episode_0006

I didn’t tell my daughter about my birthday.

Because I didn’t think I deserved to be congratulated.

My daughter’s birthday was an important event that should never be missed, but my birthday is a day that should never be forgotten.

However, when my daughter entered middle school, she started celebrating my birthday.

Even though I didn’t tell you.

Babang! bread!

[dad! Happy birthday!]

I still haven’t forgotten how a cute angel wearing a hat greeted me with fireworks exploding as I entered the house.

I wanted to tell him not to celebrate my birthday, but I didn’t let it out.

I was so happy that my lovely angel had prepared such a birthday party for me.

[Why are you crying, Dad?]

[Haha…adult…I’m sorry. Strangely, I’m crying.]

[Don’t cry, Dad.]

Come on.

The angel who hugged me was so soft and warm.

[Why did you hide Dad’s birthday? [They took care of everything on my birthday.]

[…that is……]

[No, Dad. You don’t have to talk. Because I already knew.]

Even now, when I think of that moment, tears well up.

I was so thankful that such a cute princess had grown up so much that she was able to celebrate her ugly father’s birthday.

[dad. Thanks born. Thanks to you, I was able to meet my dad.]

[Aya Min…Aya Min…]

The tears I had been holding back burst out helplessly.

I was so happy.

So I was so embarrassed.

I always thought I had to be a strong supporter for my daughter.

That’s why I never showed any hardships in front of my daughter.

[Are you crying because you’re happy? yes?]

But I felt saved by my daughter growing up properly and taking care of me.

I couldn’t control my overwhelming emotions.

I couldn’t stop the crying that came out of my mouth.

[I’m so happy…I’m so happy…]

Just like that…my daughter’s first birthday party ended in tears.

After that day.

The number of anniversaries that my daughter celebrates for me has increased.

But just one day.

I didn’t get anything for Valentine’s Day.

Of course, that’s not what I wanted.

It is not a day that should be treated specially in a father-daughter relationship.

I also didn’t celebrate White Day for my daughter.

Because it was thought to be a day for lovers.

The day my daughter turns 20.

February 4th of that year.

That day is a day I can never forget.

Minah applied to Korea University.

The reason was that I wanted to go to the same school as my father.

Of course, I was not at a level high enough to go to a popular department at a Korean university, so I applied to the relatively less popular Korean literature department.

But the result was failure.

Mina cried loudly.

Mina: I don’t think I’ve ever cried so sadly except during a divorce.

Minah was a quiet and deep-hearted child.

It has never once broken my heart.

That’s why I was embarrassed.

No matter how much I consoled my daughter, she wouldn’t stop crying.

[I’m sorry, Dad. I wasn’t able to provide good support to my smart daughter… I’m sorry… Dad, I’m sorry.]

[no! It’s not dad’s fault! It’s my fault! Because I’m not good enough!! It’s because I didn’t try hard!!]

I didn’t know what to do.

Should I leave it as is?

Or should I actively appease him?

[I worked hard because I wanted to become an alumnus with my dad!! I thought it was possible without raising my hand to my dad!! however!!]

It was thorough self-reflection.

But I was actually proud of my daughter.

Korea University, the first national university and ranked first in Korea, failed, but OO University, the second ranked and first private university, had already been accepted.

There was almost no cost for my daughter’s education.

It’s not that I didn’t have money.

Rather, we were able to invest a lot of money.

[I’m really fine. Are online lectures enough? There is no need for expensive tutoring. I don’t want anyone in this house.]

However, my daughter was opposed to expensive tutoring.

This achievement was achieved solely through online lectures and workbooks.

When I listen to friends who have children, they say that polarization has become increasingly severe these days.

They said that we live in an age where you can never get into a good university through school or general studies.

In Daechi-dong, the number one place for private education, I heard that tutoring that costs over 2 million won per subject is not excessive.

But how was my daughter able to achieve this grade simply through online lectures?

[Ugh!! I’m sorry, Dad!! I disappointed my dad because my skills weren’t good enough!! Sorry!! I’m really sorry!!]

I also heard that it is quite difficult for children who received 2 million won in tutoring to get into a top private university.

Why do you know so well?

This is because I heard that my best friend’s son tried and failed at OO University, the top private university, last year.

It was never meant to be sobbing like this.

Rather, it was something that deserved praise.

[Dad was never disappointed. On the contrary, I am proud of my daughter. oo Even if she is just a teenager, she is amazing.]

[it is not so!! I should have been classmates with my dad!! That was my goal!!]

Purr.

The sound of a cell phone ringing instantly.

