Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: A Day at the Zoo
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"Oh my! Turning around to say hello just now was so cute!"
Daeun's action unexpectedly won her the affection of many people.
But to Daeun herself, it seemed like a moment of monumental challenge.
"Ah, right. I forgot."
It didn't look that way at all, but I decided to play along and pretend I didn't notice.
"Then shall we try a proper greeting?"
Swish.
Daeun forced her stiff body to move, turning around like a robot.
And finally, she came face-to-face with the tiger.
"So, now that you're actually looking at the tiger, not so scary, right?"
Inside our enclosure, the tiger lounged lazily stretched out, not scary at all.
Sure, its size was overwhelming, but aside from the sound of its yawn, it wasn't that frightening.
I wouldn't have brought Daeun here in the first place if it had been scary.
At the sight of this utterly laid-back tiger, Daeun spoke with eyes full of curiosity.
"Big kitty!"
She grinned.
"Right? Not scary at all, so how about waving your hand?"
Nod!
Daeun nodded vigorously and waved her hand with a big motion.
Even with Daeun's movements, the tiger didn't spare a single glance, just lying there.
Still, Daeun seemed to like the tiger's slack attitude.
Strength entered her waving hand, and her shoulders lifted slightly.
And then she said.
"I can greet well!"
She was seeking praise for her brave action.
Who on earth did she get this cuteness from?
I looked at such a Daeun and spoke as if I couldn't help it.
"As expected of my Daeun! Daddy believed you could do it!"
"Really? You trust Daeun?"
"Of course! Daddy trusts Daeun."
Daeun's eyes sparkled intensely as she looked at me, then she gave a thumbs up.
"Daddy's the best!"
"And does Daeun trust Daddy?"
Nod! Nod!
"Yeah! Daeun trusts Daddy too!"
Coming to the zoo and unintentionally confirming our trust in each other felt a bit awkward.
'Yeah, this is happiness.'
Daeun smiled at me.
And I smiled at Daeun.
A strong feeling washed over me that I wanted this moment to be remembered forever.
Daeun probably wouldn't remember the emotion of this moment for life.
In that sense, I said to Daeun.
"Then let's finish touring the big cat village and have lunch a bit early. We only had bread since we rushed out this morning."
Memories go best with food, after all.
Daeun swallowed hard and replied.
"Kimbap! Daddy, let's eat kimbap!"
I wasn't sure if it would suit Daeun's taste, but one thing was certain: she wouldn't hate it.
Hyorin had loved the kimbap I made more than anyone.
If Daeun had similar tastes, she'd like it too.
I took Daeun's hand and said.
"Then let's hurry and see more. They say there's a huge elephant over there."
"Elephant! Daddy, does the elephant uncle really have a nose that's a hand?"
"It seems like it, but should Daddy go ask the elephant uncle?"
"Nooo! Daddy's in danger!"
"But Daeun's curious."
"No! Not curious at all! So don't go!"
"Got it. Then I'll ask from afar. That's okay, right?"
Every moment walking hand-in-hand with Daeun was, to me.
Nod!
"Yeah!"
A happiness that couldn't be traded for anything.
As lunchtime arrived, the zoo quieted down a bit.
Probably because everyone was eating.
'Good thing I packed a lunch.'
Some people were surely leaving, but more were eating at convenience stores.
There were so many it was breathtaking just to see.
Of course, there were others besides us who had brought lunches.
Rustle.
I claimed a bench near Seoul Children's Zoo, sat down, and pulled out the packed lunch from my bag.
"Ta-da! Kimbap and fruit too."
"Wow! Daeun loves fruit!"
At Daeun's words that she liked fruit, I pulled out a banana wrapped in black plastic and asked.
"Then how about a banana, the monkey's favorite?"
"Ah! Daeun saw earlier! Monkeys eating bananas!"
The time we visited was exactly their mealtime. Luckily, we got to see monkeys eating bananas.
"And your favorite fruit drink too!"
"Wow!"
It's been a little over a month since I've been with Daeun.
We just made good memories together, and suddenly a month had passed.
That month turned me into a real dad.
Clack! Clack! Clack!
After taking out the lunch, fruit, and drinks, I pulled out utensils and wet wipes for Daeun, and even the thermos of water in case she wanted plain water instead of drinks.
"Daddy prepared all this?"
"Yeah, of course."
It was heavy, sure, but I didn't feel tired at all.
Rather, it was nice seeing Daeun happy.
"Daddy did great!"
Such a Daeun gave me a thumbs up in praise.
I felt incredibly good.
"Thanks. Then shall we try the kimbap Daddy made?"
It was nearly 1 PM.
Meals were as important as sleep for a growing child.
So I quickly opened the lunchbox lid and offered Daeun a neatly packed piece of kimbap.
