Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Perfect Memory and Egg Tarts
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On the way to the studio.
My face and Erina's were lit up with bright smiles.
"Who would've thought I'd get a letter from Daeun..."
It was just a few short lines, but that alone was enough to convey Daeun's feelings.
Her feelings of gratitude, affection, and love.
"By the way, she said she didn't know Hangul yet."
When I first brought Daeun home, they told me she hadn't learned Hangul.
But if she could write it like this, she must have learned it from somewhere.
The letters were all different sizes and crooked, so she clearly wasn't used to it yet.
That's why I decided to ask Daeun about it.
"Daeun."
"Yes! Daddy!"
"When did you learn Hangul?"
"Hangul?"
She nodded.
Nodding her head, Daeun grinned mischievously and said,
"When Daddy went to buy choccy milk!"
"What? Say that again."
"Daeun learned it when Daddy went downstairs!"
So, not long ago—not even yesterday—but just a few hours earlier, during a short study session.
"Then you didn't know Hangul before?"
"Yes! Daeun asked Uncle to teach her!"
"You asked him yourself?"
"Yes!"
"Why? Why did you suddenly want him to teach you Hangul?"
At my question, Daeun grinned mischievously again and answered,
"Because I wanted to give Daddy a present!"
"A present?"
"Yes! Daeun wanted to write a letter to Daddy. So I asked Uncle to teach me!"
Ah, so that's why Jungeun showed her the Hangul study video.
He could have taught her himself, but knowing his personality, he probably thought a proper video would be more reliable.
"That's why he didn't say anything."
No wonder he looked like he knew all about it when we talked about Erina's gift.
Just then, Erina, who was driving, spoke up in surprise.
"Wait, Daeun didn't know Hangul? Then how did she write this?"
"Ah."
Of course, if you didn't know about Daeun's perfect memory ability, anyone would react the same way as Erina.
After all, the ability to remember everything after seeing it just once wasn't common.
No, it was actually extraordinary.
"Hmm, how should I explain this?"
No matter how much I thought about it, there was no easy way to put it simply. I just had to tell her straightforwardly.
"It's called perfect memory ability. Daeun remembers everything she's ever seen."
"...Everything? For real?"
At that moment, Daeun excitedly boasted to Erina.
"Yes! Daeun remembers everything!"
"Everything...? Is that even possible?"
"Yes!"
"Oh my..."
Erina looked genuinely shocked.
And who could blame her? Remembering everything after one glance was the kind of ability you'd see in dramas or movies.
"So you have all your memories from when you were little too?"
Nod!
"Yes! I have them all!"
"And they just come back to you whenever?"
"Yes!"
I hadn't even asked Daeun about details like this before. Thanks to this, I was learning about new aspects of her abilities.
Then Erina asked something unexpected.
"So, when did Daeun start having memories?"
Her first memory. Honestly, I was a little curious about that too.
The very first memory of Daeun, who possessed perfect memory ability.
At the question, Daeun seemed to recall a distant memory for a moment before answering.
"Ah! I remember!"
"So, what is it?"
"Um, it was super warm! And super happy!"
Yes, super warm and super happy.
I wondered what kind of memory that could be when...
Daeun's next words left both me and Erina too stunned to speak.
"And I heard Mommy's voice!"
"Mommy's voice?"
"Yes! From underwater!"
Ah...
It seemed Daeun's first memory was from inside Hyorin's womb.
When we arrived at the studio, Erina looked around continuously.
"Wow, so this is your studio? You've really made it nice."
Maybe because we'd been here first, it had that lived-in feel.
Of course, her own place was spotless too, but ours definitely felt more homey.
Meanwhile, Daeun came up to me and said,
"Daddy! Daeun's paintings?"
"Ah, hold on."
I said that and started pulling out the paintings I'd brought from home, setting them up.
They were pieces I'd worked on mostly at home since I hadn't come to the studio for a week.
As I took them out one by one, Erina came over and began admiring Daeun's paintings.
"Wow, Daeun drew all these?"
"Yeah, pretty good, right?"
"I felt it before, but watching Daeun paint sometimes hits me with reality. Like, 'Oh, this must be the wall of talent.'"
I thought she was exaggerating, but...
"Anyway, just take it as a casual comment."
Yeah.
It seemed Erina was sincere.
"Who'd believe a five-year-old drew these? And even if you knew it was a five-year-old, you'd still be amazed. Or maybe expectant?"
"Expectant?"
"Yeah, like wondering just how incredible her paintings will be when she's an adult, given this level at five."
Hearing her words made my chest tighten for a moment.
'Ugh, even I'm feeling the pressure.'
It wasn't just simple burden.
Along with the burden Daeun would carry, there'd be the pressure to live up to people's expectations.
I wasn't a genius myself, but I'd heard of people who never picked up a brush again because of things like this.
Swish.
Erina glanced subtly at Daeun, who was preparing to paint behind me, then continued.
