Cha family reunion
Category: Stories

It’s spring break.
At Cha Baekho’s home everyone is sitting in the backyard enjoying the beautiful weather. Grandpa and grandma has come over to visit Baekho and his parents. Mam and dad are accompany them. Talking about everything. Grandma says: “It would have been nice, if everyone of the family was here right now.” Father smiles and answers: “It’s spring break, we can invite everyone over for a family diner. Let me make some calls.” 

Grandpa and grandma are excited to hear this and looks forward to see all of their grandchildren again. Father takes out his phone and starts to call everyone. He invited everyone to come for diner this weekend. Everyone needs to be present at 6 o’clock in the backyard of the Cha family. 

That weekend of the family diner party, Cha Baekho was staring at his phone and was tapping his fingers fast and furious on the screen. He seems to be busy playing his game. Suddenly his mother called out to him: “Baekho, go help your father setting up the tables! Your uncle and aunts will be here any minute now!“ Baekho pauses his game. He puts his phone away and shouts: “Okay mom!” He walked out into the backyard and sees that his father has almost done everything. Baekho goes to his grandmother and smiles: “Grandma can I get you something to drink? Perhaps tea?” Grandmother nods: “That would be lovely dear.” Baekho takes the teapot and starts to poor some tea. Meanwhile he looks at grandmother and says: “By the way you look great today. Did mom do your hair and make up? You look ten years younger!” Baekho turns to grandfather: “Grandpa let me help you with your tie.” He tidys up the tie and says: “Your so handsome. People say I inherited your good looks.” Both grandparents laugh and praise him. Father walks toward Baekho and gently slaps him on the back of his head and says:“ Stop flattering your grandparents. Come here and help me. Your uncle is now on his way with your two cousins so behave yourself.“ Baekho nods his head and smiles. He grabs two champagne glasses and place them on the table. Suddenly the doorbell rings. {I’m saved by the bell.} He shouts: “I’ll get it!“ Baekho was actually very lazy and would do anything to get away from helping around. He only does it, because it gives others a good impression of him. But actually he is a really good sweet talker. When he is talking to people, he can easily convince them of anything. And they will immediately fall in love with him. 

Baekho opens the front door and sees his auntie and her husband and says:“Hey, welcome welcome. Good to see you auntie. And you too uncle. Did you get a new haircut? It looks good on you.“ He takes over the bag that his aunt has brought over and hangs their jacket and coats. He greets his eldest cousin:“ Hyung, you can hang your jacket here.“ Baekho points to a higher hook at the coat rack, because Joongki is quite tall. Joongki can certainly reach it. Baekho knows that his other cousins won’t be able to reach it. They are girls and not so tall. So he wants to save the lower spaces for them. Baekho waves his hand and says: “Come, grandpa and grandma are in the backyard. They can’t wait any longer to see you.“ Baekho leads his hyung and his parents to the back. As soon as auntie sees her parents, she gives them a big hug. The old couple was also happy to see their only daughter and her husband. Baekho and his mother walks into the backyard with the drinks. They are serving everyone tea. Baekho asks his uncle and aunt if they would like some tea. They gratefully accept it and say that Baekho is so sweet for helping his parents. Baekho answered: “Auntie, you’re teasing me now. My mom always says I’m lazy. She complains a lot.“ Baekho and his aunt laughed and they sit down at the big table. Baekho peels the tangerines for his grandparents and says:“Grandma, here. Eat some tangerines they’re sweet and juicy.” Baekho turns to grandfather: “Here, also for you grandpa.“ The whole family talked about everyday things and joked around until the last family members arrives. Baekho leaves the table to open the front door again. He greets then with the same happy and excited energy like he did with Joongki’s parents. Baekho says: “Come in, come in. Everyone is waiting for you. Ohh aunt, this looks heavy. I’ll carry it for you.” His aunts replies: “It’s not that heavy.” Baekho says: “No no, it’s okay. I got this.“ He grabs the heavy bag from his aunt and told them that everyone is waiting for them in the backyard. Baekho looks at his nieces: “Noona, you are wearing high heels to look taller?! Hahah…, and you are wearing a nice dress, noona.“ When he was younger, the two cousins played with him a lot. They even went together to the same school until high school. After high school, the nieces moved away to another city.  

Now the whole family is together, they can start to eat and talk about everything and nothing. Sara and Suzy, the two sisters, want to start their own clothing line. But they need some help. All family members reacted very supportive and told them that they will do great. The Cha family isn’t poor. So it’s not hard for them to raise some money to make the girl’s fashion dream come true. Not to say their oldest cousin Joongki is already a business man. He is pretty much successful. He is smart and talented. Only the youngest grandchild Baekho still needs to finish his university. Although Baekho was not like his other three cousins, who are smart, intelligent and have a good sense for business. No, he was more a athletic guy. His talents are more in the direction of sports. He is more an outdoorsy person. Baekho loves all kind of sports and he is a little bit in to nature and astrology. This make his parents worry for his future. Though it’s not like he won’t be able to get a job in the future, but more if he is willingly to put in the effort to find work. The boy is so out-going that they are worried that he won’t even try to find a permanent job with a decent salary. They fear he will work for a minimum wage and  time. He will spend his money on travel or using it for his sport or buy unnecessary things.

In the end, the attention turn to Baekho. Since he is in his last year, his uncle and aunts are asking him how he is doing. He admits that he may run into something that was a bit difficult for him. When his grandfather heard this, he got this idea that he wants to see his two grandsons working together. As children, they have an age gap. But now, they can help each other. Since the oldest has his own company, he can easily make time for his younger cousin. Everyone at the table was silent. Until Baekho laughed and says: “Grandpa, that’s not necessarily. I…” His father interups him and says that it’s a good idea. His aunt agrees to it too. So Baekho and Joongki have no choice but to accept it. 

When dinner was finished, father told Baekho that he should call his hyung, so they can meet up. Baekho answers: “Yes, I will. Don’t worry. I have his number on my phone. No worries.” Joongki’s mother says: “You’re always welcome to come over any time you want.” Baekho respons: “Yes aunt, I can come to your place anytime “ So they say goodbye and everyone went back to their own place. Baekho sight. {That was a long day. Now I’m tired.} He looks at his mother: “Mom, I’m heading to my room. Goodnight“ Baekho goes to bed early, because he is meeting his friends tomorrow.