Author
Taehyung and Yiseo arrived at the restaurant at exactly 1 PM, just as what Jimin had ordered them to come. The reason why they had to come at that exact time was because they planned the lunch to be a surprise birthday party.
"SURPRISEEEE!!" everyone yelled out as soon as Yiseo entered the restaurant, causing the birthday girl to smile brightly and jump in joy. "Happy birthday, dear Kim Yiseo!"
Yiseo thought the lunch was only for her and other people like her dad, Jimin, Mijoo, etc, but when her eyes scanned the whole room, she found a lot more people had come to the party, such as Namgyu, Soyeon, Jaewoo, Mingyu, and literally the whole gang aka her dad's old group, BTS.
"Happy sweet 17, Yiseo dear," Namjoon congratulated, which made Yiseo squeal because they rarely met as Namjoon lived far away from all of them.
"Aw, you guys," she said. "You don't have to do this."
"Of course we have to!" Jimin exclaimed. "You're our sweet girl, so of course a birthday party is mandatory!"
Yiseo thanked and hugged those people one by one as she felt really happy with what they had prepare for her. Taehyung stood in the back while looking at her daughter with such fondness. He couldn't believe the little, lovely baby he raised on his own had turned 17.
Jimin and Mijoo purposely chose a smaller spot to hold the party so that they could reserve it the whole place in private. Taehyung was also involved in the planning, but his role was heavily focused on keeping Yiseo clueless.
She knew that, that's why she smiled at her dad and hugged him. "Thanks, dad."
"Anytime for you," he said before turning to the big crowd. "Alright, everyone, let's feast!!!"
The waiters and waitresses started to show up with food and drink. Since Yiseo and her friends were still underage, they were served with glasses of juice, while the parents were served glasses of alcohol such as champagne and wine.
There were singing, dancing, laughing, screaming, drinking, and many other things that happened during the party, all of which made Yiseo feel warm inside as everyone there were the only big family she had.
Everything went so spectacularly well until Yoongi asked her, "So, Yiseo, have you submitted your application to Harvard?"
Both Yiseo and Taehyung went quiet when Yoongi asked that.
"You probably have, right?" Soyeon said. "I've submitted mine to Stanford a few days ago, phew, it was rough."
Yiseo could only laugh awkwardly. "No, I haven't."
Her response made people turn to her and raise any kind of questions.
"What? You haven't?"
"You're applying for early decision, right?"
"Wait, are you applying for regular decision instead?"
"You're still going to Harvard, right?"
"Are you changing your mind?"
Yiseo massaged her temples when people started to ask her questions that she didn't want to answer.
"Guys, slow down with the questions," Taehyung said as he decided to speak up. "Chill out, Yiseo's still applying to Harvard."
Hearing him say that made Yiseo pissed. "What if I'm changing my mind?"
Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well, clearly you're only using me going to Harvard for your pride," she said, which caused her dad to be offended.
"Excuse me, you're the one who has been dreaming to go there since you were 12. I didn't force you to do all the hard work you have done all these years," he said, "and once again I'm asking what do you mean by changing your mind?"
"Well, if you're not forcing me to go there, then you will allow me to not go there, am I correct?"
Taehyung frowned. "No, no. Since you were the one who told me that you wanted to go there so bad, I've already paid thousands of dollar for you to study at one of the most prestigious international schools in Seoul ," he said. "There's no way I'm letting you back down now."
"Why are you changing your mind, Yiseo?" Jimin asked.
"Is it because Namgyu asked you to stay?" Soyeon also asked, causing Taehyung to furrow his eyebrows toward the man sitting next to her daughter.
"You BEGGED my daughter to stay?!" he asked furiously, which made the whole lunch party awkward since no one dared to say anything to an angry Kim Taehyung.
"M-Mr. Kim, n-no. That wasn't what I meant."
"Dad, don't be so dramatic," Yiseo said, "and I'm not saying that it's a sure thing that I'm changing my mind. I would just like the option not to go there."
"No," he said firmly. "After this we will go straight home and you will continue working on your application until it is finished, then you will apply for early decision."
"You can't make me!"
"For 17 years, I have never ever made you do things that you didn't want to do," he said, "but this time I will because I won't let you make a decision based on a guy that you barely know!"
Yiseo scoffed, which caused the entire table to be surprised. They had never seen she talk back to her dad and neither seeing Taehyung becoming uncompromising to his kid like that.
"Have you ever thought that maybe this is what I want? That perhaps I'm making a decision based on my own desire?"
"No, I don't believe that," he said. "Up until you met with Namgyu, all you have ever wanted is to receive a pre-med degree from Harvard and to eventually graduate from Harvard medical school. Are you seriously telling me that this is not because a boy?!"
There was a moment of silence before Yiseo exhaled harshly and got up from her chair. "I'm outta here," she said while grabbing her jacket and making her way to the door.
Taehyung could only heave a sigh and sat back on his chair while Namgyu, Soyeon, and Jaewoo followed Yiseo exiting the restaurant. Everyone else continued eating their meal without saying anything.
Jimin who sat next to Taehyung patted his back. "We were literally this close to make up after the whole me and Kaori issue. Now we're fighting again."
"She'll come back," Jimin said.
Taehyung sighed once again. He could only hope this didn't ruin his relationship with his daughter even worse.
