It was the weekend and Minrin wanted the family to spend it together, since she and Kyungsoo had a day off. Her father-in-law wasn't in the best health right now and she felt it was appropriate to visit him. After gathering the herbs and ginseng for him, she called for everyone to hurry.

“Wookyung-ah,” she walked in the girl's room, “Hurry, let's go.”

“Yeah mom, hold up.” The teenager dapped some BB cream on her face. She moved on to her lips and put on a neutral orange lip balm on. Before she could move on to her eyes, her mother stopped her.

“Do Wookyung, what do you think you’re doing?”

She looked at her mother, afraid to respond. “Putting on makeup,” she said in a small voice followed by a smile.

“You are only thirteen years old. I don’t care if they apply makeup on you on set, but at home you are to be bare-faced.” Minrin pointed to the bathroom, “I want you to go in there and take everything off.”

Wookyung sighed, “Fine.”

“Don’t give me that sass, young lady. Keep that up and your face will rot at the peak of puberty.” Her daughter passed her, “I want you downstairs in five–no, two minutes.” She heard her daughter shout a protest from the bathroom and she clucked her tongue, “Tch, damn teenager.” She walked to her room and saw Kyungsoo putting on his suit. “We’re just visiting your father,” she fixed his tie for him, “How come you’re wearing your work clothes?”

“Forgot that I have a case hearing today.” Once she was done, he went to go grab his briefcase but Minrin stopped him.

“Do Kyungsoo, we are going to go visit your father.”

“I know,” he said as he grabbed it from her, “It won’t be until later.”

Not wanting to start her day off by yelling, Minrin inhaled a breath. She walked to her husband, “Don’t forget that you have a family, Kyungsoo.” Minrin pat his suit, “I don’t want your job to take you away from us.” Knowing that he couldn’t respond to that, she walked away and went downstairs.

Once the car came to a stop, Wookyung ran out and slammed the door. Minrin hollered for her daughter to be more careful next time but the teen only waved a hand at her mother. Before unbuckling herself, she noticed that Kyungsoo wasn’t doing the same.

“Kyungsoo,” her husband looked at her, “We’re here.”

“I know,” he nodded for her to leave.

She scoffed, “Do Kyungsoo, you must be kidding me right now.”

“Minrin, it starts in fifteen minutes. I’m practically late!”

“You haven’t even greeted him yet!” she shouted back at him.

“I know that but if I miss this case hearing I would live with that reputation for the rest of my career!”

She could not believe what was coming out of his lips. “Are you serious? Your father is sick, Kyungsoo, does that not matter?”

“I can always see him. Don’t exaggerate the situation.”

“When did you become such a workaholic?” she asked, seriously wanting to know. “What is more important? Your father or work?”

He began to grow frustrated with her, “Don’t you dare pull that card. I don’t need to answer to you.” He reached over her and opened her door for her, “I’ve got to go.”

Before she rummaged through her purse. Kyungsoo looked at her, feeling annoyed that she was wasting his time. “Here,” she gave him a 100,000 won bill, “This should be enough for 2 hours.”

Kyungsoo scoffed and looked away, “What the hell is this?”

“Wookyung is having a performance at school and would love to see her father there.” Seeing that he didn’t take it, she crumbled it in his front pocket, “I don’t care how unbearable I’ve become, at least make her happy by showing up.”

He crumbled up the money and threw it at her, “No promises.” After giving her a short grin, he drove off into the distance.

Minrin inhaled a breath and put the money back into her purse. She wanted to shout at her husband and let out angry strings of nonstop curse words, but she was much more civilized than that. She simply took another deep breath and tucked the crumbled bill into her purse then made way into her father-in-law’s home. Already she heard Wookyung excited talk to her grandpa.

“Did you see my appearance in the new drama?” she giddily asked, already knowing what the answer was.

“Of course I did.” he was always a supporter of his grandchildren, especially Wookyung. “Quickly get a role as the main actress already, I’m tired of seeing all these boring girls that can’t act.”

She laughed, “I’m still too young to land a role like that. Soon I’ll be as big as Park Shinhye. I promise.” Sticking out her pinky, her grandfather laced it with his. Shortly after she gasped and looked at him, “Grandpa,” she said full of enthusiasm.

“Wookyung,” he replied back, mocking her.

She playfully narrowed her eyes at him but laughed it off. “I’m having a performance tonight.” She nudged him, “You should come watch me.”

“I’ll be more than glad to come pick you up,” Minrin included.

The old man smiled, “Of course I’d love to,” he paused and pointed a finger at his granddaughter, “Only if you’re the lead.”

Wookyung smiled, “Yay!” she hugged him then kissed him, “Thank you, grandpa!”

