Himchan sat on the couch for a while without moving. He wasn't sure if it was an hour or two hours. He just focused on his breathing and kept telling himself repeatedly that it was for the best. As if he was trying to make himself believe that still.
Then when he couldn't take it anymore, he stood up and went to the table. He grabbed his phone and called the one person who could assure him that this was the right thing.
"Hello." Yunseo said when she answered the phone.
"Uh... hey." he replied, his voice shaking a little.
There was a pause before she asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just..." he swallowed thickly before taking a deep breath. "It... It's not temporary anymore. Her grandparents came and..."
"Oh." she said. "Did you want me to come over?"
"Yes. If you can. That would be great." he answered.
"I'll be there in a few minutes." she sad and hung up.
He placed the phone down and saw the rag still on the table. He never got around to cleaning up the mess. Grabbing the dish cloth, he started to wipe the table again but stopped. He stared a few bread crumbs that littered the table top and sighed. The mess picked at him annoyingly like always but at the same time, he didn't care. He abandoned the rag once more and went back to the couch.
It was about fifteen minutes later that he heard the knock on the door. He hurriedly went to answer it and as soon as he saw Yunseo, he pulled her in for a hug.
"Hello to you too." she giggled while hugging him back.
"I missed you." he simply said.
She sighed. "I missed you too." she said. Then she forced him to face her. "But that's not why you called."
"No." he confessed before swallowing.
"Oh Himchan." she lamented and cupped his face. "You knew this was coming."
"I know. But now that it's happened, I... I just... I don't know." he uttered.
She nodded her head and pulled free from his hold. She closed the front door and then led him to the couch. She sat him down before sitting next to him and running her fingers through his hair.
"Guess you got more attached to her than you thought you would." she commented.
"Yeah." he agreed. Then he shook his head and forced out an unamused chuckle. "They're having her stuff shipped later. They have a bedroom and a playroom already set up for her."
"Well that sounds nice." she stated. "Sounds like they'll take good care of her."
He thought back to his encounter with them and their contempt for him. They won't direct that towards Micha right? "I hope so."
Yunseo looked at him curiously before glancing around the apartment. "Here." She picked up the toy off the coffee table and went over to Micha's bag. She carefully put it in one and then went to the dining table next. She cleaned the mess and carried the cloth back to the kitchen. He heard the sink going for a bit before she returned with Micha's cup. That was also placed in one of the bags.
"There." Yunseo declared and inspected the room. "Is that everything?"
"I think so." he told her and swallowed. "Thank you."
She smiled softly at him. "Of course." she said and walked over to him. "Have you eaten?"
"Uh... no." he answered. It was so consumed over Micha's grandparents coming and her leaving that the thought of food never crossed his mind.
"Well then, how about I make us an early dinner? We can eat and then maybe watch a movie together." she offered. Then she playfully poked his nose. "I'll even spend the night, no flattery required."
A small smile crept on his face as he looked up at her. "That sounds wonderful. Thanks."
As she leaned down and kissed his forehead, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. She was trying to make it better and he thought yet again that he was lucky to have her.
He opened his eyes and watched as she picked up his pillow off of the couch. The one he had been using since Micha arrive. Then she disappeared around the corner to take it to the bedroom.
He swallowed and took a couple more deep breaths. He patted the couch cushion a little and told himself how nice it would be to sleep in his bed again. To actually get a good night's sleep.

"Don't forget to add this with her stuff." Yunseo instructed as she walked back into the living room.
He glanced up at her and then his eyes widened at the sight of the object in her hands. It was Micha's metal lunchbox. Then his mouth dropped open as he watched Yunseo open it.
"Oh." she uttered while raising her eyebrows in surprise and peering in to the box.
He stared at her in shock. It never occurred to him to open it. Especially with how protective Micha was of it.
"Here." Yunseo said and handed it to him.
He hesitated for a moment before reaching for it. He gently placed it on the coffee table and then after a few more seconds of hesitation, he finally looked in the box.
His shoulders dropped as he gathered the loose photos and held them up.
"Is that your ex?" Yunseo questioned. "She was pretty."
"Yeah." he mindlessly uttered in agreement. No wonder Micha never wanted to part from the lunchbox. It was filled with the pictures of her mother.
There were other things inside the box too though and he set the photos aside to grab them. He pulled them out and then stared at them in disbelief. As he looked at one picture, he placed it on the table and looked at another. They were pictures of him, all torn out of magazines.
The last magazine page he came to was a little different then the others. It wasn't haphazardly ripped and instead looked as if it was neatly cut. He instantly recognized the picture of him on the page. It was one he would never forget. His first appearance in a magazine.
