“Ah… ah…”
Iris trembled as she looked at Aldo. Aldo didn’t understand why his daughter was shaking even though her father had returned. In his hazy memory, all he could recall was his daughter clinging to him affectionately.
“Um, what’s wrong, Iris?”
Aldo tried to act cheerful, not wanting Iris to notice his memory loss. If she found out, it might shock her, so he was being cautious.
“Uh… um…”
Iris looked at Aldo suspiciously. Normally, as soon as he came home, he’d start shouting, but now that wasn’t happening, and it was throwing her off.
“Hey, it’s me. Your father, Aldo. Are you alright? Haven’t you forgotten me, have you?”
Aldo pointed at himself with an awkward smile, wondering—however unlikely—that perhaps she’d forgotten him after he’d been away for a few days.
“Um… yes, you’re my father…”
Iris nodded slightly. Since he wasn’t shouting at her, Iris started to feel a little more at ease with him.
“Alright, I’m glad you haven’t forgotten. Are you okay? Nothing happened while I was away for a few days?”
“No… nothing happened.”
Iris answered, feeling uneasy about how different Aldo seemed. Internally, she worried that if she said anything wrong, this pleasant Aldo would turn back into his usual self.
“Ah, haha…”
An awkward silence fell between them. Aldo had planned to match his daughter’s mood when he got home, but her energy was unexpectedly low.
Thinking about it, Aldo wondered if perhaps Iris was hungry. Judging by her thin figure, she probably hadn’t been eating much.
“Iris, are you hungry?”
“Um…”
Iris averted her gaze, which Aldo interpreted as reluctance.
“There’s no need to hold back. We’re family, after all.”
“Family…!”
That word brightened Iris’s face a little. Aldo had always denied their family bond, often using violence. So it made her happy to hear him recognize her as his daughter. As long as he saw her that way, she figured he wouldn’t hurt her.
“Iris, is there anything you’d like to eat?”
“Um… anything is fine.”
“Anything is the hardest answer.”
Aldo mumbled as he scratched his head. His casual remark struck a deep chord with Iris.
“Ah, I’m sorry! I’ll think of something right away…”
“No, I didn’t mean it that way. Sorry.”
“S-sorry…?”
It had been a long time since Iris heard him say that. Ever since her mother left, Aldo had never once apologized, even if she wasn’t at fault. He’d shout, justifying himself, always convinced he was never wrong. Iris had come to believe she was a bad child, the cause of everything wrong.
But when Aldo apologized, Iris felt like her worth was finally being recognized.
“Uh… um…”
“Well, it doesn’t have to be specific. You can just tell me if you want something sweet, or something spicy.”
“Um… I’d like some sweet treats.”
Iris murmured. Sweets were a common craving, especially for a young girl.
“Sweet treats, huh? Alright, just wait a bit.”
Aldo immediately started making something. Fortunately, his wife had left her kitchen tools behind when she left. Though they were dusty and unused, they were still functional.
He gathered the ingredients he had around the house and began making simple cookies. Despite the limited ingredients, there was just enough to make something basic.
While baking the cookies, Aldo started a conversation with Iris.
“Iris… um, am I that scary to you?”
Aldo asked casually, and Iris was taken aback. If she said “yes,” he might get angry, but if she lied, he might scold her for lying.
“Um… well…”
At this point, Aldo was convinced. Even without an answer, he understood: Iris was scared of him. Since he had no memories, he had no idea what had happened between them, but from her reaction, he guessed he might have treated her terribly.
“I’m sorry, Iris. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”
Aldo closed his mouth. In that silence, the cookies finished baking.
“Here, Iris. The cookies are done. Try one.”
“O-okay.”
Iris timidly took a cookie from him. They weren’t particularly well-shaped, but he’d made them with all his clumsy effort for her.
Aldo watched her carefully, hoping she’d enjoy the cookies he made.
After staring at the cookie for a moment, Iris gathered her courage and took a bite. A small crunch and the warmth still lingering in the cookie made her eyes sparkle.
“It’s delicious…!”
“Is that so? I’m glad.”
Aldo felt relieved, thinking he might have taken a small step toward connecting with Iris. She was also delighted to eat a treat, something she’d never been given before.
“Thank you, Dad.”
“Ah, yeah. I’m glad you liked it.”
Aldo scratched his nose shyly. It had been a long time since Iris thanked him, as he hadn’t done anything worth thanking before. But now, his kindness moved her deeply.
“Ugh…”
“Hey, Iris, what’s wrong?”
Iris started to cry, holding the half-eaten cookie. Aldo worried that he might have done something wrong.
But he hadn’t done anything wrong—quite the opposite. He’d made her happy. Unaware that these were tears of joy, Aldo panicked, thinking he’d upset her.
“S-sorry, Iris. Did I do something to bother you?”
“No, it’s not that… Dad, you’re not going to leave, right?”
Iris’s words held a lot of meaning. She feared her father might disappear like her mother had.
But there was another fear—that the kind father in front of her might disappear, leaving her with the cruel version that hurt her. She was afraid the loving father would vanish, and the violent one would return.
“Iris… don’t worry. I won’t leave. I’ll always love you, and I’ll protect you. So you don’t need to worry about anything.”
Aldo spoke quietly. He wanted to hug her gently, but he knew that their distance was still too far. He could see she was still cautious of him.
But that was okay. Even just words were enough. She could feel Aldo’s love through them alone.
“Thank you, Dad…”
