Since it was business ball, we could not bring Iseul along with us, so, we had to leave her with Chul-ho and Jae-mi who took her saying, they were going to the amusement park.

…

After a little car ride, we stood near the entrance of the place where the ball was about to take place.

Looking at the grand entrance, I stood there for a moment, thinking.

If I decide to keep on moving this way through that entrance, I may or may not meet my father. But the possibility of meeting him is high.

Even though, I was determined to face him, I still had to emotionally prepare myself before I meet him.

Sensing my discomfort, “It’s fine, I’d drop you back home if you don’t want to come.” Insoo told me.

“No. It’s just-” I sighed.

“Dayun…” He called my name and I listened. “I’d be right by your side throughout the event and if you ever feel uncomfortable tell me and we shall leave right away. So, don’t think about anything, hmm?” He reassured me giving my hands a gentle squeeze. His voice carried warmth and I immediately felt stronger.

“You’d stay with me throughout the event?” I asked him again.

“Of course. I would.” He confirmed.

I nodded at that, “Then… I’ll be fine.” I told him giving him a soft smile that he returned.

…

So, pushing every negative thought aside, I took a step inside the grand hall following Insoo’s lead.

And was it amazing!

The greatly decorated entrance, the sky-high ceiling, the huge chandelier in the middle, the amusingly long staircase with a bright red carpet that extended till the entrance, all screamed one thing and that was – Money.

The people who came there were obviously rich. Very rich. From their heavy jewellery, makeup and designer dresses, one could easily say that they were multi-millionaires.

“I suppose this is not new to you………… Young lady?” Insoo said, on seeing me literally gawking at the place, as he tapped on my shoulders.

True. I was brought up in a rich house hold. But I’ve never attended any events. I’ve never really left my room. So, of course, this would make my jaw drop.

When I opened my mouth to answer that question of Insoo, someone came up to him.

It was one of his business partners and they talked about- you guessed it right- business.

…

After that, a lot of people kept on coming to talk to Insoo. From other business persons of Korea to the ones from abroad, everyone came to meet him. And thankfully most of them were the people that I already knew. So, I wasn’t completely lost.

After all of those boring conversations, I grew tired. It was funny that I grew tired because I didn’t talk more than a sentence, and that was ‘Yes I am.' to their ‘Aren’t you Ms.Ro? His secretery?’

That was it. I didn’t speak a word more than that and still, it didn’t stop me from growing tired.

But Insoo on the other hand, looked like he had some energy drink. The amount of mental and physical energy this man has is insane. Seriously.

How can someone talk and continuously engage in conversations after conversations? I would die!

Luckily, after an hour and a half, we have had conversations with almost everyone we knew.

By we, I mean-

He did all the talking. And I just said my one-liner. Call me lazy, but saying the same one liner for more than an hour was tiring as f*ck.

And magically sensing it like he always does, “Want something to drink?” Insoo asked me. “No. I’m fine. It’s okay-” I said but couldn’t suppress a yawn. At that, “I’ll be right back. Stay here.” He told me and left to get whatever he said that he’ll get.

I stood in a corner listening to the soft piano that was playing. I scanned the room to check if my father was there. After a few minutes of scanning the room, I came to the conclusion that he didn’t come here. My heart filled with mixed emotions. I really thought, I’d see him here. Call me crazy, but this probably might be the last time I’d see him because he’d have already grown so old. So, I, for some reason, wanted to just look at his face before he was no more.

But I guess I started to worry too soon,

“Ah- Ahreum?”

I heard a very familiar voice calling my name. And I didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.

No matter how many years pass, I would never forget his voice. Prepared, I turned around to see the man who was my father.

“Ahreum ah… Is that you?” He asked again reminding me that this wasn’t a dream and that I was in fact in front of my father.

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How long has it been since I saw this very familiar yet very distant face. He has grown old, very old. That’s for sure. His hair has turned grey and his face wrinkled. Even his voice lacked the strength that it carried all those years back. These 9 years sure had a great impact on him. But despite all that it still felt like I’ve seen him yesterday.

I didn’t know what to say or what to feel. “Fa- Father… I-” I severely stuttered, my voice gave away my anxiety.

“Woah… You’ve changed so much, Ah-reum. You almost seem unrecognizable.” He spoke and his eyes were filled with……… Care…… that I’ve never seen in them before.

It made me even more anxious.

My head clouded with several thoughts. This was something I desperately wanted to see in his eyes but never saw.

And then suddenly, all these years later, I see him- And his eyes show…… care?

