MM 133
by Lotus“This is ridiculous. You two really went this far… without a shred of fear.”
Do-won’s father let out an incredulous laugh, shaking his head repeatedly as if he couldn’t believe it himself. He looked back and forth between the two, sighing in sheer exasperation. His expression was one of complete surrender.
“And yet, I’m still allowing it… Choi Do-won, you’d better know that this is all thanks to your partner.”
“…Thank you, Father.”
There was unexpected warmth in his eyes as he looked at Yu-young. Though still baffled, there was a hint of fondness, almost as if he found Yu-young endearing despite himself. Watching this unfold, Mrs. Lee looked absolutely appalled.
“Honey, what are you doing?! He’s the one who told a serious lie! How do you know what else he’s capable of?!”
“Leave them be.”
Do-won’s father’s firm words instantly cut through her protests.
“More than anything, this is the first time I’ve ever seen Do-won express love for someone. It’s the first time my son has ever pleaded with me so earnestly. So, you should hold your tongue.”
“How can you say that? I—!”
“I hear you were still meeting Sun-hyung even after Do-won and Yu-young moved in together.”
Mrs. Lee, who had been ready to explode, suddenly faltered. Do-won’s father expression hardened as he continued.
“And I also heard that even when I wasn’t around, you constantly insulted Do-won. Said it was disgusting how he couldn’t let go of his late mother.”
Her eyes widened in shock. Completely lost for words, she stammered, uncharacteristically flustered.
“T-That was because Do-won refused to open up to me…!”
“Enough.”
With a click of his tongue, Do-won’s father cut her off.
“No matter the reason, how could you say something like that to a child…? I doubt I’ll ever forget those words.”
His cold finality left no room for argument. Then, his gaze returned to Yu-young. Seeing his softened expression, Yu-young finally unclenched the fists he had been holding so tightly. Sweat had gathered in his palms, and he wiped them on his pants as his father-in-law spoke again.
“You two are already living together. So, does that mean you’re planning to imprint and have the wedding soon?”
“Yes! …That’s right.”
His voice was initially filled with excitement, but he quickly forced it to calm down. It was obvious he was trying to suppress his joy, and seeing this, a small smile tugged at Do-won’s lips.
“Then take your time preparing. I should meet with your father again as well.”
“Yes. We’ll make all the necessary arrangements and report to you. We’ll also set up a proper meeting.”
“Alright. Then…”
Do-won’s father slowly stood, looking at them with the authority of someone who had made his final decision.
“I’d like to have a meal together, but I have urgent work to attend to and need to have a discussion with your mother. We should do it another time. You two must have been through a lot lately—take some time to rest.”
“Yes, understood. Then, we’ll take our leave.”
Following his lead, Yu-young and Do-won grabbed their coats and got ready to leave. As they walked toward the entrance, he accompanied them, seeing them off. Yu-young, bowing deeply, flashed a bright smile.
“Thank you, Father! We’ll be back soon!”
Hearing Yu-young’s cheerful voice, Do-won’s father let out another amused chuckle. As the front door closed, Yu-young caught his quiet mutter.
“…Now I see why Do-won fell for him.”
***
Once inside the car, Yu-young and Do-won turned to face each other. It felt like they had just climbed over a massive mountain. A thrilling sense of relief spread through Yu-young’s entire body. He couldn’t hold back his smile.
Do-won, watching him, spoke in his usual composed tone.
“…Yu-young.”
“Yes, Team Leader.”
A warm, firm hand wrapped around Yu-young’s. Slowly, Do-won lifted it to his lips and pressed a silent, lingering kiss against the back of his hand—cherishing it like something irreplaceable.
“Thank you. For handling everything wisely, for resolving it all.”
“…I didn’t really do anything special….”
“You did something incredible. I’ve never seen my father make that kind of expression before.”
Do-won continued to shower Yu-young with praise, then gently pulled him into his embrace.
Thump, thump.
His steady heartbeat echoed in Yu-young’s ear, comforting and warm. As the pleasant scent of Do-won’s pheromones filled the air, Yu-young closed his eyes.
“You did so well, Yu-young. Now, it’s my turn to do my part.”
“You always do well, Team Leader. And did you see how good I was back there? I’ll handle my parents too. I won’t let them hurt you.”
Mimicking Do-won’s serious tone from earlier, Yu-young spoke in a mature voice.
The broad chest he leaned against trembled slightly. Then, Do-won chuckled, his deep, contented laughter vibrating through Yu-young.
Unable to hold back, Do-won cupped Yu-young’s face in both hands and kissed him—over and over again, lightly brushing his lips in an unspoken confession of love.
