Picnic

Smoke wafted up through the chimney, filling the gaps between the bricks and the plaster.

The white smoke soared into the clear sky, devoid of clouds.

In the yard where a gentle breeze blew, a line was strung between two wooden sticks.

“Uhtcha.”

As he opened the waist-high door, a man entered. In his arms was a basin filled with laundry.

The clothes, freshly pulled from the riverbank, were heavy with water and drooping.

“Daddy!”

Seeing the man approach, a small creature that reached up to his knees burst through the door.

The child, darting like a bullet, collided with the man’s waist, causing him to bend over with a grunt.

He carefully set the basin down to prevent the laundry from falling and lifted the child by the waist.

As the child’s feet left the ground and they floated into the air, the child let out a familiar giggle.

With green and blue eyes that were very pretty, the child looked like an angel.

The man shook the child up and down a few times, trying to set them down, but the child squirmed with a frown.

“Do you want more?”

At Daddy’s words, the child smiled brightly as if to say, “When did I say that?”

The man lifted the child high into the air again.

“Simba. You are the king.”

“Simba? What does that mean?”

“There’s such a thing.”

The man grinned widely, showing his teeth, and ruffled the child’s hair.

He carefully set the child down, and the child, satisfied with the playtime, no longer begged for more.

“Is it laundry?”

The child turned their attention to the basin on the ground.

“Yes. I’m going to hang it on the line.”

Already using the word ‘laundry’? Is my child a genius?

The man muttered.

“I want to! I want to!”

As the child picked up a piece of laundry with their tiny hands, a smile spread across the man’s face.

“Does Hailey want to try?”

After patting his sore back a few times, the man lifted the child up again.

The child struggled a bit as they hung a shirt on the line.

“I want to rest.”

Maybe they had exerted too much energy? The child turned away from Daddy with a disinterested expression.

The man chuckled and set the child down.

“Oh! It smells delicious.”

The child’s attention turned back to the house, and like a flash, they dashed inside.

“The bread must be ready.”

As he caught the scent of the savory aroma, the man picked up the laundry from the basin.

Since the bread seemed ready, he needed to hurry.

After hanging all the laundry, the man tucked the empty basin under his arm and went into the house.

The smell of bread, which could also be sensed in the yard, wafted into his nose.

“It smells delicious.”

“Would you like some?”

A soft voice came from the kitchen.

The man shook his head.

“No, I’m not hungry yet. And if I eat here, there won’t be anything left to eat later.”

“I baked plenty. Hailey is having one too.”

“That’s okay. Just give me a glass of water.”

As he wiped the sweat from his brow and sat at the table, a cool cup of water was placed right in front of him.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

The man smiled softly.

“Daddy! Daddy!”

Hailey clung to her father’s leg.

“Hailey. Daddy is tired.”

The man’s wife spoke sternly as she pried the child away.

She naturally positioned herself between her husband and child.

“Tch… Mommy is trying to hog Daddy all to herself.”

As the child pouted, the man chuckled. The woman turned around, making eye contact with the child.

“It can’t be helped. Daddy belongs to Mommy. No matter how cute Hailey is, I can’t give him up.”

With a kind expression, the woman spoke to her daughter.

“But….”

“Hailey. Come here.”

As the child sulked, the man reached out his hand.

The child, as if forgetting her earlier mood, smiled brightly and climbed onto her father’s lap.

“You are too soft on her.”

The wife looked at the man with a troubled expression.

“But she’s cute.”

Watching the child, who was standing on his lap and rubbing her face against his neck, the man smiled with eyes full of love.

“That’s true.”

The wife did not deny her husband’s words.

“Are we ready?”

The man looked at the basket filled with bread.

“Yes. We can leave right away.”

“Then shall we go now? Hailey~ time to wake up. We’re going on a picnic.”

“That’s right! Picnic! Picnic!”

The blonde child jumped up and down on her father’s lap, eventually getting separated from him due to her mother’s intervention.

The wind blew across the green fields.

The family, sitting on a mat, enjoyed a leisurely picnic, spreading jam on the bread they had prepared.

“The wind is blowing.”

“It’s refreshing.”

“Oh! A butterfly!”

“Don’t go too far.”

As the child spotted a butterfly and put on her shoes to run after it, they called out behind her.

They watched the child with their eyes.

Truly, the saying that a child is so precious they wouldn’t hurt them even if they put them in their eyes was true.

“It’s already been ten years.”

Suddenly, the wife said that.

“Indeed. Time flies.”

The man lay back. The shade from the tree shielded his eyes from the sunlight.

“I’m always happy.”

“Me too.”

“Isn’t it uncomfortable? The differences between here and there are significant.”

“You ask that every time.”

The man laughed.

“It’s fine. It’s a bit awkward, but not uncomfortable. In fact, it’s healing and nice. Maybe I lived in a place with too much stimulation.”

He added, “I do miss movies and games a little, but it’s not to the point of death.”

“…….”

“Don’t make that face. I came here because I wanted to.”

“You always do so much for me.”

The woman smiled at the man’s comfort.

“You also dedicate yourself to me. You’re neither a saint nor anything special.”

“I didn’t love a saint; I loved you.”

With blue and green eyes, Maria smiled.

Their relationship began as a saint and a nun.

It took a long time to shed the strange hierarchy created by excessive praise and admiration.

He discarded the image of a saint, and the nun let go of her identity as a clergy member.

Through many conversations, they came to recognize each other as Kang In-ho, the man, and Maria, the woman, sharing their feelings.

Through their conversations, they understood each other and either bridged or acknowledged their differences.

In the most alien world, he found his own comfort and refuge.

He also became her refuge, transforming into someone she could rely on at any time.

It was love.

“I love you too. Maria.”

As soon as Kang In-ho’s words finished, Maria’s lips covered his.

“Oh! Daddy and Mommy are kissing!”

At Hailey’s voice from afar, Maria hurriedly sat up.

Kang In-ho found it somehow amusing to see Maria’s face turn as red as a beet.

Hahaha—

Kang In-ho laughed. Then he stood up to embrace Hailey, who was running toward him.

“By the way….”

As he lifted Hailey, who came running, Maria spoke.

“Have you thought of a name?”

Maria, sitting demurely, placed her hands gently on her belly.

“Don’t you know yet?”

“It’ll be a girl. This time too.”

Maria said with a look of certainty.

“And….”

Maria’s eyes narrowed.

“We should start planning for a third soon, right?”

Reading the unspoken emotion in her gaze, Kang In-ho felt a chill run down his spine.