I guessed that I had no choice. Fine, for the sake of their futures, I would have to sacrifice myself.
âI accidentally broke the present you gave meâŠâ
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.
âThen you could have just told me, couldnât you? Why in the world did you try to hide it?â
âButâŠâ
Was it because I saw my most cherished sculpture in ruins, or was it because of that scary look on Caitelâs 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.
âBut you gave it to meâŠâ
I could hear my watery voice, and Caitelâs expression shook too. I tried so hard to hold back my tears.
âYou liked it too, but I just hide it away because I wanted it. Daddy would be sad because I broke it tooâŠâ
Sob sob, oh, I didnât 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 wouldnât stop. This was all because Caitel looked sad. Yeah, itâs all because he seemed so, so worried.
âIâm sorry, daddy. Itâs all my fault. It was so pretty⊠but I broke it.â
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. Heâs not getting angry. Was it because I was crying? Sob sob.
âHaaâŠâ
I could hear Caitelâs 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.
âStop crying. That ugly face of yours will only get even uglier.â
What was he saying with that sad face?
I was crying right now because your face looked so sad. I couldnât 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?
âAnd itâs not something to cry over.â
I guessed he was not mad anymore.
I didnât know how long I had been crying, but I cried for a long time. I couldnât even remember what made me so sad. Once my tears started to subside, Caitel wiped the tears on my face.
I was sobbing in dadâs arm as I looked at him.
âDad, are you not mad anymore?â
âNo. not anymore.â
Phew, now I didnât have to be scolded. Not that I did it on purpose⊠but it seemed like the tears of women and children indeed were deadly weaponsâŠ
âNext time, just tell me what happened instead of hiding it, understand?â
âYes, daddy.â
Caitel smiled after hearing my answer. I smiled too. As I did so, suddenly, Caitelâs face became serious. Huh?