I Hate My Father.

*AMELIA'S BEDROOM *

Steam still clung to the mirror as Amelia stepped out of the bathroom, her towel wrapped loosely around her frame, her damp hair tumbling over her shoulders. The faint scent of vanilla body wash lingered in the air.

But the moment her eyes fell on the bed, she froze.

"Mom?" she groaned, annoyance curling in her voice. "Can you please just....leave?"

Alice sat there quietly, her hands clasped together on her lap. She didn't move.

"Please, dear… let's talk." Her voice was soft, almost too soft.

Amelia rolled her eyes again and stripped off her towel, pulling on her silk pajamas with quick, angry movements. She sighed, clearly debating whether to say something or just walk away. Finally, she dropped onto the bed beside her mother and her arms folded.

"This better not be one of your guilt trips," she muttered.

Alice glanced at her, hesitation in her eyes. 

"Your dad's ex-wife is back."

Amelia blinked. "What?"

"And… their daughter. She's with her. They're both in New York now."

Amelia's brows furrowed together , confusion flashing into disbelief.

 "Wait...his daughter? You mean....he's been talking to them?"

 "Not really. They came by the dealership today. Georgia… she's married now. To someone else. But Dante, he keeps going on about wanting to be a father to her kid again." Her voice cracked. "And I just… I don't know, Amelia. What if he still loves her?"

Amelia's face tured sour. She stared ahead, fists slowly tightening over her pajama pants.

"So what?" she snapped. "He wants to suddenly play Dad of the Year to some girl he abandoned decades ago? Just like that?"

Alice turned toward her daughter, her voice trembling in fear.

"I need you now more than ever."

A pause. Something bitter boiled in Amelia's chest. The idea of someone else taking her father, her home, her place.

"Don't worry, Mom." She reached out, clutching her mother's hand.

"I won't let Daddy hurt you, and most certainly not because of them."She pulled her mom into a hug. "I won't let our family be broken… never."

**VIRELLI'S RESIDENCE **

The sky outside had begun to tint a soft amber as the last remnants of daylight stretched over the Virelli estate. The gates slid shut behind them with a quiet hum as Marvin carefully pulled the car into the garage.

Kim stepped out, dragging her hand bag over her shoulder. The scent of home hit her, clean stone floors, lemon polish, and a hint of gardenias from the yard. But what caught her attention were the two unfamiliar cars parked beside theirs in the garage.

"Hmm?" she frowned, eyebrows arching. "We expecting guests?"

She walked toward the front porch where Keifer stood leaning against the doorframe, sipping juice from a box like a child who hadn't aged since primary school.

"Hey, sis." He grinned. "Welcome back, Miss International."

Kim pointed toward the garage with narrowed eyes. "Keifer, do we have guests? Or did Dad open a dealership overnight?"

Keifer's grin widened, that smugness she knew all too well glinting in his eyes.

"Guess."

"Keifer…"

"C'mon, just try. You're no fun."

"Keifer, I've had a long day. Just tell me..."

He lowered his juice box and leaned in with mock suspense.

"One of them's yours."

Kim froze. "What?!"

"Yup. New semester, new country, new whip. Dad said it's your official New York ride."

Kim gasped loudly, eyes widening. "Shut up! No way!"

Without waiting another second, she shoved her handbag at Keifer. "Hold this, don't you dare drop it!" she warned as she turned on her heel and bolted into the house.

Keifer chuckled behind her, mimicking her voice. "Don't you dare drop it!" He clutched the bag like a sacred relic as she disappeared through the front door.

UPSTAIRS – MASTER BEDROOM DOORWAY.

Kim skidded to a stop outside her parents' room, chest rising with excitement. The door was ajar. She peeked inside and saw Gael and Georgia seated on the bed, heads leaned in, watching something on a tablet.

"Mommy! Daddy!!" Kim squealed, throwing the door open with giddy excitement.

Before they could react, she leaped onto the bed, bouncing slightly as she flung her arms around both of them in a tight hug, practically suffocating them in joy.

"Gosh, Kim, you're going to crush my lungs." Georgia laughed, rubbing her back affectionately.

Kim pulled back with her eyes wide and glimmering. "Is the car really mine?" she asked, her pout poking through like a child pleading for extra dessert.

Georgia chuckled. "Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it!" Kim beamed, eyes dancing. "It's perfect. Thank you so much."

Gael reached out and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "Anything for you, my cherry."

Just then, Keifer popped his head through the door, dramatic as always. "Okay, okay, now that Princess Speed-Racer has been gifted a chariot...." He stepped in fully. "Can someone tell me when I'm getting my own car? Or am I gonna keep being the family delivery boy?"

Gael raised a brow. "You're sixteen, Keif. Try again in two years."

"Unless you want a tricycle," Georgia teased, exchanging a knowing smirk with Gael.

"Or a shiny skateboard with training wheels," Kim added, tongue-in-cheek.

 "I swear, I'm emotionally bullied in this household." Keifer groaned dramatically.

