Hiraeth ; Meteor Garden 2018

Chapter 22

Shuijing

Lunch dragged on for an excruciating period of time and all I wanted was just a text from any of the boys so that I wouldn't have to make up an excuse for leaving.

"So Jongin, do you have a girlfriend of some sort?" Mom asked Jongin which made him laugh.

"I'm afraid not ma'am. I'm really busy and I guess I just haven't found the right girl yet." He shyly answered and I felt his eyes land on me. I quickly looked away and continued to eat my pasta.

"My my. Our Shuijing either. She's never had one in fact! And please, call me Auntie, Jongin! Don't be shy!" Mom joked which made me blush in embarrassment. Jongin's eyebrows quirked in amusement.

"Mom.." I pleaded with my eyes and she pinched my cheek.

"No boyfriend? Hm. I would've guessed one of those boys was your boyfriend." Jongin said as he smirked at me. Okay, this guy is starting to annoy me a little.

"Boys? What boys Shuijing?" Dad sternly asked.

"Oh, you must mean the F4!" Mom said and I nodded.

"Yeah. He saw them when we dropped off Ah Si and Zhuang jie at the airport." I added and Dad nodded. I then turned to Jongin.

"And to answer your question, none of them are my boyfriends. My sister and I have been friends with them since we were kids. They're like family to me." I answered and Jongin smiled.

"Really? Not even that guy you did a commercial with? He seems rather protective of you." He asked and I nodded in understanding.

"Meizuo's not my boyfriend. He's my best friend and the closest to me out of the four of them." I explained with a smile. I felt quite guilty for thinking bad of him, he seemed like he wanted to sincerely get to know me.

"I'm going to take a little walk. Would you like to join me Shuijing? If it's alright with you, Mr. and Mrs. Tengtang." He asked and sought approval from my parents. Dad nodded and Mom gave him a smile. I stood up as Jongin offered his hand for me to take as we walked out of the restaurant.

After we headed out, Jongin led me to a bench a little farther away from the restaurant. I sat down and he sighed in contentment.

"Okay, now that we're away from our respective parents can we please talk like normal people. I feel like I was gonna die from embarrassment in there." he cried out and I laughed.

"So Jongin, you do know what our parents are trying to do right?" I asked and he nodded knowingly.

"They're trying to set us up in hopes of us dating and eventually getting married." He answered and I sighed. He was right. My mom was SO obvious throughout the whole lunch.

"But hey. Shuijing, I'm not on board with this idea. But it has nothing to do with you. It's just that I don't have plans on getting married so soon." He confessed and I nodded in understanding.

"Me either. Don't worry I understand." I said as he continued.

"My parents don't want me to get married either. Shuijing, I hope you won't be offended but your parents are the ones who planned this. They begged my parents to let me meet you. They seem like nice people but I think there's something else that they want from my parents." He said and I nodded.

"I understand Jongin. I guess this is my parents' last resort to make me into the perfect daughter and isolate me from their lives. They want me to marry you. Just like what they're doing to Jie." I said and he patted my back.

"I'm sorry Shuijing." He comforted and I gave him a smile.

"Don't be." I reassured him.

"So that guy... He's really not your boyfriend?" He asked.