Then Daeun asked in surprise.
"Daddy! What's this?"
"What's what?"
Wondering what she meant, Daeun pointed at the kimbap and said.
"The kimbap got smaller!"
Ah, Daeun must have imagined the usual size when I said kimbap.
When I first rolled it, it was normal-sized kimbap.
But cutting it into bite-sized pieces revealed a problem.
The regular size was too big for little Daeun to eat in one bite.
That meant cutting it further, which would ruin the kimbap's true flavor.
So I decided to make special Daeun-sized kimbap just for her.
"Oh! How'd you know? Daddy made this especially for Daeun—Daeun exclusive kimbap."
"Daeun exclusive kimbap?"
Daeun paused, not grasping it at first, then her expression changed dramatically.
Her smile deepened, dimples appeared, and her eyes sparkled endlessly.
"Daddy made kimbap for Daeun?"
"Yeah. Cute like Daeun, right?"
"Yeah! Totally yummy!"
Then Daeun quickly popped a piece of her exclusive kimbap into her mouth.
She puffed out her cheeks.
"Delish!"
"Really?"
"Yeah! But what's the crunchy thing inside? Super delish!"
Just like her mom.
At the exact same question as Hyorin's, I couldn't help but smile.
"It's good. Daddy learned it from a friend long ago, tried it, and it was tasty. So I added it. Good?"
"Yeah yeah! Really delish!"
Then she grabbed another and put it in her mouth.
Seeing Daeun like that, I pondered a bit.
'Should I tell her about Mom?'
The day Daeun first came home with me, the moment she cried looking for Mom was still vivid as yesterday.
Maybe because of that, I'd become cautious about mentioning Hyorin.
'But this much should be okay.'
Thinking that, as I was about to share stories of Hyorin from the past.
Daeun said.
"This is crabstick."
Crabstick imitation crab, huh.
"Huh, how'd you know?"
Maybe Daeun had another talent like perfect pitch.
Maybe she was meant for cooking, not painting.
Fortunately, no.
"Mom told me!"
"Mom told you?"
"Yeah! What Daddy's kimbap tastes like."
"Mom said that too?"
Daeun answered vigorously.
"Mom said. Daddy's kimbap is the yummiest in the world."
Gasp!
Was she thinking of Mom then?
"But Mom would love it. Daddy's kimbap is super yummy!"
Daeun giggled and took another piece.
'She told her about me.'
While I was bedridden, Hyorin must have kept telling Daeun about me.
It was happy news, but why did my heart ache so?
Talking about me without certainty I'd return must have been great pain for Hyorin.
Yet she did it for Daeun, for my return.
'Then what about me?'
Should I tell Daeun about Hyorin?
The answer was decided from the start.
"Daeun, if it's not enough, tell me. I packed a lot."
"Yeah!"
"And eating just rice is boring, so want Daddy to tell a fun story?"
"Fun story what?"
I smiled at Daeun munching away.
"Stories about Mom. Wanna hear?"
Hop!
Daeun expressed her joy with her whole body, in a good mood.
"That happy?"
Was it because it was Mom stories?
Or learning new things about Mom?
"Yeah! Mom said she wants to come with Daeun!"
"That makes you so happy?"
"Yeah! Daeun loves Mom a lot!"
Daeun didn't regret not coming together.
Just knowing Mom wanted to be with her made Daeun happy.
As I smiled and stroked her head at her words.
A banner on a streetlamp caught my eye.
[Imagination Space: Join artist Hong Ik-hyun's planned exhibition.]
'Imagination Space planned exhibition, huh.'
Seoul Children's Zoo was a small zoo attached to Seoul Children's Park anyway.
And Seoul Children's Park had many event facilities, one being Imagination Space.
'Hmm, shall we stop by?'
The zoo wasn't big, and we'd seen all the animals here.
I asked Daeun, who was still hopping along.
"Daeun, wanna go see the planned exhibition?"
"Yeah! What's a planned exhibition?"
"It's an exhibition with a special theme."
I didn't know the theme, but it'd be educational.
Like Director Go said, a chance to broaden Daeun's horizons.
Daeun's eyes sparkled, and she answered vigorously.
"Daeun wants to go!"
Drawn into an exhibition by a random banner.
'It feels just like that time.'
The emotions from my first time here with Hyorin surged back.
Nod.
"Yeah, let's go."
I smiled, took Daeun's hand, and headed toward the Imagination Space building.
Chatting about what fun works might be on display, as we approached the building.
Rumble.
A group of people started pouring out of the Imagination Space building.
And just as they passed me and Daeun.
"Kanghyeok."
Someone grabbed me.
Whip!
"You, you! Kanghyeok, right?"