“……..”
-Click-click…
-Click-click…
“……..”
I entered Corbin’s personal room.
Not for any particular reason, just because I had nothing else to do.
Charlotte had played and then fallen asleep, and since today was a holiday, there really wasn’t any work.
I was curious about what Corbin was doing, and after helping him a little while ago, he hadn’t come out of his room since.
Honestly, I couldn’t help my curiosity.
-Click-click…
-BOOM!!!
“………”
As soon as I stepped into the room, the first thing that caught my eye was… Corbin completely engrossed in a game.
Not just a casual interest, but he was seriously into it, to the point he didn’t even notice me watching from behind.
Since he couldn’t hear me either, it made sense.
“Phew…”
I let out a tiny sigh.
To be honest, I was somewhat expecting it, but it still looked a bit foolish every time I saw him like that.
A lot.
Of course, he didn’t always play games like that.
But occasionally, he would get incredibly focused on one, especially on holidays…
“O… oh……..”
Watching him sitting there gasping at the monitor, I couldn’t help but think…
Wasn’t Charlotte more mature than him sometimes?
It was truly childish of someone claiming to be a father.
“Wow…”
“………”
He was so absorbed that he didn’t even hear my tiny sigh, just sitting quietly and marveling to himself.
Should I find it cute watching him like that?
Or should I just sigh?
Just a little while ago I was playing with Charlotte, and now it seemed I had to entertain Corbin.
But alone…
“Wow… the graphics are amazing… whoa…”
…He really was consistent.
He’d been like this since before Charlotte was born, even when she was still in the womb.
But I decided to think positively.
Well, it wasn’t like it was some weird hobby; it was just a game.
Better than going out fishing like some people do.
Though to be honest, fishing was definitely not an option in our neighborhood anyway, but still.
I stood silently at the door, watching Corbin, and slowly walked inside the room.
Corbin, immersed in his game on the sofa, didn’t notice my entrance.
Just casually going about his business.
It was almost funny how he didn’t notice I was getting closer.
Anyway, I quietly sat down on the slightly larger sofa behind him.
It was good to have separate small and large sofas for situations like this.
“PC games are fun, but… I think consoles are even more fun… And there’s a new release… I wonder if Lindera won’t let me…”
He talked as if I wasn’t even there.
Sure, I could have interrupted, but I purposely stayed silent.
I wanted to hear what he would say.
“Hmmm… There are still some games I haven’t played… It’d be best to buy them during the next sale. Yeah.”
Oh…
“I used to play games often before I got pregnant, but I guess it can’t be helped now…”
“………”
“I mean, Lindera is really bad at games…”
As Corbin said that, he turned his head slightly towards the door.
He probably thought I was eavesdropping.
But contrary to that thought, I was already deep inside the room.
So when he turned to look at the door, I still didn’t come into his view.
By the way, it was a bit silly that he still hadn’t realized I was there.
“…Should I ask to play games together for the first time in a while?”
“…….”
Corbin was actually thinking about asking me to play games together.
Considering we hadn’t played together recently, and before Charlotte grew up, it was a bit awkward to play.
It can’t be helped.
But now Charlotte was getting a bit older, and I didn’t have to worry as much as before.
Of course, worrying was still a big part of things.
“Ugh…”
Corbin really seemed to want to play games with me, and he began to lift himself off the sofa.
It was quite hilarious seeing him still so clueless.
“Corbin.”
“Eh?!”
“………”
He didn’t notice me until he was about to leave the room, so I just called out to him.
Honestly, I felt he might have wandered around the house if I hadn’t done so.
“…Lindera?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“Uh… Huh? Why… Huh…?”
“…Did you really not know I was here?”
“No, uh…?”
He looked at me as if he saw a ghost.
It was clear he completely didn’t realize I was there.
I had thought maybe he was just acting, but he looked way too sincere for that.
“…I’ve been here since before.”
“When did you…?”
“Um… since you were staring at the game graphics all by yourself?”
“…Oh.”
“I heard you say you wanted to buy new games, how you wanted to play together, and that I’m bad at games too.”
“…Oh.”
“I heard everything.”
It was quite a funny expression.
He seemed to genuinely believe I was outside all this time.
Contrary to Corbin’s thoughts, I had been watching from the room for quite a while.
“…Oh.”
“Do I really not play games well?”
“…Well, that’s true.”
“Still, I didn’t expect you to talk behind my back like this.”
“Oh.”
“You’re being too harsh.”
I said that while purposely making a bad face.
Honestly, I didn’t think it was that bad nor did I have any other thoughts, but Corbin’s reaction was just too entertaining.
