Through Her Eyes ✔

108. TRUTH

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The filial bond only exists under the established bond of the child's parents. This allows the child to determine all in the soulmate bond as her own parents even though some of which - in case of Multiples - are not biologically related.

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He does not look that sickly.

That is the first thing that comes into mind. He is just like before, only older and paler. But it is expected to an alcoholic like him. In fact, he looked worse when he was drunk with the intoxicating liquids that had been drowning his body and soul.

Then he calls the name. The name that she rarely hears from his lips. The name that she was not allowed to utter or anyone in the house. The name that somehow has the same pronunciation with her given name to a hard Japanese tongue.

Her mother's name.

"Da-eun?" Her papa's voice is weak and shaking. She can hear the longing on his voice. The voice that she had heard when she happened seeing him once, kneeling in front of her mother's portrait. His shoulders were shaking as he sobbed, so weak and broken, enclosed within his bedroom with the shadows of his own despair.

It's curious how his weak times has flashed through her eyes, like an old movie playing and rolling. It's like a very sad sepia-colored motion picture with her papa as the helpless character. Yes, he had been cruel. His hands had been heavy and quick to punish her to unknown reasons. His tongue had been acid to her ears. He had been nothing but a person she had feared among all other things. But there were times that she had believed that her papa was just like her... alone. She had thought that he was angry because of something or someone... and that someone she had believed to be her. That she had taken the only happiness that he had... and she was deserving of those punishments. She had seen him as a poor man, same as her, who only needed love and companionship. Maybe that is the reason why her heart would always bleed for him. She would always think of him... always worry on him... even with the times of pain and unfairness. Her heart would somehow still yearn for even a moment of his recognition, just like any good daughter to her loving father.

With his tears, her heart starts to melt.

"My beloved... Da-eun?" He calls again.

She doesn't know why he utters the name. Not until she looks through his dazed eyes. Then it clicks. Her papa is not seeing her. He is seeing her mother. His most beloved. The one that she murdered... or she was made believed into. The one that he had cursed with the voice of great anger, but whimpered with love when he dozed out in his drunken sleep.

He is indeed sick. If lashing at her is not the first thing that he does, then he is sick. If his eyes look at her with such gentleness and care, then he is sick.

Although shaking with great apprehension, she moves forward as she takes one step at a time until she halts in front of him.

There, she sees him more. Inoue Yoshi is still her papa minus the rage that burns deep inside his orbs reserved only for her... minus the brick walls that he had built around him... minus the rambling voice of accusations and hurt.

She studies him more and her eyes widen. He does look so sick. The red spots of glow are no longer sprinkled on his pale skin. It looks drier and scalier and more like a sick yellow than the usual healthy white. She can't miss the tube hidden from his clothed chest that runs through a very small machine on his side. There is a black and gold liquid flowing through the translucent tube. She had seen that in the hospital before. The machine is a soul tear suppressor. She even had that attached on her when she collapsed of nearly denying her seven.