TIRED. MISERABLE. LONELY.

Yujin has been looking at her father for the whole time and she could perfectly describe him with those three words. He is currently trying to sort things out of the room he once shared with a woman he called his wife. He didn’t order the maids to do it, instead he gathered his remaining strength to throw whatever remnants his ex-wife left. It is his way to tell himself that he is strong.

He was carrying a box of trash out of the room when he found Yujin standing by the door, holding the little clay sculpture that she made on her back. Her father gave her a lonely smile; he did look a little bit older than his age after all the stress that he went through the past months. It wasn’t just his company that he was trying to save, he also did his best to redeem his family but he miserably failed.

“Mum… She won’t be coming back anymore, am I right?” Yujin, who was, then, seven years of age, was already quick to pick up what’s happening. Her big round eyes are showing no emotion at all.

Her father put down the garbage for a bit and turned to Yujin. He started with a sharp, vexed sigh. He held Yujin by the shoulders and then took another deep breath.

“Yes, dear. Mum won’t be coming home anymore.” He answered with a heavy heart. He never wanted his family to end up like this. It was never his intention to give Yujin a broken family.

“I see.” Yujin answered with a nod. “Most of my classmates have separated parents, too. Most of them don’t do well with their studies but don’t worry, Dad. I will still be the best even if I don’t have a mother.”

“Good, Yujin. I know you will do well, my child.” His father praised her even though his heart is being pulverised. Hearing Yujin say those words just gives more wounds to his pride as the patriarch. He wasn’t able to keep a family for her daughter.

He stood up after giving pats to Yujin’s head. “Alright Yujin, Dad is still going to take care of some mess so you go back to your room and study.”

Yujin watched his father pick up the box. At that time, she couldn’t understand how her father was still standing strong after everything. She has witnessed how devoted he was to her mother. He gave his best; tried to remember the important dates, helped with the chores when he was free, bought her gifts even when she didn't say a thing. He did everything for his family despite the hellish schedule he has in his work.

Being the curious child that she is, Yujin took the step to ask.

“Dad…” she called. Her father turned to her just as he was about to open the front door.

“What is it, dear? Dad’s a bit busy.” He answered but was still smiling.

“Dad, I just want to ask if you loved Mum.”

The patriarch was suddenly taken aback, freezing immediately on his spot. He turned to Yujin and the look on his face clearly shows that his remaining foundations are all shaking.

“I just want to know, Dad. I overheard Mum saying that she didn’t love you after all these years. I just want to be clear about your part.”

He was surprised after hearing those words from a seven-year old girl like Yujin. Indeed, his daughter is ahead of those who are of the same age. She didn’t even cry when she found out about the divorce and she never begged for her mother to stay. All along, he felt like Yujin was just observing what’s happening in the household.

And about that question, of course he loved her. Until now he loves her. Their marriage may be arranged by their parents, they might be complete strangers during the wedding ceremony but he learned to love her after everything they’ve been through. She did give him a wonderful gift in the form of their daughter Yujin. He never felt so blessed in his life after having such an amazing wife and daughter.

He loves her, with all his heart, with every drop of his blood, but in the end he wasn’t able to make her love him back. She is already in love with someone else before their marriage and she couldn’t erase that guy from her mind even after having Yujin. She even dared to leave her daughter behind just to be with the guy that she really loves. That’s how willing she is to risk everything for that one guy—for that one true love.

Yujin looked at her father straight in the eyes; she was waiting for one honest answer.

“Dear…” her father was the one who broke the stare off. He knows Yujin won’t let him go if he doesn’t give her an answer. “Yujin, falling in love is the biggest sign of weakness and you know well-enough that in this household—“

“No one is made weak.”

Yujin finished the sentence with her father. She rushed to him and presented him with the clay sculpture that she made with her playdough. It was a mini sculpture of her family—she, her dad and her mum—all wearing happy faces, hand in hand.

Her father stiffened even more after seeing that, he could feel the prickling of tears on his eyes. But he can’t show any more weakness. Their clan’s motto is to never show weakness to anyone, even to one’s child. He has failed so much after that broken marriage; he shouldn’t bring more disappointment to his clan by crying over a woman who left him.

Little Yujin tore off her mother’s sculpture and handed it to his father.

“Please put it in the trash as well.”

The father was left speechless. He reached out for the sculpture with his hand trembling.

“If falling in love is the biggest sign of weakness, I promise not to fall in love with anyone. This is my word to you, Dad.” Yujin looked back to her broken little masterpiece. She actually spent a lot of time just to finish it and show it to her parents before finally signing the separation contract. “Excuse me, Dad. I will now go and study.”

The patriarch was left looking at the unwanted part of the sculpture. He hesitatingly put it in the trash as he could feel the surge of warm liquid coming out of his tear ducts.

