Dad Is Sad #2
Yuria opened the front door and flinched in surprise. “I’m ho— Ah, Father?”
The thick stench of alcohol filling the entire living room and the countless empty bottles littering the floor had startled her. It was only natural—she had just found her usually dignified father drowning in drink and passed out cold.
She rushed over, grabbed my shoulder, and shook it. “Father! Wake up, please!”
“Ughhh…”
“What on earth is going on? Did something happen? Is the business struggling?”
Oh, something definitely happened. I squinted and mumbled a woman’s name. “Ma… Margaret…”
“….!”
I heard her swallow hard. You miss her too, don’t you? Your mother.
“Margaret… you…”
My sleep-talking continued. I even began tossing and turning as if in pain, so Yuria hoisted me onto her back. She really was strong. She carried me to the master bedroom, laid me down, and tucked a blanket around me.
A blanket in the middle of summer? I was going to roast.
With my eyes half-open, I watched Yuria as she stood guard over me.
“Father, are you awake? Look at how bloodshot your eyes are… You didn’t drink too much, did you? Should I bring you some water?”
I shook my head and placed one hand on Yuria’s small face, cupping her cheek. Then I forced out tears.
“Ahh… Margaret…”
“Oh, Father… I…”
She looked flustered. Even though she could have brushed my hand away, she made no move to do so. Yuria knew she resembled a younger version of Margaret. That was why she stayed still—so her father could look at her and find comfort in memories of her mother.
“Margaret… I missed you so much…”
With eyes brimming with moisture, I spoke to her in a choked voice. Tears began to gather in Yuria’s eyes as well. She missed her mother too.
“…..”
She placed her hand over mine. A gesture of comfort. I lifted my other hand to cover hers and began gently scraping her index fingerprint with my fingernail.
At this sudden intimacy, Yuria’s face flooded with embarrassment.
I pretended to ramble drunkenly so she couldn’t pull away. “Yuria… you’ve grown up so splendidly.”
“…..”
“You’ve become such a fine young woman… But there is one thing that pains me.”
“Pains… you?”
“Maybe we raised you too strictly, but you only ever call me ‘Father’ so formally… That’s what I regret most.”
Back when we met in Gangbuk, she had sobbed and called me Dad. But that had been only once. Ever since, she had addressed me solely as Father. It hurt. It really hurt. What age were we living in that a twenty-one-year-old woman still called her father by such a stiff title? Starting tomorrow, call me Dad sometimes. That was exactly why I was putting on this show.
Yuria gave no verbal reply. She simply nodded slowly, eyes filled with some private resolve.
While stroking her cheek, I continued my half-monologue. “I remember the day I first saw you. You were tending flowers in a beautiful garden with such graceful poise… The day I first laid eyes on the lovely you…”
“…..”
“Now that we’ve met again, it’s enough. From now on, let’s stay together… and share our love once more. Living peacefully with Yuria… just the two of us.”
“Father… you’re far too drunk. I’m not Mother— Ah!”
Yuria, deciding this had gone far enough and trying to stop me, gasped in shock. I had slowly sat up and pulled her into a tight embrace. She let out a small sigh and wrapped her arms around my back, stroking it slowly from top to bottom, the way one might soothe a newborn.
While my arms encircled her back, I used the fingers of my right hand to gently press the sensitive spot just beneath her armpit. As if it were an accidental touch.
I knew it was one of Yuria’s erogenous zones. Touch her there, then move to her breasts, and she would melt with pleasure.
“…. Hng!”
Her reaction was immediate. At the same time, the Device let out a low vrrr…! It was proof that it was receiving a faint charge. Had Yuria heard it?
“Stop! Stop it!”
She had. The way she frantically pushed me away was answer enough. The guilt of feeling sexual arousal from her own father’s touch. That, combined with the tangled triangle between her, Yu Seunghyeon, and Song Jihyeok, would drag her into ruin. Since Kim Taegon was involved too, perhaps I should call it a square.
Shoved backward by Yuria, I collapsed onto the bed with a heavy thud. I let out a groan and smacked my lips.
Time to sleep.
The next morning, I stepped into the living room with my face twisted into an exaggerated grimace to sell the hangover. Yuria sat on the sofa, her expression complicated.
“…You’re awake?”
“Yeah… My head is killing me.”
“Should I make you some ramen? Koreans say it’s the best cure for a hangover.”
“No need. I’m not in the mood for ramen. Last night I dreamed of Margaret…”
“…Mother?”
She had chosen to play ignorant. She even subtly averted her eyes.
“Yes. It was truly… a sweet dream after so long. It’s a shame I can’t linger in the aftertaste. I didn’t want to wake up. I wanted to stay there forever.”
Yuria bit her lip at my words. After a moment, she looked me straight in the eye.
“Don’t leave me behind… and go… Dad.”
Oh? Even though her mind must have been in turmoil after the Device charged yesterday, she was calling me Dad for my sake? What a filial daughter.
“That goes without saying… Wait, what did you just call me? Dad?”
At my round-eyed question, Yuria lowered her head. Her face was turning bright red; she seemed terribly embarrassed.
“It’s just… I suddenly wanted to call you that… Is it not allowed?”
“Not allowed? I’m delighted. I never knew you could say something like that.”
“…I won’t do it often, but… sometimes I’ll call you that.”
