“When I first held you in my arms, you changed my life. You were perfect, beautiful and all I could ever ask for. You took perfection to another level, one where you made me breathless just looking at you. When I held you, carefully because you were precious, you looked at me and smiled. I remember the first day we met, and how it was truly love at first sight.

            I remember carrying you out to the waiting room to show everyone, your newlywed husband included, and being surrounded by other fathers. I held you clumsily, but tightly and watched them hold their children, many of them second, third-time fathers and felt so out of my league. But when I looked, you were still the prettiest of them all, so I guess I won, right?
            Jaylie, my Princess, when we first brought you home, you took up my entire world. I didn’t need anything but my little girl, and you were the reason why I looked forward to coming home every day. Well, you and your mom, but you were the bigger reason. I still remember your first word, ‘hungry.’ It was such a big word and of course your mom blamed me for passing down my food connoisseur skills.

            You were the perfect baby. You cried a lot, slept a lot and smiled a lot. You slept when you had to and whenever I held you, you would hold onto my finger and never let go. Whenever you turned your large, trusting eyes to me, I knew I would always protect you.

            Do you remember the first day you spent the whole day with daddy? Mommy had to go on a trip and the two of us stayed home all day. I took you to the park, and you never wanted to leave the stroller. Daddy tried to cook for you, but you only cried more. You had me in panic mode all day until I finally realized that all you wanted was the teddy bear I got for you, and by the time mom came home, we were a happy duo.

            When we brought Daemin home, you were unhappy. You threw a fit, and I had to spend the whole night telling you that I still loved you for you to be happy again. Do you think you can recall that list? I meant all I said then, and I still mean them now.

            Remember the first day of school, and how I made you heart-shaped sandwiches in your lunch? It made me both proud and sad that my little girl was growing up. Soon, the long days of summer spent in Busan would be a distant memory as you continued to make new friends and memories of your own.

            Our first real, big fight was, believe it or not, over Youngsuk. Apparently this sly creature here tried to ask you out when you were in third grade. You, innocent as anything, didn’t understand and I’m sure neither did he, but for me, it was a clear alarm that my little baby is growing up. I couldn’t keep you forever, and already you were expanding your network of relationships.

            When you brought back first place in the singing competition, I was so proud of you. When the principal asked the two of us to have a father-daughter duet, your mommy recorded us and later when I watched it, I cried a little. You are truly my daughter, and the whole world knows it.

            I still clearly remember the first time you cried so hard, it broke my heart. You were pushed off your bicycle when you went to the park. I didn’t come home until later that day and when I saw you, curled besides mommy, crying, still sobbing, I felt my heart being squeezed to two. Who had hurt my precious princess and why was I not there to protect you? But the moment you saw me, your tears subsided and you reached up for me. Jaylie, I hope you can still reach out to daddy even now.

            Remember those times we had pranking mommy with Daemin? Remember shopping with me for mommy’s present and then almost burning down the house when we tried to cook? Can you recall how many times we went to the beach and you got sunburned so badly, you looked like an overcooked lobster? You used to follow me to the recording studio all the time, blabbering into the microphone, looking like you belonged there.

            Your first father’s day present to me was a box. You told me that the box was for me to contain all the special things that I loved about you. Here’s the box now, for you to open later. Look at it once in a while when you’re living your own life and miss me.

            Baby, my baby girl, I still think back to the day when I found you crying in your room because some idiot had broken up with you. You were still young, and gave your heart away a little too quickly. I held you to me, and ranted at him, and I think you smiled particularly big when I called him a seaweed brain dunce bucket. He lost out.

            When you first became serious with Youngsuk, I’ll admit, daddy was jealous. Who did this pipsqueak think he was, coming to steal you away from me? But even though you were teenagers, he made you laugh and he made you light up in a way I know every father wants his daughter to. And so, with much consoling from mommy, I gave in.

            Raising you gave me some of my happiest memories as well as some of the reasons for why my hair would be rapidly graying soon. You are full of life, always giving your own opinion, and always knowing how to love fully back. Jaylie, Princess, I wish you the best in your future endeavors.

            You’re the second girl I’ve fallen in love with, and quite possibly, the love of my life. Youngsuk, you better take good care of her, or else the old bat that had taken care of multiple guys, will come after you too. Jaylie I love you. Daddy will always love you and if you need protecting, just know that I will be here, forever watching over you as well.”

            By the time Daehyun sat down in his seat, he had tears streaming down his face. His words would no longer come out and Jaylie was out of hers and besides him. She hugged him, her shoulders shaking as she cried too. But he reached out a thumb to wipe them away.

            “Hey baby girl, the bride should never cry at her wedding. It ruins the mascara.”

            She laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder as the guests around them clapped and not even Youngsuk could claim her away from this moment.

this is for cookies808

I'm planning on writing a Daehyun Daddy drabble series soon, and this is a preview into it. Meep may or may not have started crying while writing this haha 

Hopefully I can double update today