“Ma? Appa? I’m home!” Tessa called as she walked into their home. It was majestic for sure. A sprawling mansion befitting a CEO.
Despite that, her stepfather Han JaeBeom, was one of the most down-to-earth and patient people on the planet.
“Day! Diri, day. Nangaon mi ni papa nimo.” (We’re over here. Your dad and I are eating.) Tessa’s mom, Michelle, called from the dining room.
The entire family was at least trilingual, seamlessly moving from Korean to Bisaya to English in their conversations.
Sometimes, they would use Tagalog. But for some strange reason, English was the most common language that the family used to interact with each other.
Tessa turned to the right, in the direction of the dining room. She bowed to her parents and proceeded to kiss her mom on the cheek.
“Maayong gabie, day!” (Good evening!) Michelle greeted her daughter. “Ali, mangaon ta.” (Come, let’s eat!)
“Evening, ma!” Tessa greeted back as she kissed her stepfather on the cheek as well. “Joeun jeonyeokieyo, Appa! (Good evening, dad!)”
“Welcome home! Did you just come from the company?” He asked Tessa.
“De, Appa.” (Yes, Dad). “Kuya Hwan was there, too. He left with Hoshi-oppa to go get drinks. Kuya Hyun is meeting them at the club.”
“Hoshi… From Seventeen?” JaeBeom clarified.
“De, Appa.”
JaeBeom nodded. “I see.”
“Those two have known each other for quite some time now, if I remember correctly.” Michelle supplied.
Tessa scooped some bulgogi onto her bowl. “It’s the first time I met him, though.”
“Jinjja” (Really?) JaeBeom exclaimed.
A giggle escaped Tessa’s lips. “De, Appa.”
“How is that possible?” JaeBeom's brow furrowed. “You’ve been going to those practice rooms since you first arrived in Seoul.”
“Oh, honey.” Michelle playfully pointed a chopstick at her husband. “You know how shy Tessa is around new people. Besides, her brothers never allow any male near her except maybe the trainees because they are younger and must treat her with respect. And maybe a few of the staffers too.”
JaeBeom nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right, dear. Those two are even more protective of her than we are. But still, I would think you’d have been able to meet an idol or two by now.”
Tessa shook her head, “Aniyo, Appa.” (No, Dad.)
“Do you want to?” JaeBeom pressed. “I can arrange a meeting for you if there’s someone you really want to get to know. Do you want to have some alone time with Soonyoung? We won’t tell your brothers.” JaeBeom turned to look at the butler who was standing by while the family was having dinner. He nodded his ascent.
Michelle almost choked on her samgyeopsal.
Tessa just laughed. “You’re the sweetest, Appa. But no, I am good. Both Kuya Hwan and Kuya Hyun would skin me alive for even considering this.”
“So, you do have someone you want to meet?”
Michelle looked at her daughter. “You are twenty-three now, Tessa. (International age). Surely, you’ve found a couple of them interesting?”
“I mean… Appa definitely has a knack for choosing well-rounders, that includes visuals. And I appreciate them, I really do.” Tessa placed her left hand over her mom’s hand. Looking at her stepfather, she continued. “But really, I just go to the company to dance. Maybe someday, with my dance major, I can contribute to the company by being a lead choreographer.”
“Tessa don’t discount yourself. You’re a double major in Business and Dance. You already serve on the BOD as a Managing Director and an active one at that.” JaeBeom reminded her. “Granted, your brothers are more visible at meetings, but I see you putting in the work too.”
“I like doing both, Appa. I like being able to influence the company’s direction by brainstorming with you and my brothers but being at the forefront of it? It makes me feel alive.” Ever since Tessa had graduated, she had taken to assisting the lead choreographers with training the trainees. Sometimes she also helped with the auditions.
“Is that how you really feel, Tessa?” JaeBeom gave his stepdaughter a loving look. “You shouldn’t be afraid to talk to other people, brothers or no brothers.”
“It really is, Appa. I promise.”
JaeBeom nodded. “I really don’t know how to spoil our daughter, dear. She wants nothing more in life than to dance. I can’t even spoil her with clothes, jewelry and these other baubles that girls her age like so much. You raised her well.”
Michelle paused from her chewing to give her husband a sincere smile. “WE raised her well, honey. WE. And by We, I mean you me and the twins.”
Tessa looked from her mother to her stepfather. Nineteen years together and they were still very pleasant to each other. She recalled how when she was four years old, her mother met her now-stepfather by chance when he was on vacation in Cebu with his two sons.
Michelle had confessed that the way she saw JaeBeom treat his twins had melted her heart. After about a year of dating, Tessa’s stepfather put a ring on it. Tessa and her mom relocated to Seoul and she had been living here ever since.
Tessa’s adoption process went as smoothly as they could hope. She enjoyed the same legal privileges as her stepbrothers and this was something she felt grateful for yet unworthy of.
“Appa, you’ve already given me everything I could ever need. A trust fund, a roof over my head, meals for days, a loving family, an education, a passion for music and dance. I couldn’t be happier. There’s really nothing more I want. Except maybe to continue living this life with you all.”
JaeBeom raised an eyebrow. “Even if your brothers never allow you to speak to any male? You’d still choose this life?”
“They come from a place of love, Appa. As they always have. I promise I’m not affected by it at all.”
The twins’ mother had passed away after giving birth to them and Michelle was really the only mother they ever knew. They had taken to her immediately, grateful for that motherly presence in their lives. Michelle, for her part, tread the line carefully as she never wanted the twins to forget their birth mother.
As for Tessa, she had grown up under the watchful eye of the twins, who were four years older than her.
The blended family had, for lack of a better word, blended organically into one cohesive family unit.
Michelle sipped her iced tea. “But you will let your dad and I know if it gets to be overwhelming, right?”
“I promise, ma.”
JaeBeom leaned against his seat, apparently satisfied. “When the right man comes, you let me know and I will deal with your brothers for you okay, pumpkin?”
Tessa snickered at the nickname. Only her stepfather ever called her that. “You got it, Appa. Saranghaeyo.” (I love you.)
After dinner, Tessa got ready for bed.
Once done with her shower and nightly skincare routine, she crawled into her king-sized bed. She reached for her phone from the nightstand and opened the recording that she made of HIT. She intended to review her routine and see what other parts needed improvement.
Without realizing it, she had fallen asleep.
