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"Jagiya, please."
"No, Jongin!"
He stopped, staring you down. "I don't know what's happened between you and your family, but this is important to me. We're getting married, jagi. I can't just let this go without even seeing them. It's not fair to them."
You knew the point he was making and in many respects, you did feel bad. You wanted Jongin to meet your family, to get along with all your loved ones and be accepted for the brilliant, gentle-hearted man that he was. But he'd already met all your friends, already met everyone you wanted him to meet. Your family wasn't on that list and for good reason.
You had met Jongin not long after moving to Korea and your Korean still wasn't as good as it should have been. You'd hit him with a door and knocked him back into a woman. Somehow, your flustered apologies endeared you to him and he had let you treat him to bubble tea for hurting him. You two had dated for six months before you managed to put together that Exo's Kai and Jongin didn't look awfully familiar by coincidence and he shyly admitted that he didn't want to scare you off with his fame. It wasn't long after that when you met the rest of Exo, easily becoming part of his work family. About a year and a half in, he shyly asked if you would meet his family at a gathering. Five years after that stupid meeting and you said yes to his proposal, the ring on your finger a stunning solitare diamond, tinted pink in the vaguest way. Jongin was your world and there was nothing you wouldn't give him, but you knew what the meeting with your family would be like and that kind of sadness was the last thing you wanted your selfless other half to feel.
"Fine." You sighed. "But please don't hold this against me later. I left them behind for a reason."
You knew you left him with a very ominous feeling, but it was the truth and this was something you couldn't sugarcoat.
You stopped the car outside the house, taking a deep breath and putting it in park.
Beside you, Jongin looked amazing. HIs hair was a soft, natural black, bringing out the lovely bronze tone in his skin. He was wearing pale, washed out, ripped jeans and a partially undone black button down. He looked stunning and you wanted to ravish him right there in the seat, parents be damned, but the plea in his gaze to get you inside the house killed your libido. You took his hand, squeezed it, and got out of the car.
You lead him up the driveway and knocked on the door, nervousness and sick dread making you nauseous. He took your hand again, trying to ease your obvious stress. To a degree, it worked. Jongin was the man you'd given your life to, long before he'd given you that ring.
Your mother answered the door, face breaking out into surprise then elation at seeing you again. "Baby! Oh, I didn't expect to see you!"
"Surprise!" The tension in your stomach eased somewhat at her touch. She always had that effect on you. "Mumma, I would like you to meet someone."
She looked past you to meet Jongin's gaze. He smiled shyly and waved, his large frame hunching in on itself. Then it hit you that he didn't speak your language and had no idea what was happening.
"Jagi, this is my mom. Mom, this is Kim Jongin."
She smiled. "Which is his first name? Your brother got me confused the other night talking about those Korean band member names."
"Oh. Jongin. His name is Jongin."
"She can call me Kai, if it's easier." He broke in, shuffling a little.
"He also responds to Kai, if that's better."
"Kai?"
"It's his stage name." You explained.
Your mother looked him up and down. "Like a stripper, huh?" She winked and lowered her voice. "Your brother was showing me videos of him dancing after our last phone call."
Your face went red, making your mother laugh as she reached up and pulled Jongin into a hug.
"It's wonderful to meet you." She cooed into his ear. She pulled back and winked at you both. "I imagine his dancing is even more impressive in person."
"Mom!"
She chuckled. "I'm just teasing, baby. I imagine you want to see your brother?"
"Yeah, that'd be great."
Your mother strode away, disappearing around a corner.
"She seems nice." Jongin said, tucking his head into your shoulder and nudging your neck with his nose. "You made it sound so terrible."
"Because you haven't met the trouble yet."
"Your brother?"
"My dad, my grandparents, my cousins, my aunts and uncles. Pretty much everyone but my mom and brother."
"I bet you're just making a big deal out of nothing." He insisted, dropping a quick kiss onto your cheek and giving you a blinding smile that made the shadow in your heart disappear for a minute.
"There's my favourite pain in the ass!" Your brother boomed, swinging around the corner dramatically.
"Hey there, prick."
"Mom said you brought the boy-toy along. I'd like to meet 'em, since you've been so secretive about it."
Your grin was wicked and made your brother visibly nervous. "You're going to shit your pants."
"Give me a shot."
You took Jongin's hand and pulled him out from the doorway and more into the living room. Your brother stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. "Holy shit."
"Bro, I'd like you to meet my-" You squeezed his hand. "-my fiance, Kim Jongin."
"Exo's Kai." He breathed.
That, Jongin recognized. He beamed, his smile as blinding and wonderful as always, and nodded. "Yup. That's me. It's really nice to meet you."
"He's a huge fanboy of yours." You explained to Jongin. "You're his bias and he's got posters of you on his walls. I bet his brain is still trying to comprehend that you're real and in front of him."
Jongin giggled and moved past you, pulling your brother into a hug and petting his hair some. He didn't know a lot of your native language, only managing to pick up phrases you used a lot or had managed to teach him, and his accent was very strong, but it was adorable that he tried. "It's okay. I'm happy to meet you."
Your brother almost hemorraged. "Can you break your engagement to marry me?"
"You're so funny, thinking I'm letting this dork go." You teased, patting Jongin's ass. Your fiance rumbled with a laugh and let your brother go, coming back to casually drape his arm over your shoulders.
