THIRD POV
Smiling widely, Henry entered their house through the ironed gate, with the favorite food of her daughter in a plastic he was holding.
He jokingly knocked on the door and his eyes immediately twinkled when he heard the thin voice, like the voice of a baby, of his 10-year-old daughter, Dina.
When his daughter didn't open the door widely, just enough to see who was it, he thought, I trained her well, huh...
Dina's eyes reflected his and quickly opened the door widely to let him in. "Papa!" Dina threw her body and Henry caught her before hugging her tightly as if they have just seen each other after so many years. When in fact, they saw each other earlier in the morning. It was just a matter of time. But that's just how they love each other that they miss each other, time to time.
They both went to the dining area to prepare dinner. "Papa, you came home early. You didn't escape?"
Henry chuckled softly at her accusation and put the street foods he bought earlier on a plate. How simple a life they have, feeling comfortable and contented, just eating some street foods rather than eating some fancy foods they don't even like.
"Do you think I can do that? You know, my boss is scary," he pointed out and her eyes widened.
"Why would you work there then if your boss is scary?"
"Because..." He leaned on the table and brought his face closer to her. He turned fierce and serious. "I'm scarier!" he exclaimed and laughed right away when he saw her daughter's reaction, disgusted by her father's nonsense joke.
"Duh, you're a softy. How could you look like a scary person? You just have a big body and nothing else."
Henry nodded while laughing, and agreed with her claim. "Well, I'm a softy when it comes to you." He then pinched her nose.
"Papa!" she complained but when her eyes fell on the food in front of her, her mood suddenly changed. "Isaw... Balun-balunan... Laman... Tenga... Why didn't you tell me you bought these?"
He laughed. "You're too focused on teasing me."
Her eyes rolled at him but pouted cutely before walking toward him to hug his father. "You look handsome, Pa. You should go find yourself a girlfriend." She smirked, teasing him.
Henry was shocked and faced her. "Are you selling me off?"
"What?" This time, it was Dina who laughed hard. "I'm not! I just think you should since you're getting older."
Henry narrowed his eyes. "If I find myself a girlfriend, would it be okay with you if she steals every bit of my time instead of us bonding together?"
Her smile faded. "Well... It's okay. I'm grown up now, duh. I can handle myself now. You see, I'm still living well even without your presence here."
To divert her father's attention, she started putting plates on the table for them to finally eat dinner. But that didn't stop Henry from thinking about what she said.
Yeah... She's grown up now. I didn't even notice it. Well, how could I when I'm not always here? I always leave her alone here. She already lost her mother when she was five years old. Of course, she couldn't afford to lose more—the only one that is left.
But I couldn't quit. There's no turning back from how our life used to be. But I also don't want to go back there. It was just a mess that we even almost...
Henry sighed. They ate silently that was unusual because if it was like the other days they had, they would be laughing at each other's stories about their day. After they finished, Henry insisted on washing their plates and Dina just let him before going inside her room to sleep now.
They have a separate room because Henry couldn't let her daughter see all the horrifying things about his work. And besides, she's getting older now. He couldn't make her uncomfortable around him, although there were many times that her daughter wanted to sleep beside him he always resisted. He always excused that she should get used to it so she wouldn't miss him when he wasn't around.
Just finished bathing, in a lonely dark room, Henry was sitting on his bed, spacing out and remembering what happened earlier.
After Dilly left, tension grew between Henry and Valkyrie. Henry was just silently clenching his jaw while looking down at the ground.
However, Val was smirking as if something was funny about what just had happened.
"What are you down for? Because Dilly suddenly hates you?" He chuckled made Henry pissed, yet he remained silent—well as if he has a choice.
"Looking so devastated, huh..." Val shifted his waist while leaning onto his table now. "Didn't I tell you the first rule in order for you to stay here longer?!" Suddenly, Val raised his voice, losing his composure. "You shouldn't let your feelings get in the way! You shouldn't get attached to anyone here!"
Losing his patient too, Henry stood up and faced him, giving the same intense glare to Val. "I'm not! I'm not getting in the way! I just care about my co-members here unlike you—"
Val's fist immediately flew on Henry's stomach. Henry groaned in pain. "And rule number two, you shouldn't talk back to your boss if unnecessary." Val clenched his jaw and held Henry's neck tightly, making him gasp for air. "How bold of you to disobey me now. Don't tell me you like Dilly that's why you're acting like this?" He laughed but that didn't change the tense atmosphere between them.
Henry clenched his fists, stopping himself to stop his boss from choking him because he knew it would put everything even worse. "I-I—I—" he couldn't answer properly.
"You act recklessly now despite knowing the punishment you'd receive after. Unless... You want your daughter dead."
Henry's fists quickly balled just by thinking about it. If only I could do anything..., he thought.
He laid down on the bed, sideways, and his eyes went to the framed picture of him and his late wife. Tears started to fall from his eyes.
I don't know what to do now. Dina's grown up now and I'm wondering if I could tell her about it now but I'm afraid she can't handle it well. I'm so afraid to fail as her father, Trix...