Taemin...Stay With Me

24. Surprise Visit

They stared in silence at me. I didn't know if they were mad or confused but I was very curious to what they must be thinking right now.
"Mom? Dad? Did you hear what I said?" I asked again.
"Y-yea...we heard." My mom said slowly.
"Ari..." My father said stepping up to me.
He held both of my shoulders.
"Will you marry this boy?" He asked me.
"What!?"
"You know how your mother and I feel about this don't you?"
I sighed and slumped my shoulders.
"Yes. I know."
My parents always told me to only have a baby with my husband. But Taemin and I are not even married. And we're both still in college.
"Then you must get married right away." My mother said.
"What!? But I can't!" I yelled.
"Why not?"
"Cause I'm definately not ready for that. Give us some time. Maybe after the baby is born." I pleaded.
"Fine. Just don't let anything happen to you two." My father said.
"I know. I won't."
My parents gave me a warm smile. It felt good that, unlike Taemin's mom, they supported this.

After hanging around for a bit in my old room my phone suddenly paused on my social media. I couldn't scroll and it started to beep.
"What the..."
I slightly tapped the phone in the palm of my hand. Why was it beeping like this? After a minute or two, the beeping stopped and it started working again.
"That was weird." I said aloud and decided to ignore it and continue doing what I was doing before. Then after another minute my phone rang. It was Taemin.
"Hello?"
"Jagiya? Are you doing well?" He asked me.
"Yes I'm fine. How about you? What are you doing it's kinda quiet around you." I noticed that his surrounding was quiet unlike before when he called me; it was extremely loud like he was at the circus. Usually in the dorm the guys would be talking but I don't hear them in the background.
"Oh I'm outside just walking around that's all." He answered.
"Oh. I see."
"Ari I'm sorry this call has to be short but I have to go. I'll see you very soon ok?"
"Alright." I said sadly.
"Hey Ari?"
"Mm?"
"I love you." He said.
I smiled brightly and told him the same before hanging up.

Taemin POV:
I walked outside from the train station that took me from the airport. I tracked her phone to see where she was. I was nervous. Extremely nervous. What if they don't like me. What if they don't think I'm right for her? This must be how she felt around Christmas with my parents. Slowly I walked up to the door the tracker lead me to. They're here. I slowly raised my hand and rang the doorbell. The door opened.

"Hi? Who are you?" They asked me in Japanese. So I replied that way.
"I'm Taemin. I'm Ari's boyfriend. I came here alone to meet you both." I bowed 90° in respect.
"Wow! You came all the way here for us? Does Ari know?" Her mother asked.
I rose from my bow and shook my head.
"Oh come in come in!" She gestured me while her father gave a slight smile that just made me even more nervous.
"Take a seat." Her father told me pointing to a chair in the kitchen.
"So Ari told us the news. Congratulations." He told me.
"Ah, yes. Thank you." I bowed my head.
"So how come you came here without Ari knowing?" Her mother asked me.
"She told me not to come and to just meet you both later but I thought that since the baby she's holding is mine it would be appropriate for you both to finally meet me after 8 months of only seeing my photo." I told them truthfully.
"Wow. Well I'm glad you came." She smiled.
"You're also very handsome so there's no doubt in my mind this baby is gonna be a cute one."
"Thank you." I smiled and laughed a bit. We had a conversation about me and Ari and the baby. It felt good to finally be able to talk to them. But I wondered where Ari was.

***
My stomach growled and it was loud and startled me. Damn I needa eat and I definately smell food! I flipped my sheets and ran out my room to go eat. I've never been more excited to eat my mom's cooking. Probably since it's been over a year since I left to study in Korea.
"Mom! What's for-"
I stopped. There was a boy in the kitchen. Hearing my voice, he turned his head.
"TAEMIN OPPA!?!? What are you doing here?????"
"Ari! There you are!" He jumped up smiling and hugged me tightly.
My parents looked at us confused as we switched from Japanese to Korean and they didn't understand what we were saying.
"Why? Why are you here?" I asked him.
"I came to meet your parents. I wanted to talk to them and now seemed to be the most appropriate time."
"So when you called before when it was really loud, you were-"
"At the airport." He finished for me.
"And just a few minutes ago you were-"
"Walking down the street." He smiled and pinched my cheek.
"Aren't they cute?" My mother said to my dad.
"Ya know we used to be like that." She said to him and crossed her arms before turning away. My father stood there a bit embarrassed.
"So Taemin."
"Hai."
"Where will you be staying?" My mother asked.
Taemin's face went blank.
"Uuuhhh...."
"Taemin ah!" I yelled hitting his shoulder.
"You came here and didn't even find a place to stay first??" I scolded him.
He nervously laughed and scratched the back of his head.
"All I had on my mind was seeing your parents so I didn't really think about that."
"You can stay here." My mother suggested.
"Isn't that alright?" My mother asked my father for approval.
"If he doesn't have anywhere to go then it's alright." He agreed while turning away to eat again.
"Arigato! Arigato!" Taemin smiled brightly and bowed several times.
"IIII'M HEERRREEE!!!"
Someone suddenly busted through the door with a large smile on his face. Wait...I know him. That's...
"Hisashi..."
My childhood friend Hisashi. We've known eachother since we were 7. He's been through it all with me and I haven't seen him since I left for Korea.
"I brought rice cakes!" Suddenly Hisashi stopped and looked at Taemin.
"Hey Ari, Who's this?"
"Oh this...this is Taemin. My boyfriend." I said.
Taemin introduced himself and they shook hands.
"Anyway Hisashi what are you doing here?"
"Your parents told me you were visiting for a week so I bought your favorite rice cakes and came over as quick as possible."
"Oh thank you." I smiled.
"Hey, Taemin isn't it?" Hisashi said to Taemin.
"Let's talk huh?" He said walking out the door.
Taemin looked at me confused. He then patted my shoulder and walked outside. What does Hisashi need to say to him?

Taemin POV:
We both walked outside and he stopped and held onto the railing.
"So you're the boyfriend I've heard so much about?" He started.
"She told you about me?"
"Everyday since she met you."
"Since she met me?" I asked.
"She told me that you met under the rain and you walked her home. Since then Ari's been crazy about you."
No way...Ari's liked me since that day? I remember that day. I thought she was really cute when I saw her and I was worried about her being alone so I walked her home. But I was with Yewon at the time so we could only be friends. I never thought that Ari and I would come this far from that one rainy night. And to think she's thought about me everyday since then. Ari...
"She would call me late at night bothered but happy about the thoughts of you."
"Oh really..." I could only speak in shock.
"Ari is a special friend to me ya know. To me she's an amazing best friend. The best I ever had. So I don't want to see her hurt. Take care of her in Korea ok? I'm leaving her to you now that I can no longer watch over her with her boyfriends." He laughed slightly.
"Please don't worry. I will take care of her everyday. After all she is having my baby." I said.
"Oh yeah! I almost forgot about that!" He smiled.
"Congrats!" He shook my hand again.
"Let's go in now. Her mom's dinner should be ready."
"Yes, and thank you. Thank you for trusting her to me." I was really happy I got everyone's approval. This is all going well so far.