Season one, chapter forty-six

"I got it from
my mama"

"A shocking scandal has broken out surrounding Mayor Shin Myeong-hwi and chairman Cho Tae-sin's criminal charges, including murder, solicitation of murder, and bribery. This unprecedented case is causing a lot of stir"

"Finally the truth is out" Ms. Chu exclaimed, letting out a long sigh that seemed to have been held for a long time

"In the midst of discovery of additional evidence, another voice recording from an anonymous source was delivered to News Time earlier this afternoon"

"A voice recording?" Hana asked confusedly

"Please note that we bleeped out any offensive language in the recording"

"I worked on one of Shin Myeong-he I'd murder cases seven years ago with the police couple of whose murder was staged as a traffic accident" Everyone turned to look at Mo-tak at having instantly recognizing his voice "Im in a completely different line of work now, but I also nearly died back then. Because of that worthless piece of... that son of.... Damn it"

The group started laughing, they certainly didn't expect Mo-tak to share information with the reporters, though he was really trying his best to put Shin Myeong-hwi behind bars.

"Why did they disguise your voice? Anyone could tell it's you" Jangmul pointed with amusement

"No, that's not me" Mo-tak refused, trying to stop the smile that was beginning to form on his face

"Gosh, be quiet. Mo-tak's on TV now" Ms. Chu silenced them, wanting to hear the rest of the recording

"And that recent death of a police officer, which was staged as a suicide, was also orchestrated by those who were trying to cover up Shin's crimes. Lastly, I'd like to express my respect for those who fight for justice even in the toughest situations"

"Gosh, Mo-tak. It's such a shame that we didn't get to see your handsome face on TV" Ms. Chu exclaimed with a smile but moved by his words

"What are you talking about? He has a nice voice, but he's not handsome" Jangmul exclaimed back while frowning

"I'm handsome" Mo-tak confirmed with a hand under his chin as usual

"Jeez"

"Gosh, you"

"People are praising you on social media" Hana began to say, showing the screen of her phone

"Really?"

"Nice!"

"Let me see"

"You're so cool, Mo-tak" Mun said in admiration patting his shoulder before wrapping his arms around his shoulders from behind him

"Well done!"

"'He probably has a nice voice too' oh, look!" Ms. Chu noted reading one of the comments on the article

Thea turned her head back to the glass front door when the bell above it chimed, letting them know that someone had entered the restaurant. Although her eyebrows rose in confusion when she saw the stranger who had entered the place.

"What?"

"Did we order something?" They began to ask, noticing the man with a helmet over his head and a white plastic bag over his hands. Though they gasped in recognition when the intruder removed his helmet

"Oh, Jin-ho!"

"My gosh!" Ms. Chu exclaimed, approaching the aforementioned "You can put it here" She pointed to the wooden table

"What's all this?"

"They're corn dogs" Jin-ho responded putting the bag on the table

"Corn dogs!"

"Corn dogs! Let me see"

Thea leaned closer to the group that was crowded around the table staring hungrily at the boxes of corn dogs, Thea's mouth watering as they opened the box containing the corn dogs and the delicious smell reached her nostrils. She held her stomach tightly, how long had she not eaten?

"Here you go" Mun said placing a corn dog in front of her who did not hesitate to snatch it from his hands so she could sink her teeth into it right there as if she hadn't eaten for days "Careful, it's hot" He warned her but she had already took a bite, which made her hiss in pain as she felt the heat on her tongue

"Ouchie!" Thea exclaimed putting a hand over her mouth frowning in pain

"I told you so" Mun exclaimed, looking at her with amusement before wrapping his arm around her shoulders when he noticed that the expression of pain did not go away from her face

"My gosh"

"I love these corn dogs"

"Wow"

"Oh, my"

Thea leaned into the touch of her boyfriend, who smiled tenderly when he saw her trying to seek refuge in his arms. Which made his heart start to beat like crazy, how is it possible for someone to be this cute?