“Hehe… What kind of day is today? I had a pleasant dream, and now my daughter is calling me Dad so affectionately.”
I let out a hearty laugh. Yuria gave me a faint smile in return.
“I have work, so I’ll need to head out soon. I might be late… I’m sorry for leaving you alone at home.”
“Are you going down to Daejeon again?”
“I have to. The company is there.”
“I’m sorry. It’s because of me…”
“Don’t say that. Your complexion hasn’t been good lately. It might do you some good to go out and get some fresh air.”
“Yes… I’ll do that.”
I offered Yuria a warm, fatherly smile before stepping into the bathroom.
It was obvious where she would go.
Once outside, I assumed Song Jihyeok’s appearance and waited for Yuria at the café beside Shinophae. She would definitely come. To see Yu Seunghyeon.
After spending a long time sipping coffee and pretending to read, I spotted Yuria in casual clothes walking toward Shinophae. She lingered near the bar for quite a while. When Yu Seunghyeon didn’t appear, she entered the café where I sat. Then she noticed me.
“Huh? Jihyeok?”
I had been acting absorbed in my book. At her call, I looked up in feigned surprise. “Yuria?”
“What brings you here?”
“That’s what I wanted to ask. I thought your house was quite far from here… or am I mistaken?”
“It is, but…”
“Sit down first. What would you like to drink?”
“Ah, I’ll order.”
“Go ahead.”
Yuria went to the counter, ordered a drink and a slice of cake, then sat across from me. She glanced at Shinophae before turning her gaze back to me.
“Did you… work things out with Sehwa?”
“The fact that I’m here from the morning should answer that, don’t you think?”
“So you haven’t reconciled yet.”
“Correct. But…”
Vrrr!
As I tried to speak, the pager on the table buzzed. Yuria excused herself, stood up, retrieved our order, and returned. She offered me a fork.
“It’s carrot cake… Would you like a taste?”
Yuria’s kind suggestion. I grinned and shook my head. “No thanks. I’m fine. I don’t like sweet things.”
“I see…”
She cut off the tip of the cake, brought it to her mouth, and hummed softly. It must have been delicious. After taking a sip of her Americano, she asked, “Why did you fight with Sehwa?”
“It was nothing serious. She was picky about food, so I told her it’s better not to be a picky eater… and she suddenly exploded. Really… it left me speechless.”
Yuria brought a hand to her mouth and let out a small laugh.
“Didn’t you find it suspicious that the usually sweet Sehwa reacted that way? When exactly did the fight start?”
“About three days ago, I suppose.”
“Could Sehwa be on her period…? You know… ‘that time of the month’?”
I made a face like I’d been smacked in the head with a hammer. Yuria burst into laughter at my dumbstruck expression.
After staring blankly for a moment, I slapped my forehead. “Now that you mention it… that does seem likely.”
“You have an unexpectedly dense side. It’s quite different from how calm and decisive you were when the monster appeared…”
“Hah… I can’t argue with that.”
“I don’t know why she’d hide something like that even from her boyfriend. Maybe she was embarrassed? What age are we living in… Still, Sehwa was wrong for not being honest. So don’t beat yourself up too much.”
I let out a soft chuckle. “It’s only been a little over a year since you arrived, yet you’ve adapted completely. Anyway, thank you. I almost missed it entirely.”
“It’s nothing. I just want you two to get along… By the way, Jihyeok, do you know when that store opens?”
Yuria pointed at Shinophae with the tip of her fork. I turned to look at the bar for a moment before answering.
“It’s a nightlife venue, so it probably doesn’t open until late evening. Why do you ask…?”
“Someone I know works there. Since it’s a man, I assume he’s a waiter?”
He was actually the manager, but he did occasionally serve tables, so she wasn’t wrong.
“I don’t know the details. But did you really come this early just to see that acquaintance? Like I said, the place won’t open until evening…”
“I didn’t realize it opened so late… Last time I saw him taking out the trash in the afternoon… I thought he might start earlier…”
Yuria rested her chin on her hand, elbow on the table. Her profile was stunning. It was no wonder the other café patrons kept stealing glances.
“You two don’t seem particularly close?”
“Mm… that’s true. But now that I know the truth… Aren’t you going to reconcile with Sehwa? If it were me, I’d head straight home.”
“She’s not home right now. She said she’s meeting a friend and will be back late, so I should spend the day alone.”
“Really?”
Yuria glanced around, then leaned forward and whispered, “Then… would you come with me to the lab right now?”
“The lab?”
“Sehwa mentioned you would increase the Device capacity for me… Was that not true?”
“It is, but weren’t you waiting for your acquaintance?”
“I came too early. They’ll probably be there if I return in the evening. If it’s inconvenient, I can just tell the Doctor.”
“Not at all. The Doctor needs rest too, and I have nothing planned… Let’s go together. Finish your cake first. I’ll keep reading.”
Yuria nodded and picked up her fork. The cake vanished in moments. She must have been eager to visit the lab.
After one final loud sip of coffee, she rose to leave. I stopped her and tapped a finger against my own lips. There was cream on the corner of her mouth.
“Ah…”
“Looks like you have a dense side too, Yuria.”
She wiped her mouth with a napkin, then touched her neck in embarrassment. “Seems that way. Shall we go?”
“Yes. Let’s go.”