episode_0061

Time has passed, nine years have gone by.

Living with Jiwon was so enjoyable. It was happiness.

When it was time to return home after finishing work,

“I’m back.”

“Welcome~.”

Opening the front door, Jiwon greeted me with a smile.

“Daddy!!!”

And the house became lively.

Jiho started calling for me.

“Dad! Jiyeon took my tablet again!”

“You were supposed to ask me before taking it! Give it back!”

These kids, always fighting and causing trouble.

When they fight like this, I don’t know how to stop them.

Watching the two of them fight for a while,

“If you keep fighting, even Mom will take your tablets away!”

Jiwon started scolding the kids to discipline them.

Instead of getting angry at them, I thought of a better way.

I grabbed Jiwon’s shoulder as she tried to scold the kids and said,

“Haha! You little rascals! If you keep fighting like this, Dad will take something precious from you!”

Saying that, I held Jiwon and continued,

“If you keep fighting, you won’t sleep with Mom tonight~!”

Saying that, I held onto Jiwon and tried to go to the bedroom with her.

“Oh! Dad! No, I want to sleep with Mom!”

“Dad!!”

Jiyeon said she wanted to sleep with Mom first.

And Jiho kept calling for me.

While holding onto Jiwon, I spoke, and Jiyeon pouted and said,

“Sorry… I’ll give it back.”

Jiyeon seemed to have understood and started apologizing to Jiho.

“No, I’m sorry for getting mad too.”

Jiho also started apologizing.

“Alright! This father acknowledges your reconciliation and gives Mom back to you!”

Saying that, I let go of Jiwon, who I was holding onto, and returned her to Jiho and Jiyeon.

Then, Jiho and Jiyeon clung to Mom’s legs and said,

“Yes. Very good.

Looks like they’ve made up now…

But watching from the side, I felt something.

Damn, I’m jealous…

I want to hug Mom too.

They’re not yours, they’re Dad’s.

Thinking that, I also hugged Jiwon from behind along with the kids.

As we hugged, Jiwon seemed embarrassed, covering her face.

I never thought she’d be embarrassed about something like this.

While hugging her, Jiwon said she had to prepare dinner and headed to the kitchen, leaving us behind.

But I could see it.

Jiwon was smiling as if she was deeply moved.

Acknowledging that, we had dinner and went to bed with Jiwon.

“Thank you for today.”

As Jiwon lay down, she thanked me for everything and stroked my head.

I used to be the one doing the stroking, so now receiving it felt a bit strange.

After being stroked, I looked at Jiwon slowly approaching me.

Is today… the day?

“Mom!! Let’s sleep together!”

Jiyeon opened the door and came in.

Seeing the bewildered Jiwon, Jiyeon started pushing me aside.

“What are Mom and Dad doing?”

Seeing me fall, Jiyeon asked with a puzzled look.

Jiwon smiled and said we were wrestling with each other.

Yeah… we were originally planning to wrestle a bit differently.

Daughter… You ruined it all.

“Wrestling?! I want to join too!”

So Jiho entered the room as well.

Even so, climbing onto the bed, he started covering himself with the blanket.

Covering him with the blanket, I didn’t know what to say.

After staring at Jiwon for a while, I reluctantly accepted Jiho.

As Jiho got under the covers, Jiyeon got upset and started clinging to Mom as well.

Why do both of them only go to Mom?

Don’t they come to Dad?

“Daughter. Daughter doesn’t sleep with Dad?”

“I don’t like Dad’s smell!”

It hurt my feelings deeply.

“What should I say about this…”

After experiencing the pain of the Wind Scar in Inuyasha, I thought to myself, ‘This must be how it feels.’

Tears were welling up, but I couldn’t find the words to say.

Acknowledging it that way, Jihyeon kicked Jiho, who was quietly sitting, and started handing things to me.

“I’ll give it to you instead, Oppa.”

I want to sleep with my daughter…

She used to say she wanted to marry her dad because he’s nice. When she was scared at night, she would seek her dad before her mom and often slept with him.

“I… need a daughter.”

“Father…? So, does that mean you don’t need me?”

“Yeah.”

“That hurts.”

We all then prepared for bed together.

