Finally, Yoon Si-woo, who had eagerly awaited the holiday, was soaking up the excited atmosphere early in the morning, looking as cheerful as a kindergarten child on a picnic.
Although he hadn’t even arrived ho yet, his heart was happily racing with anticipation for the date, and his steps quickened just as much.
“Mom, look at that guy! He’s smiling so much.”
“Right? Maybe sothing good happened to him.”
While passing by, he caught a snippet of conversation between a mother and child, realizing just how much he was grinning, which made him blush. But what could he do? The happiness just made him smile even more.
Still, he felt a bit shy about showing too much excitent to Scarlet, so he managed to calm his expression just monts before arriving ho.
“Did you co? You’re earlier than I expected.”
“…Yeah, I’m back.”
“Have you eaten breakfast? Just in case, I prepared so food for you. Want to eat?”
“……I’d like to.”
As he walked through the door and saw Scarlet welcoming him, it was no easy task to suppress the grin that wanted to break free.
Having soone to greet him in a ho that was often empty, especially when that person was a girl he liked and with whom he was about to go on a date, was overwhelming happiness for Yoon Si-woo.
“What’s up? Aren’t you going to eat, Scarlet?”
“…I’m not really hungry. I’ll just get ready to go, so call when you finish your breakfast.”
“Ah… okay.”
Sitting at the breakfast table, there was only one pair of utensils set out.
When he asked her why she wasn’t eating, and she said she wasn’t hungry, he recalled the conversation he had with Sylvia.
Scarlet is really on a diet, huh?
Could it be she’s trying to look good for …?
As he absentmindedly stared at the door that Scarlet had gone through to get ready, his face reddened as he buried his head on the table.
After cooling his head for a mont in that position, Yoon Si-woo quickly finished his breakfast and decided to get ready to leave as well.
Standing in front of the closet for a while, he hesitated, thinking that if he dressed too flashy, it might overwhelm Scarlet given her personality, so he chose sothing moderately neat to wear.
While looking into the mirror, he realized sothing.
It wouldn’t be good if anyone found out that he was going on a date with Scarlet.
To be honest, he didn’t mind people knowing he was involved with Scarlet, but she might feel burdened by being the center of attention.
Moreover, although it wasn’t known to the public, there was a history of him being interrogated, so being in the spotlight could cause issues.
So after a mont of thought, he let out a sigh and reluctantly put on a hat and mask to cover his conspicuous hair color and face.
Wondering if it was right to go on a date while wearing a hat and mask, he thought it was the right choice considering Scarlet.
“I’m ready, do you need more ti?”
Having finished getting ready, Yoon Si-woo knocked on Scarlet’s door.
“……No, I’m all done too.”
When the door opened and he saw Scarlet, he couldn’t close his mouth.
She was wearing a white dress that radiated femininity, an outfit she would never normally wear.
Her unfamiliar attire seed to make her nervous, and her cheeks slightly flushed as she hesitated, resembling a beautiful painting.
Yoon Si-woo couldn’t help but be entranced, gazing at her blankly.
“……I must look weird wearing this to go out, right?”
“Ah… not weird at all. Not one bit.”
He wanted to tell her that she looked great, but his heart was beating so fast that he couldn’t get the words out, so that was all he could muster.
Her outfit seed to be deliberately chosen to match the idea of a date with him, causing his lips to betray him with a smile.
Maybe it was this added thought that made Scarlet look even prettier than usual.
Was it just his imagination, or was she subtly wearing makeup…?
Without realizing it, Yoon Si-woo found himself asking her.
“Did you… put on makeup?”
Imdiately after asking, he thought that could sound a bit embarrassing, making him flinch reflexively.
But, honestly, he hoped she had put on makeup.
That would an, as Sylvia had said, she was conscious of him.
Scarlet answered the question in a blunt voice.
“Do I really need to say that myself?”
Her reply seed to imply that he should have noticed how much makeup she had on without needing to ask. For a mont, he wanted to scold himself for being so clueless, but the rising intense feelings made him thankful he wore a mask.
Without it, that silly smile he couldn’t suppress would have definitely been visible to Scarlet.
“Let’s go if we’re all set. The zoo opens at nine.”
“……Okay.”
Even on the way to the zoo, that smile didn’t leave his face.
Going on a date with Scarlet alone felt like a dream co true.
That feeling made everything he saw on the way to the zoo look beautiful.
And the smile that had been lingering on Yoon Si-woo’s lips,
“Over here! This way!”
“Scarlet, here!”
Disappeared in an instant upon arriving at the zoo and seeing the children from the orphanage and the director waving at them as if waiting.
“What are you standing there for? The kids are waiting. Let’s hurry.”
However, seeing Scarlet approach the kids, smiling slightly to reassure herself, made Yoon Si-woo realize sothing.
He was truly living in a sweet dream all along.
*
After staying up late for a few nights, I realized sothing.
Staying up late naturally gives more ti to fall into my thoughts.
Isn’t it said that people beco emotional as dawn approaches?
Perhaps that led to ponder thoughts I wouldn’t normally entertain.
