Accidentally become a father-Chapter 59: Completely Soaked
--- 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
The rain was still falling when we arrived at the apartment.
Not as heavy as before, but enough to keep the street in front of the building wet.
Yuna’s shoes squeaked as she walked.
Squish.
Squish.
Water seeped out from inside her shoes with every step.
She stared at her own feet as she walked.
"...Papa."
"Hm."
"The water followed us home."
"Because you brought it."
We climbed the concrete stairs to the second floor.
The steps were slightly damp.
Yuna walked slowly so she wouldn’t slip.
But her wet shoes kept making noise.
Squish.
Squish.
Once we reached the door to apartment 203, I unlocked it.
As soon as the door opened, Yuna stepped right in.
Then stopped in the genkan.
---
She looked down.
Water was starting to drip from the hem of her uniform skirt.
Small drops immediately speckled the entryway floor.
"...everything is wet."
"Yes."
I closed the door.
Yuna took off her bag.
Then she tried to take off her shoes.
As soon as the first shoe came off—
Plop.
A little water spilled onto the floor.
She froze.
Staring at the floor.
"...eh."
I grabbed a small towel from the shoe rack.
"Here."
She accepted it with both hands.
"Thank you."
She began wiping the small floor of the genkan with absolute seriousness.
Her movements were extremely careful.
As if wiping too hard would damage the floor.
I hung my wet jacket near the window.
Yuna was still wiping the floor.
"...Papa."
"Hm."
"There is a lot of water."
"That is because you jumped into a large puddle."
She stopped for a moment.
Then said quietly,
"...but it was fun."
"Yes."
She gave a small nod.
Then sneezed.
"—achoo."
She immediately covered her mouth with the towel.
---
I looked at her.
"Your body temperature is dropping."
"...I am fine."
"Hm."
She sneezed again.
"—achoo."
I walked toward the bathroom.
"We are taking a bath."
Yuna lifted her head.
"...now?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Rainwater is not clean water."
She thought for a moment.
"...oh."
She stood up.
Still holding the towel.
Her wet hair clung to her cheeks.
As she walked past me toward the bathroom, she said quietly,
"...Papa."
"Hm."
"My hair is cold."
"Because it is wet."
She stopped for a moment in front of the bathroom door.
Her hand touched her own hair.
"...so much water."
"Yes."
I opened the bathroom door.
A small room with a shower in the corner.
The cold dampness radiating from our wet bodies made the air inside feel even more humid.
---
Yuna stood at the door.
Still looking at the shower.
As if thinking about something.
Then she said,
"...Papa."
"Hm."
"Do families..."
She paused for a second.
"...usually bathe together?"
I looked at her.
"No."
She blinked.
"...they don’t?"
"They do not."
She looked slightly confused.
"But on TV... they do."
I waited for her to continue.
She held up one finger.
"In anime."
Then a second finger.
"In soap commercials."
She thought for a moment.
"...my classmates said so, too."
I answered briefly.
"Television is not a reliable source of data."
---
Yuna stared at the shower again.
Water was still dripping from her hair.
Then she spoke very quietly.
"...I have never."
I looked at her.
"Never what?"
She kept her eyes glued to the bathroom floor.
"...taken a shower by myself."
---
