Father and Daughter's Bucket List
Seia had only just stepped into the world of coffee before immediately withdrawing from it.
She did so while shouting “I hate coffee!” again and again.
In a way, it was only natural.
What should he buy her the next time they went to a café? She would probably adore a frappé or a smoothie.
“Daddy.”
“Hmm?”
“Daddyyy—”
“Yes, what is it—?”
Seia had been smiling as she called for him, but now she reached out with both hands, clearly asking to be held. Her belly was full and she was ready for sleep.
Seia could fall asleep on her own without trouble, yet the moment her father’s hand touched her, she drifted off several times faster.
“All right. Come here.”
He gathered her into his arms and gently patted her back. Her breathing soon grew steady and even.
The restaurant was quiet.
The television remained off and there was no cleaning left to do. Only father and daughter remained inside Seona’s Restaurant.
A single window was all that separated them from the outside world, yet the atmosphere inside and out felt entirely different.
Today, even Jungwoo felt like sleeping. Had he not drunk coffee, he might have managed a light nap, but after two full cups, sleep was out of reach.
Still, a holiday was coming up soon. What should they do?
Last time they had baked a cake together, enjoyed delicious food, and taken plenty of photos.
Should we go to an amusement park?
When they had visited the arcade, Seia—unlike her father—had been fearless with anything scary. In truth she was still too short for most rides, but there were plenty of other attractions she could enjoy.
And the food at amusement parks always tasted several times better: marble ice cream, churros, and more.
I always wanted to try those when I went to amusement parks as a kid.
They were a little expensive, so he had rarely bought them, yet somehow everything seemed to taste even more delicious there—watching parades, riding every ride he could.
Imagining Seia blooming into a flower of laughter, Jungwoo felt a smile spread across his own lips.
Good. Amusement park it is.
This time he would rent a car and do it properly—from morning until evening.
No, until night.
They should go before the weather turned any colder so they could play to their hearts’ content.
Once the decision was made, Jungwoo’s mind filled with nothing but thoughts of the amusement park. He would keep it a secret from Seia. He wanted to surprise her on the day.
Places like the zoo would be nice too.
All the spots children loved. Since he was making plans anyway, he might as well create a proper list.
Jungwoo and Seia’s bucket list.
Jungwoo and Seia’s Bucket List
As he thought about it, Seia had already fallen fast asleep. He carefully laid her on the sofa, then headed to the storage room for a moment.
When he had returned from the café earlier, he had noticed the ginkgo berries lying on the ground, releasing a foul, rotting smell. Still, it was a restaurant; anything right out front needed to be cleaned.
He took a broom outside and began sweeping. More had fallen than he expected. If he had waited any longer the odor would have grown far worse.
The ones that had already burst could not be helped, but he swept the rest carefully. That was when a familiar figure cast a shadow over him.
“Oh, sir.”
“Sweeping the yard, are we?”
He must have come straight from his workout. Even in the chilly air, a few beads of sweat glistened on the building owner’s forehead.
“Ah, yes. The ginkgo nuts were starting to smell.”
“Hehe, you could have left it. The cleaners would have taken care of it themselves.”
These days even the sanitation workers were all Hunters. A single water-wielding Hunter and a wind-wielding Hunter could clean an entire street in moments.
“Oh, is that so?”
“That’s how it is nowadays. Where’s the little one?”
“She’s sleeping over there. I only stepped out for a quick moment.”
He turned slightly to glance through the window of Seona’s Restaurant. There lay Seia, neatly stretched out on the sofa, fast asleep.
How could anyone look that adorable even while sleeping?
The owner smiled warmly, then opened the bag he carried as though remembering something.
“Ah, this. I bought it when I picked up some protein powder.”
With a rustling sound he produced a protein snack.
“Look at this. The ingredients show it’s low in carbs and sugar but high in protein. And it’s not fried…”
He analyzed the nutrition facts with obvious pride. Seeing “12 g Protein” printed boldly on the packaging, Jungwoo felt genuinely moved.
“Thank you. Seia will love it.”
“Hehe. Then I’m satisfied. But be careful not to get addicted. It isn’t cheap if you eat it often just because it’s healthy.”
“I won’t. Oh, have you eaten yet?”
The owner smiled.
“Your sales skills are no joke.”
“Ah, that wasn’t my intention.”
“I’m teasing. Food sounds good. Today’s special… let me see…”
Today’s Special
Bulgogi Hot Pot
“Bulgogi hot pot?!”
“Yes, that’s today’s special.”
“Well, in that case…”
In truth, bulgogi hot pot was the building owner’s favorite dish. Yet from the perspective of someone who exercised regularly, sweet foods always required caution.
Tsk… what a shame.
