this is sophia btw

“When are you going to find someone you love?”

“Sophie, baby, I thought we’ve talked about this matter before.”

“Yeah, like, two years ago.”

“Sophia…”

Yifan warns his daughter with a defeated sigh. If this continues, she will touch his weakest spot and it will trigger his extreme sadness where he has kept it locked deep inside his heart. He doesn’t want to remember his ex but whenever Sophia indirectly mentions her other father, he becomes a little dead inside. “I’m really worried for you, Baba. Why can’t you understand me?” Hearing those words coming from a ten-year-old totally startles him.

“I-It’s not that Baba doesn’t want to understand you, baby, but I don’t really need another person in my life right now except for you and me. We’re happy, right?”

Sophia crosses her arms on her small chest sassily, a brow raising as she gives her father a pointed look after taking a look around the huge quiet house, nodding twice, “Very happy.” Yifan knows she’s being sarcastic. She definitely learned that from her other father. He hates the fact that she’s becoming more like him now. He lets out a tired sigh, “This is why I don’t want us to talk about this—”

“If I already have a boyfriend in the future, will you still not look for someone?”

A deep scowl caresses Yifan’s forehead at that, “No one will dare to date you because I won’t let them.” Sophia lets out a laugh of disbelief. Yifan mentally pales as he questions, “Do you have… A boyfriend?” He knows Sophia won’t lie or hide secrets from him but— “When you’re still all alone like this? No.” He can’t detect any lies on her face. Relief washes all over him. He stares at the grumpy Sophia who looks back, waiting for him to speak.

“Look, I— I don’t want myself to be involved in any relationships now. I know it’s been almost two years—”

“Since Dad left, I know,” Sophia looks away from her father after rolling her eyes. Yifan becomes a little enraged by her new behavior, “Don’t you roll your eyes at me, young lady.” Sophia then bursts. “I can do whatever I want!” She screams at him before jumping down from the couch before heading straight to the garage. “Sophia!” She pays no attention as she hides behind her father’s 2015 metallic red Corolla.

“I know you’re there, Sophie.”

The girl carefully yet shakily attaches the sticker on the bumper where she has previously hidden it under the car. She secretly printed it by herself using their printer. Once she succeeds, a wide grin spreads across . But when she senses her father is heading towards her hiding spot, she crawls to the right side of the car before sitting there. “Sophia?” She puts on a serious act, “Don’t talk to me.”

Yifan crouches in front of her, face all guilty but he doesn’t apologize as he nags, “But you can’t be outside here, Sophie. You’ll catch a cold and you have school tomorrow to take your exam results—” “I don’t care!” The girl swats his hand before sprinting back into the house. “Wait, Sophia!” Yifan runs to her, skipping the stairs with the help of his long legs. He catches her by her small waist, “Got you.”

Sophia whines out loud once her father carries her from the back. She thrashes in his hold wildly, giving him punches and even pulling his hair. “Ow, ow, Sophie, baby, that hurts,” Yifan wails in agony while trying to catch her other wrist which is currently punching him. “Let me go!!!” Yifan ignores her tantrum and leads themselves to her bedroom. “You need to sleep,” He places her on the bed gingerly, tucking her under her blanket.

Yifan, thanks to his fast reflex, catches her foot before it can reach his chest. He sends her a very disappointed look before he sits next to her, “Please don’t be like this, Sophia…” The girl only avoids meeting his eyes as she huffs angrily, lips puckering into a pout. “Just know that I’m very happy with what I have now, alright? I seriously don’t need anyone,” He smiles down to her, patting her hair lovingly.

But the girl removes his hand without thinking twice, still not looking at him. A heavy sigh passes by Yifan’s mouth. “Go to sleep, okay? You need to wake up for school tomorrow,” He leaves a kiss on her cheek. Yifan lets out a little smile when he doesn’t receive any rough treatments from his daughter. “Good night, Sophia. I love you,” He turns off the lights before closing the door quietly.

Resting his forehead against the door, Yifan’s eyes fill up with unshed tears. “, no,” He rubs his eyes hastily with the back of his hands before heading to his own room. He flops face-first on the bed. Even though it’s going to be two years ever since he left, Yifan can’t seem to forget about him. He tried moving into a new house but still, it doesn’t work at all. Sometimes, he can imagine his ex cooking for him, choosing clothes for their ten-year-old, waking him up to have breakfast together—

Yifan’s dam bursts after he resists it after so long.

Sophia sniffles, rubbing her tears away with her small fists. Ever since they moved into this new big double-storied house, both of them have been drifting apart. She hates the silence in the house. She hates the plainness in the house. She hates everything. She can’t even stay in the same room with her father for more than five minutes. Sophia really hopes the sticker will help her father.

She knows the idea is totally a silly thing to do and it may tarnish her father’s image but she has to do this. Or else her father won’t put effort into dating anyone. Sophia doesn’t want her father to be lonely until the day she marries someone in the future. She closes her eyes and turns onto her left side, feeling her tears flowing out from her eyes. Sophia sighs, comforting herself to be strong.

There’s something else she needs to do tomorrow after school.

+++

“Are you single, Teacher Kim?”

Junmyeon blinks twice in disbelief, “Excuse me?” Sophia bashfully plays with her hands, fidgeting from foot to foot, “I asked if you’re with someone special…” Junmyeon is glad because he thought he had heard it wrong. Why is she asking though? He’s supposed to talk about her falling grades but here she is, totally surprising him just by the one question. “I suppose I am. Single, I mean,” He answers, sliding up his reading glasses as he flips her previous test results.

Oh yes, Sophia nearly fist bumps the air right in front of her favorite teacher. She remains calm, preparing to flee off any time. She’s the last student left in the classroom, meaning she’s the last in the class rank. She purposely failed in every subject for the test. It’s the only way for her teacher and her father to meet. She just has to be patient. “You were performing really well on your first exam,” Junmyeon starts as he scans her results.

“Tell me, did anything happen recently— Wait, Sophia— Don’t run!”

Sophia sprints out of the classroom. “Stop right there!” Her bag bounces aggressively on her back, the same goes to her ponytail, as she doesn’t look back. “Wu Sophia!” Her plan