Mulan [Daragon]

Part 1

*credits to the owner of the picture

~

CHUK

One sound and another stab were made in his heart, making a cut as deep as the former ones that wouldn't heal at all. The arrow cut through his heart as if it was she was aiming for, not the bull's-eye on the target.

"Daddy! Did I did it right?"

He didn't respond, as he usually does before. Instead, he smiled, a crooked and uneven one and unfortunately, she responded brighter than he wanted to. It was a trait of hers, he couldn't erase, and it almost broke his heart.

It was summer. Families would occasionally go to the beach, in their summer cheongsams and collect sand and shells and sweat under the heat of the sun as they stroll by the sea. And most especially, children would run and play on the sandy beaches with their beach balls, unlike his who's holding bow and arrows. His heart won't mend, and it's continuously hurt by the sight of his own daughter. He stole from her the life a normal kid would have. For ten years, instead of playing with toys, his daughter played with bows and arrows. For ten years, aside from learning how to dance, his daughter trained to be agile. It was his fault that she was bullied, and didn't have any friends in school. Other girls hate her strong personality, her manly side and yet, she still acted as if everything is normal. His daughter was never been normal in the eyes of other people, even she was a noble, and his family regards him as the one at fault. His wife didn't talk to him for years, and his mother regarded him coolly. He had taken the life she should have, but he had to. If not, no one's going to protect her when he's gone. His son, perhaps can, but he's too young. His daughter would've faced everything by the time his son learns martial arts.

And now, his heart was once again shattered when he got the news from the emperor through the messenger. North Korea has declared another war after 10 years of silence, and for the first time in his life, he'll leave his children behind.

"Sandara," He called her softly, and she quickly turned to him, her face now dirty from too much practice. His daughter gave him a soft smile, and it broke his heart.

"Abeoji," She said in her quirky voice and ran up to him. When she reached his place, Sandara placed her small hands on his lap and grinned up at him. "I hit more than one apple in target practice today."

He smiled back at her, even though he was hurting inside and smoothed her hair down. His pregnant wife and mother disagreed with him training their daughter in using a bow and arrow, because a girl, according to their tradition, isn't allowed to fight. They are expected to be quiet and demure, graceful, polite, delicate, refined, poised, and punctual. But his daughter, due to him, didn't qualify for these things.

"Abeoji," His daughter woke him up in his train of thoughts. She was pouting at him. "You are not listening."

He kissed her forehead and replied, "Wash up your face. Father's going to Seoul today."

Sandara grinned at him, oblivious of what's happening. "Okay!"

He watched her run to their house, her giggles filling the whole place with happiness.

But to him, it kills.

~

"Quiet and demure,"

The sound of a bamboo clicking against the stone rang around the house; a sound of paint running through a skin was faintly heard, yet brought curiousness to a cat.

"Graceful, polite"

With a mouth full it was said, and was followed yet again by the flow of a brush, running smoothly and delicately around a pinkish white skin.