f(x) - Sorry (Dear Daddy) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ghlCwefOIM]

SooJi’s POV

“Manager-oppa, do I have a day-off this week?” I asked Manager-oppa.

“No. Why? You actually have a packed schedule this week,” he told me. “Don’t forget that. Oh, and don’t be late for any of those appointments.”

“Ne, oppa.” I replied.

-A week later-

I was walking towards my appa’s office. For some reason, he decided to call me to his office. Why did appa call me all of sudden? He also decided to call me today too, I thought.

“Doesn’t he know that I have a hectic schedule this week?” I muttered under my breath. “Oh right, I almost forgot. He only asks me to come when he wants something from me or if he wants some errands done.” I muttered, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I was tired and all I wanted was to go home and sleep. I haven’t even seen my friends in weeks.

I arrived at my dad’s office and knocked on his door. I heard my dad’s voice say, “Come in.”

I opened the door and stepped into my appa’s office. “I’m here, appa.”

“SooJi-ah! You came! Come in, come in,” my dad told me. I closed the door gently and went to stand in front of his desk. “I need to ask you something. That’s why I called you here.”

I knew it. Is my appa going to ask about the arranged marriage with WooHyun again? I patiently waited for him to continue. “SooJi-ah.” I looked at my appa. He was looking at me with desperate, pleading eyes. “Can you… Can you love WooHyun-goon?”

“What?! Appa, what did you just say to me?” I asked, flabbergasted by the sudden question. “Did you just ask me if I can love a stranger?”

He just nodded. “But why? Appa, you know I have trust issues when it comes to strangers,” I reminded him. “How can you even ask me to love someone I’ve only met once in my lifetime? I can’t even remember his face.”

“If that’s the only problem, then it can be solved easily.” he answered. My dad reached down to one of his drawers while I stared in disbelief. Seriously?! He’s going to show me a picture of this WooHyun guy? It’s as if he thinks showing me a measly little photo would solve everything.

He straightened up and handed me a photo. It was upside down. I glared at my dad without him seeing and gently tugged the photo towards me. My first instinct was to crumple the photo of the man who is about to ruin my whole life. Crumple the photo, tear it into pieces and burn it in the middle of the night. Haha. But then, my curiosity got the better of me.

I flipped the photo and looked at the man in it. He was handsome, I’ll give him that. His face does seem familiar but as I look at the photo, all that comes into my head is a 6 year-old kid.

“Do you remember him?” my dad asked, bringing me back from memory lane.

I gnashed my teeth together. This guy may be handsome but he might be the one who is going to ruin my life. “No, I don’t remember this guy, appa.” I lied.

“I knew it. You won’t remember him. It’s been 14 years since you last saw each other,” he muttered.

“So why are you still insisting on me marrying this guy?” I asked, feeling betrayed and unloved. “You’re even asking if I can, by some way, try to love this guy!”

“SooJi-ah, I’m only doing this for the sake of your future. I’m only asking you to love WooHyun, whether it be now or in the future, for the sake of your marriage, or in future, for your kids,” he said. “You know I only want the best for my eldest daughter. Besides, I can tell WooHyun-goon likes you. I can assure you that he will take very good care of you.”

Out of nowhere, I felt my temper rise. All of the grumpiness caused by lack of sleep and tiredness came bursting out of me and I snapped. I slammed my hand down on the table and yelled, “You know I don’t love him. You know I’ll never love him. Not in my whole lifetime.”

I calmed down a bit. Just a bit. I wasn’t yelling anymore but the anger in my voice was still very obvious. “I didn’t want to embarrass you and I didn’t want to be a disappointment. Why does everything I do matter to you, appa? Everything little move I make matters to you. But my feelings don’t. Appa, I’m begging you… Please stop pestering me about what I should do and what I shouldn’t do, what I should feel and what I shouldn’t feel. It isn’t your life you’re planning and manipulating, appa, but mine… So please, appa, just stop.”

I whirled around and stomped out the room, banging the door behind me.

Author’s POV

Senator Han just stood there, stunned at his daughter’s reaction. His daughter had never answered back and his was dumbfounded at her sudden hostility. Suddenly, he started to hyperventilate and he felt his chest tighten. He placed his hand on his chest and starts yelling for his secretary. He collapsed.

His secretary, who had seen SooJi storm out of the office, came to check on what had happened. She saw Senator Han’s frail and pale body lying on the floor.