Woohyun's House

Haeun kept an eye over her dad as she ate dinner with Hoya and Dongwoo; her father looked different today; she hadn't noticed this morning when she sneaked out from the house to school without being noticed because she was trying to avoid meeting him, but now that he was in front of her it can go unnoticed.

Is it because of what Sunggyu said? Was she adopted and not his daughter? Does that make Sunggyu her father? And if he is her father, why is she living with Woohyun instead? Or is her father in love with Sunggyu and holding back because of her, and now that the secret is out that she is not his real daughter, he'd choose him over her?

Lots of questions floated in her tiny head all day at school, something she couldn't share with her best friend, and she didn't want to believe it was true even if it was. Who would want a father who hated her? Isn't it enough that she doesn't know who her mother was, and now she has to figure out her father's identity too?

"Haeun."

"Huh?" as if his voice brought her back from her thoughts, "yes, dad?"

"Leaving to school unnoticed is unacceptable"; Haeun didn't dare say a word and just nodded, "since when you ever went to school without seeing me first?"

"Woohyun, I'm sure she didn't mean it, right?" Hoya tried for Haeun's sake, but it seemed useless, not that Woohyun was wrong; any father would be mad to discover his 11 years old is not in her bed and already at school.

"Don't defend her, Hoya! This behaviour is unacceptable."

No matter how busy Woohyun was, he always made sure to be involved in her schedule and always made sure to make time for her activities, so whatever happened today was unacceptable to him.

"I take the bus sometimes; it's not a big deal. You're overreacting."

"YAH!" Everyone flinched when Woohyun slammed his hands on the table. "I'm your father, Haeun, regardless of what Sunggyu samchon said last night because he was drunk, understood?"

"Oh, was he drunk?"

"HAEUN! Stop arguing; you cannot question me, got it!"

"I'm sorry, Appa. I won't do it again, I promise."

Dongwoo frowned at that, but he didn't comment; he knew Sunggyu didn't like Haeun but did he cross the line by bringing his anger issues to the little girl? Did he tell Haeun that Woohyun is not her father? What did Woohyun mean?

It was Hoya who asked instead, "what do you mean? What did Sunggyu say?"

"That Woohyun Appa is not my father", Haeun answered for her father, the way she said it felt like she believed him, or it didn't make any difference for her. Her face showed no expression.

"Haeun. What did I say about repeating those words?"

The little girl rose from the chair, annoyed, Woohyun didn't even bother talking to her about what Sunggyu said, "nothing, you said nothing!"

"Sit down, Haeun."

"No! I'm done eating; I'm done with everything."

"Haeun, sit down." Woohyun repeated calmly this time.

"No one cares about how I feel! All you care about is your feelings in case I disappear!"

"Haeun dear, please sit down", Hoya tried this time, holding her little arm gently to sit, but she yanked his hand off her.

"How am I supposed to believe that you're my father? What if Sunggyu samchon is right? Where did you find me? Was I a charity case?"

"H-Haeun", Woohyun said softly, his voice almost cracking, "is that how you feel?"

"If you're truly my father, then who is my mother? Could you give me a picture of my mother? Of you two together! Like normal parents, like my friends' parents! I don't even know what to tell my friends when they ask me about my mother or whom I look like more! Because I don't know how she looks!"

Woohyun looked between his friends for help; he didn't have a picture of her, not to mention a photo of them together. How will he tell her that she is not a result of a happy marriage or a beautiful love story? That he only learned about her the day she was born, when her mother died and had his name for emergency contact as the father.

Heck, Woohyun never questioned whether she was his daughter and took her. So yes, Woohyun never did a DNA test to ensure she was his daughter; he fell in love with her the minute he held her and promised he wouldn't let anyone or anything hurt her.

Dongwoo tried this time, getting off his seat to settle on the floor right in front of her, matching her level, "isn't your father love enough?"

"Dongwoo samchon! Of course, it is! I love Appa."

Dongwoo smiled softly, "I don't know why Sunggyu samchon said what he said or what exactly he said."

"He said that I'm not Appa's daughter, that Appa took me in and adopted me to protect him from a scandal. And if you want to know why he said it, it must be because he was drunk like always."

So, she heard it all loud and clear; it was stupid of him to think his daughter was sleeping; Sunggyu's voice was loud and clear.

"I don't care what he said; all I see is a worried loving father", Haeun looked at her father, biting her lips in an attempt to hold back her tears, Woohyun looked even sadder. Of course, no father wants his daughter to hear such a thing.

"But you're his lawyer; are you saying your client is lying?"

Dongwoo smiled at how smart she was, "in courts, my client is always right, but other than that, it depends."

"So, you're saying he was lying?"

"Absolutely."

This time, Woohyun rose from his chair, joined Dongwoo on the floor in front of his daughter, and hugged her, "I'm sorry, you've heard that. Appa loves you, Haeun. Please believe that, uh?"

