episode_0018

“Quickly… Please take responsibility.”

“… … Wait a minute, Yerim… .”

Yerim’s face, holding my collar, is close.

No matter where you look, you see a face that resembles your older sister.

Aside from the hair style, the eyes, nose, and mouth really resemble my older sister.

In some ways, it’s natural. Yerim is not my niece… Because she’s my daughter.

“… … .”

The moment my mind turned white, tears began to fall from Yerim’s eyes.

“Please take responsibility… Dad.”

“… … .”

As I quietly hugged Yerim, Yerim also shed tears as she hugged me.

Concerns that cannot be discussed anywhere, shame in life.

Seeing Yerim unable to cry loudly for fear of being heard next door, I felt like my heart was being stabbed by something.

trash.

No, it can’t be explained with trash.

No matter what adjectives are attached to me, they won’t be enough.

That’s how much I ruined a child’s life, a family, everything.

“I will take responsibility. No matter what happens, I will take responsibility for my daughter.”

He said while holding Yerim’s hand.

Now that this has happened, I have no choice but to take responsibility.

Until Yerim dies, I have to take care of Yerim.

Because that is the duty of a father who gave birth to a daughter.

“… … Yes.”

My right shoulder becomes warm, and Yerim’s breath tickles my ear.

My daughter was buried in my arms for a while.

“Don’t cling… .

Wiping away my tears, I smiled brightly.

♠

“Goodbye.”

“Yes. Rest well.”

The place my older sister moved to was a rented apartment.

Surprisingly, it was a long distance from my house to my sister’s house, so after lunch, I drove her home.

“Uncle.”

“Huh?”

“… no. Nothing.”

“Yes.”

“Is Yerim here?”

“Sister?”

My sister, who was about to throw away trash in the parking lot, came towards me.

When you look at them side by side like this, they look exactly alike.

I feel like Yerim is a tougher version of my older sister.

“What happened?”

“Ah… I came to see my sister, but I met Yerim and took her there.”

“Yes. I met you on the way.”

“Ah~ Let’s have a cup of tea while we’re here.”

“… Is that so.”

I overcame the crisis with a lie that came naturally.

Yerim also looked at me and matched the mood.

“Uh, is your brother-in-law here?”

“Yes. Hello.”

I secretly hoped he wasn’t there, but when the three of us came up together, my brother-in-law came out to greet us.

“Have you eaten lunch?”

“Yes. I ate it.”

“Yerim too?”

“Yes. I also ate. … At a friend’s house.”

“Yes.”

The four-person meeting became a bit awkward.

When I didn’t know the truth, I thought it was just my nephew’s family, but now that I look at it, it’s such an ugly family that I wonder what a mess it is.

The child my sister gave birth to after marrying someone else is actually my child.

And the first to reach the truth was the daughter.

It was so awkward that I felt nervous about taking a sip of water.

If what I don’t know is medicine, I feel like I want to drink that medicine right away.

“I’ll go soon.”

“Why? Let’s go later.”

“No, I have work to finish… .”

“You’re busy… .”

“Yes… what. We have to finish it as quickly as possible.”

“That’s right, you said you were going to propose after the project was over?”

“What… For now.”

Now the only woman around me is Yena.

If I miss this moment, I probably won’t be able to get married in my life.

To be honest, I thought I would get married before 30 like my older sister, but I couldn’t wait until I got older, so I can understand why my uncle got angry during Chuseok.

“I’ll go in.”

“Yes. Come again.”

“Yes. I’ll go.”

“Uncle.”

“Huh?”

The moment I was about to leave, Yerim called me.

He took a step closer and whispered in a low voice.

“I said I would take responsibility.”

“… … Yes.”

“Then, please take me to school starting tomorrow.”

“School?”

“Yes.”

“… Of course. I don’t think I can drop off from school because of work. Sorry.”

“That’s okay.”

“Why are you two whispering like that? We’ve become really close, haven’t we?”

In a moment of surprise, the two distanced themselves.

I wonder if my sister will be suspicious.

“… … just. My sister told me last time. Let’s become friends.”

“Were you such a driven person?”

“If you do it, you are the one who does it.”

“Well… .”

“I’m really going.”

“Goodbye~”

“Goodbye.”

“… … .”

Lastly, Yerim waved her hand and said hello,

With a clear mouth shape, he pronounced ‘dad’.

♠

“That’s right… .”

Now I woke up from sleeping peacefully alone like usual.

As dawn came, the sound of sparrows came into the room on the slightly chilly wind.

Today was the day Yerim took me there.

“Phew… .”

I quickly got ready for work and started the car.

Normally I would eat some bread for breakfast, but since it was late, I skipped it.

“Oh. It’s not too late.”

“Workers should follow this level.”

“Well.”

I waited near the house, and soon Yerim came around the corner and got into my car.

Now the cool fall season has begun, and I am only wearing a long shirt and tie.

“Here.”

“Huh? What is it?”

“It’s bread. This is my favorite bread.”

“I understand that… .”

“I brought it because I thought you probably came without breakfast.”

“Oh, thank you. I really didn’t eat breakfast.”

“Anyway… I heard that the head also appeared in the back.”

“Ah… Really?”

“Clothes again… ha… .”

Yerim stretched out her hand as if to grab my collar and straightened my clothes.

