"He looks so much like his father!" My Aunt-in-law smiled at Joon and pinched his cheeks. She was referring to his almond shaped eyes, and other facial features. Other than that, my boy had brown curly hair and tanner skin.
We just got off the long flight, so he was very tired. I felt him turn his head, and rest it on my shoulder. "Aww." She stroked his head.
"I thought Qi Tai would be here." I sighed and glanced around. I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't here, just a little disappointed. He was always doing things like this, putting his fathers company first.
"Oh, he is." My Aunt-in-law, her English name was Julie, said as she reached for my bag. "He's outside, taking a call."
"He couldn't even bother to come and greet us himself." I pulled Joon closer and hoisted him up a bit because of his weight. He wasn't heavy, but he was getting heavier because he was growing up from a toddler into a child. He just turned 5, after all. Carrying him was a little harder. "It's his own son, for goodness sake."
"I'm sure he wanted to.." Julie sighed, pushing her long hair behind her ear. Before we got to the exit of the airport, a familiar little girl came running at me in full speed.
"Charlie!" She said, and before hopping up glomping me with a hug.
"Qi-Qi?" I gawked at her. "Look at you! You've grown so big!" I stroked her hair and returned her hug slightly, so Joon wouldn't wake up.
After the wedding, Julie and her husband, Qi Tai's uncle, took Qi-Qi to Korea to help raise her. Ever so often, she would come back to America to visit me. The last time I saw her was about 2 years ago. "How old are you now?" I chucked at her.
She put up 5 fingers on both hands.
"Wow! 10? You're already 10!" I gasped. She was already a 4th year elementary grade student. "Time flies by so fast."
"I passed my English exam too!" She said, her thick accent glossing over my ears. "Is that Joon?" She pointed, and reached out to him.
"Yeah," I nodded. "He's tired. So I'm going to bring him home so he can sleep."
We strolled over to exit and outside, we saw Qi Tai leaning casually against a white crossover, much different from his black sedan back in America. His eyes lit up when he saw me, and he sauntered over before grabbing one of my suitcases. "Let me." He smiled, taking it away.
He opened the trunk, and Julie and Qi-Qi helped put the luggage inside before getting into the car. Qi Tai walked back over to me and stroked Joon's hair. "Did he sleep?"
"A little." I mumbled and shoved past him, making my way towards the back seat of the crossover. I opened the back door and looked inside, noticing there wasn't any kind of car seat to put him into. "Qi Tai," I groaned. "You didn't even bring a seat for him?"
He muttered a curse under his breathe. "I left it at the apartment. I'm sorry, I forgot." He ran his hand through his hair. "Just get in, we don't live that far away from Incheon."
~
Joon woke up as soon as we pulled into a parking spot next to a tall building. Everyone got out of the car, and went to grab luggage from the back. Once he noticed his Dad was with us, he reached out for him. Qi Tai took him into his arms with a smile before saying something in Korean. Joon perked up and replied with a smile.
"This place looks huge for an apartment." I gasped, taking in my surroundings. Qi Tai let us all into the building, and up an elevator that continued to go up until we've reached one of the top floors. When the elevator dinged and opened, we followed him down a hallway. He stopped at a door, and glanced at me.
"The passcode is your birthday, Charlie." He slid open a keypad and started typing the numbers in. "Remember it." Once the door opened, he grabbed the knob and pulled it back shut. He gestured at me and pointed to the keypad. "Try it."
"You act like I won't be able to remember my own birthday." I snapped and put in the numbers of my date of birth. "You're one to talk." I mumbled venomously, hinting to him about the times he forgot about my birthday. The keypad clicked and turned on a green light. I opened the door knob, and stepped in.
"Yeobo," He grunted, "Shoes." He gestured towards the entrance of the door.
I kicked my shoes off and watched as he did the same, before taking off Joon's sneakers as well. Julie and Qi-Qi followed behind, continuing the process. They helped drag my luggage to the living room.
I gazed around, surprised at how spacious this place was.
"I think we should take our leave now." Julie grabbed Qi-Qis hands in hers. She gave a look at her, her face telling the story that she didn't want to leave. "I'm sure you have a bunch of.. catching up to do." She implied suggestively.
She dragged Qi-Qi back to the exit and they put on their shoes, before leaving. Maybe it was me, but I felt an awkward breeze brush past me as they left.
"Joon's bedroom is over there." Qi Tai's words snapped me out of my thoughts as he pointed to my right. He placed Joon on the floor, and said something in Korean to him. If I remembered correctly, he said the word "toy". The child bolted off into the direction of his bedroom, leaving me alone with his father. "Our room is over here."
Qi Tai grabbed my hand in his, and led me past the dining area and kitchen, over to a room on the left. When we entered, I looked around in awe. It was much bigger than I expected. There was a queensized bed against the wall, in between two white nightstands. The room was full of bright colored artwork.
On the far right of the room, there was a large glass window with automatic blinds. All I had to do was push a button. I walked inside and noticed that the bedroom also had a master bathroom. "Wow, you guys really like showing off your money." I snorted, and made my way over to the bed.
Qi Tai's eyes followed my movements as I sat on the end of the bed. I exhaled and leaned back, letting the weariness settle in. I was suffering from Jetlag. I glanced back at Qi Tai, who was still staring at me with his intense eyes.
"Qi Tai?" I tilted my head. He took his hands out of his pockets and loosened his tie slowly. I heard him let out a breathe, and in a swift motion, I felt him slam his lips onto mine. It caught me off guard. "Qi Tai!" I sputtered out.
He pushed me back onto the bed, and I huffed as my back hit the mattress. "Wait—" I exclaimed, but he cut it short by kissing me again. I felt him reach for my jeans and I flinched and grabbed onto his hands. "No!" I shrieked, the sound stopped him. "Joon is here!" I hissed.
"He's in the other room playing." Qi Tai blinked at me and groaned, pressing himself against me. "I missed you." He tilted his head, deepening the kiss.
"I can't." I panted. "Not now." I shoved him aside. He landed next to me on the bed, and moaned. "I'm too tired." I rubbed my eyes.
Qi Tai rolled over and placed an arm over my torso. "I have to work tomorrow." He stroked my curls gently. "I've been waiting for so long for today." He whined.
"This isn't what I planned on my first day, Qi Tai." I laughed.
"Just let me—" He kissed my cheek but I pushed him away.
"No." I said, standing my ground as I rolled over. "I'm still mad at you." I pushed myself off of the bed. Qi Tai swung his feet off and followed after me, like a puppy.
"Why are you mad?"
"If you haven't figured out by now then that's going to make me even more angry." I shrugged at him. He paused and tried to rack his mind, as if it were a life or death question. Watching him go into deep thought was so attractive. I pushed past him and dragged one of my suitcases back into our bedroom.
I took out some pajamas from inside, a set of Joon's and mine. I was very tired, and needed to sleep so I could take Joon to school in the morning. "I'm going to take a shower." I shoved Joon's clothes to Qi Tai. "Is there another bathroom?"
Qi Tai nodded.
"Great! Then you can give your son a bath." I stood on my toes, placed a light kiss on his cheek and tapped his shoulder before heading into our bathroom. I made sure to lock the door.
YOU ARE READING
Palace to Plunder (AMBW)
Short Story"Aye, I've never seen o' woman like 'er neither." The pirate replied. "Why is 'er skin so brown? I wasn't taught about women who look like this before." I spat at him. He threw his face back in disgust and released his hold on my wrist to wipe his...
