A Father's Tearful Efforts
With two kids, the points would double, huh.
Thanks to the **Manito App**, which refunded the exact amount spent on shopping as points, I had received so much financial help up to now.
But double the points? Simply put, wouldn't spending money actually make more money?
Even though the benefit was unbelievably good, the app's rewards might not have dramatically improved our family's finances.
Simply because we now had two children.
When we hit 100% point refunds, my situation was still pretty rough, and life stayed barely afloat—just enough to not collapse once Luca joined.
Going from one person to two meant everything we needed was not double but quadruple or more. Especially with the constant, ongoing cost of diapers.
Even if we could pay for almost everything through the app, we still had to use real cash at places like hospitals, so we had to balance cash and points carefully.
The downside of **Manito App** points was that they couldn't be converted to cash.
Of course, we could resell them for easy money, but without direct cash transactions, all internet deals were taxable.
And if we did business that produced meaningful amounts through resale, it wouldn't just be about paying taxes—it would raise questions about the source of funds we used to buy the goods...
Given that my finances had only improved gradually rather than dramatically, maybe the app was considering those very issues and helping me after all.
Moreover, because it wasn't stupid, I realized the people who let me use the **Manito App** had taken my circumstances into account and were granting benefits accordingly.
And unlike before, I could now eat and live comfortably. That they were still giving me this much suggested the app might be issuing a warning: *Now you have to prepare*.
“······.”
But I had no idea what to prepare for, so for now I would order a new stroller!
People are brave when they don't know what fate has in store...
And honestly, I still hadn't grasped the second benefit.
Making children's imaginations real with my own hands was obvious—I would simply create whatever the kids wished for.
But sharing that happiness with more children? What did that mean?
“······.”
Since it could be interpreted in many ways, I decided not to worry about it for now.
Since it was labeled a “bonus,” it probably wasn't mandatory, so I didn't need to rush.
After a short moment of thought, I headed to the elevator, opened the front door, and stepped inside. It felt like I had only left this morning yet had been gone two full days.
The warm, cozy atmosphere of our home greeted us as it had this morning.
“Waaah······.”
Reni exclaimed with pure delight.
An emotion I couldn't describe welled up inside me. I had sacrificed countless nights for this very moment.
Reni had wanted to see the house he would soon live in, to feel excited about his new family and new home, which I hoped would be warm and comforting.
So at this moment, fatigue felt nonexistent.
But I concealed my feelings and spoke to the boy in a perfectly casual tone.
“Reni. First, wash your hands, then change into comfortable clothes.”
“Uh-huh!”
“Okay, why don't you sit here for a bit?”
I seated Reni in the children's chair in the living room, washed and changed Luca's clothes first, then placed him in the high chair so he could watch. I explained to Reni what to do when washing his hands or going to the bathroom: “The sink is high, so step on this stool, wash your hands, and use the pump twice for the soap…”
Reni watched everything with round, sparkling eyes, nodding, and his soft little hands moved skillfully to follow instructions.
After washing, I helped him change into the pre-prepared comfy t-shirt and shorts.
“I made these because I thought you liked stars. Do you like them?”
The boy smiled brightly and nodded. It seemed he truly loved them. My heart ached anyway.
Today the kids had come empty-handed.
Normally kids would ask what to bring from their rooms—doll or blanket, maybe—but Reni hadn't brought anything.
I slipped soft, plush baby slippers onto his feet. Reni fidgeted happily, lifting and lowering his feet as if testing them.
I picked up Luca from the chair and asked, “So, shall we go on a house tour?”
“Uh-huh!”
“Alright, first here is the kitchen and living room. We'll eat on the island table, and in the living room we'll sit at the table to draw or read books.”
“Ne! Uh-huh!”
The child nodded vigorously, clearly understanding. Was he already imagining his life here and feeling excitement?
“And over there is the terrace. Tomorrow Luca and I will play in the water over there.”
“Water play!”
“Yeah, water play. And over here, this is the bedroom where we sleep at night.”
I opened the bedroom door. Reni stared at the large, tall bed and hesitated.
“Um, the bed is so big…”
Kids don't mind big things when they were small. Small was the problem.
“It's fine. We three will sleep together. Look at the stairs? When you climb the bed, step on this.”
I placed the pre-bought puppy stairs, and Reni, who had seemed overwhelmed, blinked in surprise.
“Together? Why?”
Oh no.
Alicia and Kyle must have already started separating Reni for solo sleep. That was why he slept alone in his room at the church.
I struggled for an answer, then gave a very lame one.
