The Belated Father

Time flew by swiftly, and soon, twilight descended upon the campus. The melodic chime of the school bell echoed through the air, signaling the end of classes.

“Well then, today’s lesson concludes here,” the teacher announced. “Please ensure you complete the assigned homework diligently; we will discuss it tomorrow.”

Yisha began gathering the handouts from her lectern. Unlike usual, the students did not scatter; instead, they collectively slumped onto their desks.

“Why does Ms. Shimazaki explain things in such excruciating detail, and give us so much to remember?”

“Exactly!” another chimed in. “With both handouts and the PPT running, my hand didn’t stop moving the entire class. Even then, I still barely kept up!”

The classroom was filled with lamentations and wails. If a chilling wind were added to the mix, it might as well have been a haunted house.

“Kotori-chan, come with me.”

Xin Xin finished packing her belongings and spoke to her deskmate.

“?”

Doubt flickered in Kotori’s eyes, but the path Xin Xin led her down filled her with a sense of dread.

“Hey, Xin Xin-chan, you’re not, by any chance…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Xin Xin stopped in front of a door. Kotori had only just been there that very morning.

“This is it.”

Kotori’s face instantly turned ashen. She had taken some time off during lunch to mess with her brother’s mind, for it was said that happiness was built upon the suffering of others.

She had finally managed to adjust her mood, only to be told now that she had to come back here again after school?

‘Have mercy on me! I promise I’ll come up with a good excuse for the next Spatial Quake, alright?!’

Having been scolded to tears by the other party that morning, Kotori already harbored a deep psychological trauma for this place. Now, she found herself here once more.

Xin Xin opened the door to reveal an office in disarray. Various documents lay scattered across the floor, and Yisha’s breathing was heavy as she continuously conversed with someone on the other end of the phone.

–I don’t believe he’s sincere. I’ll tell Xin Xin about this, as you instructed. I will… Ah, please hold on a moment.–

Noticing Xin Xin’s entrance, Yisha paused mid-sentence, startled. She gestured for them to wait, then continued her conversation.

–I will watch over them, until I’m certain he genuinely cares for them!–

–I understand your concerns, but you are not to interfere excessively, unless…–

The other party didn’t elaborate, but Yisha knew exactly what was implied.

At least when it came to the children, her thoughts aligned with the other person’s—they absolutely deserved a good living environment.

–Alright then, I have company here. I’ll tell you more later.–

Hanging up the phone, Yisha looked at Xin Xin, then noticed Kotori standing behind her.

“I didn’t call for you, did I, Itsuka-san? Do you need something?”

“Eh~?”

Xin Xin let out a sound of surprise, then realized she had completely misunderstood. Silently, she lowered her head, her cheeks quickly flushing a deep red, like ripe tomatoes.

“Ko-Kotori-chan, please wait outside for now,” Xin Xin stammered. “I… I need to talk to the teacher.”

Kotori felt a huge burden lift from her shoulders. She turned and left the office, adding that she would wait for Xin Xin by the door.

The moment Kotori left, the atmosphere in the office visibly grew silent.

“Phew~ Xin Xin, you must have heard, right?”

Xin Xin nodded gently, a strange glint in her eyes. She didn’t understand what needed to be said to her, nor what Sister Yisha had to confirm before she could feel at ease.

Yisha sighed and walked to the window, though her attention remained fixed on Xin Xin.

“This news, in my opinion, isn’t necessarily good news,” Yisha began. “Xin Xin, I want you to decide whether you want to hear it or not.”

She had thought for a long time, countless times weighing the pros and cons in her heart. She had agonized over whether to tell the children, but ultimately adhered to her principle: matters concerning children should be decided by the children themselves.

“Shouldn’t we tell Xin Yue?”

‘She’s actually concerned about that?’

Muttering to herself inwardly, Yisha scratched her head. She turned, then knelt down to meet Xin Xin’s gaze directly, a gesture meant to show her respect.

“As the older sister, you need to make a decision regarding this news. If you don’t want to hear it, or if you refuse, there’s no need to tell Xin Yue yet. As for any further discussions, I will go with the director.”

Xin Xin lifted her small head, a complicated expression filling her eyes. She knew what Yisha meant; this news held immense significance for her, potentially even determining her and her sister’s future.

“I want to know, so please tell me, what exactly happened?”

Her voice was soft, but the resolve within it was exceptionally clear.

‘This is truly her.’

Yisha shook her head, a bitter smile playing on her lips. After all, she had watched this child for a full year, and such an answer was precisely in line with Xin Xin’s character.

“I’ll just tell you the outcome.”

Yisha paused for a moment, gazing at the sun gradually being swallowed by the horizon outside. The wind ruffled her short hair, revealing her swan-like, elegant white neck.

Her eyes, however, held a hint of hesitation.

“Someone claiming to be your father intends to adopt you. He is currently discussing it with the director.”

A feeling akin to being struck by five bolts of lightning descended upon Xin Xin. She had anticipated significant news, but never this kind.

“Fath… Father?”

The word, both incredibly familiar and utterly foreign, escaped her lips.

It was familiar as a term; she had known its meaning for several years. Yet, its implication felt utterly alien.

A father—a presence every child born into the world was naturally supposed to have. It was everyone’s privilege.

But for Xin Xin, it had been an existence she yearned for but could never reach, for many years.

Every time she saw her classmates being picked up by their parents after school, she would snap back to reality, only to be left with the hollow feeling of just her and Xin Yue remaining in the empty school.

Now, he had finally found her. As a young child, how could she possibly control her emotions?

“Is… is this… true? My… my father has come?”

Listening to the girl’s trembling voice, Yisha pressed her lips together, swallowing the words she had originally intended to say.

How was she supposed to explain her thoughts to Xin Xin? At this moment, Xin Xin was immersed in the immense joy of her father coming to find her.

People in such a state could only hear what they wanted to hear, and Xin Xin was no exception.

“From what we know, yes, it is. He will take you for a paternity test tomorrow.”

Yisha closed her eyes.

‘Ah, what am I saying? Won’t this just push her further down that path?’

She had already conducted a special paternity test herself, and the result confirmed that the man was indeed Xin Xin’s father.

She knew what Xin Xin would be like after the test. However, she had decided to let Xin Xin know everything; children deserved the right to know.

“I… this… it’s unbelievable…”

Xin Xin was incoherent, her mind unable to form words into coherent sentences. Large tears streamed down her face, and she couldn’t even notice the expression on Yisha’s face, lost in her own world, immersed in her overwhelming mix of surprise and joy.

It was a long time before she managed to suppress these complex emotions, not for any other reason than the word “refuse” that Yisha had mentioned earlier.

Knowing what Xin Xin was thinking, Yisha gently stroked her head and explained the meaning of refusal.

“You can refuse him and continue to stay here, or you can go with him and leave this place.”

“What about Xin Yue? Isn’t she coming with me?”

Realizing that Yisha’s words only referred to “you,” Xin Xin immediately asked.

“He’s not adopting Xin Yue. He only applied for your adoption rights. I’m not sure if he doesn’t know about Xin Yue, or if…”

“I…”

Realizing that things weren’t as perfect as she had imagined, she calmed down. At that moment, Yisha picked up her briefcase, took Xin Xin’s small hand, and led her towards the door.

“School’s out; it’s time to go home. As for him, he’ll be back to pick you up in a month and a half. Whether you go or not, that’s your decision then.”

After speaking, she led Xin Xin by the hand and left the campus. Along the way, Kotori didn’t say much due to Yisha’s presence, only parting ways with Xin Xin at their usual spot.