For instance, I began to think philosophically about how I would live the remainder of my life.
Of course, the background of that thought stemd from the looming idea that the day I could cease being might not be far off.
Which brought to my mind a sort of bucket list.
A bucket list is essentially a list of things one should do in life to avoid regrets.
Asking myself what I would regret the most led to think I would regret not keeping promises, which naturally reminded of the promise I made to Leon to visit the zoo together.
Moreover, I had been planning a picnic for the children at the zoo after consulting with Director Maria, so it seed like the most feasible promise to fulfill soon. I wondered when we should go.
“Tomorrow. If you don’t mind, would you like to go out with sowhere?”
Yoon Si-woo asked if I wanted to go sowhere.
It was the only day off in the week, yet he suggested going out without resting.
Hearing that stirred a sense of sympathy within .
I suddenly recalled how, in the original work, Yoon Si-woo disliked being at ho due to having no family and often felt profoundly lonely.
He had even missed making friends at the academy due to graduating early.
So, the only person who could play with Yoon Si-woo was .
Considering his heart-rending circumstances, I willingly agreed to his plans.
He was so thrilled to have made plans, it almost broke my heart.
After making the plans with Yoon Si-woo, I coordinated with the director to move the zoo trip to coincide with his day off.
We could have gone separately, but I thought being surrounded by the lively company of everyone would be more enjoyable for soone as lonely as Yoon Si-woo.
Not informing him in advance felt like a little surprise.
Given the many things I owed him, I wanted to brighten his day with this small event.
Anyway, the day of our plans arrived. After preparing a light breakfast for Yoon Si-woo, I returned to my room to get ready, when the director’s phone rang with a video call.
“Hey, big sister! Can you see ? The director bought a pretty dress to wear for the picnic! Look, it’s like a princess dress!”
“Yeah, it looks great on Leon. It’s pretty.”
“Hehe, I got complinted!”
As the director was filming, Leon appeared on the screen.
Was she eager to show off? Dressed in what appeared to be a new white dress, she spun around happily, making smile like a proud parent.
“Big sister, do you have a dress that looks like mine?”
“Uh, um… I do, actually…”
I answered Leon in a sowhat hesitant voice.
Yes, I did have a dress that sowhat resembled it.
It was a dress that Sylvia had made buy when we went shopping because she insisted I would look great in it.
Though it felt too feminine for , so I had stuffed it in the closet without ever wearing it…
“Big sister, I have a favor to ask…”
“What’s the favor?”
In that instant, I sensed an ominous feeling from Leon’s request and hoped it wouldn’t be what I feared, but it was exactly what I dreaded.
“Could you wear that dress when we go out today?”
Hearing those words made feel dizzy.
Oh my, why must the gods put through such trials…?
For a mont, I resentfully thought about how unfair it was to give such a burdenso trial. But then I realized that this world inherently lacked dreams and hopes, and my expression hardened.
Noticing my reaction wasn’t reassuring, Leon hesitated and spoke.
“Ah, big sister, uh… if you don’t want to, it’s okay. You don’t have to worry about it; wear sothing else instead.”
Though she said she didn’t mind, it was pretty clear she’d be disappointed if I showed up wearing sothing else.
But Leon, who had grown more mature, would probably say it was fine while smiling.
I didn’t want to see that side of her.
I gritted my teeth and opened the closet.
Before hung the white dress.
Yeah, what’s the big deal about wearing a dress?
Back when I was in the military, I danced in a mini skirt and crop top in front of all my comrades during a cross-dressing competition on my day off.
Think about it; if I hadn’t gotten a day off and never saw my mother again, I would have regretted that mont for the rest of my life.
So, if I didn’t wear this dress and went out, seeing Leon’s disappointed face would surely lead to regret.
I repeated in my mind.
I am a man. A real man.
And a real man doesn’t make a child sad.
So, a real man swiftly changed into the dress and showed Leon the result.
Seeing Leon ecstatic in her matching couples outfit made forget all about my embarrassnt.
At least, that’s what I thought, but standing in front of Yoon Si-woo felt a bit different.
His gaze, wide-eyed in surprise, seed to scold as if saying, “Wow, how can you wear a dress like that?”
Moreover, Yoon Si-woo took it up a notch by adding insult to my injury, even asking,
“Did you… put on makeup?”
That question, reminiscent of the mocking words of my fellow troops comparing to a goddess of war after the cross-dressing contest, made throw him a sharp glare.
“Do I really need to say that myself?”
With an edge to my words, I made that clear.
Rember this, Yoon Si-woo.
A real man doesn’t wear makeup.
Regardless, after heading out with Yoon Si-woo and arriving at the zoo, the expected reactions unfolded.
“Wow! Big sister and Leon are in matching outfits!”
Leon bounced around with excitent, her joy spilling everywhere.
“……So it wasn’t just the two of us going out.”
“Yeah, it’s my little surprise. The people from the orphanage are practically family, so I wanted to create a mory for you of going out with family. How’s that? Are you happy?”
“……Yeah, I’m happy.”
Seeing Yoon Si-woo sowhat moved, with his eyes glistening a bit, made feel truly satisfied.
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