Noticing that his son hadn’t entered the house, he turned to Minrin, “Where’s Kyungsoo?”

“Oh,” the mother gentle chuckled, “He had a sudden case hearing to go to.” She quickly changed the subject, “I brought you ginseng and some herbs. Here, let me go make some tea for you.”

While on stage, she looked at the crowd, trying to find her father hidden somewhere within those people. No matter how many times she caught a glance, she never saw him.

After the show ended, Wookyung was taking photos with people who recognized her from TV. Gladly taking their requests, she posed with them and gave her autograph to them once they asked. Once there were no more people to please, she quickly went to her family and held her grandfather’s hand, “So how was the show?” she asked.

He looked up at his beautiful granddaughter from his wheelchair. His gas tank was set right behind him as tubes filled his nostrils. “You were wonderful, Wookyung.”

She laughed, “I said the show, not me.”

“But you were the show, or at least you stole it.” he laughed but his laughter quickly turned into a violent coughing fit.

Both Minrin and Wookyung panicked. Wookyung pat her grandfather’s back trying to help him. “Mom, what do we do?” she asked with a frightened tone.

“Get in the car, we need to go to the hospital now.”

He ran in the hospital, not sure where to go. All he knew was he had to be there. Already, the nurses knew who he was looking for.

“The fourth door down the hall,” a nurse said. He thanked her then ran in. From a distance, he could already hear the mournful sobbing of their family. Kyungsoo’s steps slowed down and by the time he knew it, he was at the door. From all the sobbing and sounds of violent weeps, one stuck out most to him:

Minrin.

He opened the door and saw the rest of his family, hovering over her father’s dead body, bailing their eyes out. Minrin turned over and walked to him. She in a breath then wiped her wet face with her sleeve, “I guess you won’t have your father in the way of work anymore, right?”

Kyungsoo walked past her and slowly approached his father. His skin was already so pale that the yellow pigment of his skin was a dull gray. His heart dropped and his throat ran dry. “Dad?” He fell on his knees then joined his family. He hugged a part of his father’s body and began weeping. “I’m so sorry,” he cried, “I’m so, so sorry, dad. Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” he cried over and over again.

Two weeks after, they held a funeral for him. It was a peaceful one, as he would have liked. Kyungsoo and his brother, along with their wives, stood by the door and greeted the guest. Once Joonmyun and his family entered, they all bowed to the family.
 

“We’re deeply sorry for your loss,” Joonmyun said.

“He was sick for quite some time,” Seungsoo replied back, “He won’t be in pain any longer.” The family bowed.

Chijin looked around for Wookyung. Once they entered, he kept fidgeting around, bothering his sister. “What are you doing?” The ten-year-old asked.

“Looking for Wookyung.” he said quietly.

“Chijin, honey, go pay your respects to Mr. Do.”

He sighed, “Yes, mom.” He entered the partition and found her standing there with her head down. “Wookyung?”

She looked up and wiped away her tears, “Thank you for attending my grandfather’s funeral.” she said politely as she bowed to him.

Before he would reply back, he bowed at Wookyung, then the altar. He turned to Wookyung, tears were still streaming down her cheek. He hugged her, “It’s okay, Wookyung.” he said trying to comfort her.

She let a cry escape as she hugged him back, “I didn’t even get to have my own drama yet.” she sniffled, “I didn’t get to be the lead actress for him to watch.”

The sound of Wookyung crying was one of the most heartbreaking things to witness and hear. Her cries were always so mournful and full of emotion. But the sound of her cries on her grandfather’s funeral was unexplainably depressing–but he had to remain strong for her. “Hey Tiny, don’t cry.” He held her face up and looked at her with a sour expression, “You seriously look ugly when you cry.”

“Yah, Kim Chijin.” She pushed him away and wiped her tears. She turned away from him so he couldn’t see her face, “I don’t look ugly.”

You never are, he lovingly thought. “I’m going now, but stop crying so much or else you really won’t grow taller.”

“You were in there for a long time,” Nayoung took note of, “Why, was Wookyung there?”

“Pft,” the teen scoffed, “No.”

The funeral was over but Kyungsoo was still in the partition. He was on his knees, bowing to his father. He was crying, regretting everything.

“I’m so sorry, father.” he cried as he rose up, “I’m sorry for not coming to see you.” Kyungsoo looked at the smiling picture of his father before he grew ill and cried even harder. “I’m so sorry for being a terrible son. I’m so sorry. I should’ve spent my time with you wisely.”

Minrin entered and saw how hard her husband was crying. She sat next to him and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her and cried into her shoulders, weeping out incoherent words. She silently cried along with him as she pat his head, assuring him that everything would be okay.