Ch.65Chapter 65. Meeting the Parents (3)

‘What is that······?’

Juliane had to doubt her own eyes.

Father and daughter.

Daughter and father.

The two were clinging to each other like lovers.

The daughter straddling her father.

The father embracing his daughter’s slender waist.

And they were exchanging saliva as their lips overlapped.

It was quite a static kiss compared to what he had done with her before.

The two never separated their lips, only moving inside.

There were no sloppy sounds of saliva or greedy smacking.

Only the faint sound of tongues intertwining and the swallowing of someone’s saliva could be heard.

But what was most unbearable was······

‘Oh? Look at her?’

The way Cuss glanced at her.

While seemingly focused on the kiss, Cuss would occasionally turn her eyes this way, sending what seemed like a mocking gaze.

Was I seeing things wrong?

Was I viewing this in a distorted way because of my inferiority complex?

Or was it really······

Did Cuss see Jinsoo as a man?

“This, this isn’t right!”

I found myself shouting with a cracking voice.

This was the first time I had ever been truly angry with Jinsoo.

“Hueeee······.”

As they separated, I became certain when I saw the look in Cuss’s eyes as she stared at me.

That was jealousy.

It wasn’t because she disliked me, nor because she didn’t want a mother.

It was simply a defense mechanism, extremely wary of someone becoming more precious to Jinsoo.

Whether it was a desire for paternal affection or something sexual, I couldn’t tell······.

‘I need to make this clear now.’

This man would rub Cuss’s chest at every opportunity.

It was clear that Cuss’s sense of sexuality had become distorted because of this.

Though I had unconsciously gotten truly angry, I needed to use this opportunity to correct things.

“Can’t a particularly close father and daughter do a deep kiss and such things?”

“Uh······? Is that so?”

But Juliane couldn’t gather her thoughts against Jinsoo’s confusing rhetoric.

***

“Is Juliane upset?”

“I’m not upset······.”

Even after getting in the car, Juliane was looking out the window, seemingly sulking.

She seemed annoyed that I had glossed over the kiss incident with my Tai Chi-like evasion.

Of course, I could have promised never to do it again.

But I wasn’t the kind of bastard who would lie to her face and secretly enjoy it behind her back.

If I do something, I do it proudly.

What’s there to be ashamed of about kissing my daughter?

Cuss also said she would only do such kisses with me, so there shouldn’t be any issues with her sexual awareness.

“Hehehe······.”

“Get off. You’ll cause an accident.”

Cuss, who wouldn’t even make eye contact with me until just now, seemed to have already gotten over it.

She kept playing around, wrapping her arms around my neck from the back seat.

I thought she would stay angry until we sat down at the restaurant and the food arrived.

She got over it much earlier than expected.

Did something good happen today?

“Um······ is everything okay at work?”

Juliane turned her head and asked in a serious tone.

Work. Ah, fuck.

Just thinking about it made my blood pressure rise.

The project had disintegrated right before my eyes.

When I was basically just a mechanic, I didn’t care much if projects fell apart, but now I was stressed to the max.

Is this the weight of being a responsible engineer?

“Ah. Work. Well, yeah. It won’t be ruined. We might run a deficit this year though. Haha.”

“No, I mean besides management issues. Did they ask you to come in?”

“They want me to come in tomorrow for an emergency meeting. Even though it’s a holiday.”

“Ah······.”

Juliane let out a deep sigh.

“But they want me to come in the afternoon. We can have a solid round two until morning.”

“Round two? What round······ oh.”

Juliane’s lips clamped shut.

Oh. She’s turning red.

I’ve never seen someone’s face turn red so quickly.

“Um······ Jinsoo.”

“Yes. Tell me.”

“Do your colleagues say anything about me?”

“Hmm······?”

Come to think of it, everyone did say something about Juliane.

But there was something hesitant about it, as if they were choosing their words carefully.

“Everyone praised you, saying you’re cool. I heard you carried me out? I didn’t know you were that strong.”

“Hmm, hmm······. So that’s what everyone said······. Nothing else?”

“Ah. There was something. They were talking about a specific body part.”

“What?! What, what did they say?”

Juliane suddenly asked in alarm.

What’s this? Why such a sensitive reaction?

“They all agreed that your thighs are amazing.”

“Oh, really!”

Juliane turned her head away again, seemingly angry.

Since the interior light was on while we were stopped, she didn’t realize her face was reflected in the window.

For some reason, Juliane seemed to have an expression of relief.

Even through the blurry reflection in the car window, Juliane was incredibly beautiful.

At times like this, I feel a bit guilty.

Like a thief, seducing and carrying off an innocent young professional who knows nothing.

“We’re here.”

CICADA.

The sign hanging on the glass wall welcomed us.

First, we got out and left the car with the valet parking.

“Hoo. Hooo. I’m nervous······.”