“I’m sorry, Yujinie… I’m really sorry…”

~~~

“GO AHEAD, Young Mistress. I am sure Minjoo-ssi is also waiting for someone to talk with.”

Yujin scowled at Eunyoung. It’s not because she is angry at her for always pushing her but because the lady knows that she really wants to go and see Minjoo. Sometimes she is really afraid of Eunyoung because she could feel that she can read her actions.

The heiress has been walking back and forth since they arrived home. Minjoo excused herself and went straight to her room. She even passed for dinner saying that she doesn’t really have the appetite to eat. Yujin did have hers because there are things that she has to do and she needs energy to keep going. But all this time she is distracted. She couldn’t help but to worry about Minjoo.

“It is none of your business, Eunyoung-imo.” Yujin pouted and went back to the couch. It isn’t her style to study in the living room but her books are on the living room table for now. She can’t go far from Minjoo’s room, she keeps looking at her door.

“It is my business since I am the one who is tasked to take care of you, Young Mistress. Anything that worries you worries me as well.” Eunyoung answered calmly, still with that smile on her face. “I believe something happened to Minjoo-ssi that’s why she is acting like that.”

Yujin gave out a sigh and picked up a random book. “It is her problem, Eunyoung-imo. Let her deal with it.”

The heiress tried to start reading but nothing was getting into her mind. She’s still caught up in the thoughts of Minjoo, on how she looked so broken after seeing that guy. The fright on her face was so real that Yujin’s body automatically moved on its own and dragged Minjoo away from the crowd.

Yujin closed the book with a loud sound and tossed it on the table. She then threw herself at the backrest of the sofa and crossed her arms. “But seriously, Imo. I don’t get it.”

Eunyoung nodded. As expected, Yujin would start talking.

“Minjoo had a boyfriend while she was in her first year in high school. Can you imagine how early that is for someone to be in a relationship? They should be studying hard that time!” Yujin shook her head, greatly showing her disappointment for the young Minjoo. “They even saw each other after cram school. Were they really studying or just dating? I don’t understand.”

“And then she even did everything just to be in the same school with that guy but she ended up being trashed by him because he believed petty rumours. He is such a chicken but Minjoo said that she loved him for real! How can she be in love with such a boneless guy like him!? And now he chases after her after everything he has said and done. How shameless!”

“I think Minjoo-ssi was really in love with that guy if she persevered just to be with him. I believe she has seen something about him that made her love him that much.” Eunyoung commented while standing behind the sofa. She could clearly see Yujin’s reactions by the huge television screen monitor. “And about that guy, maybe he has realised his mistake and found out that Minjoo-ssi is very important for him. He even showed up on her even after all his wrong-doings. It just means that he is ready to do everything just to be forgiven by Minjoo-ssi, isn’t it?”

Yujin scoffed. “Now she is getting all distracted because that guy came back and is even asking for them to be back together. She didn’t even eat dinner because of what? Thinking about him? And that guy, he even knelt and cried in public just to ask for her apology. I can see now why being in love makes someone weak.”

Eunyoung took a deep breath. The way the concept of love was relayed to Yujin is fundamentally wrong. She has thought of trying to fix things but she couldn’t get the right timing. Yujin has never consulted her about personal matters until she gets to know about Kim Minjoo. She would always tell her about how beautiful and admirable Kim Minjoo is. And now that her favourite person is involved in a scenario brought by tragic love, Eunyoung thought that she has finally found the right opportunity atlas.

“Love this, love that. There’s also this annoying senior at school who confessed to Joohyun-unnie like crazy. She’s so annoying that I threw a block of wet clay on her. Love is just for the weak.”

“But, aren’t you in love with Minjoo-ssi as well, Young Mistress?”

Yujin gasped after hearing those words. She sharply turned to Eunyoung with a glare.

“Imo, how could you say that to me? You know that falling in love is the biggest sign of weakness! I will never succumb to such a thing!” Yujin growled.

Eunyoung kept her composure because she is well-aware of the truth. If she could just enumerate all the things that Yujin did just because of her love towards Minjoo then she could’ve done that already and it would be such a list. She even wanted to ask her if bringing Minjoo by the sea wasn’t showing her weakness.

“So, what you are showing to her now is not love? Are you telling me that you don’t feel anything romantic towards Minjoo-ssi?"

Yujin’s mouth gaped. Once again, she turned her back to Eunyoung.

“It’s not love, Eunyoung-imo! I just want to be the one to take care of her because I know I can take better care of her than the others. I believe that she will be safe if she’s under my care. I strongly believe that I can give everything that she needs. It’s not that I am doing all of this because of her, it’s because I know I can!”

‘Oh, look at this child.’ Eunyoung thought that she kind of shook Yujin after that question. The reaction that she gave her caretaker gave it all away. She thought that she could give her more push.

“So you won’t mind if they get back together?”

Again, another silence from Yujin. When Eunyoung finally thought that she made a crack at that wall, Yujin started speaking.

“I don’t mind if they get back together.” She started, startling the older lady. “Birds of the same feather flock together; weak people go along with weak people. If Minjoo decided to go back to him because she loves him then she has proven that she is really fragile.”

She took one deep breath. She still doesn’t know that despite all the strong words that she is using, Eunyoung can see her facial expressions and she can see right through it.

“If that is the case then I will stop associating myself with her. I don’t want to be called weak just because I fall in love. If there is someone that can take better care of her then she could go. I just need her because I need to create a master—“

“Is that really all that you need from me?”

The two were surprised after hearing Minjoo’s voice behind them. Yujin jolted up from her seat and saw that painful look on Minjoo’s face again.

“M-Minjoo…” Yujin called out. What on earth was she saying anyway? Her mind suddenly turned blank. “How long have you been there?”

Minjoo gulped, swallowing the lump that has been on for some while now. “Y-You just picked me because of your masterpiece. Because you need something from me… To feed your ego… Not because you have feelings for me, right?”

“M-Minjoo, listen. It’s because—“

“Why do you have to say it like you like me? The things that you said while we were on the beach… Those words… Did you just tell me those words so that you can feed your ego more? To look stronger and more powerful?”

Yujin heard the shattering of her heart into tiny pieces after seeing tears rolling down Minjoo’s cheeks.

“You never really meant anything that you said during that time, right? And now you are giving me away just like that? I guess that answers my question if you only see me as a dog.”

“Minjoo, listen! That’s an ORDER!”

Minjoo gasped. She was silenced and so was Yujin. She was surprised that she shouted at her. It was mainly because of her frustration but she knows that it wasn’t the right thing to do at that moment.

“L-Look, Minjoo. I didn’t mean to—“

“I am sorry, Yujin.” Minjoo wiped her tears that just kept on falling. “I am sorry but I guess I have to talk to Se-an-oppa tomorrow and clear things out. If falling in love is the same as being weak then fine, I’m the weakest person in the world.”

Minjoo stormed back to her room without looking back. The other girl flopped back to her seat and brushed her hair up with her two hands, slightly pulling them to relieve herself of the sudden stress.

“This is your fault, Eunyoung-imo.” Yujin sighed. “Why do you have to ask those things to me anyway?”

The lady was still in a bit of a shock after everything that she witnessed but she just confirmed Minjoo’s feelings in that exchange of words.

“With no harm intended, it is because I want you to be true to yourself, Young Mistress. I believe that deep inside you, a voice tells you that being in love is not a form of weakness and I believe that you know very well how much your father loved your mother.”

Yujin clicked her tongue and sharply drew a breath but she remained silent.

“Young Mistress…” Eunyoung called as she placed her hands on Yujin’s shoulders. “Please remember that it requires a huge amount of strength just to admit that you are weak. Don’t let her slip away…”

