II

      It was Friday and Dongwan was in court pleading the case. Minwoo was alone in his office adjacent to his friend's as the day slowly went on. He had all the wanted time to think about the coming weekend and hoped it would not rain like the weather channel had said. He wanted to go ice skating with Hyeri this Saturday and enjoy the beautiful night Seoul was offering.

The streets were always shinning from everywhere for the citizens' pleasure. Minwoo always loved this time of the year. Maybe because it was at this period he had met Hyeri's mother and fell in love with her. He had so many sweet memories of nights out under these shinning lights installed for the occasion.

Christmas could have become a bitter part of his life, but Minwoo could never regret meeting Sooyeon and having Hyeri. It was the best that had happened to him, and even if Sooyeon was not with them, he never resented her for leaving either. She had left behind her the most precious gift Minwoo could have had in his life, and for that, he was grateful.

 

      As his office's door opened, he looked up and smiled when Dongwan stepped inside the room with his usual proud smile of victory.

"I presume it went well." He commented with a grin, and Dongwan smirked.

"You presume well." He threw something at Minwoo who caught it up in surprise. "Merry Christmas." He said with a grin before heading to the door leading to his office.

"What's this ?" He asked a bit confused.

"My gratitude." He answered and opened his office door.

Minwoo stood up from his chair and followed his friend inside the room. He observed him as he stepped to the expensive picture hiding his safe box he opened with a password. He accidentally saw it so looked away and decided to forget about it. Dongwan was changing his password every two weeks anyway, so it did not matter much he had seen it.

"What are these keys for ?" He asked, looking at the keys in his hand.

Putting important files in the safe box, Dongwan shut it back before facing Minwoo with a grin. "I've a cottage in the mountain. It's beautiful for Christmas. With snow everywhere and reindeers wandering around."

"You said reindeers ?" He asked with a chuckle and incredulous grin, and Dongwan smirked.

"My father imported a couple of them when I was little. Now there's a dozen, and they're used to humans, so you'll be able to touch them if you want. I'm sure Hyeri will love it." He said, sitting at his desk.

"Wow." Minwoo let a beat pass and asked. "But… why are you giving me your cottage keys ? You certainly gonna…"

"It's my Christmas present." He cut off with a grin and look on Minwoo. "Go there with Hyeri, I'm sure she'll love it."

"But… I've work and…"

"You're on a break starting December 20th." Minwoo could not believe it. "It's the least I can do after overworking you for so long." He said then laughed.

"Huh… Thanks, I guess." Minwoo had never been that uncomfortable before in his life, and judging from the look on Dongwan's face, the man was amused by it.

"Just go now ! I'm sure Hyeri'll be happy to see you wait for her at school for a change."

"But, it's only two pm."

Dongwan smirked, leaned in his seat with a cocky grin and spread his arms. "Who cares ? I won." Minwoo blinked stupidly. "Now go ! I'll see you Monday."

He needed a second to assimilate what his friend had just said, and cracking a smile, he thanked the attorney before heading out of the room.

He could not believe Dongwan was offering him such break to his cottage and even less letting him go earlier. Over the three years he was working with him, it had never happened -expected a couple of times when Hyeri was sick. But besides that Minwoo had always spent long hours working in the office.

This case was certainly a big one for Dongwan to be in such good mood. Minwoo would not complain, and he was more than happy when he left the building and went back home.

 

---

 

      Picking his daughter up from school, nothing could warm his heart more than the smile on her face when she spotted him waiting for her. She ran towards him and threw herself in his arms. She asked a lot of questions as to why he was on time and where was his suit before eventually calming down to listen to his answer.

SeulChan was as often waiting for his mother, and in a good mood Minwoo offered to drive the boy back to his house. He hesitate, so Minwoo offered to walk him back to his place. The boy seemed more comfortable with this, and with Hyeri holding SeulChan's hand, he started walking the kid home.

He was not living too far from school, unlike Minwoo who had to use his car to drop his daughter every mornings, and on the way to the boy's house they met with his mother. She seemed mad and relieved at the same time, and lecturing her son about going with strangers, she thanked Minwoo warmly soon after with a handshake.

They discussed for a bit and parted ways soon after.

      Once back at home, Minwoo and Hyeri ate a delicious diner -ordered at a nearby restaurant, before enjoying the evening in front of TV. They were both in love with dramas -even if Minwoo could rarely watch any lately, and allowing Hyeri to go to bed later than usual, the day went to an end on a happy note.

The little girl was full of joy when Minwoo laid in bed with her to read her a story. They argued for a second about the chosen book -because it was the same than last time, before eventually getting comfortable for the bedtime moment.

It was at times like these Minwoo was feeling the most happy and accomplished. Before Hyeri, his life had no real purpose, but after meeting Sooyeon and ending with a baby in his care at only twenty-four; he was eventually able to make something out of his existence.

He had never really enjoyed school but got grades good enough for him to go to college. Once there, he tried law, just because he had no idea what to do else. Two years later he was meeting Sooyeon, and four years after their first date he was becoming a father. Sadly, once Hyeri was born, her mother abandoned them both a month later, claiming she could not do it.

Minwoo never blamed her, because he knew how she was and Hyeri was not supposed to happen. But he would have liked for her to try a bit harder, at least for their daughter.

However, he could not regret the life he had today, and after stopping college for a few months to take care of his baby, he had resumed his studies -even if it was complicated at the time, he managed it. It was all thanks to this wonderful old lady taking care of Hyeri while he was at school. She was sadly gone today, and both of them were missing her like a grand-mother.

