3 Years Later…

Traffic in LA was the worst. Especially in times when he desperately needed to be on time for something. Jong-Kook hit the steering wheel lightly in his annoyance and looked up at the unchanging traffic light a few feet ahead for the umpteenth time. The red glare still mocked him from its perch.

He looked at the road to see if he could free himself from the standstill but he was wedged in tight between a delivery truck and a minivan. He could only slump back in his seat and wait impatiently.

“Daddy, I’m bored,” piped up a voice from the back seat. Jong-Kook caught sight of Hana on the rearview mirror. She was pouting adorably, with her little brow furrowed and her cheeks puffed up with air.

Jong-Kook chuckled and turned around. He reached out to gently smooth out the frown lines on her brow. Hana moved his hand away and crossed her arms across her chest.

“You said we were almost at grandpa’s!” she exclaimed.

Jong-Kook couldn’t resist teasing her and took out his phone from the charging pad and took a few pictures of her pouting face. Hana’s reaction was predictable. Seung-Im used to do the same whenever he took pictures of her when she was annoyed.

The smile fell from Jong-Kook’s face at the reminder of his wife. He put his phone back on the charging pad and took out Hana’s tablet from his bag. Hana didn’t pick up on the sudden shift of his mood and happily fiddled with the gadget that was handed to her.

Jong-Kook gripped the wheels tightly and forced himself to get rid of the memories that assaulted him. Lucky for him, the light turned green at that moment so he focused all his attention on driving this time. Anything to get Seung-Im off his mind.

There wasn’t much traffic after he got off the highway and into the more residential areas. He was aware that he was very late but it wasn’t as if he could do anything about the traffic conditions in the city they lived in. His parents would understand.

He parked his car at his parents’ expansive driveway an hour past their supposed arrival time. He quickly gathered his things and let Hana out of the booster seat, letting her enter the house first. He had learned long ago that her charms would cool off even his father’s infamous temper.

“Hana! Don’t forget to greet them properly, okay?” he called out to her.

Hana didn’t even bother turning back to acknowledge that she heard him. She was just determined to put as much distance between herself and the car that had apparently bored her to death. Jong-Kook just shook his head affectionately and jogged after her.

Hana was the first one to cross the threshold of his parents’ house when they entered through the front door. Jong-Kook’s mother exclaimed loudly when she saw her and opened up her arms to catch the energetic little girl into her embrace. Hana happily let herself be crushed in her grandmother’s hug. All of Jong-Kook’s reminders of greeting the elders properly were thrown well out the window.

Jong-Kook just sighed and went to greet his father, who waited for him just behind his mother and Hana. His father clasped his hand in a tight handshake and led him away from the women.

“You’re late,” he said, but he had a wide smile on his face.

Jong-Kook laughed. “Yes, LA is very determined to trap me in the busiest roads.”

His father chuckled and opened up the room to his home office. Jong-Kook was forty-three years old this year but he still found himself a little afraid of entering his study. He had some unpleasant memories of being lectured inside this room while he was growing up. His father must have sensed his hesitation because he turned back to check on him and guffawed at the look on his face.

“Relax, you’re not in trouble,” he said cheekily.

Jong-Kook in a breath and followed his father inside. His father settled into his chair and folded his hands under his chin; it was a scene that was very familiar to Jong-Kook.

“You said I wasn’t in trouble…” he said hesitantly.

His father grinned at him. “You’re not, you’re not. Sit, son.”

He gestured to the armchair across him. Jong-Kook slid into it awkwardly, still keeping his guard up. His father only looked on in amusement at his actions and pulled out a folder from the drawer next to him. He gestured for him to open it up and read it. Jong-Kook did as he was told but he froze when he saw the words that greeted him.

“You’re not serious?” he said, eyes wide in disbelief. He put the folder and all its contents on the side table next to him. “Appa… I can’t.”

His father fixed him a serious stare. “I’m not doing this to make you miserable, Jong-Kook-ah. On the contrary, I’m doing this to help you further your career. You haven’t managed a business on your own as the chairman. It’s high time you did.”

Jong-Kook shook his head. “Appa, you can’t be serious! Why does it have to be… I can’t fathom how—Why?” he took a deep breath to calm himself. “W-Why does it have to be in Seoul?”

“Why not?” his father countered calmly. Jong-Kook narrowed his eyes at him.

“What do you mean ‘why not?’? Seung-Im’s in Seoul!” he hissed.

His father only looked at him, unimpressed. “So your wife’s in Seoul, what exactly is the problem here?”

Jong-Kook grabbed at his hair in frustration. “She’s not my… well she kind of is—that’s not the point! The point is I can’t be in Seoul! What about Hana? Am I supposed to just leave her here? She needs me!”

“Did I tell you to leave her?”

“Well, no but I’m not going to uproot her life. She’s starting grade school this year and—” Jong-Kook stopped mid-sentence and glared at his father. The man didn’t even look slightly bothered.

Jong-Kook hated how calm his father was right now. He looked so unmoved by his pleas it made him wonder if he actually did something that landed him into trouble contrary to what he said earlier.

“Appa,” Jong-Kook tried again. “Seung-Im and I legally separated three years ago. We can’t… I can’t allow myself to see her again. Hana too. She’s gone from our lives the moment she signed those papers.”

For the first time that night, his father looked at him with a smidgen of sympathy. “I know your mother and I said we wouldn’t meddle in your lives but even you have to admit that you and Seung-Im were too rash with your decision back then.”

Jong-Kook protested but his father just put up his hand to stop him.

“Jong-Kook-ah, don’t you think you were being a little unfair to her back then?”

Jong-Kook scoffed and clenched his fists. “Me? I was unfair?” He stood up from his seat and paced around with his hand on his hips, trying to stop himself from snapping at his father. “Appa, she was the one who had an affair. She was the one who chose her job over her family. How was I unfair?”

His father sighed, eyes following him as he paced in front of him. “I’m not defending her actions but you drove her into a corner, son.”

Jong-Kook gaped at him in disbelief. “Appa!”

“Well, didn’t you?” his father pressed on. “And no, before you react, I am not condoning what she did regarding all those rumors that surrounded her back then… but did you really have to force her to choose between you and her passion that she finally found after all these years?”

Jong-Kook couldn’t believe what he was hearing from his own father. Where was this sentiment when he was running around like a headless chicken three years ago, trying to fix up the tattered pieces of the mess his wife had left? His parents had promised from the beginning that they wouldn’t meddle and that they would support him but why did it feel like they were siding with Seung-Im? Why her? Why her when she was the one who left?

Jong-Kook slid his hands down his face and blew out a breath, suddenly feeling drained.

“Are you on her side then?” he croaked out. He didn’t like the way his father gave him a look of sympathy after he asked the question.

“I’m on my granddaughter’s side,” his father said. He fixed Jong-Kook with a stare that made him feel like he was being lectured. “I only want what’s best for her.”

“And this is what you think will be best for her? For us to uproot our lives here and go to Seoul based on your whim?” Jong-Kook asked. He didn’t want to raise his voice at his father but the absurdity of it all was throwing all his rationality out the window. He was so close to blowing up.

His father finally stood up from his chair and went to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Jong-Kook-ah… listen to me. I want what’s best for Hana and what’s best for you,” he said and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Jong-Kook looked at him tiredly. “Going to Seoul isn’t what’s best for us, appa. If anything, it’ll make things worse.”

His father patted his back. “It might, but you need to stop running away