The Simple Art of Folding a Spat
The method for folding a spat is incredibly simple.
Once you've done it, it's easy enough to remember even if the details feel fuzzy.
“We're going to do some origami now.”
“Huh? What about the spats?”
“Making a spat is origami. It's an essential step in the process.”
“I wanna fold one too!”
“Let's fold them together, sweetheart.”
Two sheets of paper of the same size.
If they made the spats too big, it was obvious Seona wouldn't be able to flip them with just one hand.
Though the sight of her yelling “Hup!” and slamming down on a spat with both hands would be adorable, the most efficient way to play was still with one hand.
“Fold the paper like this—”
“Like thiiis—”
There were actually many different ways to fold a spat, but Jungwoo only knew one.
It involved using two sheets to make one, and it was by far the easiest method.
“Overlap them like a cross.”
“Like this?”
“That's right. Line up the centers nicely, then fold the corners like this.”
Because it was such a simple method, Seona caught on quickly.
With each fold, the papers gradually took on the shape of proper spats.
“Finally, just tuck this part in here.”
“Ugh...”
She tried to slip it between the crumpled layers, but it required a bit of technique. As a result, the once smooth and neat paper quickly became covered in wrinkles.
Jungwoo didn't help her.
It was something she could do on her own, and more importantly, the true power of a spat came from those very creases.
In the past, people went to great lengths to create the ultimate spat.
Some dampened the paper with water, others secretly used newspaper from home.
Some even stepped on finished spats with the legs of their school chairs. There were all sorts of methods for making an unbeatable one.
“Daddy! I finished mine!”
Seona thrust her hand up high. A completed spat sat proudly in her grasp.
She had incorporated her personal taste, creating a spat with a brown and white pattern.
Judging by all the wrinkles, it looked a little stronger than Jungwoo's crisp, neat version.
“Hehe... Daddy's done too.”
“Now can we play spat?”
“Yep. We can play now. Want to try right away?”
“Yes!”
And so father and daughter stepped outside the restaurant, each holding a spat in one hand and the other's hand in the other.
“Let's bet! Let's make a bet!”
“Shall we?”
Seona had been beaming with excitement as she suggested a bet, but then her expression suddenly turned puzzled.
A question mark seemed to float above her head.
“A bet...?”
Bet, bet.
As she kept repeating the word, Seona finally realized why it felt so familiar.
“Daddy. We made a bet earlier. About selling lots of lunchboxes!”
“Y-you remember that?”
“Because Seona is smart—!”
“Ahem, that's right. Our Seona is very smart.”
“Who won? Did Seona win?”
He hadn't explained every little detail, but he was certain of her victory.
“Seona won. If it weren't for you, it would've taken a bit longer.”
“Waaah—!”
Seona was absolutely thrilled.
Not just because she had won the bet.
But because she had been helpful to her dad.
Since they had sold the lunchboxes faster, they were able to buy paper for folding spats and play like this.
“If you tell Daddy what you want, I'll make it happen.”
“Hmm...”
After thinking for a moment, Seona shook her head.
“I'll tell you later.”
“Haha. Alright. Then shall we play now?”
“Yes!”
“First, we need to decide who goes first. Rock-paper-scissors.”
Seona nodded, clutching her spat tightly.
The sparkle that had filled her eyes just moments ago had been replaced by a competitive gleam.
“Rock-paper-scissors, shoot!”
“Paper!”
The result was Jungwoo's rock against Seona's paper.
“I won!”
“Wow, you're really good at rock-paper-scissors too?”
In truth, Jungwoo had completely figured out Seona's rock-paper-scissors psychology.
Every time they played, she always shouted “Rock-paper-scissors, shoot!”
Was it because of that powerful final “Paper!”?
Seona always led with paper.
Then scissors, then rock.
“Hehe. So Seona goes first?”
“Yes. You can go first. Here.”
When Jungwoo placed his spat on the ground, Seona stood before it with a solemn expression.
A technique from a TV program flashed through her mind.
If she raised one hand high and brought it down precisely on the spat, it would definitely flip over with a satisfying smack.
“Hiyah!”
But perhaps because she was too eager to flip it in one go.
Instead of using one hand, Seona grabbed her spat with both and slammed it down with all her might.
Or rather, she threw it.
Her spat landed quite a distance away from the one on the ground.
“Ah...”
It wasn't just that it hadn't flipped. The fact that she hadn't even hit it made disappointment flood Seona's eyes.
“I missed...”
“Haha. Seona, for the first few tries, focus on just hitting the spat. Okay?”
“Okay...”
Though she looked downcast, the game wasn't over yet.
If Daddy couldn't flip it either, the turn would come back to her.
Naturally, Jungwoo had no intention of flipping it this time.
He planned to let her have the next three turns.
No one knew Seona better than Jungwoo.
She was the kind of child who showed more motivation when the win felt just barely out of reach rather than when she was handed an easy victory.
“Alright, Daddy's turn!”
Normally he would have used just enough force to avoid flipping it, but this was his first time using this kind of paper.
If he wasn't careful, it might flip too easily.
“Hup!”
He struck the spat with full power after taking a deep breath.
