Taking a basket of fruits in his hand, Shinwoo walked along the corridor with his daddy and mommy. Usually, they will be fooling around when it was too silent or bored. However, today they kept themselves silent as they felt how nervous and afraid Jieun was.

“Mommy, are you okay?” Shinwoo asked his mommy as he worried about her.

“ermm, I’m okay.” Jieun said, trying to calm down herself.

“Jieun, don’t worry. It will be okay.” Howon said and interlocked their hands.

“I know.” Jieun watched at her husband and let out a sigh of relief.

Knock! Knock!

Howon opened the door and greeted the elder.

“Father.” Howon said to Siwon.

“Howon.” He called his son-in-law’s name in surprise.

“How do you know that I’m here? Did…” Siwon sensed something fishy and glanced at his wife. Mrs Jang felt his glare and lower down her head guiltly.

“Father, it’s not her fault. We’re just knew it by chance. Anyways, how are you right now?” Howon sent his respect to the elder.

“Well, it still the same as always. How about you? And my daughter…” Siwon said with his face turned gloomy.

“Father, why don’t you ask her in person?” Howon replied and walked toward the door, revealing Jieun and Shinwoo who stood behind it.

“Jieun…” Siwon fixed his gaze on his daughter when he saw her standing in front of him.

She is getting thinner and thinner even though she was pregnant! Is her morning sickness still very serious? Did she get enough nutrients? Did she take enough rest?

A lot of question flashed through his mind, but he never dared to ask her in person.

How could an irresponsible daddy like me even ask her… How could I?

On the other hands, Jieun watched at her father and she felt a slight pain in her heart.

She remembered when he saw him on her wedding day, he was still having a fit body size that look like a normal person. A normal healthy person.

But now, his muscles on his arms has gone and left only one cell thick of fats there.

How can he be so thin and fragile?

She said in her heart and stared at him with sympathy lied in her eyes.

Suddenly he looked up at her and their eyes locked for a moment. Jieun quickly looked away, feeling as if she'd been caught staring at him.

Trying to break the awkward silence around them, Howon then introduced Shinwoo to Siwon.

“Father, this is our son, Shinwoo.” Howon said and signalled Shinwoo to go closer. Shinwoo did as he signalled and climbed up to his bed.

“Anyonghasaeyo, grandpa! I’m Lee Shinwoo, your grandson. Please take care of me!” Shinwoo said and tied a ribbon around his head like he was a present!

Siwon smiled when he saw his adorable grandson. He then took out some toys from the drawer and gave to Shinwoo.

As a toy collector, Shinwoo was delighted by the presents and jumped in joy.

“Thank you, grandpa!” He said and kissed on his cheek, making Siwon smiled happily.

“Well, it was yours actually.” He answered without realized that he had spoken out his secret.

“Mine?” Shinwoo sat on the bed and blinked his eyes a few times. He looked at him doubtly and wondered why adults always keep some secrets in their words.

“Well, your grandpa always wants to give it to you Shinwoo, since you were born.” Mrs Jang said and gained another glare from her husband.

Hearing what aunty said, Jieun felt the guilt planted in her heart. Deeply.

Shinwoo saw it and then said something to his grandpa.

“Actually, mommy missed grandpa a lot! She didn’t sleep well last night that her dark eyes circles are bigger than the tyres now!” Shinwoo said and laughed happily.

The atmosphere was immediately heated up by Shinwoo’s joke.

“Is it?”

“Ermm…” Shinwoo nodded his head.

“Mommy even went to choose the fruits herself before we came to visit grandpa!” He said and pointed to the fruit basket.

Feeling the gazes from everyone, Jieun looked away and put the basket on the table.

“This is for you.” She said awkwardly.

“thank you…. Daughter.” Siwon said, gaining back her attention.

He called me…Daughter?

Daughter?

She stared at him with tears almost filled up her eyes. She didn’t say anything and just looked at him. And so do her father. Two of them looked into each other for a while and didn’t say anything at all. But, it was like they already completed their conversation through their eyes. With the teary eyes that told them how much they missed each other.

Finally, Jieun spoke out her mind and smiled at him.

“You’re welcome, father….”

He startled for a while as he didn’t expected her to call him Father. He looked at her before he hung up a smile again on his face. A bright one.

“Grandpa! Shinwoo wants to tell you my secret!” He said and signalled him to come closer to him. He did as Shinwoo ordered as he enjoyed spending his free time with this adorable kid.

“Ermm… grandpa, I told you ………….” Shinwoo said and continued to whisper to his grandpa. Two of them were having a lot of funny through their conservation and soon they started to be close to each other.

“Mommy, can we visit grandpa again?” Shinwoo asked before they left.

Jieun looked at her father and smiled before she nodded her head and said, “Ermm.”

Kim Hoeun 

2012.12.28

23:41