Looking at the blurry reflection on the windshield, it became quite clear.

“You overslept, right?”

“It’s not like I overslept at this hour… .”

“Ah… Did office workers go to work at 9 o’clock?”

“Yes.”

“It would be nice if school started at 9 o’clock… .”

“Then it will be late to go home.”

“That’s true too.”

After some small talk, we arrived at school before we knew it.

I deliberately went a little further from the main gate and then got off.

“Have a nice trip.”

“Yes? I’m not going to my uncle’s house today.”

“No… I mean school.”

“Yes. Have a nice trip. … Dad.”

“… … .”

Yerim shyly calls me dad and then runs away.

After a long time, I headed to work with the scent of a high school girl coming from the passenger seat.

“Oppa. Coming from the other side today?”

“Ah. Yes.”

“… Who were you with?”

“I was giving my nephew a ride.”

“Nephew… Oh, Yerim?”

After dropping off Yerim, I went to pick up Yena this time.

Since the subway station is quite far away, they always take me to the station.

“Hmm~ Should I change to this perfume too? How about it?”

“Perfume… ?”

“Yes. There was a nice smell from where Yerim sat.”

“Sniff.”

“… … Be honest. I don’t know.”

“Yes… .”

These days, men also wear deodorant or perfume, but if you don’t explain what the smell is, it just smells good and you can’t tell the difference.

“Take better care of it.”

“Umm… .”

My brown wavy hair touches my shoulders, and Yena’s scent feels stronger, to the point where I forget Yerim’s scent.

But I definitely feel something different, but I don’t know which is better.

“Do you think it would be okay to leave it as is?”

“Really? Uh, what is this bread?”

“Yerim gave it to me.”

“… He’s really kind~ He even prepares breakfast for me.”

“Didn’t you bring something too?”

“Did you get caught?”

“There’s no way you wouldn’t notice that the bag is that big.”

“Hihi.”

While waiting for the signal, Yena looked embarrassed and handed me a round piece of foil.

Judging by its weight, it seemed to be a rice ball.

“Bread is good, but I also eat rice. I made it with my brother’s favorite tuna mayo.”

“Oh~ Did you make it yourself? thank you. What about yours?”

“I already ate and left~ Drop me off here.”

“Welcome back.”

“Yes, my brother had a good time too.”

Along with the greeting, I felt a soft touch on my right cheek.

For no reason, the blood rushed downward and Yena was let go.

“Phew… .”

To be honest, I was constantly anxious.

I’m afraid that it will come out from my mouth that Yerim is actually my daughter.

♠

“Sleep.”

“Thank you.”

Every day I get bread from Yerim.

Because my body got used to it, I didn’t bother to eat breakfast.

“Uncle.”

“Huh?”

“You’re not intentionally not eating breakfast just because I give you bread every day, right?”

“Uh… … .”

“Ha… .”

When I looked like I had hit the nail on the head, Yerim glared at me.

He said it was his fault for taking care of him every day and fastened his seatbelt.

“That… My girlfriend makes rice balls for me these days.”

“… yes? Rice balls? Did you make it yourself?”

“Yes. Thanks to rice balls and bread, I have a filling breakfast.”

“… Why didn’t you tell me you were going to eat it then? I guess I got excited for no reason.”

“That… That day was the first time. The day I received bread and the day I received rice balls.”

“Are you picking up your girlfriend too?”

“Yes. It’s far from my house to the station.”

“You have a very good boyfriend.”

“… … .”

Yerim looked displeased and cleared her throat as if telling her to leave.

“… … I guess I don’t need bread anymore. There was someone cooking for me, but I somehow interfered. Sorry.”

There was a lot of disappointment in his tone.

When I glanced at him, he looked out the window and didn’t want to show me his face.

“Huh? no. How grateful I am for the bread. There are more days when I can’t eat rice balls. ”

“That’s it… Because all the flattery is obvious.”

“It’s true… … .”

“It somehow smelled like perfume.”

“Huh?”

“I’m just talking to myself.”

After that, Yerim did not open her mouth.

Usually, while I was on my way, I would use my phone and throw out one word at a time.

Even though I liked the quiet feeling, I felt sorry because I felt like I had done something wrong.

“There is no water… ?”

“Huh?”

“That person. Are you asking me not to provide drinks?”

“Um… huh. I feel like they don’t take care of me.”

“I see… .”

After a while, we arrived at school.

When I stopped the car at the place where I always got off, Yerim, who had unbuckled her seatbelt, hesitantly spoke to me.

“… Tomorrow is our school festival.”

“Ah~ It’s that kind of season already.”

High school festival.

Although it is said to have been scaled down a lot these days due to fewer students, it is still the largest event in the school.

In my time, each class operated a booth or invited a band or support group to perform.

In particular, since it was part of the broadcasting department, the biggest advantage was being able to see the students who came to support up close.

“If you’re bored… Are you coming?”

“What time does it finish? Can outsiders go too?”

“Yes. does not matter. Won’t it end around 4 o’clock?”

“Um… okay. I’ll go when I have time.”

“… … Yes.”

“Have a nice trip.”

“3… dad… Also.”

“Yes… .”

Yerim, who was running around as usual, seemed to be a little excited, as if her mood had eased.