Chapter: 143
Finally enjoying the long-awaited holiday, Yoon Si-woo was as cheerful as a kindergarten kid heading off on a picnic, reveling in his excitement from early morning.
Even before arriving home, his heart soared with the anticipation of a date, beating happily, and his steps quickened with that rhythm.
“Mom, look at that big guy over there! He’s smiling so much!”
“Right? He must be having a great day.”
As he overheard a conversation between two passersby about how much he was smiling, he blushed, but what could he do? He was just too happy to stop grinning.
Still, not wanting to appear too over the top in front of Scarlet, he tried to suppress his excitement just before arriving home.
“Are you here? You came back earlier than I expected.”
“…Yeah, I’m back.”
“Have you eaten breakfast? I set out some food just in case, do you want it?”
“……I want it.”
As he entered the house, seeing Scarlet greet him made it nearly impossible to suppress the smile that wanted to jump out.
Having someone to welcome him in a house that had always felt empty—especially a girl he liked and was about to go on a date with—filled Yoon Si-woo with a happiness he could hardly contain.
“What about you, Scarlet? Aren’t you eating?” he asked.
“……Yeah, I’m not that hungry. I’ll be getting ready to head out first, so just call me when you’re done with breakfast.”
“Ah… okay.”
Sitting at the dining table with breakfast laid out, he noticed there was only one set of utensils.
Her answer about lacking appetite made him recall a conversation he had with Sylvia.
Scarlet is really on a diet.
Could it be that she truly wants to look good for me…?
Staring blankly at the door she went through, he blushed and buried his face in his arms on the table.
After cooling off for a moment like that, Yoon Si-woo quickly finished breakfast and decided to get ready himself.
Staring at the closet for a while, he figured if he dressed too elaborately, it might overwhelm Scarlet considering her personality, so he chose something neatly casual.
As he was looking into the mirror, it hit him.
It wouldn’t be good for anyone to find out that he and Scarlet were on a date.
Honestly, he wouldn’t mind if people knew he was close to Scarlet, but she might feel pressured with all the attention on them.
Besides, although it was never widely known, the scrutiny she had faced made it even trickier.
So after a moment of thinking, he sighed and put on a hat and mask to cover his noticeable hair and face.
He wondered if it was right to go on a date wearing a hat and mask, but for Scarlet’s sake, he decided it was the right choice.
“I’m ready. Do you need more time?” he knocked on Scarlet’s door.
“……No, I’m all set too.”
When the door opened and he saw Scarlet, he couldn’t help but stare.
She wore a white dress exuding femininity, something she would never usually wear, and seemed a bit shy with a faint blush on her cheeks, almost like a painting.
Yoon Si-woo felt entranced, unable to look away.
“……Is it weird to wear this to hang out?”
“Ah… not at all. Not weird in the slightest.”
He wanted to tell her how perfect she looked, but his heart raced so much that he couldn’t get the words out properly.
Her outfit seemed to scream that she was clearly conscious of their date, which made his lips betray him and curve upward.
He couldn’t tell if it was just his imagination, but Scarlet seemed particularly beautiful today.
Was it just his feelings, or did it seem like she had put on subtle makeup…?
Without realizing it, he asked her.
“Did you… put on makeup?”
As soon as he asked, he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by the question, flinching a little.
But deep down, he hoped she had indeed worn makeup.
That would mean she really was thinking about how she looked for him, just as Sylvia had mentioned.
Scarlet answered curtly.
“Do I really have to say it out loud?”
Her tone suggested she wanted him to notice how she looked without needing a prompt, and feeling guilty for being slow on the uptake, his growing emotions made him glad he was wearing a mask.
If not, the silly grin on his face would’ve been visible to Scarlet.
“Okay, if you’re ready, let’s go. The zoo opens at 9.”
“……Okay.”
Even on the way to the zoo, that smile wouldn’t leave his face.
A date with Scarlet, just the two of them—it felt like a dream.
Perhaps because of that, everything he saw on the way to the zoo seemed beautiful.
And finally, that smile of his vanished when they arrived in front of the zoo.
“Big sis! Over here, over here!”
“Scarlet, we’re over here!”
As soon as they reached the zoo, seeing the orphanage kids and the headmistress waving to them made his bewilderment disappear in an instant.
“What are you doing standing there? The kids are waiting. Let’s hurry up!”
However, watching Scarlet naturally head toward the children while smiling slightly reassured him.
He realized he had truly been dreaming a sweet dream all this time.
*
After staying up for several nights, he realized something.
When you stay up, you inevitably end up lost in your thoughts more often.
Isn’t it said that people become emotional during the dawn?
Perhaps that’s why he found himself thinking about things he usually wouldn’t.
He pondered how he might live the rest of his life, in a strangely philosophical way.
Of course, this reflection was prompted by the notion that the day might not be too far off when he could no longer remain himself.
This led him to consider a sort of bucket list.
