Chapter 175 - Chapter 175: Overlapping Shadows (5)

His spoon didn’t move inside the soup. Cho Min Joon’s eyes and hands shook, and Kaya watched. Kaya avoided his gaze for a moment before looking at him in the eyes with courage. Kaya opened her mouth.

“I told you. I said I’d say everything I want when I see you next.”

“… I didn’t expect it to be this sudden.”

“If you’re thinking of telling me that the man should be the one to confess, shut up. I’ll kick you in the balls.”

Kaya then fooled around with his foot underneath the table. She stroked his leg with the top of her foot. Kaya knitted her brows.

“Your leg hairs feel weird.”

“Now’s not the time to say something like that. Also…”

“Wait.”

Kaya grabbed Cho Min Joon’s mouth despite his serious face. Kaya pulled on his lips as she said, “If you’re thinking of giving me an answer to what I just said, think again because this moment will remain in my memory forever. So make sure you say it right.”

“… Are you expecting some kind of line from a movie?”

“Yeah. This is your homework. Since you started it, make sure you finish. But you have until today. If you don’t…”

Kaya’s foot reached Cho Min Joon’s leg again. Kaya continued with a smile.

“I’ll scold you.”

***

“Do I look weird?”

“No, you look pretty.”

“That’s not what I’m going for. I have to look confident and cool, not childish or pitiful. I need to look smart, too.”

Kaya spoke while looking in the mirror. She was wearing a suit that she normally never wore—black pants and a white shirt. Kaya looked back at her coordinator with an anxious face.

“Do I look like I’m trying too hard? Maybe that dress was better.”

“Kaya, like I said, your father will like you no matter what you wear. Clothes aren’t important. All that matters is that you’re there.”

“That’s not something I expected to hear from my coordinator.”

“I don’t know. I feel like I have the right since you changed 10 times already.”

Her coordinator, Marlene, sighed. Cho Min Joon looked at her apologetically.

“I’m sorry. This is so personal…”

“Anything to do with Kaya’s life is my work. Don’t worry. Let’s just let Kaya contemplate on her own. Come here, Min Joon. You can’t go dressed like that.”

Cho Min Joon was wearing a t-shirt and shorts. It wasn’t like he was going to a wedding, but he wasn’t dressed appropriately to meet Kaya’s father. Marlene passed him a white t-shirt and a casual beige suit and nodded.

“Rather than being too formal, it’s good to make it semi-formal like this. He’ll probably be nervous too.”

“Thank you. I can’t believe you have men’s clothes, too.”

“I stole some from Kaya’s agent. He’s the same size as you.”

It was hard to tell if she was joking. Cho Min Joon smiled awkwardly and went into the room with the clothes. When he came out changed, it appeared that Kaya decided to go with the suit she was already wearing. Her curly hair flowed down below her shoulders, and her makeup was simpler than usual. She wasn’t even wearing smokey eye makeup. She was wearing a mask, but it looked good on her as if it was for fashion. Cho Min Joon smiled and said, “You look beautiful.”

“I know.”

Kaya answered surely and left the hotel. They were worried about transportation, but there was no need. As soon as they reached the 1st floor, a van was waiting for them.

“Get in, Kaya and Min Joon. I’ll drop you off.”

“Why are you being so friendly today?”

“I’m always friendly.”

“… I won’t talk back today. I have to save my energy.”

It sounded like she was worried about the meeting. On the way there, Kaya didn’t let go of Cho Min Joon’s hand. Kaya asked in a nervous voice, “What was I going to say first again? ‘Who do you think I am?’ No, that’s not it. That’s the second line. ‘Don’t think that I came here because I missed you.’ That’s it… But that sounds a little weird. Doesn’t that sound like I did miss him?”

“Just say what you want, Kaya.”

“I’m not an eloquent speaker. If I just say what’s on my mind, I’ll get all confused. I don’t want to show him my improper self.”