I was just enjoying the moment with his amusing reaction.
“But I thought you were having fun when we played together before… It seems I was the only one having fun.”
“No, Lindera…?”
“…I’m sorry for not being good at it.”
“No. Wait, hmmm?”
“…I’m sorry.”
While saying this with a slightly gloomy expression, I looked at Corbin.
To be honest, I wasn’t really sorry for anything and didn’t think much of it; I just found it fun.
“No… Lindera. I didn’t mean it like that… I really enjoy playing games with you, but I thought maybe you just didn’t like it…”
“…It’s okay. It’s my fault.”
“No, Lindera…?”
“It’s okay. Really.”
The more I kept saying that, the more Corbin looked sorry.
It wasn’t really that bad of a comment, but seeing him feel this guilty was a real rarity.
It had been a long time since he acted this way.
Back when we hadn’t even started dating, I think.
“Really sorry, it wasn’t meant in a weird way… I just…”
“Pff…”
“……..?”
Ah.
I burst out laughing.
I tried to hold it in, but it was just too funny.
Honestly, he was so gullible.
It was hilarious how he fell for such a simple act, and in many ways, it was just too amusing to contain myself.
“This is a joke. Just joking. I heard before that you’re bad at games, so why would it suddenly change now?”
“……..”
“I really didn’t expect you to be so easily fooled. Are you going to fall for Charlotte too?”
“…Hah.”
Corbin finally relaxed after hearing what I said.
Did he really think I would sulk and feel bad enough to weep?
I mean, he wasn’t that much of a child.
Although he could be pretty naive sometimes, I hadn’t expected him to react like this.
“…Lindera, you’re really good at acting.”
“It’s not that I’m good; you just fall for it way too easily.”
“…I don’t.”
“…Hmm.”
“Shall we play a game…?”
Corbin said a little awkwardly.
“Yes, let’s do that. Let’s play together and have some fun like we used to.”
I said that and sat down on the sofa where Corbin had been.
It was a bit smaller than the one I sat on, but it was fine for two people.
*
Afterwards, Charlotte woke up and after playing games for a bit, we were all resting together in the living room.
Since it was a holiday and we had nothing to do, of course, we couldn’t help but relax like this.
“Papa!”
I was sitting in a chair resting.
Corbin was lying on the floor when Charlotte crawled over him, calling out.
“Why?”
“Whee!”
“Charlotte, what’s up? Are you hungry?”
Charlotte crawled over Corbin without much care for the person beneath her; it looked a bit… funny.
Corbin didn’t seem to mind, and was more like he was getting a massage, just lying there quietly but looking somewhat ridiculous.
“Go-go!”
“…Huh?”
“Go-go!!”
“…Start?”
“Whee!”
“…Okay.”
Lying down, Corbin shifted his posture and went into a four-legged stance.
Kneeling down and putting his hands on the floor.
Something…
This felt a bit sad to see.
“Go-go!”
“…Let’s go.”
And just like that, he started crawling around the house…
“…Hmm.”
Charlotte seemed really pleased, and Corbin didn’t seem to hate it too much either.
He looked like he was feeling a bit cringy, but still… maybe just letting him be was fine.
I wasn’t sure, but I thought it’d be better this way.
In fact, Charlotte rarely used me as a mode of transportation, and Corbin probably liked playing with Charlotte like this too…?
It definitely wasn’t because I suddenly didn’t want to be used as a mode of transport.
“Hehe… Papa! Go-go!”
“…Faster?”
“Go-go-go!”
“…Alright.”
And I watched as Corbin crawled a bit faster.
It looked like Corbin kept sending me looks for help, but since Charlotte was enjoying it so much, I decided to let it slide.
How could I stop it when she was so happy?
I thought I’d let it go for just five more minutes.
Definitely not because it was amusing to see Corbin being treated like a vehicle.
“Pfft.”
“…Lindera.”
“I didn’t tease you.”
“…That’s not true.”
“Look at my face. Do I really seem like that kind of person?”
With a genuinely amiable expression, I said that to Corbin.
Though we both knew the truth, it was just fun to tease him.
I presented a calm, nonchalant face while proclaiming my innocence.
“…I feel like Charlotte has grown taller than before.”
“I think that’s a good thing. She probably takes after you, so she’ll have long legs and a good proportion.”
“Yeah. She probably will. With her stamina, I bet she’ll do well in everything.”
“I think she’ll drive well too.”
“………”
Watching the two of them, it felt like she could excel at more than just driving.
Um.
Indeed, she was a child full of potential.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
