Straight Towards Our Future // Park Euntak x Yoon Areum (Dr. Romantic AU) 🏥🥼💖

4// A Father & Daughter's Bond

YEAR 2024
Euntak & Areum's Home 

It was a sunny morning at the countryside, thankfully Areum had managed to head home without more people asking her about her and Euntak's housewarming party. When she had arrived at their new home, she had found Euntak sitting on the floor and diligently assembling some of the new furniture that they had bought.

After greeting him with a sweet back hug and a peck on the lips, Areum finds her place on the new couch placed in their living room. With a exhausted voice, she adorably complains to her boyfriend

'Don't you think the people at Doldam love housewarming parties too much?' 

Euntak chuckles at Areum's comment and turns his head to look at his girlfriend. 

'Well it is hard for all of us to gather so I can get why they want to find reasons for such gatherings....' 

Areum sighs and stretches her arms. Yawning, she nods in reply and closes her eyes to take a nap.

Sensing no reply from his girlfriend, Euntak stops what he was doing and turns around to check on her. He chuckles and shakes his head at the sight of Areum curled up on the couch snoozing away towards dreamland.

Euntak had always told Areum to wash up and change her clothes first before resting when coming home from the hospital. But as always, no matter how many times you remind her... When she's sleepy, she literally just heads off to slumber.

Finally standing from the floor, Euntak effortlessly bends down to carry his girlfriend in bridal style. Areum was a deep sleeper so he didn't really need to worry about her waking due to the sudden move.

He gently pushes Areum's room door ooen with his feet and lays her down on her bed.

Sitting on the bed next to her, he tucks some loose strands of hair behind her ear from covering her face. Euntak smiles at her adorable expression as she slept. Leaning down, he was about to wake her up until his phone vibrates in his pocket and he is forced to take the phone call outside of her room.

Unlocking his phone, Euntak's lips slightly tremble at the sight of Areum's father's contact handle flashing on his screen. Without delaying any further, he accepts the call and speaks as politely as he could. 

'Neh! Abeonim (father).... yes, I was fixing some of the new furniture that just arrived a few days ago. Areum is sleeping at the moment, she just came home from her shift.' 

'Well yes, Euntak ah...I just called to inform you that I'm on my way down there. I might arrive in about 30 minutes. Areum's mother made some side dishes and kimchi for you guys so I'm bringing them down there and might as well help you settle some things---'

Euntak smiles politely (as if Areum's father could actually see him) and thanks Areum's father. After a few minutes on the phone, he rushes to clean up some of the trash scattered around and went to the door to wait outside. It was gonna be the first time that one of Areum's parents would have visited the new house. Internally he was a bit nervous but Euntak had warmed and gotten used to Areum's parents hence he didn't worry that much about being a nervous wreck. 

After a few minutes of waiting, true to his words, Areum's father's car pulls up the driveway and the middle aged man appears with a huge smile whilst carrying tons of bags dangling from his arms. 

Euntak immediately exits the steel gates and runs to help the man. After greeting him politely, Areum's father gives his future son in law a gentle pat on the back and passes by the yard and into the new house. 

'Abeonim....you must be exhausted, I'll just get you some hot water in the kitchen. Please just sit down on the couch. I'll also just go and wake Areum up---'

Areum's father waves his hand and chuckles as he cuts Euntak off. 

'Aniya! Don't bother, I came here unannounced  so don't wake the poor girl up anymore. She must be exhausted. I'll just stay and help out a bit and drive back to Seoul later. It isn't late yet anyways.'

Nodding in response, Euntak swiftly gets himself and Areum's father a cup of lukewarm water each. After some small talk, the duo started working on one of the shelves that still needed assembling. The whole morning went by like that. 

It was already during the afternoon when they had decided to take a break, coincidentally Areum had woken up and had just took a bath. Coming out from her room, she is surprised to find her father and boyfriend laughing away in the kitchen island drinking tea together whilst conversing about who knows what. 

'Appa! Why are you here?' 

Areum's father smiles at the sight of his daughter and speaks in the 'obviously I'm here to see you' voice. 

'Well hello to you to my dearest daughter.....Your mom made some food for you and Park Seobang (son in law) so I decided to come down to visit and help out since I have the day off today. You can come and join us if you want.'

After a bit of bickering and tiki taka with her father, Areum eventually joins the 2 men and also pours herself a cup of tea. Sitting beside Euntak, Areum smiles at him endearingly and refills his cup for him. Witnessing this interaction, Areum's father grins and jokingly acts as if his upset. 

'Yah! Is that how daughters act once they have boyfriends? Appa's a bit disappointed Areum ah.... you've been forgetting me a lot lately.' 

Half offended and surprised at her father's statement, Areum pouts and rises from her sit to pour tea in her father's cup. 

'Aigoo my dearest appa.... you must really be getting old to be throwing tantrums in front of your grown daughter.' 

The trio burst into giggles at Areum's half joke, Euntak was just enjoying the little moment his girlfriend and her father were having. He always enjoyed the presence of his future in laws. They were warm, accepting and most of all loving. 

He knew from the moment he met them... that Areum was the woman she was today partly because of them. He was thankful that they even accepted him and welcomed him to the family. As he became sentimental over the bond he had with his future in laws, we now take a look back to 3 years ago when Park Euntak first met Yoon Areum's parents. 

Author's Notes:

Sorry for taking so long to update. I'm starting work very soon next week or so hence I've been extremely busy. Next update will be in a few days and we'll finally see a flashback chapter of how Euntak met Areum's parents.

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Thankssss for being patient and happy reading y'all 🌼

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