[Sniff… Hello… Look…]

Minah answered the phone and…

[yes yes?]

The tone of voice gradually rose.

[Really?! and!! thank you!! thank you!!]

widely.

Minah closed the study flip phone and hugged me, crying.

[dad!! Success!!!!]

[What…what do you mean?]

[Hankook University!! [#242] [#242] [#232]

Faba Park.

A surge of joy began to flood my frontal lobe, like firecrackers exploding.

My daughter…was accepted to Korea University.

It wasn’t what I expected.

Of course, it was a Korean literature department, but given the name value of a Korean university, it won’t be very difficult to find a job later.

Even though people in their 00s said it was okay…this was even…even more happy.

[Good job, my daughter!!]

Flash!

I lifted my daughter up.

Before I knew it, my daughter was 175cm tall.

But it was as light as cotton.

It may have been because of the adrenaline, but it was also because my daughter was actually light.

It’s not like I barely ate any food, but it was surprising how light it was.

[Sigh…Hehehehe!!! dad!! Dad!!]

Minah’s tears were lifted.

It was scattered like a spray and instantly formed a rainbow before disappearing.

[great job!! My daughter!! You worked really hard!! It’s really great!! It’s something my dad will be proud of for the rest of his life!!]

[Thank you…Thank you, Dad…!! I’m… really happy that you said that…]

When I lowered my arms, Minah came into my arms.

[I will never let you go for the rest of my life. Because Dad is mine.]

[Even if you let go, Dad will always be Minah’s.]

[Dad… I love you.]

[Dad loves our daughter too.]

[dad……]

Mina looked at me.

Eyes filled with tears could never have been so beautiful.

[……]

Her pink lips twitch.

It looked like he was trying to say something.

[…no. Not yet.]

[Is there something you want to say to my daughter?]

[no. no. dad!! Now that I think about it, I want to eat the curry my dad made!! Add a soft-boiled egg on top!]

Minah’s face changed from serious to playful again.

Why?

Why did you feel nervous for a moment?

[Dad’s curry! The most delicious dad curry in the world!!]

It was my late mother’s recipe.

My mother’s curry was my favorite.

My curry made according to that recipe.

My daughter, who is not related to me by blood, likes it.

Thank you.

She was my very lovely daughter.

And 10 days later.

February 14th came.

[dad! this!]

He held out a small, bright red, single-stacked box.

[What is this?]

[Hehe, open it.]

The matte bright red color was so intense.

Wow.

I opened the package as if I was possessed by something.

There was a box of the same color there.

[What on earth did my daughter give me?]

[hurry. Open it quickly.]

Minah’s eye smile was so beautiful.

The half-moon shaped eyes are truly precious.

My daughter was a woman who could make that half-moon eye smile.

Pakak.

[Wow…is it chocolate?]

[Today is Valentine’s Day. I made this for my beloved dad!]

A little bumpy.

Chocolate that is clearly handmade.

However, it was clear that a lot of effort had been put into it.

[Try it! dad! hurry!]

I heard chocolate.

It felt heavy as if something had been lifted.

I put one in my mouth.

Crispy.

A liquid flowed down my mouth with a pleasant bursting sound.

The taste was…alcohol.

The first taste was a little salty, but then I felt a high alcohol content with a strong oak scent.

It was whiskey.

The salty taste combined with the sweet taste of the chocolate made it even sweeter, while at the same time the alcohol of the whiskey hit your nose, creating a fantastic harmony.

[how is it? how is it?]

She looks forward to my evaluation.

[delicious! It was the most delicious chocolate I’ve ever tasted!]

A smile spread across Minah’s face when she saw the happy face.

[Since my dad is an adult, I tried making chocolate with whiskey… To be honest, I don’t like it, but seeing him so happy makes me think I like it now.]

Minah picked up the chocolate.

[Think of it as an adult me offering a drink to my dad.]

Sook.

Mina’s long fingers holding the chocolate entered my throat.

I couldn’t even chew it and had no choice but to swallow the chocolate.

[I love you, Dad.]

****

morning.

The morning after Eunhyuk went to work at the hospital.

As soon as her father, Eunhyuk, went to work, Mina moved quickly.

They were getting ready to make chocolate in the kitchen.

“Hmm~ Hmm~ Hmm~.”

Chocolate made skillfully while humming a song.

And I picked up a bottle of whiskey from Eunhyuk’s liquor cabinet.

“If I’m strong like this… it’ll be okay, right?”

Minah began mixing whiskey with an unknown liquid in the bottle she had brought.

He then began carefully injecting the liquid into the chocolate confectionery.