Turning off the mood light, we wished each other goodnight.

Jiwon subtly held my hand.

As expected… is there no one else but Mom?

**

Waking up early, I tried to sleep a bit more upon realizing it’s a holiday today.

“Splax!!! Diving!!!!!!!”

“Arghhh!!!!!!!”

Something huge started hitting my stomach.

“Dad! Mom says to wake up!”

Jiho dived towards my stomach.

This guy really hurts….

Half-collapsed, I regained consciousness after a hit from Jihu.

It feels really strange to be punched by my son early in the morning.

Seeing Jiho smiling at me like that, I caressed him and said,

“Don’t do Splax diving to wake people up from now on.”

“Got it!”

Glad he understood.

We woke up early and went outside.

I saw Jiwon’s smile.

“Up already? I was planning to have a simple stew; I’ll prepare it right away.”

“Ah… This is healing.”

Just seeing my wife’s smiling face in the morning made me feel better.

I hugged Jiwon from behind as she cooked in the kitchen.

“Hey! It’s dangerous to disturb someone while cooking.”

“Ah… Let me stay like this for a moment to get some energy in the morning.”

Despite my words, Jiwon refused.

Just when I was about to give up,

“Oh! Dad is flirting with Mom since the morning!”

Jiyeon noticed us, ran over, and hugged us.

“Splax!!!!! Hug!!!”

Jiho, coming out of the bathroom, also rushed over and hugged Mom.

Jiwon blocked her mouth, laughing.

Looks like Mom will be ecstatic today…

She told me to wait at the dining table while she cooked, and Jiwon led us there.

While waiting, I mentioned how she made Mom happy today, and Jiho and Jiyeon were laughing.

Yeah… She really made everyone laugh.

“Hehehe, now we can eat something delicious.”

Saying so, Jiho and Jiyeon laughed.

Why are you both laughing like villains?

They were laughing like villains, making it hard for me to say anything.

With the children’s laughter, meal preparation finished, and we all gathered around the table to eat together.

“Well then, let’s enjoy the meal!”

We finished eating kimchi stew together.

Since the kids aren’t going to school today, it seems like it will quiet down a bit now.

Thinking about what to do, I lay on the bed looking at my phone.

It’s okay to take it easy for a day today.

I have to work hard starting tomorrow.

After lying down for a while, Jiwon looked at me.

“Honey, instead of just sitting there, could you go to the store for me?”

When I stayed silent, Jiwon asked if I could go to the store for her.

Why now of all times…

Honestly, I found it quite bothersome.

But I couldn’t say anything.

In the end, I agreed and took the shopping basket, heading to the store.

“Dad! Can I come too!!”

Jiyeon and Jiho followed, asking if they could come along.

“I want to go to the store with Dad!!”

And Jiyun followed, holding onto my leg, saying she wanted to go with Dad.

I feel like tears are about to fall.

Jiyun likes Dad this much.

“Me too! I want to go with Dad too!”

Jiho also said he wants to hold onto me and go along.

Can I just die happy today?

Is this what they call happiness…?!

**

“Well, that’s how these kids are…”

I brought Jiyun and Jiho along.

They didn’t want to follow Dad because they liked him, but because they wanted ice cream.

“At home, Mom said you can’t have ice cream.”

“Dad is the best.”

Still, hearing “Dad is the best” makes me feel good.

Yeah. Let’s at least enjoy the ice cream.

We finished shopping at the mart, getting everything we needed, and prepared to head back home.

Bought some snacks the kids wanted to eat.

Picked up the items Jiwoon listed and ingredients.

Put them in the car and set off.

Upon arriving home after the journey,

Jiho opened the door and loudly announced, “We’re back.”

As we entered the house, Jiho momentarily looked surprised and said, “Who are you?”

Surprised as well, I quickly went inside.

Inside, Seong-ah noona was there.

“Oh… Hi…”

Why is she coming out here?

In a state of confusion, I stared at Seong-ah noona.

“That’s… how it turned out.”

Jiwon also spoke with a bewildered expression.

“You opened the door?”

“Thought it was a guest.”

In that frozen moment… Jiho approached Seong-ah noona and said, “Hi!”