"What are you doing here, Yongguk? This isn't a safe area to be, full of loan sharks and fraud-" He was cut off by the glare his son flashed at him, a scene that was so familiar that the father cut his voice off at the mere sight, much like many times before when he had lived in Seoul. After a second or so past, a single second that passed like eons in the minds of both males, Yongguk snorted in sarcasm.

"What are you doing here in ing Korea, dad?"

"Bang Yong Guk, how can you curse at your father? I did not raise you to-"

Yongguk's voice cracked. "When did you raise me, dad? When was there a point in my life where you could put your hand on your heart and swear that what you were doing was for my good or that you cared. I COULD BE ING DEAD FOR ALL YOU KNEW!" Yongguk's father panicked and rushed to cover his son's mouth before they'd attracted unwanted attention from anyone. "Gukkie-ah," He used a endearing pet name Yongguk used to have as a child. "Come on, we'll go home and then we'll talk."

A little while later, after a long negotiation Yongguk finally complied to go with his dad back home. Back where they used to live. He didn't ask why his father did not sell their house, but subconsciously he knew his heart still yearned for his late wife the same way Yongguk yearned for his mother.

The hallway was cold, silent and dead. Memories flooded through both father and son as they stood motionless, the hairs on the back of their necks standing on end as they remembered the good times and the bad times. As they remembered everything.

"So son," The elder was first to break the eerie quiet. "What happened to you?"

"I-"

"I already know. Yongguk you have to stop this now, you're just hurting yourself far too much. Can't you just let go of this burden of self pity and blame and live the goddamn life I helped bring you into without giving me the ulterior pain and regret?"

"Dad, I-"

"She's dead, Yongguk. Deal with it and live, get off that ing high horse of yours and realise that it's hurting me a lot more by saying this than it will to you anyday."

Yongguk's eyes were foggy and his voice stern. "Don't interrupt me."

"He has a point." Yongguk heard a voice chime in from the corner. When he turned he found the subject of the conversation, eyes boring in to his own with the same glazed over surface. Just like old times, she always took her husband's side in an argument with anyone. "Think of Jieun.."

"Yongguk, what are you looking at?" His eyes darted back to his father, whose arms were folded in a very impatient fashion, leaning on one hip. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, damnit."

"A-are you going to hit me?" Yongguk's voice was small, but he remembered all of his reasons, everything which had brought him to this point. Zelo.

"Hit you? Are you mocking me?"

The fuse snapped and surely enough, Yongguk forced his throat to croak out an uncomfortable fake sob but because his acting was not on par with a professionals, the tears never came.

"Why do I do what I do? Dad? I know she's dead and I know she's not coming back," his eyes flicked back to the corner of the room, biting down to erase the budding smirk from his face. "I go to work and do a job day in and day out that I hate with a burning passion, yet I still do it. I still feel like I can do something to help someone, somewhere and fix them. She's dead and she will not come back, no matter how much I try and I know that I don't even have the capacity to care about anyone else, but I still try. Why do I do this to myself?"

Yongguk paused for a second, looking up with a pleading expression, expecting the aged father of his to change his expression into a much softer one. He didn't.

He saw through the mask, seeing it many times before with his previous wife.

"Why are you acting like you're the one being crucified, Yongguk?"

"I've heard that before."

"I really do hope someone kicks you off your high horse."

"Heard that one too."

Yongguk did not even have a moment to once again bite down on that grin of his when he felt a strong connection hit against his jaw, temporarily stunning him for a sharp second. Groaning, he got off his knees and spat the mix of blood and saliva onto the spotless floorboards.

"You will never be fit to be a father. Don't you sympathise with me, even for a second?"

"It's a good thing that I'm never going to be a father then, isn't it? Even if I was, I'd never be a father like you, I know that much."

Yongguk's father frowned when he realised that Yongguk was not aware of Jieun's condition. "Oh, the dramatic irony. Get out of my sight." He growled angrily.

"Gladly." He looked back at the empty chair and spoke. "As much as I pretend, I'm afraid I don't know the meaning of selflessness. I'll just take what's mine and leave."