Haeun wrapped her arms around her father and hugged him, "I believe you, Appa."

Woohyun mouthed Dongwoo a thank you silently, and the latter nodded in return, "I'll talk to Sunggyu about what he said and make sure he doesn't bother you again, okay?"

"He doesn't bother me", Woohyun backed from the hug to study his daughter's face. Wasn't she just mad because of something he said? "Other than last night, Sunggyu samchon doesn't bother me."

"But you two fight all the time!" Even Hoya questioned.

"Isn't that normal in all families?" Everyone blinked, looking at each other confused, "we might not like each other, but we don't hate each other; it's just our way of communicating."

"So, you're not mad at him?"

Haeun rolled her eyes at her father's question, "of course I am! He just told me that I'm adopted, meanie samchon", Haeun then added, "but he also said I might be his daughter and was mad because you hid it from him, so it means he doesn't hate me, r-right?" Her voice cracked a little, but she was too quick to hide it with her angelic smile and chuckle for anyone to notice.

Woohyun sighed, relieved that Haeun didn't pick up all the conversation, where Sunggyu declared that he would instead abort the child or give them for adoption in the worst case.

"R-Right", yes, Woohyun will not stain Sunggyu's image in her eyes; if that's what she understood, then let it be, not that it mattered what Sunggyu would do because he is not the father, "so, are we cool now?"

Haeun nodded but said, "I have one more question."

"I don't have a picture of your mother; I'm sorry."

Haeun shook her head, "I figured I was not the result of happy marriage a long time ago; you two probably hated each other that you never had a picture together" everyone blinked, exchanging looks at that since when she grew up! "But that is not my question."

"What is it then?"

"Why did you break up with Sunggyu samchon? Is it because of mom and me?"

"H-Haeun- what-? Who told you that?"

Haeun's room

After everyone left, Woohyun passed by his girl's room to check on her; after blurting out that question, Woohyun didn't dare to answer her, and she never told him how she figured it out or who told her. So they just continued eating to avoid talking about it.

But since it was out in the open, Woohyun didn't want to lie to his girl and answer her questions privately and not in front of everyone. So, he waited until his guests left before discussing this with his daughter.

Woohyun knocked on the door before he peeked inside, "can I come in?"

"Sure", Haeun sat on the bed, stretching her arms for a hug and Woohyun joined her on the bed and hugged her. "I'm sorry for making a scene today and leaving school without passing by."

"And I'm sorry you had to hear my argument with Sunggyu."

Haeun backed a little to look into her father's face as she asked, "do you still love him, Appa?"

"You still didn't tell me how you figured it out?"

"That you two dated?" Woohyun nodded, "other than being lovely dovely with each other?" Woohyun opened and closed his mouth, shocked! "You guys flirt like all the time."

"Haeun! I'm your father, in case you forgot!"

Haeun smiled and showed him the picture she found under the bed, "I found this under your bed."

It was a picture of him and Sunggyu kissing, Woohyun remembers this moment like it happened yesterday. They were very happy before Sunggyu joined his agency and him to med school. Very innocent and in love.

"Do I need to ask what you were doing in my room?"

"I was looking for something comfortable for you to wear; you were still in your scrubs."

"And this photo?"

"Was under your bed."

It must've fallen from the book beside his bed, where he always keeps it, "what do you want to know?"

"The truth."

"About us dating?" Haeun nodded, "Hmm, we dated."

"And?"

"Nothing like any other young couple; we broke up."

"Dad~~, a little more details."

"We were dating in High school, then we got busier when I entered the med school, and he joined the entertainment world, and we decided to end things because it wasn't working for us."

"Was that before you had me or after?"

Woohyun smiled, "are you asking if I cheated on him?"

"N-No."

"No, I didn't."

"Then why does he hate me?"

"I thought you said he doesn't hate you!"

"Come on, dad~" Haeun pouted. "I said that in front of Hoya and Dongwoo samchon, not to make it awkward for them, but I'm not dumb; he doesn't like me, which makes me think that I'm the reason you two broke up, right?"

"Does it matter now?"

"Hmm, at least I'd give him an excuse for mistreating me."

Woohyun caressed her cheeks warmly, "regardless of the reason, he has no right to mistreat you, and I'll make sure he doesn't do it in future."

"I hate him too", Haeun stared at the picture "you two look in love; I'm jealous of him."

"You have nothing to be jealous of; I'm happier with you."

"But you'd still be with him if I weren't around, right?"

"Probably not."

Haeun sighed "you don't have to lie to me; I get it. Sunggyu samchon is handsome; anyone would want to date him."

Speechless, Woohyun couldn't say a word. She then laid down on the bed and closed her eyes as of asking Woohyun to leave her alone, Woohyun covered her well and kissed her head, "Haeun."