In His Arms

Chapter 11: Father Feelings (Baekhyun's POV)

My phone rang while I was busy waiting for everyone. I checked who it is then got out of the room. "Hey Sehun. Where the hell are you? It's almost 10. You're late." I said. "I'm sorry hyung. Something came up and it's a long traffic." Sehun said. "What? Then do something. Everyone else is here." I said. "I know, I know. I said I'm sorry, right?" He said. "Fine, fine. I'll do something about it. Just hurry up, will you?" I said sounding a little helpless. "Thanks hyung, you're the best." I could feel Sehun smile. Before I could even say anything again, my phone beeped. The bastard hung up on me. "Unbelievable." I said. Just before I can grab hold of the door knob, I felt something hit my leg. I looked down and saw a little girl. She looked like she's about to fall so I held her shoulders to secure her stance. She slowly lifted up her face and to my surprise, I know this child. It's the daughter of Kendra. I can't be wrong, she's the child from yesterday in the park. The one Kendra carried and kissed infront of me. The child who interrupted our conversation yesterday.

Wow, she has round eyes. But something was off with the way she looked at me. She looked like she's afraid and a little angry. She's cute though. She has chubby cheeks and for a moment, I had the urge to pinch it. And most of all, she made me smile unconciously. I knelt down to match her height. "Hello." I greeted her but she only stared at me. Perhaps, she finds her mother's ex-husband good looking? Aish, sorry little girl, I can't help it. I'm just naturally handsome. But her stare is getting intimidating. It's like she's already staring through my soul and she's not even blinking. I waved my right hand infront of her to make sure she sees me while my other hand held her tiny wrist. "Little girl, hello? You in there?" I asked. "You can stop staring-" I left my sentence unfinished when she suddenly shoved my hand away. Wow, she's a small version of Kendra. Cold and silent.

I was going to talk again but then she suddenly turned to look behind her. I took a peek, too. But there's nothing. I held her small hands. "Why? Is there something wrong?" I asked. She looked at me again. I'm starting to get annoyed with the way she looks at me. She's not talking, too. "Is someone running after you?" I asked her. Her round eyes is so cute but she looks really scared. And the fact that she was running in my direction a while ago with her eyes closed confirms that she's trying to run away from something or someone. I was expecting an answer, you know. I just had this weird feeling to help her. And being able to hold her hands like this makes me feel weird. It kinda makes me happy in a way bacause I feel like I'm connected to her. Well, literally, we are connected since I'm holding her hand. But it's just something I can't explain. Am I that alone and lonely that holding a child's hand gives me a little joy? Am I this desperate to having my own family that holding a little girl's hand makes me feel like I'm... a dad?

I honestly want to carry her, put her in my bag, and just go home wih her. But before I can even do that, she already ran away from me. I immediately stood up. "Wait.." I stuttered. Little happiness, why did you run away from me? Looks like she doesn't like me. But where is she going? And why is she here in the first place anyway? Oh right, her father. Yeah, that Eli is a celebrity. Poof, my happiness just popped out of the scene when I remembered that arrogant man. Back to reality Baekhyun, back to reality. I decided to enter the room to tell the news about Sehun's late arrival but somehow, I had this urge to follow that little girl. I find it weird. I'm interested to that child somehow. Does that make me a pedophile? That little girl got me too curious. Damn it! She's interesting just like her mother when I first met her.

Suddenly, I heard a little girl's shriek. I can't help it. I immediately got worried about that child. My adrenaline kicked me and I followed her. There she is, she reached the dead end. She's patting the wall many times like she's begging it to open up a portal for her. She stopped and looked behind her and she saw me again. It's weird because there are tears on her eyes already. She sat down on the corner and just wept helplessly. I sighed. I don't know why but the sight of her crying makes me feel sad. This kid has issues. I walked towards her. Just a step close, she finally talked. "Don't come near me." She said with a shakey voice. I didn't mind her though. I got down and and talked to her. "Something's wrong, isn't it? You can always tell me." I said. "Go away. I don't like you!" She continued crying. "I want my daddy." My heart felt like it was broken into pieces. Why can't she just want me instead of that Eli? I let out a heavy sigh. "Enough now. It's ok. Are you lost? I can take you to your father, you know." I said even though it kinda hurts me. She looked at me and her face is drenched with her own tears. I only smiled at her. She's too cute even when she's crying. I reached out to wipe her tears and fix her hair. It was only for a moment though. She suddenly looked away from me and I lost access on touching her face.