For his first attempt, just like Seona, he didn't even hit it.
“Oh, you missed too?”
Seona had been watching with both hands clasped tightly together, nervous. When her father's strike went wide, she let out a sigh of relief.
“Ah! Daddy missed too!”
“Haha, it's been a while since I played. It's harder than I thought.”
“Then is it Seona's turn now?”
“Yes. Your turn.”
This time she followed her father's advice and used one hand.
She focused on hitting the spat and used moderate strength.
Her posture wasn't like the experts, but Seona swinging her spat with one hand still looked quite impressive.
“Hah!”
This time her spat landed much closer.
Much closer than before.
“Hng... I missed again...”
Having missed twice, Seona's voice began to waver with tears.
“Haha. It's okay. You can get it next time, right?”
“...Yes! Next time for sure!”
And so the back-and-forth continued.
Jungwoo adjusted his strength each time and took a few turns.
After a few attempts, he figured out exactly how much force was needed to flip it.
“Nooo!”
Unfortunately, even though Seona hit it accurately this time, her strength wasn't quite enough. The spat lifted slightly before settling back into place.
“Hehe, Seona. Any last words?”
“Hehe... Daddy—!”
Using aegyo as her final words.
At this rate, even if he wanted to flip it, he couldn't.
Seona knew exactly how to get to her father.
She was supposed to be attacking the spat, but here she was attacking her dad instead.
What was he supposed to do with this tiny, cunning little rascal whose every thought was written so plainly on her face?
“Alright. This is the last one?”
“Yes! The last one!”
Jungwoo, completely won over by the little rascal's charms, let the turn pass appropriately. Then he watched as the small troublemaker poured every ounce of her strength into her spat.
“Hah!”
With a clean shout, Seona's spat finally left her hand.
The force was perfect. The position was perfect.
He wasn't sure if she had aimed for it on purpose, but her spat slammed right into the corner of his. Jungwoo's spat teetered on the edge for a moment before slowly flipping over to the other side.
“D-did it flip?”
Seona hadn't expected it either. She stared at the spat with wide, puzzled eyes.
The patterned side had turned to the plain side. It had definitely flipped.
“Wow, our Seona wins!”
“Hehe, Seona wiiins—!”
It was just a game of spat, but if it made her this happy, the word “just” didn't seem to fit.
“Are you that happy?”
“Yes! Seona flipped it!”
Seona wasn't rejoicing over winning the bet against her father.
She was simply happy that she had managed to flip the spat.
“Wow, our Seona already has two wishes now?”
“Two! What should I do?”
Two wishes.
What could she ask for that would make people say she used them well?
She had said she would save one for later, but she still hadn't decided on the other.
After thinking for a moment, Seona looked at Jungwoo as if she had made up her mind.
“Stew-kyu.”
“Haha. You want steak?”
“Daddy's steak is so yummy. I want to eat it again.”
Asking for steak as her wish.
It was the most Seona-like answer imaginable.
“Alright. But we just ate, so shall we have it later?”
“Mmm, but Seona wants it now—”
She had already eaten at the stall earlier while doing her eating show slash promotion, yet she wanted more now.
Well, if Seona wanted it, who was he to refuse?
In fact, even if it wasn't a wish and she had just said “Daddy—” in that sweet voice, he would have made it for her anyway.
Today's lunchbox sales had gone very well.
And judging by the situation, it looked like things would continue to go smoothly.
What cut should I use?
After a brief moment of thought, Jungwoo scooped Seona up into his arms and asked her directly.
“Do you want to choose what kind of meat we'll use for the steak?”
“Meat?”
“Yes. You get to pick the steak meat.”
“Hehe. Yes! Seona wants to choose!”
What kind of beef would Seona pick?
Suddenly, he remembered her first birthday ceremony.
They had held it quietly at home because they couldn't afford anything grand.
He could never forget what Seona had grabbed that day.
She grabbed everything.
As if she understood what it all meant, that tiny hand had snatched up everything on the table.
A microphone, a pencil, a banknote, and a spool of silk thread.
She had grabbed all four of them cleanly.
What if she did the same today and picked everything?
Well, then he would just have to make one for her every single day.
With Seona snug in his arms, Jungwoo headed straight for the market.
He hung a sign on the restaurant door saying he would be back shortly from the market.
It hadn't been that long since Seona last appeared at the market, but the people's reactions were far more intense than he had expected.
“Aigoo, who is this? Isn't it our Seona?”
The fishmonger uncle.
“Tsk, you called me Grandma and then disappeared. Why are you only coming back now?”
The vegetable stall grandmother.
Everyone welcomed her warmly.
Seona waved at the market people from within Jungwoo's arms.
Her polite little bow was cute, but so was this light, casual greeting.
Together with Seona, they arrived at the butcher shop.
Usually a young owner ran the place, but today a kind-looking middle-aged man was watching over the shop.
“Goodness, how can a child be this adorable?”
“Hehe. Hellooo!”
“Yes, yes. What can I get for you today?”
“I'd like some steak meat, please. My daughter says she wants to eat it.”
“Oh ho, is that so?”
For a moment, the kind light in the butcher's eyes sharpened with interest.