Accidentally become a father

[ An Incorrect Guess ]

_

A week had passed.

Yuna’s semester exams had finally come to an end.

_

The sidewalk stretched out ahead.

The asphalt still held the lingering heat of the day.

The late afternoon air was slowly settling in.

It wasn’t cold, but it was enough to make breathing feel a little lighter.

Our footsteps fell side by side.

Not too fast.

Not too slow either.

"Papa... where are we going?"

Yuna glanced over at me.

Her eyes were brimming with curiosity.

I didn’t answer right away.

I merely gave her a brief sideways glance.

"Take a guess."

"Eh..."

Yuna furrowed her brow.

Deep in thought.

She raised her hand slightly.

Her index finger resting against her chin.

"Mm... are we going shopping?"

"Hm, that’s right."

"But that’s not all."

"Guess again."

"Mm... what else could it be..."

Our footsteps maintained their steady rhythm.

Along the street, a few shops were beginning to turn on their lights.

People passed by.

The sound of traffic was relatively quiet.

"To buy new clothes?"

I immediately turned to look at her.

"??!"

"Why clothes all of a sudden?"

"That’s not it."

I let out a short sigh.

"Try again."

"But Papa..."

Yuna gave the hem of her shirt a little tug.

"My clothes are getting too small."

I took a quick look.

The sleeves had indeed ridden up a bit.

They didn’t fit like they used to.

"Hm... not yet."

"You can still wear them."

"Papa..."

Her tone dropped.

She clearly didn’t agree.

I looked back straight ahead.

"Try again."

_

We passed by our usual grocery store.

Its lights were bright.

The shelves were visible from the outside.

Yuna glanced toward it.

"Papa... isn’t that where we shop?"

"We’ll do that later on the way home."

"Oh..."

We kept walking.

The pedestrian crossing light turned red.

We stopped for a moment.

Waiting.

A few people stood around us.

Some were busy with their phones.

Others simply stood in silence.

The light turned green.

We crossed the street.

"Are we going to the park?"

I turned my head slightly.

"What makes you think that?"

"Because..."

Yuna gave a small smile.

"You really love going to the park, don’t you, Papa?"

"Says who?"

"I’ve seen it myself."

I let out a soft sigh.

"Alright... alright."

My pace slowed just a fraction.

The memory surfaced for a brief moment.

Sand.

Swings.

The wind rustling gently through the trees.

And the sound of birds.

Their chirping was light.

Never bothersome.

If anything... it was calming.

_

"Do you give up, Yuna?"

"Not yet."

"Alright."

A few steps passed.

Yuna went back to thinking.

Seriously.

"Mm..."

Her pace slowed down a bit.

Her eyes looked upward.

As if the answer might fall from the sky.

...

"We’re going to..."

She stopped mid-sentence.

Then shook her head.

"I don’t know... I give up."

I gave a faint smile.

"Alright."

"You’ll find out soon enough."

We kept walking.

The types of shops began to change.

No longer for daily necessities.

More crowded.

Noisier.

Filled with brighter lights.

On the side of the street—

A karaoke parlor.

Its lights were flashy.

Large glass doors.

Colorful posters displayed out front.

The faint sound of music could be heard from within.

My footsteps didn’t stop.

I kept walking.

...

But beside me—

Yuna’s footsteps slowed.

Just a little.

Her eyes were drawn toward the building.

For a little longer than usual.

__

[ An Unexpected Place ]

_

Yuna resumed walking.

Her pace was a little quicker.

As if she was trying to catch up to my rhythm again.

She no longer looked back.

But her eyes...

Every now and then, they still darted toward the side of the street.

...

We kept walking.

A few minutes passed.

My footsteps eventually slowed.

Then came to a halt.

Yuna stopped as well.

She looked straight ahead.

Then up.

Her brow immediately furrowed.

Right in front of us—

A building with pristine white walls.

Large glass windows.

Brightly lit.

Clear lettering across the top.

Clinic.

Pharmacy.

_

"Why... are we here, Papa?"

Yuna quickly turned to look at me.

"Are you sick?"

"No."

I stepped right inside.

The glass doors slid open automatically.

A rush of cold air immediately brushed against my skin.

Yuna followed close behind.

Her footsteps were a little hesitant.

Inside—

Everything was immaculate.

White.

Almost too white.

Bright, shadowless lighting.

Shelves lined with neatly arranged medicine.

Bottles, boxes, labels.

Everything looked impeccably clean.

And... quiet.

The only sound was the soft hum of the air conditioner.

_

"Welcome."

A woman’s voice greeted us.

We approached the counter.

A staff member stood behind the desk.

Her hair was tied neatly back.

Her eyes lit up with recognition the moment she saw me.

"Oh... Itsuki-san."

She gave a small smile.

"How have you been?"

"Good."

I didn’t linger.

I stepped right up to the counter.

Yuna stood by my side.

But—

Her eyes darted around.

Taking everything in.

A little tense.

A little curious.

_

"What brings you in today?"

"The usual."

The woman gave a slow nod.

"Ah... it’s about that time, isn’t it."

She reached under the counter to grab something.

Then—

Her eyes shifted to Yuna.

She paused for a moment.

Observing her.

...

Yuna immediately lowered her head.

Giving a slight bow.

"..."

Saying nothing.

"Oh..."

The woman smiled.

"How polite."

She leaned forward just a bit.

"By the way..."

"Who is this girl?"

"Your daughter?"

I turned my head.

Looking at Yuna.

She remained silent.

Waiting.

...

I took a slow breath.

I was her guardian.

But...

"...Yes."

"My daughter."

I raised my hand.

Resting it on her head.

