courage dear heart | Yuki Ishikawa

60

As we drove through the city, the atmosphere in the car was warm and comfortable, with just the two of us enjoying the moment. Suddenly, my phone buzzed, breaking the tranquil silence. It was my father calling.

I glanced at Yuki, who looked over with a curious expression as I answered the call. "Hi, Dad,"

"Where are you, Nabi?" he asked, his tone casual but I could sense the underlying interest.

"I'm in the car with Yuki," I replied, feeling a bit nervous to mention him.

There was a brief pause on the other end before he continued, "Oh, really? Is he driving?"

"Yeah," I confirmed, glancing at Yuki, who raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly, probably curious about what my father would say next.

"Perfect! I'd like to take you both out for lunch. I want to get to know him a little better." His tone was warm.

"Okay, Dad. Where should we go?" I asked, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension.

He quickly provided an address, instructing us to head directly there. "It's a nice little restaurant not far from where you are. I'll meet you there in about twenty minutes."

I ended the call and looked at Yuki, who seemed intrigued. "My dad wants to meet you for lunch," I said, a little nervous about how he would react.

He grinned, looking pleased but also a bit shy. "Really? I'm up for that. It'll be nice to meet him."

I felt a flutter of nerves in my stomach, wondering what my father would think of Yuki. But the way Yuki was smiling made me feel a bit more at ease.

We parked in front of the restaurant, and Yuki quickly got out and came around to open the door for me. As he helped me out, he took my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze that made me smile.

"Ready for this?" he asked, looking down at me with a mix of excitement and nervousness.

I nodded, though I felt a slight flutter in my stomach.

Since my father was running a bit late, Yuki suggested we get something small for him. "Let me grab a little treat for your dad," he said, and I smiled, appreciating his thoughtfulness.

As we walked into the restaurant, I couldn't help but feel slightly underdressed. My father always chose the most luxurious places, and today was no exception. I silently cursed myself for not changing into something nicer than my jeans and cardigan.

Once inside, the ambiance was elegant with soft lighting. We were greeted by a waitress, who led us to a beautiful table near the window where my father and Hanbin, were already seated.

As we approached, I could see my father looking sharp in his business attire, and Hanbin sat beside him, casually dressed but still looking put-together. They both looked up as we arrived, and my father's face broke into a warm smile.

I hugged my father, who had stood up. "Hi, Dad."
I nodded to Hanbin. "Hi, Hanbin-oppa."

I took a step back and took Yuki's hand. "Dad, this is Ishikawa Yuki, my boyfriend."

OMG, he is my boyfriend!!!

I saw my father and Hanbin lower their gaze to our hands and then look at us.

Then my father cleared his throat, stepping closer to us and extending his hand to Yuki. "It's nice to finally meet you, Ishikawa Yuki, the man who wants to take my beloved Nabi away from me."

"Dad!" I quietly scolded him.

Yuki took his hand with both of his hands and bowed slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. Thank you for having me."