Strawberry Cake Forgiveness and A-rin's Social Woes
Strawberry cake is delicious. After the lecture ended and A-rin went off to bed with a big yawn, Dad whispered right in my ear, super quietly.
"A-yeon-ah. Actually... on the day you uploaded your paper, Dad went short."
My eyes went wide.
"Wh-what, what'd you say...!?"
"Shh. A-rin might hear."
"Pffft."
Dad put his finger to his lips, and I clamped my mouth shut, puffing out my cheeks like a blowfish.
"No wonder... why Dad suddenly asked about coins... it was for that weason...?"
I mumbled through my sealed lips.
Dad nodded.
"Yeah. I wasn't gonna say anything at first, but since I made money thanks to you, I figured I should tell you."
The short Dad mentioned meant short selling—futures trading where you profit when prices drop.
"I-is that okay? The wisk..."
"It was all with personal assets, so no impact on the family finances. You know, right? I've been managing investments since my college days."
"Yeah... that's twue..."
Dad, a statistics major, had always been into investment models based on math, stats, and big data.
They called it quant trading, right?
He'd even won prizes in mock investment contests and bragged about turning real profits in college with his own algorithms. So yeah, Dad had long been tuned into the investment world.
"Just so you know, Mom already knows too. I told her before the paper was even finished."
"Weally...?"
I felt a twinge of betrayal... Not telling me, but timing trades around my paper upload? And Mom didn't tell me either!
"Hmph!"
I crossed my arms and looked away, puffing my cheeks full of air.
I was super mad. Hmph! If you don't cheer me up, I'll stay like this. Pout level: 60 out of 100.
"Sorry. You're only five, so I thought talking money might give you the wrong ideas. But Mom convinced me it was better to tell you now anyway. Sorry."
Dad apologizing so humbly melted my mood again. I shouldn't give in so easy...
"...How much did you put in?"
I shot him a glare.
"Just a portion, for risk management. Can't go all-in chasing a big score when I've got a family of three to protect. Cleared it all in three days."
"Then... phew, that's a relief."
Truth be told, I knew Dad managed risks meticulously. We'd been friends for a solid ten years, after all.
Plus, if my paper got attention, the coin would tank—that was predictable. And jumping on a clear signal is smart retooling anyway.
I was just... hurt he hadn't told me.
Sulky...
But I'm just a kid, right? Do I even have a say in the family finances?
Thinking it over, that made sense.
No, wait—if you're using my paper info to invest, shouldn't you at least tell me?
But thinking deeper, that made sense too.
Both sides had merit. Logic couldn't settle it.
Result? Just my "I'm mad" feelings lingering.
"Hmph..."
"I didn't want to plant bad economic views in little A-yeon's head... Even with Shin I-jun's memories, your mind's still immature."
"Can't... deny that..."
Yeah, my five-year-old girl hormones made my mind a bit squishy.
Dad's worry that money talk could warp my views? Totally valid.
Rich kids bullying poor ones over class divides? That's a real social issue.
Growing up hearing money talk young can ingrain subconscious classism that sticks into adulthood.
None of us wanted that.
"But I felt like I owed you morally for the help... So after agonizing, I decided to tell you."
"Yeah... I get it, Dad."
Intellectually, I understood he was looking out for me.
...But my heart wasn't buying it so quick.
"Still hmph! Though."
I crossed my arms again. Pout level down to 40, but still sulking.
Dad saw my unresolved face, smirked like he expected it, and headed to the fridge.
He pulled out a small box.
Inside was...
"Heeeek...! A whole stwawbewwy...!"
A slice of cake with a whole strawberry on top...! From my favorite dessert shop down the alley...!
So excited, I stood on tiptoes.
"This is Dad's apology gift to you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I won't touch the profits—only spend on stuff for you and A-rin."
Psssh. I deflated my cheeks.
Pout level: zero.
"Hng... If you're gonna apologize that much, guess I gotta fowgive you... Yeah, like that."
"A-yeon, you're drooling."
"Sluuuurp—! Don't point that out evewy time—! Dad's a dummy—!"
I snatched the sparkling strawberry cake from Dad's hand.
Watching me, Mom said to Dad,
"Honey, we already ate dinner. Won't she gain weight?"
"It's fine, just this once. Late celebration for finishing the paper."
"Okay, got it. A-yeon, brush your teeth after, alright?"
"Yesss—!"
I sat at the table and picked up a tiny fork.
Slice. It cut easy with little effort.
"Fuheheheng."
Nom nom munch munch.
The cake was sweet, melting smoothly in my mouth.
"Huaa... so yummy..."
I made a face like I might melt away.
Our family finally faced the issue we'd been putting off.
A-rin's social skills.
With little worldly experience, A-rin feared anything outside our family bubble.
Me? Past-life memories mean no social issues.
But not A-rin.
At three, it was time for her to mingle with peers.
So Mom took her to the Kids Cafe. I tagged along.
"Okay, A-rin. Go in and play with the other kids. Mom'll wait here."
She hesitated at first, but A-rin bravely approached some peers.
"L-let's play together."
A-rin started playing ball with the other kids.
Mom and I watched warmly.
But 30 minutes later...
"Wuheeeeng...! They're too dumb to play with..."
A-rin came back bawling into Mom's arms.
"A-rin, don't say that. Bad words."
"But but... they just throw the ball wild... scream outta nowhere... stuff dirty things in their mouths... just too primitive!"
"Tch! Bad words!"
Mom scolded her harshly.
"Wuheeeeng—!"
A-rin wailed pitifully.
"A-rin, someday you'll have to leave the family nest. You need peer interactions now to prepare."
I advised calmly.
A-rin huffed back,
"Then sis! Can you go in there and play wight now?"
She pointed at me.
"Huh? Me?"
"Yeah! Sis is only five too!"
Hmm... Me playing in there...?
I scanned the Kids Cafe.
Even ignoring my disinterest in the toys...
A-rin was right—kids doing random stuff, shoving gross things in mouths.
Ugh, gross... Those are my peers...?
"...On second thought, even I couldn't handle playing in there. Physiologically impossible."
"See! Sis hates it too, so why pick on me!"
"Uh, good point?"
Ugh... Nicely out-argued by A-rin. No comeback.
So the Kids Cafe socialization plan flopped that day.
Afterward, we held a family strategy session for A-rin.
"How do we build A-rin's social skills?"
"Hmm—."
Mom and Dad studied parenting hard, but it was for average kids.
Not for prodigies three sigmas out.
Family brainstorming yielded no answers. So we headed back to the Psychological Counseling Center.