Lost in thought, she gazed out of the car window during the ride, deep in contemplation. The realization that Mr. Chen was highly likely her "father" weighed heavily on her mind. She pondered over the words she should say and the demeanor she should adopt upon meeting him. Suddenly, memories of her own father resurfaced, impacting her mood and causing a wave of sadness to wash over her. She fought back tears, silently enduring her emotions while continuing to stare out of the window.
The abrupt words, "We have arrived," from the driver startled her out of her thoughts. Swiftly, she wiped away her tears and sniffled, attempting to conceal any signs of distress and pretended that she was fine.
Nevertheless, her eyes remained red, a telltale sign of the lingering tears. She stepped out of the car and made her way towards the mansion.
Noticing another car parked in the driveway, she assumed it belonged to Mr. Chen.
"Please wait at the dining table," Clara instructed upon seeing Hara enter through the door.
As Hara took her seat, she kept her gaze fixed on the food placed before her, while the maids busied themselves with preparing the rest of the meal. She refrained from starting her meal until Mr. Chen arrived at the table.
Having showered and dressed, Mr. Chen made his way towards the dining room. Upon entering, he noticed Hara sitting there, her gaze fixed on her food, appearing solemn. Raising an eyebrow at her demeanor, he proceeded to take his seat in front of her.
"Eat," he stated curtly, raising his fork and taking a bite of his own food.
Without looking up, she began to eat as well, following his lead.
"How have you been lately?" Mr. Chen asked, his attention focused on his meal.
Finally, Hara looked up to look at Mr. Chen as he was taking a bite of his food. With her mouth still chewing, she froze in place, growing increasingly stunned by the second. Her eyes welled up with tears once again, turning red.
Mr. Chen bore a striking resemblance to her father from her past life.
After a moment of not receiving a response, Mr. Chen looked up and met her teary eyes, noticing her sad expression and cheeks still filled with food, indicating that she had not been chewing.
"Hara?" he uttered, his expression displaying surprise as he looked at her. Upon hearing her name, Hara swiftly shifted her gaze downward, sniffled, and continued to chew her food. She hastily wiped her eyes, attempting to conceal any traces of her crying.
"I'm fine," she responded, her voice trembling as she swallowed her food.
As her emotions overwhelmed her, she could no longer hold back her tears. It had been a week since she had seen her father, and now, faced with a man who resembled him sitting so close, she couldn't help but long to hug him tightly. However, she understood that the timing was not appropriate for such an act.
"Hara..." Mr. Chen's gaze remained fixed on his daughter, filled with concern. Her eyes, which would often glare at him, were now brimming with tears.
"I'm full," Hara interjected abruptly, cutting off his words, and swiftly made her way upstairs without taking another bite of her food.
"Wait!" Mr. Chen started to follow her, but halted as he heard the sound of her bedroom door closing.
This unexpected turn of events left everyone in shock, wondering what could have happened.
The room fell into silence, and Mr. Chen resumed his seat, breaking the quietness. Sensing the weight of the situation, he spoke up.
"Tell me what happened," he urged, his voice firm yet concerned.
Mr. Dan and Clara exchanged glances, their expressions reflecting uncertainty as they prepared to share the details.
Inside her room, Hara allowed her tears to flow freely, while consciously stifling her sobs to ensure she couldn't be heard. Her heart shattered into countless pieces, consumed by deep anguish.
After managing to calm herself down, she heard a knock on her door. Curious, she opened it to see who was there. To her surprise, she found herself face to face with Mr. Chen, who bore a striking resemblance to her father. Her previously composed expression transformed into one of sadness, but in that moment, she no longer cared about the emotions overwhelming her.
Without any hesitation, she reached out and embraced the man before her, burying her tearful face in his chest, finding solace in his presence as she cried even harder. Mr. Chen was taken aback by his daughter's sudden action, but his expression softened as he patted her back gently.
"Seems like you missed me that much," he remarked, teasing her gently, his eyes filled with affection.
After a brief pause, Hara found herself seated on the sofa in her room, her gaze directed downward. She sat face to face with Mr. Chen, who regarded her with a piercing gaze, his arms crossed in front of him. The room was filled with a palpable tension as they prepared to have a serious conversation.
"So you realize your mistake now," Mr. Chen stated after a prolonged silence.
"So you realize your mistake now," Mr. Chen stated after a prolonged silence.
"Yes," Hara replied softly, her voice barely audible. She looked down, nervously fidgeting with her fingers. Deep down, she knew she wasn't at fault; it was the actions of the original 'Hara' that had caused the situation. However, for now, she decided to pretend as if she bore the responsibility.
"You won't repeat this mistake in the future, will you?" Mr. Chen maintained his position, continuing to fix Hara with his intense gaze.
"Yes," Hara replied, her voice still subdued as she kept her eyes downcast.
"Look at me while you say that," Mr. Chen commanded.
Hara complied, raising her gaze to meet his eyes, though her face still showed signs of tearful distress.
"Yes," she repeated, her voice slightly stronger this time, while sniffling once more.
As Mr. Chen gazed at Hara, doubts filled his eyes. He desired to believe her, yet he couldn't overlook her previous habit of lying about her behavior. He often received reports from Mr. Dan, who acted as her guardian and shared updates on her school conduct. The involvement of Yuto's family in this matter further complicated things, as it could impact both families' relationships. The situation seemed dire, and Mr. Chen's expression sharpened as he contemplated whether her tears were merely a façade to gain forgiveness.
He let out a sigh, realizing that he might have been too lenient with her in the past, neglecting to address her behaviors due to his constant business trips. He wondered if he should have been more present in her life, correcting her actions and establishing a closer bond with her.
Unbeknownst to her, Hara unconsciously resorted to the puppy eyes, a habit she had developed in her previous life whenever she sought sympathy from her father after being scolded.
Hara looked up at Mr. Chen with pleading, puppy-like eyes—a gesture she had never resorted to before. It was a clear sign of her earnest desire for another chance.
"Fine," Mr. Chen relented, nodding his head. He decided to give her one last opportunity to rectify her behavior.
"Get ready for tomorrow," he instructed, rising from his seat and making his way towards the door. However, just as his hand was about to grasp the doorknob, he paused and turned back to face Hara.
"Do you want me to drive you to school tomorrow?" he asked, his tone sincere.
"Huh—"
Hara was momentarily taken aback, thinking she might have misheard him. But after a moment's hesitation, she simply agreed, "Oh, okay."
(Author's note: Currently sick while typing this lol)