Seungho’s POV

18 months

“Sweetheart, are you hungry?” I asked Minki while staring at my laptop and listening to Pororo sing from the television.

She was rolling around the living room. I cushioned all the corners as well as the legs of the furniture so I was not afraid that she might hurt herself.

“Sweetheart~” I called out again.

She stared at me, and then continued to roll around. She was not as hostile towards me anymore, but her attitude towards me all depended on her mood, which changes really quickly. She is nice to me only when we were alone, when there are other people around, she still ignores me.

“Do you want some biscuits?” I asked, shaking the box of biscuit to get her attention.

She looked up and her face beamed.

“Come here.” I said, opening the box of biscuits.

I sat on the floor and she crawled over, sitting down beside me like a puppy waiting for food.

“Ahh~” I said, gesturing her to open .

I dropped the biscuit into and watch her chew.

“Do you like it?” I asked.

She did not respond, but instead ask for more. I smiled and continued to feed her.

“Does my sweetheart want to go out for a walk? The weather today is pretty nice.” I said, looking out of the window.

I turned to look at her when she climbed onto my lap to get the biscuits on her own. I watch her feed herself. It has been a year and a half.

“You grow up so fast.” I said, smoothing her hair.

She pushed my hand away and frowned.

“Sorry.” I pulled my hand back.

She continued to eat the biscuits while I lost myself watching her. If only Minji was here to see her grow. Would Minki be a happier child if Minji was around? Would we be a happier family?

“You still hate Daddy, don’t you?” I asked.

She concentrated on her biscuits, not bothering about me at all.

“Mmmm~” She hummed, putting a half-eaten biscuit at my mouth.

“For me?” I asked, surprised.

She shoved the biscuit closer to my lips. I opened my mouth to eat the biscuit she fed. It was the nicest biscuit I have ever eaten in my whole twenty over years of life, and I believe no other prestigious branded biscuits would taste better than this.

“Thank you.” I smiled as I chewed on it.

After she was done eating, she handed me the empty box.

“Drink some water.” I said, handing her her bottle.

She on the bottle and handed it back to me when she was done.

“Are you bored at home? Do you want to go out? We can go to the supermarket, buy biscuits and eat ice cream.” I said.

She looked at me, crawled to grab her teddy bear, and then stared back at me. It was her way of saying ‘Let’s go. Now.’.

“Let Daddy change, and we’ll go.” I smiled as I headed into the room to change.

When I came back out, she was still hugging onto her teddy bear, looking bored.

“Let’s go, sweetheart.” I said, waving her tiny shoes at her.

When I tried to put them on for her, she kicked them away.

“No shoes?” I asked.

She folded her legs. That means ‘I’m not in the walking mood. Carry me.’

“Alright, Daddy will carry you then.” I said, picking her up.

As we walked down the street, I pointed a few stuff for her to look at.

“Oh look! Isn’t this bunny cute?” I asked, stopping outside a pet store.

“Say ‘hello’ to bunny.” I said, waving her small palm.

She smiled and pressed her face against the glass, talking gibberish to the bunny.

“Does Minki wants a bunny? Daddy will buy you a bunny when you’re older, okay?” I said as we continued to make our way to the supermarket.

When we were in the supermarket, I let her sit in the cart while I push her around. I got some daily necessities first before heading to the biscuits area to let her choose what she wants.

“How about this?” I asked, showing her a box of biscuit.

She took a glance at the box, and then look away.

“You don’t like it?” I mumbled to myself, putting the box back.

 I push her down the aisle slowly, letting her look at what was available. She pointed at a pink box with a cartoon of a bunny printed on it.

“You want this?” I asked, bringing down the box to her.

She stared at the box, as thou thinking.

“Do you remember what animal is this?” I asked.

“Wanny~” She said.

“What did you say?” I asked, a little shocked.

“Wanny~” She said again.

“Aigoo my smart girl! You’re almost right. It’s a bunny!” I ruffled her hair.

In the end, I bought the whole range of biscuits with cartoon animals printed on the box.

On our way home, I bought ice cream and fed her little by little as we walked. People were looking at me weirdly. Of course, who would not stare at a father who feeds his daughter ice cream during winter? But who said that we cannot eat ice cream during winter.

Minki seem to enjoy the coldness because she would giggle each time I feed her.

“You like it?” I laughed.

How cute, my little girl~

“What should I cook for you tonight? Do you want rice? Or porridge? How about mashed potato?” I asked her.

I continued talking to her despite not getting much responds.

“YANG SEUNGHO!” I heard someone yell my name from behind.

It was not a voice I recognize. As offended as I was, I did not turn back. I continued walking, pretending that it was not me.

“YAH!! YANG SEUNGHO! WE KNOW IT’S YOU! STOP WALKING!” The voice yelled again.

I held Minki closer to me as I power walked. Just as I thought I was safe, a group of girls appeared in front of me. I turned back to find another group walking towards me. I was surrounded, by a group of girls. Fan girls, to be exact.

“So it’s true?” One of the girls asked.

“What’s true?” I asked.

“You have a daughter. It’s true?” She asked.

