"A Sudden Interruption"

As they finished shopping and headed back home, Esther couldn't shake off the feeling that something had shifted between her and Jaekyung. The spark of jealousy she had seen in his eyes had given her a glimmer of hope, but she knew she couldn't read too much into it. As they walked through the front door, Esther was surprised to see a man standing in the living room, his eyes fixed intently on them. He was a tall, imposing figure with a stern expression, and Esther could sense Jaekyung's tension as he stiffened beside her. "Ah, Father," Jaekyung said, his voice tight. The man, Jaekyung's father, nodded curtly. "I see you're still taking care of my son," he said, his eyes flicking to Esther. "But I have to say, I'm a bit disappointed. I never got to see the two of you kiss." Esther felt a flush rise to her cheeks as Jaekyung's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, his voice cold. His father chuckled. "Oh, come on, Jaekyung. I'm your father, and I want to see my son happy. And if that means I have to demand a kiss from the two of you, then so be it." Jaekyung's expression turned mocking, and he took a step closer to Esther, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Well, I suppose I have no choice but to oblige," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Esther's heart skipped a beat as Jaekyung's face drew closer to hers, his lips parting slightly. But just as his father was about to watch, Jaekyung's expression changed, and he pretended to lean in to paw at Esther's lips. The moment his father said, "Ah, that's enough, I don't need to look at this," Jaekyung suddenly pulled away from Esther, his eyes avoiding his father's. As he turned to leave, he pulled his lips with the end of his t-shirt, a small, awkward gesture that made Esther's heart ache. His father chuckled, seemingly oblivious to the tension. "Well, I'm glad to see you two are getting along. I'll leave you to it, then." As Jaekyung's father turned to leave, Esther caught a glimpse of Jaekyung's face, his eyes flashing with frustration and annoyance. She knew that he had only pretended to kiss her to appease his father, but a part of her wondered if there was more to it than that. As the door closed behind Jaekyung's father, Esther turned to Jaekyung, but he was already walking away, his back stiff and unyielding. Esther sighed, feeling a pang of disappointment, but she couldn't help but wonder what Jaekyung was really thinking, and what would happen next between them.