Like Daddy's Eyes
As always, the market was bustling yet peaceful.
Jungwoo had not visited often, but the people there already remembered his face. Every time he bought something, someone would inevitably ask, “Didn’t you bring your daughter today?” or “Where did your little girl go?”
He had wanted to bring Seia along, but after seeing how much joy she took in the slide he had built for her, he simply couldn’t tear her away.
The expression on her face as she played was pure happiness. Of course Seia was always happy when she was with him, but the delight she found on the slide was something else entirely—a thrill that children her age rarely experienced.
“Hehe. It’s fun.”
In a place without Daddy, she might have felt lonely. Yet the long slide left her no time to feel that way. She set her beloved doll aside for once and gave herself completely to the thrill.
Was it the new sensation of speed? The cool brush of air against her skin that she otherwise only felt when the wind blew outside? No, it was none of those things.
There were two spaces she shared with Daddy: their home, and the restaurant right below it. The fact that she could slide straight from one to the other filled Seia with deep satisfaction.
Sliding down brought joy. Climbing back up was a test of patience. Jungwoo had not planned it that way, but with every ride Seia was learning: to enjoy the slide, she first had to climb the stairs. The climb itself was not particularly fun, yet the promise of the slide waiting at the top made even that part enjoyable.
The slide had naturally given her railings to hold and sturdy handholds to grasp. “Ah… but Daddy said we should go out together today…”
How much time had passed? Seia had checked the clock before she started playing, but she still could not tell time.
“Hmm…”
She had not thought that far ahead, and she did not even know when Daddy had left. She simply stared at the clock, wondering if looking at it long enough might make him appear.
Seia had never prepared to go out by herself. Daddy had always done everything for her.
“Daddy washed Seia’s face!”
And then? He had brushed her teeth and washed her hair. Those tasks were still too difficult for her, but Jungwoo had not left her alone hoping she would manage everything on her own. He had simply wanted moments like this—time for her to think about what needed to be done.
That alone was enough.
“The clothes Seia wants to wear!”
Since washing herself was still impossible, she decided to choose her outfit. The final step in getting ready had always been picking what she wanted to wear.
The closet had grown much larger than before, though it was not yet full. That did not matter. Seia stood on her tiptoes, grasped the handle, and opened the door with her lips pursed in concentration.
“They’re all pretty…”
Every piece reflected her tastes; there was not a single outfit she disliked. As her thoughtful humming stretched on, a rustling sound came from the front of the house.
“Daddy!”
Forgetting her dilemma in an instant, Seia spun around and toddled toward the sound. There stood Jungwoo, both hands full of shopping bags, smiling as he greeted her.
“Haha. Looks like my daughter spent the whole time on the slide, huh?”
“Hehe… the slide is so fun!”
Her bright, bashful smile made Jungwoo grin too.
“So, did you pick out the clothes you want to wear?”
“Seia likes this one!”
Once again, she had chosen brown.
Most little girls her age preferred pink or other princess-like colors, didn’t they? He had wondered about it before but never asked. Today the question rose naturally.
“But why does Seia like brown so much?”
“Hehe.”
Instead of answering with words, she pointed her small finger at him.
“Hm?”
Why was she pointing at him? Following the direction of her finger, he realized she was not indicating his face but his eyes.
Jungwoo could not see his own eyes at that moment, but he had one clear mirror. Seia’s eyes were the exact warm brown she had inherited from him.
“Daddy’s… eyes?”
“Yes. Daddy’s eyes are pretty. They sparkle and sparkle.”
How could anything be so lovable? It was natural to find his own daughter beautiful, yet every word and gesture she made was utterly endearing. In the end Jungwoo could not hold back; he pulled her into a tight embrace.
“All right, now that we’ve chosen your clothes, it’s time to wash up, okay?”
“Okay!”
He held her hand firmly as they headed to the bathroom. Though autumn had only just begun, summer had clearly passed; the morning air was crisp and cool. He adjusted the water to the perfect temperature for her and they washed their faces side by side.
Using the children’s foam cleanser, he worked up gentle bubbles and rubbed her face softly. Seia kept her eyes squeezed shut, trusting his hands completely.
“Seia, blow your nose!”
“Hooong!”
