SPOILED ROTTEN || SAIDA

ix

[tw] this chapter will have some possibly triggering moments so please read with caution
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Sometimes, life will knock you off your feet when you least expect it.

Dahyun was at a good point in her life. She wasn’t in debt anymore, she wasn’t working two jobs and she wasn’t bordering malnourishment anymore. Her grades were up, her stress levels were down and she was in a relationship with a woman she really cared about. It had actually been almost three months since she met Sana.

It happened one night when Dahyun was studying. It was early in the evening and Dahyun was writing out cue cards from her study notes. She was lost in her own world so when her phone buzzed beside her, she jumped in her seat.

She glanced down at her phone, not expecting much. It was probably Tzuyu or Chaeyoung calling her to hang out since it was a Friday night. Or maybe even Sana, giving her a quick phone call before she was thrown into another meeting.

Her heart fell into her stomach when she read the contact name.

Why on earth was he calling her? What could he possibly want? He made his position about her life very clear so why was he calling her now? Should she ignore him?

Dahyun didn’t want to ignore him. She wanted to talk to him. Dammit, she missed him. What harm could one phone call do?

She grabbed the phone with shaky hands and answered the call. She pressed the phone against her ear, listening with shaking breaths.

“Dahyun?” The man asked, his voice soft.

Dahyun swallowed thickly and said, “It’s me, Dad.”

There was short burst of laughter, soft and awkward to the ears. Her father always laughed during tense situations. She had almost forgotten that facet of his personality; it had been so long since she had seen him.

“I’m sorry for calling you out of the blue like this.” He said, adding, “How have you been? How’s school?”

“I-I’ve been good, school’s great. I’m at the top of my class.” Dahyun said.

She longed for his reply. She wanted him to tell her that he was proud of her, that she worked well to get that grade. Maybe then he’d regret what he did. Maybe then she’d deserve his love again.

“Of course you did, Dahyun-ah.” Her father said, “You always were a bright girl.”

Her heart warmed at those words. She found herself smiling into the phone. She stopped when she realised she didn’t know what to say next. What exactly did he want to talk about?

Dahyun asked, “Why did you call me?”

It was blunt but he didn’t seem to take offence to that. He simply sighed and said, “Your mother and I wanted to ask you something.”

Her stomach twisted into knots.

“Would you like to meet us for lunch sometime tomorrow?”

Dahyun wanted to lean over and puke into her waste bin. Meeting both of her parents, after they kicked her out almost a year ago? She never even dreamed of it. They’ve never called before, never bothered to check up on her. Hell, they never sent her any money for food or clothes. For all they knew, she could’ve been dead or homeless.

She had no reason to agree to this. So why did she say, “I’d love to… Dad.”

The word was foreign in her mouth but the sentiments of fear and sadness caused by her parents were not.

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“So he called you just like that? Out of the blue?” Sana asked, rubbing circles in Dahyun’s back.