Chapter 21 – Chapter 21

After leaving the department store, I wandered around the area with Miho.
Quietly, with your mouth shut, lost in awe…

“You’re going to bite your own tongue.”

In my head, the words the doctor had said were playing on an infinite loop like a broken tape recorder.

“…”

[… ] …]

In my life, there have been times when I bit my tongue accidentally or by accident. In such cases, such as biting your tongue while eating rice without knowing it. And maybe 99.98 percent of humans have bitten their tongues, which is probably the majority.

Also, it was normal for everyone to be surprised by that much.
But what, how, why such a small child bites his own tongue with his own will…

“Can you treat me?”

The doctor looked at me with a little strange eyes.
A suspicious look, wondering if I was the organizer who made Miho like this. But far from being offended by those eyes, I endured it in silence.
Rather, I thought it was more fortunate that they doubted me.
The sympathy I felt for Miho seemed to let me know that my feelings were not strange.

“In fact, most of the wounds are in the process of being healed. Surprisingly, biting your tongue isn’t just once or twice. Traces of Jung-gu heating remain. You must have bitten your tongue at least a hundred times. Conversely, I feel very fortunate that I did not go to the worst case scenario. The problem is that even if the wound is completely healed, the short tongue may not heal right away.”

The doctor told me

“There is a very high probability that mental problems will remain and will not heal immediately. If you are a parent or guardian… Please do well.”

It was rare for a doctor to speak so bluntly to a person who came to the hospital.
Because the person who came may be unpleasant.
But I, on the other hand, was grateful that the doctor spoke so strongly to me. I thought I was a good doctor.

“Judge, look, stand.”

“Hey.”
“Ok?”
“… It is nothing.”

I shook my head.
Can I ask how long it’s been since we met? Why did you make such a tongue-in-cheek choice? It must have been unimaginably painful, but it wasn’t easy to ask if he was okay.

That was probably the exact distance between me and Miho.

Fuck, I want to smoke a cigarette.
My mouth and lungs are itchy, so I feel like I’m going to turn around.

Just close your eyes and feel for today…

“Tongue!”
“Why.”
“Rather than clapping your hands, do something small!”

What’s better than holding hands?
What was that

“Ah, a wooden horse.”
“Hobbyhorse!”
“Okay, can’t you do that much? Now I’m wearing proper underwear and clothes.”

I put the shopping bag roughly on my forearm and lifted Miho up and put him on top of my neck. And, worried that she might fall, I held onto her feet.

The warmth Miho felt above her head was so warm.

High, high!”
“Of course! My height is easily over 180! That height must be amazing for a short boy like you!”
“No, Miho has climbed a lot of trees much taller than this one!”
“Oh, yes?”

If I do well, Miho will speak normally and clearly like other children.
Also, if I could show off my confident and lively appearance in front of other people even without me…
I wanted to do well.

Ever since I was born into this world, I’ve never once thought of wanting to do something this well.
Surprisingly, I thought that I wanted to do this better than anyone else and work hard.

[… ] …]

“Let’s go, now it’s time to hit the phone.”
“Gazua~.”

With Miho on the horse, I went to the store of the ST telecommunications company I was using.
And I had to go through a bit of trouble trying to roughly match it with the most popular phone among kids these days.

“How is your relationship going?”
“… I am a guardian.”
“Um, then what’s the child’s name?”
“Miho.”

“Tadak, tadak!”

The store employee scratched the back of his head as he quickly tapped his computer with the latest smartphone we had decided to buy right in front of us.

“If you search for Miho, there are too many names, so can you tell me your full name?”
“Yes? That’s the full name…”
“…”

It was an unexpected question, so I was embarrassed and a voice that crawled in came out. In response, the employee only pursed his lips a few times, then carefully asked.

“Well, then, please tell me the name of the guardian.”
“… This is Kim Hyun-woo.”
“Yes, hold on.”

“Tadak, tadak!”

