Chap Three

About fifteen minutes later.

Taking hurried steps to the lift lobby of the apartment building, LuHan was almost running home after parking his car. When he realised what he was actually doing, a soft of sigh of wonderment and defeat left his lips – look at what a sixteen year old boy who barely knew Luhan was doing to him. Sigh, LuHan ah, why are you so affected about that kid? He thought to himself as his burst of sudden enthusiastic energy left him when he stepped into the lift.

SeHun was beginning to turn his life upside down.

Honestly speaking, LuHan had never been so eager to go home before, in fact, he dreaded going home sometimes; it reminded him of what a stupid mistake he made when he was seventeen. It wasn’t that LuHan disliked having Hyeri as a daughter, he loved his perfect little girl too much to do so, or rather it was because LuHan felt that he was not a very good parent.

He worked long hours every day and when he did come home during the evenings, Hyeri could only spend two hours at most with him. When she was awake, LuHan would be working and when he would be free, little Hyeri would be tired and sleepy after school. Growing children needed longer hours of sleep to promote their growth, LuHan was very well aware of that, making it difficult to spend time with as a father to Hyeri. For that, he was sorry to her.

But LuHan really does try to make time for his daughter.

--

“Daddy, you’re home!” Hyeri rushed towards LuHan before he could even finish taking off his shoes to step into their home. He laughed a little before sweeping up the small body into his arms and pressing a light kiss onto her left cheek. “Yes Riri, I’m back home.” LuHan muttered out before reluctantly putting her down to the floor. “Daddy needs to take of his shoes first.”

Hyeri tilted her head slightly in curiosity.

“Daddy, where is your suitcase? I want to help you keep it!”

LuHan chuckled audibly before handing to her the suitcase he had placed by the front of the doorstep. His daughter’s bright hazel-toned eyes gleamed eagerly as she wrapped her small hands around the suitcase that was around half her body size. Hyeri was such an adorable angel! He thought proudly to himself as he saw his baby girl dragging away the bag that was too big and heavy for her.

“Is Mommy cooking?”

“Yes, but it smells icky.” Hyeri wrinkled her nose.

LuHan blinked in surprise for a moment before laughing out amusedly at his daughter’s response. Patting her on the head affectionately, he received a happy giggle from the little girl as she struggled away with the suitcase to his room. Silly one, it’s too heavy for you. LuHan shook his head lightly, thinking about Hyeri as he made his way to the kitchen.

As he crept closer, the smell of something fishy and sweet met him.

Taeyeon was cooking seafood pasta, no wonder the little girl said it was icky.

Hyeri disliked most kinds of seafood.

--

“Tae, I’m back.” LuHan announced,

Taeyeon hummed a reply of noting his presence while checking on the cream sauce she was cooking. It smelt like a herbal mix of spices and fresh butter – a delicious and savoury scent, she always was good at cooking. Furthermore, since she started working in a restaurant, Taeyeon’s culinary expertise seemed to have improved by leaps too.

“Do you need any help?” LuHan asked good naturedly.

“Nope, it's fine.” She stated before throwing in the diced prawns and celery into the simmering saucepan.

“Dinner is about to be cooked finished anyway.… But there is one thing you can do though.”

“What is it?” LuHan’s eyebrows raised curiously.

 “Hyeri!