Chapter 6 (1/1)

A/N: My longest chapter----------------------------------------JIYONG'S POVDuring the three years that me & Dara have been going out, I thought I've come to know her family fairly well. But there are moments, moments like this one where I feel like an outsider. For example, tonight, I can feel tension at the dinner table.For some reason, Dara's been acting strange. Bom noona and hyung have been exchanging significant looks all night long. Like there's a secret message between them. Even eomonim, who's usually the life of the party is subdued today. Is there something going on that I don't know about? The only one who looks normal is abeonim. He seemed steady as always, just enjoying time with his family without getting caught in the occasional Eunju-generated melodramas.I should be able to understand them better now right? After all, if everything goes according to plan, I'll be part of this family too.I took a bite of tiramisu in front of me. The mixture of fresh raspberries, orange liqueur flavored mascarpone cheese mixture and ladyfingers tasted divine. Bom noona has always been an excellent cook."Noona, this dessert is delicious as always."Bom noona smiled at me from across the room. "Gomawo Jiyong. Eomma & appa had tiramisu on the first night of their honeymoon. I was trying to recreate that nice memory.""Our was the traditional espresso-based tiramisu though. But I've got to say this orange raspberry version is pretty good too." Eunju pointed out."I found this recipe online and thought it might be a nice change. I wasn't really trying to exactly reproduce what you had before, eomma.""I think this is better than the original." Hyunsuk interjected. He looked at his wife lovingly. "Who would've thought that thirty years later, we'd be eating tiramisu made by our very own little girl, eh, Eunju?"Everyone was smiling except for Dara. I've noticed, she's been playing with her dessert and not eating it. I know for sure, she loves sweets. She's been withdrawn all night long. I know my baby girl, eventhough she's trying to participate in the conversation, I can see that her smiles are forced. What the hell is wrong? This is driving me crazy.Maybe Bom noona was right when she warned me that my nervous anticipation were affecting Dara. I thought I was doing a fairly good job of hiding it.They liked it when I complimented the dessert. Maybe if we can keep the conversation light & cheerful, my baby girl can relax."Wow...thirty years. That's pretty amazing. Not many couples can keep the fire alive for that long these days."I can't imagine my passion for Dara will burn out, ever. Not in thirty years -- or fifty for that matter. Dara is the only one for me.I felt Dara shift in her seat and heard her spoon click with her dessert dish. I glanced sideways at her but she was looking down at her dish. Her hair falling forward and hiding her face."That's it, exactly." Hyunsuk exclaimed. "Keeping the fire alive. It takes a bit of hardwork but it's well worth it. Right, jagi?""Absolutely." I see Eunju look hard at noona & hyung. "All marriages go through tough times but with love and patience and mutual effort between both parties, the rewards will come."I see Bom noona & Seunghyun hyung share a startled look. I wasn't the only one who thought that Eunju-eomonim sounded like she was giving them both a sermon. But before they can react, Hyunsuk-abeonim changed the topic."I still remember the day I met her, just like it was yesterday."Everybody has probably heard this story so many times but I haven't really heard it from them."I wanna know more abeonim. How did the two of you meet?""Well it was the first day of my senior year in high school. We just started the first lesson when this guy come running into the classroom. He was panting and sweating. But the moment I saw him, I knew he was the one.""You're forgetting the reason I was late that day. I was on my way to school when I bumped into somebody. We both dropped our things, and when I looked up, there she was. She looked like an angel who fell from the sky. I felt my heart flop like a landed fish."I see eomonim blush then laugh. "Ewww...that doesn't sound romantic at all.""Well, that's what it felt like. I was stunned. It wasn't until I heard the bell rang that I realized, I didn't know her name or which class she was in. Imagine my relief when I saw her in the same classroom my class was."I can totally relate to that floppy fish analogy. Except in my case, my heart felt like a runaway train. The first time I saw Dara was at a friend's party. I can remember how my heart was racing when I saw her laugh at her friend's story. Her brown eyes sparkling with humor and warmth. I actually wondered for a moment if she had heard my heart because it was pounding so fast."So it was love at first sight?" I asked."Yes.That it was." Abeonim nodded while patting his wife's hand."So when did you know that she was 'the ONE' for you? That made you think she was the woman you're going to marry.""Probably the