The store employee who was tapping the keyboard again laughed and scolded me as if he were joking.

“Ah, here it is. Are you kidding me, Father?”
“… ?”

I wanted to say something, so Miho and I quietly looked at each other and tilted our heads, but the employee at the franchise store told us the reason.

“I’m here, ‘Kim’ Miho.”
“… !”

For a moment, I felt strange for some reason, so I avoided eye contact with the store employee.
I wondered if Miho would react to something, so I looked down.

“Kim, Miho…”

Tears welled up in Miho’s eyes as she murmured softly.

“Uuuuu…” … !”

I also felt mixed emotions at the crying that contained so many emotions.
Since we met, we’ve only had one day.
I wondered if the child was shocked because someone else called me father, and the surname of someone he had never had a relationship with was put in front of him.

I honestly…
I was slightly, no, very happy about the name Kim Mi-ho.

“Cell phone, please wrap it.”
“Ah yes! Okay. Please wait for a moment.”

I hugged the crying Miho and patted him on the back, trying to hold back the itchy words in my mouth.
I wanted to ask if you hated it that much, to be honest.
But I couldn’t bear to ask.

“Whoa.”

What the hell is this little lump of blood? How long has it been since we met, why are you holding me back like this…

‘I don’t know anymore either.’

“Ugh, uh, uh…”

It was a sincerity that no one could deny, just wishing that this child would laugh more than cry.

* * *

“Here it is.”
“Thank you.”

I hurriedly received a shopping bag containing a smartphone while holding Miho on the street. Suddenly, both hands are full.

“For blankets and toothpaste, there is a blanket store and a convenience store in front of the house, so you can buy them there.”

I’m kind of tired, and lunch is getting closer before I know it.
Would you like to go back like this?

“Sniff, sniff.”

That leaves me with a bit of regret.
I didn’t really like it when the memory of going back to downtown was accompanied by tears. Even when I went out with my mother when I was young, I always left with a smile.
So back then, I liked going out.
At some point, I started to like computers better, and I felt ashamed of going around with my mother, so I didn’t do that.

“Wait, let’s stop by somewhere.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know if it still exists, but once you go, you will know.”

I was wandering around with Miho with high expectations, but when I saw a familiar signboard, I had no choice but to stop and smile.

[Space Arcade]

“This is still there.”

Frankly, it wasn’t a good location.
Although it is located in the downtown area, to enter here, you have to go through a somewhat gloomy alleyway to find a small entrance.
There were also cases where bad guys would approach and steal money if they came without their parents. Fortunately, my mother was always by my side.
It seems like they silently watched me play the game and even chimed in.

‘I didn’t understand that at the time.’

From a child’s point of view, I couldn’t understand why my mother, who didn’t even play games, was so happy that she clapped and laughed at me just watching me play.
So, conversely, there were times when I was annoyed at being embarrassed or complained that I would go back on my own when it was over.
But now, I felt like I knew how her mother felt.

“Oh, oh oh oh oh… ! Tongue, tongue! What are you doing here, noisy! Half and half!”
“Wait a minute.”

[Use once for 300 won]

If anything has changed, how much is the price?
It used to be 100 won in the past, but now it has changed to 300 won.

[Coin changer]
[100 Won x 10]

I quickly turned the three thousand-won bills into coins.

“Jing jing jing jing jing!”

Seeing the 100 won coins pouring out of the exchange machine, Miho’s eyes lit up.

“Kyaaaaa!”

Looking at Miho, who is like a monkey facing a newspaper, I asked while putting coins in her hand.

“What do you want to do first? Let’s do what you want to do.”
“Uh?”

After explaining her entertainment to Miho, who couldn’t understand what she was talking about, Miho then busied around with her coin in her hand, clutching it tightly as if she would never let it go.
And the games that I struggled to decide after spinning a wheel were casual bowling and racing games.
Well, it’s a game that kids like so much.
I also did a lot when I was very young.

[Gutter!]

“Kyaaaaa!”