“You’re amazing, my husband.”
His soft, affectionate smile was the same one that had made Yu-young fall for him in the first place. His heart pounded uncontrollably.
“With someone as dependable as you by my side, I don’t think we’ll ever have any problems.”
“Of course! Just trust me.”
Feeling proud, Yu-young grinned mischievously and pounded his chest.
“I’ll make sure you’re happy for the rest of our lives.”
Laughter filled the car once again.
Instead of leaving, they lingered in the moment—touching, kissing, holding.
In the secluded beauty of the garden, they stayed like that for a long time, wrapped up in each other.
***
This time, there was no time to catch their breath—it was Yu-young’s parents’ turn.
Since Do-won’s father had already been informed of the truth, all that had been needed was an apology. But Yu-young’s parents knew nothing, which meant they had to brace themselves even more.
Right about now, his parents were probably blissfully unaware, cheerfully preparing dinner. “Honey! What time did the kids say they’d be here for dinner?” They were likely thinking of this as just a casual year-end gathering, excited to see their son. That thought alone made Yu-young’s heart feel even heavier.
Despite the guilt and anxiety weighing on him, Yu-young pressed forward, getting ready to meet his parents. He took extra care while washing up, put on his neatest suit, and styled his hair to look as composed as possible.
When he stepped out, he noticed that Do-won had also dressed with much more effort than usual.
As they exchanged glances, both of them couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Team Leader. We are going to see my parents, right?”
“…Why? Do I look inappropriate somehow?”
For once, Do-won’s face stiffened with tension. He quickly checked himself in the mirror, adjusting his outfit and scanning his reflection. Seeing this, Yu-young laughed out loud.
“No, it’s just… You look so good that I can’t help but think you’re trying to seduce me.”
At that, Do-won’s face finally relaxed. His long fingers reached out, playfully tapping and stroking Yu-young’s cheek.
“Don’t startle me like that. And, for the record, I am always trying to seduce you.”
“What is that supposed to mean…?”
Yu-young couldn’t hold back his laughter. Gently, he interlocked their fingers and squeezed.
“Let’s go, Team Leader.”
“Alright.”
With a kiss pressed against Yu-young’s round forehead, the two finally stepped out. Their hands remained firmly joined all the way to Yu-young’s family home.
***
Right on time, their car pulled up to Yu-young’s childhood home. As expected, his mother was already waiting outside, beaming as she welcomed them.
“Oh my, my precious babies are here!”
“Mom. Why are you waiting outside? It’s cold.”
It was already difficult enough coming here to confess everything. Seeing his mother’s bright, joyful expression made the guilt even more unbearable. Avoiding her gaze, Yu-young smiled awkwardly as she pulled him into a warm hug.
“How could I not come out when my beloved boys are visiting? Oh my, look at you, Choi Do-won! You’ve gotten even more handsome!”
“Haha. And you, Mother, have grown even more beautiful.”
“Oh my… Stop it. I have been taking extra care of myself lately… Can you tell?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
Unlike Yu-young, who was clearly on edge, Do-won remained calm and composed, as polite as ever. His mother had already linked her arm with Do-won’s, leading them inside as if he were her own son. Watching this, Yu-young let out his hundredth silent sigh.
Stay calm… We already handled Team Leader’s father, so we can do this. I already managed to handle someone else’s parents—how hard can it be to handle my own?
He had to think that way. They had come here with a purpose. The dice had already been cast, and there was no turning back.
As expected, the house was filled with the delicious scent of home-cooked food.
Knowing that this upcoming conversation would likely kill everyone’s appetite, Yu-young and Do-won had agreed to eat first before breaking the news.
Swallowing hard, Yu-young bent down to remove his shoes.
Just then, his father stepped out from the hallway.
“You’re here.”
“Yes, Father. …We’ve arrived.”
But his father’s expression was different from usual. Yu-young had spent his whole life reading his father’s face—he immediately sensed that something was off.
His father already knew.
Yu-young realized it in an instant.
It made sense. On the night Do-won had been kidnapped, he had called his father to ask for help in finding him. It wouldn’t be surprising if his father had pieced everything together—or if he had even spoken with Do-won’s father beforehand.
Yu-young’s mind raced as he carefully observed both his father and Do-won.
Come on, Team Leader. Please notice it quickly.
“…Father.”
Do-won’s steady voice broke the silence.
Yu-young’s father looked at him, saying nothing.
Maintaining his usual poise, Do-won spoke with deliberate calm.
“There is something we need to say before dinner.”