[CONTENTID1]38.[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]Seoul, 2019

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[CONTENTID3]

“There is no such thing as a "broken family." Family is family, and is not determined by marriage certificates, divorce papers, and adoption documents. Families are made in the heart. The only time family becomes null is when those ties in the heart are cut. If you cut those ties, those people are not your family. If you make those ties, those people are your family. And if you hate those ties, those people will still be your family because whatever you hate will always be with you.”
― C. JoyBell C.

[/CONTENTID3]

[CONTENTID4]

The concept of family actually feels foreign for her. How should a daughter act with her father and mother, how should a parents treat her daughter. As she grows up, she learns that love can come in a lot of different forms that sometimes others can’t even see it. Maybe that’s how her parents' love looks; in a way she always thinks of it as malice. But she should be grateful because it’s not too late for her, for all of them to mend this broken relationship.

Entering this huge mansion that never feels like home to her with a different perspective feels different. With her mother greeting her with a smile and hug, with her brother joining the hug and with her father looking stoically from behind them. So this is her family, not perfect but still a family. This place is where she will find true peace.

“I’m home.”

***

“So you knew.”

Her father quietly says as he sips his wine. “Why did you do that? I thought you were against the idea of having an idol daughter.” Jihye asks. Her father puts down his glass of wine on the coffee table between them. “It’s your dream. I know how hard you worked for it.” 

Jihye looks at the darkened sky. It feels weird talking like this with her father. If only her brother doesn’t persuade them, maybe she won’t talk this open with him.

“I want the best for you. I… I wanted to create a path to success for you in a way I only know. I said many harsh words to you and for all of that…” he paused.

“Forgive me my daughter.”

Jihye whips her head to her father and looks at him with shock. He apologizes to her? Without her realizing it, a tear falls from her eye. A single tear turns into sobs then turns into a loud crying. After all this time, this is the only thing she wants to hear from him. She knows how awkward it is for him to witness her cry like this. But he still comes to her and awkwardly hugs her and pat her back. Jihye hugs her father back, at this point she doesn’t care if his shirt becomes wet because of her tears.

“Thank you father. Thank you.”

She says in between her cry.

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