Imposing

“Sorry about this,” SangHyun said quietly to Valeria as they approached the front door.

Valeria did her best to smile. “It’s alright. Your grandfather reminds me of my grandmother. I’m used to the forceful personality.”

Sanghyun chuckled. “Forceful is putting it lightly.”

Valeria turned her attention away from SangHyun and looked forward to see HyunSu and Maria smiling back at them. Valeria shooed their looks away with a wave of her hand, hoping SangHyun hadn’t noticed.

The awkwardness of the silence in the room perfectly matched the tension in the looks shared by Maria and Ray.  Ray sat at one end of the table, Maria at the other.  On one side sat Valeria and her mother, on the other sat SangHyun and HyunSu.  Valeria had been staring at her hands on the table, too nervous to look up at her father.

“So,” Ray began, his displeasure evident in his voice, “you came without booking a room at a hotel?”

HyunSu chuckled.  “I meant to book one, but it seems my old mind is not as reliable as I’d thought.”

“And you’re grandson is incapable too?”

Even though she was not looking, Valeria could tell that HyunSu’s expression had become more serious when he said, “Do you think I am the kind of man that would put such a burden on my grandson when I have already made him go out of his way and take time out of his busy schedule to come to a foreign country and try to honor a pact I made with a man I saved from certain death.” These last words HyunSu made sure to put a heavy emphasis on.

Ray had started to respond, but stopped when he heard HyunSu’s last statement.  He cleared his throat and sat back in his chair, folding his arms as he did so.  “Since it’s already this late and I doubt there are any places in our town for you to stay,” Ray closed his eyes as if mentally keeping himself from saying what he really wanted to, “you are welcome to stay with us.”

Valeria looked up in disbelief.  After glancing at her father, she quickly turned to her grandmother who winked at her slyly.  HyunSu chuckled again.  “How kind of you.  SangHyun, thank the man for his hospitality.”

SangHyun sighed and offered an apologetic smile to Valeria’s father.  “Thank you for this.  I’m sorry we’re imposing.”

Ray simply glared and grunted before standing.  “Valeria, give them some blankets and things.”  He gave SangHyun one last dirty look, then he and Valeria’s mother left to their room.

Valeria stumbled back a little as she pulled two comforters out of the hallway closet.  She turned and was about to head back into the living room when she spotted her little brothers out of the corner of her eye.  She grinned and squatted.  “What are you two doing?  You should be in bed.”

Miguel and Edgar scampered over to her and leaned on the comforters she was holding.  “Vale, who are they?”

She pulled one arm out from under the blankets and patted each boy on the head.  “Friends of Grandma and Grandpa.  No one to be afraid of, ok?”

Miguel’s eyes began to water.  “Vale, you going to leave us for him?”

Her heart clenched to see her precious little brother upset.  She set the blankets aside and hugged him.  “Silly, didn’t I say it already?  I’m not going to marry him.”

“But, Vale, you like him, don’t you?” Edgar asked, the same look in his eyes that his brother had.

With a sigh Valeria pulled him into the hug.  “You two, talking as if you know me better then me.  Look at me and listen.”  She waited for the boys to wipe their eyes and look at her.  “You listening?”  They nodded.  “Right now I have only two men that are most important to me and they are standing right in front of me even though they should be asleep right now.”  She kissed their cheeks lightly and then spun them around and hit them gently on their butts.  “Now go to bed.  Go!  Go!”  The boys giggled and scurried to their room as fast as their little feet could carry them.  Valeria laughed and picked the blankets back up before heading down the hall.  When she reached the bottom, she saw SangHyun leaning against the wall.  He didn’t hear all that, did he?  So embarrassing!

“My mom used to treat me like that,” he said with a soft chuckle.  “I’ll take those.”  He slipped his arms under the comforters and lifted them out of Valeria’s hold.

“I-I’ll go get some pillows then.”  SangHyun nodded and Valeria hurried back to the cupboard that held the extra pillows.  She closed the door and pressed her forehead to it as she groaned.  Why did it have to be him?  Why couldn’t it have been some nobody from the Korean countryside with a terrible accent and ugly face?  Why did it have to be CheonDoong?  Valeria stomped her foot lightly before lifting her head and going back down to the living room to deliver the pillows.  “I found three,” she said, offering them with outstretched hands.

HyunSu motioned for SangHyun to get them and smiled warmly at Valeria.  “Thank you very much.  I hope you aren’t too troubled with our staying here,” he said.

Looking at his face Valeria knew no matter how much she said she felt inconvenienced, he wouldn’t change his mind so she smiled back and shook her head.  “Not at all.  I just hope you can get a good sleep on our couch.  It won’t hurt your back or anything?”

HyunSu chuckled as he always did.  “You embarrass me.  I am not so old that I can not get a good night’s sleep on a couch.  Plus, your couch feels quite comfortable.  I am more concerned for my grandson who will be sleeping on the floor.  For a young man who uses his body so much for his profession it can’t be good if his back is injured.”

SangHyun finished placing the pillows on the couch and looked back at his grandfather.  “Grandfather, wasn’t your argument that since you aren’t old, your back will be fine?  So wouldn’t the same apply to me?”

“Oh?  Is that what I said?  Well, still, we are different people.  Who knows if you are as strong as me!”  HyunSu laughed and shuffled over to the couch before sitting.  “Such a kind girl.  I truly am sorry for making you put up with the selfish requests of this old man.”

Valeria shook her head slightly and laughed quietly.  Just like Abuelita.  Such a liar.  “Don’t worry about it.  If you need anything, my room is the first one as you head up the hall, ok?”  HyunSu nodded.  “Ok.  Goodnight then.”  She waved and started to turn when HyunSu asked, “No goodnight kiss?”  Valeria spun around and tried not to laugh when she saw the funny grin on his face.  After scratching the back of her head she walked over and kissed his cheek.  “There.”

“I meant for my grandson,” HyunSu said, still smiling.

Valeria blushed and SangHyun sighed.  “Grandfather!”  He looked up at Valeria from where he’d lain his blanket on the floor.  “Don’t bother with him anymore.  Sorry we’ve kept you up.”

She shook her head, trying to hide her red cheeks.  “Don’t worry about it.  I’m not very good at getting to sleep anyway so I’m normally up pretty late.”

HyunSu clicked his tongue.  “How sad.  Young people should get plenty of rest.  SangHyun, why don’t you go and sing her to sleep?”

Valeria turned redder and waved her hands frantically.  “No need!  No need!  I’m fine!  Goodnight!”  She rushed up to her room as fast as possible.

SangHyun looked at his grandfather reproachfully.  “What?” HyunSu asked, pretending to be innocent.

“You know what.  Why do you keep doing that?  You’re causing her trouble.”

“What trouble?  You’re imagining things.  I was only trying to help poor, cute, little Valeria.  Why must you always twist my words?”

“Sure.  I’m imagining things.”  SangHyun climbed under the blanket and lay his head on the pillow.  “Just remember: I agreed to meet her and I have.  As soon as we can, we’re going back to Korea.”

HyunSu scrunched his face and shook his head at SangHyun before lying down and covering himself with the blanket.  “You go ahead and try,” he whispered under his breath.

“What was that?”

“Goodnight, Grandson!”