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# Chapter 4 — I Have One More Person to Repay
“Having both hands full makes me feel at ease.”
Whenever I finished work and went to pick up Eunseo, I always felt terribly sorry toward my older sister.
Taking care of her own two children alone must already have been difficult, yet she was looking after our Eunseo as well…
My younger sister was at our parents’ house and would soon be preparing for her college entrance exams, so it was difficult for her to look after Eunseo. On top of that, both of my parents were still working, which meant the house would be empty during the hours I was at work.
When I was at a loss over what to do, things could have become extremely difficult if my older sister hadn’t stepped forward first.
Now that I thought Eunho would help make my future better, I was finally able to feel genuine gratitude toward my sister for all her help.
Before, more than gratitude, I had felt sorry and burdened.
Just as I was about to press the doorbell with the chicken in my hands, the door opened before my finger could even reach it.
There stood Eunseo, greeting me with sparkling eyes.
“Uh, uh…”
Unlike usual, when she would spread both arms and run straight into me, she sniffed the air and brought her face toward my hands.
More precisely, toward the chicken I was holding.
“Eunseo! Daddy bought chicken!”
“Waaah… Daddy… I could die.”
“Why die? We have this delicious food.”
Eunseo looked half out of her mind with emotion at the sight of the chicken.
Apparently, the smell had already made its way into the house, because my two nephews came running over with cheers.
“Wow! Chicken! Awesome! Uncle!”
“Mom! Uncle bought chicken! Wow, we don’t even have to eat dinner today!”
“You guys… Eunho, you’re here? What’s with all the chicken?”
“I saw it on the way here. I hope it’s not a problem since the kids still have to eat dinner?”
“What kind of problem would that be? We just can’t eat it when we don’t have money. Hurry up and come inside.”
My nephews had been jumping up and down at the thought of not having to eat the dinner my sister had prepared.
I realized my mistake after hearing that, but fortunately, it seemed I hadn’t caused any trouble.
Perhaps my two hands looked particularly heavy, because my nephews and Eunseo each took one chicken and carried them over to the dining table.
They looked so adorable.
There was a reason fathers came home from work carrying snacks, chicken, ice cream, and things like that in both hands.
As I watched the kids happily eating the chicken with a proud smile on my face…
“Is something wrong?”
“…Huh?”
I asked my sister, whose expression was filled with concern unlike usual.
Having been together for such a long time, I was certain.
Something was bothering my sister.
“Good grief, who am I trying to fool?”
“You can tell me comfortably.”
“Hmm… Nothing has been decided yet, but I thought it would be good for you to know too.”
“Okay.”
“My husband has been transferred to Suncheon this time.”
After hearing my sister’s words, I felt that the moment I had been expecting had finally arrived.
My brother-in-law was a police officer.
I knew that after working in one area for several years, he would eventually have to work in another region.
Apparently, that time had come.
“I’ve been talking with my husband, and for now, we’re thinking either he’ll commute from here or he’ll get a room in Suncheon.”
“Huh?”
“He says he’ll put up with it until our kids enter elementary school.”
“…”
“I’m only telling you just in case.”
My sister said it was because of her children, but anyone could see that my brother-in-law was willing to make this sacrifice because of Eunseo.
And it was a considerable sacrifice at that.
Once Eunseo entered elementary school, things would be easier than they were now, so my brother-in-law was planning to live alone until then.
Even if that meant traveling back and forth on weekends.
Or perhaps commuting from here.
Either way, there was no question that my brother-in-law would be making a sacrifice.
—You can become a full-time investor right now without any problem.
Really?
—The only advantage of continuing to work is that you can accumulate your seed capital slightly earlier. There is no significant difference overall.
…Thank you, Eunho.
—I merely conveyed an objective fact.
I had been overwhelmed by a mixture of guilt and remorse over my brother-in-law’s sacrifice, but fortunately, I now had a different answer I could give.
“Sis, it’s okay now. You don’t have to look after Eunseo in the mornings anymore.”