~~~

“HEY! I managed to keep my parents together! I convinced my daddy not to leave us!”

“That’s great! Should I do the same thing? My parents are also fighting a lot these days. I am afraid this may lead to divorce.”

“Try to do something! Tell your parents how much you need a whole family. I took the advice of my nanny and wrote a letter to both of them. Right now they both seem to be on good terms!”

“Okay! I will try to make something!”

Yujin could clearly remember the discussion of her classmates during that time. It was the day after the night she heard them arguing. She heard, straight from her mother’s lips, that she never ever loved her father even just a bit. Her father was silenced but then with a trembling voice, he asked, “What about Yujinie?”

That time her mother was the one who fell silent. She heard deep sighs from her before answering, “Yujin knows already that the marriage is falling apart. She is a smart kid. She knows it but she never said anything about it. Yujin will be fine.”

Then her father hit the table with his fists. “What kind of a mother are you!?”

“I’m sorry, Jaejin. I can’t really keep up with this façade…”

Her mother has already decided about leaving them but Yujin thought that she still could give it a try. If things worked out with her classmate then it might bring a miracle to her as well.

So the young Yujin gave it a try. She made a sculpture of her family and thought of presenting it to her parents. Since she couldn’t properly express her desire for them to stay together through words, she thought that it would make sense if she acted upon it more than saying something.

So during Art Class, Yujin made the clay sculpture. Her teacher even gave her high remarks with her little masterpiece. If the teacher was pleased with it, she thought that there would be a high possibility that her mother would like it as well.

But when she arrived home, she caught her mother getting out of their house, putting all her baggage in her car’s trunk. Her mother saw her and stopped what she was doing and went towards the little girl.

“Yujinie, Mum’s going to be out for some time. Take care of daddy for me, will you?” She ruffled the hair of her daughter who was just looking at her with those big, round eyes.

‘Will you be back?’ is what she wanted to ask but her lips didn’t cooperate with her. She malfunctioned. She only gave her a nod. ‘Don’t go. At least have a look at the clay I moulded!’

She saw tears from her mother’s eyes before she hugged her. She ruffled her hair before kissing her on the forehead. “Be a good girl to daddy, okay? I love you, little darling. Mum is very sorry.”

‘Lies! You don’t lov