Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: What Should I Tell Daeun?
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While I was pondering what to tell Daeun, we had already boarded the plane before I knew it.
"Welcome aboard."
We gave a slight smile to the flight attendant greeting us brightly and found our seats.
Thanks to the consideration of the group, Daeun and I were able to sit by the window.
"Daddy, Daeun is super excited!"
Daeun sat down with an expectant expression, peering out the window this way and that. Elina, who was seated next to me across the aisle, smiled and asked,
"It looks like Daeun really wanted to ride a plane."
"Yes! Daeun is going to see the sky on a plane!"
"I'm glad your auntie suggested we go play together."
It seemed like she wanted to ride a plane for a slightly different reason, but I didn't think it was necessary to go into details.
Hee!
Daeun was so excited that she kept swinging her dangling legs.
The bigger her excitement grew, the more anxious my own heart became.
'This is bad.'
What if she really wants to go to heaven?
What if she thinks that flying in a plane will let her see Mommy?
I couldn't ask her directly...
It just left a discomfort in the corner of my heart.
Noticing my mood, Elina, who was sitting next to me, asked,
"Are you uncomfortable somewhere? Your expression looks really off."
"No, it's nothing."
"Come on, it's not nothing. Do you have a fear of flying or something?"
Fear of flying? I didn't...
At that moment, Director Go and Painter Oh, who were seated in front of us, turned around and asked,
"Are you feeling unwell?"
"Now that you mention it, your complexion hasn't looked good since before we boarded. Are you really okay?"
Everyone started to worry.
I couldn't tell them the truth, and in this awkward situation, even Daeun began to worry about me.
"Daddy okay? Daddy no like?"
I nodded with a smile at Daeun's concerned expression.
"Daddy's fine. I was just thinking a lot."
"Why thinky? Why lotsa?"
Ahaha. Somehow things had turned out like this, and even though I wanted to talk to Daeun alone, everyone was already looking at me.
How was I supposed to bring up heaven in this situation?
In the end, I had no choice but to hide the truth and make an excuse.
"Oh, my stomach suddenly started hurting."
"Daddy tummy hurt? Poopy?"
Then Daeun giggled as if it was funny.
"Yeah, I think Daddy needs to use the bathroom."
At my words, Elina, sitting next to me, glanced around and said,
"There's still a bit of time before takeoff, so if you need to go, you should go now."
Ah, that's not it.
But I couldn't tell the truth.
Still, it was a kind gesture, so I replied with an awkward smile.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
In the end, I was half-forced to go to the bathroom.
"Then, Daeun, Daddy's going to the bathroom for a bit."
"Okay! Hurry back! Daeun can wait alone good!"
"Mm..."
I stood up from my seat, glanced at Daeun who was waving her hands vigorously, let out a sigh, and headed to the bathroom.
'I'll talk about heaven after I get back.'
Once the plane took off, with the noise and all, maybe I'd have a chance to talk with Daeun.
That was the plan—to discuss heaven with her then.
Of course, I had to do it without hurting her innocent heart as much as possible.
Thud.
I headed to the bathroom, pretended to do my business, killed some time, and was about to return to my seat.
That's when.
"Huh?"
I spotted Elina sitting in my seat, talking with Daeun.
'What the...'
They were having some kind of conversation.
But it looked serious—Elina's expression had darkened.
No, not just Elina. Painter Oh and Director Go in the seats ahead also didn't look too bright.
'No way...'
I approached, wondering if Daeun had talked about heaven.
Flinch!
The three of them jumped in surprise.
'What?'
They gave awkward smiles and returned to their own seats.
"Hoho, oh, Daddy's back. D-Daeun, Auntie has to go back to her seat now."
"Okay!"
Then Elina hurried back to her seat.
She looked extremely troubled, fidgeting uncomfortably.
'She must have talked about it.'
I could tell from their reactions.
That Daeun had told them about heaven.
Swoosh.
'Well, what can you do?'
Daeun was only just five years old—she couldn't understand everything.
And it was because she's a child that she so firmly believed what her friend said.
Besides, there was nothing wrong with what Daeun had done.
"Daddy back from potty!"
"Yeah, but Daeun. Daddy has something to tell you."
"Okay, what?"
I paused for a moment before speaking to Daeun, who blinked and asked.
"Um, well..."
No, I was about to say it when, perfectly timed, the captain's announcement began.
-Ladies and gentlemen, good day. We sincerely thank you for choosing XX Airlines today. Our flight will depart from Incheon Airport and head to Jeju Airport...
Daeun completely forgot what I was saying and perked up at the in-flight announcement.
"Daddy, man's voice coming!"
And then the flight attendants' safety demonstration started, and I missed another chance to talk.