"They're good, so I got you guys some" Jin-ho explained, placing his eyes on each of them, who were happily eating the corn dogs

"My gosh"

"Are you sure you don't want one?" Jangmul asked with amusement

"Yes, eat up" Jin-ho nodded encouraging them to keep eating

"This cheese is to die for. Maybe we should switch to selling these" Ms. Chu joked holding the corn dog in her hand

"Oh right. An anonymous sponsor donated ten billion won to an environmental organization in Jungjin" Jin-ho began to explain, getting straight to the point

"Really?" Jangmul took a seat next to Jin-ho, letting out a fake cough

"I wonder who donated so much money" Mo-tak asked curiously

"My gosh, it must be someone who loves to spend money" Ms. Chu said, her words addressing Jangmul more than anything who frowned upon hearing those words

"I have no idea, but the world isn't such a bad place after all" Jin-ho exclaimed happily, knowing that not all people had a rotten heart like Shin and his men

"That's right! There are many warm-hearted people in this world" Jangmul agreed, raising his voice, trying to let them know that he was the one who had donated all that money

"Me? Why should I meet your parents? Why on earth?" Thea asked exalted getting up from her seat, she really wasn't expecting this and much less was she ready to meet her boyfriend's parents

"Jeez"

"Gosh, no way" Mo-tak approached them both with a mischievous smile "You want them to meet your girlfriend?" He asked, noticing the tension between both teenagers who did not deign to respond "You said you're meeting them for the last time before they leave Yung" Mo-tak exclaimed suspiciously (he still didn't know that they were dating) "Why do you want them to meet Thea? I'm your mentor, the one who trained you"

"What about me?" Ms. Chu questioned with a frown, having heard him from the kitchen  "Well, I already said I support this. So, you have my support" Ms. Chu exclaimed mischievously, patting Mun on the shoulder

"You were already supporting them? Wait... are you guys really dating?" Mo-tak asked with his eyes wide open, covering his mouth with one of his hands in surprise without believing his ears "Ms. Chu, are they..." He gasped even more when Ms. Chu nodded in response. "And I'm the last one to found out?"

"Well, I just want you to meet my mom and dad. After all I did told them I had a girlfriend and now they want to meet you" Mun explained shyly, looking at the curly girl with intensity, pleading with his eyes to agree to go with him

"They're serious now" Mo-tak added, raising his eyebrows in surprise. Placing one of his hands on Ms. Chu's shoulder, encouraging her to continue walking to leave the couple alone

"Yes, why step in?" Ms. Chu nodded, agreeing with him letting the man guide her back to the kitchen where Hana remained folding the rest of the tracksuits

"Why bother them?"

"What the... you stepped in first"

Thea bit her lower lip, of course she couldn't say no to those puppy eyes that Mun gave her. There really was no other option, was there? How to say no to that cute look that her boyfriend gave her? She couldn't refuse.

And so there she was, standing in front of Mun's parents. Who seemed to examine her from head to toe with kind smiles on their faces. The one with the curly hair let out a small nervous laugh, tightly squeezing her hands clasped in front of her.

"Your name is Athena?" The woman in front of her asked, who went by the name of Mun-yeong

"Yes" Thea nodded quickly, wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible, but she also wanted to make a good first impression, after all they were her boyfriend's parents and she needed to be accepted by both of them

"Even your name is so pretty" Mun-yeong praised, making Thea move her gaze to the ground, unable to bear the embarrassment, Thea received that compliment a lot, people used to tell her that she looked a lot like her mother from whom she had inherited her looks

"Gosh, mom. Don't stare at her like that" Mun exclaimed, noticing the discomfort his girlfriend was in

"She's like a younger version of you. She's totally Mun's type" Mun's father, So Gwon, commented, completely accepting the relationship between his son and the curly girl, Mun-yeong nodding her head in agreement

"Dad, she can hear you" Mun exclaimed, his cheeks red with embarrassment while Thea on the other hand smiled with amusement, now she would have something to tease him with

