Someday

I'm thinking about that right now.

Actually, could the lives we live be nothing more than electrical signals in a brain that thinks it's moving, vast amounts of learned data, and a mirror reflecting images connected by countless wires?

Could the sensations we feel and the situations we experience also be illusions dramatically staged by someone?

When you think about it, it does seem kind of unreal.

I was born into a rich family, enjoyed all sorts of things, and believed I was superior, until I made one friend and gained some insight...

In the end, I left that well-off family and threw myself into a life of freedom and change.

And when I came back from the military, that friend had become a cute woman and was asking me to save her right before she died...

This isn't some movie... Reality is so unbelievable I can hardly accept it, right?

Yeah. So the pain I'm going through right now must be nothing more than an illusion caused by confused senses.

I'm a brain in a vat. A mad scientist is definitely giving me electrical shocks as part of an experiment.

"Hoo..."

"Hyunwoo... I'm sorry... I'm really sorry..."

Haha. There's no way it's real that I've been hit in the balls three times in one week when I've never been hit there once in my life, right?

I can let one time slide... since it was a sibling fight, and that seems plausible.

...No, wait. That doesn't make sense either, does it?

My younger sister, Hyuna, was never a demon filled with that kind of malice.

She was a coward who'd lost her smile and cuteness somewhere along the way, consumed by worry.

Anyway... even setting that aside, the person I love, Minseo, has turned me down twice.

Should I be grateful that she didn't reject my confession?

I haven't experienced either one, so I don't know which hurts more...

"It's okay... It's okay. I was in the wrong too..."

It hurt so much I wanted to cry and demand to know why she was doing this to me, but Minseo's worried face and eyes brimming with guilt made my heart ache just to look at her.

Come to think of it, me going overboard and trying to kiss Minseo in the first place might have felt threatening to her.

If she'd thought she was subduing me in self-defense, it might've been justified.

It's just...

"...Still, could you go easy on kicking me there? You can hit me in the solar plexus..."

Even if I'd lost Minseo, I didn't want to lose what remained as proof of my manhood.

In any case, Minseo had started to show me more than ordinary affection.

If things went well, maybe marriage wasn't just a dream.

For the future where Minseo and I sat side by side on the same sofa, betting on who would pick up our child today, I wanted to preserve this, at least.

I can't turn into a woman too, can I?

...And I especially don't want to become some ambiguous thing that's not even really a woman.

"Yeah... I'm sorry..."

Minseo kept blaming herself and couldn't lift her head.

Even though this time had been an accident, not something she'd done consciously, it was hard to see her so down.

"Then, how about you blow on it for me?"

That's why I tossed out a joke.

Minseo seemed to be thinking blankly, as if she still didn't understand what I meant.

Soon she'd yell at me, turn red with embarrassment, and ask if I'd gone crazy.

...What if she really agreed to do it?

Well, what could I do? As a patient, I'd have to expose the affected area and receive treatment from Doctor Minseo.

"Umm... Uh... So, that... um..."

Minseo seemed to be starting to understand, picking up on something strange.

She kept looking toward my pants and starting to say something, then stopping halfway. It was adorable.

"How about you blow on it for me?"

"N-No...! That's a little..."

Unexpectedly, she wasn't scolding me too harshly.

I'd thought Minseo had gotten more open about expressing her feelings to me over the past few days, so this surprised me a little.

...Maybe she was still caught up in the mood from that confession just now?

Come to think of it, her emotions seemed richer now, too.

"I'm kidding. It doesn't hurt that much yet."

And even if I said it hurt, it was only in a different way.

"Umm... It's dinner time, so do you want to eat something?"

"Yeah..."

I wanted to ask why she'd trembled and suffered so much, but it didn't seem like the right time.

Minseo had set the mood and told me such a moving story. There was no need to force a change in tone and get serious.

Things like this are best talked through casually over something tasty.

Even though some things can be discussed lightly and others need to be treated seriously, I didn't think this was the latter.

"......Sigh."

Besides, it was uncomfortable to keep holding her.

I mean... if I kept holding her, she might notice something.

What could I do when my body reacted to Minseo suddenly saying something as dreamlike as "I love you"...

"......"

Now that there was some distance between us, I could feel myself calming down.

Only then did I realize that my heart had been beating so fast it felt like it was about to burst.

...Minseo didn't notice, did she? That's a little embarrassing.

ㅡ Thump.

