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“I’m there for you. I don’t care what he says about me.” Jason shrugged. “Besides, I doubt he can be any worse than my dad. The last time we spoke, he told me he wished I was dead.”
Yun Seo gasped. “He didn’t.”
Jason nodded. “Yeah. Gerald Park is a real piece of work.”
Tae Hyun forced himself to smile at Jason. “Just be on your best behavior, please. And if things go badly, we can just leave.”
Jason smiled back. “You got it.”
Tae Hyun nodded. He knew Jason meant what he’d said. And he wanted to accept that Jason would follow through, but he knew him too well. Just like he knew his father. Still, he’d brought Jason along for a reason. If he really didn’t want Jason to interfere, he could’ve gone to see his parents alone.
Tae Hyun’s parents lived in a tidy, white, three-bedroom bungalow with a red-tiled roof set amongst dozens of similar houses built during district redevelopment in the late eighties. Their home was older but well cared for. And it was a huge step up from the small, four-room house in Dong-gu where he’d been born. Of course, the Yuseong-gu house had been financed through hisXTCearnings.
“It’s cute,” Jason said as he climbed from the car’s backseat.
Tae Hyun was briefly surprised before remembering that Jason, for all his wealth and privilege, never complained about ordinary things. It was highly endearing. “Thanks. I actually helped them pick it out.”
“And pay for it,” Yun Seo quietly added.
Tae Hyun quietly huffed. “Please don’t start.” He bent down to see Seong Min still sitting at the wheel. “Are you coming in?”
Seong Min shook his head. “No, sir. With how you described the situation, it feels best if I stay out here. Unless you think you might need me for something.”
Tae Hyun bit down on his lip as he considered the possibilities. He doubted the situation would get bad enough to require Seong Min’s aid. “No. If you’re okay waiting–”
“I am, sir. I’ll probably go get something to eat while I wait.” Seong Min retrieved his phone from the cubby behind the shifter. “But you can always call. I won’t go far.”
“Sounds like that’s settled.” Jason put his arm around Tae Hyun, causing his posture to go rigid. “Sorry.” He sheepishly pulled his arm away. “Best behavior.”
Tae Hyun sighed as he took Jason’s hand. “I love you. And I appreciate you being here. Now, let’s get this over with.”
Tae Hyun let go of Jason’s hand, walked up to the brightly painted, yellow front door, and hesitated. That was new. Then he shook off his nerves, turned the knob, and pushed. It didn’t budge. Was it locked?
Yun Seo stepped up next to him and knocked. “They started locking it last year after the local news ran an exposé on local crime.”
“What local crime?”
Yun Seo chuckled. “I know. But they bought into it.”
The door swung open a moment later to reveal their mother’s smiling face. “Oh, my lovely children are here.” She gave Tae Hyun a thorough once-over before spreading her arms. “Come here.”
Tae Hyun stepped into his mother’s hug, feeling like perhaps he’d blown everything out of proportion. His parents must’ve already realized their mistake and wouldn’t–
“You’re so skinny,” his mother announced. “Aren’t you eating?”
Tae Hyun swallowed his sigh. She always said things like that. It was her way. “I’m eating fine, mother. Maybe we should go in?”
“Oh! Of course.” She turned to walk inside. “Come in, come in.”
Yun Seo grunted. “Where’s my hug?” Then she walked into the house.
Tae Hyun quickly followed her. Jason came in and closed the door behind him while the others removed their shoes in the tiny entryway. Tae Hyun’s parents were waiting in the sitting room. His mother was still smiling, but it was clearly a cover for something else. His father stood grim-faced with his arms folded across his chest. They both looked so much older than Tae Hyun remembered. Once black with silver streaks, his mother’s hair had gone completely gray. And enough of his father’s hair had fallen out that Tae Hyun could see his scalp.
Tae Hyun realized he was stalling and stopped putting off the inevitable. “Mother, Father? This is Jason Park.” He turned to Jason. “And these are my parents, Woo Jeong Ho and Byeon Sun Young.”
Jason offered them a bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”
Jeong Ho frowned. “Is he the American?”