second I entered the classroom. When I saw her sitting at the desk by the window. I thought to myself it was fate that made me meet her again. And probably fate that the only empty seat available was right next to her. I did know for sure at the end of the first day, after getting to know her more, that she was the one. I guess you can say she got me hook, line and sinker."I sighed. See, this is why I want everything to be perfect when I propose to Dara. I want someday, when we tell our story, everyone who'll hear it, will be like 'awwww'. The way I feel right now."You're a lucky man, abeonim. Not every guy is fortunate enough to find a woman they want to spend the rest of their life with."Actually there's three lucky men sitting in this table tonight. Like abeonim and hyung, I found my perfect match.I heard Dara drop her spoon and she got up quickly. "I, uh--- excuse me. I don't feel so good."She ran so fast out of the dining room. I was about to follow her when abeonim spoke."What on earth is wrong with Dara?As if she's been holding them too long, eomonim blurted out, "Dara is pregnant."After hearing her words, I felt my knees turn to jello and I fell against my chair with a thump. DARA'S POVI pat my face with a towel making sure I've removed all signs of me crying.Bommie is probably going to say I'm overreacting like mom but I can't help it.Everytime I think of my life without Jiyong, I can feel the tears behind my eyes. And I'm trying not to be a bawling mess right now.Bommie told me it was only in my imagination that Jiyong was trying to break up with me. I want to believe her but I feel like I'm right. I know Jiyong's expressions, his emotions. Lately he's been nervous and awkward with me. We've always been so close, so connected. Passion was only part of the relationship, a major part of it. But I've always thought our mental connection was special. At least it had been. I don't know what went wrong. I thought everything was perfect but then Jiyong's behavior changed. Maybe the questions he asked appa tonight are clues. Maybe he's decided that he doesn't want to spend the rest of his life with me. That I'm not the one for him.I was hoping I'm 'the one' for him though. Cause I'm pretty sure he's the one for me. I feel the tears coming back so I took a deep breath.I can't cry again. I can do this. I can survive losing Jiyong. Maybe...I step out of the guest bathroom and made my way back to the dining room. I was expecting to hear conversation or at least silverware clinking but there's nothing. As soon as I entered, I could feel all eyes on me. I looked at Jiyong and he looked perturbed.Is that sympathy on my dad's face? Oh my gahd, this is it. Did Jiyong finally tell them that he's breaking up with me? Is that why they're looking at me like...like that?"What?""Why didn't you tell me?" Jiyong demanded.Why does he sound like he's the one who's hurt when he's the one who's about to break my heart?"Tell you what?""That you're pregnant.""I'm what?"I see my mom dab her eyes with her napkin."Don't worry honey, we'll all be here for you." Then I see mom look at Bommie. "Just like how we'll be here for you Bommie, after you and Seunghyun split up. Although I wish you guys can work it out before you really go your separate ways.""Wait, what? Bommie, what is she talking about?"What is going on? I feel like I stepped into the twilight zone."What on earth makes you think I'm pregnant?"I see Jiyong look from me to my mom, his face a picture of confusion. "Eomonim told us.""I overheard snippets of your conversation today. And it doesn't take a genius to figure out what's happening to my poor girls. You're giving up caffeine and been feeling queasy and we've all noticed you've been upset all evening.""Eomma, I don't know what you've heard but--" Bommie started to say."You're completely off base, eomma." I avoid looking into Jiyong's eyes. I can't until I'm sure I won't cry when I look at him."I'm giving up caffeine because I drink to much of it as is. I'm doing it for my health. I'm not pregnant."As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt regret in the pit of my stomach. The thought of not being able to have a child with Jiyong almost made me run to the bathroom again. I'm trying to hold back my tears. I look at Jiyong and I see him sitting silently in his chair. I guessed he's relieved I'm not pregnant? Maybe he thinks he just escaped a close call. I can't really tell."So you're not pregnant?""No eomma, I'm not.""Then why were you upset this evening?"Before I can even stop myself, I ended up blurting out what I was thinking at that moment. "I'm upset because Jiyong is breaking up with me!"Jiyong makes a choked sound and I see his hand run through his hair."Why do you think I'm breaking up with you?""Um...I just put two and two together..." I muttered. I guess I really am my mother's daughter, I sound like her right now."Well then you need to work on your math skills, honey. I don't want to break up with you Dara. I want to ask you to marry me."