Cora didn’t sleep at all that night. She was too busy worrying, or trying to get things in order before she left the house the following morning to see her father. Finally. She finally got to see her father again. She’d dreamed of the day when she’d get to see her father again, when the restraining order no longer held her back because she wasn’t underage.

She shot out of her room at eight that morning, already dressed and sprinting around the house, making sure she didn’t forget anything.

A groggy and half asleep MinHee emerged from the kitchen with a bowl in her hands. She set it on the island long enough to ask what Cora was doing.

She grinned at her. “I’m not quite sure. I’m just really excited.” She declared, grabbing her phone from the coffee table and sliding her feet into her shoes. “I should probably get going. I’ll see you when I get home.”

“Wait!” MinHee hurriedly signed, moving to stand in front of Cora. “Please don’t get your hopes up. He said he had something to talk to you about. It’s probably not a positive talk.”

Cora shook her head, still smiling. “I think it’ll be fine.” Cora declared. “I’ll see you when I get back, okay?” She s around MinHee and moved out of the apartment. She hurried to the elevator and, when the door closed and she looked at herself in the silver door, she realized she might not have dressed appropriately. A light blue and white striped sundressed. What if he thought it was too short? Was it too cold out of a sundress? Maybe it was going to rain. Why didn’t she looked at the weather?

She hurried out of the elevator and towards the front of the building. The cafe wasn’t too far away, just a little ways towards where she worked. She practically ran there, hoping she wasn’t late, or too early.

She opened the door and was greeted by one of the waitresses. Cora stood awkwardly in the door, searching the shop for her father. When she found him, she realized he wasn’t alone. Nick, from Blaze, sat beside him, looking very annoyed and disgusted. Cora took a step into the cafe, so the door would close, and contemplated why it was he was there.

She ignored it for a moment and started towards the table. Her father was looking down, at a menu, and Nick was glaring at him. She took another step towards the table. “Daddy?” She asked.

Her father shot up from the table, slamming into the side of it, which sent coffee across the table. Nick looked surprised by the reaction, and then annoyed by the outcome. “Cora.” He father looked completely confused when he looked at her. Had she really changed that much? Granted, it had been years, but didn’t they share similarities? She’d his blonde hair, after all. And height. The only real thing she’d had of her mother was her green eyes. Otherwise, she was all him. “Please. Sit.” He gestured to the chair.

Cora sighed and sat down. “You’ve been in Korea all this time?” She asked quietly, looking to Nick, who looked down and bit his lip.

Her father cleared his throat and nodded his head. “Yes. That would be the reason your mother got that restraining order. I forgot you were old enough for that to stop working on you.” He smiled, and Cora found herself smiling. She was surprised she wasn’t crying. This man meant the world to her. “Sweetheart, we need to talk. I know it’s been a while, but I owe you an explanation.”

Cora looked to Nick. “Not to be rude but, what are you doing here Nick?”

Nick frowned. “That has to do with what dad wants to talk about.”

“Dad?” Cora blurted out and looked at her father.

He sighed. “Cora, look. I need to get some things straight. Nick is my son.” Cora’s jaw clenched and she looked to Nick, who nodded solemnly. “Nick’s mother and I were together before I’d married your mother. I didn’t know she was pregnant when I left to be with your mother. So about a year later, Nick’s mother found me while I was in Korea on business and told me she had given birth to Nick, and that she wanted me to be involved in his life.” Nick scoffed at this. “Young man, I have always been there for you.”

“And I would have been fine if you hadn’t been.” Nick hissed. Cora’s eyes widened. Every time she’d seen Nick so far, he was so kind and gentle, and he’d always been a good sport about everything.

Cora’s father sighed. “So I had to make a decision. Be with my child or with your mother. So I told your mother I was leaving. She begged me not to, said she was pregnant now and I had to choose between which kid I wanted to be with. Your mother’s father had a lot to do with the business I was in at the time, so I chose your mother for money purposes. And then your mother gave birth, so we got married.”

“So you stayed with me and mom for money?” Cora asked quietly.

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