Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Memories Etched in the Mural
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Before long, the sun had set, casting long shadows down the alley.
As the alley grew dim, the streetlamp flickered on with a pop.
Judging that it was too dark to keep working, I called out to Daeun, who was still focused on her painting.
"Daeun, that's enough for today. Drawing in the dark will ruin your eyes."
"Yeah, otay."
Even after painting the mural all day, Daeun was still full of energy.
Just watching her like that gave me strength.
"You did a lot for the first day, though. Weren't you tired?"
"Yeah, Daeunnie not tired. Seeing Mommy gives me power."
Her desire to draw Mommy's face perfectly was what kept Daeun going.
Of course, watching her gave me strength too.
"But what if someone erases the painting?"
"The painting..."
"Yeah, like if a really mean person comes and wipes it all away. Daeunnie would be sad."
Was there really someone like that?
Well, I couldn't say for sure there wasn't, but at least while we were working on it, nothing like that would happen.
"It's fine. No one will erase it."
"Really?"
"Yeah. But if you're still worried, should we cover it with that plastic sheet Officer Kim gave us?"
After lunch, the officer had handed out large sheets of plastic to each team.
He said it wasn't necessary, but if we were worried, we could use them.
At that, Daeun seemed to think for a moment, then shook her head vigorously.
"No, Mommy might suffocate."
She grinned.
Suffocate, huh? Such a quintessentially childlike thought.
It was so cute and considerate that I nodded.
"Got it. Then let's just tidy up around here and head home."
"Yeah! Otay!"
That cleanup took another thirty minutes.
Thud!
"Whew! Finally done."
It had been a while since I'd worked like this, and my whole body ached.
I'd been diligent with rehab, but apparently it still wasn't enough.
To prepare for my solo exhibition, I'd need to build up my stamina.
After all, stamina was an essential part of painting that couldn't be separated from it.
Then.
"Yeah?"
Daeun, who had been watching me from the side, copied my stretch.
"Eeee! All dooone!"
She raised her short arms high and twisted her body just like I had.
It was so adorable that I couldn't help but laugh.
"Feels refreshing, right?"
"Yeah! Super wefweshing!"
"Then since you're refreshed, shall we head straight home?"
"Yeah!"
When I held out my hand, she naturally took it.
As we walked down the alley hand in hand, I suddenly remembered something from lunch.
'Americano, huh.'
I still chuckled thinking about it.
Both "Goodbye" and "Americano." What could you call it but mistakes only a child could make?
Every time those little slip-ups popped out, I felt happy.
Daeun's actions naturally brought a smile to my face and filled me with joy.
But on the other hand, a small question arose.
'Why is she making mistakes?'
Perfect memory meant she could recall what she'd seen like a video recording.
That meant she should perfectly remember words like "Americano" and greetings like "Goodbye."
Yet she messed them up...
She was deliberately making mistakes.
At first, I thought it best to just let it slide without comment, but watching Painter Son Jeongsun interact with her made me reflect.
It made me realize why family is family.
"Daeun."
"Yeah?"
"Did you mess up 'Goodbye' and 'Americano' on purpose? Why?"
Her eyes widened at the question.
"Daddy knows?"
"Yeah, I knew."
"How'd you know?"
Hmm, would explaining perfect memory make sense to her?
To her question, I gave a simple answer.
"You're so smart, I figured you knew everything."
"Daeunnie smart?"
"Yeah, Daeunnie's super smart."
At that, she covered her mouth with both hands and giggled.
Then she told me what I'd been wondering about.
"Because Mommy likes it."
"...What?"
She grinned.
To my bewildered question, Daeun answered as if it were the most natural thing.
"When Daeunnie says it like that, Mommy laughs. Daeunnie likes when Mommy smiles."
I'd thought there might be another reason...
If I hadn't asked, I'd never have known.
'This kid...'
In Daeun's video-like memories,
Mommy's smiles filled them abundantly.
A week passed faster than expected.
The mural work progressed steadily, inching closer to completion.
And finally, the last day dawned.
"Oh my, Daeun's here. Granny boiled some sweet potatoes today."
"Wow! Daeunnie loves sweet potatoes!"
"Aw, you're late today. No helping it then—here you go."
"Oh, chocolate milk!"
"Granny bought it just for when Daeunnie comes."
"Thank you!"
As we climbed the alley, every granny we met tried to give Daeun something.
I tried to say it wasn't necessary, but seeing their faces, I couldn't.
Though Daeun was the one receiving, the grannies giving looked even happier.
'She's like a happiness missionary, our Daeun.'
Arms full of snacks, Daeun waddled unsteadily.
I approached to lighten her load, but then—
Whoosh!
Daeun twisted away fiercely.
"Not giving."
Well now, that stung a bit.
"What? You don't want to share with Daddy?"
My voice full of hurt made her shake her head.
"No, the grannies said Daeunnie should eat it all alone."
Even so, she really planned to share none?
"If Daeunnie eats all that alone, she might turn into a pig."
She stopped dead.
Then she looked up at me with slightly trembling eyes.
"No, Daeunnie not a pig."
