“appa, how is it like to see?” minjong, jongdae’s 8 years old daughter asked him while they are in their garden as jongdae watering the plants. Minjong is blind since she was born, because of the sudden question, jongdae stop from what he was doing and took a seat beside his daughter.

“it’s hard to explain it princess,” jongdae said as he caress his daughter’s hair.

“sometimes it’s nice since you can see every beautiful things, you can see everyone you love, life can be easier but there are times when you don’t want to open your eyes and wished you didn’t have to see the bad things in life, the cruelty of the world, the sadness, the misfortune of someone,” jongdae added. He thought that it was the real world that his daughter haven’t experience yet but he still want to take the risk just for his daughter to see the light that she haven’t seen.

“I want to see the beautiful things appa, I want to see you and umma, but I don’t want to see the bad things, it can make me sad too” he smiled at his daughter, she’s always their sweet daughter and he was glad that god gave her to them even though she’s blind.

“but most of all, I wanted to see so that I can be the best daughter for you and umma, I don’t want to be burden to you anymore” jongdae felt that his heart is torn into pieces as he heard those words from his daughter, never in his life that he think that his daughter is burden to them, in fact he consider her the best gift that god gave to them.

“you are the best daughter for us, you never burden us princess, umma and me was so happy to have you, you are our life, don’t ever think that you’re a burden to us because me and your umma never think of that. You are our precious daughter okay?” he hug his daughter lovingly, it pained him to see his daughter hurting because of her situation and it pained him more knowing that he can’t do anything about it.

“don’t worry, appa promise that you’ll have your eyesight soon okay..appa will do everything for you” minjong nodded. she know that her father love her so much but she can’t help but to feel helpless since she’s blind, she wanted to make her parents happy. Jongdae rested his chin on her head.

“I promised” a tear slip from jongdae’s eyes. He wanted to give everything for her daughter to see but he was just an ordinary employee, they were just ordinary family struggling with their every day’s life.

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“appa can you describe how beautiful the sky is?” 12 years old minjong asked jongdae. They are on their way back home after jongdae picked her up from her school.

“sky is very calm, it’s silence is the most beautiful feature . actually I think sky is also like us, it’s beautiful when it was happy, when the sun shine beautifully, and the moon shines brightly with the stars scattered all over, and when it feels sad the sky become gloomy, dark clouds, there is no sunshine or moonlight, only darkness. Rains and thunderstorm, heavy snow and hot ray of sun are the scariest, it was like the sky is angry and wanted to punish the people.” He explained. Minjong just nodded still clutching into her bag that was on her lap.

“but the sky is always beautiful because it always wanted to make the people happy with its sun shine’s and moonlight” he added. He saw how his daughter lips tug upward giving a tight smile. And he already thought what on her mind.

“I wanted to be the sky appa, I want to make you happy but that can only happen when I already can see the light, if I ever have a chance though” he saw how his daughter face went gloomy as soon as those words escape from her lips. And those words pricked his heart to the extent that he tried to stop himself from crying, he reach for her daughter’s hand and hold it tightly.

“don’t worry, appa will do everything for you to see, I promised” minjong smiled at him, it’s good thing that she can’t see how the tears flowed out from her father’s eyes that time, how jongdae wipe his tears away silently still holding his daughter’s hand tightly.

“we can’t just stay like this jongdae, what will we do now, you don’t have a job anymore and the money we save for minjong is not enough  for her operation, we can’t afford to find a donor for her. and we are about to be homeless if we didn’t pay for the rent” jongdae knows that his wife is right, they are currently struggling since jongdae laid off from his job, the only money they have is the one that supposed to be for their daughters operation and jongdae knows to himself that it was still not enough considering the fact that the donor for minjong is quite expensive. With heavy heart he made a decision.

“okay, I’ll pay the rent tomorrow, I’ll search for another job too as well” with aching heart, his wife hugged him comforting him.

“we will get over this jongdae, soon we will be okay again” his wife comforted him but all he can think of is his daughter’s wellbeing, as much as he want his daughter to see, he can’t let them be homeless and starving to death. And he all blamed it to himself. Before he went to sleep, he visit his daughter on her room, he found her already sleeping. He went towards her and put the blanket over her.

“don’t worry princess, appa promised you that you’ll going to see soon, I’ll work twice harder for you and for umma okay?” he kissed his daughter’s forehead before he went back to his and his wife room.

“umma, when will appa come back?” 18 years old minjong asked her mother. It’s been 2 weeks since he last heard of her father, all she knows is that he was on a business trip to the place she never heard of and she missed him so much.

