Sentenced (J.JK)

Chapter 23

"Jeon's lawyer, ms Kim, is related to you. You are her biological father." 

-

The judge freezes, his expression indecipherable. "U-Uh, Court S-session dismissed for now."

You stand frozen, head whirling with thoughts. You wait as the people usher out the courtroom, snake-like mouths still hissing around gossip and rumours. As soon as the whispers die down, you take a reluctant breath and look up to meet the eyes of the judge. He is staring back at you with those warm honey eyes that has so much resemblance to your own, yet you failed to notice. Failed to remember. 

But now that you see him, staring back at you with so much guilt, you remember. Remember all the memories, the laughs, the tears, the cuddles. Remember every detail from his face to his big warm hands. Remember the way he left without a goodbye. 

You force your eyes shut, head starting to throb from all the pent up memories and emotions. With little hesitance, you turn to leave. 

"Bunny,"

but that single call from him, that single word-wrapped in warmth and love causes you to halt. You remember him calling you that. 

As you turn around, the man is walking up to you. Once he stops in front of you, he stares at you with adoration. 

"You've grown so muc-"

"Cut the bullshit, Mr Kim." Your voice is laced with venom, aimed for harshness, yet it rips your very being apart as you speak. 

The man pauses, eyes saddening. "you're still the same," he mutters sadly. "Still that little snappy firecracker." 

You scoff, "oh, surprised you even remember me." 

The man smiles, "How could I forget my little girl?"

"I've been asking the same question ever since you left," your voice is meant to sound emotionless yet the underlying sadness washes over your words, making you look more vulnerable than you intended.

"You left and never came back. Didn't even say goodbye, just vanished." 

Your father stares at you, his eyes teary as you continue. "Not a single message, not a single phone call, NOT EVEN A HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I had to live life as the 'girl who's dad ran away', I had to live knowing that my role model, the man I loved dearly, the man who told me he'll always be there, left me like I was a piece of shit on the side of the road." 

"That's not tru-"

"WHY DID YOU LEAVE?" you scream, your voice breaking at the end. 

"W-when I became a lawyer, I wanted to run into your arms with my degree shouting, 'look daddy, I made it', but instead I crept into a bathroom and cried over how miserable my pathetic life is. This whole time, I was living in hell, wearing a smile as my daily costume, breathing but barely, all because my goddamn father was a selfish man who had commitment issues. And now after all that you've done to me, you have the fucking audacity to call me 'bunny'."

You father looks down, wrinkled skin pulling down into a sorrowful frown. 

The silence between you two builds, a wall of tension thriving from your confession, until finally,  the man speaks. 

"Around that time, your mother and I were having problems, we were at each others throat every single day and one day it was so bad that I..I hit her. I hit her so hard that she bruised and I-I couldn't forgive myself," he looks into your eyes earnestly.

"I couldn't stay any longer, in my eyes, I was a monster. So I left. I didn't say anything and just left because I knew I couldn't take you kids with me. With someone like me. I tried to call to get in contact, I was going crazy not being able to talk to any of you, but your mother denied, saying I was a harm to the kids, and soon, I started to believe her. I believed her when she screamed at me to stay away from you, saying how I could hurt you like I hurt her. And just the mere thought of hurting any of you kept me away... for good."