𝑵𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕 || Lee Heeseung ✓

84. Redemption

Rami, Hayoon, and Heeseung were all in the same house now, but the tension was palpable. Rami, excited to finally be with her father after all these years, asked Hayoon if she could sleep with her dad tonight. Hayoon, clearly still upset with Heeseung, told Rami, "You can, but remember, you can't sleep without your lullabies."

Heeseung quickly jumped in, eager to connect with his daughter and take responsibility. "I'll handle it," he said softly, his eyes pleading, though Hayoon avoided meeting his gaze. She still wouldn't speak to him directly, choosing instead to only talk to Rami.

That night, as Hayoon quietly left to sleep in another room, leaving Heeseung and Rami alone in the bedroom, Heeseung asked his daughter gently, "What kind of stories do you like to listen to before bed?"

Rami smiled and said, "I always liked whatever Mom told me, mostly the stories about when you two were in school and how much she liked you back then."

Heeseung felt his heart ache at the mention of those memories, realizing how much Hayoon had cherished their past. His mind raced as he tried to think of a way to make things right with both of them.

Rami looked up at Heeseung with her big, innocent eyes full of love and affection, her small voice breaking the silence. "Dad, please don't leave us again. It makes me so sad."

Heeseung's heart clenched as he gently stroked her hair, feeling the weight of her words. "I promise, Rami," he said softly, his voice filled with sincerity. "I will never leave you or your mom again. No matter what happens, I'll make sure our family stays together. I'll protect us."

Rami smiled, feeling comforted by his words, and snuggled closer to him. Heeseung, however, felt the pain of knowing he had a long way to go to truly make things right, especially with Hayoon.

After tucking Rami in and making sure she was fast asleep, Heeseung quietly made his way to the room where Hayoon had chosen to sleep. His emotions overwhelmed him, and he couldn't hold it back any longer. Sitting at the edge of the bed, he broke down, tears streaming down his face.

Little did he know, Hayoon wasn’t asleep. Facing the wall, she spoke up, her voice barely above a whisper, “It’s not your fault. I wouldn’t have gotten hurt if I hadn’t chosen to pursue you. I was foolish....I should have just let my feelings fade.”

Heeseung wiped his tears, his voice shaky but firm. “No, Hayoon, you were never foolish. I was the fool for not seeing what was right in front of me. You loved me, and I was too blind, too weak to trust that love. If anyone is to blame, it’s me. You gave everything to make us work, and I....I let you down.”

Heeseung’s voice softened, and he spoke with a deep sincerity. “I realized something, Hayoon. Your falling in love with me was everything. I wouldn’t be the person I am if you hadn’t chased me back then. Your love shaped me, gave me meaning. I was too blind to appreciate it.”

He paused, taking a shaky breath. “Someone made me understand that a girl in love will sacrifice everything for the person she cares about. And you did that, without hesitation. I was so caught up in my own doubts that I failed to see how lucky I was. Lucky because you someone liked me first.”

He wiped his eyes again, looking at her back, waiting for any sign of response, his heart heavy with regret.

Heeseung, still sitting there with tear-filled eyes, spoke with determination. "I’m ready, Hayoon. Whatever punishment you think I deserve, I’ll take it. I know I messed up, more than I can ever make up for. But I’m asking for a second chance. I want to prove my love to you, the way I should have all along."

He clenched his fists, trying to hold back more tears. "I never even wanted to tease you with Karina like that. It killed me to do it, but I thought....if I made you hate me, it’d be easier for you to let me go. I thought that was best for you, because I didn’t know about Rami being our daughter. I....I thought she was Chenle’s."

His voice cracked, but he pressed on, “But now, I understand everything. And I want to make it right, even if it takes the rest of my life.”

"It won't be that easy to forget it all for me, Heeseung," I finally spoke, my voice steady but heavy with all the pain I’d been carrying. I kept my back turned to him, staring at the wall, feeling the weight of his presence behind me. "What would you do if you were in my place? If you watched the person you love, day after day, choosing someone else....doubting you, thinking you had betrayed them?"

I paused, my heart aching, as memories of the countless nights I cried alone surfaced. "Would you be able to just....move on? Pretend everything was fine? Tell me, Heeseung, what would you have done if you were the one left in the dark, carrying all this pain?"

The silence between us was thick, but I knew he had no easy answer. And I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to hear it.

Heeseung's voice broke the silence. "I can’t think straight since the day I got to know the truth," he admitted, his words heavy with regret. "All I know is I want to be forgiven by you—the one who made me realise everything, the one who was always there for me, even when I pushed you away."

His voice softened, almost pleading now. "You suffered alone, carrying our child without telling me, because you didn’t want to worry me. You were so considerate... not even letting me know you were pregnant because I was abroad, focused on my studies." He paused, his voice trembling with emotion. "I’ll be nothing without you now, Hayoon."

I felt the weight of his words sink in, but the pain in my chest remained. Could it really be that simple?