"What?" you gasp and take an involuntary step back. Your dad smiles sheepishly at you, but you don't take note of it. You don't take note of anything, really. You can't. It's just ... no.

Everything has been going well. Too well, maybe. You can let yourself admit that, what with your dad standing in front of you now, ruining the dream-like quality your life had begun to adapt. 

"What are you doing here?" You ask harshly. It's rude. You know it's rude, but you can't help but ask the inevitable question. Maybe it's the way he's standing there. Or maybe it's the fact that he's there in the first place. It doesn't matter, really, and you're not going to contemplate what factors are affecting your anger. All you know is that, in all honesty, you've grown accustomed to not having him with you. And that you were okay. You were okay without him, and now you're not sure if you're okay with him.

"I got a job," he says, completely ignoring your question. "It's a place a few miles from here, so - "

"Are you saying we have to move?" You ask, exasperated. "You come back here, after leaving me to handle myself, on my own, and now you're just back here, to take me somewhere else?" You scoff. "Why?"

Your dad sighs. "I'm sorry. I though you'd be happy. I got rid of most of my debts, I got a job ... granted, it's not as good as what I had. But I can't ... I have to start over from the bottom. And I'm going to try, I really am, to stop gambling." He looks up at you, pleading you with those eyes. "Didn't you want that? Didn't you want to go back to how things were?"

You would have said yes. If your dad had asked you this question at any time besides these past few months, you would have said yes. That was before you had become content with your surroundings, with this home, with that school. You had never been content, really, not even when you had everything you wanted. You had never been content when, every time you went shopping, you always made sure the clothes you bought were genuine, were made of the highest quality, were created by a name that held power in the fashion industry. That was what you were, was what you did without any thought, without any inhibitions.

And now that you think about it, maybe you had done that at school, too. Not with clothes, but with friends. Picking only the best, only the ones that are worth seeing with. Hanging out with the ones that will give you a better image, with the ones that you can use.

If that's the case (and it most likely is) then Jungwook ... he had been right.

So maybe that's what you were, then. What you were for many, many years. But now? Are you like that now? You find you can answer that honestly.

"No," you say. You take a deep breath. "Not anymore. I don't ... I liked our house. And everything it stood for. But I don't think I could ever ... I'm happy here, dad," you admit, calming a little. "I like it here. No; I love it here."

"Here?" he asks, surprised. "This shabby place?"

You smile a little and can't help but remember that you had used those exact terms to describe your home when you had first laid eyes on it. "Yeah. I love this shabby place. And ... I don't want to go back anymore. To living like we did."

"I thought you were happy," he comments. "Living like that. I thought you were ... having everything, isn't that what you wanted?"

You smile grimly. "Yeah. But not anymore. Dad, I ... I still have things to do here." Like apologize to Jungwook, properly. "I still have people I want to stay with." Daehyun. What would he say if you left, right now, without a word? 

You think that your dad will let you stay. You really do, especially with all that you've said, and with all you've admitted to yourself. But he surprises you by replying, "You can't stay here."

"What?"

"You can't stay here," he repeats strongly. "You think I liked having you live alone? You think I wanted to do that?" His breathing quickens, and it's obvious in the way he holds himself that he's trying to abate his fury. "You think everything I did was for myself?" You remain quiet, and he adds, "I don't like you living here, but it was the cheapest place, it was the only place I could find, and I've come back. To take you to someplace better. And now, you're saying you'd rather live in a house that doesn't even have a living room?"

"I don't really need a living room ... " you say quietly.

"Or a proper backyard? A closet, even? You want to stay here? I can't let you."

"I was fine on my own, dad," you protest.

"And maybe you were," he says, his voice lowering. "But you're my daughter. And I don't intend to leave you behind at any place, permanently."

If he means that, then he should've mentioned it in the letter before he had gone ahead and left you here.

Not that you're harboring any bitter feelings, or anything.

"Dad," you say, in a tone that you hope sounds confident. You don't feel confident. You're scared. "Why can't we stay here?"

"I got a job that isn't local. Now can you please pack up? We're going to miss the train."

So he came here with every intention of taking you with him, no matter what. He probably even has tickets already. But you can't do that, you can't leave now. Not now. There's still so many things you have to do.

"Dad," you say. "There's still a few more months left in school."

"We can transfer you somewhere else. This place is expensive, anyway, I don't know how you've been managing to - "

"Dad," you say, louder this time. He stares at you. "Dad. I ... I've made friends here," you say nervously, at first.

"I thought you had friends before."

"No ... " you look away. "No. Not really." Your eyes trail to the flower Daehyun had giving you. It's already beginning to droop. "I've made friends here. Real friends. I didn't know what that was until you left. And honestly, I ... I don't want to go. Dad, I ... I want to stay here. With my friends. At least ... for the remainder of the school year. Dad, please," you say, starting to beg. "Until this year ends." It's the only proposition you figure your dad will accept. 

He watches you, and just when you think he'll say no and you'll really have to go, he heaves a sigh. "You have this year. I'm moving on ahead, do you hear me? You're buying your own ticket."

"Thank you," you say. You hug him. It feels weird, and awkward, and strange, and all kinds of unfamiliar. But soon you find yourself recognizing the things about your dad that you hadn't known you've missed. Like his unmistakable smell of after shave. You step back, giving a hesitant smile. Just when you open your mouth to say something, however, you hear Daehhyun's voice.

"I got a job! Guess where I got? I go - " Daehyun stops right into your field of vision, a few feet away from your dad, who turns to cast a suspicious eye on this blond boy. Daehyun looks from your dad to you before he gives a small bow. 

"Who's this?" Your dad growls. "Does he live with you?"

"No," you blush as Daehyun ducks his head in embarrassment. "He's a neighbor."

"I'm not letting you stay with a male neighbor. If I had known ... we're going right now."

"Dad, I - "

"Sir?" Daehyun interrupts. Your dad fumes silently as Daehyun takes a tentative step forward. You notice that he's holding a form in his right hand. "I'm not sure ... what's really going on here. And it's probably not my place, but ... I wanted to assure you. That nothing bad has happened to your daughter. Not in that way, at least." 

"You think I'll believe you?" Your dad grumpily asks.

"Dad," you roll your eyes, more than embarrassed. You're humiliated. And annoyed.

But Daehyun just smiles, in that simple way he does, in that way that lights up his features. "Sir," he says, rather respectfully. "I promise you. That nothing has happened. And that ... I know that I can't gain your trust in such a short amount of time. But whatever it is ... I wanted to tell you, that I'll take care of her. If you need me to. Actually ... I've been doing that. And ... I don't mind doing it for a longer time." He gives a cheeky grin. "Because I like your daughter."

You turn bright red, and while you expect your dad to get angry, he simply smiles. You haven't seen him smile like that before. Instead of saying a tirade, or walking away, he calmly replies. "I appreciate that. And you know what? I like you, kid. So you can stay," he says to you. "You can stay. I just ... I'll stay here. Until the school ends."

"What about your job?" You ask your dad.

He grins. "They can wait." Daehyun passes you a wink, and you can't help but smile. Your dad turns to you, a hesitant tone in his voice that surprises you. He seems nervous. "I'll stay here. If you'll let me."

You open the door wider, and with a bright tone, you say, "Welcome home, dad."