To the end

06

The Reunion

Kim had  been improving slowly, but surely. The therapy sessions were tough, but each day he fought to let go of the pain and fear that had consumed him. His therapist encouraged him to express his feelings to his children through letters—letters that poured out the love he had kept hidden, letters that told them how much he missed them.

Each night, Kim would sit in his room, staring at the blank pages before him. It wasn't easy to find the right words, but once he started writing, the emotions flowed. He told them how sorry he was for scaring them, how much he loved them, and how he longed to be the father they remembered—the father they deserved.

Weeks passed as Kim wrote more letters, filling the pages with heartfelt words, sending them to his children, Venice and Leiah, in the hope they would understand the depth of his regret and love.

Then, that day came.

The door creaked open behind him, but Kim didn’t turn right away. His heart pounded in his chest as soft footsteps slowly approached. A small, trembling voice broke the silence.

“Papa…”

Kim’s breath hitched. His heart stopped. Slowly, he turned, and there they were—Venice and Leiah, standing in the doorway. They looked hesitant, unsure, but they were here.

His vision blurred with tears as he saw his children for the first time in what felt like an eternity. They were taller now, but still held that same innocent look in their eyes. He could barely believe it. His hands shook, and his chest ached with so much emotion that he felt like he couldn’t breathe.

“Venice... Leiah…” His voice cracked, barely audible.

Venice clutched Leiah’s hand, both of them nervous, but she spoke up. “Papa... we got your letters.”

That did it. Kim’s composure shattered. He fell to his knees, his body shaking violently with sobs. The flood of guilt, love, and relief overwhelmed him all at once. Tears streamed down his face as he cried, harder than he ever had before.

“I’m sorry!” Kim gasped between sobs. “I’m so sorry... I hurt you... I— I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry... please forgive me!” He buried his face in his hands, unable to stop the tears. “I missed you so much... I love you... I love you both more than anything in this world.”

Venice and Leiah exchanged a glance, their fear slowly fading. Seeing their father break down so utterly before them made them understand. He wasn’t the man who had scared them anymore. He was their Papa, the one they remembered, the one who loved them.

Venice took a shaky breath and pulled Leiah closer as they both stepped forward. “Papa… it’s okay…”

When they finally closed the distance and wrapped their tiny arms around him, Kim broke even harder. He hugged them fiercely, like he was afraid they might disappear if he let go. He sobbed into their hair, kissing the tops of their heads, their foreheads, their cheeks—everywhere.

“I’m so sorry...” Kim whispered through his tears, clutching them even tighter. “I love you both so much... I never stopped loving you. You’re everything to me, everything…”

Leiah, with her small, soft voice, whispered into his ear. “We love you, too, Papa.”

Kim’s heart ached with an indescribable joy. He pulled back just enough to cup their faces in his hands, kissing their cheeks, their noses, their foreheads again, his tears mixing with his kisses. “You are my world... my everything... and I promise, I will never, ever hurt you again. I’ll be the Papa you need. I’ll be better, I swear.”

Venice’s eyes shimmered with tears of her own as she wiped them away, her voice shaking, “We just want our Papa back.”

Kim choked on a sob, nodding desperately. “I’ll bring him back. I’ll bring him back for you, I swear it.” He kissed them again, over and over, his lips trembling with every word. “I missed you so much... I love you, my babies, I love you.”

As the three of them stayed huddled together on the floor, Kim’s tears slowly began to subside, but the love and relief in his heart were overwhelming. His children were here. They had forgiven him. And for the first time in a long time, he believed that maybe he could find his way back to being the father they needed him to be.

That day, amidst the tears and apologies, Kim felt a sliver of hope that he hadn’t felt in years. It wasn’t going to be easy, but with his children by his side, he knew he could face anything.

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Okay next chapter will be bad af
Humanity didn't exist there .....