Even If You Beg

Chapter 6

Third Person POV

Can let himself in through their gate with a duplicate key that his mom had given him. He noticed that his father's car was already in the garage. Can braced himself for his father's interrogation on why he wasn't home by the time his father got back from work, where he had been, etc. etc. Can really didn't like how his father was so controlling. He had become even more so ever since he took on the new position of Chief Financial Officer of the multinational corporation where he worked.

Surprisingly, when he stepped inside the house, his father seemed to be in a good mood.

"Hey, how is my only son doing?" he asked Can, patting him on the shoulder.

Something seemed off to Can.

"Alright, I guess," he answered with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Well, be sure not to go out with your friends tomorrow evening," said his dad.

"What is tomorrow?" asked Can, a little warily.

"Tomorrow is Saturday," said his dad, "the big boss of my company has invited us for dinner at his house. We have to be there at seven in the evening, on the dot. He is a very punctual person and expects everyone else to be the same."

"I'm not sure that I wanna go," said Can, pouting at his dad. "Why can't mom and Lay just go with you?"

"They are going as well, but the big boss wants to meet you in particular. He seems to be very curious about you. He asked me how old you are and when I told him, he got all excited because he said he has a son your age and he wants you to meet his son," his dad explained patiently.

"What if we don't get along?" Can was really unhappy about the idea of having dinner at his father's boss' house.

"You have to find a way to get along," Can's father was starting to sound impatient. "I will insist that you join me and my boss and his family for dinner. I do not want to disappoint him."

"Alright," Can acceded to his father, not wanting him to lose his temper or spoil his good mood. It was very rare that his father came home from work in a good mood.

Can went upstairs to shower in the bathroom adjoining his bedroom. He needed to wash off the day's sweat and change into fresh comfortable house clothes.

He was barely back in his bedroom when he heard his phone ringing. The ringtone let him know that it was Ae calling.

He took the call with the hope that Ae would not scold him for leaving the lunch get together so abruptly. But it was not his fault, Can told himself. Ae had not warned him early enough that Tin was going to join their get together.

"What's up, Ae," Can said on the phone.

"Can, I was just wondering if it would be okay with you if I gave Tin your phone number," said Ae.

"Why would you do that?" asked Can, already sounding upset.

"He's been asking for it. I think he wants to ask you something about a fish???" Ae sounded curious but did not really want to probe in case Can would sound even more upset.

"Tell him he can shove it up his," said Can and was getting ready to say bye to Ae.

"Can!" Ae protested, "can't you give him a little leeway?"

"I don't want to have anything to do with him, okay?" said Can. "He is not one of us, Ae. He belongs to a different circle. If you want to be friends with him and Pete, I have no problem with that. Just don't drag me into their circle."

Can heard an audible sigh from Ae on the other end.

"If you say so," said Ae in a resigned tone but Ae was not yet ready to give up on Can. For some reason, Ae knew that Tin was worth Can's friendship just as Pete was worth his. Tin was just altogether a different ballgame from Pete but deep inside he was just as fluffy as Pete was. Ae was hundred percent sure of that.