“You don’t belong to our family!”
With that, she splashed water dramatically.
I didn’t expect this kind of development.
I mean, it’s not like I’m marrying Da-eun or anything, so why would I hear such words?
“…Could thinking of it as cohabitation make it happen?”
Of course, I would never say such a thing in reality.
“Kana likes dramas, huh?”
“Not really.”
“Come on. The way you can recite lines means you’ve watched quite a lot, right?”
“I haven’t watched that much.”
“Right, right. Of course, I trust what Kana says. But still, you shouldn’t watch too much, okay?”
“Your tone doesn’t sound like you trust me at all.”
…Wait, didn’t we just have a similar conversation?
A strange sense of déjà vu made me tilt my head.
“By the way, did you know? Surprisingly, such lines actually come up in reality sometimes.”
“What do you mean?”
“That thing Kana said earlier. ‘You don’t belong to our family!’… It happens, you know?”
“…People actually say that in real life?”
“Yeah, that’s what I heard?”
“Then does that mean people also say, ‘I’ll give you this money if you break up with my kid’?”
“Uh, well…? I’m guessing they might? …Wait a second.”
Da-eun’s eyes widened.
“Looks like you have watched quite a bit after all.”
“I haven’t!”
They say masterpieces are timeless.
The same goes for the internet, I’ve only seen a few photos floating around online.
But why am I justifying myself?
Only then did I realize something strange.
“This is all Da-eun’s fault.”
“…Huh? It’s my fault?”
“Because Da-eun said something weird.”
“S-sorry…?”
“So, as an apology, hand over some chocolate.”
“-No. That’s not happening.”
Da-eun, who almost pulled chocolate out of her pocket in a daze, suddenly snapped back to reality as she crinkled the wrapper.
What a waste. This isn’t happening.
“If you eat chocolate before a meal, it ruins your appetite. Let’s eat first, got it?”
“I heard that some places have food to eat with chocolate.”
“Not in our house.”
And then she sighed.
“It’s really nice that Kana is adapting well, but I’m worried she might pick up something strange…”
“Anyone would think you’re my mom.”
“If I had a cute daughter like Kana, I would welcome her anytime!”
…But I don’t want that.
The conversation took a strange turn thanks to Da-eun’s spontaneous interjection.
What I really wanted to say was this:
Uncle… Da-eun’s dad accepted me way too easily.
“That’s what it is.”
“Like I said before, I wasn’t expecting you to splash water or hand over an envelope of cash.”
“But still, shouldn’t I have some doubts about my only daughter living with someone else?”
“Things like what she does, whether she has an income, and how long they plan to live together… you know, those kinds of things.”
Da-eun, who was quietly listening to my doubts, nodded her head.
“Of course. I mentioned that beforehand.”
“Da-eun?”
“Yeah. After Mom came over last time, I thought I should tell my parents that I’m living with Kana. If they find out suddenly, they’ll start worrying.”
“…Uh-huh.”
“That’s true, but… isn’t it a bit late to realize that?”
“It feels like shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted.”
Da-eun, oblivious to my hesitant gaze, continued speaking.
“So when Dad called today, it really means he wants to have a meal together. Well, if it felt like I was living with a terrible guy, he might have opposed me living with Kana. But Kana isn’t that kind of kid, right? A bit annoying, though.”
“Hey, kids, come eat!”
“Okay, I’ll be right out!”
“Then it will get cold! Hurry up!”
“Ugh… I’m coming out right away!”
Grumbling, Da-eun reached out her hand to me.
“Come on. Let’s go eat.”
“Sure.”
Ignoring her hand that was waving as if to hurry me along, I left the room.
Da-eun followed me, still grumbling.
It’s strange how a simple hand-holding can be such a big deal.
“Are you here? Sit down… Why did a goldfish come instead of my daughter?”
The lady who warmly welcomed us paused as she put down the pot.
“Hah? Have you ever seen such a pretty goldfish?”
“Cut the nonsense. Just sit down.”
If she weren’t holding a pot, I would have smacked her on the back.
Her eyes seemed to imply she was thinking the same.
As I plopped down on a chair, I locked eyes with the man sitting across from me, watching Da-eun’s behavior.
“…Hmm.”
“….”
An awkward silence flowed between us…
For me, it wasn’t common to strike up a conversation with anyone other than Da-eun.
And since the man was, as Da-eun had mentioned, a bit gruff, a conversation was naturally nonexistent.
Perhaps if we’d exchanged pleasantries multiple times, it would have been different, but that wasn’t the case.
“Why’s the atmosphere so thick? I can barely breathe.”
Luckily, Da-eun stopped arguing with the lady and sat down, so I avoided the horrifying situation of having to talk one-on-one with the man.
“Ugh… What is all this?”