It’s been almost a decade since I saw him. He didn’t come to see me after the wedding, not even once. Even though I heard news about him, I never saw him.

Back then, I became sad as he didn’t even show up once. I knew he never cared about me, but I hoped that he’d at least visit me because, but I married Hee-Sung without arguing back only because my father asked me to. So, the least thing I wanted him to do was visit me once, which he never did.

And even though I tell myself, I’m over the stage of wanting to be loved by him, I’d be lying if I say that the care I saw in his eyes didn’t give me high hopes.

“Father. I-” I tried to form words again but failed.

And I’m glad, I didn’t speak anything because, the next thing he said, hit me right on my face as it showed me how hopeless I’ve been.

“Why? Why did you run away from him? Do you know how much it had impacted our business relationship? Do you ever care about your father?”

He said and the care or whatever I saw in his eyes were replaced with anger and worry… Worry about his business.

Just-

How stupid can I be-

I should’ve know. I should’ve know that people like my father don’t change overnight. I should’ve know that no matter how hard I try to please him, he’d end up saying something that would break me inside out.

At that, I felt a single drop of the hot liquid run down from the left corner of my eye all the way down to my cheeks.

But the person in front of me was too into blaming me to notice anything else.

At a certain point, my ears received no more of his words. All my brain received was a blurry image of a 60 year old man, talking and grudging over something that only mattered to him.

After a moment or so, Insoo came there holding two drinks… “Dayun… I’ve brought you-”

His expressions turned negative as soon as he saw my father. His jaw immediately grew hard.

“What?!” My father’s eyes grew shocked and disgusted on seeing him.

“You’ve come here with him?” He pointed towards Insoo as he took a look at him from head to toe and then glared at me. “Are you stupid? Do you know who he is? He is my business rival, for god’s sake! What kind of daughter are you?!” He screamed and stacked accusations on top of accusations about me and Insoo.

“This isn’t going to work. No… Come with me. Come with me now. Let’s get you back to where you belong. He’ll take you back.” The old man in front of me spoke and was about to grab my hand when Insoo shoved his hands off. The drinks in his hand spilled, staining the spotless marble floor.

“Don’t you dare touch her!” He warned him with his voice pretty low, only because it was a prestigious Gala and he has to behave. But still his voice managed to sound dangerous.

I could not speak anything nor could I move. I just stood there slapped hard by the reality, by the truth. And I’d be as life-less as a log if my ears didn’t restore it’s hearing ability and my eyes didn’t see.

“Who are you to meddle in the matters related to our family?! She’s f*cking married! And I’m sending her back to her husband. She’s young and she doesn’t know what’s right or wrong… I’m teaching her and making her learn what is best for her! But you! You’re having an affair with a married woman, do you even know that?” He scoffed and added,

“I’m pretty sure you know and I also know really well what game you are trying to play here, Moon Insoo! You are planning to snatch my business through my daughter, right?! I know how your mind works. You disgusting crea-”

And at that-

The sound of a slap echoed in the ears of the three of them. It wasn’t loud enough to reach the ears of others, yet it managed to make the cheeks of the old man burn.

The one who slapped him was…

Dayun

“Keep my man’s name out of your filthy mouth, you piece of garbage.”

She spoke for the first time in the last five minutes, pronouncing everything clearly and slowly word by word. And the tone she used would be enough to send shivers down the spine of anyone who is standing at the receiving end.

“He is not- disgusting. If someone’s disgusting, it’s you!” She paused just for half a second before she continued, “So- what? What if we’re together? What would you do if I date him? What can even you do?! You can do nothing!”

His eyes grew red with anger as he glared at her for a moment, with one of his hands on his cheek where she had slapped him.

After a long moment of staring, he started speaking slowly, “How dare u talk back like that to your own father-”

“Only if you ever acted like my father!” She spat back with the same intensity even before he could finish his statement. “I wouldn’t have spoken like that.”

“You!” He came forward towards her but Insoo quickly came in between, shielding.

After taking a long moment to look at the old man that stood in front of her, “Do you even know why I left that place? Left him?” She spoke and her voice showed her emotions. “I never liked it. I never liked any of it. I wanted to be a Gynecologist. I worked very hard for that and my dream was right on my palms when you snatched it away from me, throwing me among the worst of criminals. I had a few chances to escape and if I did, I’d have lived a pretty good life on my own. But I didn’t.” She paused.

