I guessed that I had no choice. Fine, for the sake of their futures, I would have to sacrifice myself.

  “I accidentally broke the present you gave me…”


  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.

  “Then you could have just told me, couldn’t you? Why in the world did you try to hide it?”


  “But…”


  Was it because I saw my most cherished sculpture in ruins, or was it because of that scary look on Caitel’s 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.

  “But you gave it to me…”


  I could hear my watery voice, and Caitel’s expression shook too. I tried so hard to hold back my tears.

  “You liked it too, but I just hide it away because I wanted it. Daddy would be sad because I broke it too…”


  Sob sob, oh, I didn’t 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 wouldn’t stop. This was all because Caitel looked sad. Yeah, it’s all because he seemed so, so worried.

  “I’m sorry, daddy. It’s all my fault. It was so pretty… but I broke it.”


  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. He’s not getting angry. Was it because I was crying? Sob sob.

  “Haa…”


  I could hear Caitel’s 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.

  “Stop crying. That ugly face of yours will only get even uglier.”


  What was he saying with that sad face?

  I was crying right now because your face looked so sad. I couldn’t 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?

  “And it’s not something to cry over.”


  I guessed he was not mad anymore.

  I didn’t know how long I had been crying, but I cried for a long time. I couldn’t even remember what made me so sad. Once my tears started to subside, Caitel wiped the tears on my face.

  I was sobbing in dad’s arm as I looked at him.

  “Dad, are you not mad anymore?”


  “No. not anymore.”


  Phew, now I didn’t have to be scolded. Not that I did it on purpose… but it seemed like the tears of women and children indeed were deadly weapons…


  “Next time, just tell me what happened instead of hiding it, understand?”


  “Yes, daddy.”


  Caitel smiled after hearing my answer. I smiled too. As I did so, suddenly, Caitel’s face became serious. Huh?

  “Even your smiling face is ugly.”


  Bastard!