“So tell me Siwon, how many girlfriends have you had before finally choosing my daughter?”

I swig my lemon tea nervously, yet retain my composure and calmly meet the stark eyes of my precious soon-to-be fiancé’s dad. I should’ve taken her seriously when she told me her dad was scary. I thought she was only saying those things to scare me, but now I take back my thoughts.

“Only 2, sir. Just 2. But I can assure you, they were nothing serious.”

“So you think that the number two is fairly small in the context of the number of girlfriends you’ve had in the past?”

“Well, truthfully sir, yes.”

Mr. Kim looks at his wife with a repulsed look on his face. Hana’s stepmom can only shake her head at her husband with an annoyed look on her face, and smile kindly at me.

“I’m very sorry, Siwon. I’m sure you know how dads can be sometimes, right?”

“It’s perfectly fine, ma’am. I understand. My dad was just like this when we interrogated my sister’s boyfriend for the first time.”

Mr. Kim cuts in.

“You know, Siwon, I would’ve liked it more if you said that my Hana was your first and last girlfriend.”

“But that doesn’t matter anymore, sir. The girls from my past definitely do not matter anymore, because what matters now is that I chose Hana. I chose your daughter to be the woman I’d spend the rest of my life with, forever. Hana made me forget about the other two, because she is exactly everything the other two weren’t. I love your daughter, sir. Very much. And I hope you realize that because if you won’t, then when else?”

Mr. Kim looks taken aback with my honest words about his daughter. Go Siwon! 10 points for you!

I feel Hana’s hand squeezing mine, ever-so-tightly. She’s nervous for me, I can tell. I squeeze back gently, not wanting to crush her fragile fingers, and give her a reassuring smile.

She looks so beautiful, my Hana. The way her eyes look up at me, innocently and purely. The way her cheeks turn red, the way she glows. The way her hair turns chocolate brown under the gleam of the sun. The way her smile just captures me, and never fails to take my breath away. This is the woman I choose. My Hana.

 

Probably too engrossed in my thoughts, I plant a soft kiss on Hana’s forehead. Our little moment is disturbed by Mr. Kim’s attention-cough.

“Can’t get enough of my daughter, I see.”

“I’m sorry, sir.”

I quickly avert my gaze to the tea pot. This is going to be a loooooong lunch.

------At Hana’s room, 4 hours later------

“Baby,” I take her hands and pull her onto my lap then start to nuzzle her cheek. I know she loves it when I do that.

“I’m scared, oppa.”

I stay silent. I am scared, but I can’t let my girlfriend know that. What will she think of me? I always tell her I’m here to protect her, so it’ll be silly to think that I, her boyfriend, am in a cowardly disposition.

I stop nuzzling her cheek and look her in the eyes instead.

“It’s okay. Your dad wouldn’t say no. I know it.”

“But how can you be so sure?” she asks, tilting her head to the side. She looks like a kid. Ah, I just wanna pounce on her.

I point my index finger up. She knows what this means. She runs her fingers through my hair, kisses my forehead, and smiles.

------At the living room, 1 ½ hours later------

“We’ve made up our minds,” Mr. Kim says, smiling at his wife. Mrs. Kim smiles at Hana and I with much warmth, kindness, and gentleness. I think I know what this means.

“Siwon, you have my wife’s and my permission to marry our daughter. Please take care of her well. We believe that by allowing you to marry her, she will be placed in good hands. And I knew it when I saw the both of you earlier in the lunch room, that your love for each other was real, sincere, and with clean intentions. I can see how much you both love each other,” he smiles, patting me on the back. He then turns to Hana.

“Hana, I’m doing this because I love you so much and I trust you. I can see you really love Siwon. Make your Appa and Umma proud, alright? And give us grandkids! But not too many,” he winks at me. Wow, I am just so happy right now. I finally feel as if I’m part of the family!

“And I thought you both were going to be so happy. Why aren’t you guys reacting?” Mrs. Kim laughs, her arm hooked around Mr. Kim’s.

I smile broadly at my girlfriend’s parents before me and bow repeatedly. I don’t think I can ever thank them enough.

“Mr. and Mrs. Kim, really, thank you so much. You just don’t know how happy I am right now. I promise to take care of Hana, love her forever, and live for her from now on. I will love her for all her perfections and flaws, and I will never hurt her. I promise you that.”

They nod contentedly while I waste no time in wrapping my arms around Hana, and showering butterfly kisses all over her face. I cup her face and lean in to kiss her tenderly, then hold her close. We lean our foreheads against each other, the happiest smiles evident on our faces. My beautiful Hana. My bride.

 

 

 

Another cheesy ending from the super sappy Julia