Now that I'd calmed down, and with Minseo's adorable face looking up at me right in front of me, I couldn't resist putting my hand on the crown of her head.

I thought about petting her just like that, but...

ㅡ Preeeess

Curious to see what she'd look like angry, I pressed down on her head.

"H-Hyunwoo...? Why..."

Get smaller, Minseo-minseo.

"Huh...?"

Keep shrinking until you disappear!

"...?!"

Tch. She isn't getting mad.

It seemed like, at least for now, no matter what I did, it'd be hard to see Minseo act all prickly.

ㅡ Stroke stroke stroke stroke

In the end, I gave her some quality head pats like usual.

Minseo liked it when I stroked the soft spot a little to the left of her crown, cupped it in my hand, and gently rubbed it back and forth.

A technique I'd picked up after naturally getting in lots of physical affection over the past few days.

Minseo liked it when I moved my fingers and stimulated the area around it, instead of just running my palm over her head.

"Hehe..."

Just like now.

This is it. This is real education, proper enlightenment, and the good side of learning.

Minseo feels good, and I feel happy too.

"Is there anything you want to eat?"

The feelings that had been building up were starting to settle, and I was ready to hold Minseo again, so I lifted her into my arms as usual.

Holding her like a little cat, I carried her into the living room.

Minseo seemed completely used to this now, too, and didn't resist or react.

...Did Hyuna go home?

Well, it doesn't matter. Honestly, it was hard to watch her put on an act she didn't mean just to get under my skin.

"Umm... Something you make, Hyunwoo? That chicken you made last time was so unusual, and it was delicious."

"Something I make...? Not something we buy?"

"Buying food is nice too, but what you make is tastier, Hyunwoo."

Our Minseo knows how to say such sweet things.

What should I do? I almost cried just now.

Anyway, roast chicken...? It's not like I can't make it...

It's just a bit of a hassle to prepare while Minseo's awake.

"Well... I don't think I can make chicken right now."

"Then even just the sauce is okay...! It was really unique... I feel like I'm getting used to it, too?"

"...Anyway, it's hard to make right now. I'll make it tomorrow morning."

I stopped Minseo for now and made a suggestion first.

"Then how about something simple, like omurice?"

"Omurice..."

"With a little ham."

"Sounds good!"

Now that Minseo was starting to honestly say what she liked and didn't like, it was fun seeing her cute reactions.

It felt like I'd gained another pleasure in life.

My curse of winning her over through her stomach seemed to be working perfectly.

At this rate, someday I'd save up money and get her a diamond ring...

"...For now, sit down and watch TV or something. I'll make it in ten minutes."

"Okay!"

I handed her the remote, and she scampered over to the sofa and obediently watched TV.

At times like this, she almost seemed like my daughter.

I couldn't help feeling both fatherly affection and love for her at the same time.

"Haa..."

I let out a deep sigh and started cooking.

I was thinking about so many things that the egg on my first omurice came out a little burnt...

But I could eat that one.

"Done."

I put Minseo's portion on a reasonably pretty plate, then carried over the frying pan and her plate.

The reason I didn't bother plating my portion was that I couldn't be bothered to wash another dish.

Just taking care of Minseo's was enough.

It's not like eating from the frying pan makes it taste worse.

We only need one spoon, too.

I'm going to feed her anyway... and, well, that also means an indirect kiss.

"Minseo. Come eat."

"......"

Minseo didn't answer when I called.

Usually, she'd come over and sit on my lap, but she was quietly staring at the screen.

Around six this evening, a girl from XX Middle School went missing...

ㅡ Doll Murder: Still No Progress in Investigation

When I looked at the TV, the news was showing sensational content.

From the anchor's words to the little ticker crawling along the bottom, I didn't like any of it.

...There have been a lot of crimes targeting young girls lately. I have to protect Minseo.

ㅡ Beep

"Minseo. Come here. The omurice is getting cold."

I turned off the TV because I didn't want Minseo watching such a gloomy story.

I'd been thinking maybe I should take her outside a little, since it felt like I was keeping her cooped up at home lately...

Let's put it off a bit. Given the timing. Yeah...

"...Hyunwoo..."

"What?"

"I don't think there's much ham..."

"...I'll make it again."

"N-No...! You don't have to!"

Because Minseo was so cute, lovable, and honest.

It was only natural that I'd become sensitive, afraid of the day I might lose her.