Weekend is that time of the week where one can finally liberate.
For one it could mean the world
"Hurry up hurry up. I can't wait to get home" Youngjae was shouting loudly while picking up the bags as fast as possible
"Just don't leave me. I coming" In-ha practically swinged out of the door.
On the other hand it could be more disturbing than your worst nightmare
"We can do this" Yugyeom said supportively as they both sat in the car.
Hei takes a deep breath and nods her head as she slowly gets out of the car and walks with Yugyeom to the front door. She watched him anxiously as he knocks on the door.
Within seconds, the door is pulled open, followed by a shriek. Hei stood by the door with Yugyeom, a wide grin on their mother's face. She rushed over hugging Hei and Yugyeom at the same time
"I thought you won't come" she says
"Don't be silly mom" Yugyeom said playfully despite dreading the dinner
"Oh great, I'm starving!" he states gratefully while sitting next to Hei, who was gawking at the food.
"I made your favourite" her mother said while looking at her kids
"How is everything thing going?" their father asked
"it's absolutely amazing" Yugyeom said enthusiastically, telling him everything that happened until now
"It's nice" Hei added her mind immediately drifting to Jb making her smile a little brighter
He smiled at them proudly
"Kids grow up so fast" he says while looking at his wife who nods in response
"By the way you know Mr. Park's son just came back yesterday and the first thing he asked me was about you. Can you believe it? He remembers you."
There she said what Hei was dreading to hear.
Five minutes into the dinner and the never ending conversation had finally begun.
Her mother always thought of herself as the magical matchmaker and her only experiment was her daughter. She would do anything to see her daughter with her ideal Prince charming.
"You should meet him. You'll have beautiful kids. You'll be such a good wife" her mother said dreamily
Every single night they talk to her, they would find a way to make her believe that marriage is the best she could do.
Now to be honest, Hei was a little buzzed- she drank her wine to calm her nerves.
You don't have to snap, it'll ruin the almost perfect family night
"So what do you think hun? Should i call him tomorrow?" her mother threw question after question at her
Yugyeom looked at her sympathetically, she looked anywhere but at her mother, however the more she thought about it, the more clammy her hands got and the more she wanted to drink.
"You're drinking way too much" this time her father complained
"This isn't ladylike Hei. What wil he think of you? Do you want him to see you as rich brat with drinking problem." her Mom said in a cold voice. She could feel the anger running through her body as her mother said those words.
She gets up from her chair which falls on the floor, making everyone gasp in surprise.
"Hei, please, please Hei don't." Yugyeom tries to convince her but it's too late.
"No, I don't care anymore. You know what? I didn't come here for this, you don't have to force me into anything and everything you desire and at least try to respect me as much as I respect you, even after everything you do." she angrily wipes her tears
"I'm your daughter, at least treat me like one" she stomps towards her bedroom
"This is why we can't eat like a normal family" he sarcastically says while following Hei
He knocks on her door before opening it
"Hey" he softly says while making his way towards her
He places his hand on her hair gently "Don't cry"
She looks at him. "I just don't want to fight everytime i come here but everytime they stoop so low"
Yugyeom hugged Hei, "i know"
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The Choi's were anything but normal. Not even their laugh was normal
"And then i said I'll kick you off" Mrs. Choi said with a scowl but the only sound that could be heard was of Youngjae's laughter
In-ha placed water in front of him if he decided to choke on his food with the amount of attention he was giving the jokes.
"Hun, i heard about that guy you were dating" this time her father said with a sad smile and clenched fists
In-ha glared at Youngjae who shrugged apologetically
"Dad you don't have to pretend to forget his name." his father placed his hand on his head pretending to think hard making her pout
"I told him not to think too much, he was too much of a mother to others to be a normal boyfriend" Youngjae laughed again
"Omma" he said while gasping for air hitting In-ha in the process
"Yes that's what i meant" she said while swinging her wine.
"Omma" his laughter surpassed his words making his mother frown
"The joke wasn't even funny in the first place" In-ha grumpily said making her mother stick her tongue at her
"I think you should stop swirling your wine before you drench your dress in it" the three of them looked at her curse under her breath and they laughed at her agony.
"You're the devil" they saw their parents bickering back and forth making them smile
"We're home" In-ha said laying her head on his shoulder
"We are" he said laughing loudly grabbing everyone's attention
To them it was their safe place
Blood or the last name didn't make them a family. The constant love and care did, to be together at the time of pain and laugh it away.
________________________
The next morning Hei wakes up and goes for a run before her parents could confront her.
When she came back home.
Mark is already there.
"Oh hey Mark" she says panting
"You went for a run?" Mark looked at her soaking in sweat
"Yeah" she wiped her forehead immediately grabbing the water bottle to quench her thirst
"Is everything alright?" he noticed her mood was visibly down
"Yeah! Why wouldn't it be?" she says sarcastically, her eyes trained on her parents walking towards them
"Mark! How are you son?" her dad came to the living room making Hei roll her eyes.
"I'm good" he says hugging her dad
They might be seeing their future son-in-law in you she slumped on her seat at the unsettling thought
"Great to have you here with us"
"Pleasure is all mine." he said charmingly making Hei snicker.
You'll regret this
She smirked at him making him frown in suspicion
"Oh Mark. You've grown into such a handsome man" her mom said
"And you're beautiful as always" he said while hugging her.
"Is the cringe show over or is there more?" Hei gagged at them
"Relax would you!" Mark winked at her and she rolled her eyes again
"Hey on second thoughts why don't the two of you get married? You guys know each other since forever and are compatible enough."
"Not a bad idea" Mark joked and her parents laughed
"Can you for once in your life think of anything else except marriage?" Hei gave them a sharp look making her mother glare back at her
"That is no way of talking to your parents"
"Oh really? Parents? Are you kidding me right now?" she threw sarcasm like acid and her parents didn't say a word.
"Let's go Mark"
Mark followed her to her room bowing at her parents apologetically.
After an hour of spending a peaceful time, there was a knock on the door.
Her mother walked in
"What do you want now?" Hei said with a little annoyance
"We have dinner with the Lim's they invited us. Be ready by 7."
"Close the door on your way out" she said and her mother was hurt by her attitude.
"You know you are rude right?" Mark said eyes fixated on the screen of his phone.
"They don't care. All they care about is the money" her words came out naturally but everytime it hurt her to admit the truth.
"Yeah. They never really bothered about now did they?" Mark wasn't bothered by their attitude as long as he got what he wanted.
To others he might come off as a brat but it was the only way to keep this mind off things that could damage him more than he already was.
"Nope. Never" Hei said while replaying her mother's words. Her heart was acting weird all of a sudden and she had to place her hand on her heart.
"I wonder what it is like to have a normal family" she looked at Mark nodding trying to shrug the thoughts of that boy for a while.
"Yeah me too"
They both understood each other very well and it was satisfying to know somewhere someone knew those unsaid things.