"I can't decide whether I'm bitterly jealous or stupidly happy." Your brother said. "Come on. We've gotta show him to the rest of the family. Want me to tell them about the engagement?"
"No, no." You were quick to say. "It's pretty likely that I'll only want to invite you and mom and dad'll come because he gets to be mom's plus one."
Your brother snorted. "Well, I'll be upstairs, helping mom. Good luck."
"Thanks. I'll need it."
"See? What was so bad about that?" Jongin teased.
"Reserve your judgement." You warned, taking his hand and leading him
Overall, the introductions went okay. There was the occasional joke about his childhood in a sweatshop which you took with clenched teeth and absolutely did not mention to Jongin, who only smiled and held you close.
"How come he's so dark? Aren't asians fair-skinned?" Your grandmother said, eyes appraising.
"He just is." You replied. Really, there was no better answer.
"What did she say?"
"She asked about your skin tone." Jongin looked down at his hands and the difference between his hand the the one he was holding captive of yours. The tones were different, visibly so, and you could see him start to think about it. "I really like it. You're so beautiful."
"Aww, jagi. we're already engaged. You don't have to butter me up any."
"Not flattery, just truth."
"Gross!" One of your younger cousins yelled. "If you and that chink are going to get any more friendly, you should leave now!"
You turned back to the little shit, a biting remark on the tip of your tongue when your mother caught your eye and sharply frowned. Instead, you smiled tightly. "I'll remember that when I'm buying your Christmas present."
Before any of the actual adults could register what had just happened, you ducked back into the living room, where the tv was idling on some radio station and looping footage of rainforests and Niagra Falls. For twenty minutes or so, the two of you just talked, cuddled innocently together on the couch. You told him stories about your childhood and how your brother had absolutely insisted that you buy and send him Exo stuff once you moved to Korea. Jongin was tickled pink by your the fanboy in your brother and even discussed bringing him to possibly meet the other members for a special occasion. Just to treat him to something he'll likely never get again.
"Are you sure you're not just trying to endear yourself to the family?" You teased.
"Perish the thought!" He teased back, nuzzling into your collarbone. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to spoil future in-laws."
"You might regret spoiling him. He'll never stop trying to get stuff out of you."
Jongin was about the reply when something hit his leg and he looked down. You had expected it to be the family dogs (not that Jongin would even mind), but it turned out to be your cousin's newest addition, a little girl in a rumpled peach dress. He immediately cooed at her, tenderly picking up the little thing and putting her on his lap. She looked up at him curiously, reaching up to touch his face and pull a little at his hair.
"I think she likes you." You commented, nudging his shoulder. "I heard she cries a lot, especially around strangers."
He hummed and you knew he wasn't listening - you had seen him and Taeoh, after all, and knew the man who would be your husband was simply enamoured with children.
"Do you know if she speaks yet?" He asked.
"I don't think so, but I could be wrong. I'm not in contact with this cousin and try to avoid family drama."
His brows furrowed even as he started to play witht he girl's hands, making her giggle. "Why would there be drama?"
"Her mother isn't exactly known for keeping a partner for any long periods of time." He looked at you baffled. "She sleeps her way through the town."
His eyes widened a little, but he simply nodded in understanding.
It was roughly twenty minutes or so before the aforementioned cousin sauntered out of the bathroom. She caught your eye, then glanced up at Jongin and seemed to remember that she had children. She immeidately hastened over, taking the little girl - who had been perfectly comfortable in his lap, trying to mimick his Korean words back at him - with more force than was necessary. Jongin grunted, pouting a little bit.
"What was that for?" You asked.
"Nothing, nothing." She said, eyeing him darkly. "But, you know how it is. Don't want to leave my children with . . . his type of people."
"Wait, why is she taking the baby?" He asked, all kindly innocence.
You stood and he followed, looking between you two. "Because she's a racist."
She blinked at you, shocked. "I'm not-"
"What?"
"She's a racist." You repeat, softer. "They're all racists."
His face fell and his large frame collapsed in on itself. "Oh. That's what you meant."
You instantly felt bad, turning to cup his face in your hands with a tempered sigh. "Let's just go, okay?"
"Okay, jagiya."
"Tell them I said goodbye." You snapped at your cousin, who nodded dumbly, the little girl reaching out for Jongin with a wobbly pout on her lips.
He didn't say a word the entire way back to the hotel.
"Nini, I'm so-"
He pulled you close, hugging you tightly. "No. I'm sorry."
"Uh, what for?"
"You knew they wouldn't like me, but I made you go anyway. I forced you into an uncomfortable situation when you didn't want to go. I'm sorry."
"Nini, no." You cooed, pulling him over to the bed. "You don't understand what I meant."
"You knew they woudln't like me. I don't want to make your relationships with your family any harder."
"Jagi, no. They don't like Asians. At all. It's nothing you did or could ever do. They're assholes and I didn't want to go because I knew they would hurt you. I love you, Kim Jongin, and nothing they say will ever sway me. I would raather lose them before I lose you."
He shook his head. "Jagi, don't say that-"
"I left then for a reason, Nini." You interrupted, firm. "Long before I met you, I left them. Their hatred of you is just one more reason to stay gone."
"Okay, Jagiya." He whispered, falling into you.
"C'mon. Let's just cuddle and forget all about this, okay?"
He smiled wearily at you. "Okay."