Chapter 133
Chapter 133
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 133
Chapter Title: The Counseling Session
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I cleared my entire schedule and watched Yu-na closely for about four days.
Starting from mornings gently waking the little gum sticker clinging to my chest like a cicada.
Up until bedtime, eating dinner and playing with the mischievous girl who came home.
There didn't seem to be anything unusual at all.
Well, I'll get an accurate diagnosis once we go to the counseling center.
While resting at home, I scoured the internet and booked an appointment at the most famous child psychology counseling center in Yu-na's name.
So this morning.
I called the kindergarten and said she wouldn't attend just for today, and now I'm hurriedly preparing to head to the reserved counseling center.
"Daddy, where are we going?"
"We're going for counseling."
"Hmm... Counseling? I'm not sick, right?"
Yu-na's worried expression was so incredibly cute that I lightly pinched her cheek.
"No. Now, hands up!"
"Hands up!"
I dressed Yu-na, who wouldn't stop smiling, in her prettiest outfit and nodded slightly in satisfaction.
"Perfect. Ready to go?"
"Yes!"
Upon arriving at the child psychology counseling center, I approached the middle-aged woman at the reception desk, who was engrossed in her work.
"Excuse me."
The moment she saw me, her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with her hand.
"Gasp! Actor Lee Jun-seo?"
I pulled down my mask and bowed politely to her in greeting.
"Hello. I booked a counseling session today under Yu-na's name."
"Ah! Yes! Please wait a moment."
She tapped on her keyboard, then quickly stood up and guided us down the inner hallway.
"You can go right into Counseling Room 1. You arrived right on time."
"Yes, thank you."
"Thank you!"
I entered the counseling room with Yu-na, who was waving to the receptionist. The room was much more pleasant than I'd imagined.
The scent of calming aromatherapy candles.
And cute character drawings adorning the walls everywhere to catch children's eyes.
In that soothing atmosphere, a middle-aged woman wearing glasses welcomed us.
"You're here. Please have a seat. I never imagined that Lee Jun-seo from that fun drama I watched would come to this counseling room."
"Ahaha..."
I laughed awkwardly, then felt a tug on my clothes. Yu-na was calling me instead of sitting down.
"Daddy, where should we sit?"
Looking at the seat the counselor had indicated at Yu-na's words, I saw there was only one chair.
"Ah! I'm sorry. I left the chair in Counseling Room 2. I'll get it right now..."
"No, it's fine. We'll sit like this. Yu-na, sit on Daddy's lap."
"Hehehe. Okay!"
I scooped Yu-na up and gently set her on my lap. Then I turned my gaze forward to look at the counselor.
"......"
Her eyes scanned me and Yu-na from head to toe.
Under her observing gaze, I smiled awkwardly and asked,
"Um... what should we do now?"
"You two seem to get along really well."
"Pardon?"
"You don't look like there's any problem. What brings you here for counseling?"
Where should I start?
I gathered my thoughts, swallowed hard, and opened my mouth.
"Actually... lately, Yu-na has been getting overly dependent on me."
After hearing my brief story to the end, the counselor's eyes narrowed. She stroked her chin, then placed her hand on the table and spoke.
"Children naturally tend to depend on their fathers. Is there something specific that makes you think that?"
Something specific...
Of course.
I guess I have to tell her everything about how my neglect hurt my daughter like a form of abuse?
I clenched my fist tightly.
"...It might take a while to explain."
She checked the desk clock, tapped on her keyboard for a moment, and smiled.
"That's fine. Take your time."
"Yes, understood."
Gathering courage from her words, I explained everything in detail from the beginning.
How in the past, my mental illness was so severe that I ignored Yu-na's words, didn't care if she ate or not...
And then.
Even the events leading to an extreme choice.
Of course, leaving out only the part about possessing this body, I opened up everything to the counselor.
Her gaze grew sharper and sharper.
"...That's the end of the story."
Only when my explanation finished did the counselor's sharp gaze soften.
"...And how are things now?"
"During the last shoot, Yu-na..."
"No, not Yu-na. You, the father."
I flinched at the counselor's words, laced with anger.
"Now, I've firmly mended my mind and am thinking of it as a new life..."
"Sigh, no. For now, Father, please wait outside. I'll talk with Yu-na alone for a bit."
"Can't I stay?"
She replied slowly, her eyes seeming firmly angry at me.
"Yes, with you here, it's hard to gauge Yu-na's true feelings. Please step out and wait just for a moment."
There was strength in her voice.
Of course she'd be angry.
Yu-na, who was so young, did nothing wrong. I took it out on Yu-na, so the owner of this body was at fault.
"It won't take long."
"...Please take good care of Yu-na for a bit."
"Don't worry."
Following the counselor's words, I set Yu-na down from my lap and stood up to leave the room.
Just as I was turning my back.
Yu-na grabbed my clothes tightly.
"Ah, Daddy? Where are you going?"
Her trembling eyes, filled with anxiety, had faint tears welling up.
"Daddy will be right outside."
"I want to go with you!"
I calmly knelt down to meet her eye level at her desperate voice, wiping away her tears with my hand as I spoke.
"No. Yu-na has to stay here. Daddy will be right outside that window where you can see me. Be good and do the counseling."
"But I don't want to... I want to stay with Daddy."
"If you do the counseling well, Daddy will play with you all day until you're sick of it. Got it?"
Nod. Nod.
