Stay With Us

I was sitting on the floor in Jimin’s room playing with Begae. He had one floppy ear while the other stood up straight. The floppy one bounced every time he would run. He was for sure the cutest thing I had ever seen. I was happy I still had a full week until I needed to go to work again. I didn’t want to leave this little thing alone. Jimin walked in the room laughing at the sight of us on the floor.

He comes over and sits next to me. “So I have a question.”

Begae came over sitting in my lap looking at Jimin. “What’s that?”

“Well we still have nine days until we have to go back to work.” He starts nervously pushing his hair back. “So I was wondering. If you’re up for it. If you would want to maybe take a trip?”

“Sure!” I say excitedly. “Where are we going?”

“Well I was thinking. What if we go to two places?”

I start to get confused. “Ok?”

He pushes his hair back again then looking over at me. “I was thinking we could go to Busan and you could meet my parents. Then we would go to America so I could meet yours.”

“Really?” I ask excited.

He starts nervously laughing. “Yeah. I thought about it after V found out about us. But I wasn’t sure if you would want to.”

“I would love to.” I say kissing him. “I need to pack!” I say quickly getting up being followed by Begae. “Oh! What do we do about him?” I ask pointing at Begae.

“V said he would watch him for us.” He then gets off the floor going over to his computer to find tickets.

“Oh this is so exciting.” I say going to my room to find clothes Begae close behind.

The next day Jimin is waiting for me at the door with our bags and Jin to go to the airport.

“Maranda! What is taking you so long?”

“I’m making sure I have everything.” I say walking into the room. “I don’t want to be at the airport tomorrow for America and realize I forgot my passport or something here.”

“You have everything. You have checked at least a thousand times.” He says laughing grabbing my jacket for me.

“Tae knows were the puppy food and everything is right?” I asked him putting on the jacket.

“And what time to feed him?” I turn around facing him. “Are you sure we should be leaving him alone this soon?”

“Maranda!” He says putting his hands on my shoulders. “Calm down. Everything is going to be fine. V knows how to take care of a puppy.” He starts to laugh at my nervousness.

I breathe in deeply then pick up my purse. “Alright, let’s go.”

Jin drops us off at the gate then heading back home. Jimin carried his suitcase while pulling mine in his other hand. We get our bags checked then go to the waiting area. He noticed how quiet I was being and how much I was picking at my sleeve.

“What’s wrong?” He finally asked looking down at me.

“I’m nervous.” I confess to him.

“Don’t be. They are going to love you. And technically you have already met my dad.” He starts laughing lightly.

“That’s not funny. I was only six.” I shoot him a glare as he continues laughing.

“Don’t worry.” He says getting control of his laughter. “I’m the one who should be nervous. Tomorrow your dad finds out we have been dating the whole time you have been here. I have talked to my parents a lot about you. And have already said they like you from how I sound.”

“Ok. So what should I expect then?” I ask as Jimin takes my hand in his trying to comfort me.

“For them to be nice and like you.” He says with a smile. “Just be you.”

“Flight 213 to Busan is now boarding.” I hear the intercom say.

“That’s us.” Jimin says standing up grabbing his carryon. I stand up picking up my purse.

“Let’s do this.” I say breathing in.

The flight was only about an hour and fifteen minutes I started noticing Jimin acting weird after an hour. “What’s wrong with you now?” I ask hoping he wasn’t nervous now too.

“I just kind of realized something.” He says nervously.

“What?” I ask worried.

“I’m not nervous about my parents not liking you because I know they will. But I’m nervous about you liking them.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the look on his face. “This isn’t funny! My family is weird!”

“So are you.” I say kissing his cheek. “I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.”

The plane lands and we go to get our luggage. Jimin pulls them both off the corral when we hear someone shout from behind us.

“Yah! Jimin!” We turn to see a younger guy waving his arms while jumping up and down next to an older man laughing at him.

I see the smile return to Jimin’s face before he rushes over to them. I quickly follow behind him dragging my suitcase. He goes over to the young one first hugging him then to the older man. He then turns to me. “Jagiya, this is my dad and brother.” He says with the nervous smile
returning to his face.

“Nice to meet you.” I say bowing before shaking their hands.

“It’s very good to finally meet you.” His dad says to me.

“The pictures Jimin has sent do not do you justice.” His brother says to me smirking. I couldn’t help but laugh at how much it looked like Jimin’s. I then see Jimin smack him upside the head making him laugh.

“Boys.” His dad says sternly to them.

“Where’s Omma?” Jimin asks them looking around.

“She’s at home making lunch for everyone.” His dad says. “We better get going she should be done soon.” We start following them to the car. His dad turns around seeing I am still dragging my suitcase behind me. “Jimin. I know I raised you better than that.”

I then feel Jimin take the handle from me. “Sorry.” He says to both of us. I just smile at him so he knew I didn’t mind.

We put our suitcases into the trunk then get into the back seat. Jimin pointed out different things for me to notice out the window as we drove to his parent’s house. The ride was only twenty minutes from the airport.

We pull up to the house Jimin quickly grabbed the bags out of the trunk so he didn’t upset his dad again. We walk into the house and you could smell everything his mom was making in the kitchen. I then see her emerge from the kitchen with a smile on her face.

