THE DEVIL WORKS HARD (Kookjin)

Chapter 26

Clicking the front door open, Hoseok strolled into the living room. Where he immediately caught sight of his daughter seated on one of the island stools in the kitchen, very engrossed in her attempt to bring her art work to life by coloring each piece in with bright poster colors.

With a small smile on his face, he cleared his throat to garner her attention, before setting his takeout cup of mocha to the side. "Hey sweetheart, what are you doing?" He asked, extremely pleased by how quickly she had lifted her head up to acknowledge his presence.

"Hi, Papa"

"Hi my darling, how are you?"

Climbing down the stool, Dali rushes towards Hoseok and falls right into his arms. "Welcome Papa, I missed you"

"Me too sweetheart, I'm sorry I couldn't come pick you up from school" Hoseok whispered with a pout, to which his daughter merely giggled at.

"It's okay Papa" Dali began, detangling herself from the hug just so she could return to her masterpiece laying out on the counter top. "Uncle Joonie picked me up and took me to get ice-cream before bringing me home. I had fun"

"Is that so?" Hoseok trudges forward, after ditching his work bag on one of the chairs beside him. "How nice of uncle Joonie" he further chided, now leaning over his daughter.

"He's really nice" Dali affirmed with a curt nod, "And so is uncle Jimin and Yoonie as well"

"Yea__" Hosoek trailed off, rolling his eyes in the process.

Combing his fingers through his daughters hair, he proceeded to tie up her healthy strands into a neat bun. "At this rate, you'll get the colors all over your hair, and you know just how difficult it is to get them out don't you? What are you painting by the way? Is this an homework from school?"

"No Papa" Dali shook her head, blowing on the piece of paper in order to promptly dry out the colors on time.

Hosoek corks a brow, examining the picture which seemed to consist of three big caricature drawings and a smaller one in front. "What is it then? c'mon spill, Papa really wants to know. It looks great by the way"

Dali's face breaks into a smile. Craning her neck in her Papa's direction, her blue tinted index finger pointed directly at one of the bigger drawings. "This is Appa, this is you and this is me" she concluded, finger now feebly resting on the smaller drawing out of the four. "It's a family portrait of us, I want to hang it in my room"

"Aww my sweet baby girl, it's so pretty, I love it" Hosoek giggled, admiring how the drawing of himself had half of his hair spiking out from different angles on his head. The drawing looked nothing like him of course, but Dali didn't need to know that.

"I know right?" Dali winked, to which Hosoek winked right back in return.

"But, if that is Appa and I, then who's the last person? You have four drawings here" The confused man pointed out the very obvious.

"This?" Dali questions, blue tinted index finger yet again pointing to the drawings, specifically at the most good looking one of all four.

"Yes baby, who is it?"

"This is Sir Seokjin, he is my friend"

"Sir who?" Hoseok frowns rather deeply, confusion taking over his entire face. "And what sort of friend is he? Who is he?"

"Appa works for him, he's so nice and so funny" At the mention of funny, series of very audible giggles effortlessly escapes her heart shaped lips.

Hoseok sighs warily, taking a step back to properly peer into his daughters eyes. "Are you kidding me? Your father's boss is your friend? Dali, does that make any sense to you? didn't I tell you to beware of strangers? Didn't I also tell you that you weren't allowed to be friends with people I do not know and authorize? Have you been disobeying me young lady?"