“Dad, I’ll be the only girl with the oldest prom date ever.”

            “You’ll have the hottest date ever,” Junhong quipped as he put on his bowtie.

            His daughter groaned and she stepped into the wedges that her mother had allowed her to wear. “Dad, why are you doing this?”

            There was suddenly a quiet and then he smiled. “Because I’m selfish. I went to prom with the first most beautiful woman in the world and now I want to go with Beauty Queen Number Two.” At her own father’s words, Ara blushed and fixed the drip that was attached to a small tank on her back.

            “Stop. You’re just worried about me getting too tired.”

            Junhong placed a hand on her back. “Don’t be silly. You’re a big girl. I know you can handle yourself. But I still want to be there when I see you dance.”

            He cleared his throat. Tears were starting to get caught and he didn’t want to cry in front of his daughter. Luckily, the bell rang at that moment and both he and his wife turned towards the entrance.

            “Oh, looks like your other date is here.” His wife opened the door and a shy, bashful looking boy walked in, bowing respectfully. Ara’s face lit up and Junhong stood back to watch them exchange their flowers.

            He watched his daughter, watched her as she shyly took the boy’s hand and he admired the way the dress fit on her, and her beautiful dark hair in waves half up and half down. He smiled a little sadly, knowing that the angel he had helped to bring to life would soon no longer be there.

            When the kids had set up, Junhong held out his elbow and stood by his daughter’s right side. She rolled her eyes but slipped her hand through his elbow anyway. “I’m so lucky. I get to go with two dates.”

            He swallowed and grinned. “Yeah, and nobody ever gets to do that.”

            Prom was an interesting experience. He really got to meet her friends and they were all surprised to see him there. “Wow, your dad actually came with you!”

            It was a source of amusement to him to see a couple of girls side eye him from their tables before they put their heads together and started whispering. “Dad, they’re talking about you,” Ara said with a grimace.

            “Good things, I hope?”

            Her face turned red. “They all think you’re hot for a dad.”

            Junhong beamed. “I told you, you would be with the hottest date ever.”

            The first dance came on and he was generous enough to let her actual date take the dance. He watched her as she placed her arms around the boy’s neck and the younger male gently put his arms on her waist, careful not to hit the tank. Ara looked at him almost for permission before placing her cheek against the boy’s chest. Junhong had to swallow the lump that formed.

            Would this how she would have looked on her wedding day? Nine of ten, it would be a different boy, but would this be how his little girl would look when she was supposed to be dancing with the love of her life? Would the small contented smile on her face be something that would last until adulthood and would her eyes be closed the way they are now?

            He took a deep breath and stood up. He needed some air. He stared at the sky and continued to picture Ara in another boy’s arms and swaying to the music. He strained his imagination and Junhong pictured her taller, older, without the tank and the drip, in a man’s arms. He pictured her just as he had seen her, eyes closed, smile on her face and ring on her finger.

            A single tear coursed down his cheek and he wiped it away. He came to engrave memories, not to shed tears. There was a hand on his arm and he looked down. His five feet one daughter was smiling at him.

            “Daddy? You better get in here. They’re starting with the EDM. You told me you were quite the hip hop dancer and all the girls want to see your moves.”

            She grabbed his hand and he followed her in. Even when the dance floor cleared to let him do his old dance moves, he kept his eye on his daughter and when he did the last flying spin, he landed in front of her and held out his hand.

            “Will the princess like to dance?”

            She grinned and he danced with her. Ara was laughing and smiling and he wondered if this was what their father-daughter dance would be like.  He forced himself to smile at her and keep calm because if he thought anymore about the future that wasn’t meant to be, he would cry and he didn’t want to ruin her day.

            He remember holding her as only a little baby in his arms and now she was grown up and going to prom. Normally, this reminiscing would take place on the wedding day, but Junhong knows he doesn’t have that time, so he started to live for that now.

            When the song ended and her date came back to claim her, he kissed her on the top of her head. “Go, have fun. Call me when you’re nearing home. I’ll be going now.”

            Ara stared at him and then she smiled. “I love you, Dad.”

            Junhong waved at her and exited the crowded ballroom. As he left, he turned around to see her dancing with the boy again, smiling and he closed his eyes, wanting to remember the moment when there would be no substitute to take its place.

Requests are opening the 11th. There's something special for the 7th and the new edition is coming out the 9th.

Get excited.

Also. Jackson is sort of taking over my life and yeah... Daehyun is sort of... okay I'M GOING TO STOP THERE