“Why are you home so early?” Doo-shim confronted Vina as soon as she got home. “Didn’t your young man take you out for dinner?”
“He offered but I wasn’t feeling hungry,” Vina said. She couldn’t have picked a worse time to get home. The whole family, even her father, were in the dining room eating dinner.
“Sit down.” Na-ri shuffled her towards her seat at the table. “I’ll get you something to eat.”
“Didn’t you hear her?” Min-kyu paused in his eating. “She said she wasn’t hungry.”
Actually, Vina was hungry, but eating right now would only draw more questions so she offered her mother a grateful smile and said, “I’m okay.”
Doo-shim gave her a disapproving once-over. “Is that what you were wearing when you went out?”
“Yes.” Vina looked down at her outfit. “Is something wrong with it?”
Her grandmother tsked and shook her head. “No wonder he didn’t take you for dinner. How many times have I told you to dress like a lady?”
“We were going for a baseball game.” Vina answered wearily, “This outfit seemed appropriate.”
“It isn’t.” Min-kyu glowered at his daughter sternly. “How sure are we that you’re even going on these dates?”
“She’s going on the dates,” Doo-shim answered before Vina could. “Im-na wouldn’t lie.”
Min-kyu didn’t seem convinced. Cocking his head to study her closely, he asked, “Do you have proof?”
If Vina was any other daughter, she would’ve been insulted that her father didn’t trust her. But she wasn’t any other daughter. With a sigh, she pulled her phone out of her purse, swiped through it to come up with one of the selfies that she and Orion had taken at the stadium. When she showed it to her father, he merely grunted and went back to his meal.
“Let me see him.” Doo-shim held out her hand for the phone. As soon as she saw the picture, her face lit up in a wide grin. “Aigoo, what a handsome young man. And he owns his own business too.” She beamed at her grand-daughter. “You did well, Im-na. You did very well.”
“Thank you,” Vina said, somehow managing to keep from making a sarcastic comment. “Can I be excused? I’m very tired.”
“Of course. Of course,” he grandmother eagerly acquiesced. “You need your rest.”
Just as Vina was leaving, her father called out, “Im-na?”
Vina turned. “Yes?”
“You’d better hurry that young man.” His voice wintery cold, he added, “If you sit on the shelf any longer, you’ll gather cobwebs and he won’t want you.”
Wow! Vina stared at the back of her father’s head in dumbstruck shock before she turned and headed out of the room without a word. And the father of the year award goes to Song Min-kyu.
Feeling beyond hurt, Vina trudged up the stairs to her room. When she got there, she collapsed on her queen-sized bed. She was so tired – tired of having to keep up the charade of being an obedient daughter and grand-daughter, tired of having to fake a relationship, tired of her double-life.
Some days, she woke up thinking that this was the day… this was the day she told her father and grandmother to go jump off a bridge because she was going to live her life how she wanted. But then she’d wake up in the morning and see her mother toiling in the kitchen and it would bring home the ramifications of such an action.
If Vina rebelled, she already knew what her father’s reaction would be. He’d disown her on the spot and kick her out of the house. Frankly, that didn’t bother Vina – she’d do just fine without him. The problem was what he’d do to Na-ri after Vina left. He and Doo-shim would make her life a living hell. They’d blame Na-ri for raising such an impudent daughter because of course raising Vina was Na-ri’s job not Min-kyu’s.
Vina couldn’t let that happen.
As long as Na-ri was still in this house, she’d stay too, play the part of the dutiful daughter.
A sudden knock at her door dragged her from her morose thoughts. A moment later, Na-ri entered the room, carrying a plate of food.
“Eomma, you shouldn’t have,” Vina complained as she sat up on the bed.
Her mother smiled. “And let you go to sleep hungry? I don’t think so.”
“How did you know I was hungry?” Vina said, gratefully taking the plate.
“A mother always knows.” Na-ri settled at the edge of Vina’s bed. “Are you okay?”
“Now I am,” Vina said as she closed her eyes and took in a whiff of the duck dish.
“Not about that. Just generally.” Na-ri cocked her head to study her daughter. “You seemed troubled when you walked in tonight.”
“I was just hungry,” Vina hedged, unwilling to discuss the night’s events. Her mother still thought that she was a virgin, so how was she supposed to talk to her about her confused feeling over sleeping with Orion?
“Are you sure?” Na-ri frowned. “It seemed like more.”
