Just how you were going to face your dad one-on-one without ever sniding at him?

You filled the moments of waiting for him with exploring their house, wondering if you were welcome to walk around as you see fit, as it had been in your childhood to be a priority wherever he is.

Of course, the house is big that you were afraid for a second that you might get lost but the exploration helped keep your mind sane. If you didn't occupy your brain, then you would begin to wonder if you really have what it takes to face his world in the welcoming party.

Making your way through the second floor of their house, you looked over the several doors that greeted you, most of them are closed. But, still you first reached the door handle the instant you heard the maids downstairs is announcing the arrival of their Master Hwang.

This one thankfully wasn't locked as you push the door open and head inside. Only for you to still at the doorway when Hyunjin, standing behind a littered desk, looked up at you in surprise.

It looks like you stumbled in his own bedroom in accident.

"Am I bothering you?", you asked, watching as he collected the papers that were scattered around in a pile and placed them inside a drawer.

He didn't look like someone who had been caught doing something anyone shouldn't see, but you didn't doubt that he was trying to hide something.

"What are you trying to hide from me?", you asked, refusing to minced your words.

"Isn't it the time for you to meet dad in his bedroom?", he answered instead, setting the drawers closed.

You hold his eyes and knowing exactly what he was trying to do, so you shut the door behind you and rested your back agaisnt the door, choosing to linger longer.

"What are you trying to hide from me?", you repeated steadily.

Just as steadily and just as firmly, he wouldn't back down, "You aren't supposed to be here in my room"

"I will not leave until you let me see what you're hiding", you stated more seriously, showing him you're not someone to play around with.

He hadn't even seen the worst of you if he thinks what happened a few hours earlier is the worst of you, then he's extremely wrong.

"It's none of your business", he said, but despite of his words, he lifted one paper from his drawer and held it out towards you.

As you walked further into the room, you accepted it and recognized all the family names there in a heartbeat. It was all the surnames of the students from your school. You have no idea why he was listing them but the Park's and Sim were written on the top, showing their importance for sure.

"Why do you have this list?", you asked, lifting your eyes from the paper briefly before approaching his desk.

Hyunjin moved out of the way, still not speaking a word as you worked on to look in his open monitor that he may have been looking before you enter.

It was all there, the evidences of him designing an immaculate invitation card for all the family friends and acquaintances in the business world. The lists was littered about informations on the upcoming event, or so you needed to call it the welcoming party.

And your brows rise from your head to see even your mom was invited, but the last part of the event after the introduction of you, is the announcement of something shocking that you stepped back from the monitor.

It was all too obvious it had been planned and one of the perpetrators is in front of you.

"Why wasn't I inform of this?", you demanded instantly.

Hyunjin surged forward then, reaching forward to cover your mouth as he holds your eyes, "Be more cautious lest they might hear you"

Lifting his hand from your mouth, you lowered your voice and it was barely audible when you ask, "I wasn't supposed to know this, is that it?"

Just once, Hyunjin nodded before dropping his hand back to his side and yet for the first time, you found yourself holding his eyes and actually looking at him politely for the softness within those orbs reminds you of your dad.

The way you'd been so fascinated in your dad's eyes during the happy times. Back when you believed in fairytales and that the King will never leave his little Princess. That was some time ago.

"I should go then", you offered to him and heads for the door, but before turning the knob, you added, "I'm sorry for what I did to him"

There was a long silence before Hyunjin replied, "It's okay, sister"

The smile that came into your face and into his is a sort of understanding, that you and his family will slowly get there.

To the way of acceptance of each other's connection no matter how complicated it was.

Now you have to talk to the most important part of your life, the one that if you were being honest, you just want to return for good.

But now you have to accept, he will take his place again, only not in the way you want to anymore.

It's just like time, every situations along the person it has will change.

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Mr. Ong the butler was the person to lead you inside the room of your dad.

This time, you can't blame the old man to be slightly wary of you because of what happened and as the two of you walked by in the office, the mess you had done in the paintings is now cleared but now it was all gone.

When you get into the room, the awkwardness is instantly striking from seeing Mrs. Hwang fixing the bed for your dad and her daughter, Yeji is sitting at his side, talking to him cheerfully.

The sight was very familiar from the past.

You and your mom with the memories is his past. They were now his present.

The atmosphere in the room felt suffocating for you, that you thought of leaving but then, Mr. Ong took the opportunity to announce your arrival.

"Master, your youngest daughter is here", is what he said in a very formal tone before bowing.

The other three person in the bed instantly looked up and their gazes were on you, making you feel naturally small or one that you could not imagine, you feel extremely shy under their attention.

Silence is there quickly with a form of a monster and he is now taunting you that it was all your fault it had to be like this.

But he was squashed as soon your dad who was now leaning against the headboard smiled at the sight of you, as if you had never done anything wrong to him.

"We should leave them to talk, Yeji", Mrs. Hwang said. It was another surprise to see her gesturing for you to take her place at the side of your dad.

