The air outside was chilly and very cruel.

Tiffany was standing outside the hospital for more than two hours straight. She was shivering and hugging herself tight to keep warm. She felt confuse and indecisive. She was positive that she didn't want to see her father... but why was she here?

After she was done working with her last client of the day, she hoped on the bus. Even though, she was riding on the bus, she felt aimless like she had no sense of direction of where to go. Then Seoul's General Hospital caught her attention. Before she know it, she was already off the bus, walking aimlessly to the hospital.   

She breathed out the cold air through .

Fanny, just go in. You don't even know if he's in this hospital.

Making up her final thought, she entered the building. She quickly shook off the odd smell and walked to the reception table.

“Hi.” Tiffany muttered.

The nurse looked up and greeted Tiffany with a weary smile, “Good evening miss, how may I help you?”

Tiffany opened but paused. She cleared and tried again. Nothing was coming out of her.

The nurse saw her having difficulties answering and asked, “Are you looking for anyone particular? A patient maybe?”

Tiffany nodded slowly and quietly said her father's Korean name, “Hwang Woo Suk.”

While she was searching up for her father, Tiffany felt more calm and relax. “How are you related to Mr. Hwang?” asked the nurse.

Damn. So he is here.

She wanted to tell the nurse that they're not. That they're not blood-related. That they're not daughter and father. That they are complete strangers. That she has lost her mind to even come here...

“I'm his daughter, Hwang Mi Young.”

Tiffany arrived on level 5 of the hospital. The odd smell disappeared. It's either she was getting use to the air or this level must be very sanitary. She breathe out heavily before entering room A15.

There he was, lying down with his eyes closed shut. His gray hair was messy and he was starting to grow a beard. He looked tired and exhausted... even when he was sleeping.

As she walked closer, she observed the luxurious room. There were modern furnitures, a huge flat screen television, and a lot of windows. Then she noticed a small stack of photographs beside his bed. She felt her heart aching and racing.

It was photographs of her.

It wasn't photographs of her looking straight at the camera smiling but they were all secretly taken. There was one picture of her having a very big smile and hot tears in her eyes because she finally got the internship. And there was another picture of her falling asleep while waiting for the bus. Then her eyes dropped on to a picture frame of her father and her mother holding a baby girl.

She couldn't hold it in anymore and cried quietly.

Eight years.

All these years, her father was keeping an eye on her. But why did he never try to get a hold of her? Why did he never try knocking on her door? All these questions filled in her head and she hates it. She hates him and these stupid photographs.

She hates how she still cares for him.

“Mi Young?” muttered a weak voice.

Her body felt numb, and her fingers lost the ability to hold on to the photographs. They all fell and scattered on to the floor. She tried to look at him and yet she tried to avoid his eyes.

He coughed and was struggling to sit up, to have a clearer look at her. “Are you really my Mi Young?”

Tiffany quickly wiped her tears and backed away. She didn't want him to see her like this. She wanted to run but her legs were too wobbly, so she just stood there in distress.

“Am I dreaming?” He quietly said to himself, almost a whisper. He tried to reach for her but she backed away again. She stopped as she felt her back was against the wall.

“Please, don't be...” He felt confuse and unsure what word he was looking for. Scare? Afraid? Is he a monster to her? “Don't leave. I won't try to touch you again.”

Tiffany lowered her eyes. She didn't know what to say to him. There was nothing positive to say anyway.

“You don't have to say anything.” He said like he read her mind. “Just you being here is enough. I don't need anything else.” And he meant it.

Because she meant the world to him.

.
 

Vally
Thursday February 2, 2012