I couldn’t help but smile when I saw Miho smiling as if she was excited even though the bowling ball she had rolled continued to fall sideways.

“Idiot, you can’t do that. You have to do it like this.”

「Tegurururu, cholarak!」

[Strike!]

It’s been a really long time since I’ve been here, but my body remembered how to play this game.

“Wowaaaaagh! Mihodo, Mihodo! Swarm!”

[Gutter!]

“Kyaaaaang!”
“Puhaha, you really can’t do it.”
“Have fun!”

Casual bowling and racing games like that.
At the end of the game, we played a horseback riding game and spent time with Miho, who smiled even though his butt hurt him, and smiles naturally appeared on our faces.
The words I heard from the doctor and the reaction Miho showed me were still flickering in my head.
Still, it was undeniably true that this time was enjoyable.

“Let’s go home now.”
“… Yes!”

This time, Miho hesitates for a moment.
I held Miho’s hand and took a taxi. Then, I bought a moderately good blanket near my house and strawberry-flavored toothpaste, which is said to be very popular with children, and returned home.

“Whoa, I’m tired, I’m tired.”

Without even organizing the things I bought from outside, I threw them on the floor and fell face down on the cheap mattress.
But strangely, Miho was quiet.
Ask me to buy some chicken because you’re hungry right now, I thought you’d use it.

“Tongue.”
“Yes?”
“One, are you coming soon? Miho, how many times should I count to ten this time?”
“…”

In fact, I was thinking of going to work today.
Because I’m not in a good mood right now. Still, considering the fact that I held the ceremony again yesterday as Seonwoo Yerang, it was clear that there would be customers who heard about me and came.

Conversely, if I didn’t go today, there would be a lot of damage.
However.

“I’m not going today.”
“… !”
“I’ll just stay here. I take a nap because I’m tired. Because I have to wake up and eat delicious food with you, and teach you how to use your smartphone. Hey, let’s spread the blanket. Get some sleep and wake up.”
“Yes!”
“And you should brush your teeth.”
“Ugh…”
“Today will be fine, I bought something delicious. No, you should be looking forward to brushing your teeth more now.”
“… Stink, Caesar…”
“It’s called brushing your teeth, brushing your teeth. Come quickly.”
“Ok! Alright!”

I put a child’s toothbrush in Miho’s hand and smeared a lot of fragrant pink toothpaste on it.

“… !”

Miho is also thrilled because the toothpaste has a different color from the one I saw yesterday and smells good.
Carefully insert the toothbrush into your mouth.

When I saw that, I said something.

“You shouldn’t eat it.”

「Flicker!」

“Mi, Miho. I’m not that stupid.”

I just wanted to eat it.

「Chikachika, gurgling, gurgling!」

We stood side by side and brushed our teeth alike, as if we had matched. To be precise, I had to assume that Miho was copying me.
If you keep doing that, your brushing will increase.

“Oh, I forgot my pajamas.”
“It’s okay!”

Miho pulled out a white T-shirt that was tucked away in the corner of her shopping bag, put it on inside out, and smiled.

“Miho, I like this better!”
“… Is that so?”

If that’s better, it’s a reverse problem.
What are you going to be okay with now?

“Come on.”
“Kyaang!”

I was thinking of buying a lot of blankets, but I thought two would be enough until I move right away, so I bought one today.
Because when he washes the quilt he peed on, he gets two.
After all, there was only one person today, so I needed to sleep with Miho a little bit.

“Knock-knock!”

In the first place, this leech-like guy burrows into my chest.

“Ahhh, I’m really sleepy.”

I woke up at dawn and kept watching in an uncomfortable position until 2 years awoke, and then I ate pizza and went to the department store… In many ways, I was traveling around a lot.

I dozed off and closed my eyes, but Miho quietly spoke to me.

“Tongue.”
“… Ok…”

I was half asleep, so I answered roughly.

“‘Kim’ Miho, I like it.”
“…”

I’m crying for nothing