Pay With Your Heart

507 Too Brazen For A Girl

Dan-Han stayed his gaze on the people approaching him till they stopped in front of him.

“Uncle, Aunt.” He greeted with a bow before shifting his gaze to his father, who was awkwardly darting his gaze around the hospital walls.

“You aren’t going to greet me too?” Father Lee asked, turning a half gaze to Dan-Han.

“Should I?” Dan-Han archly raised a brow at him. “What are you doing here?” He coldly asked, but the old man shifted his gaze away from him, hiding away the expression on his face.

Dan-Han didn’t need him to reply to his question because, seeing the expression on his face, he could already tell why he had come.

The murderous look that hung on Dan-Han’s face told them how angry he was at the moment and how close he was to asking his father to leave.

Ni-Na’s mom stepped forward. “Dan-Han, dear, we all came to check up on her, even your father too.” She said.

“Yes, brother Dan-Han, uncle was worried about her too,” Ni-Na added, hoping Dan-Han would let go of the visible anger they could see in his eyes.

Dan-Han’s eyes shifted to his father, whose face still carried that air of pride that always thrived on it. He narrowed his eyes at him.

.....

“Are you worried or sorry?” He sternly asked the man, who was supposed to be his father but had instead chosen a constant role of being a villain in his life and the woman he loved.

Father Lee swiveled his face towards Dan-Han and silently peered with an impassive look while Dan-Han met his gaze unfazed. “If you’re not going to apologize to her, leave.” He told him.

“She’s suffered enough from you and everyone else, and right now, she’s still suffering more. So, I will not condone any more maltreatment towards her. Offering a sincere apology is the only condition for letting you see her.” He said matter of factly. That was the only way he was letting him see her.

No one knew his father better than him. The man was undoubtedly a prideful man with a doubled streak of stubbornness, and asking him to apologize was something he wouldn’t willingly do. Still, he wasn’t going to let him walk through that door simply because he now knew Eun-sun was carrying his grandchild and grand heir.

If he was there to accept the baby but not Eun-sun, he might as well leave because both mother and child were a package.

All eyes darted to Jun-Sun with eager anticipation and a silent plea to do what was right.

Dan-Han impatiently stared at him, waiting to hear his answer.

“Uncle...” Ni-Na pleaded with a cry, and just when they thought his stubborn pride wasn’t going to give in, he gave a terse nod that was almost imperceptible.

Sighs of relief escaped their lips, and with a relieved smile lifting their faces, they turned to Dan-Han, who was still assessing his father’s countenance.

Dan-Han looked away from him and glanced at his aunt and Ni-Na, eagerly waiting for his permission to go in.

“Can we go in now?” His aunt asked, and Dan-Han shook his head and sighed.

“Give her a minute. She’s....” He slurred and swallowed, pushing back the pain that lunged into his throat. “She just woke up. Just give her a minute.” He said almost casually, but they all caught the pain in his eyes despite how quickly it had thrived.

Ni-Na’s mom stepped forward and placed a hand on his back. She slowly patted him in a comforting way. “Everything’s going to be okay.” She comforted him.

They waited with him outside the door till Dan-Han was sure they could go in.

He walked in first and saw Eun-sun standing by the foot of the bed.

He frowned. “Where are you going?” He walked over to her.

“I was—”

“She was sure you were outside, and she stubbornly wanted to come to you,” Sena explained with relief.

Dan-Han looked from her to Eun-sun, who had an intent gaze fixed on him. He put his hands on her cheek and stroked her soft cheek. All evidence of her crying was gone except the slight redness of her eyes.

“Are you okay?” He asked, and Eun-sun nodded.

Her lips parted to say something, but she paused when she caught sight of the people who were standing at the door, which she had earlier failed to notice had been open after Dan-Han walked in.

“Ni-Na,” She softly muttered as her gaze swept across the familiar faces till it landed on Father Lee.

Her gaze swiftly darted back to Dan-Han, who sighed and picked her into his arms.

He observed the nervous yet questioning gaze she was giving him, but he said nothing. He placed her on the bed and tucked a pillow behind her so she could lean backward.

“I told you not to get out of bed.” He chided.

“I’m sorry.” She apologized and shifted her eyes to peek at the people who were standing in the heart of the room.

She surreptitiously pinched him before gesturing toward his father with her eyes.

Dan-Han leaned down. “I’m here.” He whispered into her ear and kissed her cheek before stepping aside, but not too far away from the bed so Eun-sun could be assured of his presence.

Ni-Na’s parents greeted Eun-sun’s parents before walking closer to her.

“How are you, my dear?” Ni-Na’s mother asked, taking Eun-sun’s hand in hers.

Eun-sun slowly nodded. “I’m fine.” She was convinced she was beginning to sound like a broken record.

“Are you sure?” She questioned, looking unconvinced by Eun-sun’s answer.

“You know you can tell us anything.” Ni-Na’s father said with a caring tone, and Eun-sun nodded, managing a smile at them.

“Truly, I’m fine, and the baby too.” She said, knowing they were too afraid to mention the baby to her.

A relieved smile warmed their faces as they nodded and patted her hand.

“We’re here for you, okay? All of us.” She said, and Ni-Na, standing at the foot of the bed, nodded and gently squeezed her feet.

“Yes, Unnie, we’re all here for you.” She echoed.

Ni-Na’s father turned to his brother, who was awkwardly still standing in the same spot, with his eyes staring anywhere else but at Eun-sun.

“Uncle?” Ni-Na called, and the man’s gaze shifted to her and then to his brother, who challenged him to do the right thing with his intense eyes.

