Moments: A BWWM Short Story Collection

VI. You're so Embarrassing! (Pt. 3 of 3)

Baby why, can't this be looove? Got to know why, can't this be looove? I wanna know why, can't this be loooooovvve?!?!?!

Heavy synthesizers faded into the background as the poolside sound system wound down to the next song. I gave a quick glance over at mom and dad from my inflatable pool chair, but once again they were just talking over margaritas.

"Who was that again? Vanderburg?" Trish asked aloud from her raft of noodles.

"Van Hagar!" Sherry shouted from her poolside seat. Tae shook his head.

"Just because you prefer David doesn't mean Sammy's no good, Sher. Learn to appreciate different sides of the classics."

Connor flashed a thumbs-up from the inflatable chair drifting next to me, and Tae returned it. Sherry huffed as Working for the Weekend started up over the speakers.

"I'd appreciate some more peach soju if you're going to make me listen to anything past Women and Children First."

"What, you don't like 1984?" my dad asked as mom stole a sip from his glass.

"I tolerate it." Sherry replied as Tae refilled her drink. "Never understood that album's popularity, but I suppose the fact it was Roth's last helped."

I nodded absentmindedly as I settled back in my floatie. I barely understood half of what they were talking about, but it served to keep my parents occupied with music instead of each other, so I couldn't complain.

My eyes roamed the pool to the few guests who'd joined us in the last hour. Alex was a tow-headed jock who was friends with Connor, but he was busy with barbeque at the moment. There was also Jamie and her twin sister Jessica, who were probably only attending because Alex was, given the looks and giggles emanating from their corner.

To think, I'd been worried I'd have to fight for Connor's attention.

"Do your parents listen to anything made in this millennium?" I asked him.

"Nothing western." he replied. "My dad is all about the eighties; he even named me after John Connor from The Terminator if you can believe that."

"Yeah, I was wondering why you don't have a Korean first name." I said as Trisha swam by. "Do you have any BTS in your rotation?"

Connor slowly turned to give me a look of exasperation, and I shrugged.

"I mean, they are Korean and they are sort of popular right now..."

"Yeah, if you're twelve." Connor said with a smirk. "Our music is far more than a few pretty boys who can carry a tune, you know. I can get out my best of Crying Nut playlist if you want to hear some real Korean Culture."

Tae snickered into his soju at Connor's words, and I inwardly chided myself for my naïveté. Of course Connor wasn't going to be impressed just because my playlists had a few songs by Super M and Monsta X. Thankfully, Trish bailed me out.

"Are they a rock group?" she asked as she pushed off the edge of the pool.

"Punk." Tae replied as Alex strolled over from the food table. "Connor likes them because he's a poser. He might as well listen to Magma while he's at it."

Connor huffed just like his mother did as he leaned back to acknowledge Alex.

"Sinawe's time has passed, dad. You've just got to accept that the gods of K-Metal have been supplanted by better bands."