A bucket list is about doing things to not leave regrets in one’s life.
When he asked himself what he would most regret, not being able to keep promises came to mind, naturally reminding him of the promise he made to Rion to go to the zoo.
Coincidentally, he was already coordinating with Headmistress Maria to take the kids on a picnic to the zoo.
It was the quickest promise he could fulfill, so while he was mulling over when to go…
[Yoon Si-woo, how about going out somewhere tomorrow if you want?]
Yoon Si-woo proposed a getaway.
Suggesting a trip on a rare holiday made his own heart ache.
He remembered that in the original story, Yoon Si-woo disliked being at home due to having no family and often experienced loneliness.
He had even graduated early, missing the chance to bond with the friends he should have been making at the academy.
So the only one who could hang out with Yoon Si-woo was him.
Taking pity on the poor guy, he agreed wholeheartedly.
When he set the promise to go out, Yoon Si-woo was so thrilled it nearly broke his heart.
After making plans with him, he coordinated with the headmistress to bring the zoo visit forward to Yoon Si-woo’s holiday.
Although they could go separately, he thought it’d be much more enjoyable for Yoon Si-woo, given his loneliness, to hang out with a buzzing group.
He didn’t inform Yoon Si-woo as it was meant to be a bit of a surprise.
Since he felt indebted to him in many ways, he wanted to give him this joyful experience.
Ultimately, the day of the promised outing arrived. After setting up a light breakfast for Yoon Si-woo, he headed back to his room to get ready, and then he received a video call from the headmistress.
[Hehe, big sis! Can you see me? The headmistress bought me this pretty dress for the picnic! Look at me, I look like a princess!]
“Yeah, Rion, it suits you so well. You look beautiful.”
[Hehe, I got a compliment!]
The headmistress was clearly filming, and Rion, donned in a seemingly new white dress, twirled around cheerfully, making him smile like a proud dad.
[Big sis, do you have something similar to what I’m wearing now?]
“Uh? Well… I do…”
Feeling somewhat awkward, he answered Rion’s question hesitantly.
Yes, he had a dress that was similar.
It was the dress Sylvia had insisted on buying for him during their shopping trip, saying it would definitely suit him.
But he had never had the courage to wear something so feminine and had stuffed it into the back of his closet, never bringing it out.
[Big sis, I have a small request…].
“What is it…?”
A bad feeling washed over him as soon as Rion brought up a request; he wished it wasn’t what he feared.
But alas, reality struck.
[Could you wear that dress and come out today?]
His mind spun with disbelief.
Oh my god, why do I deserve such trials…?
For a moment, he lamented the gods for throwing burdens on him, but then he realized this world was devoid of dreams or hopes from the get-go and his expression hardened.
Seeing his lack of enthusiasm, Rion hesitated.
“Ah, big sis. If you don’t want to, it’s totally fine to wear something else, don’t worry about it.”
Even though she sounded easygoing, it was clear she’d be disappointed if he showed up in anything else.
But he hoped the mature Rion would still smile and say it was okay.
He didn’t want to see that.
Biting his lip, he opened the closet.
In front of him was the white dress.
Seriously, what’s the big deal about a dress?
He recalled how once, during a vacation in the army, he had to dress in a mini skirt and crop top and perform a girl group dance before his whole unit, all while praying he’d get a leave to see his mother again.
If he had never received that leave, he would have regretted not having the chance to see her one last time.
If he didn’t go out wearing this dress, and Rion ended up disappointed, he’d regret it.
I keep reminding myself.
I am a man. A manly man.
And a real man doesn’t create circumstances that make a child sad.
So, in true manly fashion, he swiftly changed into the dress and showed Rion.
Seeing Rion glow with happiness at their matching outfits pushed aside his sense of shame.
Or at least he thought so, but standing in front of Yoon Si-woo made him feel a bit shy.
Yoon Si-woo stared at him in a daze, as if to say, “Wow, how can anyone wear something like that?”
And then, Yoon Si-woo took it a step further, teasing him.
“Did you… put on makeup?”
What a ridiculous crime to commit!
That look in his eyes was eerily reminiscent of how the unit members teased him after that little contest.
Yoon Si-woo was met with a sharp glare.
“Do I really have to say it out loud?”
Remember, Yoon Si-woo.
A man never wears makeup.
Anyway, after heading out with Yoon Si-woo and arriving at the zoo, he received the expected reaction.
“Wow! Big sis and Rion are in matching outfits!”
Rion, bursting with excitement, and Yoon Si-woo, sounding a bit taken aback, commented, “So it’s not just you two hanging out.”
“Yeah, it’s my little surprise. The kids from the orphanage feel like family, so I wanted to create some happy memories with you all. How about it? Are you happy?”
“……Yeah, I’m really happy.”
Seeing Yoon Si-woo slightly misty-eyed and touched by his surprise filled him with satisfaction.
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