Da-eun theatrically gasped for air.
“Wow~ Mrs. Kim Ye-rim really showed her skills! The table is going to break!”
“Haha, you’re something else.”
“She could at least set the table like this more often. Ugh….”
“….”
As expected, Da-eun was out for blood.
A little later, a tiny bump appeared on her head.
The aunt, leaving the corpse-like Da-eun behind, asked me.
“Is it edible?”
“Yep. It’s delicious.”
“Phew. I was worried it wouldn’t suit your taste, but I’m glad.”
It didn’t sound like mere courtesy; the aunt really looked relieved.
“Honestly, I wanted to buy something even tastier than this….”
“Uh-huh.”
I shook my head.
It’s too delicious to call it a downgrade.
I had felt her cooking was good before, but today, it seemed like she sharpened her skills.
“It’s better than takeout.”
“…Really?”
“Yep.”
“Even though Kana can be a bit sassy, she doesn’t lie. So, take pride in it!”
“It’s really delicious.”
“Thank you for saying that. Eat plenty!”
“…Ignored?!”
Plus, all the food was meat-based, which suited my tastes perfectly.
“Which is better, the food I made or what Mom made?”
“Why would you ask that to someone who’s eating so well?!”
“This one.”
“Oh my, oh my.”
“Hey, where did that person go who scolded me for asking such things?”
Suddenly, I had this random thought while we were having what I considered a pleasant conversation.
Right now, she treated me so warmly, but would she still act the same after knowing my past in Silia?
“….”
“Kana?”
“Oh.”
Hearing my name softly called, I realized my hand had frozen.
And that three pairs of eyes were staring at me.
“Maybe we should’ve eaten out…?”
“If we did, I think Kana would’ve refused. She may not look it, but she’s really shy. Totally like a cat.”
“You’re saying things to a kid that you shouldn’t.”
“Is this something I shouldn’t say?”
“….”
Da-eun couldn’t hold back and started bickering with the aunt.
The aunt sighed while responding to her, and the uncle, seemingly used to this, stayed focused on his meal.
Seeing that, I felt for some reason that the thoughts I had were utterly pointless.
As I said in the beginning, it was more a pure curiosity than a worry.
Just because they don’t treat me the same way doesn’t mean I can do anything about it.
I can’t go back now to repent or even think about it.
So, let’s stop with the unnecessary thoughts.
“….”
I moved my hand, which had paused, to grab a piece of meat.
As soon as it entered my mouth, it started to melt… not really, but after a few chews, it disappeared in an instant.
As soon as it touched my tongue, it didn’t melt away like candy, but that piece of meat vanished in an instant after a few chews.
But I wasn’t that disappointed.
There was still a pile left on the plate.
“Ugh….”
I reached out my arm toward the plate.
But my short little arms couldn’t stretch far enough to reach the plate way over there.
Now that’s real disappointment.
‘But there’s still plenty to eat.’
There were still things I hadn’t tasted.
Just as I was trying to push aside my disappointment and look for other food…
Swoosh.
“Ah-hem.”
Sneakingly, the uncle brought the dish of vegetables that was in the middle of the table closer while clearing his throat.
Then, he moved the nearby meat to an empty spot and took a big chopstickful of vegetables into his mouth.
As if he did it just for the sake of eating vegetables.
“….”
Bowing my head slightly, he suddenly pretended he hadn’t seen anything.
…Ah, I see.
So that’s how it was.
When I reached out my arm again, unlike before, I caught a piece of meat with the tip of my chopsticks.
I brought it to my mouth along with a mouthful of rice.
“Nom….”
Munch, munch.
It was indeed delicious.
But somehow—
This time it felt a little sweeter and warmer.
*
I sat on the sofa, digging through my memories.
“Family, huh.”
Though the scene I saw at Da-eun’s family home was somewhat noisy, it wasn’t exactly special.
But does it have to be special to be family?
The affection I sensed and the underlying subtle consideration spoke volumes of their hearts.
What struck me the most was the demeanor shown by Da-eun’s dad.
The affection hidden behind his gruffness.
Da-eun had said once,
“Just seeing each other often and talking isn’t the only kind of love.”
Of course, that was probably something said to brush things off.
…Still, it was a bit comforting.
I wished I hadn’t been so gruff, and that I had been more affectionate.
As I regretted, it felt like my past actions toward my dad weren’t entirely wrong.
A heavy burden that had been resting in the corner of my heart felt a little lighter.
“Heh, heh… Kana… could you help me move some stuff?”
“I’m too full to move.”
“I’m full too…!”
But that’s that, and this is this.
“If you lost the bet, just accept it quietly.”
“…Ughhh!”
Though Da-eun, who suggested moving stuff with some enthusiasm, groaned when she lost—
That’s not really my problem, is it?
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