"Wow." Yunseo said as she reached in to the lunchbox. "This one is interesting."
He tore his gaze away from the magazine page to see what she found. It was another huge shock to him and as Yunseo offered him the picture, he took it from her as if it was made of glass. In the photo was Micha and her mother. Then on the side was another picture added to it. One of his pictures, also torn from a magazine. With the way it was ripped and the excessive amount of glue used to stick them together, it was obvious that a child had done it. Micha had put the three of them together in one photo.
"What kind of name is Micha anyways?"
"It's your name."
As he stared at the evidence that was scattered on the coffee table, he thought of another thing that never occurred to him. Micha knew who he was. Even though he never knew about her, Micha's mother made sure she knew about him.
Then he closed his eyes as wave of guilt made him nauseous.
"I don't want to be here."
"But you were excited before."
She had been excited to see him. Until...
"If this isn't going to work out though, I can see about contacting her maternal grandparents and having her live with them."
"Yes. I think that would be for the best."
When he told Yunseo what happened and Micha was eavesdropping; "This is only temporary."
When Yunseo had dinner with them and they were standing in the living room before going out the front door; "Soon enough she'll be with her grandparents. Just have to last until then."
When he took her to work with him and she watched the stylists from the couch; "She's just temporarily staying with me until her grandparents come for her."
When Yunseo had came over later that night and Micha had a bad dream; "It's only temporary."
Then the fight they had, when he said the worst thing he could ever say to Micha. "She's dead." But he also said the second worst thing he could ever say to her. "If you were actually my daughter..."
He felt his eyes water a little. This entire time, Micha knew that he was her father and the only thing she heard him say was that he didn't want her.
"Himchan." Yunseo softly said and gently put a hand on his shoulder.
He glanced up at the clock to check the time. Was it too late? "I... I have to go." he stated out loud.
"What do you mean?" she questioned.
He hurriedly started to put all the pictures back in to the lunchbox. "I have to get this to Micha. She needs it."
"Just send it with her stuff." Yunseo told him.
"No, no, no." he insisted while frantically shaking his head. "I messed up. I messed up so bad." He snapped the lid shut and then he quickly gave her a peck on the lips. "I'll be right back." Then he hurried to the front door.
"Himchan!" she called out, shocked with his behavior.
He grabbed his wallet and his keys. "I'll be back." he assured her again before closing the door.
He ran to his car and got behind the wheel. Then he sped out of the parking lot, hoping it wasn't too late.

When he arrived at the airport, he hurried to the international flights area. He scanned one area and then quickly moved on to the next, ignoring the stares from the people as he dashed past them.
The more he searched and didn't find her, the more he felt his heart sinking. Were they already through security? Or was her plane gone already?
"Please, please, please let her still be here." he silently begged.
He came up to another line of people waiting to present their tickets and be passed through security. His gaze moved through the crowd and he just started to move away when he stopped. Inhaling sharply, he saw the little girl with tangled hair. Still clutching her stuff animal tightly.
He stared at her in disbelief, frozen in place. He had found her. Then the line moved and they stepped forward, causing him to unfreeze as well. "Micha!"
Her head whipped over to him and he watched her eyes widen. "Himchan!" she cried out and then suddenly she was running to him. Her grandparents yelled for her but she didn't stop.
He knelt down as she got closer and braced himself as she threw herself at him in a hug. He wrapped his arms around her as well, breathing with a lot of relief.
"You forgot your lunchbox." he said and let go of her.
She refused to let go of him though and he felt the arm around his neck tightened. He swallowed before forcing her off of him. She looked at him in surprise before he saw sadness fill her eyes and he watched as her shoulders dropped.
"Do you want to live with me?" he asked her.
Her eyes widened in shock as she perked up. "You... want... me?" she meekly asked.
"Yes." he answered, feeling a smile grow on his face. "Yes I do. Do you want me?"
"Yes!" she loudly proclaimed and threw herself at him once more in a hug.
He felt his heart burst as he hugged her again. Then he was aware of people walking up to them and he glanced up.
"What is the meaning of this?" Micha's grandfather demanded.
Himchan kept a hold of Micha and picked her up as he stood. "I'm terribly sorry for all the trouble but I've changed my mind."
The grandmother's mouth opened slightly before she collected herself. "That is preposterous." she declared. "Just who do you think.."
"I am her father!" Himchan loudly stated, causing the two elders to stare at him in shock. "That is who I am. Micha is my daughter and she will be living me. End of discussion."
As they turned red and stuttered, Himchan walked away while carrying his little girl with him. "Come on Micha, let's go home."