“You’ll still look beautiful. I’m sure your father will agree.”

At that moment, the sound of coughing rang through the front seats. The agent continued to cough as if he was choking. Kaya glared at him and asked, “What is it? What’s the problem?”

“Nothing. I heard from Martin that you two are cringy, but I didn’t know it’d be this bad.”

“Don’t make fun of my future boyfriend. I’ll get mad.”

“Future boyfriend? What kind of relationship is that? Future husband is more like it.”

“I can’t call him my boyfriend yet because Min Joon hasn’t answered me yet. But future husband doesn’t sound bad either since we’re going to get married.”

In response, Cho Min Joon coughed. It was a louder and longer cough than Jean’s. After coughing, Kaya asked with a glare, “Why are you so surprised?”

“… Because you keep catching me off guard.”

“What do you mean? Who doesn’t think about marriage when dating?”

“That’s not what I mean…”

“I’m going to marry you. Like I said before, Korea is dangerous. I even asked a question on the internet. Many people think Korea is safe, but it’s actually dangerous. Just live with me in America.”

Cho Min Joon’s face turned red. The thought of what Jean might be thinking in the front seat made him feel embarrassed. At that moment, the car stopped. Jean looked behind him and said, “We’re here.”

“You’re not coming too, are you?”

“Why would I? Good luck.”

Cho Min Joon got out of the car and said, “I think Jean is a good person.”

“Yeah right. He tries to make me work more every chance he gets. He’s…”

Kaya stopped talking. Her eyes pointed toward one side of the road and didn’t move. It was almost as if time stopped. Cho Min Joon followed Kaya’s eyes. What Kaya was looking at was a luxury sedan on the side of the road.

As soon as a white man got out of the car, Cho Min Joon realized. That was Kaya’s father. He had the same dark hair and blue eyes as her. And the most shocking part was…

‘He looks so elegant…’

It wasn’t a matter of what he was wearing. His body gave off an entire aura, so it was no wonder Kaya was surprised. Orange County, when she heard that he lived in that wealthy neighborhood, she didn’t think he was poor… But she didn’t expect him to look this refined either.

And that wasn’t the only part that surprised Kaya because she thought she would see him once she got into the café. So running into him out on the streets was unexpected.

Kaya’s father, Bruce Croft, was just as surprised. He hesitated for a moment before approaching Kaya and opening his arms. Kaya stepped back and glared her eyes.

“Don’t come near me.”

“… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t even pretend to be sorry. I’m not going to hug you. That’s not why I came here.”

She tried to come off strong, but Cho Min Joon felt her hand shaking within his. Was it because she was angry or scared? All he could do was hold her hand.

They didn’t say anything even after entering the café, so Cho Min Joon considered speaking up first. But he felt like trying to loosen up the mood before it even began could make Kaya feel confused.

So it was Bruce who spoke first. He spoke in a slow voice, “You look like my younger sister.”

“… It’s been 20, no 18 years. Is that all you have to say? That I look like your little sister? Are you trying to prove that we’re blood?”

“I’m sorry. I understand why you’re mad. I practiced what to say to you many times… But now that you’re here, all I can say are stupid things.”

He didn’t sound fake at all. His words were so full of sincere misery that even Cho Min Joon almost teared up. And Kaya noticed it, too. But she hated it. She wanted someone eviler. Since she was alone for 18 years, she wanted someone she could lash out at…

But was that what she really wanted?

She couldn’t answer that question. That frustration transferred to her voice, which heightened the volume.

“Why did you disappear? Why weren’t you by our side? I thought you had nothing, but that’s not true. You look like you’re a CEO.”

“Do you know how we lived while you were gone? My mom’s body withered away, and I had to watch her grow old. When my friends held their father’s hand, I always had to eat spoiled fruits.”

“How could you do that? I’m your daughter. We’re family. How could you abandon me?”

