Dad!

Present....

"Minuk. Lopa. Don't fight." Anne shouted at her friends who were fighting in the hallway.

Lopa looked at Anne. "Didn't you hear he called me fatso?" She shouted, wiping her tears out.

Anne sighed and nodded. "I heard. But you should've just ignored him if you don't like it. It's not cool to fight. You're a cool girl, right? Ignoring the things you don't like is the coolest thing." She tried to calm her down.

Then she turned to Minuk. "And Minuk. If she is a fatso. What are you? If you don't like her, then don't look at her. Did she force you to look at her?" She asked angrily.

Both of Lopa and Minuk was quiet now. Anne is the class captain. She is so smart and has a good sense of humor. "Don't fight. Okay? I'll go now." She said before leaving.

-

"Am I going to pick you up from this school every day? Is it my new business or what?" Rayan asked frustratedly on the phone. "I'm just... Ah...  Because of my father." He sighed and hung up the call.

Then he put his sunglasses on his eyes and walked towards the school, entering the school. Though the yard was not as big as Empire high school, it remembered him his high school days. He looked around and smiled softly.

"Sorry." Those words came out from his mouth when ran into someone, he looked down to saw the kid who fell on the floor.

"Ah. uncle. You have so strong legs." The little girl complained while rubbing her nose, still sitting on the floor. She was looking at her friends, so she didn't notice him.

"Anne."

Anne looked up at the tall man. "Rayan. da.. uncle." She let out a relieved sigh silently. Thank God, the word dad didn't slip from her mouth.

Rayan smiled and expanded his hand to her, helping her to get up. "Actually, I'm bored. Do you have time, today? Can we sit and talk there?"

As Anne nodded, Rayan sat on the bench beneath the tree with Anne.

Anne looked at him curiously. "Why do you come today?" She asked and started brushing away the dust from her dress.

Rayan pressed his lips together. "I'm here today to pick that aunt up. My abuji told me to do that." He meant Somin by aunt.

Anne laughed. "How is she an aunt to you? She looks around my mom's age." Again. Words slipped out from her mouth.

Rayan widened his eyes. "Your mom is soo young then." He got surprised. Somin is 28 years old. "How old are you?"

Anne put her hands up in front of him, showing her six fingers. "Six years. uncle. Are you going to come here daily?" She asked.

Rayan rolled his eyes, after thinking for some time, he replied. "Do you want me to come here daily?"

Anne giggled and shook her head. "no. no. I was just asking you."

Rayan pretended to look sad. "why? You don't like me?" Anne widened her eyes. "no. I like you. Can you come here daily?" She asked helplessly. That's true, she likes him, but seeing him daily! It's dangerous. Because of her mouth.

Rayan smiled and turned to her. "Will you chat with me like today if I come daily?" When Anne nodded, Rayan pulled her cheeks. "I'll come here daily then."

Anne sighed silently. mom will murder me if she knows it. She then glanced at her father who was sitting beside him. She just smiled awkwardly.

-----

"It's been a long time since we went to a night drive last. It's your fault, Rayan. From when you came back from America. You're so busy and at night you just drink. Then sleep like a pig. In the holidays you spend with those girls. Come on man. You're destroying yourself." Nick complained to Rayan.

"No drinks. today." Nick took the wine glass from Rayan's hand.

"Yeaa. Nick." Rayan yelled at him and tried to snatch the glass. Rayan, Nick, and John were in a club.

John grabbed his wrist and glared at him. "You're forgetting you had an operation a few days ago. If I kick you there, you'll die." He warned him.

Rayan gave up on the glass and sighed. "I'll stop drinking. Then give me the number. Give it back to me, John." He pleaded.

Nick titled his head. "Did I miss something?" He asked confusingly.

John nodded. "I went to his house. And meet Mr. Joon. His manager. Rayan requested him to manage Crystal's number. I took the number from him. And didn't give him."

Nick turned to John. "Do you have it now? Do you bring it here?" As John nodded, Nick extended his hand to him without thinking twice. "Give him the number."

John gaped at him, shocked. "You know, their relationship will never work out. his world is totally opposite of hers." Rayan just looked at them, he can't say anything. They are always right.

Nick nodded. "She'll not forgive him too. But if he wants to give it a try. Then let him. His world, her world. There is no such thing. If you're in the same spot, looking in the same direction, that's what all matters." He paused and took a glance at Rayan. "You know I loved someone too. But it never worked out. But I always wanted to give it a try like him. It gives us mental satisfaction. Crystal will push him away. He'll suffer. And it'll end one day." He said while pouring a drink for himself.

John sighed. That's right. Nick loved a girl. But the relationship never worked out. He tried. Tried his best. But failed at last. John didn't think anymore. He took the paper out from his pocket and handed it to Rayan. "Now. Your suffering is starting."

Rayan smiled weakly. "It's already started when I saw her after so many years with him!"

----

"Yea. Alex..." Crystal shouted and ran after Alex. He was really annoying. They were making a cake but suddenly he smeared some cream on her face.

He laughed before protecting himself behind the couch. "Cream is good for the skin. Don't you know? It's helpful as the cream you use." He teased and changed his position behind the Tv when Crystal ran to him.

Crystal took the cushion from the couch and threw it to him. "I'm going to kill you today. Wait there." She said angrily while wiping the cream out of her face with a tissue.

When the doorbell rang, Alex quickly ran to the door and opened it. "Ah. Anne. Save me. Your witch mom is going to kill me." He said as he hid behind Anne.

Anne turned to Alex and got confused when he started panting. "uncle did you run?"

Alex nodded. "Your crazy mom is... hitting me." Anne shook her head and pressed her palm on her forehead. That's something often happen in this house. The maid laughed softly and entered the house.

Anne came in with Alex still behind her. When Anne looked at her mother wiping cream out from her face, she couldn't hold her laugher. "uncle did you pressed mom's face on the cream? mom looks so funny." She said between laugh.

The maid also laughed but pressed her hand on her mouth as Crystal looked at them.

Crystal gritted her teeth and started taking steps to Alex. "I'm going to kill you really."

Alex gulped and held Anne's shoulders from behind. "Yea... Crystal.." He mewed.

Anne glanced at Crystal and then at Alex. "Stop it mom. uncle." Crystal clenched her jaw as Anne shouted. "mom. uncle. You take off day because it's Sunbin aunt's birthday, right? Why are you wasting time on fighting?" She yelled at them.

Alex smirked seeing Crystal defeated and walked towards the kitchen helplessly. Her daughter is like a mature woman. She talks like she is the mother and Crystal is her daughter. She is right, they took off day because it's Sunbin's birthday. A soft smile spread across Alex's face. The smile was a mixture of sadness.

Crystal missed her best friend. She missed her very much that it pained her heart. Sunbin! Actually, she wasn't her best friend, she was like her own sister. She always supported her, always fought for her. A drop of tears escaped Crystal's eyes.

She quickly wiped it out and took her phone from the kitchen counter which was vibrating. She glanced at the number, but it's unknown. She didn't think before picking it up. It must be from the hospital. "Hello. Crystal speaking."