"No, I'm okay." Leena flashed a sweet smile to him. Uneasy as she was, she really wasn't one to pee on other people's parades. She'd rather have the people in her life happy than have them worry about her.
"Still worried?" Kevin asked, drumming on the wheel and glancing at her through the rear view mirror.
"A little," Leena pouted and frankly acknowledged what was on her mind.
"I told you I'll always be with you. What are you worried about?" Kevin frowned. He had never seen Leena so timid before -- but what happened to her this time? Was she worried they would make unkind remarks about her looks and generally tear her down, as it happened when ugly girls met their in-laws? She was gorgeous, so that couldn't be it, could it?
"Major General, I think Leena's scared that your father would bore her to death with his ideological lectures," Lee teased. He was sitting in the passenger seat. Typically serious, he wanted to do something to try to cheer Leena up. She looked pretty glum.
"Yes! Lee, have you already been given the ideological lectures?" Leena pursed her lips, fearing that she would get the answer she dreaded.
"Not yet. He's just said a few words to me here and there. The topics were all about the troop. But he may be saving the long sermons for you especially. You're a new member in his family, after all." Lee liked Leena's amiable manner, which made her more approachable than the Commander's daughter. Although Leena was from a rich family, while the other woman was from a family of a high-ranking official, there were vast differences between them.
"Lee, don't exaggerate things just to scare her. She was already scared enough even before you didn't spout crap like that. And now she's even more nervous." Kevin stared at Lee sourly. Lee never teased anyone before, what happened to him today? He seemed pretty talkative all of a sudden.
"I knew it would be like this. Okay, let's drop the subject. I don't want to think about it. I need to get some sleep," Leena said. Although she just said that she wasn't tired, she didn't tell them she hadn't slept well the night before.
"Okay, have a good sleep. We can grab some grub after we arrive at the service center." Kevin knew she was trying to escape from reality. But he wouldn't expose her. Just let her bury her head in the sand for a bit longer.
Leena didn't respond. She closed her eyes and calmed her mind. But how could she fall asleep? Her thoughts were occupied with the possible scenarios that would play out after they arrived at Kevin's house and met his parents.
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