"Oh, sorry"

"So I'm your ideal type, Mun?" Thea whispered to him in amusement, covering her mouth as the aforementioned's eyes widened, she had certainly caught him off guard

"I thought you guys should meet. Say hello" Mun explained, clearing his throat, putting a hand behind Thea's back forcing her to bow and leave the embarrassing topic behind

"Your grandma and grandpa must adore her" Mun's mother asked, the smile remaining on her face

"Yes, they do" Mun responded with a smile, admiring his girlfriend's profile. Knowing very well that in a short time Thea had managed to win the affection and hearts of his grandparents, who did not stop asking him about her after not having visited them for a long time

Thea let out a sudden laugh, infecting everyone in the place who began to laugh with her.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell them?" Thea asked now seriously "Mun's grandparents" She added, Mun's parents looked at each other before looking at the curly girl with tears in their eyes

Thea patted Mun's shoulder as he stopped mid-walk after having rested his gaze on the Soju bottles on the kitchen table. His grandparents had been drinking, after all they had heard all about the case on the news. Thea can't imagine what both adults must be going through.

"Thank you, Thea" Mun thanked, resuming his steps. "I just though I'd be more vivid through you"

"Just summon our territory so it can feel more vivid" Thea exclaimed, walking down the hallway of the house until finally entering Mun's grandparents' shared room

Thea looked at Mun who remained by her side, who looked at his grandparents as if they were the most precious thing to him, so she didn't say anything and just waited for Mun to be ready to summon the territory. She sighed tiredly before approaching the elders lying on their shared bed.

Thea knelt on the floor and placed both of her hands gently on the heads of the elders who were sleeping peacefully. She closed her eyes, concentrating on what she wanted Mun's grandparents to see, and almost instantly both elders frowned. Thea then got up from the ground once she had done her thing, noticing how Mun's grandparents extended their hands in the air with tears falling down their cheeks.

She positioned herself next to Mun, admiring both elders for a few more seconds. She cannot imagine the day when both elders leave this world, Mun will be devastated and that is why they had to prepare for when that day arrives.

When they returned to the restaurant the first thing Thea did was grab the photo album that she had kept in the depths of the basement. She hadn't touched that album in years and now that she has it in her hands it makes her feel sentimental. Inside remained Thea's most valuable and unforgettable memories, memories that she does not want to forget.

She caressed the only photo she had of her beloved mother, her greatest confidant, her best friend, who listened to all her problems to help solve them. Who, although she didn't have time, still put everything else aside to pay attention to her beloved daughter.

"Don't worry mother, your daughter is a soldier" Thea murmured, swallowing the lump that was beginning to form in her throat "I miss you guys..." She said almost in a whisper as if she didn't want them to know, they couldn't hear her anyway and that made her even crazier "I miss you guys so much I feel like I might die"

Crystal clear tears fell on the family photo in her hands, looking like little diamonds. She smiled weakly, putting the photo back in its place before closing the photo album, hugging it tightly to her chest as if it were going to disappear.

"No matter what happens, I will continue to survive as I have until now, I promise" Thea exclaimed, wiping away the traitorous tears that fell down her reddish cheeks

After all, running away was a powerful instinct but this time she wouldn't escape her nightmares. This time she would confront them so they could finally leave her alone at night.

Author's note;

WTF I only have one more chapter left in drafts and the first season will be finished!!! How did time pass so quickly? 😭 Don't you realize that the days fly by and when we least expect it, it's already the next day? This is so strange to say but time is passing very quickly, Christmas is coming soon and then New Year, what the hell? 😮‍💨

Question of the day: What will you do on Thanksgiving Day? 🦃

I probably won't do anything, maybe I'll eat some turkey but nothing else 😅 anyway since I'm not from the US my family doesn't celebrate it much lol

Anyway, have a wonderful day, remember to sleep and eat well, drink plenty of water! 💕