'I hope I don't miss it even after takeoff.'
With a complicated heart, all I could do was watch the joyful Daeun.
There are moments like that.
Moments when, no matter how much you want to talk, the timing just doesn't align for some strange reason.
No matter how hard you try, it's like fate is playing a prank, and the timing keeps slipping away.
Just like right now.
'Wow, I still haven't talked to her.'
Vroom vroom!
The plane's engines started, and it began to move slowly.
Then, with vibrations, it taxied to the runway, and soon.
"Daddy! Going!"
"Yeah, hold on tight."
I said that and grabbed the hand of the tense Daeun. The plane carrying us.
Whoosh!
Raced down the runway at tremendous speed and soared into the sky.
Outside the window, the world was shrinking little by little, and the clouds above were drawing closer.
Daeun gazed at the scenery outside in wonder.
She didn't say much, but Daeun seemed in very good spirits.
Well, if you think riding a plane brings you closer to heaven, even I'd feel great.
Just as I wondered if I could really tell her the truth, Daeun spoke.
"Daddy."
"Yeah?"
"This one."
Did she have something she wanted to say?
"Yeah, what?"
"Riding plane up high gets super close to heaven, right?"
It had finally come.
I nodded slightly, tense.
"Probably."
"Then, now Mommy can't find Daeun easy."
"Yeah, can't find."
"Early! Daeun here super hiding good. Then Mommy can't find Daeun easy?"
"Sounds like it."
"Yeah, Daeun thinks can't find."
Her thinking was so cute.
To think she believed Mommy wouldn't be able to find her.
Then, Daeun said something unexpected.
"But still good."
G-good?
I wondered what she meant, and Daeun cupped her chin with both hands, looking out the window as she spoke.
"The place Mommy is... pretty."
What?
"What Daeun seeing now... same as Mommy seeing."
Only then did I belatedly understand the true meaning of what Daeun had said.
So, when Daeun talked about getting close to heaven, it wasn't that she thought she could see Mommy.
'It was about seeing the world that Mommy sees.'
"Right, Daddy!"
At her words, I let out a somewhat hollow laugh and replied.
"Yeah, the world Mommy sees is incredibly beautiful."
"Right? Daeun thinks so too."
There have been all sorts of things while raising Daeun.
Good things, bad things, upsetting things.
Whenever that happened, I always tried to persuade and make her understand from an adult's perspective.
Even now.
If I had interpreted it my way and talked to her, wouldn't Daeun have been hurt by my words?
Even though that's not what she meant at all.
Swoosh.
For some reason, that thought crossed my mind.
'Did we really get closer?'
Maybe Hyorin was helping for Daeun's sake, so she wouldn't get hurt.
Normally, she couldn't help from afar, but now that we're up in the sky, closer to heaven.
Smile.
Some might call it nonsense, but at this moment, I wanted to believe that.
"Clouds pretty, right?"
"Yeah, pretty."
That Hyorin was helping for Daeun's sake.
And so, we flew over the beautiful clouds toward Jeju Island.
As soon as we arrived at Jeju Airport, Painter Oh naturally took charge of guiding us.
"Come on, just follow me from here."
She even grabbed Director Go's carry-on and strode off familiarly somewhere.
Curious about Painter Oh's confident back, I asked Director Go,
"Painter Oh must come to Jeju often. She looks so at ease."
Director Go replied as if it were nothing.
"To me, Jeju is like a second hometown."
"Really?"
"My lifelong dream was to live in Jeju."
Wait, then why did someone like that live in Daegu, surrounded by mountains?
"You're wondering why someone like that lived in Daegu, right?"
Whoa, was she a mind reader?
"May I ask why you like Jeju so much?"
"It's no secret."
"Why do you like it?"
"I love fishing."
"...Yes?"
Surprised, I looked at her, and Director Go gazed at Painter Oh, who was walking ahead, and said,
"That one's a fishing maniac. Before we got married, she said she wanted to be a boatman instead of a painter."
Haha, I never imagined she liked fishing.
Come to think of it, the clothes she wore today looked like she could go fishing right away.
With that in mind, I asked hopefully,
"Are you going fishing today too?"
At my question, Director Go narrowed her eyes and looked at me.
"Do you like fishing by any chance?"
"Hmm, I've never tried, but I think it might be fun."
Swoosh.
I glanced at Daeun, who was happily looking around.
"You never know. Daeun might like fishing too."
They say kids should experience as much as possible.
And I wanted Daeun to have lots of experiences too.
At my words, Director Go smirked.
"There'll be chaos today."
"Pardon? Chaos?"
As Director Go continued, I could only gaze wistfully at Painter Oh's back, walking far ahead.
"That one's lifelong dream was to go fishing with you, her apprentice."