"And with Daeun's abilities. Her memory is better than others', so she can't just let things go in one ear and out the other... I'm worried."
Some might call her actions meddlesome.
But to me, it sounded different.
'A fresh perspective, maybe.'
There are countless art critics out there.
And since each has their own philosophies and views, even one artwork can be interpreted in countless ways depending on who's looking.
Some praise it, some criticize.
If they praise my painting, is it good criticism? If they trash it, is it truly bad?
No, actually, painting in a way that allows for such diverse views is the harder part.
In short, this wasn't nosiness—it was advice.
Looking at Daeun preparing to paint behind me, I responded to Erina.
"I hope Daeun doesn't feel burdened, but realistically, that's impossible. Couldn't I, being by her side, help lighten that burden a bit?"
At my words about lightening it, Erina smiled.
"Well, with a famous painter like her dad, that'd be more encouraging than anything anyone else could say."
Could I really be a source of strength for Daeun?
For the first time, I was glad I was a fairly well-known painter.
At least, when Daeun struggled with pressure later, I could help.
"I hope so."
Erina smiled at my words and said,
"It probably will be. Daeun likes her daddy, after all."
Just then, the studio doorbell rang.
Ding-dong-!
At the sound, Daeun scampered to the intercom and shouted,
"Wow! It's Auntie Aram!"
Aram had finally arrived at the studio.
"Wow! It's Daeun!"
"Auntie!"
"Daeun, have you been good? No hurts anywhere? You didn't forget about Auntie, right? Auntie thinks about you every day!"
"Really?"
"Of course! I missed our Daeun so much!"
Then, Erina, standing beside us, smiled and greeted her.
"Hello. Nice to meet you."
"Ah! Hello! I felt so bad for coming so suddenly."
"Oh, no worries. The more people together, the happier and more fun it is."
At her words, Aram tilted her head with her usual smiling face.
"But you must hear that a lot."
"Pardon? What..."
"You're a dead ringer for singer Erina! I don't have great eyesight, but even I can see it clearly, so you must be her exact double."
Wow, her saying she had bad eyesight made her even more credible.
I nodded with a smile at Aram's words.
"Looks like it."
"Pardon? Oh! That she looks like singer Erina?"
"No, that you have bad eyesight."
Aram looked utterly confused.
Erina stopped teasing and properly introduced herself.
"Hmm, it's been a while since I greeted someone like this. Hello, I'm singer Erina."
"Ah, so it really is Er... Eeeeek! S-s-singer Erina?!"
"Yes. Usually people recognize me, so I don't introduce myself like this often, but it's nice doing it again after so long. Feels fresh."
Of course, unless it was a rare case, almost no one wouldn't recognize Erina.
Aram felt terribly sorry at her words.
"Ah, I'm so sorry. My eyesight is just bad."
"No, really, it's fine. It was actually fun."
"Thank you for understanding."
After the greetings, Aram returned to her usual energy and said,
"Ah! If I'd known Erina was here, I'd have brought a better gift! But I'm grateful for your hospitality, so I brought one anyway."
"A gift?"
At the word "gift," Daeun's eyes sparkled as she asked,
"Auntie! Daeun has a gift too?"
"Yes! Of course!"
"What is it? Daeun's curious!"
At that, Aram brought over the paper bag she'd carried in and grinned mischievously.
"Okay! Quiz time! What's in this bag?"
At the sudden quiz, Daeun puffed out her cheeks.
"I'm curious! Do I have to guess to get it?"
"No, I'd give it even if you don't guess right, but you have to try."
"Okay!"
Then Daeun stared holes into the paper bag and...
"Ah!"
She shouted.
"Ah! Daeun knows!"
"Oh, Daeun knows what it is?"
"Yes!"
Daeun pointed at the bag with her finger and described what she thought was inside.
"It's something super yummy!"
"Yeah?"
"Right? Super yummy stuff for Daeun!"
Something super yummy?
Instead of guessing what was in it, Daeun had just described it.
At Daeun's words, Erina tilted her head and said,
"Is it food inside, by any chance?"
Aram nodded at the question.
"W-well, sort of."
"Um... Then isn't that a correct guess?"
"Yes."
"I mean, you asked 'What's in here?' and Daeun said 'something super yummy'—that's a perfect answer, isn't it? Unless you meant exactly what it is..."
It felt like wordplay, but Erina had a point.
After thinking for a moment at her objection, Aram burst out laughing.
"Haha, you're right! Daeun got it! Congrats, Daeun wins!"
"Yay! Daeun guessed it! Wow! Daeun guessed right!"
Whether she got it right or wrong, in a situation where anything went, everyone here probably felt the same.
'Daeun's smile is the real answer.'
With that, Aram pulled out the contents of the paper bag as she spoke.
"Then, the answer to the food Daeun guessed is! Drumroll!"
Swish.
What Aram held up was none other than...
"Egg tarts!"
The sweet aroma of egg tarts wafted through the air.