𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗘𝗥

-END-

RUKA

"You are the woman responsible for wrecking my daughter's marriage?"

It's a rhetorical question.

Or that's how I decide to treat it. Can't beat my eventual father-in-law's ass, may I?"

"Ji Chang-wook Chaikong."

He holds out his hand and I shake it firmly stifling the urge to break it.
I hate that I admire the strength behind the handshake.

He raised Rita on his own for most of her life I have to admire him for that.
The fact that he favors him doesn't hurt much either. He's got more gray in his facial hair than in the photos I saw of him earlier and more wrinkles.He must have changed out of his police uniform because he's now dressed casually in a plain T-shirt and jeans with a dog tag around his neck.

We settled in the dining room around the dinner table surrounded by mounds of seafood, corn on the cob and potatoes. And a few bottles of wine which I am more than grateful for.

I didn't know what this evening would bring but I knew it wouldn't be a walk in the park.

Ji Chang-wook loved Pharita fiercely and he wasn't thrilled about handing her over especially not to someone like me and yeah I'll agree I'm not that charming. And most of the time I say what I'm thinking which a lot of people don't appreciate. But, whatever. I am who I am.

I love his daughter and I will protect her from anything and everything including myself. That should be the most important thing. Not my fucked up history.

I rest my arm over Rita's chair finding comfort in the barrier I'm trapping her in. I shake hands with Minji, Rita's older sister but act as an older brother who eyes me up and down as she shakes my hand following herdads lead.

She's dressed similarly but with tattoos covering the rest of her arms and a lot more muscle. Not nearly that much but she wears it well. Sitting next to her is the mother of her child. Hanni who is the first to greet me with a smile since Rita's mom. There's a baby on her hip, sleeping peacefully against her shoulder. She has rich blonde hair like her Mom Hanni with chubby features and a complexion a lot warmer than her mother, more like Minji and Pharita.

I notice someone unfamiliar slipping into the seat opposite of me. He doesn't look like family and I don't remember Pharita mentioning having another sibling.

I looked to her for answers but her dad spoke first, "This is Yeonjun. He and my daughter dated back in high school."

My body tense. I'm smiling but my teeth clamp down hard on each other.
I shake his hand sizing him up. From what I know, his relationship with Pharita didn't go far. Sunghoon was Pharita's first serious relationship but the fact that he's had any part of her invokes murderous feelings in me.

Pharita squeezes my thigh under the table and I relax. I cover her hand with mine and I search Yeinjun face taking in his appearance. He has more of an edge than Sunghoon Decked out in leather cut, his black hair tucked under a slouchy cap and facial hair peppered along his jawline. He looks more like me than Sunghoon, and I don't know how to feel about that. But the fact that there isn't a woman sitting next to him is sending the wrong datus message to my ass-kicking alter ego.