25... and Forever (Twenty Five Twenty One Fanfiction)

Chapter 14: His Daughter

"Umma! What is this?" Min chae calls her mother, Hee do, as she looks at the newspaper article on her screen.

'Who is gold medalist Na Hee do's mystery partner?' The header of the article reads.

"Oh? Min chae, what do you have there?" Hee do asks. Hee do catches sight of her old diaries that are sprawled across Min chae's bed.

"Baek Min chae! What is all this? Aren't these my old diaries?" Hee do asks.

"Um..." Min chae says shyly and rubs her neck. "I was curious..." She explains.

"Wah, look at all of this!" Hee do's eyes sparkle as she looks at pieces of the lovely old days.

"Oh! These are the photos from our school trip!" Hee do says as she scoops up the photo album and flips through the pages.

"Do you remember?" Min chae asks her.

"Of course I do." Hee do smiles as the memories pass across her mind vividly.

"Min chae ah," Hee do turns to look at her daughter as she speaks. "There will be some moments in life that you will never forget. Life will always have its fair share of good and bad. But if you allow the right people in, all the darkness will melt away and only the bright moments will remain. That's a life worth living." Hee do says.

"Look at this picture of your Appa." Hee do laughs as she points at the picture of Yi jin on the beach.

"What are you all doing?" Yi jin asks as he pokes his head into the room. "Dinner's ready!" He announces.

"Appa, come in! Look at these." Min Chae says happily at the sight of her father.

"What do we have here?" Yi jin asks as he spies the diaries and photo albums on the bed.

"Look, do you remember?" Hee do asks him as she shows him the collection of photos from the beach trip.

"Ah! This photo!" Yi jin exclaims as he sees the picture of Hee do that he had kept with him for a long time.

"Min chae ah, did you know what your Umma did on this trip?" Yi jin asks with a playful twinkle in his eye.

"What did Umma do?" Min Chae asks.

"Yeah, what did I do?" Hee do demands.

"I've never been so scared of your Umma and how strong she is." Yi jin starts to tell the story. "Your Umma flicked me so hard on the forehead that I started bleeding!" Yi jin retells the story dramatically.

"HEY! I BARELY TOUCHED YOU!" Hee do protests. Yi jin gives her a baffled look.

"Barely touched me?" He laughs. "Min Chae ah, your Umma tackled me to the ground."

"Wow! Really? Umma! That's amazing!" Min Chae gives her Umma a big thumbs up.

"Excuse me?" Yi jin exclaims in shock. Clearly he did not expect that reaction from his daughter.

"That's my girl." Hee do laughs.

"Are you two ganging up on me?" Yi jin looks at them with wide eyes. "Baek Min Chae! Go eat your dinner now!" Yi jin says. Laughing, Min chae darts out to the living room.

"Aigoo, I never imagined my own daughter would betray me like this." Yi jin sighs dramatically.

"Now, now, let's not be so dramatic." Hee do giggles. Yi jin grins at her and touches his head against hers.

"Wah, look at these. I bet most of these pages have my name in it." Yi jin teases as he holds up Hee do's old diaries.

"Well...You're not wrong..." Hee do says shyly.

"Why don't you keep diaries anymore?" Yi jin asks her. Hee do shrugs.

"Well..." Hee do takes the diary from Yi jin and looks at him. "When I was younger, I needed a safe space to write down all my thoughts, to spill all my secrets. To let everything out, you know?" Hee do says.

"But after I found you, I could tell you everything. I found my safe space. You're my safe space... and after that, I didn't need a diary to keep my thoughts and secrets anymore." Hee do says sweetly, causing Yi jin to blush.

Yi jin gathers Hee do in his arms. He looks at her like she's the most precious gem and kisses her forehead.

"사랑해 나희도. 난 영원히 사랑할게."

"나도, 백이진."