Chapter 27
Standing at the entrance of the small house, Seojin took a deep breath. Today was the day she would finally confront her father. She had spent countless nights rehearsing in her mind what she would say and how she would say it. But now, faced with the reality of seeing him in person, her confidence wavered.
As she stepped into the house, memories flooded her mind. This was the place where she had spent the first few years of her life until her mother passed away. Her father had left them shortly after, leaving Seojin to be raised by her grandparents. The pain and abandonment she had felt as a child still lingered, even after all these years.
In the living room, she saw her father sitting on the worn-out couch, engrossed in a newspaper. He looked much older than she remembered, his once vibrant hair now streaked with gray. She could see the weight of regret in his eyes as he glanced up and noticed her.
Their eyes met, and for a moment, time stood still. Seojin could see the mixture of surprise and sorrow in his expression. She had practiced her confrontation over and over again, but now that the moment had arrived, her words escaped her.
Without speaking, her father stood up and slowly walked towards her. There was a heaviness in his steps, as if the weight of their broken relationship was reflected in each movement. He reached out and gently touched her cheek, tears welling up in his eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice filled with genuine remorse. “I abandoned you and your mother, and I’ve regretted it every day since. I can never undo the pain I’ve caused both of you, but I hope that one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
Seojin stood there, her own tears streaming down her face. She had imagined this moment countless times, but she never expected her father to be the one to apologize first. Her anger and resentment began to fade, replaced by a longing for the father she never really knew.
She reached out and took her father’s hand, the warmth of his touch bringing a sense of comfort she had longed for. In that moment, they were no longer the estranged father and daughter, but two wounded souls seeking solace and closure.
“I forgive you, Appa,” Seojin whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. “But it will take time for me to rebuild the trust that was broken.”
Her father nodded, understanding the magnitude of his actions. They stood there, hand in hand, the weight of their past slowly lifting off their shoulders. It would be a long and arduous journey, but both Seojin and her father were willing to fight for the chance to mend their fractured relationship.
As they sat down on the worn-out couch, Seojin knew that their conversation was just the beginning. There were years of unanswered questions and unspoken emotions that needed to be addressed. But for now, in this moment of reconciliation, there was hope for a better future.
And with that hope in their hearts, Seojin and her father embarked on a journey towards healing, forgiveness, and the possibility of rebuilding their bond.
✧˚·̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥·̩̩̥͙✧·̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥˚·̩̩̥͙✧ 𝑔𝓇𝒶𝓋𝒾𝓉𝓎𝓃𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁𝓈 ✧˚·̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥·̩̩̥͙✧·̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥˚·̩̩̥͙✧
