Zhang Han looked at the sky, he'd lost count of how many nights he's looked up at the night sky like this.
Back when he was just a recruit in the army, he always gazed at the stars before he went to bed. When he lost Delilah, he kept staring at them, he strangely believed they had the power to reconnect people.
Now having his daughter beside him, gazing at the stars with him, filled him with a sweet yet inexplicable emotion.
" You know… I lost my daughter many years ago …" Delilah heard the man beside her speak, she turned to him, her eyes filled with questions.
Zhang Han smiled bitterly, "She was with her mother, my wife, back when I lost her. I almost lost her mother too, but I'm grateful fate wasn't so cruel. Though I never met her, I know she would be around your age. What I'll do to let her know dad loves her so… so much" he said and looked down at his boots.
" I've always thought I failed as her father, so I gaze at the sky most nights to apologize to her… for failing to be a good dad" he smiled faintly when he was done talking.
Delilah's eyes were laced with unshed tears, who would have thought a big man like Zhang Han has such deep scars. It's a rare situation for men to open up, but he… he did, just by gazing at the stars.
She wonders how long he had held this much self blame. So no one is perfect huh, not even the senior colonel of the nation's army.
Delilah looked at him, and she could only see a loving father who loves his daughter so much, that he apologizes to the stars for failing as a father. Her heart clenched, she couldn't help feeling pity for him and a little envious of his daughter.
" I am so sorry to hear about your daughter sir, I hope you reconnect with her one day" she gave him a very cheerful and hopeful smile.
Zhang Han smiled, he badly wants to ruffle her hair and tell her that he had already found her.
" Sir, look, shooting stars" Delilah's sudden voice made him snap out of his reverie.
He didn't look at the shooting stars but at her, her hands were clasped together, her head slightly bent, eyes closed, and her eyelashes were fluttering. She looked like she was praying.
Actually Delilah was making a wish, she wished Mr. Zhang Han would reconnect with his daughter, and she got her memories back.
When she was done she turned to him, "Sir did you make a wish?" she asked.
" Hm" Zhang Han, now gazing at the stars, nodded. He wished his family were complete and happy.
Delilah rose and bowed deeply, "Thank you sir for sharing your… your" she didn't know what to call it, was it a burden? She can't say it like that.
" … Your c…worries with me, I feel honoured, and I hope with all sincerely that you meet your daughter one day." She almost said care but changed it to worries. When she was done she straightened and saluted before flashing a smile.
Zhang Han burst out laughing, "You can sit, cadet Chen" he shook his head.
" Yes sir" Delilah responded, she relaxed and sat.
" Sir, you know, I can somehow understand how you feel, I grew up without my mother, it was just me, dad, grandma, and aunt Lian Bo."
" Haha, I was always envious of other children with a mum. Well, that's because… I don't have a mum to dress me up like a princess, a mum to cook my favourite meal for me, a mum to be my best friend."