Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Not Everyone Empathizes with Similar Pain
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Just because people shared similar pains didn't mean everyone empathized.
But almost everyone tried to understand each other through such pains. That was comfort, and overcoming those pains together like that.
"Thank you."
"Yeah."
"Daeun's dad must have been through something similar to me, but it's not easy to talk about stuff like this."
Well, whenever we did talk about it, most people ended up even sadder than us.
"For some reason, I feel at ease around Daeun's dad. The kids are playing well, too."
Swoosh.
As he said that, Jiyul's dad looked at the children with a pleased smile.
The kids were laughing nonstop, clearly having a blast.
Then, the children got up from their spots and called out to us.
"Daddy! Daeun play together!"
"Daddy! Jiyul play together!"
Good grief, anyone would think they were twins.
They answered in unison, and it was unbearably cute.
"Daeun come play okay?"
"Jiyul wanna play too!"
Jiyul's dad looked pretty surprised at the kids' suggestion.
"You two... going off to play by yourselves?"
Jiyul, the daddy's girl, going off to play alone with Daeun.
Swoosh.
If anything, Jiyul's dad was staring at me more desperately than the kids, his eyes pleading for me to let them go play together.
I gave an awkward smile and nodded.
"Well, as long as they're careful."
We'd come here for Daeun in the first place.
A place like Imagination Playground, where she could do whatever she wanted—wouldn't it help build her independence to the max?
"But if anything happens, you have to come running right back!"
"Woo! Jiyul! Let's go play quick!"
"Yeah! Daeun!"
With that, the two kids scampered off toward a crowd of children.
I watched them go, then turned to Jiyul's dad with an awkward smile.
"Even so, they're still so young... I can't help but worry a little."
"Yeah, now that they're actually gone, I'm feeling it too."
"Haha."
"Haha..."
They're only five years old.
Sure, they can play well together at that age, but they're definitely still little.
Of course, hovering too much isn't good, but neglect isn't either.
Kids are like springs—you never know when or where they'll bounce off to.
As we stood there awkwardly, eyeing each other, I spoke up.
"Shall we follow quietly behind?"
Jiyul's dad's eyes went wide. Then he nodded vigorously.
"That's a brilliant idea."
"Right? Without letting the kids spot us."
"Yeah, and if anything dangerous happens, we can step in."
"Then... shall we?"
I smiled and pointed toward where the kids had gone.
"Go?"
"Yeah!"
We hurriedly cleaned up our snack spot and headed quickly after the children.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Where'd they go?"
There was a bit of a time gap, so finding the kids came first.
In a place full of all sorts of play equipment, locating them would be...
"There they are."
"Oh, yeah."
Too easy.
A short walk from where we'd been, near the center of Imagination Playground, there was a large tank.
The two kids were crouched down, peering into it like they were gazing at a stream.
More precisely, they were watching the goldfish swimming inside.
"Come on, everyone! Try the goldfish scooping experience before you go! Five thousand won a try! If you catch one, we'll give it to you as a gift!"
Goldfish scooping, huh.
The kids stared silently at the goldfish in the tank, but... how to put it.
An aura emanated from them, reaching even us at a distance.
I want to catch a goldfish.
I want to touch those adorable little goldfish.
I have to raise this goldfish.
Swoosh.
The part-timer who'd been hollering just moments ago approached Daeun and Jiyul.
"You two want to try scooping goldfish?"
With expressions screaming how badly they wanted to, who would think they were just watching?
But at the part-timer's question, Daeun shook her head firmly.
"Daeun no money. Jiyul?"
As if Jiyul had any.
Shake, shake.
"No money."
Swoosh.
As they said no, the two kids looked up at the part-timer.
"Haha."
They stared with eyes that might start sparkling any second, leaving the part-timer visibly flustered.
He straightened up and glanced around.
That's when Jiyul's dad...
Flick, flick!
From an angle hidden from the kids, he gripped a ten-thousand-won bill and waved it frantically.
A silent gesture: I'll pay, so let the kids scoop.
Luckily, the part-timer caught on, brightening up as he said,
"Hmm, how about your uncle talks to your daddies real quick?"
Flick!
At the words "talk to daddy," both Daeun and Jiyul jumped in surprise.
"Can talk to daddy?!"
"Can talk to Jiyul's daddy too?"
"Hmm, let's give it a shot. Just a sec. Abracadabra... Daddies of the two friends, come on out! Can I let them scoop goldfish? Yeah? Money later, got it! Alright!"
"Woo!"
"Woo-hoo!"
Were kids just kids, or was the part-timer's acting top-tier?
Probably the purity of children.