“Why do you think I did that?! Why do you think I stayed despite how badly I was treated there? Why do you I moved on in the morning like nothing happened after crying all night?!” With each successive question, her voice raised too.

She paused and the anger in her eyes slowly vanished replaced by indifference and after another moment, “Why do you think I did everything?! Why do you think I went through all of that and said nothing..?” She smiled a weak smile repeating her question only to answer it herself a second later.

“It was all……….. For you…” Her voice lowered only to raise again at the next thing she said. “Every freaking thing I ever did was for you!”

And after a long pause, her voice again dropped lower as she said, “Just because you told me to do that…………… Just for you…” At that her voice wasn’t more than a soft whisper. “Just consider that before you think of blaming me again.”

After saying her final words and taking one final closer look at her father, she walked towards Insoo.

“Will you take me home..?” She asked him looking no where but his eyes. He didn’t speak anything and just gave her a quick nod as he gently wrapped his hands around her shoulders leading her out.

He paused just for a second only to turn back to look at her father for a last time and resumed walking shortly after. She couldn’t turn back, though.

After all, at some point in life, you’ll learn to leave the things that require to be left behind.

~

~

The return ride was silent. No one spoke anything except once when Insoo apologised for leaving Dayun alone but she just told him that it was okay.

Right after reaching home, Dayun went straight to her room and locked herself inside.

“Dayun! How was the-” Jae-mi was about to ask her about the Gala but Dayun just walked past, ignoring her.

Insoo entered next, as Jae-mi and Chul-ho’s attention turned towards him.

“What happened to her?” Chul-ho asked Insoo who after thinking for a moment said, “In the Gala, we kinda- had an encounter with Lee Byul-hee…”

At that, Jae-mi’s eyes grew wide. She immediately rushed towards Dayun’s room. “Dayun… Dayun…” She repeatedly tapped on her door but got nothing in reply.

After trying to reach Dayun for a few minutes but in vain, Jae-mi grew tired and sat down sliding against the door.

“What really happened there?” She asked Insoo.

To which he heaved a heavy sigh before starting to explain everything he knew.

Jae-mi’s eyes showed a lot of different emotions while listening to him - anger, worry, annoyance, sadness and a lot more…

And when he finished, silence fell upon the room.

After a while 2 minutes, “Dayun-ah… Please open the door. Let me see you once. Please.” She asked her softly but still no answer.

“It’s okay, Jae-mi… I’ll take care of her. You both look tired. You should go home and take rest. Thank you for taking care of Iseul for us.” Insoo told Jae-mi.

“But-”

“Yeah… He’s right. We should give her sometime. Aren’t you tired? Come… I’ll drop you home. We can talk with Dayun tomorrow. Insoo would look after her, don’t worry.”

Jae-mi thought about it for a while. Then, she stood up to face the door of Dayun’s room.

“Take care, Dayun. I’ll call you tomorrow… You must answer me, okay?” And she walked out the house knowing that she isn’t going to reply.

Then, Chul-ho came close to her door to say, “I don’t know what to say. Be strong Dayun, I know you are.” And with that, he too left after patting Insoo’s back saying, “Take care of her bro.” To which Insoo nodded.

…

After they left, Insoo went to check on Iseul who was sleeping peacefully, tired from playing at the park. He switched on her Disney princess night lamp before leaving the room carefully.

Deciding to give Dayun some time, he went inside his room to take a shower. And after about 20 minutes he came back after changing.

He looked at the wall clock and it struck 12. He’d have knocked on Dayun’s room if he didn’t find it unlocked.

“Dayun… I’m coming.” He announced before entering her room except she wasn’t in there.

“Dayun… Dayun” He called her a couple of times before coming to the conclusion that she wasn’t in her room.

Then, he started looking around the house, searching for her. And after searching for a complete minute he found her in his in-house bar.

And when he found her there, he almost had a panic attack. He couldn’t believe his eyes.

…

Dayun sat there her back faced him and before her he could find…………… Six empty bottles of beer, an empty bottle of vodka and 2 empty glasses into which she was pouring even more vodka.

Insoo watched in terror with his jaw dropped at how the girl took both the shots in one-go, with quarter of the content spilling onto her gown that she was still wearing, staining it.

“Da- Dayun…?” He carefully called her name still in shock.

After a whole 10 seconds, the girl slowly turned her head around to look at the man.

“Insooooo…”

The corner of her lips greatly curved downward in a pout as she blinked and let out soft whispers calling his name.

At that, Insoo’s jaw dropped even more in complete horror.

Uh oh-

To be continued…