A/N: Updated. Sorry for the nonsense. Pardon for any mistakes.

----

II

Chapter 28

Mr. Park put down his cup of coffee that Eunjung ordered for him. It was lunch time, and he paid a visit to the latter’s office after decided to have a good talk to her. They had eaten lunch peacefully even for a few minutes and both agreed to get a drink. He looked around, observing the people who come and go inside the shop then to the sitting silent girl in front of him. He stared at her long, slowly composing the words he was going to say to her. The girl never looked at him after they’d saved their place in the coffee shop.

Mr. Park eyes flew to the two girls sitting not far from them— drinking what he was sure was cold coffee and cakes. Weird as it seems, he was thinking that people truly had changed their eating habits; instead of eating with healthy dishes to a decent restaurant, young adults chose to have coffee and sandwiches for lunch. He watched them eating and talking happily, it can’t be denied that the duo were colleagues or rather to say— close friends.

“Eunjung.”

Eunjung lifted her head. Her eyes met the older man’s eyes behind the glasses he wore, looking straight at her; she gulped. That look was so familiar to her. The kind of stare that she once scared of— ‘coz it was fierce; she felt that it can chastise you, scold you and punish you.

“Do you have an idea why I suddenly appeared in your office?”

She shook her head. “N-No, U-Uncle.”

Mr. Park stared at her again. Eunjung averted her eyes, feeling her heart thump with nervousness.

Mr. Park sighed, reaching his cup again and sipped his coffee. “How are you and Jiyeon?”

“W-What do you mean, Uncle?”

Mr. Park smiled. “It’s been a long time since I asked about you and your friendship with my daughter. I’ve been so busy that I forgot what my ‘daughters’ are doing by now. You know I’m treating you as my second daughter, Jungie.”

Eunjung bit her lower lip hearing what he said.

“How long that you and my daughter knowing each other by now?”

Eunjung fidgeting her handkerchief she was holding under the table. “S-Since she was 11, Uncle.”

“So, you two are friends for 7 years now?”

“Y-Yes.”

“That also means that me and my wife know you for that long too.”

Eunjung’s brows met, nodding slowly. She didn’t have any idea why the older man suddenly asking about it or— she was actually knows now where it leads, she just being in denial.

Mr. Park softly put down his drink again. “Do you remember the day that Jiyeon had first brought you in our home?”

“Y-Yes, Uncle.”

“Then it safe to assume that you remember what you’ve said to me that day.”

Eunjung balled her fists. She chose to stay looking on the table cloth. Her blood ran on her veins, racing, and her heart drumming so loud against her chest.

“Look at me, Eunjung.”

Eunjung lifted her head, slowly. She was right. Their talk is definitely going on to what she was thought about from the start. Eunjung’s mind running; was thinking the possible questions or words that the older man might tell to her.

“Do you remember?”

Eunjung shifted her eyes. “I-I don’t—.”

“Are you going to lie to me? You know me, Eunjung. I don’t like being lied to.”

Eunjung froze, swallowing hard. She kept looking down on her own cup on the table.

“Tell me what are you doing, Eunjung? I trusted you.” Mr. Park leaned forward. “Do you really think I don’t know what is going on between you and my daughter?”

Eunjung’s eyes widened; her hands trembled. She felt the drop of her sweat ran down to her neck. “U-Uncle, I-I—.”

“What Eunjung? That the both of you didn’t mean to?” Mr. Park sighed. “I would be lying that I hadn’t thought of something happening between you two. The closeness, the constant communication and the way you two care to each other.” He observed Eunjung quietly. “I was hoping to be wrong, of course but with one single night, all my suspicion turned to be true. I wasn’t wrong all along, Eunjung. I saw the both of you, in your car.”

Eunjung gulped nervously again, racking her brain. She lifted her eyes up. “U-Uncle, I know it’s difficult for you to understand what we are feeling for each other but I love Jiyeon very muc—.”

