Kalon

Chapter 53

She can’t really believe this is happening; her step dad who’s never really bothered to talk to Y/n, who never really cared about Y/n at all, saying all those things to her right just seems kind of unreal.

“I also don’t expect you to forgive me, or for our relationship to change.” Hyunsik clears his throat, straightening his shoulders, going back into his guarded-mode. “I’m sorry, Y/n. For everything. I wish I would’ve done my job. I wish I would’ve been the dad you deserved to have, but I guess I ended up being even worse than that bastard.”

Which isn’t entirely true. Even if Hyunsik never treated Y/n like a loving dad, at least he was there. He was there when a few bullies from school beat Y/n up in middle school. Y/n remembers him leaving work early to come and pick Y/n up from school, causing a huge scene in the principal’s office for not protecting their students like they should’ve. Hyunsik treated the scrapes on her hands and knees and her bloody nose in the bathroom that day and he gave Y/n a cookie to make her stop crying.

“I want you to know that I’m trying to change. I know I’m late but I want to be there for you, if you should ever need me. You’re my daughter, Y/n. Not just on papers. You’re my daughter, even if I don’t deserve to call you that. I’m willing to try if you… if there’s anything inside of you that’s willing to give me another chance.”

Y/n presses her nose into her shoulder, her face fully turned away from Hyunsik at this point. Her eyes are brimming with tears and she has no idea why she’s crying now. She was fine inside, when her mom said all those things to her, it didn’t hurt. They were welcome words, soothing. Hyunsik’s words just hurt.

“I— I’m not a resentful person.” Y/n mumbles, squeezing her eyes while she tries to get herself to stop crying. She doesn’t want to cry in front of Hyunsik.

“I know you aren’t.” Hyunsik says, quietly and Y/n whimpers at how fond the man sounds. He sounds fond of Y/n. “If you don’t want our relationship to change, I completely understand. If you need me as a friend, I’d be very happy about that. If you… But if there’s the tiniest chance for you to ever see me as your father sometime in the future, that would be the biggest gift anyone could ever give me in my life.”

No matter what’s going to happen in the future or how their relationship develops, Y/n just needs time. And maybe a little space. She honestly doesn’t think she can start visiting her family every weekend and act like everything’s okay just like that. But she guesses no one’s expecting that from her, anyway.

Y/n takes a deep breath and turns to look at Hyunsik. “Asshole.”

Both their eyes widen at the words leaving Y/n’s mouth. Y/n gasps in horror, spluttering to apologize but before she can, Hyunsik starts laughing.

“I guess I deserved that one.” Hyunsik chuckles at the dumbfounded expression on Y/n’s face. “It’s fine, Y/n. I’m not mad at you. You can call me whatever you want.”

But Y/n kind of only wants to call him dad again, like she used to when she was younger. Y/n smiles weakly and shakes her head, sniffling a bit. “No, I think I’m good.”

Hyunsik nods his head and starts standing up. “Thank you for listening to me.”

Y/n shrugs. “Yeah…”

“Be safe.” Hyunsik reaches out and squeezes her shoulder, strong and comforting.

Y/n nods again, giving him a slightly forced smile.

Things aren’t perfect, obviously not. That doesn’t just magically happen overnight.

But Y/n thinks this is a good start.