Chapter 22. Family Day

Yonghwa’s eyes wandered around the enormous pool area admiring how the water reflected the sky above since the roof was pulled up. It was only around seven o’clock but he was asked by the Chairman to go to the residence for some important matters that he needed to discuss with him before flying to Japan.

“Sorry for keeping you,” the Chairman took his seat as his assistant placed the documents on the seat beside Yonghwa, “Check everything before you head to the office. I also instructed Ms. Lee for the additional papers you need to see.”

“Yes, Chairman,” he nodded as he noticed how different he looked in his huge robe and pajamas. The Chairman suddenly looked less intimidating— like someone’s grandfather.

“Okay then, let’s get down to business…”

They discussed the current financial status of the company and other problems that must be addressed while the Chairman was still in Korea. Yonghwa felt relaxed as the whole environment was in peaceful silence since their voices and the chirping of the birds were the only sounds echoing through the whole open space.

The old man mentioned that, in three days’ time, he will be sending Yonghwa and Joohyun for an out-of-town business conference and stressed that it would be a good exposure for his daughter since she is also handling her own business.

Moments later, a girl in her pajamas with hair tied in a careless bun on top of her head appeared out of nowhere and was still rubbing her eyes while a stuffed toy frog was securely tucked in her arms. “Appa…” Joohyun said sleepily then her eyes grew wider when she realized who his appa’s visitor was, “OMO!!!” Just like that, she rushed back inside the house much to the amusement of her father and, of course, Yonghwa.

“Most mornings she goes out like that,” the Chairman shook his head as he continued to chuckle, “Waking up very early just to eat breakfast with me then go back to bed again so she doesn’t bother changing.”

“It’s okay, Chairman,” Yonghwa grinned as well. That awas definitely a sight and would probably the highlight of his day. He wanted so much to laugh. But then again, what he saw was a different Joohyun, without her makeup and dressed in her strawberry-patterned pajamas. He smiled to himself how she looked so much like Euna when she wakes up and call on him, “My daughter looks like that in the morning too.”

“I guess they all looked the same,” he took a sip of his coffee, “Joohyun told me about the Music Festival yesterday and the funniest is your little girl having a boyfriend.”

“Yes, sir. I was so shocked myself because she is practically a baby.”

“That she is. Now you are facing the dreaded fact of fatherhood early on. I remember when Joohyun introduced me to her first ‘boyfriend’ when she was just 9. I know it was so shallow for it to be serious as she was still a child but God helped me, I was too jealous of that little boy when my princess smiled at him. I swear I could have hit the kid on the spot,” he sighed but with that smile on his face with the memories came rushing in, “From then on, I drove her to and from school myself.”

“Joohyun told me not to give too much thought about it,” he lazed on his seat.

“I’m glad that my daughter is getting along well with your Euna,” the Chairman took a quick bite of his sandwich. He placed his mug on the table and cleared his throat. “So, is she still bugging you to get a mommy for her?”

“Not really lately,” he felt uncomfortable with that topic hoping that the Chairman didn’t know about Euna’s wish to have Joohyun for a mother. He shifted on his seat watching the old man looked even more pensive as time passed by.

“That’s their difference,” he smiled in remembrance, “When my wife died, I thought I should marry again for Joohyun’s sake but she was so much against it so here I am but somehow I’m not regretting anymore. When her mother passed away, I was distraught because we never expected it and I feel like I did not do anything to save her. So I embraced my own pain not realizing that Joohyun needed me.”

Yonghwa could see the dew from his eyes.

“She was twelve then. Her world revolved around her mom since I was so busy running the company. When they were together, it was as if nobody existed but them. I felt jealous because my wife was giving her full attention to her and I was jealous of my wife because my daughter only cared about her,” he took a quick sip, “When she left I didn’t know how to comfort Joohyun. She detached herself from the world and succumbed to her own pain.”

The Chairman finally dubbed his eyes. He could feel the twitch in his chest imagining the pain a daughter could have had. Was it even fair to say that Euna was better than her? At least his daughter didn’t have to go through what Joohyun had to endure.

“Only her brother-friend, Changmin, was able to snap her into being the Joohyun we know now. So the two are basically inseparable,” the Chairman continued with a satisfied smile seeing the twitch of frown on the younger man's face after he mentioned the other boy. He shook his head and sighed, “But I know she is still grieving. And I am too. The only thing that I’m worried now is that she might marry eventually and will leave this old man again. So you better give in to Euna’s wish because you will be on the losing end when she gets married. Find someone to keep you company when that time comes.”

“I’ll give it a thought,” Yonghwa smiled watching the old man chuckle.

“I’m sorry for pouring this out to you…”

“It’s okay Chairman,” he smiled weakly, “I poured out mine to you as well so many years ago.” It was a long time ago and he was a young man then. The Chairman sat him in his office one time and gave him a heartfelt lesson about not burying himself in his anguish after the early death of his wife.

“I remember that,” the old man reached out and patted his shoulder, “But we are getting by. We are all getting by...”

~~~

The office seemed to be in peace whenever the Chairman is out of the country. Aside from the documents he left him, Yonghwa didn’t feel the rush and stress. There was this feeling of calm since all he needed to do was his normal workloads. The empty desk across him made him smile, any moment from now, she would be walking in—

He shook his head. Why did he even have to think of that?

After an hour though, there was no Joohyun-ssi who came but he got a phone call instead. He smiled to himself when she asked permission not to report that day since she needed to go somewhere. There was also this sudden hesitation on her voice when she gently asked to take Euna with her. It made him chuckle when he pretended that he didn’t want to allow it and Joohyun really whined and used her softest and sweetest voice on him promising to take Euna back before it gets dark.

Yonghwa agreed because he knew where they were going.

A few hours had passed but she hadn’t checked in yet, which she promised she would, so Yonghwa decided to call Euna instead.

“Appa!” The bouncy voice of his daughter vibrated in the air, “We are going back to Seoul now and we will go shopping!!!”

“Okay, just don’t give Joohyun-ssi a hard time,” he smiled imagining her.

“Okay, wanna talk to her?” Euna asked then giggled sounding like she was teasing him, “Oh no! She’s driving.”

~~~

Joohyun laughed since the little