EVERMORE , Max Verstappen

Twenty-Two

Ahri and Max found themselves aboard Max's private plane, heading to Seoul for Chuseok. It wasn't initially part of their plan, as they had dreamt of spending the holiday together in Monaco, but family obligations had called them to South Korea.

Minho, Ahri's brother, had pleaded on the phone, expressing how he didn't want to spend Chuseok alone. His request had tugged at Ahri's heart, and Max had convinced her that it was the right thing to do. Besides, it was an opportunity for him to meet Minho as well, and they'd made arrangements to make the trip together.

Ahri had been specific about one thing: she didn't want to stay at her parents' house. Instead, she had made reservations at a  hotel. They arrived in Seoul a day ahead of the Chuseok gathering but chose not to inform anyone about their early arrival.

As the day of Chuseok arrived, they headed to the Kim family home, where the celebration would take place. They knocked on the door, and Ahri exchanged a quick, nervous glance with Max. It was an unusual situation for both of them, but they were determined to make the most of this family gathering and show their commitment to each other and their families.

As Ahri and Max entered the Kim family home, they were greeted by a warm and welcoming lady. Ahri hugged her tightly, and the lady reciprocated with affection, clearly overjoyed to see Ahri.

"Ahri, my baby is home! I missed you," the lady said in korean, her voice filled with genuine happiness.

Max assumed she must be Ahri's mother or perhaps an aunt. Despite her simpler attire and dissimilarity in appearance to Ahri, her motherly affection was evident.

Ahri introduced her to Max, explaining, "Max, this is Eunji eomeonim, our housekeeper. She was my nanny while I was growing up; she practically raised me."

Max's smile faltered briefly upon learning this. He had known that Ahri wasn't particularly close to her parents, but the revelation that she had been primarily raised by her nanny raised new questions in his mind. He managed to maintain a polite smile as he greeted Eunji.

"Eomma, this is Max, my boyfriend," Ahri said in Korean, addressing Eunji.

Eunji responded warmly, "He's so handsome! I'm so glad you found love."

Max couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed as he looked around the house. There were far more people than he had expected.

"I thought it was going to be just family?" he whispered to Ahri, slightly concerned.

Ahri sighed, understanding his confusion. "My mum never does small gatherings; it's my entire extended family, her friends—everyone."

Minho approached Ahri with excitement in his eyes. "Noona!" he screamed, hugging her tightly. Then, he turned his attention to Max. "You are Max Verstappen, damn," Minho whistled slowly.

Max extended a hand with a friendly smile. "You must be Minho. I'm really glad to meet you," he said, shaking Minho's hand.

They decided to talk in a corner, away from the bustling crowd. Minho opened up about his own situation, revealing, "They're trying to match me with the Choi family's daughter. I'm not returning from Boston once I leave for the semester."

Ahri raised an eyebrow, clearly concerned for her brother. "Well, if after graduation you need a place to stay, tell me. My Monaco home is literally empty," she offered, her voice filled with genuine care.

Minho was taken aback but grateful for the offer. "Oh, you moved in together?" he asked, seeking clarification.

"Yeah, she was already living at my place most of the time, so we just decided to make it official," Max explained.