I guessed that I had no choice. Fine, for the sake of their futures, I would have to sacrifice myself.
āI accidentally broke the present you gave meā¦ā
I confessed to dad, and his face turned into something sinister. I had never been scolded until today. Because of that, I thought that he was even scarier. Dad looked so intimidating.
āThen you could have just told me, couldnāt you? Why in the world did you try to hide it?ā
āButā¦ā
Was it because I saw my most cherished sculpture in ruins, or was it because of that scary look on Caitelās face right now? Suddenly, I felt like I was gonna cry. No, it was all because everything happening to me right now was so unfair. This was not my fault.
āBut you gave it to meā¦ā
I could hear my watery voice, and Caitelās expression shook too. I tried so hard to hold back my tears.
āYou liked it too, but I just hide it away because I wanted it. Daddy would be sad because I broke it tooā¦ā
Sob sob, oh, I didnāt know now. I wanted to just cry instead.
How could I hold my tears when it would just come out without me commanding them? I wiped the tears on my face, but it wouldnāt stop. This was all because Caitel looked sad. Yeah, itās all because he seemed so, so worried.
āIām sorry, daddy. Itās all my fault. It was so pretty⦠but I broke it.ā
Oh, Caitel looked a bit panicked. Was he panicking now that I was crying?
However, even that face of his looks so sad. This was all so sad. Sob sob.
Since I was crying so hard, Caitel seemed to have no idea what to do with me. However, whatever he would do, I just cried. Heās not getting angry. Was it because I was crying? Sob sob.
āHaaā¦ā
I could hear Caitelās sigh right beside my ear, the warmth that held me in the arm. I guessed that he was my dad, after all. At least he knew how to comfort his daughter.
āStop crying. That ugly face of yours will only get even uglier.ā
What was he saying with that sad face?
I was crying right now because your face looked so sad. I couldnāt speak because I was crying, so I just glared at him, and Caitel laughed a bit.
What? Did he think that my face was funny?
āAnd itās not something to cry over.ā
I guessed he was not mad anymore.
I didnāt know how long I had been crying, but I cried for a long time. I couldnāt even remember what made me so sad. Once my tears started to subside, Caitel wiped the tears on my face.
I was sobbing in dadās arm as I looked at him.
āDad, are you not mad anymore?ā
āNo. not anymore.ā
Phew, now I didnāt have to be scolded. Not that I did it on purpose⦠but it seemed like the tears of women and children indeed were deadly weaponsā¦
āNext time, just tell me what happened instead of hiding it, understand?ā
āYes, daddy.ā
Caitel smiled after hearing my answer. I smiled too. As I did so, suddenly, Caitelās face became serious. Huh?