“Huh? What are you talking about? I wasn’t saying that to make you feel burdened. I just thought you might feel bad if you found out someday, so I wanted to tell you beforehand.”
“I’m saying it because I’m really okay. If I wasn’t okay, I couldn’t say this no matter how much of a burden I felt.”
“…”
“Even just everything you’ve done for us up until now… I’m incredibly grateful.”
My sister knew better than anyone how desperate I could become when it came to Eunseo.
Since I was telling her that I was truly okay, I really was.
“Thanks for being so considerate.”
“…What are you talking about? We’re family.”
Someday, I wanted to repay her properly.
---
“Did you eat everything?”
“Uh, yeah.”
After finishing my conversation with my sister and returning to the living room, I saw Eunseo with glazed-over eyes after already finishing her chicken.
“I saved some for Daddy…”
“Good grief, my adorable daughter.”
“Oppa was trying to eat the legs, so I had to fight hard to protect them.”
“Thanks.”
Looking at it, it seemed that one of the three chickens hadn’t even been touched, and Eunseo must have worked hard to protect the chicken legs in the meantime.
I didn’t particularly feel like eating chicken, but my daughter had gone through all that trouble to save some for me, so I couldn’t simply ignore it.
I ate a few pieces, said goodbye to my sister, and left the house.
As expected, my daughter was already asleep in my arms with a full stomach.
“How can my daughter be this cute? What if she grows up and gets targeted by other kids out of jealousy or envy?”
“Mmm… nom-nom…”
I was seriously worried.
The world didn’t seem to leave good-looking or talented people alone…
What if boys who admired my adorable daughter deliberately played tricks on her and bullied her just to get her attention?
What am I saying? Of course I wouldn’t just sit back and let them!
“Daddy…”
“Huh? Are you awake?”
As I walked home thinking about my daughter’s future, I heard a voice resembling sleep-talking from Eunseo in my arms.
“I can wake up early and wash myself.”
“…”
“I can eat by myself too.”
“Eunseo…”
“I can meet my friends and go to kindergarten. I’m Daddy’s daughter, you know.”
“…!”
Hmm…
It seemed Eunseo had overheard my conversation with my sister.
Whenever words that sounded more like an adult than a child came out of Eunseo’s mouth, I couldn’t describe how much it hurt inside.
I had tried to raise her so that she wouldn’t be lacking compared to other parents’ children as much as possible, but apparently, Eunseo didn’t see it that way.
She was already showing such a mature side.
“I won’t cause trouble. I’ll go to kindergarten properly. I’ll meet my teachers too.”
“What are you talking about? When has my daughter ever caused trouble? I’m more worried that you’ll become too popular.”
“Hehe.”
“Daddy can take you to kindergarten and pick you up too, so don’t worry at all.”
“Daddy has to work.”
“I can work and be with Eunseo too.”
The truth was, Eunseo going to kindergarten was a necessary process.
Before entering elementary school, she needed to learn how to interact with children other than her cousins.
If I had my way, I wanted to keep her by my side and watch over her forever.
But that wouldn’t be good for Eunseo, and it might even ruin her future.
I guess this was why being a parent was so difficult.
You wanted to give your child nothing but love, yet sometimes you had to be strict as well.
Normally, one parent could shower the child with love while the other took charge of discipline.
But since I had to fulfill both roles at once, it was difficult every time.
Still, unlike other children, Eunseo had the will to handle things on her own, so perhaps she would be okay…
Even so, I always felt sorry.
“Daddy, I’m a good girl, right?”
“Of course! Where could there possibly be a girl as wonderful and pretty as our Eunseo?”
“Hehe. I studied hard too! I can read better than Jihwan!”
“Oh! I guess Eunseo is smart because she takes after Daddy!”
“Of course! Whose daughter am I?”
We chatted happily together, and before I knew it, we had arrived home.
After Eunseo had finally said the words that had been weighing on her heart, she began speaking again in a sleepy voice, and as expected, I soon confirmed that she had fallen asleep.