“Sir, did you know?”
“Know what?”
“We use stevia instead of sugar now.”
“Wh-what?! You use stevia?”
The owner stared at Jungwoo in genuine surprise. With all the recent talk about blood sugar, a restaurant switching to stevia instead of sugar was no small matter. The price difference was enormous.
“Well… then I suppose I have no choice. Let’s eat!”
“Yes. I’ll prepare it right away.”
He felt it again: the owner of this small restaurant possessed truly excellent sales skills.
Once inside, the owner sat down across from Seia without hesitation. He did not want to disturb her sleep, yet how could he pass up such an adorable sight?
“Those are…”
On Seia’s designated seat sat the birthday gifts she had received, carefully displayed. It was touching to see how she cherished every single one.
Having lived a long life, the owner had seen countless children—some like Seia, some quiet, some brighter and more energetic than words could describe.
Children were innocent and honest. That meant they could also be kinder than anyone or, at times, more cruel than anyone.
Seeing how Seia had arranged her gifts so preciously and refused to let them leave her side, she seemed to go far beyond simply being “kind.” It was truly mysterious.
How should he describe it?
Yes, it’s as if…
As if she understood what the other person wanted and acted accordingly.
He did not know when she would wake, but his small, selfish wish was that she would open her eyes before the meal ended.
His gaze refused to leave her. While he stared at Seia in a daze, the finished dish appeared on the table.
“Enjoy your meal.”
“Thank you.”
“This is on the house.”
“On the house?”
The complimentary dish was simply the leftover meat from the bulgogi hot pot, grilled and seasoned only with salt and pepper, served alongside ssamjang. The perfect balance of fat and seasoning meant a single dip in the ssamjang could make a person devour an entire bowl of rice. The meat itself was high quality and not at all tough.
“Actually…”
“Yes?”
“I was planning to stop by about the rent.”
“Oh, the rent?”
This building had unusually low property taxes. It was not too far from the bustling downtown area or the office districts. As a tenant, Jungwoo could not help but feel his heart race at the mention of rent.
“Well, it’s nothing major. It’s just…”
The owner hesitated, looking somewhat troubled. It seemed he intended to raise the rent. Even at the current rate, Jungwoo was barely managing.
The restaurant had an excellent rate of repeat customers, but new faces rarely appeared. Without the extra income he had received before, outings on days off would have been difficult.
“It’s all right. I know you’re already renting it to us at a very generous price.”
He meant every word. What they paid was less than half the market rate. It was not something he had earned through any special skill.
“Ah, that’s not what I meant.”
“Then what…”
“Given my age, you see.”
He was speaking of a future that might not arrive soon but was ultimately inevitable. Jungwoo was not slow to catch on. He simply nodded and listened carefully to what would come next.
Though the building owner spoke to Jungwoo, his eyes remained fixed on Seia. He had seen her several times now, yet the mere thought of a shadow falling across that small face made his chest ache.
“I have no family.”
His wife had passed away. His children had left. All he had left was a body healthier than most men his age and this building. In time even that healthy body would turn to dust. What remained, in the end, was money—the building and the funds in his account.
“I was originally planning to donate it.”
It was not an uncommon choice—returning what one had to society before leaving it.
“But I would like to give it to you.”
“…Pardon?”
This was completely unexpected. To suddenly offer the building? They were not long-time acquaintances. They had only met a handful of times, and their first meeting during the lease signing had been recent. It seemed far too early to judge a man’s character. Even if one could judge, to hand over the achievements of an entire lifetime…
“Wh-what are you saying all of a sudden?”
“That is what I originally thought. When an old man with many possessions departs, he should pass them on to young people who have nothing.”
After all, there was no one to inherit from him.
“I know what kind of person you are. So do not decide right away. Take your time and think it over.”
“…Thank you. Just hearing this means more than I can say.”
“Hehe, of course. You should be thankful. And you no longer need to pay rent. It is pocket change to me.”
The offer was so sudden that Jungwoo could not find words to respond. The fact that the owner had spoken so directly suggested he had already made peace with the decision.
Whew…
After a brief moment of thought, Jungwoo said, “I’ll have to work even harder from now on.”
“At what?”
What sort of effort did he mean? Becoming someone worthy of receiving the building?
Seeing the owner’s puzzled expression, Jungwoo answered clearly.
“This building. I’m going to buy it somehow.”
“…Huh? Ha, haha. So that’s what you meant.”
He had spoken firmly in case Jungwoo tried to refuse, yet instead the young man declared he would buy it. Seeing such determination not to accept anything for free, the owner felt he had chosen well.
When he looked back on his own past, most of it was filled with regret. But hearing Jungwoo’s answer, he felt certain that no such regrets would arise in the future.