If I Could Dance With You Again

IICDWYA: 67

Chapter 67

The moment Aali—Abby ssaem to them—disappeared into the crowd, the three children exchanged a look. A very specific look. The kind that made Soonyoung nervous.

Faline crossed her arms dramatically. "Appa made Abby ssaem sad."

Soonyoung blinked. "What? I didn't—"

Leon sighed like a tired forty‑year‑old. "Appa, you did something."

Leo nodded solemnly. "Adults always do something."

Soonyoung stared at them, offended and confused. "I literally just said hello."

Faline shook her head. "Appa, you said hello like this—"
She scrunched her face, puffed her cheeks, and made a strangled noise.

Leo gasped. "That's exactly what he did!"

Leon nodded. "Appa was nervous."

"I was not—"

"You were," all three said in unison.

Soonyoung wanted to sink into the floor.

But the kids weren't done.

Faline leaned closer to her brothers, whispering loudly enough for him to hear, "We need a plan."

"A plan for what?" Soonyoung asked, already regretting it.

Leo grinned mischievously. "To make Abby ssaem our eomma."

Soonyoung choked on air. "WHAT—"

Leon held up a hand, silencing him. "Appa, we talked about this. You need someone who loves you."

"And us," Faline added.

"And Abby ssaem is perfect," Leo concluded.

Soonyoung rubbed his temples. "Kids, it's not that simple."

Faline tilted her head. "Why not?"

Because I broke her heart.
Because she doesn't trust me.
Because I don't deserve her.

He couldn't say any of that.

"It's... complicated," he muttered.

Leon squinted at him. "Complicated means Appa did something."

Soonyoung groaned. "No—yes—maybe—can we not do this in the middle of a department store?"

But the kids were already huddling together, whispering like tiny criminals.

Faline: "We invite her to Appa's birthday."
Leo: "We make Appa look handsome."
Leon: "We make them talk alone."

Faline gasped. "A date!"

Soonyoung nearly dropped the shopping bag. "NO. No dates. No plans. No—"

Faline turned to him with big, watery eyes. "Appa... don't you want to be happy?"

He froze.

Because the truth was—he did.
He wanted it so badly it hurt.

But wanting Aali again felt like wishing for something he had no right to touch.

Still, he couldn't break his daughter's hopeful expression.

"I... I don't know," he admitted quietly.

Leon stepped forward, placing a small hand on his father's arm. "Then we'll help you."

Leo nodded. "We're your kids. We can do it."

Faline grinned triumphantly. "Operation Appa's Birthday starts now!"

Soonyoung stared at them, horrified. "Operation what—"