2. Blood in the Cup

ch XIII.

As Wooyoung sat quietly at the table, the rest of the family gradually arrived. The door opened, and a middle-aged woman entered, dressed elegantly as if she were preparing for an important meeting. Right behind her was a younger man who bore a striking resemblance to San but had harsher features and a slightly intimidating presence. The whole situation only heightened Wooyoung's anxiety.

San's family gathered around the table, and dinner preparations began. The older woman, whom Wooyoung assumed was San's mother, paused for a moment, giving him a once-over before silently taking her seat. The man Wooyoung had noticed earlier also sat down, but his gaze remained fixed on Wooyoung.

As the dishes began to be placed on the table, Wooyoung felt increasingly uncomfortable. The man continued to stare at him, as if something about Wooyoung deeply intrigued him. It wasn't aggressive or hostile, but his eyes never left Wooyoung's face, and the attention became more and more oppressive.

Wooyoung glanced at him discreetly, but the stranger kept staring. At one point, Wooyoung felt so uneasy that he tried to look away, but no matter where he turned, he could feel the weight of that gaze.

San noticed Wooyoung's discomfort and gently squeezed his hand under the table, trying to reassure him. "Don't worry, he's just curious," San whispered softly, but it did little to ease Wooyoung's anxiety.

Finally, the man who had been watching him broke the silence. "Are you the one who's become so important in San's life?" he asked, raising one eyebrow slightly. His voice was deep and sharp, as if he were weighing every word Wooyoung might say.

Wooyoung's throat went dry, but before he could respond, San intervened. "Yes, he is, but I don't think now is the time for interrogation, Donghae."

The man, Donghae, smiled, but his gaze remained on Wooyoung. "I'm just interested. I want to know who has captured my nephew's heart."

As dinner continued, Donghae kept his focus on Wooyoung, bombarding him with questions. At first, they were harmless: "What do you do for work?" "How long have you known San?" But as the conversation progressed, the questions became more personal and invasive.

San tried to shield Wooyoung from the excessive scrutiny, frequently answering Donghae's questions himself. "Wooyoung doesn't like to talk much about himself. It's better if he shares honestly about me and the things we enjoy doing together," San said, trying to diffuse the tension.

San's father, whose frustration was growing, became increasingly impatient with the situation. He gripped the knife on the table tightly, and as the conversation grew louder and more tense, he suddenly slammed the knife into the table to grab everyone's attention.

"And does this Wooyoung not have a tongue to speak?" his father asked, his voice sharp and irritated. "If something's wrong with it, I can cut it out for him so he won't have to speak at all." The last sentence was almost threatening, and the entire atmosphere around the family table suddenly became palpably tense.

Wooyoung stared in fear at the knife embedded in the table and gripped San's hand tightly, trying to calm himself. He felt his hand growing clammy with cold sweat, and a trembling began to take over his body. His eyes filled with tears, and his anxiety started to overwhelm him.

San reacted quickly, trying to manage the situation. "Father, please, don't be like this. Wooyoung is just a bit shy. Not everyone opens up easily at a family gathering," San tried to soothe his father's anger while also calming Wooyoung.

"Don't worry, Wooyoung. Everything will be fine," San whispered, trying to hide his own tension. His grip relaxed as he attempted to comfort Wooyoung while maintaining order at the family dinner. However, his father did not seem appeased yet, and the atmosphere remained tense.

The room grew more and more charged after the loud thud of the knife, but San's father's stern expression gradually softened. San tried to keep the situation under control, and the other family members also sensed the tension, quickly attempting to steer the conversation away from conflict.

Wooyoung remained anxious, his hands still tightly entwined with San's. San's father, whose gaze had previously been stormy, now rested for a moment, turning his attention toward San.

"Alright," San's father finally said, but his voice had softened. "I know this isn't easy. Tell me more about yourself, Wooyoung. I'm interested in what you like to do."

Wooyoung, still trembling from the stress, tried to respond. "I like to paint," he said quietly. "Mostly landscapes, which help me forget everyday problems."

San's father listened with interest. "Really? I used to enjoy painting when I was younger. What style do you paint in?"

As Wooyoung explained his painting style and some of his favorite themes, the conversation slowly began to shift to a more personal and calmer direction. San's father's interest gradually grew, and he eventually asked, "Where are you from? What kind of environment did you grow up in?"

Throughout the conversation, Wooyoung gradually regained his composure and began to notice San's father's genuine interest. It turned out they had a lot in common, such as a shared passion for art, which helped bridge the initial tension.

San's father slowly warmed up to Wooyoung, and for the remainder of the dinner, he engaged in pleasant conversation with him on various topics. The atmosphere around the table also changed, with the earlier tension gradually dissolving.

As the dinner drew to a close, San's father thanked Wooyoung for coming and remarked, "I'm glad to have met you. We had some really interesting conversations."

Wooyoung, who was beginning to feel more at ease with the situation, smiled gratefully and sincerely thanked them for their hospitality. As the evening finally wound down, the atmosphere grew increasingly relaxed, and Wooyoung, who had started the dinner filled with anxiety, left feeling that he had finally managed to fit in with San's family.