With her outfit now neat and her hair well-groomed, Iris transformed into an adorable girl, apart from her pale complexion and slightly thin frame. Compared to her previous unkempt hair and tattered clothes, she was unrecognizable.
โDad, where are we going from here?โ
Iris, walking beside Aldo, asked nervously. Aldo looked up at the clear sky.
โWell, itโs around lunchtime, so how about we get something to eat?โ
Iris followed closely beside Aldo, who adjusted his stride to match her pace. He wanted to hold her hand to keep her from getting lost, but since Iris seemed to still be wary of him, Aldo gave up on that idea.
Instead, he made sure to keep a close watch on her as he led her to a cafรฉ.
โIris, you can order anything you like.โ
โUmโฆ umโฆโ
Iris looked around at the menu, seemingly overwhelmed. Aldo guessed that she was quite unfamiliar with this sort of thing.
โTake your time to choose,โ he said.
Aldo intended to wait until Iris decided on her order. However, she showed no signs of making a decision. She was just scanning the pictures on the menu, lacking the courage to choose for herself.
โUhโฆ Iโm sorry,โ Iris said, feeling guilty for keeping Aldo waiting. But the more anxious she became, the less clear-headed she was.
โUh, this oneโฆโ
What she pointed to was an alcoholic beverage.
โIris, thatโs not something for kids to drink.โ
โAh, s-sorry, Dad.โ
โThereโs no need to rush. What do you want to eat?โ
โWell, umโฆ what would be goodโฆ?โ
For Iris, who had never been given proper food before, ordering from the cafรฉ menu was a significant challenge. But Aldo, not feeling frustrated, gently stayed close to her.
โLetโs change the question. Between pizza and pasta, which would you prefer?โ
โUm, I think pizza sounds tastier.โ
โOkay, then how about pizza or pancakes?โ
โPancakes!โ
Irisโs eyes sparkled at that moment, and Aldo didnโt miss it, a grin spreading across his face.
โGreat, then letโs get pancakes for you.โ
Aldo called the waitress and placed their ordersโpasta and coffee for himself, pancakes and orange juice for Iris.
When the food arrived, Iris began to eat her pancakes. Using a knife and fork, she cut the pancakes and closed her eyes, savoring the taste, a smile spreading across her face.
Seeing her blissful expression made Aldo smile as well. His daughterโs joyful smile shared a bit of happiness with him.
โHow is it? Is it good?โ
โYeah, Dad. Thank you!โ
She beamed with a full smile. Seeing that, Aldo felt a sense of accomplishment. He sensed that he was gradually melting Irisโs frozen heart, and this meal made him feel even closer to her.
Just a little more, with one last push, they could have a normal parent-child relationship. Thinking that, Aldo decided to finally make that confession.
โIris, donโt you think Iโve been acting a bit strange since yesterday?โ
โHuh?โ
โThe truth is, Iโฆ lost my memory after being hit on the head.โ
โOh, reallyโฆ?โ
Aldo thought that revealing his amnesia would shock Iris, making her realize that she had forgotten him. However, based on her reaction, it seemed that wasnโt the case. To Iris, Aldo was merely an object of fear.
To dispel that fear, he could only tell her that the source of it no longer existed.
โItโs okay. Dad isnโt strange! Heโs kind!โ
Iris put forth her best effort in answering. To her, the father she had now was much more likeable than the one she had known before. There was no reason not to accept the father she liked.
โReally? But if I do anything even slightly strange, I want you to tell me. I want to be your fatherโnot just in name, but truly an ideal and good father.โ
Aldoโs sincere gaze didnโt seem to carry any deception. Iris believed in him wholeheartedly.
โYeahโฆ I like my current dad.โ
โThe โcurrent.โโ That word caught Aldoโs attention. His hypothesisโthat he had abused Irisโwas beginning to take on a chilling truth.
โIโm sorry, Iris. I must have been a terrible father back then.โ
โThatโs not trueโฆโ
Iris almost denied it, but couldnโt. To her, Aldo had genuinely been a bad father. Even so, he had also been kind at times, and there were feelings of parental affection. Iris had interacted with him, hoping that someday she would earn his recognition, feeling as though she was the one at fault.
In a way, there was a dependency on the father figure. Because of that, Iris couldnโt escape from Aldo.
Yet now, Aldo was recognizing her existence. For Iris, that was the greatest joy.
โIris, the past was filled with painful things that we donโt want to look back on. So letโs talk about fun things now. Letโs talk about the future. What kind of adult do you want to be?โ
โUmโฆ I want to be a magician!โ
โAhaha, a magician, huh? I hope you can be one.โ
Aldo smiled at his daughterโs dream. According to his common sense, magic didnโt exist. However, in this world, magic was real. Thus, Irisโs dream was not something unattainable.
โHey, Dad. If I become a magician, will you grant me one wish?โ
โHmm? Oh, sure. Iโll grant you anything you ask for.โ
โYay!โ
Iris squinted her eyes and wiggled her upper body while seated, expressing her joy in a dance, which made Aldo smile fondly.
โSo, whatโs your wish?โ
โHmmโฆ Itโs a secret until I become a magician!โ
Iris laughed innocently.
After finishing their meal at the cafรฉ, Aldo and Iris settled the bill and set off for home.
Iris walked beside Aldo, a bit fidgety and shy. She seemed like she wanted to say something but, being a child, couldnโt quite express her feelings properly.
Iris reached out her hand towards Aldo only to retract it a few times. It took several attempts for Aldo to finally understand her intention.
He extended his hand towards Iris. Upon seeing this, Irisโs eyes widened in excitement. She took Aldoโs hand and squeezed it tightly.
โHehehe.โ
Iris didnโt say anything more. She expressed her joy at holding Aldoโs hand by swinging it back and forth vigorously.
Aldo felt certain. Iris was going to be okay now. Although the scars of past abuse hadnโt completely healed, he understood that a psychological wound inflicted once could last a lifetime.
Even so, Iris had begun to open her heart to him in this moment. She trusted him. Determined to never betray that trust, Aldo firmly resolved in his heart to be a good father.
โAlright, weโve arrived home, Iris.โ
โYeah! Iโm back!โ
Iris said โIโm backโ to the empty house, and Aldo echoed her words. The two returned to a place where their hearts could truly find peace.
Thus, the new life of these two began. Iris, who had endured so much suffering until now, was set to walk toward happiness from here on out. A story of such beginnings was about to unfold.