The smell of coffee greeted her after she knocked and entered the room. Her father's reading room, or office she would call.
It had been quite a while since she talked with her father privately and she was surprised that he was actually home and the fact that he called to see her. Her father was always busy, it was hard to see him but she loved him a lot and she understood his situation.
"Haneul." Her father smiled cheerfully as soon as he saw his daughter entering. He walked over from his desk and took a seat at a small coffee table in the middle of the room.
The girl did the same and took a seat next to her father. Coffee was something her father really loved. He would drink a lot although it barely helped him to stay up the night.
Her mother would complain and ended up making him some soothing tea instead, to calm his body and make him rest. Her mother often worry about him though she never show, being the prideful woman she was.
"I didn't know you took a day off." Haneul said as her father took yet another sip of his favourite drink. "I had nothing to do and the company is a boring place." He said with a small smile, so casual as if it wasn't a big deal.
Haneul smiled. "Then you should've rest, drink coffee in the garden or something. This is just your second office." She said, it wasn't any difference. Her father was still doing his work, only at a different venue.
"Then, would you join me?" He asked and raised his cup. Haneul chuckled at her father's antiques and nodded. The two exited here father's room and headed to their garden.
The green grass was a healing spell, the air was warm. It was a nice evening. The two of them decided to sit at a coffee table near their man made pond in the garden. Haneul hadn't realise she had such nice garden.
For the least, she could take her father off from his work. She didn't know what exactly he does but the management he was holding seemed super suffocating even for a nerd like her.
She didn't like coffee that much, but for her father she drank it anyway. The taste wasn't so bitter, it was nice somehow but still, she preferred not to. "How's school?" Her father asked.
It was a common question any parent would ask to start a conversation with their children. This would either lead to a flashback or to an argument that she wouldn't win.
"It's only the first day, nothing much I guess." Haneul replied. Her father nodded in acknowledgment. It was true, it wasn't such a brilliant question of choice to start a conversation with a teenage daughter.
"Did Jaehyun pick you up?" He asked and the question made his daughter pause, something he noticed so quickly. He might not be at home much, but any small changes in his daughters, he realised it almost too quickly.
He cherished them so much and he would never let anything harm them. It was the only reason why he would always have people to update him on his daughters. He was very protective, only they didn't know.
Haneul pulled her lips into a thin line before she put down her cup. "I... I told him not to." She said. "It'll just disturb him with his classes." She added and again, her father nodded.
"Are you sure it's because you don't want others to see you with him?"
This time, his question really surprised her. She knew her father was an observant person, but she didn't know he would see this much. Something was truly off and they both know it.
"H-How— why would you say that?" She asked. "He's a nice guy, I just don't think it's necessary for him to do it. We're not dating or engaged. He's not obliged to take care of me." Haneul tried to reason.
"Haneul, I know my daughters very well." Her father gave a small chuckle which sent her so many questions. "Tell me, what's the boy's name that sneaked you out before." He asked.
The girl fell silent, of course her father knew about the incident. Her mother must've told him, but why would he bring it up?
"Lee Donghyuck." She was being sarcastic, causing her father to give her a small smile and an unamused look. "Other than him of course." He chuckled.
"Lee Jeno."
She answered softly. The mention of his name made her sad somehow. She would be reminded of her mother's warning. Something her father wouldn't know about and neither Haneul nor her sister would ever tell him.
They didn't want to bother him or stress him out as he already had a lot in his head. The warnings their mother gave them would just be a silly matter in his eyes. But Haneul never blamed her father, she understood him and she blamed herself.
Never Jeno as well, it was her fault this time. "Do you like Jaehyun?" Her father asked, another question that was puzzling her. Her father wasn't the type of man to want to know about these things. He was a busy man, always with work.
However now, he was discussing a personal matter with his daughter. Something highly uncommon. "He's nice, but I said to Mum before. I don't want any of you to put us together like what happened with Haein." She said. Haneul had to make herself clear somehow.
Incase, her father was on the same page with her mother. She had to be firm that she would choose the man she want to marry. Haein was lucky to be matched with someone like Johnny, but Haneul didn't want the same fate. She wanted her own freedom to choose.
"Do you prefer Jeno then?"
"Dad, why—" "Haneul, I know you very well." He cut her off. "I might be busy with work but that doesn't mean I don't notice my daughters behaviour." He said with a fatherly smile on his face.
"I've been asking to see you all summer but you never came." He started. "So I had someone to look after you for me, and this person told me you had been going to the library a lot." He said.
Haneul was surprised her father would go this far, he stalked her? It was something very odd for a parent to do but he must have his reasons, and she wanted to hear them.
"It's wonderful I thought, you're studying and it's something you like to do." He stated in which Haneul rolled her eyes. "So, I decided to see for myself if it's true." He stopped.
He didn't need to say anything further. The library was the place Jeno and her really grew close and affectionate of one another. There was not one day that she hadn't enjoyed their time together.
Even if her father came in any day, he must've seen the smile she put on around him. It was only because she truly liked Jeno.
"If he makes you happy then go for it." Her father said and the girl broke into a small laugh. "You know Mum would never—"
"You don't need to worry about your mother, I'll speak to her myself." He said. "You're a unique girl, always with the books." The man said and touched his daughter's chin.
"Seeing you so happy with him on that day made me happy." He said. "Be with the one you love, do that for me."
Haneul was right, their talk did ended up with her father's flashback on his love life. Haneul grinned throughout his story, she was glad that her father allowed her to be with Jeno. She had to fix one last thing before she do.
〚 王 〛
🐾 dream show is really making me sad
i refuse to believe mark is graduating 😭
i really hope sm wouldnt do it!!!