“Do you think it was a right path for her? Do you think that’s enough for her to have a good life?” He asked in sternly voice.

Eunjung’s brows met, looking straight at the older man. She was speechless.

“Eunjung, you know Jiyeon is still young. She’s just 18. And there’s nothing I want for my only daughter but to have a better and normal life. And discovering that she loves a girl was like a big question in our part as her parents, if we ever had made mistake that she turned like—.” He paused.

“Like what, Uncle?”

Mr. Park clenched his jaw. He never wanted to say anything to hurt or insult her feelings. He looked at her with unreadable face. “I know you’re a good person, Jungie. I saw you grew up too to the person you are now but I’m sorry, I just can’t give up my daughter that easily. I want a better life for my children, a life that none of other people will judge them.”

Eunjung put her hand on the table. “T-Then w-what do you want?” She held her breath.

“Break everything up with her.”

Eunjung eyes widened, balling her fists.

“I’m sorry Eunjung if only everything between you two wasn’t that complicated I won’t interject. Like what I said I know you, if only you were—.”

She shifted her eyes down after, shaking her head. “N-No. I can’t.”

Mr. Park frowned. “What?”

“I can’t. If you just can’t give up your daughter then I won’t give up on her too either, Sir.” Eunjung looked up to him. “I love her. And I’m ready to face anything— everything for her, Sir. I don’t care if people will talk, or judge us. I’m going to protect her.” Eunjung decided to change her warmly call to the man she treated as her second father.

“How could you saying that when you don’t even know my daughter perfectly? Don’t be naïve Eunjung. You’re talking like you’re unaffected. You know it won’t be that easy.”

Eunjung stared at him. She won’t back out; she will fight for it. For Jiyeon. “I’ll be honest with you, Sir. I’ve been in the same relationship with another girl before your daughter. So I’m not talking like I’m having lack of experience or judgement to what will go to happen. Like what I said I’m ready.”

“And she was? Are you that keen to drag my daughter to that kind of life?”

“What kind of life you’re talking about, Sir?”

“You know what I’m talking about Eunjung.”

“Was people, the society that important to you, Sir?”

“I just care about my daughter.”

Eunjung looked at him with hurtful feelings. She wanted to get angry to the person she was respected aside from her parents. “You’re talking like I’m ruining your daughter’s life, U-Uncle.”

“Don’t you? Do you even know what she was ready to give up just for you, Jungie?”

Eunjung’s face mirrored with confusion.

Mr. Park scoffed. “Here we are talking, showing your confidence fighting for her when my daughter didn’t give you even a little honesty.”

Eunjung didn’t talk. She slightly moved, gripping the arm chair.

Mr. Park pulled his eyeglass, wiping it. “Do you know what Jiyeon’s dream was, Jungie?” He asked, smiling. “She wanted to be a theatre actor. She wanted to act; she wanted to show people her talent.  She’s pursuing the course that I didn’t like for her to take in the first place. But as her father, I granted it, because it was for her dream.” He wore the eyeglass, looking at the entrance again. “Months ago, Jiyeon went to an audition that was recommended to her to try. And she passed it. Me and my wife were both happy, Jungie. At last my daughter has a big chance to achieve her goal.”

Eunjung fidgeted in her seat. She didn’t understand what Mr. Park trying to point out. Of course she did know what Jiyeon’s dream. There was no time even before that they didn’t talk about it.

“But she turned it down, Jungie.” He paused. “Because of you.”

Eunjung quickly lifted her head, wide-eyed looking at him.

“It was a condition to travel abroad and train there for a year.” He sighed. “I am a father, Eunjung. So I know too if my daughter was lying to me. She didn’t tell the truth to us, but I know it was you, her real reason why. Jiyeon refused herself to be away from you.”

“I-I-.” Eunjung’s tried to find her voice but what she would tell. It was the first time she heard about it.

“I stepped back and watched the both of you. I said to myself to give your relationship a chance, to und