As for Dongwan, he had met and befriended the man on a traineeship when Hyeri was just turning one. He did not know who the man was at the time, but the following year Dongwan promised him a job when he would be out of college. His friend kept his promise, and because of his father's name and power, Dongwan was already a well renowned attorney owning a part of the law firm he was working at.

Minwoo, while taking a few more years than the younger man to finish his studies, was just an inexperienced associate, he was glad Dongwan never treated him differently because of that. Sure, he overworked him over the three years he was working for him and drowned him under tones of papers and researches, but it was part of the job.

He never regretted pursuing such career choice and was glad for the opportunity it was offering him and his daughter. He wanted so much for Hyeri and was relieved to gain enough money now to assure her future. Even if she did not know that yet.

She would thank him one day.

 

---

 

      Waking up before eight on a Saturday was something Minwoo could not avoid with an eight year old little girl. Even if he wanted to sleep in and rise only when lunch was coming; he could not. It was part of the parent's responsibility, and he had gotten used to it over the years.

He did not have a choice anyway.

"I was thinking about ice skating today, does it sound good to you ?" He asked with a knowing grin, and Hyeri's reaction did not disappoint him.

"Really ?" Her eyes were so big that she looked like an anime character.

It was a wonder how she could open them so wide and have the exact same eye-smile than him; but Hyeri was a big question mark in herself. Not only she liked boy's stuffs, and clothes, but she had the same attitude too. Sometimes Minwoo was forgetting he had a daughter and not a son.

It was not that bad in itself, because he could enjoy himself and dress her with cute outfits when there was important occasions while playing football with her in the park. Hyeri was the perfect child. The thought put a stupid smile on his lips he had no will to get ride off.

"…And I'm going to tell all my friends about it and take a lot of pictures to show them." Minwoo was not sure what was coming before that, but it did not really matter when his baby girl was so happy. "I'm going to get ready." She said excitedly before jumping off the stool. "When are we going ? Can we eat outside ? I'll like to eat chocolate. Can I have chocolate ? Please daddy…"

"Okay, okay you hyper little gnome. We'll buy some chocolate…" She jumped happily and disregarded the nickname. "But, not for lunch. I'll buy you some for snack."

She pouted but still smiled big afterward. "Okay ! I'll get ready now. Can I wear my Pokemon t-shirt ? Where is it ? Daddy !" She called loudly from her room, and rolling his eyes, Minwoo put his spoon down to help his little girl find her shirt.

"When I say 'clean your room', it's not only to annoy you." He grumbled after ten minutes and so of looking everywhere for the damn shirt. "Here it is !" He said after extracting it from behind a furniture. "Can you tell me what it's doing here ?" He asked with a serious expression, and pouting her lips out with her head down and foot playing with invisible dust, she apologized softly.

Minwoo could not be mad at such adorable sight, and sighing, he opened one of her drawer and said, "You can't wear this shirt today. Only God knows for how long it was behind this furniture. Here !" He added, handing her a black and blue hoodie. "It's cold today, so wear this."

"Okay." She mumbled, still not over the fact she could not wear her Pokemon t-shirt.

"Leave the bathroom's door open when you take your bath." He instructed as he stepped out of the bedroom. "And don't splash water everywhere !" He knew it was an useless request considering Hyeri was always doing world war four in her bath -but it did not hurt to hope for a miracle.

"Daddy !" She called just as he was resuming his still unfinished breakfast, and sighing, he dropped his spoon in his bowl.

"What ?" He called back in hidden growing annoyance.

"I can't find my hello kitty ."

Minwoo sighed deeply and stood up to go back to his daughter's room. "Did you put it in the dirty laundry at least ?"

She pulled a cute face and said, "I don't know."

He sighed and rolled his eyes before starting a new search of his little girl's missing clothes.

"I can't find it." He exclaimed after a frustrating moment of fruitless research. "Just wear this one." He added, handing her a white .

She pouted and whined. "But I wanted the Hello Kitty one. It's my favorite."

"Don't you have another one ?" He shot back, looking in the drawer for the desperately expected . "Here !" He said, almost as happy as Hyeri. "Wear this one. There's Hello Kitty writing on it."

She did not seem completely satisfied but it still did the trick. She was at fault after all for not doing what he had asked her, so she knew this was better than anything else.

"Thank you daddy. I'm going in the bath."

"Be careful." He called after her before checking on her in the bathroom and smiling. "You didn't put too much water ?" He asked, pulling on his neck to check inside the bathtub.

"No." She answered with a shake of her head. "Look ! Just above my belly button." She said proudly before laughing and playing with her toys.

"Okay." He breathed back before going back to his now cold breakfast.

Sighing, he dropped his spoon and stared into space. Sometimes it was really too tiring to be a single father. He was feeling even more exhausted than when at work, and he wondered for a second if this day out was a so good idea.

Sighing again, he could not deny he was looking forward to it; even if Monday he would be dead.

The moment with Hyeri was worth it.

---

---

Well, Merry Christmas everyone ^^

I was wondering if I would be able to update today -because I'm working- but here it is, and I hope you liked this chap =)

How do you feel about the father/daughter relationship ? Do you like it ? Is Daddy Minwoo fitting the role xD ?

I'm curious to know how you feel about these two first chapters ^^

 

And to the ones starting to wonder if this story's ever gonna become a thriller... Don't worry, it will. But we need some character background and insight first, don't you think ? ;))

If you like this fic, please SUBSCRIBE/COMMENT/UPVOTE&ENJOY

Thank you for subscribing, commenting, upvoting and reading this story.