Giving it a gentle pat.

"Yuna."

Yuna looked straight ahead again.

Still without a word.

"Hahaha..."

A soft laugh escaped the woman.

Tinged with a bit of awkwardness.

As if she wanted to ask more questions—

but held herself back.

She smiled again instead.

"Hello, Yuna."

Yuna gave a small nod.

"Hello..."

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Well then, this way."

The woman turned around.

She opened a door beside the counter.

"Come on in."

We followed her inside.

A narrow hallway.

The lights were just as blindingly bright.

The faint scent of antiseptic hung in the air.

She pushed another door open.

_

We stepped into an examination room.

It was a small space.

White walls.

A desk.

A few chairs.

Neatly organized medical equipment.

The room was mostly bare.

Save for a small calendar hanging on the wall.

"Have a seat."

I took a seat.

Yuna remained standing beside me.

Her eyes studied the instruments on the table.

A blood pressure monitor.

A blood glucose meter.

A few small vials.

...

The woman reached for the blood pressure cuff.

My sleeve was rolled up.

The cuff was wrapped around my arm.

Pulled tight.

"Still smoking?"

"Yeah."

"How many a day?"

"I don’t count them."

"Hm..."

She squeezed the pump.

The pressure rose.

Squeezing down on my arm.

Then slowly released.

She watched the dial.

"Getting enough sleep this week?"

"No."

"Overworking again?"

"Yeah."

She jotted something down on her notepad.

"Your blood pressure is still in the safe zone."

"But stop depriving yourself of sleep so often."

"Sure."

A brief response.

...

She removed the cuff.

And picked up another small device.

"Blood test next."

Yuna immediately looked over.

"Blood...?"

I gave her a brief sideways glance.

"Just a little."

The woman picked up a lancet.

A small needle.

"Finger."

I held out my hand.

Click.

A slight prick.

A single bead of blood surfaced.

She dabbed it onto a small test strip.

And inserted it into the machine.

Beep.

A few seconds passed.

"Blood sugar is normal."

"Cholesterol..."

She checked the reading.

"Slightly elevated."

I remained silent.

"Still within the safe range, though."

Yuna was still watching.

Looking a little tense.

Her hands gripping the hem of her shirt.

...

"Now it’s your turn, Yuna."

Yuna immediately stiffened.

"Eh..."

She sat down slowly.

Her legs dangling.

"Don’t worry."

The woman smiled.

"It won’t hurt."

Yuna gave a small nod.

But she remained cautious.

The cuff was wrapped around her arm.

Her eyes darted toward me.

I simply met her gaze.

In silence.

...

The pressure was released.

"Normal."

"Now for your height."

Yuna stood up.

Pressing her back flat against the scale.

"Keep your head straight."

Yuna tried to comply.

Looking a bit stiff.

"Don’t stand on your tiptoes."

"Oh..."

She lowered her heels back down.

...

The number was recorded.

"Normal height."

Yuna gave a small smile.

Looking proud.

"Short."

Yuna’s head whipped around.

"I’ll be taller than you eventually, Papa. Hmph."

...

"Weight."

She stepped onto the scale.

The numbers appeared.

The woman checked the reading.

"You’ve been eating regularly?"

"Yes..."

Yuna answered quietly.

I interjected.

"Four times a day."

Yuna quickly shot me a glare.

"Papa!"

The woman let out a soft laugh.

"It’s fine."

"Still perfectly normal."

...

"Now for a vision test."

She picked up an eye chart.

And held it out in front of her.

"Cover one eye."

Yuna covered her left eye.

"Read this."

"E..."

"The line below?"

"F... P..."

Sounding a little hesitant.

"Good."

"Switch eyes."

"Now?"

"Z... L...?"

"Yes."

She jotted it down.

"Vision is still normal."

"No need for glasses."

Yuna looked relieved.

...

"Now we’ll just take a little blood."

Yuna immediately tensed up again.

"Eh..."

"Just kidding."

The woman returned to her paperwork.

A few seconds passed.

"Everything is normal."

...

Yuna let out a long breath.

"Are we done?"

"Yes."

She immediately broke into a small smile.

...

I stood up.

"Finished?"

"All done."

The woman handed over the results.

"You’re both in good health."

"Except—"

She looked over at me.

"Cut back on the cigarettes."

I took the paper.

"Yeah."

_

We left the room.

And headed back to the front desk.

I picked up some basic medicine and vitamins.

Just in case.

I paid the bill.

"Thank you, Itsuki-san."

"Thank you too."

I gave a brief nod.

We turned around.

And exited the clinic.

The glass doors slid open.

Welcoming us back out into the open air.

_

We started walking again.

Yuna finally broke the silence.

"Papa..."

"Hm."

"Who was that?"

My pace remained steady.

"Clinic staff."

"That’s not what I meant..."

Yuna stepped a little closer.

"She knew you, Papa."

"Because I come here often."

"Often?"

"A few times... a year."

"What for?"

"Checkups."

"Why do you need checkups?"

I gave her a fleeting glance.

"I don’t necessarily have to. But..."

"If I get checked, I’ll know."

"Whether I’m still normal or not."

"Papa..."

She sounded unhappy with that answer.

I let out a soft sigh.

"Just to be safe."

_

Our footsteps carried us forward.

The streetlights flickered to life one by one.

The sky was changing color.

Late afternoon fading into evening.

Up ahead—

The karaoke parlor from earlier.

We were approaching it again.

Its lights were even brighter now.

The music was clearer.

People were coming and going.

...

Yuna’s footsteps slowed.

Then—

Stopped altogether.

"Papa..."

She turned to look at me.

Her eyes no longer held any hesitation.

__