I could give up now but I just can't. Normally, I have no patience to children with such attitude. But this girl feels so special and different. I should actually act cold or evil to her since she's the daughter of the man I'm jealous of. But no, this kid makes me feel the responsibility of taking good care of her and protecting her. My heart feels like it's going to melt. She kept on crying though. And I wanted to comfort her. "It's ok." I pat her head softly. Only then I noticed that she's peeking at something behind me. I took a look behind me, but seriously, there's nothing. I smiled at her. The next thing I knew, I reached out to her and carried her. It felt amazing.on how she clung onto me. I thought she didn't like me but why did she match my embrace? I rubbed her back. "It's ok. There's nothing here. You're safe." I assured her. Slowly, she stopped crying. There are times when her body shook since she's still out of air but atleast she stopped crying. Good thing there's a vending machine near by. I dropped several coins and bought her a bottle of pomelo juice. "Here, take this." I offered the drink to her. She unwrapped her hands from my neck and took the bottle. She tried to open it but I guess she's too weak to do so. "Let me help you." I said. She held the bottle while my free hand twisted the cap off the bottle. She took a sip first to have a little taste othe juice. "What? You don't like it?" I asked but then she drank more of it. I could only smile. She's so adorable.

The bottle was left half empty when she stopped drinking. I don't know why but I suddenly wiped her mouth with my hand. "Um. Mister." She started talking. "May I ask something?" She cutely said. "Sure, what is it?" I asked with a smile. "Are you really mommy's enemy?" She asked bluntly. I was taken aback. Enemy? So, Kendra introduced me as an enemy? "What? No. I'm not." I answered tryinbto fake a laugh but deep inside me, I'm pissed. "Really? Then how come he doesn't like you?" Another bomb. Why on earth will she tell a little girl that she dislikes me? "Well, actually..." I was trying to find the words to say. "I don't see any reasons why your mom hates me." Lie. Ofcourse she has reasons to hate me. Shit! Was Kendra trying to get her daughter hate me? "Little girl, what else did your mom say about me?" Now I want to know. She shook her head from left to right. "She didn't say anything. She just cried." Wow, that was unexpected. "When I mentioned you, she cried." She said. "You mentioned me? When?" I asked her. "Yesterday. You were the man we saw yesterday, right?" I nodded. "I asked her who you are and she didn't answer. She just cried." She explained. "You better tell me the truth because I hate people who makes mommy cry." She warned me. "No, no. I didn't do anything, really." Shit. How do you escape such conversation. I'm starting to feel guilty all over again.

"Well, I guess mommy has reasons. But you're not that bad either." She said. "So should we be friends?" I asked her. "Hmm. Friends is too much. Maybe acquaintance? Or somewhere between acquaintance and friends." She said. God, she's so cute. Being 'somewhere between acquaintance and friends' isn't that bad. Atleast I'm sure that she doesn't hate me like her mom does. "Sure. Between acquaintance and friends, we are." We smiled with each other. "I'll try to convince mommy to forgive you. And when she forgives you and befriends you, then I'll be your friend, too." She said. What kind of condition is that? It's too difficult. But I'll let her be, she's just a child anyway. I just smiled. "Anyway, what's you name?" I asked her. "I'm-" "Bea!" We both looked at a direction. Eli, he's standing right over there, panting like he's been running.

"Daddy!" She exclaimed. I knew this is the time when I have to put her down. To my surprise, she held my hand and pulled me with her as she approached her father. Eli grabbed her by the wrist and she let out a whimper. "Hey careful you might-" Eli's fist suddenly landed my cheek. "Daddy no!" She tried to stop him. I was about to return a punch to him but someone intervened. "Hyung, don't. Stop. Calm down." Sehun said as he pushed me away from Eli. The same thing happened to him, someone else was trying to stop him. When he calmed down, he carried the child. "Bea let's go." I watched them walk away. The girl, carried by her father, looked back to see me. She reached a hand out to me and squished the air. I smiled at her and waved my hand.

"Bea." I said as I held the area where I was punched. "What a pretty name. It's close to mine." I smiled. "Please tell me you're not that girl's father." I looked ar Sehun who's been looking at me the whole time. "I wish I was."