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Yoon Ah sits alone on a bench in the park near her house. Its location provides just enough sunshine to warm her skin as she takes a sip of tea from the butterfly mug Soo Ah bought for her from Beijing.
A gentle breeze rustles the leaves overhead, providing a relaxing ambiance while the birds cheerfully chirp from their perches.She lets out a soft sigh at the beauty of the field of flowers in front of her.
"Excuse me," a soothing voice stammers. "May I sit here?"
Yoon Ah averts her eyes to the stranger standing in front of her. She holds her hand to her face to shield her eyes from the sun's rays. She squints to make out the figure. Immediately, she recognizes the stranger's face and stammers over her words.
The stranger chuckles at her reaction and slowly sits beside her. "Hello, Yoon Ah."
"Unc-father?"
Hyungwon smiles and nods. His eyes sparkle at his daughter as she drops her mug and lurches forward to wrap her arms around his body. Her eyes close in the presence of his warmth and relax in his arms as her fingers grip his shirt, taking note of its cotton fabric.
Hyungwon tightly wraps his arms around her, bringing her closer to his body. He gently rests his hand on the back of her head and softly hums a lullaby.
Moments go by before Yoon Ah slowly peels herself from Hyungwon's tight embrace. Her fingers gently touch his cheekbones and notice their warmth.
"Papa," she whispers, allowing herself to be a child again and confirm that he's in front of her.
Hyungwon nods. "It's me, sweetheart."
His confirmation makes tears spill from both of your eyes. Words get lost in Yoon Ah's sea of thoughts as she searches for something to say. Hyungwon feels her fluster and softly chuckles.
"I'm so happy to see you," he smiles while wiping her tears away. "You've grown up so much."
"You've been watching me?"
"Of course!" Hyungwon exclaims. "You're my princess!"
As the sun gradually sets, Yoon Ah and Hyungwon stroll through the park, talking about everything from their childhoods to what's been happening lately, their interests, worries, and dreams.
"I always knew Kihyun and Changkyun belonged together," Hyungwon says while his hands pull on the lush grass underneath of him.
"But isn't that weird?" Yoon Ah asks while her face scrunching in confusion. "He's your friend. Weren't you hurt?"
Hyungwon shakes his head. "We knew we weren't compatible. I wanted and still want nothing but happiness for him, and I knew it was Changkyun that could add more of that to his life." He takes her hand in his and gently squeezes it. "Don't be too hard on them. They were just trying their best to raise you and your brother while coping with my death."
The word 'death' strikes Yoon Ah's heart as she draws herself closer to Hyungwon. He welcomes her with open arms and presses her closer to his chest, allowing her to hear the soft beating of his heart as the sun nears the horizon.
"This is a dream, isn't it?" Yoon Ah asks with tears welling in her eyes.
"Yes," Hyungwon soothingly answers. "But I'll visit you whenever I can."
His arms tightly hold onto his daughter while the sky grows dark enough to display the twinkling stars above.
"I love you, Yoon Ah, and I'm so proud of the young lady you're growing up to be," Hyungwon whispers, trying his best to hold back his tears.
"Whenever you feel alone, remember that I'm here with you. I will always be with you."
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