INEVITABLE - SEULRENE

meet the parents

"mom. dad."

joohyun feels like her blood got drained out of her system when those two words left seulgi's lips.

it was the following morning after their hike. they were walking around the bus terminal ready to go back to the city when an older couple approached them, startling seulgi on the spot.

"seulgi..." the woman says, eyes lingering on joohyun and seulgi's intertwined hands.

joohyun was about to pull her hand away, but seulgi holds it tighter.

"mom, dad, i can explain."

"how could you do this!" seulgi's mom covers her mouth.

"mom--"

"it's about noon," seulgi's dad speaks calmly, looking at his wristwatch. "what do you guys say we talk this over lunch, hmm?" he looks at his wife and daughter, then to joohyun. "we hope you could join us too?"

joohyun was ready to decline, thinking she shouldn't be messing with family matters. but seulgi looks at her and gives her an assuring nod, squeezing her hand.

joohyun feels lighter now. she politely bows at seulgi's parents. "thanks for the invitation. it'll be a pleasure to join you."

---

"we were delivering some goods to a new client when we spotted you two walking to the bus terminal," seulgi's mom explains. after hearing their side of the story, she finally calmed down. "it was hard to ignore how you two look... sweet towards each other."

seulgi's dad takes a deep breath in. "look. just to clarify, i understand this whole ordeal you're facing. i have nothing against the spirits, or the two of you." he pushes his glasses up his nose and looks at his daughter across the table. "but you can't keep doing this behind eunae. you need to tell her. you need to set her free."

joohyun presses her lips together, mixed emotions running through her body. she's embarrassed at getting caught. she also feels bad for letting this happen, for her to allow this cheating to go on.

she feels stupid for acting upon her feelings. if she had only been a little rational about it, maybe she could have controlled the situation. she could have drawn the lines first and made it clear with her soulmate that nothing should happen between them unless seulgi breaks it off with eunae first.

but yeah, those things never happened because when it's with seulgi, every reason or facts or circumstances gets thrown out of the window.

joohyun's just glad seulgi's parents were decent enough to calmly talk to them despite catching them red-handed.

"i understand, dad. you're right. i will talk to eunae about it," seulgi finally speaks, making joohyun look at her. "we need to divorce."

joohyun glances at seulgi's parents and sees a tinge of sadness on their faces.

"if you're really sure about that, then go," seulgi's dad says after a moment. "better do it soon than wait for her to find out from other people."

"i will." seulgi nods. "i know you two are non-believers like me before. but this thing that's going on with me and joohyun," she looks at joohyun and holds her hand, "it's something i've never felt with anyone before. don't get me wrong; you two know how much i care for eunae..."

joohyun swallows a lump in her throat. this is the conversation she wants to avoid--anything that would emphasize how seulgi fell for eunae in her own will, and not because of the spirits.

"... but i've never been this happy and contented and at peace in my life," seulgi continues, squeezing joohyun's hand. she looks at her parents. "i'm sorry for disappointing you two. but i can't run away from this, mom, dad."