“It wasn’t.” Smiling in what she hoped was reassurance, Vina leaned forward to pat her mother’s knee. “I’m fine, mom. You don’t need to worry.”
Na-ri seemed unconvinced but before she could pursue the conversation further, they heard the thin sound of Doo-shim calling out for Na-ri downstairs. With a wince and apologetic look, Na-ri left the bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Vina was hungry enough that she devoured the meal in under fifteen minutes. Sated, she set the plate on the bedside table, flopped onto her stomach and started to play a game on her phone. The phone suddenly vibrated in her hand, indicating that someone was calling. Her pulse stilled when she saw who it was. Orion.
Immediately, memories of what they’d done rushed in. Instinctive heat rushed up her face and her breathing became shallower. Should she pick? Should she not? If she didn’t pick up, he’d think that she was ignoring him, that she was more affected by the sex than she’d let on. She had to pick it up.
She pulled in deep breath, pasted a smile on her face and answered the phone, “Hello?”
“Hi.” His voice vibrated over the line, its deepness enough to cause an instinctive tightening in her lower belly. “You didn’t call me.”
“What?” she asked, feeling a little breathless because of the butterflies fluttering within her.
“You were supposed to call me when you got home,” he reminded her.
“Oh, sorry. I forgot.”
“Did you get home okay?”
“Yeah,” she responded and then because she had nothing more to say, she kept silent. Orion seemed to have the same dilemma because he didn’t speak either. The silence between them dragged on for what could’ve been a minute but seemed more like an hour. Finally, she broke it, “Are you still there?”
“I am.” Another long pause then he quietly asked, “Are we okay?”
Fresh nervousness spurted through Vina, and she found herself grabbing a fistful of her duvet. “What do you mean?”
There was a tautness to his voice, as if he was just as nervous as her, when he asked, “You don’t want to stop dating, do you?”
His question gave her pause. Despite everything that had happened tonight, it hadn’t once occurred to her to stop their charade. But maybe that was something she needed to consider. Sex for her had always been calculated – something she planned even when it was a one-night stand. But what had happened with Orion was different, uncalculated, driven purely by emotion and desire. When she was with him she couldn’t think straight. Which made him a dangerous man. He was the definition of ‘too hot to handle’.
Logic told her that that was enough reason to cut off contact. And yet she was strangely reluctant to do it. In fact, just the thought of not seeing him again sent a stab of pain through her. Before she could think it through further, she found herself saying, “No. I don’t want to stop dating. Do you?”
“No,” his answer was immediate. No hesitation. “I like fake-dating you.”
Despite herself, Vina smiled. “I like fake-dating you too. So we’re good, right?”
“We’re good,” he agreed, the smile in his voice obvious. “I’ll see you on Sunday, right?”
“Yeah. But it’s my turn to decide what we’re doing.”
“That’s unfair,” he complained. “You’re the one who chose today.”
“But you didn’t buy me dinner.” She shrugged. “I think that entitles me to a re-do.”
“You’re the one who- Wow!” He laughed, the ringing sound echoing in the phone. “I can’t even argue with you.”
She grinned. “Good. So it’s a date?”
“Vina. Vina. Vina.” His low chuckle sent warmth circling within her and butterflies fluttering in her stomach. He sighed. “Okay, you win. It’s a date. When you’ve decided what we’re doing call and let me know.”
“I will.” Playing with her bottom lip, she said, “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
Long after the end of the call, she was still smiling, glad that their earlier tension had evaporated. She really liked hanging out with Orion. So what if they’d added sex – really good sex – to their relationship? It was no big deal. She’d dated guys for just sex before, even engaged in some one night stands. This wasn’t any different. In fact, she could argue that it was much better because both she and Orion knew that their relationship wasn’t going anywhere. Why not enjoy the ride while they were on it?
Yes, she nodded. It wasn’t a big deal at all.
ON TUESDAY, VINA realized just how complicated their relationship was about to get. They were mid-lunch-service when Stacy, the new hostess, stopped by. “Vina, the diner at Table Seven wants to see you.”
“I’m in the middle of service.” Vina frowned. Normally, she didn’t mind going out to greet diners, but today Oscar was not around and she was handling salads while also plating. “Can it wait?”
“I’ll ask.” Stacy went off to check with the diner. When she came back it was to say, “She says to take your time. She can wait.”
“Thank you.” Vina sighed in relief. For the next hour or so, she concentrated on getting food off the fire, onto plates and out of the kitchen. However, once there was a lull in the pace, she left the kitchen to go see the diner.
