apartment block 17

[ 077 ]

jisoo's parents drove them all to a restaurant with help from google maps and a car they had rented upon arriving in seoul. they managed to obtain seats in the already crowded establishment, jisoo's parents asking for a table for six and insisting that it was their treat.

"my parents should be free now," jeonghan said, taking out his phone, "i'm sure they'll be able to come over."

"if it's not too much trouble," jisoo's mother smiled, "we're not in seoul for long, so it would be a good opportunity to meet them while we can."

jeonghan's parents ended up showing up just as their food arrived. he was surprised to see a familiar, slim girl following behind meekly as they approached the table.

"mum, dad... tzuyu!" jeonghan stood up, greeting his parents and embracing his younger sister, who he hadn't seen in months since she took up a modelling gig in taiwan last year. "i didn't know you were in seoul!"

"jeonghan!" she smiled. jisoo had only met jeonghan's younger sister a few times, and her beauty never failed to entrance him. her doll-like features were so similar to jeonghan's that it creeped jisoo out at first. whenever they smiled, their teeth would bare wide, their eyes would scrunch up cutely and their eyebrows would raise into an amused expression - so much so that side-by-side, they could easily be mistaken as twins.

"i've got a couple of jobs here, so i'll be in korea for a while," she continued, releasing her brother's embrace as they were drawing unwanted attention from others in the restaurant. "sorry i forgot to tell you," she laughed bashfully, "i only got back a few days ago."

a flurry of introductions and awkward half-bows followed, as the parents-in-law greeted each other warmly after the yoon siblings' reunion.

they managed to squeeze tzuyu onto the end of the table, discreetly dragging a chair over from a vacant neighbouring one. jisoo's parents gushed over how tall and pretty she was.

jisoo always felt like his parents had wanted a girl in the family, though they always insisted he was all they ever needed.

the newly arrived yoon family ordered their food after a short discussion on what was good, and though jeonghan's food had already arrived, he was halted by jisoo who proceeded to take 500 different photos of his meal at every angle possible.

jeonghan sighed. he wished jisoo's passion for a good instagram shot wouldn't always interrupt his meal, but watching the boy grinning happily as he slid through filter after filter made up for the hungry wait.

the atmosphere soon fell into casual conversation, with jeonghan asking jisoo's parents about america, jisoo teaching them all some random english phrases, tzuyu talking about the people she met in taiwan and jeonghan's parents relaying some long-buried-and-forgotten tales about baby jeonghan.

jeonghan wasn't sure how jisoo maintained his composure around his parents and their embarrassing questions, especially when in their relationship, jisoo was the one who was more easily flustered and embarrassed.

jeonghan hurriedly finished his meal before his parents could find his baby photos on their phones. as a result, he was the first one done; his parents and sister, who had only just gotten their meals were just starting to cut into their slabs of steak.

"well, that was a fun reunion, but i think jisoo should go home and rest," jeonghan smiled politely, a warning sign in his eyes as he willed his parents to drop the baby anecdotes.

"of course," jeonghan's mother smiled, patting jisoo on the back. "but at least stay until we finish so we can help you get home. we can drive you."

"that's fine," jisoo's father insisted. the four parents had already become closely acquainted, somehow managing to bond over childhood stories and their mutual love for classical music. "we drove here from the hospital, so we'll be able to bring jisoo and jeonghan home safely."