I stroked Yu-na's head as she finally nodded late. I slowly stood and bowed silently to the counselor, who was staring at me intently.
Confirming that Lee Jun-seo had gone outside, child counselor Shin Hee-jeong pressed her throbbing forehead and fell into thought.
"Sigh."
To think he had such a family history...
[He didn't seem like it at all.]
The image of him on TV screens was that of a doting dad, the epitome of the world's best father.
But what?
He had neglected his young daughter while raising her...
And even tried to make an extreme choice?
"Ha, really..."
He said he'd straightened his mind and was living a new life, but I honestly doubted if that was sincere.
The mental illness he mentioned.
When he brought it up, he fidgeted with his hands and his voice trembled slightly. He seemed fine on the surface, but it meant he was still unstable.
Moreover, if he'd gone to the point of an extreme choice, it must have been incredibly tough.
[Just who he's really worried about.]
The one who needed psychological treatment right now wasn't the daughter in front of him, but the father.
"Sigh."
She sighed again and looked kindly at Yu-na sitting in the front seat.
"Yu-na? Teacher will ask you a few questions, so just answer comfortably."
"Yes? Okay..."
Yu-na's concentration was waning.
She kept checking her daddy's faint shadow reflected in the window, fidgeting with her hands and feet. Shin Hee-jeong observed it closely.
First, let's ease the tension.
"...How do you feel when you're with Daddy?"
"Good."
Yu-na answered without hesitation but kept glancing at the shadow beside her.
"...Then, what was Daddy like before?"
"I don't like that! I hate it..."
Yu-na suddenly shouted.
[She's anxious that Daddy might go back to how he was. That's why she's showing excessive attachment...]
In that case, now.
All I need to do is say reassuring things to Yu-na so she doesn't have room for anxiety.
[...Daddy must be really great.]
Yu-na, who perked up at the topic of her daddy, blinked and asked.
"Why?"
"Because he has such a cute daughter like you."
"Y-Yeah. Last time, Daddy said I was cute and kissed me here."
Before long, Yu-na's expression brightened like warm autumn sunlight.
Moreover, the number of times she checked her daddy's shadow outside had clearly decreased.
Shin Hee-jeong stopped her questions and pulled out a white sheet of drawing paper and crayons.
"Shall we draw pictures and play now? Do you like drawing?"
"Daddy likes it."
"Then, what about Yu-na?"
"If Daddy likes it, Yu-na likes it too."
"...Y-Yes. Then, how about drawing the house where you and Daddy live here?"
Leaning against the thick glass window for about an hour while waiting.
"Yu-na's father, please come in."
It's finally over.
Hearing the voice from the counseling room, I pushed off the wall and stepped to the right.
Opening the back door, Yu-na came running and hugged my leg tightly.
"How was the counseling?"
"Hehehe. It was fun."
"Fun? That's a relief."
I picked Yu-na up and sat across from the counselor in the same spot as before.
"...What were the results?"
"......"
Tap! Tap!
She stopped drumming on the table with her dark expression.
Her eyes stared straight at me.
Finally, her mouth opened.
"The one who needs psychological treatment... isn't your daughter. It's you, the father."
I wasn't surprised at all.
Honestly, I vaguely knew I needed psychological treatment too.
The reason was simple.
Every time I thought of my late wife, my heart ached like it was being torn apart.
So.
I pretended not to know, even though I did.
No, I was trying to forget everything.
I felt like if I rashly touched this painful memory, I wouldn't be able to stay sane right now.
"...I'm fine. How is my daughter Yu-na? The counseling took quite a while. Did you find out anything?"
She let out a small sigh.
"Your daughter will improve if you frequently say reassuring things. Things like... always... like now... that you love her. You can do that, right?"
"For example?"
The counselor pondered for a moment, then smiled brightly and spoke.
"Things like 'Daddy loves his daughter the most in the world' or 'Daddy loves Yu-na more than anyone.' Words like that."
So, if I frequently say embarrassing things like that in front of others, that'll do it.
That doesn't sound too hard.
I nodded.
"Yes, that seems easy."
"And..."
She opened an inner drawer, took something out, and handed me a business card.
It was a psychologist's business card.
"It's someone I know. If you change your mind, at least get some counseling."
"Why are you giving this to me?"
"...If you leave a wounded area untreated out of fear, it'll fester worse and become untreatable."
Ah, this is directed at me.
"......"
"If it's really tough, please get treatment."
I silently pocketed the business card at her weighty words.
The counselor's face brightened again.
She stood with a bright smile and opened the door leading outside.
"The counseling is over. Please don't ever forget what I said."
I nodded slightly.
"Yes, I understand. We'll be going now."
I stood, took Yu-na's hand, and left the counseling room. Honestly, I was really worried, but it's such a relief it's not serious.
So, first...
Shall I try doing as the counselor said right now?
I glanced around, confirmed no one was nearby, and cleared my throat.
"Ahem! Yu-na?"
Yu-na, nestled in my arms, clenched her little hand tightly.
"...I'm not getting down."
"Why is my daughter so cute?"
"......"
The strength in her little hand loosened.
The way she looked up at me sparkled more than before.
Let's do a bit more...
"I... I love you, my daughter."
The word "love" felt so unfamiliar that my face heated up on its own.
Unaware of my feelings.
Yu-na's mouth corners trembled faintly.
Her lips curved up more and more.
Her eyes even started crinkling.
"Hehehe. Yu-na loves you too! Daddy."