CHAPTER FIVE

I hugged my dad like it was my only way to stay alive.

Blaming college, I hadn't seen him in person for more than two years. His hair was thinner and white was starting to take over. He had lost weight and his skin was starting to wrinkle. I held back the tears that came by surprise. I had no idea how much I missed him until now.

I introduced each of them to my father. Even Sehun needed to be introduced because he was just a kid when my dad last saw him. We took a quick tour of the house to get our bearings. Downstairs was the living room with a fishing kayak and no furniture, a bedroom full of sleeping mats across from a bathroom. The kitchen was small, but it had a table in the corner of the wall to enjoy meals, and it opened onto a small area with a sink and a washing machine outside.

Upstairs were more bedrooms separated by a hallway. My father’s room was a suite with a balcony overlooking the sea. The second bedroom had two single beds and did not have a bathroom. It was supposed to be my room. The second bed was for in case I wanted to take a friend there, something that never happened. The bathroom was next door at the end of the hall. It is also served for those staying in the TV room on this floor. There were two sofas, the kind you can sleep on, and huge windows overlooking the backyard. And speaking of the backyard, I was surprised when I looked up there and saw that part of the trees gave way to a small pool.

The backyard has a pool, a gourmet area, a barbecue grill, and a wood-fired pizza oven. To celebrate our visit, my dad decided to use the barbecue grill to grill some fish and vegetables. Lately, he's been into tropical cuisine, I think he visited Thailand recently. We didn't waste a lot of time getting organized. Sooyoung would stay with me in my room as usual. The boys took the mats from downstairs and placed them in the TV room, declaring that this would be their room. Half an hour later we entered the pool to enjoy the rest of the sun before nightfall. The band members enjoyed the water and I just sat on the floor next to the edge putting my legs in the water.

My fear did not let me in. Although the deep part of the pool is no more than 130 cm, according to my father, I preferred to stay outside. Sooyoung didn't know how to swim and decided to stay in the shallow part, close to where I was. A little while passed and I went to see if my father needed a kitchen assistant. Before getting up, I asked Sooyoung not to stay in the water much longer, after all, she was sick. She protested by splashing water in my direction but promised that she would go inside for a hot shower soon.

“Your mom has been texting me a lot lately,” my dad said after a few minutes of silence. “An absurdly large amount compared to the last few years.”

I looked at him in surprise. I didn't expect her to talk to him about what I was doing, or what she thought I was doing, on the road.

"I'm sorry for being a bother."

"It’s fine. She is worried about you, you know that.”

Before the divorce, I loved helping my dad in the kitchen. That's where we talked about anything. It was something I can now call casual conversation. He didn't judge my actions or pressure me to be perfect. In those moments I was just a child learning to cook with a loving and caring father. When I flunked a test and knew my grade was going to be bad, I told him while I was peeling potatoes. The day I got home with the actual grade, he pretended to be surprised by that, but he sided with me against my disappointed mother.

“She is overreacting. I will not drop out of college.”

“She's confused, honey. You always walked the line and did everything on time. She doesn't understand this change.”

“Maybe I don't want to be so straight anymore, Dad,” I declared, not sure where that idea came from. I chopped fresh herbs to make a mildly spicy salad dressing. “Almost every day I have to tell her that sitting still for a semester won’t hurt me.”

“I believe you, but your mother is the type who will only stop when she sees you inside the house with a notebook in your hand.”

That was true.

“And I'm starting to think you should enjoy it as much as possible,” he continued. I looked at him and then we turned our heads in unison towards the pool. “Despite the distance, I still know what makes you feel good. Maybe you can find a way to keep them without giving your mother a heart attack.”

“If you know how, please tell me.”

“Of course, my princess,” I rolled my eyes. “But before that happens, I can do something for you.”

I saw him wash his hands in the sink and dry them with a cloth left over from the sink. The same cloth I was using to wipe the excess cilantro off my hand. You weren't very smart, Dad. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a white envelope, and handed it to me with a huge smile on his face.

“Your birthday present. I know you're not into parties, so I'm going to keep this a secret.”

I took the envelope and opened it. It was a check for an amount that made my jaw drop. It had a considerable number written there. It was too high for a simple birthday gift.

“That's a lot, Dad!”

“Well…I never got you that trip to Disney when you turned 16,” he said a little disappointed. Things were complicated for him during my teenage years. It wasn't easy having the expenses of his apartment and still paying my alimony after the divorce.

It wasn't something I took very well, but it wasn't the end of the world. At that age I already realized that adult life is a road full of stones and parents try everything to smooth the road for their children.

"Still, it's a lot of money."

“I insist, dear. You can use it to make your trip more comfortable. Or you can keep it and use it for your graduation.”

I have the best dad in the world.

“How about I buy myself a few things and use the rest to visit you more often?”

“I would be happier than I already am.”

His happiness seemed to have infected the air.

After helping my dad, I returned to the pool and he assured me he took care of the rest himself. The sun was almost hidden and the water was getting colder. The boys had fun playing volleyball, while Sooyoung decided to explore the rest of the backyard after her shower. It was already night when we went to eat the fish with my father. It was delicious! The taste of fresh homemade food almost made me cry.

We played cards until my dad started to feel sleepy. At that point, I was no longer altered by beers, a sign that I needed more. We decided to take the peanuts and snacks to the TV room and talk there, sitting on the boy’s makeshift beds on the floor.

As I accumulated poker chips, I realized that I knew nothing about the boys besides their music.

 “Did you make a living out of music before this tour?” I asked.

“Of course not,” Sooyoung laughed. “Have you not seen the county we live in?”

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