Of course, she would have to wake up again to change her clothes, wash up, and go to sleep properly, but for the moment, I didn’t want to disturb her peaceful sleep.
“Ha…”
Whenever I looked at Eunseo, I was simply happy, yet sometimes I couldn’t help worrying.
Even now, as a single parent, I occasionally felt the emptiness of having to raise her alone.
Still, it was okay.
I had my sister, and for now, I could solve most problems through my own efforts.
Though I was sure there were still things I was lacking.
Later on…
That was what worried me.
When Eunseo entered adolescence and began experiencing physical changes, who would give her advice?
Who would understand her?
Who would comfort her?
My sister, younger sister, or mother could fill that role to some extent, but none of them could completely replace a mother.
Please…
It was a thought I had deliberately avoided for a long time, but now I desperately wished for it.
Please, let Eunseo’s mother come back before she reaches adolescence.
It wasn’t for me.
There were plenty of times when I resented her too.
Why had she left without saying anything?
Why had she been so inconsiderate?
Why hadn’t she contacted me even now?
But even for Eunseo’s sake, I wanted her to come back.
Because she was Eunseo’s mother.
“Phew.”
For now, I should just do what I could.
Eunho, what should I do?
—Father, you are already doing well. If you become anxious, there is a possibility that it could become harmful. You have done well until now, so I believe you should simply continue as you have been.
Thank you.
Somehow, I felt reassured.
---
“Daddy, hurry up and wash too!”
“Okay. Lie down and wait for me.”
“Okay!”
After getting ready for bed, Eunseo hurriedly pushed Daddy into the bathroom before going into her own room.
Her room was filled with all her belongings.
It was the only space Daddy had never freely entered.
Eunseo sat at her desk and took out the diary she wrote in every day.
On days when there was nothing particularly special to write about, she would write freely even when Daddy was around.
But on a day like today, she wanted to write secretly, even though she knew Daddy wouldn’t look at it.
“Ugh.”
Eunseo opened her diary and freely wrote down the feelings she had experienced.
What she had felt after overhearing the conversation between Daddy and Auntie today was fear.
What would Eunseo do if even Daddy left her…?
The thoughts that began with fear eventually led her to think that she needed to go to kindergarten.
The children her age didn’t stay at home every day.
They went to kindergarten.
I can do it.
Honestly, she was scared.
The neighborhood children hated her.
Whenever they encountered her, they pointed fingers at her and called her a poor beggar from a villa.
Even so, she had to go to kindergarten without causing trouble.
But there was something she feared more than those kids.
Daddy being disappointed in Eunseo.
And she desperately hoped that Daddy would never listen to the things those kids said.
Because if Daddy heard those words, he would be sad.
Eunseo wanted Daddy to be happy.
---
“Foreman, I have something to tell you.”
“You look pretty serious first thing in the morning, so I guess it isn’t something trivial. Wait a moment.”
“Yes.”
After leaving Eunseo at my sister’s house for a while, I went to work at the site and headed straight toward the foreman.
There was still some time before my sister would move away, but I felt that explaining the situation as soon as possible was the proper courtesy to the foreman who had worked alongside me all this time.
“All right, what’s going on?”
“I’m sorry to say this, but…”
I began with an apology and explained my current situation.
Since the foreman already knew my circumstances well, it didn’t take long to explain everything.
“Hey, there’s no need to apologize. Of course, every meeting eventually has a parting. You’re still young.”
“…”
“Having worked with you for quite some time, I’ve come to realize a lot of things. At the very least, you’re not someone who belongs here. You’re destined to become a big shot.”
“…!”
“I had a feeling a day like this would come eventually. If I hadn’t, I would have been the one to send you away.”
He really was a wonderful man.
“Do your best. Come visit from time to time.”
“Thank you.”
“Work until today and then quit. I’ll give you an extra month’s salary.”
“…!”
“When you make it big someday, don’t ignore me, okay?”
There was one more person I needed to repay.