Jason looked up to see him, his wife, as well as his Father, staring.
He released Arthur who, confused as to why he was spared from a noogie, looked up in time to see Jason stepping off to the side and politely smiling.
"I see you're acquainted with Sun Jae." His Grandfather quietly said.
Arthur looked from his Uncle Jason to his Dad who shook their heads.
"I visited once." Jason lied.
Confusion made Arthur tilt his head.
His Grandfather seemed unconvinced.
Jason nervously held up two fingers. "Twice?" he tried.
His Grandfather blinked.
"Why does it matter?" Arthur asked.
The eyes of every person in the room practically boared into him as he addressed Jason.
"Is it a crime to visit your nephew?"
Jason nudged him, his smile strained ". . .hey, shush."
The elder who watched Arthur for a bit, finally smiled.
"How could it be? Of course not." He gestured ahead, "Come, let me show you where you'll be staying."
"That's a job for one of the butlers, Father." One of the statues glued onto the stairs finally moved. She sauntered down the stairs in her red slip dress.
"Let them do it."
Arthur blinked.
His Grandfather seemed to be considering it.
His Father sighed.
"That's fine, I used to live here once, it's my old room right? I know the way."
"That was actually renovated." The middle aged woman at the center of the formation of models spoke up, she slowly descended the steps.
She met eye contact with one of the maids, bordering the bottom of the stairs and smiled.
The maid stepped forward, with a lowered head she spoke.
"Please allow me to show you your living quarters."
Arthur's eyes narrowed at the sight. "Why is it so complicated?"
"Arthur...shush." His Mom leaned close to him and pinched him.
His mouth opened then closed when he saw her pleading look.
"I apologize, he gets like that when he's tired."
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"He's still like that at this age?" The middle aged woman looked on in disapproval.
Arthur looked on in disapproval right back.
The women in red scowled at this. "You! Fix your face!"
"What's wrong with it?" Arthur asked.
The woman's eyes widened at him. "This disrespectful-
"Even if there's something wrong with my face, that's not up to you to fix it isn't it? From your logic something like that is only fit for the butlers."
"Pffft." One of the kids from the staircase laughed aloud.
"Allow me to introduce you," Arthur's Grandfather gestured at the middle aged woman, this is my wife, Sim A-yeong. Your Grandmother."
Arthur reigned in his defiant expression somewhat rather reluctantly.
His Grandfather watched this.
"Do you have something to say?"
Arthur looked her up and down.
"...Why did you all get this dressed up to meet someone you didn't want to meet?"
"Arthur!" He felt a woosh of air behind his back, his Mother tried to grab him back by the collar but his Father stopped her.
"Let's not make a scene." His Father told her instead.
"I didn't." Arthur waved at the woman in red. "She did."
Listening his Grandfather joined his wife's side. "What makes you think we didn't want to meet you?"
Arthur raised a brow. "Why did Uncle Jason have to explain himself for visiting us?"
Jason, who had been quietly minding his own business, panicked again. If there was anything his Father hated it was someone answering his question with another question.
"Hey!" He wanted to tell Arthur to stop bringing it up but he felt his Father's eyes on him and stiffened.
"I don't know..." His Grandfather looked to Jason who looked elsewhere. "...Why did he?" His smile returned.
"..." He could be lying, Arthur didn't call him out on it. He simply retreated in between his parents who eyeballed him hard before bowing to the elders.
"I'm sorry." His hand on Arthur's shoulder felt heavy.
Arthur's Grandfather didn't respond immediately. "Butler Moon will show you where you'll sleep tonight."
The second the three were out of ear shot, Ayeong shot her husband a glare.
"Why are you tolerating that brat?"
"I'm tolerating him? Me?" The elder smiled and shook his head as he stepped towards the dining hall. "I'm not."
"Yes you are!" The Pinup model in red closely followed him. "How could you not correct him when he was so disrespectful?! That's not like you!"
"Ah… that, I was just thinking it's to be expected. He's a sharp boy, and he was raised in the west, naturally he'll say whatever is on his mind. He'll learn with time here. More importantly...Ayeong." He slowly turned around his gaze chilly. His wife, Ayeong who had walked alongside him, flinched now as his tranquil expression morphed to one of sterness. "What the hell was that?"
Everyone else stepped back.
"What?"
"He was able to figure you out with just one sentence. Him. A child. Aren't you embarrassed?"
Ayeong pursed her lips.
"I'm embarrassed. Now things will be awkward between us." He suddenly reached for her face, stroked her cheek. "Just how do you plan to pay me back for this humiliation?"
"Th-that..."
"Redeem yourself. Get along well with your grandson."
Confusion. Unwillingness and disgust cycled through Ayeong's countenance but before she could open her mouth to voice either in objection, he had took note of this all as he withdrew, it was as if he was seeing her for the first time.
His voice was quiet. "Since when did you start looking down on my blood?"
"!" Her face became pale. "Honey, it's not like that!"
"You've misunderstood, Father." A man in a brown suit spoke up. Ayeong's son from her past marriage, Si-Wook.
"Oh? I misunderstood? Do you think I'm stupid?!"
"Mother didn't mean it like that, Father." A man in a velvet burgundy tux and black blouse quickly stepped forward.
He was the first child they had together. Yeonu.
One of the youngins in the back, a grandchild girl in gold stilettos, quietly asked in hopes of changing the topic asked.
"How long...will he be staying, Grandfather?"
". . ." Instead of answering, the elder smiled and walked away, leaving his family flustered.
The woman in red, looked to Ayeong.
"Mother, what is Father thinking, he's not seriously thinking of letting them live here right?"
"Don't be ridiculous! They're visiting, that's it!" Ayeong pursed her lips, even though she knew this, it didn't make her any less happy.