Accidentally become a father-Chapter 27: The New Standard

--- 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Do you see something?" I asked.

"It’s uneven."

"What?"

"The towel."

"Its function is to dry."

"It’s crooked."

"So am I."

She walked over.

Without another word, she pulled the towel off.

Folded it twice. Then hung it back up in a perfectly symmetrical position.

The ends were flush. The left and right heights were equal.

She took a step back.

Evaluating.

---

"Now it’s right," she said.

"What’s right about it?"

"It’s balanced."

I stepped closer again. Took the towel. Wiped my already dry hands.

Then hung it back up.

Slightly crooked.

On purpose? Not really. I just didn’t think about it.

Yuna looked at it.

Slowly took a breath.

---

"Papa."

"Hm."

"Now it’s messy again."

"It’s still usable."

"That’s not the point."

"Then what is the point?"

She thought for a moment.

"If something can be made better, why not do it?"

I leaned against the kitchen counter.

"What percent better is it than before?"

"Twenty."

"Efficiency-wise?"

"Unchanged."

"So it’s purely visual."

"That’s important."

"For who?"

"For whoever looks at it."

"It’s just the two of us."

She looked at me.

"That’s enough."

The answer wasn’t dramatic.

Not emotional.

But it carried weight.

---

I looked at the towel again.

"What if I don’t care?" I asked.

"I care."

"What if I mess it up on purpose?"

"I’ll fix it again."

"Without protesting?"

She thought about it.

"With a little protesting."

"Right now?"

"I am currently protesting."

I almost smiled.

"Alright," I said.

I grabbed the towel again.

Hung it up a bit more evenly.

Not perfect like her version.

But close enough.

---

She watched.

Then gave a small nod.

"Eighty percent," she said.

"Is that a passing grade?"

"Barely."

"Strict."

She returned to her futon.

---

I looked at the fridge handle, which now looked... more symmetrical than usual.

This small room was slowly changing.

Not because of new belongings.

But because there was a new standard.

And that standard was about one meter and thirty centimeters tall.

---

Yuna sat back down on her futon, opening a small notebook.

I sat at the table.

Silence again.

But now there was something different—

even the towel had a place.

---