“soon princess, your appa said he was still busy with works” she found her mother’s voice a little weird, like it was slightly hoarse. She just ignored it and continued to ask her question about her father’s whereabouts.

“why isn’t he called?” she added, she heard the crash of the plates that fell from the floor. She was startled and worried about her mother.

“umma are you okay?” she asked worriedly.

“don’t worry, it just slip out of my hand” her mother said, she wanted to asked more but she decided  not to, she felt that there is something weird about her mother, like she was hiding something from her.

The next day

“are you serious umma?” she asked her mother.

“yes princess, we already found a donor for you” it was early in the morning and the first thing she heard from her mother is the news that she wanted to hear ever since, the news of her having the operation that will change her life.

“im so happy umma..!!let’s call appa, I want to tell him the news, im sure he will be happy” she was so happy that she didn’t realize the sobs that came from her mother.

“i already told him, he said he will call tomorrow or the day after your operation, he was really busy” she felt a little disappointed since he wanted her father to be by her side when she have the operation, it was their dream though, but she shrugged it off, the only thing she was thinking is her operation.

Minjong’s operation is successful, and today is the day she will open her eyes to the new life she will be facing. But she felt like something is missing, she never heard of her father, jongdae just called before the operation but it was a short conversation, she didn’t even have a chance to ask him. She was with her mother all the time and when she asked about her father her mother just stays silent before she answered. She heard the door open and a few footsteps can be heard.

“okay, minjong we are going to take off the gauze and tell me what you see okay” the doctor said, she nodded nervously, her mother is holding her hands tightly. She felt that the gauze is already taken off but her eyes remain closed.

“minjong, open your eyes slowly” and she did what the doctor said. With trembling hands, she tightens her hold into her mother, how she wished that her father is also with her today. The first thing she saw is light and slowly a blur image that soon cleared after she blinks her eyes a few times. She turned her eyes to see the one that was holding her hand and saw a pretty lady smiling at her lovingly with glassy eyes.

“uuu…uumma?” she stutter. Her mother nod at her with tears flowing from her eyes, minjong was so happy to see her mother at last. She hugged her immediately. Nothing can compare how she felt right now, for 18 years in darkness, she finally see the light that she dreamt to see. But something is still missing, the warmth that she was used to, the arms that hugged her every night when she have nightmare, the voice that tell her funny stories and sweet words, the one that promise her the life she have right now, her father.

She was so confused to where her father is right now, he was missing for a long time now, after a few days when she open her eyes she never heard of a news about her father and she misses him so much. One day when her mother is arranging her things since she’s going to be discharged the next day, she asked her mother about her father.

“umma, why appa isn’t here? I missed him already and I wanted to see him badly” her mother stop from what she was doing, minjong saw how her mother’s eyes turn glassy, she went towards her and seat beside her, her mother hold her hand and faced her.

“I don’t know how to say this to you minjong but I can’t hide it anymore,” her heart raced faster, she felt cold all of a sudden, she sense that it was something that will hurt her badly.

“remember the day that your father told you that he was going to be in a business trip?” she nodded, she clearly remember how sad his father’s voice was when he said goodbye to her and kiss her forehead goodbye.

“actually, that was the day your father got hospitalized, a few months ago we found out that he have a cancer, a rare kind of cancer, he didn’t want to tell you about this because he don’t want you to worry,” her mother said, her tears automatically flowed out from her eyes, she wanted to see her father badly but he wasn’t here and it pained her to know that he was also suffering, that she wasn’t in his side when he needed her the most.

“umma, I wanted to see appa, where he is now?” her mother wipe her tears away, but it scare her the most when she saw the faint smile her mother gave her.

“do you remember what your father always told you? That he promised to you that you’ll have your eyesight no matter what right?” minjong nodded.

“well, he already fulfill his promise, he was your donor” she suddenly felt like her world freeze from that moment, when those words escape from her mother’s lips. She lost in dazed and felt dizzy, tears streaming down her face. Loud sobs can be heard, all her mother can do is to hug her securely in her arms.

“you father knows that he didn’t have any more time to live, until his last breath all he can think of is you and his promised to you, he wanted you to see what he sees, he wanted you to be the sky for the people you love, he loves you so much.” She cried until no tears left in her eyes, she cried with her heart out, all she want is to be the best daughter for her parents, to be their sky, but it was her father who gave him the chance, it was her father until the end, it was her father’s promised.

*to those who didn't know jongdae is chen's real name..^^

please bear with my english again..

hope you like the new story..^^*