The next day the chill in the air deepened as Wynter and I walked through Manhattan’s festive streets, the holiday lights above us blinking like stars. I’d wrapped my scarf so tight it was practically a second skin, but no amount of wool could calm the nervous energy tightening my chest.
“Relax,” Wynter said, his voice breaking the silence. He glanced at me, one eyebrow raised in that knowing way of his. “You’re going to be fine.”
“I am fine,” I said, though my scarf-adjusting habit gave me away.
“It’s not like you don’t know them Soh you’ve seen more of my dad‘s face and you have your own mother.” He commented and my heart panged at the realization.
“Okay, ouch.” I glanced away.
“Hey, no I don’t mean it that way. I apologize. I don’t see my mother at all, remember that. I would never say something to intentionally hurt you. I was just trying to emphasize how close our families have always been so you’d feel less nervous.” He explained placing both hands on my shoulders, he wore a brown jacket and navy collared shirt. Very English.
“I get that, it’s okay.” I hummed.
“ I hope you know that now that we are dating you don’t always have to be okay with everything I say or do. I want you to always put me in my place, I want you to check me when I’m wrong, hell I even want you to cuss me out, if I was out of line. You’ve always kept me on my toes Soh, don’t stop now.” He insisted kissing my forehead in a way so tender I nearly melted.
“I promise to let you know if you’re being a dick.”I assured him and he pressed his tongue to his cheek and chuckled.
“That’s my girl.” He wrapped his arm around me.
“Yay.” I smiled.
“You’ve been messing with that scarf for twenty minutes, and it’s perfect,” he teased. “You could tie it into a bow and walk the red carpet with it.”
I huffed, biting back a smile. “Not everyone is as effortlessly layed back as you, I, however, am the personification of apprehension.”
“That’s not true,” he replied, his tone turning softer. “You’re cooler than I am. And smarter. And…” He trailed off, his cheeks coloring faintly as he looked ahead.
“Are you blushing?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood.
“No,” he lied, quickening his pace toward the apartment building ahead.
I followed, my nerves giving way to quiet amusement. It was a rare thing to see Wynter flustered, and it almost made me forget the weight of the evening ahead. Almost.
The apartment Wynter’s dad had rented for the holidays was stunning, a blend of modern luxury and cozy warmth. The Christmas tree in the corner twinkled with gold and silver ornaments, and the faint smell of pine mingled with something rich and savory from the kitchen.
“Dad?” Wynter called, leading me inside.
“In here,” came the familiar, deep voice of Mr. Kwon.
We stepped into the living room, and there he was, rising slowly from the couch. Time had left its mark on him—the streaks of silver in his hair had spread, and his posture wasn’t as straight as I remembered. But his presence was still as commanding as ever, and his smile was warm enough to soften the sharp edges of the years.
“Wynter,” he greeted, stepping forward to clasp his son’s hand. Then his eyes landed on me, and his expression softened further. “And Yesoh.”
“Mr. Kwon,” I said, offering a polite nod.
He shook his head, crossing the room to pull me into a brief, firm hug. “It’s been far too long, how’s the family?”
“Good, Dad’s busy as ever, Cahya’s about to graduate and Soleh passes his time by murdering his Sims four characters.” I expressed and he laughed.
“so barely anything has changed?” He figured.
“Yeah, you could say that.”
I laughed nervously, caught off guard by his warmth.
“Appa I brought Yesoh here so that I could let you know that we’ve been able to get close again, much more than we ever were.” Wynter said, his voice deliberate. “She’s my girlfriend.”
Mrs Kwon’s gaze moved between us, his brows lifting slightly. Then his face broke into a broad smile. “Well, it’s about time.” He stepped back, his hands on his hips. “You two have been attached at the hip since you were kids. The rest of us saw this coming years ago.”
