Hour Before Dawn

Chapter 9

"Dad?"

Bin turned around and immediately bowed down to her father.

"Ye-jin," her dad said as he walked towards her bed, bending down as he gave her a kiss on her forehead. "Bin," he said as he held his hand out to him.

"Sir." With his right hand, Bin lightly shook his hand while his left hand supported his right forearm as a sign of respect for her father.

"Dad, you didn't have to come all the way here," Ye-jin said without taking her eyes off her father.

"I had to come see you, Ye-jin. How are you feeling?"

Bin excused himself to give the father and daughter a chance to talk and waited outside her room.

"I'm okay. How did you know which hospital I'm in? I don't think I told you when I talked to you the other day," Ye-jin wondered.

"I talked to Bin on the phone," her father answered as he took a seat in front of her. "Ye-jinssi, how are you really doing?"

Her father held his hand out to hold her hand and his gesture made her swallow a lump in her throat.

"I'm okay," she answered quietly.

"Ye-jinah," her father called her name out softly, making her look at him.

She never bonded with her father and she never formed a relationship with him. She was always with her mom, considering her dad was always away on business trips when she was a kid. After her mother's death, she was left in the care of nannies while he flew back and forth between the US and Korea. It was for that reason that she didn't like going there and she was more accustomed to the Western culture. As a kid, she felt as though it took her father away from her when she needed him the most.

He spoiled her with almost everything, except his presence. She hated being under the care of nannies, so Ye-jin learned to look after herself and decided to live on her own once she finished highschool. In her mind, she didn't need to rely on anyone else for anything in order to live well.

She loved her father a lot and he was very soft spoken. He has always been supportive of her activities and has not shown her anything that would take her respect away, but she couldn't help the resentment she has towards him for not being by her side and for letting her grow up on her own. Despite his efforts in frequently meeting with her when he was in California, they remained distant.

"I'll be okay, Dad," Ye-jin replied quietly.

"You were still struggling when Bin was helping you back from the bathroom, is that still expected?"

She gave a subtle nod. "It'll be like that for a while. I could have muscle spams in my back even after I get discharged so they're going to prescribe some muscle relaxants and strong pain medication. I also have to wear the brace for at least three months, maybe longer."

Seeing her in her situation shattered his heart. Her father took a deep breath and looked at his daughter. Although he was rarely there, he doesn't care for her or love her any less. He was very proud of her. Of all his accomplishments, nothing could top the pride he has for Ye-jin. Even from afar, he followed her racing career very closely, and so he was devastated when he heard about the crash while he was in Korea.

"I'm sorry," she heard him say.

"For what, Dad?"

"I would switch places with you if I could," he said while looking at her.

"Dad, please. I'm okay."

Ye-jin swallowed the lump in her throat when her dad held her hand tighter, gently holding it while caressing her fingers.