Ch.26Chapter 26. Taking Courage

“Now. I clearly told you. If you don’t get up when the alarm rings…”

“Uuumm…”

I’ve decided to refrain from unjustified beatings from now on.

Parenting channels on YouTube say corporal punishment isn’t exactly the best option.

Still, it was impossible to tame this beast of a girl without any discipline, so I made my own rules.

I’d give advance notice, and if she still didn’t listen, then I’d resort to punishment.

“This is what happens.”

“Gyaaaaaaah!!!”

I grabbed one of Cuss’s tentacles and pulled it taut.

Cuss let out an ear-splitting scream and bounced off the bed instantly like a glitched game object.

“Eeeurp…!”

“Huh? Biting?”

Cuss reflexively stuffed my hand into her mouth.

But she just mumbled and chewed without actually biting down.

She knew exactly what kind of retaliation would follow if she did.

“That’s right. Good girl, good gi—AAAACK! You little bitch!!!”

Just as I was about to pat her head for doing well, her teeth sank into the back of my hand.

This crazy girl.

“Eeeeeek!”

“Learn from this, will you? Aaang.”

“I’m thorry! I won’t bite anymooore!”

Says the girl who paralyzes me by biting my nape.

I let go of her before she could scream any more and ruin her voice first thing in the morning.

Cuss sat on the bed, glaring at me with tears in her eyes.

If you’re so upset, get a stronger jaw than mine.

Come back stronger.

“I’ll prepare breakfast, so go wash your face and hair.”

“That’s annoying.”

“Hmm…”

“It’s not annoying anymore!”

When I grabbed her shoulders and stretched her arms, Cuss dashed to the bathroom.

They say raising kids requires physical strength, and that’s absolutely true.

I should exercise regularly if I want to avoid muscle pain after beating her up every day.

“Hmm. Good job.”

I peeked at Cuss washing her hair and returned to the kitchen.

This time she was properly bending over, and when shampooing, she kept her eyes tightly shut.

She was still clumsy, splashing water all over her clothes, but that’s significant progress.

For breakfast, I prepared the American soul food: bacon, fried eggs, sausage, and toast.

It’s the perfect diet for fattening up like a pig, but Cuss needs to gain some weight.

When we bathed together last time, I felt nothing but bones when I touched her.

I thought I’d fattened her up quite a bit, but we still have a long way to go.

“I’m done washing!”

“Hey, hey, hey. You should dry yourself before coming out.”

Cuss walked out of the room with her hair drooping, dripping water everywhere.

I felt a surge of anger but quickly grabbed a towel and started drying her hair.

“Ugh, uh…”

“Dry yourself completely with a towel like this before coming out. When you drip water, someone has to clean it up.”

“It’s fine. I’m not the one cleaning it.”

“From now on, you will be.”

“…”

Clean up your own mess, kid.

“Here. Hair dryer.”

“…?”

“Press this button for air, this one for temperature… never mind. Just remember the power button.”

I handed Cuss the hair dryer and taught her how to use it.

It had a lot of functions, but I got lazy explaining them all.

These things are better learned through hands-on experience anyway.

“Drying is annoying. Do I really have to dry it?”

“If you don’t dry it completely, you’ll get lice in your hair.”

“Lice? What’s that?”

“Bugs that eat your scalp.”

“Eek!”

That seemed to give her some sense of urgency, as Cuss began thoroughly drying every corner of her hair.

Her innocent belief in my words was so cute it made me smile.

After she dried her hair, I brushed it for her.

Brushing still seemed too difficult for her to do on her own.

Then I sat her at the table.

Since we woke up on time, we had plenty of time to eat.

We could eat leisurely, get dressed, and be ready to go.

“Nom nom nom…”

“Hmm?”

Watching Cuss inhale bread and bacon mindlessly made me feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Looking closely, her way of holding the fork was a bit awkward.

She could eat that way without problems, but if someone were sitting next to her, they’d get elbowed.

“Not like that. Like this.”

“Huh? Was I using it wrong?”

“It’s not wrong, but this looks better.”

“Hmm. I understand.”

Feeling frustrated, I went behind Cuss, held her hand, and corrected her directly.

Fortunately, she’s the type who doesn’t forget what she’s learned.

She used the fork properly after that.

When I returned to my seat and looked at her from the front, she looked like an elegant noble lady.

Except for the bread crumbs all over her mouth.

After the meal, I approached Cuss with a napkin.

“Always wipe your mouth like this after eating.”

“Uh… ung…”

What are you saying?

I guess she meant she understood.

After feeding her, I opened the closet.

Cuss naturally reached for a blue dress, but I stopped her.

“What’s wrong?”

“Wait. Today’s your first day. We need to choose carefully.”

First impressions are always important.

Strictly speaking, Cuss already made a strong impression standing tall like a giant on enrollment day, but the first day of class feels different.

I laid out a flowing blue dress and a neat purple dress on the bed and pondered for a long time.

“This won’t do. Try them both on.”

“Ehhh?”

In the end, we had to hold a small fashion show.

Cuss didn’t seem happy about it, pouting her lips, but she did as she was told.

After trying each one on, my impression was…

“Hmm. I can’t decide.”

They both looked pretty and cute.

How am I supposed to choose?

I finally let Cuss decide, and she ended up wearing the blue dress she tried to pick initially.

Cuss’s glare at me contained many emotions.