He briefly stared at Eun-sun, but he darted his eyes away. His feet longed to move, but something had them firmly rooted to the ground.

Was he anxious?

All eyes stared at him, and he could tell by the holes they bored into his skin.

Eun-sun’s lips twitched at the sight of the man and his awkward behavior. She didn’t know why, but seeing him standing there with his hands crossing to his back and struggling countenance on his face, she somewhat thought him cute.

His stubbornness and pride that had bloomed with age were what had fixed him on the spot, despite wanting to come over to her.

His presence in her hospital room already said a lot. He had taken a step towards her, and maybe she should do the same.

“Didn’t you come to see your grandchild and me? He can’t see you from there.” She said, and father Lee lifted his gaze towards her. His eyes lowered to her stomach, and they lingered there for a while before returning to her face.

“Are you going to give me another rascal like the one I already have?” He asked, his voice lacking the crudeness and condescension it always did whenever he talked to her.

Eun-sun’s lips curled as she spared a glance at the rascal he was referring to. Dan-Han pointedly stared at his father as if on guard.

“I’m sure this one might be less of a brute than the one plaguing us, or maybe it could be a girl?”

A girl? Father Lee mused.

Eun-sun didn’t miss the twitch on his face at the mention of a baby girl. She caught the dreamy look that flashed through his eyes.

They watched the man sigh before walking closer to her. Ni-Na stepped aside to make room for him, and Father Lee walked up to Eun-sun and slowly nodded.

“A granddaughter will definitely be better. Sons aren’t too reliable.” He said, and Dan-Han snickered, but he ignored him.

Eun-sun held his gaze as he stared at her in a way he had never done before. “I believe I owe you an apology. Or several apologies.” He said, but Eun-sun said nothing.

A short silence reigned in the room before he spoke up again. “I’m sorry.” He said, taking Eun-sun by surprise. “I’m sorry for all my shortcomings and misdeed towards you.” He told her, further driving her bewilderment to new heights.

Never in her imagination had she seen this coming. She was grateful he had come as that meant he was willing to accept her, but an apology? She was stunned.

Eun-sun maintained a calm expression as she stared at the man.

“And if I forgive, will you let me marry your son?” Eun-sun asked. All eyes glanced at father Lee, who in turn had his gaze on Dan-Han.

He sighed and turned towards Eun-sun. “You’d do it even if I say no, yes?”

“Yes,” Eun-sun boldly affirmed. Even if he said no, she’d still marry Dan-Han. Eun-sun looked over at Dan-Han’s ring finger. “And you should also know I already gave him a ring.” She announced, and everyone looked over to Dan-Han’s finger in surprise.

Father Lee chuckled amusedly. “You’re too brazen for a girl. It seems Ki-Jun has outdone himself.”

“You’re the one trying to outdo yourself by stealing my daughter into your family.” Ki-Jun sternly told him, but Father Lee smiled at his words, fully aware Ki-Jun was nowhere angry at him despite the tone of his voice.

“I guess I am.” He agreed, and Ki-Jun scoffed, his eyes holding a smile.

Father Lee slipped his hand into his pocket and whipped out a small box. He opened it and revealed a ring. An engagement ring, if Eun-sun remembered correctly, and it belonged to Dan-Han’s late mother. It was an elegant black gold ring with an emerald green diamond. She recognized it at first glance as it had always caught her attention.

“She wanted you to have it. It was her will and last demand from me. I...had fought hard against it, but I don’t think I can do that anymore. So here it is.” He slowly reached for Eun-sun’s hand and placed the box in it.

“Please accept it and come over to my family.”

Eun-sun dumbfoundedly looked at the ring as her eyes slowly gleamed with tears. She looked at it and then at Dan-Han, who walked closer to her and placed his arm around her shoulder.

He looked at his father, not sure of what to say. “Thank you.” He muttered, and the old man nodded. He patted Dan-Han on the arm before looking over to his friend.

He looked over to Eun-sun once more. “I hope you have the wedding soon. It would be more convenient to do it without a protruding stomach. And...if there’s anything you need, let me know.” He said, and Eun-sun nodded.

Jun-Sun patted her hand once and started for the door.

“Wait,” Eun-sun called out to him, and he stopped.

He looked back at her and saw her holding a smile at him. “Thank you,” Eun-sun said, and he nodded before walking out of the room.

.....

Eun-sun looked at the ring and passed it to Dan-Han. “I guess this is yours.” She handed it to him. Though the ring has been blessed with years, it still held the glory of its early days, glittering and entrancing every eye which fell on it.

Dan-Han received it and silently peered at it. Holding something he had always seen on his mother made his heart squeeze a certain way. The ring made him miss her.

He hadn’t admitted it since she died, but he did. He truly missed her a lot. He couldn’t imagine how happy she would have been to pass over her ring herself.

Leaving her ring to his father to give to Eun-sun as her last will to him meant she had given him a choice.

A choice to pass her blessings to the woman she wanted for her son or to keep it with him forever, knowing she doesn’t approve of anyone else other than Eun-sun.

“So, big bro, are you going to propose now?” Ni-Na asked with a suppressed squeal.

“No,” Dan-Han firmly replied and closed the box. He slipped it into his pocket. “Not yet.”

He looked over at Eun-sun to ensure she wasn’t disappointed. He patted her hair when she looked at him blankly but didn’t say anything.

He observed the disappointed look on all their faces but said nothing.

He was definitely going to propose, but not now. He still had something to do, which was disposing of the villains that had caused them pain.

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