The Daughter ↬ SUNGJOY [EDITING!]

➳ fifty-eight

Second party is tonight, with the people Joy chose. Joy's going to introduce them to Areum formally tonight and she prays that all will go well.

ㅡ

Sungjae received a message from his mother that they're near to the venue already so he didn't waste time. He drove to Joy's coffee shop, wearing his newly tailored suit. He made sure to make himself look presentable because it seems to him that tonight will be an important night.

There's no need to feel nervous because this is just a birthday party but the thought of meeting the people that is important to both Areum and Joy worries him. For sure, they know about him and Joy, specially the mothers'. He's not even sure who will he meet at the birthday party but that doesn't matter. He will make sure to not ruin Areum's night so if the reaction of his arrival will be bad, he will leave.

Parking his own car, he took his time, calming his nerves through breathing. It's strange because he's  suddenly feeling nervous for no apparent reason.

He got out of his cars and started walking to the main door. The usual transparent glass walls were covered by blinds from the inside so he's still unsure of how the place looks like and who are already there.

He tried asking Joy again if he can help with anything that concerns the party but Joy insisted that his presence is the only thing she needed from him.

He also tries to know who are the people she invited but Joy only gave him sly smile and that wasn't so helpful at all. It only added to the bundle of worry he has.

He was able to get a glimpse of the people and sighed in relief when he spotted Minhyuk together with Irene chatting with Changsub and Eunkwang. Seeing that Joy invited their members made him feel at ease. He opened the door and of course, the bell on top of it clanged and everyone inside is suddenly looking at him.

He was supposed to be used by a lot of eyes watching him but looking around, these pairs of eyes weren't the ones that usually follows him. They're all, if not unfamiliar, then the ones he used to have contact before.

There aren't so many of them.

Just Joy's members, his members, the girl he once saw during a fanmeet, five old ladies and Joy's family.

He just wanted to leave. Suddenly, all the forgotten guilt and self-blame appeared again and they're stronger than before.

What the hell am I doing here. After all the things I've done? I still had the guts to come and make myself feel like I deserve to be here.

His thoughts has always been too much but they're always right. He feels so embarrassed of himself that he quickly looked away and turn around.

He's not supposed to be there.

Red Velvet members, BTOB members, Joy's own family. They all turned their back on Joy all because of him.

Joy experienced all those pain because of him.

This is not his placeㅡ but before he even got to take his first step, he was stopped by a strong grip on his arm, it was Dasom.

"They've been waiting for you," said the woman once he finally had the urge to look back.

Dasom was pertaining to Joy's family. He didn't know what to do, what's the right thing to do? Can he really talk to them? Does he even deserve to be near them?

Dasom probably saw him hesitating because she started pulling him, "Stop thinking of other things. They've been wanting to talk to you for so long now,"