"Nah, if you eat it all, you might. Your tummy could stick out all poufy."
She glanced down at her own belly, as if really worried it might puff out, which nearly made me laugh, but given the situation, I held it in.
"So give Daddy just one. Daddy wants a sweet potato."
Whoosh!
She only had one sweet potato.
The granny must have roasted it with care—the sweet aroma wafted even with the skin on.
"You'll give Daddy the roasted sweet potato, right?"
No answer, so I asked again. She swallowed hard and said,
"Daeunnie loves sweet potato..."
"What, if you don't give to Daddy, your tummy'll get poufy like a pig."
Puff!
She puffed her cheeks in protest...
'Ah, that face is totally unfair!'
Her cuteness was at its limit.
"S... Sweet potato only."
She fidgeted with her little hand and handed me the roasted sweet potato from the granny.
"You're really giving it to Daddy?"
Nod.
She still looked reluctant, but she was trying to keep her word.
"It's yummy, but giving to Daddy. It's super sweet. Eat it, and... um..."
Yeah, I get it's sweet—stop tempting me.
Even after I said that, she eyed the sweet potato in my hand with lingering attachment.
"Roasted sweet potato... yummy."
To counter her, I teased in a playful voice.
"Wanna see how yummy it is? Daddy's gonna try it."
Puff!
Cheeks puffed again, but she didn't ask for it back.
I peeled the skin, revealing the golden flesh glistening temptingly.
"Wow, looks so good."
Gulp.
I could hear Daeun swallowing.
She clearly wanted it badly but stayed silent because of her promise, just staring.
Grinning, I asked,
"Wanna bite...?"
"Yeah!"
I hadn't even finished...
Daeun answered before I could and scurried over, mouth open wide.
She grinned.
'She's gonna kill me with cuteness.'
How much cuter could she get?
Her antics filled my days with happiness.
This roasted sweet potato she was eyeing hungrily was my gift to her.
"Here."
Chomp!
I popped it into her mouth, and her eyes went wide as saucers.
She chewed, then jumped up shouting,
"Daddy eat too!"
"Yeah, Daddy too."
"Yeah! Daddy eat too!"
I shook my head at her insistence.
"Nah, it's small—eat it all yourself."
She shook her head vigorously.
"No way! Daddy has to eat!"
"Why?"
"Eat! Daddy eat!"
Under her sudden demand, I took a bite of the one in my hand.
I let out an involuntary exclamation.
"Wow... this is delicious."
"Right! Super yummy! Daeunnie was suwprised too!"
Her reaction felt a bit new.
Wondering if she just wanted to share the yumminess, she asked me,
"Daddy happy?"
"Yeah."
Caught off-guard by her sudden question about my happiness, her next words explained why she'd insisted I try it.
"Daeunnie happy 'cause sweet potato yummy!"
'Ah... so that's why she wanted me to have some.'
She'd shared because eating it made her happy then.
And asking if I was happy...
'To remember this moment.'
A week ago, she'd deliberately slipped up to watch people's faces.
I'd thought she was just looking because they laughed, but no.
With perfect memory,
Checking faces and etching expressions...
'It was to protect herself.'
To avoid recalling anxious or sad memories.
"Daddy smiling makes me happy too."
...It was instinct.
Scritch scritch.
"All done!"
"Yeah, we finally finished it."
With that, Daeun—paint smeared on her face—stepped back hurriedly to admire the mural.
It featured the background, Daeun and me, and in the center, Hyorin with angel wings, beaming at us.
If Hyorin really became an angel, would she look like that?
'Come to me in my dreams one more time.'
If she appeared again, I could give a firm answer.
Don't worry, I'd raise Daeun no matter what.
But for some reason, after that day, I hadn't even seen her in dreams.
The closest I could get was...
'At least I can see Mommy through Daeun's eyes.'
The image of Mommy that Daeun painted.
Indirectly encountering Hyorin like this was some small comfort.
I stroked the head of Daeun, who was gazing at the mural.
"How is it? Looks good?"
She nodded.
"Yeah, Mommy's suuuper pretty."
"Right. You drew Mommy so beautifully."
She shook her head.
"No, Daeunnie didn't draw pretty—Mommy is pretty."
How admirable her words were.
I knelt on one knee to meet her gaze and looked at the mural.
"Daeun."
"Yeah, Daddy."
"This mural is the first painting you and Daddy did together. Right?"
She looked at me and blinked.
Grinning, I continued.
"Finishing the painting matters, but to Daddy, our talks and moments while painting are even more precious. So..."
Thanks to her ability, Daeun instinctively etched happy memories.
But she couldn't live etching only happy ones forever.
Sad and painful memories would claim their place too.
That's why I wanted to tell her this.
"Can you remember the things that happened while painting this mural with Daddy? For a long time?"
Not forcing happiness, but something to pull out when sad memories hurt.
"Remember?"
"Yeah, remember. Can you?"
I wanted to make memories for her.
Happy ones strong enough to easily overcome sorrow and pain.
At my words, she stared at my face with a strange expression for a while.
Then,
She grinned.
Widely.
"Yeah! I'll wemember!"