"You'll survive, munchkin."

He narrowed his eyes. "I'm five-foot-eight now, Kim. Stop calling me munchkin."

"Still shorter than your future car."

"Unbelievable."

He rolled his eyes, but a grin tugged at his lips. "Can we at least take it for a spin? Test drive, y'know, to bond with the vehicle spiritually?"

Kim gasped and spun toward her dad. "Daddy, keys! Now!"

Gael shook his head, amused. He reached over to the stool by the window and picked up the shiny set of keys. "Don't scratch it and stay off the highway."

"Yes, sir!" she saluted like a soldier before snatching the keys and jumping to her feet.

"KEIFER, LET'S GO!" she yelled, already halfway down the hallway.

"Wait for me, road menace!" Keifer yelled after her, scrambling out the door.

Downstairs, the door slammed open and laughter echoed into the garage as the two raced toward the car like kids on Christmas morning.

°°°°

The city rolled past them in a blur of neon glow and lazy twilight. Kim's fingers rested lightly on the wheel as she drove through the clean, tree-lined streets of downtown New York. The buildings sparkled under the amber light of the setting sun, and the streetlamps had begun to flicker on one by one, casting long golden beams across the sidewalks.

People bustled along the crosswalks, a couple holding hands, a woman juggling a coffee and a phone, kids on skateboards weaving through narrow gaps between parked cars. The rhythm of the city felt different from Seoul....slower, warmer, and wrapped in a kind of cinematic calm.

Keifer leaned his elbow out of the window, sticking his head out dramatically like a golden retriever catching wind.

"Damn, New York kinda eats." he grinned. "I thought this place would be loud and full of cranky cab drivers, but it's kinda pretty."

Kim chuckled, glancing sideways at him. "Yeah… I hate to admit it, but I'm starting to see the charm again."

They turned a corner and rolled up beside a cozy café with warm string lights strung above its patio. The smell of fresh pastries and coffee drifted out, tugging at Keifer's stomach.

"We're stopping. No negotiations." he declared.

Moments later, they were inside, ordering two pastries, iced chocolate for Kim, and a ridiculously large strawberry milkshake for Keifer.

By the time they got back into the car, the sky had darkened into a velvet blue. Kim clicked a button and the sunroof slid open above them. She and Keifer threw themselves into their seats with dramatic flair, pastries in hand, wind brushing against their faces.

"Now this…" Keifer said, biting into a croissant, "is how you live like royalty."

Kim took a sip of her drink and leaned back. "Don't get used to it, peasant."

Keifer crunched into the last bite of his croissant, then tilted his head and asked through a mouthful,

"So... how's the new school? Any nerds, cute guys, or spontaneous breakdowns yet?"

Kim scoffed, adjusting her seat slightly. "It's fine. I've met a couple good people, but seriously, most of them in that school is allergic to humility."

 "Allergic? Like, EpiPen kind of allergic?" Keifer blinked.

"Deadly levels." she muttered. "Imagine someone literally demanding respect just because she calls herself the Queen Bee. Like, who does that? She even introduced herself like, 'Hi, I'm Amelia, the Queen Bee. Duh.'"

Keifer blinked twice, exaggeratedly.

"Did she hiss when she said it or nah? 'Cause that's giving Disney Channel villain energy."

Kim burst into laughter, holding her drink. "You're insane."

He grinned proudly. "Insanely right. That school sounds like a circus. I should visit, give 'em a taste of humble pie."

"They'd choke."

They both chuckled, and then Kim turned the question on him. "How's your school? Adjusting okay, Mr. Sophomore?"

Keifer smirked, brushing imaginary dust off his shoulder.

"Science teachers? Hot."

Kim rolled her eyes.

"Girls? Drooling again. Boys? Jealous. I may or may not have signed over ten notebooks and a pencil case today."

Kim burst into another fit of laughter, almost spilling her iced chocolate. "You're such a menace."

Keifer's smile lingered a second longer, before slowly fading into something more thoughtful. He leaned back into his seat, feet up on the dashboard now, and sighed.

"Hey… on a serious note… I overheard something."

Kim glanced over at him, wary. "What is it?"

"Mommy and Daddy... I mean, I think they saw your dad today." he said carefully. "Mommy was pissed. He… apparently tried to reach out. Said he wants to be in your life or something."

Kim's expression went cold. She didn't answer for a long moment, her eyes fixed on the street ahead.

"I don't care." Her voice was final. "He left. He divorced Mommy and never once reached out. Not for my birthdays, not when I graduated. Not even a damn letter. So why now? What changed?"

Keifer stayed quiet. Kim turned slightly toward him, her tone softening, but only a little.

"Daddy is the only father I have, period. He raised me. He gave me a home, a life, love. I don't need some ghost trying to teach me how to be his daughter after all these years. He made his choice."

Keifer just nodded.

The wind rustled through the open sunroof. The city buzzed on quietly in the distance.