Chapter 32: Family

Han Seungwoo

"Have you ever dated anyone..?" Harin asked me with her soft voice. She pressed her lips, nervous to what will be my answer. I held her hand tightly while walking in her neighborhood.

I halted my pace and she seconded it. I grabbed her other hand and changed my position from being at her side to be in front of her. My tall figure dominated her. I liked how she looked up every time we'll face each other and I liked the act of lowering my head so our face will be level. Her head was up to my shoulder only.

I stretched my lips to form a comforting smile. "Absolutely.. no."

Her eyed widened at my answer. She used her hand to cover her mouth that was gaping. "Jinjja?" She asked.

"Uh-huh."

"Han Seungwoo, you can be honest with me. You got the looks, you know. Or you're just flirting?" Harin asked suspiciously at me. Her question was quite justifiable. A lot of people won't believe me due to my looks.

"I only had one fling before when I was in university but we didn't have this kind of spark so I stopped it. Besides, I'm not interested in relationship. And then Dongpyo came so I really have no time for such thing." I answered quietly. Harin's face was still screaming that she doesn't believe me.

"You're a taxi driver. It's impossible you haven't like one of your passengers." She rebutted, her hands were folded on her chest.

"It's not impossible though. I once liked a passenger of mine." I said in full honesty. Harin's eyes quiver, probably in jealousy.

She cleared her throat. "S-so what did you do to.. h-her?" She stammered making me chuckle inside.

"I didn't do anything. I just waited for the fate to pull our strings together." I held her left hand again so we could resume walking but my girlfried hid her hands on her back. I raised my brow in amusement.

"And then?" She asked nonchalantly like waiting for the next happening in a story.

She wasn't able to do anything when I captured her hands on mine. She didn't resist but the stiffness was there. I should choose my next words carefully before my girlfriend turns into an ice cold princess.

"And then she courageously confessed her feelings to me in a rainy night and then for a few days we became official. I am so lucky that she hailed my taxi.." her hands softened when she heard my statement. She now realizes that the passenger I'm pertaining is her. "I love every bits of her and I'm willing to risk everything just for her. People may say that investing all your love is not good but I disregarded their opinion. I have nothing except for my unconditional love that's why I'm fully investing it to you, Yoon Harin." Harin crimsoned the minute she heard my confession. I love to see her cheeks turning to red every time I'm saying good things to her. She deserved all of it anyway. Harin became my lifeline the moment she captured my heart.

"S-stop embarrassing me!" Harin squeked shyly to me. I pulled her to my chest and let her hear my heartbeat. "It's too loud," she commented.

I hummed. "The reason is you baby. You never failed to make my heart beat wildly. You're my ecstasy and euphoria." I kissed her head, her forehead down to her nose, then at her cheeks and lastly at her seductive lips that I want to taste every day.

As I looked at her, her eyes sparkled like diamonds. "Just to remind you Seungwoo-yah, I love you with all my heart too. You are a heaven-sent and I want you to be my world. My love for you is at zenith. You're my epitome of love." She uttered genuinely with full love.

We kissed each other again, under the flickering lamp post. Our heartbeats symphoniously did magic together making our night more meaningful.

***

"Seungwoo.." Abbeoji called my name. He was sitting on a chair in the dining table. Both of his arms were leaning on the wooden table. "I'm a bit nervous." He confessed, his eyes were weary.

I tapped my father's back. "It's okay to be nervous, I bet she's feeling the same way too. Abbeoji, it's up to you wether you accept her again or not. The decision is yours and as a son, I will support you."

"Thank you for keeping me brave enough son." He tapped the back of my hand that was placed on his shoulder. I held his hand and shook it.

"Do you think she should meet Dongpyo too?" I inquired, expecting for a firm answer.

Dongpyo's still young and I'm very worried about what he will feel the moment he'll meet his mother. His welfare is what I care most.

I dragged the chair beside his. I copied his position and started shaking my right leg out of anxiousness.

Abbeoji looked at me with a concerned look. "I'm afraid that he must see his mother. We must let them meet each other tonight." His voice was firm enough which agitated me even more.

"Alright. I really wanted to send him at the Cho's residence if ever tonight's not the right time." I sighed while looking down at the table.

Abbeoji stroked my back using his hand, comforting me. Tonight will be the longest night. I am hoping for the best.

Using my taxi, I drove my way to my sister's apartment, where she's residing now. She insisted that I should come to her place. It was a great idea so I can check if she's living in a peace and safe neigborhood. Her safety is my concern. I don't want her to experience again the past.

I parked the taxi meters away from her apartment. The streetlights lighted the neighborhood perfectly. There was only a little blind spot while I was walking. CCTV cameras were installed everywhere.

When I reached the right street, I immediately looked for the skyblue building. As I was walking nearer, my sister went out from the gate. I called her attention. "Noona!" I smiled at her and she smiled back at me. She hurriedly ran towards my direction.

"Seungwoo! You're here?"

"Yeah, I just arrived. Are you ready?" I asked her.