The woman seated at Table Seven was beautiful and elegant. Long, dark hair that fell over her shoulders in soft waves, delicate features enhanced by subtle make-up, a fashionable blue-wrap dress and golden jewelry to match her gold heels. Though she was older than Vina, it wasn’t easy to tell exactly how old she was. The fine lines around her eyes and neck said she was close to or past fifty but her exquisite style made her look much younger than she probably was. But what really caught Vina’s attention was how familiar the woman looked.
Really familiar.
It was only when she got closer that she realized who the woman was. When she was younger, Vina had seen the woman on TV almost every evening reading the news. It was surprising that she hadn’t recognized her right on sight.
Hong Yoon-ah.
Vina’s heart bumped against her ribs. What in the world was Orion’s mother doing in Tellers? Vina almost turned back right then. She didn’t want to meet Yoon-ah. Not yet. Of course she’d know that eventually they’d have to meet each other’s parents to keep up the charade but this was too soon. She wasn’t ready. Before she could decide what to do, Yoon-ah spotted her.
“Alvina?” Yoon-ah smiled widely as if she already knew her – which she probably did considering all the spying she’d been doing. “Is that you?”
“Yes.” Vina forced a smile as she edged closer to the woman.
“It’s so good to finally meet you.” The older woman stretched out her hand and when Vina took it, vigorously shook it. “Orion’s told me so much about you.”
“He has?” Vina swallowed to get rid of the sudden tightness in her threat. “Good things I hope.”
“Only good things,” Yoon-ah reassured her with a smile. “Sit. Sit.”
Nervously, Vina took the seat opposite Orion’s mother.
Yoon-ah’s head turned to and fro as she took in the restaurant. “Orion told me you were an Executive Chef but I didn’t think you ran the kitchen for a place this big.”
“It’s not that big,” Vina said even as she instantly stiffened. If Yoon-ah was anything like Vina’s family, then the fact that she ran such a big kitchen would be something to frown about not celebrate.
But Yoon-ah didn’t frown. In fact her smile got only wider. “Nonsense. This place is biiig. Ri-on is so lucky that he’s dating such a successful and pretty woman.”
“Thank you.” Despite herself, Vina smiled. Though the woman was obviously spying on her, it was really hard to hate her when she was being so nice about it.
“I hope he’s treating you well.” Yoon-ah made a face. “He can be a little insensitive. You know how men can be.”
“He’s treating me well,” Vina reassured her.
“I bet you’re wondering why I’m here.” Yoon-ah finally got to the crux of the matter. “I wanted to invite you over for dinner to our house. On Sunday.”
Vina blinked, then blinked again. “Sorry?”
“I would’ve asked Ri-on to invite you but I know that boy-” Yoon-ah wrinkled her nose. “If I let him, he’ll hide you.”
“I’m sorry but I can’t. I’m supposed to-” Vina tried to think of an excuse to explain why she couldn’t go for the dinner but her brain seemed to be on the fritz. She couldn’t think of a single reason.
“Oh, but you must.” Yoon-ah reached for Vina’s hand across the table. Squeezing, she cajoled, “Don’t worry, it won’t be anything serious. I just want to get to know you better.”
“I-”
“Please.” Yoon-ah cut her off with a pleading look. “Please.”
How could Vina say no to that look? Before she knew it, she’d agreed and she and Yoon-ah were deciding on a time that was convenient for her. God, what had she just done.
As soon as Yoon-ah left Tellers, Vina called Orion. “I did something bad. I did something very bad.”
“What did you do?” he asked, an amused note in his voice. That amusement faded when Vina told him of his mother’s visit. “She did what?”
“I wanted to refuse. I really did. But she was asking so nicely that I found myself saying Yes.” Vina worried her bottom lip. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. You’re just no match for Madam Hong’s manipulative ways.” He sighed. “Don’t worry I’ll tell her you can’t come.”
“You can’t do that,” Vina immediately protested.
“Why not?”
“Then she won’t like me,” she reasoned. “And she might make you start going for dates again.”
Orion laughed. “My mother can’t make me do anything.”
“Let’s just do it,” Vina coaxed. “We’re supposed to meet each other’s parents eventually anyway. This is just sooner than we expected. Besides that, if I come to your place it might reassure her that we’re really dating and get her to ease off on the spying.”
“You think so?”
“I think so.” Vina nodded vigorously. “Let’s have dinner.”
Orion was quiet for some time then he said. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”