, make a toast. To me!'
Ga Eul looked at Jae Kyung, who shrugged but nonetheless raised her wine glass.
'To us!'
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Note: I can feel the story nearing the end, yes?
Should be a few more chapters left...