She combed her hair. "I'm nervous but I need to." She chuckled, hiding her nervousness. "Oh! I want to bring something. Can we stop by at any grocery store?"

"Sure!" I answered.

"What do you want Seungwoo?" She asked me when we we're busy buckling our seatbelts.

"I miss drinking wine. Can you buy one bottle of it?" I said with no shame. She asked me what I want so I told her what I want badly.

"How about abbeoji? And.. Dongpyo?" She asked hesistantly when mentioning Dongpyo's name.

"Just buy them two cans of milk." I said with no shame again. Milks for the adults and kids are very expensive!

"Will you be okay?" I asked worriedly at my sister who's been biting her nails throughout the whole ride.

Later that day, our meet up at Cube Entertainment's café, I talked with abbeoji about her so he wouldn't be shock when he'll saw her in our home.

She gulped and nodded swiftly. "I'll be fine. I know I'll be fine." She answered cofidently but her voice was shaking.

I gave her a small smile, pressed my lips and made a sound. "Okay, if you're ready just step out of the car. We'll be waiting for you inside."

"No, wait!" Sunhwa noona stopped me by holding the hem of my shirt, her face looked sad. "Let me walk with you.." she appealed to me.

"Just walk behind me. No need to worry." I encouraged her.

I'm holding two platic bags of groceries and the milks. Abbeoji will be surely happy about this. And I'm happy too because I will be able to save money.

The door creaked as I open the door. Dongpyo's laughs together with the small voices from our telelivision filled our house. I removed my shoes and socks first before entering the house. My sister did the same too but she was too slow because she kept on wandering her eyes on the house. I bet she missed this house too which used to be her home.

"Appa!" Dongpyo shouted when he saw me entering the living room. He ran at my direction and I was anticipating for his hug but he didn't. Instead, his hands dived in to the bags I'm holding. "Grapes!" He rejoiced and picked up the packed grapes. He ran to the kitchen to wash the grapes.

I turned my head back to see how noona was doing. She hid herself on the wall when Dongpyo came to me. I gave me an assuring smile that it will be okay.

"You used to clean this house noona, you have the right to add dusts in this house." I joked and waited for her to step out from the cave.

I placed the bags on the dining table. "You can sit on the couch first noona. Abbeoji prepared dinner for us." I told her. Dongpyo was still washing the grapes when I approached him.

"Dongpyo-ah, we have a guest. Can you please entertain her first?" I whispered to his ears.

I deposited the graped in the bowl and handed it to him. "Here, you can eat this together with our guest. You should be good to her okay?"

Dongpyo's eyes turned to noona who was sitting in the living room. "Is it Harin eomma?"

I shook my head. "No.. she's Sunhwa eomma." I answered. He just nodded and headed towards noona.

I'm deliberating on how can we explain that she's his mother? Will he understand it easily? What if he'll ask if where's his true father? This is making me insane!

As I was scanning them together, Dongpyo was busy munching the grapes while my sister was like a stiff tree who can't move. I left them on the living room to call out abbeoji.

"She's here." It wasn't a question but a statement. Abbeoji was sitting on his bed, tapping his left foot. "How is she?"

"Come out so you can ask her that." I told him. I pulled him out so we can eat our dinner.

I clapped my hands to get Dongpyo and noona's attention. "Let's have our dinner now."

I saw how my sister's eyes diverted to our father. She flushed a bit and bowed as a sign of respect. Abbeoji took the seat first. I waited for Dongpyo to come over and I drag a chair for Sunhwa noona.

Our meal was silent. None of us tried to break the silence, maybe because the foods were to delicious, or so I thought.

"How are you Sunhwa?" Abbeoji blurted out when we were all on the verge of finishing our meals. Noona loosen her grip on the utensils.

"I-I'm doing good now.. a-appa." She stuttered in answering. Her hands were quiet shivering, a sign that she's tensed, so she hid it on her lap.

"Harabbeoji! Why did she call you appa?" Out of the blue Dongpyo asked. We were all shaken by his question.

Appa chuckled. "She's my daughter Dongpyo. She's Seungwoo's noona." He tried to explain at Dongpyo's perplexed face. "Do you want her to be your mother?" He added, causing the situation to stir.

I faked a cough and noona was blinking nonstop. Abbeoji was being to smooth! How can Dongpyo understand it rightaway? He's too fast!

We were all anticipating to my son's remark. Hoping for a positive answer.

"But I already have Harin eomma!" Dongpyo whined. I bowed my head to hide my laugh. Dongpyo-ah, don't rush. Hahaha.

"Harin is your father's girlfriend. While Sunhwa here, she wanted to become your mother. Don't you like her?" Abbeoji tried to persuade Dongpyo.

"Arrasseo.." Dongpyo answered boringly while finishing his meat. He looked at Sunhwa noona, "Eomma! I'm sleepy!" Dongpyo bursted out.

All of us laughed in unison. A thorn was removed from my heart at his action for Sunhwa noona. Dongpyo made it easier than I imagined.