Hello, Mr Li: The Christmas Trip

Hoy was bothered for the rest of the day after the incident with Joreen. He didn't know what had possessed him to act that way when they were still inside the house with everyone! 

He wasn't sure what would have happened if his father hadnt interrupted earlier. The tension between them had been so thick a knife could pass through it. At this point, he didn't know whether he should thank his father for interrupting or get angry because he had interrupted. He was torn. 

That evening, Li Hoy and his father, Li Han sat down together in the common room at the resort. He had taken it upon himself to ask his father for his time because he needed to explain a few things to him just in case he was going to spill to his mother. He doubted he would do that since his father was usually tight lipped when it came to spilling other people's secret, but he just wanted to clear the air. 

"What you saw... was a misunderstanding." Li Hoy started. He wanted to be done with the conversation as soon as possible and move on. 

Li Han made sure to look at him in the eyes as he said,

"I don't think it was." His father's voice was gentle. Hoy watched the older man gently returned his cup of tea to the table before bus gaze flickered back to him.

Hoy understood why his father thought that. He wouldn't have believed himself if he was in his father's shoes. 

"It really was—"

"The scandal and rumours were true?" Li Han interrupted. 

"It wasn't!" Hoy denied immediately. The rumours had said he was in a sexual relationship with Joreen and that was how she had landed some of her roles. Some had even gone as far to say that G-GLOBAL cancelled their contract with Han Yu under Hoy's instruction– which was true, but the part that wasn't true was them saying Hoy had gotten rid of him because he had been jealous after seeing Han Yu star as the male lead alongside Joreen in a romantic comedy. 

"There is nothing going on between us." He denied. 

"But you like her?" 

The first thing Hoy wanted to do was deny this again. But when he saw the look his father was giving him, he realised he couldn't lie to him. His father expected nothing but the truth from him. 

His silence was enough confirmation for Li Han who sighed. "That's... complicated." 

Hoy remained quiet. It was very weird having this kind of conversation with his father since their usual conversations centered around business. Never had they ever talked about a girlfriend or potential girlfriend. That was his mother's favourite topic

"How long has it been?" He asked calmly. 

"I don't know." Hoy shook his head. 

He didn't even try to think about it because he had been asking himself the same question for the past few days and didn't know when all this started. 

"Have you..." His father paused and looked somewhat uncomfortable so Hoy immediately understood what he was trying to ask. 

"No! Not at all. I never took advantage of her." 

He thought it would take a lot to convince his father but the man looks like he believed him. 

"So what are you going to do about it?" 

"I... honestly do not know." He said with a defeated sigh. 

"I don't know what your mother is going to think about this." His father said. "Or even her parents." 

"Her parents are aware." Hoy informed him. 

"Really?" Li Han was surprised to know this. "Are they against it?" 

Hoy almost snorted. He was tempted to tell him that Jaime was even schooling Joreen on how to get him to like her. "They... actually do not mind." He said it with a small smile that surprised even himself. 

Li Han was surprised but also relieved. At least one problem was out. 

"What about Joreen? How does she feel about the whole thing?" He asked. 

"She claims she like me." 

"Claim?" Li Han took note of that particular word and raised an eyebrow. 

"You do not believe that 'claim' is true?" 

Hoy looked at his father carefully. He believed he could tell this man anything and he wouldn't judge him or scold him. His father had always been supportive. 

Maybe he was the right person to pour out his heart to. 

"I feel it's because I restricted her a lot and didn't give her much opportunity to meet young men her age, maybe... she is a little confused?" 

"Jo is... very naive and innocent, also a little clumsy, but I don't think she is dumb." Li Han pointed out. 

"She has obviously seen a lot of young men are age especially during movie shoots, conferences, award ceremonies and socialites gathering. Maybe... you are her type?" 

"Why are you being supportive of me?" Hoy asked suspiciously. "Aren't you supposed to get mad at me and scold me for falling in love with her when she was placed under my care?" 

His father smiled which left him a little confused,

"So you admit you have fallen in love with her? I thought it was a simple conflicted feeling." 

Hoy was a bit startled. Did he just say he was in love with her?

"Hoy, I can understand what you are going through. You worry about your age difference, you worry about what people would say and how it is going to affect her. You also think you are doing the wrong thing by letting your emotions get the best of you. But you need to understand that those people who are going to be sitting behind their computers, writing trash about you and Joreen are even doing worse. This is not a do or die affair. You do not need to announce it to the whole world. Young people always date and break up. There is no big deal. The worse regret is not failing, but it's not trying in the first place. Because then, you'll keep thinking 'what if it had worked out had I tried?'"

Hoy listened without interrupting and allowed his father's words to sink in.

"I don't have any other advise for you because I believe you can decide what you want for yourself. Just do whatever makes you happy. And find a way to tell your mother about it before she finds out herself just like I did." 

Hoy nodded. He really felt like a little kid before his father. But but good thing is, he felt a lot relieved. 

"And you should be careful around the house. It could have been anyone who bumped into you two." His father said lightly as he picked up his cup of tea which was already getting cold. 

"They would have at least knocked first." Hoy replied with sarcasm, causing his father to chuckle. 

When he stopped laughing, he looked at his son with a little smile on his face. 

"I am glad we got to have this little father–son moment. You have always been so independent and hardworking and it made me worry you were being too mature for your age. I wish we had talked a lot while you were younger." 

Hoy smiled warmly at him. "I'm glad you at least had big brother to always keep you company."

He humphed. "He was one troublesome fella. I am glad he got to meet Eva who knocked some sense into him. Always dating around, living extravagantly and getting into trouble." 

Hoy remembered how his older brother was then and laughed. He saw similar similarities in his little nephew but he hoped his brother's son would be better than his father. 

*******

That night, Joreen could not sleep. She kept tossing and turning on the bed until she woke an already sleeping Reen. 

"I know it's your 18th birthday in a few hours, but you need to sleep." Reen said groggily. 

Joreen wished that was the reason she was still awake till now. She kept remembering when she was in Hoy's room earlier. They had been in almost the same position they had been on the day he saved her from falling in his bathroom, but for some reason, this one felt more intimate. 

He had pulled her back, looked deeply into her eyes and said something about being jealous. 

She wished she understood what he meant by that. Did he mean he was jealous because she had said she would follow another man? Then maybe he really liked her right?

A small smile tugged on her lips. 

"Good night." She said to Reen who was already dozing off. 

Reen replied sleepily, "Good night."

Joreen thought she her fallen back asleep until she spoke again with her eyes still closed like she was deep in her sleep, "Happy New year and ...Birthday blessings little sister." 

Joreen smiled at her sleeping older sister. She would have loved to have a lot of fun and watch the fireworks by 12am, but her body needed rest.

18...

She was thankful for her life, for having a wonderful stepfather who loved her mother and also treated her even better than Reen sometimes. She was thankful for having a lovely extended family and an older sister who was always looking out for her. 

Most importantly, she was thankful about the feelings she had for Li Hoy. She didn't think she would be this happy if she liked someone else. 

With a smile on her face, she dozed off to sleep. 

She woke up with a start a few hours later to the sound of the New Year's day count down. 

It wasn't just from their apartment, it seemed like it was from all the apartments around. 

Reen also sat up and the two hurried to the window to watch. 

"Three... two.... one..." 

And there were fireworks everywhere in the sky.

Their bedroom's door flung open and when they both turned around, different faces were by the door tscreaming, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"