seaside

XIV

"young lady,
where have you
been?"
Tazannah's father asks-
his tone firm, masking
his other
emotions.

Tazannah has
her eyes wide open
as she enters her house.
because there
her father is- in the
flesh, after
a good nine months, his
luggage
being dragged
up by the maids.
she isn't
excited,
at all- it's her father
she's talking about.
though, deep
down, she misses his
loving and affection.

she can't help
but look at him with
nervous
chestnut eyes- feeling the
scrutiny of his gaze.
her warm
honey brown ones
inherited from her mother
contrasts the
calculative
cool blue-grey irises tgat
penetrate
hers, that watch
her every move.

"oh, father!" Tazannah
sends him a smile, trying
to look welcoming.
"i didn't
know you were
coming back
today." the man's face
is blank yet focused
intently-
almost nudging for
her to continue on.
"i was
actually visiting
a friend-"

"have i met
her before? or shall
i say, him." his eyes
are blazing
with a certain fire that
doesn't mix
well with his icy demeanor.
"how about you introduce
me to the
young boy."

it's not
a question- Tazannah
can very much tell.
so she obliges
like the
obedient girl she
is. "yes, father."

his footsteps across
the marble flooring of
the Kim mansion
send
chills up
her spine. she
knows she has to be
careful of
her every move now-
her father knows who
Hangyul is,
and she won't stand to
let him be dragged into
his world.