I kept quiet. After a year and a half of peace, things started getting out of hand. Paparazzis released an article not too long ago about me having a daughter. I was being careless that day. I did not bother to disguise myself properly while with Minki. The company covered it up properly, but I expected such things to happen anyway.

Minki looked at me, and then buried her face into my neck.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“Oppa, how could you betray us like that!?” She yelled.

I felt Minki flinch. I rubbed her back, calming her down.

“We’ll talk about it later. Let us pass, please.” I said, controlling my anger.

“You want to leave after betraying us, oppa?” Another girl said, pushing me backwards when I walked.

“Don’t push me.” I hissed.

“Is she really your daughter, oppa? How could you do this to us? How could you do this to yourself? She’s a burden.” She said.

“Call her a burden and I’ll skin you alive.” I was getting angry.

They close up onto me, behaving like a bunch of wild dogs. I held Minki tighter. She was whimpering softly.

“Yes, she’s my daughter. You guys are scaring her. Whatever you want to do to me, leave her out of this.” I said.

“You love her so much, oppa?” One girl asked.

“Does your parents love you?” I asked.

“You’re willing to risk everything for her? Your career? Your fans?” She asked.

“Even my life.” I said.

“Really?” Another said in a snorting tone.

I glared at her.

“Prove it.” She said.

“Why do I have to prove it to you? Seriously, who do you think you all are?” I asked.

“Oppa, you really don’t want to mess with us.” One said.

“Haa~ Are you threatening me now?” I asked.

If not because Minki was with me, I would have shouted at her.

“Drink this and we’ll let you go.” One of them said, handing me a bottle of clear liquid.

I looked at the bottle, and then back at her.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“You’ll know when you drink it.” She said with a smirk.

“And what if I don’t?” I asked.

“You’ll see.” She said, smiling at Minki.

“Don’t you dare touch her. I’m warning you.” I said seriously.

“Drink it.” She glared at me.

I snatched the bottle from her and took a sip of it. It looked like water, but it did not taste like water. It had a very slight taste of bleach.

“What the hell is this?” I asked.

“It helps you clean your inside, oppa. Drink it and we’ll let you go.” She said.

So it is really diluted bleach. I had no idea what their point of doing this was for, but seeing how they looked at Minki, like hungry vultures, waiting to hurt her whenever they had the chance to, I had no choice but to drink it.

“There. I’m done.” I said, throwing the bottle onto the floor.

They smirked and moved aside, letting me pass as promised.

“Oppa!” One of them called out.

I stopped, but did not turn back.

“We’ll see you again!” She shouted.

I walked off, unable to believe that my fans were doing something like that to me.

“Sorry to scare you, sweetheart. So sorry.” I said.

I expected myself to drop dead after drinking the bottle of diluted bleach, but instead nothing happened except for a little uneasiness in my stomach. But Minki was very affected by it. She was crying the whole night, no matter how I tried to coax her, she did not seem to stop.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. It is all my fault.” I said, carrying her around the house, hoping that she would sleep.

“Stop crying.” I said, wiping her tears.

She looked at me, sniffing.

“Were you scared badly? Daddy will always protect you. I will never let anything happen to you.” I said.

She was still pouting and sniffing, hugging onto her teddy bear tightly.

“Alright, since you can’t sleep, let’s do something fun then.” I said.

I went to search for a few wooden sticks, ropes and a bed sheet. Minki looked at me quizzically.

“Wait and see.” I said as I built a fort in the living room, big enough for her to have space to roll around.

I threw pillows and blankets inside, making it as fluffy and cozy as possible.

“You know what is this?” I asked as I let her sit on my lap.

“This is Minki’s little corner. Inside, Minki will be safe. Only you and the people you are comfortable with are allowed inside.” I said, letting her climb inside.

“Daddy will be outside to guard your little corner, so no one can go in without having passed me.” I said, covering the blanket over her as she lied down.

“No one can harm you as long as Daddy is here, not even your nightmares. I promise you, sweetheart.” I said.

She looked at me, still a little unconvinced.

“Close your eyes, sweetheart. Daddy’s here. I will protect you from both the monsters in reality and in your dreams.” I said.

“At the quiet and also wild air of the night that seems like something will happen today The sound of the wind, the moonlight Your dizzy, murky and long, long day that seems like it didn’t go that peaceful  Your dawn, empty window~” I started singing.

“I wish you don’t get hurt by bad memories I wish you don’t stay up all night with plenty of worries Mmm good night, good night, good night Mmm good night, good night, good night~” I continued as I patted her chest lightly.

I knew she was almost asleep when the grip on her teddy bear loosens a little.

“And I wish you don’t toss and turn by bad memories I wish you don’t get weak by the sound of the rain Your head on my arm, kiss, two under one warm blanket, Soft breathing, now we’re not together but, Tears and loneliness, sadness and pain, Like they’re all erased clear, into the deep sleep, into the pretty dreams~” I continued singing.

“Mmm good night, good night, good night Mmm good night, good night, good night Good night, Good night, Good night~” By the time I finished, she was fast asleep already.

“Good night, sweetheart.” I said, kissing her on her forehead before making myself comfortable on the floor outside her fort.

The fort became her permanent bed, so did the floor outside her fort became mine.