“Because, um, there's only one bed at dad's house…”
“Aha!”
Reni clapped his small hands. ...Thank you for understanding, my first child.
“······So, at dad's house we all sleep together, and at the church Reni sleeps alone and feels big and brave, and that should be fine, right?”
“Ne.”
And Reni covered his mouth and giggled, as if something hilarious had just happened.
He stepped onto the puppy stairs and climbed, then looked back at the long cushion bed I had prepared and hesitated.
Reni quietly pointed at the star, moon, and cloud cushions I had made.
“Here, does this… have it?”
“Yeah. Dad made those for Reni. All the cushions are Reni's. Do you like them?”
Reni's face lit up. He must have wanted them the moment he saw them.
“Ne! Ne!”
Reni rushed to his spot, hugged the yellow star cushion tightly. He really did love stars. It was truly wonderful.
“······.”
I quietly watched Reni from the side, then turned to look at Luca, who stood there with a sullen expression.
Since the child had begun to be shy, he also hid from the new dolls.
These cushions weren't dolls, but since they hadn't yet formed the idea “those are mine,” he wasn't saying much.
If Reni touched his favorite teddy or other toys, I worried what Luca would say, so I planned to make new toys for Reni starting with these cushions.
“Ueng······.”
“Yeah, it's Luca. Here, your spot is next to Reni's.”
I lowered Luca into the spot beside Reni. Luca looked up at me with a pout.
He wasn't happy that his bed was shared, and even less that Reni was already on it.
...Later when we lay down, Reni would be hidden by the cushions, so maybe it would be okay.
Treading on thin ice, trying not to upset the feelings of the first child who couldn't communicate.
But I steeled myself and finished the house tour with the new family who had joined today.
“So, the star cushions can be played with later at bedtime. Shall we go to the playroom with toys?”
“Ne!”
The word “toys” made Reni's face even brighter.
“What toys do you like, Reni?”
“Everything!”
Um, the hardest customer ever.
“Waaah······.”
When we entered the playroom, Reni looked at me with pure happiness. He nodded to the unspoken question of whether he could climb onto the play mat.
I didn't notice the work desk with partitions and fences blocking access because, well, it wasn't visible anyway. There were only colorful cute dolls and toys to see.
Even if he had been interested, the dangerous tools were all locked away in drawers, but it was fortunate he hadn't even looked.
“Ueng······!”
As Reni stepped onto the play mat, Luca let out a dissatisfied sound, like he was revving his engine.
Of course. The mat was his complete territory.
“Reni, Reni.”
“Yeah?”
I set Luca down on the mat and hurriedly called the child who was heading toward the piled-up toys.
“First, let's play with this ball toy?”
I picked up the red tank ball and said.
“Yeah? Yeah!”
“Okay, then…”
I sat Luca on the mat, sat behind the child, and rolled the ball so he could push it toward Reni.
Reni sat right there, took the ball, and rolled it back to Luca.
“······.”
After several rounds of the red ball passing back and forth, irritation faded from Luca's face, replaced by curiosity. Had he understood the game of passing the ball?
Now even if I let go, Luca rolled the ball back himself. He understood rolling it toward me, but still didn't grasp rolling it to the other person...
“Hee hee.”
Fortunately, Reni crawled over to pick up the ball Luca couldn't reach and rolled it back to him.
Remarkably, he seemed to have understood that he was “playing with his little brother” right now.
Even though he had to move around a lot and should have thought it boring, Reni cheerfully ran all over the mat, grabbing the ball and pushing it to Luca without a single complaint.
After playing a while at “pushing the ball,” we moved on to the next game.
“So, look here, Luca? Reni, can you help?”
While Luca watched us with a “what are you doing now?” face, I and Reni stacked blocks to make a small wall.
Then I walked behind Luca and grabbed the ball again.
“So, Luca, now roll the ball toward that side?”
He probably said it for Reni's sake since Luca couldn't understand.
Actually, the moment my words fell, Reni burst into bright laughter and dodged aside.
When the ball Reni rolled through Luca's hand knocked over the blocks, Luca laughed with a dolphin sound.
Yeah, breaking and knocking things down is fun...
Reni started stacking blocks one by one without being told, and Luca, without a word of complaint, watched his brother's efforts and rolled the ball again.
“Kyaaaak!”
“AHAHA!”
I didn't know how grateful I was that Reni's clear laughter was so heart-melting.
Luca was... for now, he would probably see Reni as a play partner who worked for him.
That was fine, wasn't it?
Please.