Chapter 60 - TELLING THE TRUTH TO HER DAD

Jieun keep an eye on her father who is folding the cloth in the living room of the house, while watching television.  Today is the day that she decides to talk heart to heart with her dad.  Telling him all the truth.  About her, her mother, Dream Land, and most importantly is about her, getting married!

Although Professor Melanie said that she wanted to help her talk to her father, she felt she needed to do it herself.

She was actually a bit scared because she didn't know how her father's reception would be.  Looking at all this time her father took care of her full of 'protectiveness' made her feel hesitant to say about the matter. 

But she also can't afford to keep lying or keep her father in the dark like that forever.  All day, she looked to the right and the appropriate time to talk to her father but eventually she gave up.  Now, late at night she was still looking for an opportunity.  If not, she will think about it just tomorrow.  Probably then she will get more ready.

While, she was so divided with her feeling, all of a sudden,

"Jieun?  What are you peeking at?" 

Jieun feel a little bit shocked hearing her dad voice as he, not even looking at her at the moment!  Is he grow a third eyes somewhere or something?  But, this is probably her chance that she need to grab.  So, slowly she approached her father there. 

Hearing his daughter footsteps, walking closer, Beom-Soo looked at her with weird look.

"What's wrong with you today?  I can tell that you're feeling restless the whole time."  He knows that Jieun got something to tell him since earlier in this morning, but he didn't want to ask what.  But when he saw her still behave the same until midnight, he knows he cannot be silent anymore.

"Aa... Nothing wrong.  Just wanted to talk to you.  Making a conversation."  Jieun replied.

Beom-Soo raised his eyebrows slightly after hearing the answer.  Then his eyes returned to the television, while, trying to accept that reasoning. 

Jieun still silent.  Trying to concentrate with what her father is watching on the television.  But, she cannot concentrate at all.  She looked at her father, but her strength had not yet arrived to speak.  Her entire body starts to move here and there making Beom-Soo feel like he cannot pay attention to the television anymore.

Sigh.

"Tell me now.  What's bothering you?  Your movement is too loud for me  concentrate on this program."  Beom-Soo stated.

This is it.  Jieun swallows her saliva for a moment before starting to talk.

"Dad, um...  Do you believe in another dimension?  Another world that's different from us...  or something like that.  Like those science theories that sometime we heard on television?  Jieun tries to make an effort to find out her father's opinion about that thing before she's truly starting her story.

Listening to the question, Beom-Soo's hand that was still busy folding the cloth suddenly stopped.  His face was a little tense as if he was thinking of something. 

Seeing her father's face starting to get serious, Jieun felt a little worried and anxious.

"It's not something important.  It's just a... an college things.  I just want to know other people's opinion about that."  Jieun start the necessary explaining.

Beom-Soo put his laundry on the side and now looked right into the face of his daughter who is now in a nervous state.  Speaking nonsense this and that, trying hard to make excuses to care about his heart and feelings.  She is not doing a good job at lying actually.

'Is this the time? Aera? '  Suddenly he speaking inside his head.

"Are you talking about that Dream Land world?"  Beom-Soo said that directly.

"What? No is not?  I mean ..."  Jieun just realizing something.  Her face changed.  Clearly taken aback.

"Dad...  What did you just say?"  She asks back.  Wanted to confirm if she not hearing it wrong.  Afraid if she misheard what her dad was talking just now.

Beom-Soo didn't give a straight answer to his daughter but, he got up for a while and went into the kitchen.  Then, not too long, he went back to the living room with something in his hand.

Like a small note book, according to Jieun observations at the time.  Beom-Soo handed the notebook to Jieun while sitting again there.

"What is this?"  Jieun asked.  Suddenly her father handed her a notebook while they were talking.  Its make her become curious.

"Open it."  He told her to do so. 

