A/N: Blue italics are Jiyong's thoughts.

If she can let go of the past and forgive them, can I do it too?

Jiyong looked at the phone. He knows that his dad wants them to reconcile. Can he forgive and forget an old man who was driven by the pain and loss of his beloved wife? There was a war going on inside him. His adult self wants to give his dad a second chance but the kid inside still wants him to feel the hurt he felt. The problem is there was nothing his dad can do to take make up for the pain.

Dara looks at him and whispered. "Whenever you're ready. Whenever you feel it's the right time."

It did.

He picked up the receiver and dialled his dad's number. His dad picked up on the first ring.

"Naya."

"Oh adil. I didn't think I'd hear from you at this time."

Jiyong glances at his watch. "Mianhaeyo. I didn't notice that it's after midnight. Did I wake you?"

"Ani. I think that's one of the ironies of growing old. I don't have much to do in my days now and yet I need less sleep. Why didn't I get this trait twenty years ago? Oh well."

"Mianhaeyo for being a jerk earlier."

"You don't need to apologize. You have every right to be mad at me. What I did...I'm not gonna make excuses for it. I was a nappeun appa. I should have realized that you were hurting too. That we could have helped each other over the grief. I was blinded by pain. All I thought of was my loss."

"I understand."

"It still doesn't excuse what I did. Your mother... My EunJu...she was my world. When she died, I wanted to die too. I didn't care about anything or anyone. I knew I shouldn't have left you alone. She wouldn't have wanted that. But I was overcome with losing her I couldn't stop myself. Mianhae."

"Gwaenchanha appa. It really is." Jiyong cleared his throat. Appa. He hasn't used that word in a long time. He usually just refers to his dad as "abeoji" or "Hyunsuk". 

Dara leaned in closer to Jiyong. Jiyong put his arm around her and gave her a squeeze. She was like his lifeline. This was all new to him.

His father continues, "I should have come after you. I know that. I didn't really want you to go. But at the same time, it was easier to try and forget about you when your harabeoji took you out of the country. I thought you would be safer with him. I thought he'd take better care of you. I should have known better. Mianhae."

Jiyong suddenly felt a bit of guilt. "Gwaenchanhayo. There were some bad times but there were also good times. I learned a lot during my trips with harabeoji. If I hadn't traveled all around the world, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing right now."

"Gomawo. I know I don't deserve it. I was never a father to you. But I was wondering, if it's not to late. maybe we could get to know each other now and be friends?"

Jiyong thought of all the times he refused the old man's invitations. The times when he swore at him, hung up on him or ignored him. But here's his father yet again, trying to mend fences. He's his only family left. Does he want them to be estranged from him forever?

He forced himself to say, "I'd like that. I'm going to be busy before I leave for South America but I guess we can meet after I get back."

"Can I come see you this summer? Maybe we can meet in South America?"

Despite the overwhelming swell of emotion flooding him, Jiyong couldn't repress a grin. An image of his father who has loved only one woman in his life and mourned her for 27 years in a society run by women. Will he be able to cope? Visitors were often seduced by widows and the other single women there. When he first went there, he had a couple of run-ins with the other female in the area. It wasn't until the village elder took him under her wing that the ladies left him alone.

"Okay. I'll get some information about the place and send it to you. If you do decide to go, let me know and maybe we can meet halfway."

"I'd like that adil. I should probably let you go. Gomawo for giving me another chance."

"You're welcome. Kamsahamnida for not giving up on me."

"Saranghaeyo adil."

Jiyong in a breath. "You too, appa. Talk to you soon."

He waited for his dad to hang up before he ended the call. He glanced at Dara and was surprised to see her with tears on her cheeks.

She smiled at him and said. " That was so great. I'm so proud of you. How do you feel?"

"Strange. I guess a little relieved now that it's over and a bit nervous of what happens next. I'm not sure about him visiting me though." He told her a little about the culture in that place. "My father is nearly seventy. I'm afraid he might get overwhelmed by the ladies there."

Dara wiped her tears and grinned. "Maybe that's what he needs. A new start,"

"You're right. I never thought of that. Maybe he'll see it as a challenge. Why is everything so complicated? My harabeoji abandoned his own wife and child so he could travel around the world. He told me one time he should have never married my halmeoni. But when a girl from a good family ends up pregnant, there's not much a man can do."

"Your appa grew up without his father too?"

Jiyong nodded. "He swore he wouldn't do what my harabeoji did, That he was gonna marry for love and never leave her side. That happened to be true, he never left her even in death. But he did abandon me like his dad did before him."

"I guess he only learned part of the lesson."

He shrugged. He doesn't know what his dad learned. Maybe it runs in the family. Maybe they're doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

"And you're breaking the cycle by not believing in love, not getting married and not having kids right?" Dara said, as if she could read his mind.

"Something like that."

"That's one way to deal with the problem."

"You don't approve of my method huh?"

"It's not my place to approve or disapprove. I'm just glad that you talked to your dad and you're going to see him soon."

"Me too."

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Annyeong Readers! So sorry for taking too long to update this story.I just have so many stories swimming in my head that I get distracted easily. Hope you haven't lost interest in this story yet.

Korean words/phrases

naya - it's me

adil - son

ani - no

mianhaeyo - i'm sorry (formal)

nappeun appa - bad father

mianhae - i'm sorry (informal)

gwaenchanha - it's ok (informal)

appa - dad (informal)

abeoji - dad (formal)

harabeoji - grandfather

gwaenchanhayo - it's ok (formal)

gomawo - thank you (informal)

kamsahamnida - thank you (formal)

saranghaeyo adil - i love you son

halmeoni - grandmother