“Daddy!”

Lee Che Bin, my eight year old daughter came rushing towards the door greeting me with a kiss in the cheek. I held her up in my arms while closing the door.

“CheBin did you miss daddy?” I asked jokingly.

“Of course daddy! Mommy missed you too!” She said while pointing at the picture frame of my wife. I carried her towards the picture of her mother.

 

“I miss you too.”

 

 

 

~~~

 

 

 

 

“Cheska?” I asked worriedly. She just came out of the bathroom looking pale. I walked to her side cupping her face.

“Are you okay?” she took my hands and looked up.

 

“I’m fine. I’ll go home now okay? Before Hakyeon and the others wake up.” She pecked my lips, fixed her things and went out the door.

 

 

 

 

--

 

 

2:34 am. We were still practicing for our comeback stage in M Countdown. Hakyeon unleashed the devil inside him and wouldn’t let us rest until we perfected the dance.

 

5 missed calls

1 voice message

 

 

 

“Hongbin ah, let’s break up.”

 

 

 

 

~~~

 

 

 

 

 

I tucked CheBin in her bed not forgetting to give her a kiss in the forehead. She held the hem of my shirt, stopping me from my tracks.

“Daddy, can you tell me a bed time story?” she asked.

“What would my princess like?”

“Tell me about mommy! Is she really pretty like in the picture?” She asked with her eyes glowing.

“She’s more beautiful in person! Just like you!” I touched her nose making her giggle.

“How did you two meet then?”

“You know daddy was an idol back then right? She was my fan. I remember she went to a fansign event and when it was my turn to sign her album I just couldn’t. I was so mesmerized that I couldn’t move. She asked me “Oppa, are you okay?” That’s when I snapped back to reality. Since I was the last member to sign, I told her not to look at what I wrote until she gets home.”

“What did you write daddy?”

“I told her to meet me in café de seoul tomorrow at 8:00 in the evening. And that’s how our love story started.” I said as I pinched her chubby cheeks.  “You should go to sleep now, princess che bin. You still have school tomorrow.”

“Goodnight daddy.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~~~

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s been nine months since the last time I saw Cheska. How could she break up with me over the phone. When I tried calling her, it said that the number is not available anymore. I went to her house, there was somebody else living there. I went to her school, they said she dropped out. Since she was a transfer student, her parents were abroad. It’s like she disappeared without a trace.

How could she do this to me…

She was my life…my entire world

I’d give up being an idol if I have to…

 

 

 

 

~~~

 

 

 

I took out our old photo album and started reminiscing the past. We shared the same passion for art, especially photography.  So we would go to places just to look for subjects to shoot. I never got the chance to tell her that she was my favourite.

That even if we don’t travel, I’ll still produce the most beautiful pictures because she was the one in it.

 

 

I kept one picture of her holding her camera.

 

 

“I really miss you.”

 

~~~

 

 

“Hello?”

An unregistered number is calling my phone.

“Is this Lee Hongbin?” A woman asked.

“Yes. May I ask who is calling.”

“It’s Cheska’s mother.”

That name.

 

 

 

--

 

I agreed to meet the mother of my ex-girlfriend, thinking I might have a chance to see her again. But it was far from what I expected. VERY FAR.

 

“Cheska died eight months ago. She died while giving birth to your daughter.”

 

My mind went blank. Is this a joke?

 

 She handed me a white envelope. I couldn’t control the tears are falling from my face. She noticed I wasn’t responding anymore so she left me there; with the envelope on top of the table; with the me who just lost his entire world.

 

 

 

~~~

“Wake up, princess! It’s time for school.” I shook her fragile little body. I pulled down her blanket but she just put them back up.

“Come on chabin, I made waffles! Your fave.” She immediately went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She just couldn’t say no to waffles. She came out of the bathroom with a huge smile plastered on her face.

“I’m ready daddy!” I carried her all the way downstairs. This is what she left me. She left me the most precious thing in the world.

 

 

 Although I lost my entire world seven years ago, she left me a new one.