"Your daddies said it's okay. Come on over here, you two, and give scooping a try."
With that, the part-timer pulled Daeun and Jiyul inside.
He handed each a goldfish scooping net and a small bucket of water.
"Okay, you two go around this tank and catch five goldfish you like. Think you can do it?"
"Yes! Daeun can do it!"
"Jiyul too!"
"Great. Go for it!"
At the part-timer's wave, Daeun and Jiyul scurried over, practically diving headfirst into the tank to peer inside.
"Five goldfish."
I thought it'd end quickly, but after watching them a bit...
"Whoa... that's a generous amount."
It was clearly a carefully calculated number.
They'd catch only the prettiest ones.
If it wasn't to their liking after scooping, they'd release it and try again.
Repeating this endlessly to finally get one...
Plop.
In ten minutes, not a single one caught.
No, they weren't catching them.
They just kept scooping and releasing, as if enjoying the process.
Even so, the part-timer didn't interfere, like he knew this was how they played.
And so... an hour passed.
"Man, this is such a steal. How long are they playing for five thousand won?"
"Yeah. Their focus is impressive."
"I never thought Jiyul would separate from me so easily."
Jiyul's dad seemed deeply grateful for her change.
"Maybe because she hasn't had much chance to be apart before. Today she seems like with a little practice, she'll be fine—no crying."
"Yeah. Guess we need to practice more. We're looking at kindergartens lately, but a new environment might be tough on her."
Kindergarten, huh.
Then Jiyul's dad asked curiously,
"So Daeun will switch to kindergarten next year too? Or already has?"
"Yeah."
"Oh, Daeun. She's at daycare now, right?"
I pondered how to answer.
I'd never discussed daycare or kindergarten with anyone before.
But seeing how naturally it came up, connecting with other parents of same-age kids really was necessary.
Smiling at Jiyul's dad's question, I replied,
"Daeun isn't going to daycare or kindergarten right now."
"Yeah? Oh, she's not?"
"Nope. Well, to explain, I have to tell you about Daeun's condition."
I explained her condition very briefly.
"So her total recall means sad memories stick forever, so you can't send her?"
"Yeah, exactly. After her mom left like that, I couldn't make Daeun feel more sadness."
Nod.
"Yeah, I wouldn't send her either. If those memories last a lifetime, daycare would just be a bad memory."
I hadn't thought that far.
Hearing Jiyul's dad, it made sense.
"Yeah, you're right."
"Parents just want only good memories for their kids."
Good memories.
Honestly, I didn't even hope for that much.
Just that Daeun, who remembers everything, wouldn't have too many bad ones.
Just then, Jiyul, who'd been playing with the goldfish for ages, stood up.
"Gonna go see Daddy."
She said she was going to see Daddy, but unlike before, no tears or fuss.
"Jiyul going to see Daddy?"
At Daeun's question, Jiyul nodded.
"Yeah. Daeun should go see your daddy too."
"Yeah! Let's go. Friends!"
"Yay!"
The two handed their buckets and nets to the part-timer.
"Oh, you caught all five already?"
He said that, but the buckets they handed over were completely empty.
"Nope, going to see Daddy!"
"Oh, got it. Both of you heading to your daddies?"
"Yes! Hurry! Jiyul misses Daddy!"
At Daeun's words, the part-timer smiled at Jiyul.
"You must really miss Daddy. Leaving without even catching any goldfish."
At that, Jiyul...
Shake, shake!
Shook her head vigorously.
"Yeah, not missing Daddy."
"No, if Jiyul sad, Daddy sad! So Jiyul protect Daddy!"
"...Yeah."
Jiyul's dad blinked rapidly at her words.
Then he leaned in closer to hear better.
"Our friend says she'll protect Daddy? Wow, what a cool friend. Amazing!"
Jiyul's dad's expression grew thoughtful at her next words.
"Yes! Promised Mommy! Jiyul protect Daddy!"
To protect Daddy.
Truly praiseworthy, but the problem was her actions so far hadn't matched.
Whenever Daddy was out of sight, she'd cry first.
Her behavior hadn't quite aligned with "protecting Daddy."
Curious about that, right on cue, someone with the same question was there.
It was Daeun, standing right beside Jiyul.
"But why cry earlier? You wanted to see Daddy, right?"
Swoosh.
Jiyul nodded at that.
"Yeah! If Jiyul sad, Daddy cry, if Daddy cry, Jiyul tears come. So cry. Promised Mommy to protect Daddy!"
A daddy's girl with a reason.
To protect Daddy.
To keep her promise with Mommy.
'She's something.'
Just then, Daeun, who'd been listening, said something unexpected.
"Daeun promised Mommy too!"
...What