Even without saying it, Juliane seemed very tense.

Her body was trembling non-stop like a vibrator.

I took her hand to help calm her down.

“······?”

Then Juliane lifted her hand and hugged my arm.

She pulled it in subtly, making my elbow occasionally brush against her large breasts.

To make matters worse, she was wearing a dress with a plunging neckline, and I couldn’t help but glance at her cleavage.

Juliane turned her head and grinned, pretending not to know what she was doing.

How mischievous.

I wanted to grab her breasts right there to surprise her, but I decided against it.

“What are you doing?”

“Ugh······.”

I felt something fidgeting.

Cuss was trying to pull my other arm.

Cute kid.

I immediately pulled my arm away, gently stroked Cuss’s head, and held her hand.

Cuss looked slightly dissatisfied.

She probably wanted to imitate Juliane.

But the height difference made that difficult.

“There should be a reservation under Stadtfeld.”

“Yes. Your party is waiting. Table 15 on the second floor.”

Past doors reminiscent of a club entrance, the view of an upscale restaurant came into sight.

If the previous place had a sophisticated style, this one had a more antique, classical feel.

We slowly climbed the stairs.

Table 15······

That table in the far corner?

I could already see them.

The middle-aged four-term congressman, Conrad Stadtfeld, and his wife.

“Mother, Father. I’m here.”

“······.”

“······.”

The two looked up at us silently.

For a moment, I thought I’d stopped breathing.

They immediately tried to make eye contact with me, as if trying to see through to my essence, which made me feel a bit guilty.

What if they suddenly call me a pedophile?

“This is Jinsoo Kim. My······ my······”

“Boyfriend, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. And this child is Cuss Kim. Jinsoo’s adopted daughter.”

“······.”

“······.”

Damn, this is suffocating.

Can’t they say something?

Are all German parents like this?

“Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from Juliane. Please sit down. You too, Miss Cuss.”

“Conrad Stadtfeld.”

“I’m Rosenthal Stadtfeld.”

“Pleased to meet you both.”

Only after the wife’s gentle smile did I finally feel like I could breathe.

After shaking hands with both parents, I tried to sit down.

“You sit next to me.”

“······Yes.”

I was forced to sit next to the congressman.

Looks like I’m going to be under intense scrutiny.

“I’ll bring out the escargot first.”

Before the silence could become awkward, the food arrived.

That was fortunate.

If things got awkward, I could just pick up my fork.

Escargot means snail food, right?

Though it was my first time trying it, I was already looking forward to it since it was French cuisine.

Those European bastards, they make damn delicious food.

As soon as the food arrived, saxophone sounds came from below.

Jazz music had begun.

“So how did you two meet?”

“Kuhp······.”

What was it, Rose?

I almost choked at the question asked by the wife with her bright smile.

By the way, escargot just tasted like snails.

Like slightly larger snails with salt and parsley sprinkled on top.

It was a spinal regret that I couldn’t properly savor it due to the heavy atmosphere.

“We first met at a bar.”

“Hmm. At a bar. Do you enjoy drinking?”

“I do enjoy it, but I try not to drink too often.”

That was a lie.

Actually, I drink soju almost every day.

Beer at the very least.

“How did you come to take in the child?”

“One day she knocked on my door. Asking for food.”

That wasn’t a lie.

“After inquiring around and being unable to find her parents, somehow······ yes. I ended up raising her.”

“Jinsoooo······.”

“Huh, what?”

“I can’t eat this.”

Cuss was struggling with the snail.

She seemed so frustrated that she was holding the fork in reverse, looking ready to smash all the snail shells.

I quickly used the tongs to extract all the meat for her and then turned back.

Now I noticed that Juliane wasn’t even touching her food, fidgeting and looking back and forth between us.

Still, the atmosphere was better than expected.

I thought they would be more aggressive.

“Now, would you care to explain about your rape and murder conviction?”

“Father!”

“······.”

I closed my eyes tightly.

I wondered when it would come up.

Yes, this is more like it.

If it were me, and some 30-something ex-con who looked like he’d been rolling around at construction sites tried to take away my 20-something daughter I’d raised with such effort, I’d tear into him too.

Physically, of course.

“What? Is that rude?”

“Of course it’s rude, Father!”

“Then I’ll have to be rude. Can you explain? If not, we can end today right here.”

Conrad put down his fork with a clatter.

After wiping his mouth, he looked me straight in the eye.

This is completely screwed.

“I have nothing else to say.”

Since it’s ruined anyway.

I painfully parted my lips.

“It’s exactly as you’ve investigated, Congressman. I was arrested on charges of rape and murder, and after investigation, the evidence that emerged was accepted, and I received a death sentence. That’s all.”

“You have nothing else to say?”

“Yes. You’re not even curious, are you? Is there anything more you need to know beyond what’s in the documents?”

