"I’m not asking you to be perfect! I just want you to make time for us!"

"Are you saying I’m not?!"

"Well, we wouldn’t be having this argument if you were! Goodness, Jongin! It’s your daughter’s 5th birthday and you missed it!"

It was late at night and you were in the kitchen arguing with your husband, Jongin, who had missed your daughter’s birthday this afternoon. His reason? He got caught up at practice.

Again.

What else is new? you thought irritably.

"I didn’t exactly have a choice, Y/N—“

"No." You stopped as you placed the dishes forcefully into the dishwasher, making sure he knows how furious you were. "You always have a choice, Jongin. Always.”

"Y/N—“

"You haven’t changed one bit." You scoffed as you continued to clean up around the kitchen; the party’s remains seemed almost mocking. "You still put your career above everything else. Even above your own family—“

"That’s not true!"

"It’s completely true and you know it!" You yell at him. "How many occasions have you missed, Jongin? Or should I start calling you Kai now?"

Jongin remained silent but his eyes were blazing with anger as you continued to rant. “This wasn’t the first time, Kai.” You hissed and Jongin winced at the sound of his stage name. “You missed school activities too; Jaehee’s first ballet recital, parent conferences. Heck! You even missed our anniversary!”

"I’m working, Y/N.” he argued. “I’m working hard to make a living for us—“

"I know that! But it wouldn’t hurt to take some time off to spend time with Jaehee… With us!"

"Do you think I don’t want that?!" He yelled making you jump and you tried to hold back the tears threatening to spill out of your eyes. "Do you think I do it on purpose?!"

"Aren’t you?!"

"Of course not, Y/N!” he exclaimed, his arms flailing and his eyes ablaze. “I don’t—“

“Appa?”

The two of you froze at the sound of a little girl’s voice. You glanced to your right and saw Jaehee holding her teddy bear; her eyes wide with fear as tears spilled down her pale cheeks. Jongin stared at her crying daughter and his heart sank at the sight. “Jaehee—“ he started, but the little girl had already run away.

"Jaehee!" You called as your ran after her, leaving Jongin standing there, feeling guilty as hell.

~~~

It took a while to calm Jaehee down but after a few comforting words and a lullaby, you were able to make her stop crying. You lay her on her bed and went straight to your bedroom to take a shower. Jongin was nowhere to be found and you wondered if he had left. The thought broke your heart and gave you a headache.

What am I going to do with you Kim Jongin?, you thought sadly as you headed towards the bathroom.

A few minutes later, you emerged from the bathroom to find your bedroom still empty. You wondered where he was and then thought: maybe he went back to the studio like he always does. After all, dancing’s the only thing that takes his mind off things.

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