My Best Friend's Brother

Meet The Family (Part 2)

The 3 made it back downstairs and took the empty seats at the table.

Alice held her hands out to Henry and Yeji. "Felix, we say grace before dinner. Hyunjin has opted not to but would you like to join?"

Hyunjin took Felix's hand under the table and squeezed it. "It's up to you, whatever you want I'm here."

"Uhm. I don't follow Christianity but I don't mind saying thanks." He grabbed Yeji's hand and Hyunjin grabbed Henry's  who looked at him with surprise.

"Thank you lord for this food and our health. Thank you for Hyunjin and Felix's presence at this table and the time we spend as a family. Amen." Yeji spoke sweetly, sending a smile toward Hyunjin and Felix.

Alice and Henry chanted Amen before disconnecting their hands and serving the food on everyone's plate.

Yeji coughed and nudged her mom in the arm, signaling her eyes in the couple's direction.

"Right.. Hyunjin, Felix, I should give you an apology. I didn't want to give the impression that I don't acknowledge your relationship. I respect your decision to love eachother despite my personal beliefs." She smiled. Yeji sighed and dropped her head.

Hyunjin squeezed Felix's hand under the table, although the younger knew it was more to keep himself grounded. Yeji spoke up before Hyunjin could open his mouth.

"Mom, it's not a decision. Love is love."

"I'm sorry sweety, I didn't mean it that way. You just told us he was bisexual, so he chose to be with Felix instead of a girl."

Yeji glared at her and Hyunjin pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alice, again, with all due respect. I didn't choose to fall in love with Felix any more than you chose to fall in love with my married father. I'm not trying to drag the past into this but I'm not going to sit here and listen to you tell not only myself, but the person I love, that you will be accepting despite your moral stance against it. Do not do us any favors, please. We'll leave if we are not fully welcome." He squeezed Felix's hand a couple of times. The younger started to massage Hyunjin's hand to help calm him down.

"You're fully welcome here. Both of you." This time Henry was the one that spoke.

Hyunjin looked at Henry and then at Alice. "Are we? Whatever the answer is will be the end of this conversation."

She looked back at him with shame written on her features. "Yes. Of course you are. I'm sorry... really."

Hyunjin's look remained cold but he nodded his head and turned his attention back to his food. Felix leaned into his shoulder and left a chaste kiss on it, whispering "I'm proud of you." Softly before sitting back up and also focusing back on his food.

"So Felix and Jinnie.. do both of you know the story of the Wizard of Oz?" Yeji asked in a cheerful voice, something Hyunjin was secretly very thankful for.

"I've heard of it but I've never actually seen the play or the movies." Felix responded, giving Hyunjin a little squeeze under the table to let him know that he will handle it.

Yejis face lit up and she started running through the entire story and the play excitedly, slowly lifting the awkward tension that lingered from minutes earlier.

When they were done, Felix helped everyone clean the table despite reluctance from Alice to let a guest do anything. She had discovered that trying to argue over kind acts with the boy was futile.

"Let's go for a walk. There's a place I want to show you." Hyunjin held out his hand for Felix to grab when he returned from the kitchen. The younger nodded and laced their fingers together, following his boyfriend outside.