She seemed to be asking why I made her go through all that trouble, but she didn’t open her mouth.

Good decision.

If she had complained, I would have pinched her cheeks.

“…What’s this?”

“A backpack.”

I gave her my old backpack.

It seemed too big for Cuss’s body, but isn’t a bigger schoolbag always better?

When I took Cuss outside, the school bus was arriving.

Perfect timing.

“Listen to your teacher. Be friendly with the other kids. Try not to fight.”

“I got it. How many times are you going to tell me?”

Cuss waved me off as she boarded the bus and quickly disappeared from my sight.

Rude girl. Would it kill her to wave goodbye?

Well, what more could I expect from an alien?

Thump thump…

As I was about to turn around, I heard a sound and looked up.

Cuss was pressed against the window, moving her lips earnestly.

“I can’t hear you, you stupid girl.”

The bus slowly departed, and I raised my hand to wave.

I should at least look like a father who deeply cares about his daughter.

Cuss waved back at me without knowing what it meant, gradually moving farther away.

The bus shrank in the distance until Cuss was no longer visible.

I left and returned home.

The house was quiet and peaceful.

Now life feels worth living.

“Phew.”

I sat on the new sofa and turned on the television.

A program showing waddling penguins came on immediately.

Maybe that’s what Cuss was watching yesterday.

I changed the channel to the news and moved my arm to the side.

But what should have been there wasn’t, and I awkwardly rested my arm on the sofa.

Something…

“Why is this so boring?”

It’s lonely.

No, actually, it’s not lonely.

How much had I longed for this quietness?

I didn’t notice when I lived alone, but since Cuss arrived, I’d been yearning for this quiet, this peace.

But now that I’m alone at home…

Yes. It feels empty.

Even a troublemaker leaves a void when they’re gone.

Ring ring…

“Ah.”

My phone rang, and when I checked, it was a call from Juliane.

Right.

We were supposed to have lunch together today.

I even took a day off for this.

I’m pretty sure I used up all my vacation days this month, but my supervisor let me go without hesitation.

“Hello, Juliane.”

“Jinsoo. By 11:30…”

For some reason, Juliane’s voice sounded especially welcome today.

***

“Jinsoo! Over here!”

At the main entrance.

Juliane waved her hand vigorously when she spotted Jinsoo Kim.

But Jinsoo, despite clearly seeing it, walked toward her with his hands in his pockets and a sullen face.

“Geez… This guy, really.”

He sounded so excited when she called earlier.

She took that as a positive sign, but face-to-face, he was back to his usual self.

“We don’t have much time. Let’s go up quickly.”

“What do you mean ‘quickly’ when we’re just going to a restaurant…”

“We don’t have much time.”

“…”

She knew perfectly well he took the day off.

She also knew his daughter Cuss was at school, and he had no special plans for the afternoon.

Juliane felt a bit annoyed at Jinsoo’s casual lying.

As they rode the elevator up, Juliane looked at the cityscape unfolding through the glass behind them.

Jinsoo turned his back to her as if avoiding her, staring only at the panel where the numbers changed with each floor.

She wanted to say something but had to hold back.

After all, she was the one in need.

“There are many menu options. The coupon amount is generous, so…”

“I’ll have the tomahawk.”

“…”

Even after sitting at the reserved table, Jinsoo maintained his indifferent attitude.

He just kept looking at his phone while Juliane called a staff member and ordered one steak, one pasta, and a bottle of wine.

“Jinsoo. Shall we talk?”

“About what?”

“Ah, right. About Cuss. If you have to work on weekends, you can leave Cuss with me…”

“It’s fine. I’m planning to call a housekeeper then.”

“…”

Another wall.

Where was this attitude when he was persistently clinging to her before?

Her blood was starting to boil, but Juliane held back.

The one in need is the one who must endure.

The desperate one must try harder.

‘You can do this, Juliane. Be brave.’

Now it was time to bring up the truly difficult topic.

She had considered waiting until after the meal for a calmer atmosphere, but she was at her limit.

Her heart was pounding so hard she couldn’t bear it.

She feared if she didn’t speak now, she might never get the chance.

“Um… Jinsoo.”

“Juliane. You know this is our last meeting, right?”

“What?”

Juliane felt her breath stop at Jinsoo’s cold voice.

With an awkward smile, she met Jinsoo’s eyes as he put away his phone.

“I made a mistake.”

“Pardon?”

“The me before I lost my memories must have been crazy. A man in his 30s with a child, trying something with a young woman like you… I apologize.”

“No, that’s not it.”

“I know you must have been uncomfortable. I’ve deleted your contact. I won’t contact you anymore.”

“No…”

Even as Jinsoo kept talking, Juliane couldn’t form proper words.

She knew she should say something, but the words that reached the back of her throat couldn’t form properly on her lips.

Jinsoo kept saying what he wanted to say.

And I couldn’t speak properly.

Feeling frustrated, wronged, and irritated, Juliane clenched her fist.

“So let’s end it with seeing each other today. From now on…”

“Listen to me!”

With a thud, the table shook.

Jinsoo seemed a bit surprised and stopped talking, looking directly at Juliane.

Juliane’s hands trembled as she moved her lips.

She had to speak now.

She would regret it if she didn’t.

There would never be another chance.

Finally resolving herself, Juliane raised her head and opened her mouth.

“Jinsoo. Actually, I…”