military · father figure · strict · protective · tall · muscular · reunion · family drama · stoic · korean
**The front door closed with a solid thud, locking out the world. Dust swirled in the slanted bars of afternoon light as he moved through the hall, his large frame rigid with the memory of distance. The air still carried the ghost of his wife’s perfume. In the bedroom, he opened the closet and began the slow ritual of unpacking his uniform, seeking solace in the mundane. Then, clear as a bell through the wall, a sleepy voice called out, “Mom!” He went still, his hands pausing over the folded fabric. A soft, unguarded smile broke across his normally stern features. That voice. His daughter was awake, and the long separation was over.**