It was a relief that she had a cold. Because if she didn’t, she could have screamed. But what made Kaya the angriest was…

“I was running away from debt at the time. So I was in a position where I had to run so that I didn’t harm you further. I know this might sound like an excuse. I know I’m a horrible father. Because of my uselessness, I made you grow up without a father. How could anything make up for that?”

“I never abandoned you. I’ve always missed you. I worked hard so that I can look for you once I succeed. But… if I think about it, that was selfish of me.”

What made her the angriest was the fact that Bruce’s answers were mature… And he had understandable reasons for what he did.

She hated it. She wanted to scream. She wanted to rage, but Bruce was too decent of a man to do that.

“By looking at you, I can see just how hard your mother raised you. You grew up so well. That’s why I’m so sorry, because I couldn’t be with you. I made you live without knowing your father.”

But Kaya’s eyes didn’t turn soft. It was impossible. She lived for 18 years while missing her father. She imagined him and loved him. That was why she felt more miserable. Kaya felt grateful for her mask because it hid her ugly face.

Kaya’s questions didn’t end there. She repeated the same questions and even expressed her sadness that both her parents couldn’t attend her school events, and Bruce gave answers that proved that he was indeed a decent person.

Bruce was a good person. More than she imagined. Cho Min Joon wrapped his hand around Kaya’s shoulder and opened her mouth.

“Kaya, calm down and look at him. I think your father is a good person. More than I expected.”

“… Whose side are you on?”

“Your side. That’s why I’m saying this. It’s hard to hate a person. Try… to understand your father.”

But the time Cho Min Joon said that, Kaya already acknowledged it. Although Bruce wasn’t a good father, he was a good person, and she understood his circumstances.

Kaya lowered her mask. To Bruce, that action looked like Kaya was putting down a wall that was between them.

“… Okay, fine. I’ll try to understand you. I can’t forgive you completely… But I won’t blame you, but I do have a favor to ask you.”

“Anything. I’ll do anything in my power. What is it?”

“There’s something I’ve always been jealous of. Families that go to restaurants together. My mom and little sister are coming to LA. Come and have dinner with us. I want to have dinner as a family.”

“… Sure, let’s do that. I’ll be there. Just call me.”

Being with Kaya’s mother was a big thing to ask, but he didn’t refuse. Kaya got up and said, “Get up.”

“What? Oh, sorry. I took too much of your time.”

“No, that’s not why. Get up.”

Bruce got up with a dazed look on his face. Kaya bit down on her lip and then hugged him. While Bruce froze up, Kaya whispered quietly, “… I think I can hug you now, Dad.”

***

Bruce left while Kaya and Cho Min Joon remained seated at the café. There was no need for conversation. Kaya laughed to herself from time to time and cried at others. Every time that happened, Cho Min Joon patted her shoulder and held her hand. A while later, Kaya opened her mouth.

“… Thank you for staying with me.”

“I’m your boyfriend.”

“You haven’t completed the homework yet. You’re still a future boyfriend.”

“I think I can finish that homework now.”

In response, Kaya turned around. He wanted to hug her with her red eyes and nose. She sniffled and asked, “Are you sure? It better be good.”

“The most important part of a line is the meaning behind it.”

“Then try it. If the quality is good, I’ll let you be my boyfriend.”

Cho Min Joon stared at Kaya with a smile. Kaya looked back at him in nervousness, but she didn’t want to look away, so she stared him right in the eyes.

At that moment, Cho Min Joon leaned in. Kaya immediately lifted the mask over her lips and shook her head.

“No. I think I know what you’re going to do but no. I have a cold…”

Kaya couldn’t finish what she was saying. Cho Min Joon put his lips on hers through the mask. She could feel him breathing through the thin cloth. Although the cloth was in the way, she felt like she could feel his lips more clearly.

Kaya’s eyes widened and shook. Cho Min Joon lifted his hand and held Kaya’s face. The mask came down, and their lips touched. Cho Min Joon said, “I already have your cold.”

Their shadows… overlapped.