If You Want Me - Episode 105
<Episode 105>
Pa-parents? Suddenly? Not just anyone, but Do-gyeom’s parents. It was a situation I had never even thought about.
Seo-won couldn’t hide his surprise and asked Do-gyeom in a slightly trembling voice.
“Wh-why are your parents suddenly looking for me?”
“When I got a call from my mother during our date yesterday, I went back wondering if something happened, and she was talking about you.”
“…”
I had somewhat expected that Madam would talk about me when she called Do-gyeom yesterday. Because I had met her alone a few days ago and heard her declaration of war that she would “solve it my way”. I thought maybe she called yesterday to intentionally disrupt our date and give Do-gyeom an earful about not seeing me… I was right.
But what did Do-gyeom and Madam talk about yesterday that they want us all to meet? Could it be that I’ll have to hear them tell me to break up while sitting face to face with the three of them?
Seo-won straightened his back with tension, but Do-gyeom calmly continued as if it wasn’t scary at all.
“Somehow she knew everything, that we’re dating, that you’re pregnant, and that I imprinted on you one-sidedly.”
“Is that so…?”
I’m the one who told her about the one-sided imprint. Seo-won couldn’t bring himself to speak honestly and just fiddled with his fingertips, but Do-gyeom concluded as if that wasn’t important.
“Fortunately, the conversation ended on a good note. Maybe that’s why she’s asking to arrange a dinner meeting.”
“What? The conversation ended well? H-how?”
At Do-gyeom’s words, Seo-won suddenly lifted his bowed head. It ended well? That can’t be?
He clearly remembered the atmosphere when he met Madam alone a few days ago. That day, I didn’t get overwhelmed by Madam’s force, but even so, she didn’t seem like she would give up easily.
But her mind changed in just a few days? How could that be? When Seo-won asked, unable to understand, Do-gyeom raised the corners of his mouth as if asking what he was so surprised about and answered firmly.
“I persuaded her well.”
“How did you do it…? She’s not someone who would easily agree.”
“Well, I told the truth. That even if the one-sided imprint is undone, my feelings of liking you will remain the same, and that I want to raise Tteokbokki well… things like that.”
As he spoke, Do-gyeom subtly avoided his gaze. Seeing him rounding off the end of his words a bit, it didn’t seem like he simply said just that. Madam isn’t someone who would be persuaded by words like that either…
When Seo-won narrowed his eyes and looked at Do-gyeom suspiciously, Do-gyeom, noticing that gaze, smiled and glossed over the situation.
“I didn’t lie or threaten or anything like that.”
“…”
That’s not what I was looking at you for… Is there something he’s feeling guilty about?
Anyway, it was good for Seo-won too if it was resolved well. As Seo-won withdrew his suspicious gaze, Do-gyeom continued as if that wasn’t important.
“I’m sorry for suddenly bringing this up. I told Mother that you’re not thinking about marriage yet, but I think she’s taking it seriously since there’s Tteokbokki.”
“Oh, no. It’s natural for parents to think that way. We’re not a typical case either…”
Seo-won shook his head awkwardly, saying there was no need to apologize. If we had taken the normal steps like other people, it would be understandable, but our relationship got off on the wrong foot from the start. There was a reason why his parents and my mom took my relationship with Do-gyeom seriously.
But is it really true that they’re thinking positively and proposing a meeting? I’m worried that they might be leading the meeting to intentionally pour cold water on us, but Do-gyeom isn’t really insensitive in that regard, so it seems to be their true intention… It was confusing.
As he continued his complex thoughts, Do-gyeom leaned slightly on the table with his arms crossed and asked.
“So is next week okay for you? They said they’ll adjust to a time that works for you.”
“Me? I’m fine anytime, so I think it would be best to match your and Madam’s schedule…”
It’s not like I’m being picky in front of a chrysalis[1]. It felt a bit weird for me, who has the most free time, to set the schedule. Aren’t Do-gyeom and Madam much busier…?
I answered embarrassedly since I didn’t really have a schedule to speak of, but Seo-won suddenly felt something strange about Do-gyeom’s words. Huh? Come to think of it… With a doubtful feeling, Seo-won carefully asked Do-gyeom one question.
“But… when you say parents, is the chairman coming too?”
“Yeah.”
Wow…
As soon as he heard Do-gyeom’s answer, Seo-won slightly parted his lips like a dazed person.
Do-gyeom kept saying “parents”, but I had naturally only been thinking of Madam. It was also because I hadn’t faced the chairman much.
