In The Dark

Chapter 29

Ren

It's been three days since Zach asked me if I wanted to adopt. I was...surprised when he asked. I wasn't ready for kids. I had enough whenever Byung-chul came over. Especially when he was a couple of years younger. Talk about a nuisance. What made Zach think I was ready to start a family with him? He still hasn't even popped the question yet. Even then, I wouldn't be willing to marry him just yet.

The girls at work were ecstatic when I told them about the deal I made with my parents. Appa sent in six hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars and I used that money to buy a new building in Nevada. Then, I realized I wouldn't be able to make it to the family dinner. I had planned to leave for Nevada in a week and the dinner was the week after. That's why I was stuck at the house now. Eomma had forced me to come, so she could ambush me about my plans.

"You know, we could always just stay home," I suggested and looked over to Byung-chul. He was busy tugging at his tie. "Byung-chul doesn't want to go. He'd rather stay too."

"Yeah," he agreed. "I'd rather stay here and eat how I want."

I smirked and looked back at eomma. Appa was beside her with his arms crossed. What? I knew he didn't want to go to dinner either. No one did. Mom always tried to get us to go to Jin's restaurant. I went too much, so going three times in one week was enough for me. Byung-chul couldn't care less. He had takeout from there whenever he spent the night with me.

"No. We're all going tonight. I wanted to tell you guys something. Or...your father wants to tell you something," Eomma said and looked at appa who only blinked at us.

"We could stay home and he could tell us here."

"No."

"Appa."

Byung-chul and I looked at him expectantly.

"...The limo's here," he said and turned away from us.

Ugh! Why couldn't we just stay home? I didn't want to go out tonight. I should have just told them Sunday and we wouldn't be having this problem. Eomma would be forced to cook or she'd break the tradition. It's too late now. Our driver wouldn't willingly leave after coming to the house for nothing.

We walked into the restaurant and were immediately greeted by the waiters. One look at us and we were shown to the back room we always used. It was weird, because Zach and I always went to aggravate the cooks first. Always trying to get them to cook anything we wanted. I don't think my face was actually liked right now.

Eomma immediately asked for Jin and I wondered what she was trying to do. Appa shifted in his seat and looked like he was about to vomit. I looked at Byung-chul. He only shrugged and put his elbows on the table. Eomma scolded him. I laughed and he kicked me under the table.

"You called for me, eomma," Jin said as he got to the table. Eomma blushed at this and motioned with her head to appa. "Appa?"

My eyes widened at the small question. Did he just do what I think he did? I hope it was just something he got used to saying and not for real. We were going to fight. Appa my behind. I'll sock it to him.

"It's exactly what you're thinking," Appa said, answering my thoughts. "...Jin is your half-brother. His mother was my ex-girlfriend from a long time ago."

"Why am I just finding out about this now?" I demanded. "Did you know about this?" I turned to Byung-chul.

"...Yeah. I thought you already knew," he said. "You were hanging out with him a lot, so..."

Wow. I was so blind to all of this. The times I called him oppa and he nodded in approval. He thought I knew. Either that or he just thought it was cute. Zach used to get jealous because of that. Now, I really had a reason to say he didn't need to get mad about it.