Jimin drops the bags before hurrying over to hug her. He turns around to introduce us realizing I am still standing at the door. He comes back over taking my hand then leading me over to his mom who is still smiling. “Omma this is Maranda.”

“Oh it’s so good to finally get to meet you!” She says before hugging me.

“It’s good to meet you too.” I say slightly laughing from her enthusiasm.

“Are you guys hungry? I made lunch for everyone.”

“Starved.” Jimin says to her walking into the kitchen.

“Yah!” She shouts at him “Go put your guys bags away in your room first.” I go to help Jimin with our bags. “Maranda, you can come with me.” She says waving me over. I go in to the kitchen with her gathering up plates and chop sticks. “You can use these right?” She asks realizing I may not know how.

“Yes Ma’am.” I say laughing.

“Oh! You don’t have to call me ma’am.” She says waving her hand at me. “Omma is just fine.”

We put everything onto the dining room table as Jimin comes in with his dad and brother. Everyone sits down to eat and the questions start.

“So Maranda how are you liking Korea?” His dad asks me.

“I love it! Everything is so beautiful here.”

“I’m glad to hear it! Where in America are you from?”

“Well I don’t actually know where I was born but my family lives in Orlando, Florida now.”

“And what is it your parents do?”

“My dad is a business man and my mom is a reinstate agent.”

“Yeobo let her eat her food.” Jimin’s mom said interrupting him from asking another question.
We continue with normal conversation after that. Jimin and I told them about work, the other boys, and what we did for my birthday.

“You got her a puppy?” Jihyun said surprised.

“He is so cute!” I say excited. “One of his ears is flopped down and the other sticks straight up” I say using my hands on the side of my head to show them. They all laughed at my demonstration.

After lunch I helped his mom clean up. His dad wanted to talk to him so they went into the other room. I was nervous wondering if it was me they were talking about.

I notice his mom seemed like she wanted to say something but was holding it in. I started getting more nervous wondering if I offended them at some point without realizing it. I decided just to ask so I could fix whatever it was I had done. “Did I do something wrong?” I asked her. “I didn’t mean to upset you if I did.”

She gives me a shocked look. “Oh no honey! What gave you that idea?”

“You seemed like you were trying not to say something to me. I’m sorry, I must have just miss read you.” I say going back to drying the dishes.

She takes in a breath. “There was something I wanted to say. But I was worried about upsetting you.” She says looking over to me. “We are very sorry for what happened to you.” She then starts to get a sad expression on her face. “No one should ever have to go through that. Are you alright?”

I smile over at her. “Yeah I’m alright. Still recovering but each day gets easier. It’s hard for me to go into my room still. Thank you for asking.”

She dries her hands from the dish water giving me one of the hugs only moms can do. I then feel another set of arms wrap around us and look up to see Jimin. “I don’t know why we are hugging but I wanted to join.” He says laughing.

We both start laughing with him. We all release each other before his mom and I went back to the dishes. After we finish cleaning up Jimin takes me to see the rest of the house and his room. He walks over throwing himself on the bed then patting it next to him for me to join. I go over lying next to him.

“So what did your dad want to talk to you about?” I ask snuggling into him.

“Nothing big. Wanted to make sure I was treating you right. How V took finding out.” He paused before the next one. “How V found out.”

“Oh God!” I say burying my face into the side of his chest.

He started laughing at my embarrassment. “Don’t be embarrassed.” He lightly shook me with the arm that was around me. “They aren’t upset about that.”

“What do you mean ‘about that’?” I ask looking up at him. “So what are they upset about?”

“That I didn’t bring you around sooner.” He says smiling then kissing the top of my head. “They love you by the way.”

“They are so nice. I don’t know why you were worried about me not liking them.” I say laughing at him.

“And just think we get to be just as nervous again tomorrow.” He says sighing.

“Are you already nervous?” I ask looking up at him.

“Well yeah! I am literally a dad’s worst nightmare for their daughter.” He says laughing.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask laughing too.

“I work all the time, live with his daughter, am an idol, and secretly have been dating her for six months. Oh yeah, and let’s not forget the biggest one, I took his daughter’s virginity.” He starts nervously laughing now.

“We’ll just leave that last detail out.” I say lightly patting him on his chest.

“You don’t think your mom told him?”

“Oh. You’re right. You’re screwed.” I say looking up at him smiling.

“Thanks Jagiya.” He says rolling his eyes. “So what should I expect?”

I thought for a moment. “Honestly I have no idea. You are the first one I am bringing home to meet them.” I then lean over kissing him. “But they are going to love you. Because I do.”

“I love you too.”

“Yah! Jimin!” Jihyun says throwing the door open and barging in.

“You can’t knock?” Jimin yells at him not moving from me.

“Let’s go to the beach.” He says throwing car keys at him.

“I can’t drive.” He returns.

“Omma and Appa are coming with us. Appa said you need to start practicing.”

I look over at Jimin. “Is this how I die?” I ask laughing.

He looks over giving me a glare which only made me laugh harder. “I’m not bad I just haven’t taken the test yet.”

His dad then walks in the room. “Want to go do that first then?”

“We can.” He says adjusting his hat.

“What are we waiting for then?” Jihyun asks. “I want to go to the beach.” He then turns around walking out of the room. We get off the bed walking to the door to put our shoes on.

Notes