While Jieun opened page after page of the notebook, Beom-Soo began to start his part of story, 

"Its your mom diary.  I got that 5 years before.  Someone anonymous delivery that to me in parcel.  If you ask me if I believe in another dimension or other world like fifteen years ago, I probably said no.  I'm a realist, I never believe in such a thing.  But after what happen to you, the necklace, your miracle, I started to open up about that.  To the things that can't never be explain by just words.  Then, one day your mom diary suddenly appeared. "

Jieun reading a little of the content in it.  The writing in the book was like her mother's words to her father.  What her mother wanted to convey when she was alive but was afraid of her husband's acceptance.  So, she just wrote it in the diary.  As if they were having a conversation together.

Everything in the diary is about what her mother did in Dream Land.  Her adventure, the royal, her encounter with various mystery and the people that she got attach at, such as Granny Susan.  But, the weird one is the last sheet, there's a date but the contents are gone.  Being torn.  Looking at the date, Jieun realized it was exactly one day, before her mother died.

"I found it weird too.  The last pages are looking like that since before.  I don't know if someone tore it or your own mother did that."

"Dad..."  Jieun watch her dad right now.  She didn't know where to start.

"Your mother already prepared me to face this day.  I actually wonder when it will happen, but I guess it is already happening.  She told me at the last few sheets that you will get the same fate as her.  You will be entering the same world and want me to support you in any way.  Whatever your decision about your life, she wants me to be fully understood on that.  And don't you worry, I will be that."

Jieun started to feel sad, started creeping up in her chest.  She never thought that talking with her dad would be this easy.  Guess she never really knows her dad well enough too. 

Beom-Soo also feels a little sad with their atmosphere at that time because, deep in the corner of his heart he regrets that he could not be a moral support for Aera, his late wife.  If only he knew from the beginning.

But, what is past is past.  He cannot rewind it back or change anything now. This time, he doesn't want his daughter to be left alone.  He will fully support Jieun on her journey while praying that everything is going to be just okay.

"That place is dangerous place if I conclude enough.  Are you doing okay there?"  Beom-Soo asked with his crack voice.

Jieun nodded.

"A lot of people helping me there.  Granny Susan also still there watching over me."

"Are you eating well there?"

Jieun laugh a little listening to the question, while wiping away the tears that start to fall.

"I eat a lot.  There's a also bakery there.  Mom do it exactly like the one we have now.  Guess she think of you while she was there."  Jieun told that.

Beom-Soo finally smiling.  Somehow he can feel his wife warmth right then.

"Did you encounter something dangerous there?" 

Jieun bites her lips.  She doesn't want to lie so, she honestly admits.

"I do.  But it's all fine now.  I even make a lot of friends there.  They help me going through the worst."

It would be deceptive for him to say that he was not worried after listening to that.  But he was unable to do anything to help his daughter.

"I'm sorry I can't do anything for you."  He said.  But as he said that, he actually imagine Jieun as his wife.  He, really want to say those words to her.  Which, become his biggest regret now. 

Jieun holds her father's hand, full of affection while shaking her head.  Denied those words.

"Don't say it like that.  You have already done enough.  Your dad, being here with me, is enough.  You're already giving me a lot of strength to move forward now.  I can assure you that.  And I can't thank you enough for that. "

Jieun then hugs her dad there.  Crying softly.  Deep in her heart, she also feels so thankful to her mother.  Who makes things easier for her.  She never felt so blessed.

"I will always be here for you.  If you want to share or talk, I will be listening and support you always."  Beom-Soo said that and also hug his daughter back.

"You promise?"  Jieun want a certainty.

"I promise."

"Then, I want to tell you something else." Jieun said, still hugging her dad.

"What is that?"  Beom-Soo clearly didn't prepare for the next news.

"I'm getting married."

"Say what!"

Beom-Soo as fast as lightning released his hug and held Jieun's shoulder quite strong while shaking her body unconsciously.  Not believing what he was hearing.

"Dad! I'm dizzy!"  Jieun complaining.

And that's the end of their sad moment, turned to the horror, at least to the father.