Yeji seems to be just as sweet as her as she stood up then says, "I hope you really listen to my word, sister"

Hyunjin does that too, they keep calling you their sister and they had never once even showed anything bad and yet, you keep on hating to them when they have nothing to do with your problem to your dad.

You think this is what years of anger could cause to a person who have never taken side but only of herself.

Nevertheless, it didn't stop you from suddenly kneeling to them and a single tear came out of your eyes as you listed of all of the things your mother have said to you.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I've caused to your family", you muttered sincerely, not looking at them but to your dad who watched with wide eyes.

Yeji and her mom shared a look before Mrs. Hwang crouched down to your level and looks in your eyes, "We understand where you're coming from. In fact, we should be the one to say sorry to you and your mother"

You shake your head, "No, you shouldn't. I know that now", you began as you hold into one of her hand, enclosing it to yours, "We were just all brought in a situation that we couldn't control and maybe forgiveness is a long way for me to do, but I shouldn't be including you and your childrens when it's not your fault"

In another action of theirs, you didn't expect for her to hold your hand as well. She even smiles softly before nodding to her husband, your dad.

"And yet your mom told me, the only way for you to forgive him is to stay, but he couldn't", she says, confusing you for a moment as your eyes went to him.

It's obvious that you're looking for an answer, but even that, he couldn't give. Instead, it had to be Yeji who did it for you as she closes a hand around her mouth, a tear is slipping out of her beautiful eyes once again.

"He's suffering through a terminal lung cancer and it's already stage 3 at this point"

The moment of weakness is unstoppable.

Before you could begin to make a move, the realization is there, present like a foreboding ghost in the air as you remember your dad spent the years working for a casino, and thus, have to suffer the nights in a place full of smoking people.

He worked there for a reason when his family disowned him, he could not get another job in the other leading companies.

And there you have to face the laughing truth of him having to work overnight back in the days just to give you a memorable birthday.

What if that was the reason he had to leave us?, your mind screams the clear evident of your misunderstandings.

"Yeji, let's go", Mrs. Hwang calls to her again, but not before helping you up to your feet and it's Yeji's turned to be helped out the room.

The sister of yours is now downright hysterical as she leans against her mother while crying and your heart broke for her when you can still hear her sobs even if the door is already closed.

How can you even think of hating her if when you think about it, she and Hyunjin must spent years waiting for your dad to return to them as well?

"I'm sorry you have to hear that, Princess", the voice of your dad snapped you of the inexplicable thoughts.

As you take the time to look down at him in the bed, letting yourself scanning all his features for the first time, it was then that you knew, forgiveness is on it's way.

It's not like you can live with yourself and continuing on, burdening the knowledge that you didn't forgive your dad in his last days. And perhaps for once, you want to hear his explanations.

So you did, taking a step forward to his bed and just ask, "Why did you leave us?"

The only question you've been long dreaming to be answered by him.

"Your mom told me so because she was seeing that my health is deteriorating day by day from that place", he revealed slowly and cautiously for your sake, "But don't blame her, I could take you back here instead and yet, we both knew we couldn't"

Even if he didn't mention, you already knew. The reason is the first family.

"Did you even love her?", you asks again, the only thing you needed to know if for once, your mom's love for him is reciprocated.

For a long while, he just stared at you in contemplation and you just waited for the inevitable.

Finally, he says, "Of course, I have, I still did even now", he is serious. Then he lightens up, "She is the only girl to teach me to be work hard for the things I wanted. She made me chase for her for a year"

"What else?", you wanted to hear more, if only to have more proof of their love story.

He smiled wistfully, "There were so many things to say about your mom", he began looking at nowhere, as if recalling all those memories at the moment, "I think I fall inlove with her completely when we're in a late night road trip"

The words of a road trip gives you such a goosebumps when it sounds too familiar with your experience.

"I'm just looking at her and I think, wow, it's her", he continued as you went on to listen, "When I think of the girl I want to be for the rest of my life or the girl I want to argue over for anything and everything, I only think of her"

That's when you decide to put a stop to it, cutting him off before he could continue and would caused for you to question everything that you know.

Why is that could be his story when there's a first family?

"You have no idea", you say, then pauses, trying to pull yourself together before you speak again, "You have no idea how hard it is to see of my mom slowly changing from being happy to lonely at your absence"

You pauses again, wiping the tears out of your eyes, "But you know what's even harder?"

He nods for you as you wait for a moment, wanting the following words to hurt him as much as it hurts you.

"Seeing a stranger in your face when you had been once our home", is the words you said for the last and heads to the door to make your exit.

There was so much to say, so many things you wanted to ask him. But you didn't have the words and the strength to face him longer at the moment.

Your mind was struggling to formulate the sentences you needed to express what you really wanted to.

All you know that this is still isn't the time for it.

Maybe soon, but certainly not today.

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I have one more update but I'll just eat my dinner and take a rest before working on it.

And before anyone complains for the lack of the boys's appearance, know that this story is not all about them.

I don't want a book that only focuses on love stories because well, reality doesn't work like that.

I wanted this book for readers to have something to learned from since I failed in that in my other works.