I know people like Congressman Stadtfeld.

People who never escape the first impression given by documents.

It was obvious, so I gave up early.

Excuses would be useless, and I didn’t want to make them anyway.

No one has ever listened no matter how much I’ve pleaded.

I learned on my first day in prison that excuses are pointless.

When I said I was wrongfully imprisoned, I was beaten up and told that there’s a truckload of guys here saying the same thing.

“I don’t need to know more.”

“······.”

The atmosphere suddenly sank.

Juliane’s expression didn’t look good either.

She seemed to want to say something, fidgeting uncomfortably.

So I gave her occasional glances.

Never to mention anything about the false accusation.

The meal proceeded in a heavy atmosphere.

Cuss seemed happy as more food kept coming.

I had somewhat anticipated this outcome.

No matter how nice a person is, who would look favorably on someone with a rape and murder conviction?

She must have anticipated all of this before coming.

Today, a corner of my heart was particularly painful.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

It wasn’t because I was uncomfortable.

I just needed to use the restroom, so I got up from the table.

Just having their faces out of my sight made the air feel fresher.

Creak······

As I stood in front of the urinal, the door opened immediately after.

Fuck. It was Congressman Stadtfeld.

He came and stood in front of a urinal without even glancing at me.

Is he going to ignore me now?

“I hear you have a good reputation at work.”

“Ah. I’m really sorry about today. Due to negligence in safety inspections······”

“The problematic part. I heard you pointed it out but were ignored.”

“······.”

That should only be known to the section chief and me.

Could the section chief have told him?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Excessive modesty invites anger. Did you know that?”

“······.”

“Such people often make a mistake. They think they’re morally superior. But that’s just stupidity. A foolish man who can’t defend himself even when harmed. Such a man is bound to be eliminated in modern society.”

The congressman’s gaze was peculiar.

Like a father scolding his son······

That kind of look.

“I have no intention of marrying my daughter off to such a foolish man. Think about it. Whether you’ll sit there stupidly, soaked in moral superiority······ in your case, it might be a sense of defeat. Or whether you’ll fight back.”

“······.”

After washing his hands, the congressman left the restroom first.

I was dumbfounded.

Could he have seen through my situation?

“The person who left first comes back later? Sit down quickly.”

When I returned to the table, something had changed.

It wasn’t exactly a harmonious atmosphere, but how should I put it.

It wasn’t as dead silent as before.

As soon as I sat down, the wife’s question came flying.

“Does Jinsoo have the confidence to take responsibility for our child forever?”

“Pardon?”

“I don’t like asking twice. You’ve been widowed once, and I’m concerned that trauma might make you neglect Juliane······.”

“Haha. That won’t happen. I promise. But having the confidence to take responsibility forever. I’m not sure about that.”

“Hmm?”

“We’re not seriously dating yet. It’s just something. Marriage is something to consider after living together, seeing if our personalities match, and checking if we’re compatible in bed.”

“Whaaat?!”

Juliane suddenly stood up, banging the table.

Her face was bright red, and I thought she was angry······

No, was it embarrassment?

“Aha. It seems our child had a one-sided misunderstanding. Juliane said she loves him so much and absolutely has to marry this man······”

“Ah! Mom! Please!”

“You’re right about that. Marriage before checking bed compatibility. That’s the kind of idea only a virgin who knows nothing would have.”

“Aack! Father too!”

Somehow the target of attack had shifted from me to Juliane.

***

The car ride home was very quiet.

Partly because Cuss had fallen asleep, but mostly because there was no conversation between me and the passenger seat.

Juliane was facing the window just like on the way there.

But if you asked if the atmosphere was bleak······

Well, we were holding hands tightly, so not exactly.

Juliane was playing around, caressing and fidgeting with my hand.

“It seems things went well with your father.”

“Do you think so?”

“Yes. I think my father liked you.”

“Really?”

“Yes. He’s not an honest person. He finds it uncomfortable to even face people he really dislikes.”

So that was his way of showing he liked me.

That was unexpected.

Well, the atmosphere was quite amicable until the end, so it would have been impossible if he didn’t like me.

From the lack of comments from both of them, it seemed they weren’t opposed to our relationship.

But they didn’t seem entirely pleased either.

“Why don’t we just go directly?”

“Pardon?”

“Since Cuss is asleep······ we can leave her in the car for a bit.”

Juliane turned her head.

Still caressing my hand.

But that touch was somewhat suggestive.

It was a touch that seemed almost pleading.

“I can’t hold back anymore······.”

“Yes, you can.”

“Hiiik?!”

When I squeezed her hand, Juliane’s body trembled.

Like an aspen tree.

“Let’s go home first, put Cuss to bed. Then we can go out for a walk, just the two of us. How about that?”

“Let’s, let’s do that······.”

Juliane’s face was so red it looked like it might burst at any moment.