The chairman is coming… It was surprising and the burden doubled. It’s scary enough to see Madam, but the chairman is coming too. I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I was so scared that I really wanted to avoid it. The fact that I didn’t know the chairman’s personality at all seemed to play a part.
Recalling the stature I had seen before, he seemed much scarier than Madam… Fear was already overwhelming me. Feeling like my mouth was completely dry, I swallowed my saliva, and Do-gyeom spoke as if he understood Seo-won’s fear, also in a surprised tone.
“Actually, I didn’t know Mother would call, but I really didn’t expect Father to say he’s coming.”
“…What should we do?”
“What is there to do? Just act like you usually do. Are you trying to prepare something grand? Prepare a bribe?”
Do-gyeom asked with a light smile like a gentle breeze, as if asking what he was worried about. It was a reaction as if asking what kind of grand thing he was trying to prepare, like parents watching a child preparing for a school performance.
“Th-that’s not it… It’s just that I’ve never met the chairman face to face…”
“It’s okay. I haven’t talked to him much either.”
“…Is that a good reason?”
“To be honest, I’m not sure how Father will view it either. But well… I don’t think it’s a situation where he’ll say anything to me. I have a lot to say too.”
When Seo-won asked doubtfully, Do-gyeom answered properly as if it were a joke. But if the chairman opposes the relationship, he had a confident attitude as if he had a lot to refute.
It seems like he said it to tell me not to worry… But Seo-won became anxious in a different sense at his reaction.
“Hyung… We’re not going to fight, we’re going to introduce ourselves, did you forget that?”
“Yeah. We won’t fight. We shouldn’t fight in front of the baby.”
“…”
Do-gyeom answered brazenly as if asking when he had spoken with a fighting spirit.
No, you shouldn’t fight in front of the baby either… It was absurd and ridiculous how he answered as if it were common sense.
However, knowing that he wasn’t someone who would recklessly act without sense, Seo-won unknowingly let out a small laugh.
As the tense atmosphere loosened, Do-gyeom noticed that Seo-won’s tension had eased a bit and naturally returned to the topic they were discussing earlier.
“Then should we say next Saturday?”
“That’s fine with me.”
“Then I’ll let you know when the time and meeting place are set specifically.”
“Okay.”
Seo-won nodded his head. He was still afraid to face Madam and the chairman, but if he continued to see him and possibly… got married, it was something he had to face at least once.
These days, I often think that I want to marry Do-gyeom… Let’s go. I’m not facing them alone, and Do-gyeom will be with me.
Ever since I was young, the most amazing and cool person in my world was Do-gyeom, so it felt like I could overcome any storm if I was with him.
As Seo-won nodded his head with warm courage in his heart, Do-gyeom made a satisfied expression and took the first sip of his Americano.
Only then did Seo-won recall that he was so engrossed in the conversation that he had ordered coffee but hadn’t taken a single sip. It was such a regret that I couldn’t drink decaf coffee in the countryside because they didn’t have it, but now I had forgotten about the decaf latte right in front of me.
As he calmed his tense heart with the unique smooth taste of the latte, Do-gyeom opened his mouth as if he had belatedly remembered, putting the cup on the table.
“Right, Seo-won. Today, you know…”
“Yes?”
What is he trying to talk about all of a sudden? He looked more nervous than when he proposed meeting his parents, so I wondered if there was something else.
As Seo-won looked at him with slightly anxious eyes, Do-gyeom opened his mouth with a serious expression, but in a slightly shy voice.
“Will you give me a chance to make up for ruining our date yesterday?”
“…”
I wondered what he was trying to do by setting the mood… He was talking about the date like that. It wasn’t a strange thing to bring up, but it felt absurd and like he was teasing me.
I looked at him absurdly, thinking he was intentionally acting serious to tease me, but he seemed sincere. Is this more nerve-wracking than what he said earlier? Is he worried that I might refuse? I really don’t know his standards.
Whether it was intentional or not, it was annoying that he made me nervous for no reason, so Seo-won pretended to think for a bit and then opened his mouth.
“Hmm… after I finish this.”
“As much as you want. Should I order some cake too?”
When Seo-won gave permission, Do-gyeom became his usual confident self as if he had never shown a nervous attitude.
I said I had just eaten lunch, and that he didn’t need to eat, but Do-gyeom stubbornly ordered an additional slice of cake, and only after finishing that too could we leave the cafe.
[1] An expression meaning being picky about something trivial or insignificant.