Posts tagged chapter 23

Jessie smoothed down her skirt, glancing at Taehun who was sitting in a relaxed posture at the chair.

He looked up from his phone at her gaze. “Yes, sweetheart?”

She shook her head, the private dining room door opening to admit a waiter with a refill of their iced water. “ Thank you.” she murmured. A warm hand squeezed her cold, fisted one.

“Relax, Jessie. I should be the nervous one.”

The door opened again and Jessie stood up, followed by Taehun. A couple walked in and kissed Jessie.

“Hi, mom, dad. This is Kim Taehun.”

Taehun shook the Ok’s hands and smiled.

“Hello, my name is Taehun. Its nice to meet you, Mr and Mrs Ok.”

“Yes, us too. Jessie has been talking about you for the longest time.” Mrs Ok smiled.

“It’s finally nice to meet you in real life rather than through the television.” Mr Ok sat down and others follow suit.

Jessie was the picture of tranquil but under the table, she was clutching Taehun’s thigh, her nails unknowingly digging into his skin. He winced and tried to pass it off as a smile.

“So, Taehun, I consider myself a straightforward man.” Mr Ok began and Jessie took her seventy sixth sip of water.

“Yes, sir.”

“What are your intentions towards our daughter?”

Taehun pried Jessie’s death grip from his numb thigh and held in it in his hand. “Intentions?”

“Yes, intentions. Do you plan to marry her?”

Jessie choked. Her lungs contracted and tears leaked as the water ran down the wrong way. Taehun was helpfully pattinng her back. “You, okay?”

She nodded, dabbing at her tears with her napkin. “Yup, I’m okay.”

“Honestly, Jessie, your father was just kidding.”  Mrs Ok smiled.

“Hmm.”  Her father replied. “Jokes aside, tell me about yourself, Taehun.”

“Well, im 21 this year. I am in the entertainment business and I’m in love with your daughter.”

Jessie suppressed the urge to throw her arms around him and kiss the living daylights out of him. So, she settled for a gentle squeeze of the hand. Lunch went quite well if she may say so herself. Her parents seemed to really likeTtaehun, she grinned.

“Excuse me for a moment.” Taehun pushed back his chair and left for the bathroom. Jessie looked up at her parents expectantly.

“So, what do you think?”

“He’s a nice boy. Well brought up.” Her mother sipped her champagne. Jessie smiled.

“Are you free after this?” Her father asked.

“Why?”

“Mr Woo of the spring water company has a son. It would be nice to have brunch with him.”

“Wait, what? I thought you guys approve of Taehun? Why am I going for another date?”

“We never said we approved of him.” Her father calmly stated.

Jessie threw the napkin on the table. “I’m not breaking up with Taehun.”

“Stop the dramatics. Nobody said you had to leave him right now. Face reality, Jessie. He is not good enough for you.”

“And this dumb water guy you’re setting me up with is?”

“Nobody is good enough for you. But yes, he is close enough.”

“Jessie, we have been very lenient with you. Letting you chase this foolish singing dream. You can carry on this folly with Taehun, if you wish. Just remember, you have no future with him.”

Jessie wanted to say more but Taehun came back in. Her parents were all smiley now, those fakers. She sat stiffly as her parents continued to take interest in taehun. When they left, she barely acknowledgment their leave.

“Jessie? Are you okay?”

She shoved her chair back, diving straight into his arms. She held him tight, tight enough for him to gasp. “I love you, Taehunnie.”

“I love you, Jessie.” He rasped. She released him a little and he kissed the top of her head.

“I will never leave you, okay? Promise you will never leave me, too.”

He rested his chin on her head. “Never.”

***

Kevin dived for his phone. “Hello.”

“Hyung, want to go for a drink?”

“Taehun? Aren’t you with Jessie?”

“Please, hyung.”

“Okay, okay. Did something happen?”

“I was outside.”

Kevin scratched his head. “Outside where?”

“Outside the room where her parents told her that I was not good enough for her and she had no future with me.” His voice was breaking up, like he was holding back his tears.

Kevin was quiet, sensing his friend’s pain. “I’ll be out in ten minutes.”

“Thank you, hyung.”

****