She wrinkled her small, straight nose and blew, looking so earnest that Jungwoo watched her with proud, tender eyes. After finishing with her, he washed quickly himself.
Today the restaurant was closed, but he still had things to do. He could not afford to waste time. This would be their first trip into the city together. They had visited the local market and nearby shops before, but never the city proper.
In the strange feeling that days off were actually busier, Jungwoo first dried Seia’s hair. They sat on the living room floor facing the vanity mirror, him behind her. The warm air from the dryer and the perfectly tempered bathwater made her eyelids grow heavier and heavier.
Even from behind he could see her plump little cheeks. He finished drying every strand, then wondered how he should style it today.
“Should I braid a little? Or leave it down?”
Seia’s black hair was so deep it seemed to drink in light itself. The strands were healthy and glossy; when they reached below her shoulders, even a slight turn of her head made them sway beautifully.
“This looks pretty, but so does that…”
If he braided a thin section at the side and let it fall, she resembled a small, precious angel stepped out of a fairy tale. Pigtails would be cute too, but his favorite style was the simplest one—nothing at all. Just freshly washed and dried hair, the way her mother used to wear it.
His wife had possessed beautiful features yet never fussed over styling them. That very simplicity had made her charm shine even brighter. Seia had inherited only the best from both of them, so the soft, natural fall of her straight hair suited her perfectly.
“You look so pretty.”
His hand, reaching out to stroke her hair with affection, paused midair. He had to restrain himself. If he touched her now, the already drowsy child might drift off into deep sleep.
Watching her doze, he briefly wondered if letting her nap would be kinder than dragging her into the city. But he knew better than anyone that what Seia truly wanted was to go out together. Instead of stroking her hair, he gently pinched one of those plump cheeks visible even from behind.
“Is our Seia sleepy?”
“Ah! No! Seia isn’t sleepy!”
“Hehe. Really? If you feel tired, just tell me. We can go to the city another day.”
“Seia wants to go! To the city!”
“Then since your hair is dry, shall we get dressed?”
“Yes!”
Seia sprang up and hurried to the clothes she had chosen. These days she could dress herself fairly well, though she still made little grunting sounds of effort.
While she changed, Jungwoo quickly swapped his own clothes. Since this was their first city outing together, he matched her. Brown might not stand out on its own, but paired with Seia it became the strongest accent of all. The morning was chilly but the afternoon might warm up, so he slipped on a light brown jacket.
Seia’s outfit was a brown T-shirt embroidered with a white bear. He had bought it a little large to account for her growth, so the sleeves covered two-thirds of her palms.
So cute.
She waved her hands, making the long sleeves flap like a baby bird testing its wings.
“All right, shall we go?”
“Yes!”
With her energetic reply, they left the house—by way of the slide, of course. They emerged naturally at the restaurant entrance.
Jungwoo had already been to the market, but this morning breeze was brand new to Seia. The fresh air carried a slight chill, yet the warmth traveling through their tightly clasped hands kept her from feeling cold.
He had considered taking a taxi, but decided that riding public transportation together would create a wonderful memory. In the past they had rarely gone far, and when they did, taxis had been the usual choice.
Now that I think about it, maybe I’ve been carrying her in my arms too much.
Children her age usually explored many places with their parents—amusement parks, zoos, all the new worlds waiting just beyond the familiar.
Still, today’s outing was only the beginning. First steps always carried special weight, so Jungwoo had already planned what they might do in the city.
As they walked hand in hand toward the bus stop, every passerby’s gaze lingered on Seia at least once. Whether she noticed or not, she looked around with an excited, flushed face.
Our daughter really is adorable. Yes, she definitely is.
Sometimes he wanted to keep that cuteness all to himself. Other times he wanted the whole world to see it.
Whether he was watching the path ahead or simply watching her, they soon reached the bus stop.
“Seia, today we’re riding the bus.”
“Bus! Big vroom-vroom!”
“Haha, that’s right. But it’s public transportation, so we have to be quiet and not make too much noise. Understand?”
“Pubwic twansportation?”
“Yes. It means anyone can use it.”
Seia seemed to understand perfectly. She clapped both hands over her mouth and nodded solemnly. There was no need to stay that quiet yet, of course, but the gesture was too precious to correct.
Together they stepped into the bus stop—Seia still covering her mouth with both hands, determined to be on her very best behavior.