The Daughter ↬ SUNGJOY [EDITING!]

➳ fifty-two

After taking the medicine, Joy can't find the right to sleep anymore. Since Areum and the mothers will probably arrive any time soon, she thought she'll just wait for them.

There's a lot of things messing inside her head.

Truthfully, she's touched at how Sungjae still thought of buying a medicine for headache. If she's being honest, she never thought of Sungjae doing things for her. She expected him to woo Areum, to come after Areum and be a nice figure for the little girl. She didn't look forward to be included with the two's reconciliation.

Areum and Joy are two different people with different stories with Sungjae. Areum and Sungjae's relationship can still be fixed.

She didn't anticipate for her and Sungjae's but there he is, doing the things for her.

Sometimes, he can see him looking at her with such longing but everytime Joy would try to prolong the stare, he would immediately look away with a sad expression.

He can't bring himself to look at her more. He wouldn't acknowledge himself if Joy is around. He's embarrassed, all he can feel is guilt and regret and hate towards himself.

Joy can say that he deserves it for being an asshole back then but Joy is not like that. Even though she doesn't completely forgiven him yet, she can see through his effort. That is enough for Joy to know that he's trying. She needs to set aside her personal feelings to give way for Areum and Sungjae.

Knowing Sungjae, he must've overthink a lot. He tends to take it too deep whenever the two of them fought before. He would say he's fine but he actually cries alone.

Joy can tell that Sungjae is being hard on himself, it doesn't take a genius to figure that out. Joy surely doesn't like what she sees in him right now, Sungjae is torturing himself in silence.

Sometimes she wanted to tell him, don't be too hard on yourself, but Joy knew that's not yet the right time. Although she's worried, he must learn but it's too much now.

Last night, she bravely told him to forgive himself but she's not sure if he heard her. She prays he did because sober Joy won't be able to say that again.

It was already 7 am when the mothers and areum arrived. Areum was asleep while being carried by Sora so she quickly took Areum and brought inside their room.

Joy was able to clean and cook for them and right now, they're on the dining room.

"How was Areum there? Naughty?" Joy asked sheepishly. Although the mothers sends pictures of Areum and messages her updates about the little girl's whereabouts, she knew the mothers will never complain through chat.

"Not at all. She didn't cry when you sent a photo of you yesterday," Minseo replied with a little chuckle at the end. Areum has this habit of making Joy send a picture of herself to make sure that her Eomma is doing fine. Most of the time Areum will cry because she misses her.

Joy smiled, "That's an improvement we got there. Thanks for taking care of her eomma-deul. I had a good rest,"

"You know your daughter is really very talkative right?" Sora said and Joy noticed how the mothers shared knowing glances towards each other. That made Joy's heart beat in utter nervousness.

"Yeah, why? What did she tell you?" Joy didn't mean to make herself sound suspicious but that's exactly what happened.

"Well, Areum rarely talks about other people but this certain policeman-ahjussi kept on coming out from her small mouth," Jinhee was the one who said, the mentioned lips formed a thin line.