SARANG 사랑 | EOY After Story ✓

25

THE MEETING WITH HA-RU'S PARENTS CAME A LOT SOONER THAN SHE HAD ANTICIPATED.

When the car stops in front of the gate, her muscles all but remain immobile- paralyzed in their place with pure dread. The knot in her stomach doesn't seem inclined to go away, even before she looks out to see the large house outside when it grows tenfold. It is white and erect, with tall pillars and a palisade on the side that looks like it has been picked straight out of a movie. Which, for all she knows, might exactly be the case right now.

She has to constantly remind herself that this was just a scene; that she was just meeting his parents on the Stage and would have to act according to the Writer's wishes.

But then why does it feel so real? Why is she so nervous right now?

The dress she had chosen deliberately for the event suddenly strikes her as inadequate. The bouquet seems repellent, if not ugly. When her father begins to unlock his side of the door, she all but shrieks out, "Wait!"

Her father passes her a surprised glance before worry overcomes his features. "What's wrong, kiddo?"

She stares, pursing her lips. "No, everything's fine." She looks down at her arms, wrapped around the flowers and the blueberry cheesecake she had baked herself, just for the occasion. It was his mother's favorite, she knew. She made it especially for her, but now it just looks silly sitting on her lap; making her feel like a schoolgirl offering her teacher an apple to get her approval. Silly and immature.

She can't possibly act like this now. The Eun Dan-oh of the Stage was strong and confident. Then how could she be possibly considering making a run for it right now?

"Let's go, Dan-oh. We're late already," her father calls, already halfway through opening the door and climbing out. He doesn't seem to notice her agitation, and the impatience lacing his voice makes her huff out a breath as she exits the car.

The smile she offers him doesn't betray her anxiety. Together they walk towards the door. She can smell the sweet scent of flowers lingering around them, almost saturating the air with it. From one of the thousand conversations she had with her father regarding the family, she particularly remembers the snippet where he mentioned that Mrs. Kim was particularly fond of flowers. The fact had made her think back to her mother, but her oblivious self on the Stage couldn't attach any importance to this fact.

But the walk to the door is too short, and her thoughts waver as her father presses the doorbell. She has no idea what to expect going into this family dinner. Ha-ru's foster family isn't anything like Baek Kyung's. His parents are nice and pleasant, and they aren't forcing him to do something against his will. They're not going in there to strike a business deal of any sort either. And not to forget the most important fact that simply undermines all the rest: she likes this guy and isn't playing pretense.

So any blunder on her part is inexcusable. And unforgivable. She just can't mess up tonight.

The door is pulled open to reveal the face of Mrs. Kim. She beams at the two of them- stretching the lines that corner her almond-shaped eyes. Her husband appears close to her, and then there is Ha-ru, flashing her the widest grin possible from behind his parents.

"You're finally here!" Mrs. Kim gushes, embracing her as though they were long-lost friends. Her husband shakes her father's hand before pulling embracing him as well. The affection is a pleasant change, she cannot help but feel as she hears her father laugh about something Ha-ru's dad had said in his ear.

His smile remains unfazed as he steps forward even before she was out of his mother's grasp. He leans down, his eyes gleaming under the amber light and she freezes. He can't possibly be thinking about kissing her right now, not in front of both of their parents. That would be crazy.