It had been drizzling for the past two days. Leila had been cooped up in her room the whole time, living under the covers like a caterpillar. Her father, unable to stand her lazy, slouched appearance, shouted from the living room.
“What are you doing?”
Leila answered louder, burying her head under the covers.
“Ah, I don’t know! I don’t know!”
“Go eat something!”
“I have no appetite!”
Leila spent most of the time under the blanket these past few days. Even when she was still, she would often think of Aaron's blue eyes and startle him. It was the first time she had received such a polite forehead kiss from a man she didn't know. She sighed alone, blushed alone, and shook her head wildly while making strange sounds like "Kuaang!" Her father thought to himself, "This is crazy!" at the strange emotional ups and downs of his daughter, but he had no way to explain it.
Leila jumped out of bed and opened the back window to see the river flowing by in a meandering manner.
'It's gotten a lot bigger. Is he okay?'
There wasn't a big problem since the typhoon hadn't come yet, but once she started worrying, she couldn't control it. Leila's face turned bright red again as she thought about Aaron's tent for a long time.
'Ahhh! What am I doing!'
“Ah, I don’t know, I don’t know! I don’t knowhhh.”
Leila kicked off the covers and rolled over.
“Are you rolling around? The house is collapsing!”
Only when her father shouted again from downstairs did Leila sit up quietly in bed.
The next morning, the rain had completely stopped. Leila opened her eyes and ran to the backyard to check how high the river had risen. It was not much different from yesterday. She was feeling very good and was stroking her tail-wagging Collie when her father yelled at her.
“Follow me today, daughter! We need to fix the fence!”
'I have to find out! I have to get the basket back!'
“What are you doing?”
Leila answered louder, burying her head under the covers.
“Ah, I don’t know! I don’t know!”
“Go eat something!”
“I have no appetite!”
Leila spent most of the time under the blanket these past few days. Even when she was still, she would often think of Aaron's blue eyes and startle him. It was the first time she had received such a polite forehead kiss from a man she didn't know. She sighed alone, blushed alone, and shook her head wildly while making strange sounds like "Kuaang!" Her father thought to himself, "This is crazy!" at the strange emotional ups and downs of his daughter, but he had no way to explain it.
Leila jumped out of bed and opened the back window to see the river flowing by in a meandering manner.
'It's gotten a lot bigger. Is he okay?'
There wasn't a big problem since the typhoon hadn't come yet, but once she started worrying, she couldn't control it. Leila's face turned bright red again as she thought about Aaron's tent for a long time.
'Ahhh! What am I doing!'
“Ah, I don’t know, I don’t know! I don’t knowhhh.”
Leila kicked off the covers and rolled over.
“Are you rolling around? The house is collapsing!”
Only when her father shouted again from downstairs did Leila sit up quietly in bed.
The next morning, the rain had completely stopped. Leila opened her eyes and ran to the backyard to check how high the river had risen. It was not much different from yesterday. She was feeling very good and was stroking her tail-wagging Collie when her father yelled at her.
“Follow me today, daughter! We need to fix the fence!”
'I have to find out! I have to get the basket back!'
She was thinking of making up some excuse and going to find Aaron. Leila looked at her father sullenly.
“Today? Why, of all days.”
“Yeah, I have to clean it up before it rains!”
The sky was clear, but a real typhoon was coming soon. The Casni people were sensitive to the seasons and weather, as they had developed agriculture with abundant rainfall.
'I can't help it.'
Leila followed her father out of the house with Collie for the first time in a while. She let out about twenty cows and sheep and led them out. The cows lined up in an orderly line along the path they always walked, and the sheep were mixed in between. Collie barked at anyone who fell behind or was late, forcing them into the line.
Leila, who had been walking for a while, suddenly asked as if she had remembered something.
“Dad, is the Big Dipper moving?”
“What kind of a price is that? If it moves, those who call it a guiding star are all fools!”
'It was a lie after all.'
Leila shook her head. If they ever meet, she’ll have to call him a liar. She made up her mind to make another excuse. Although it was embarrassing, her desire to see him was as strong as a cloud. In a flurry. She wanted to see him. Why.
'I don't know.'
The thought that she shouldn't do this had long since disappeared. Although she would become solemn whenever her maternal uncle came to mind, she couldn't stop her heart from tilting.
The ranch land is about an hour's walk from their house, where the river meets the river. It's a wide plain. This season, everything is golden. She found herself humming. As she walked, shaking her buttocks, following the little calf's tail, her father's palm slapped her buttocks.
“Where are you already, wagging your butt! You little thing?”
“Dad, I’m a grown woman. Are you going to spank your nineteen-year-old daughter’s butt like that?”
“It’s all grown up. It’s worthless!”
Her father didn't even snort.
Thump thump thump. The sound of a hammer rings out. Her father is busy pulling out and fixing old fences. Leila sits in the shade and plays with the calves. Every now and then, she watches her father sweating profusely and quietly blurts out a word.
“Dad, should I just do it? I think I can do it better!”
“Be quiet!”
Her father is stubborn.
'Oh, I'm bored.'
Time passed slowly. When Collie got tired of running around the plains, he would run to her and hug her, and rub his fur. Even under the weight of the large Collie, Leila would still grunt and roll around with Collie.
Leila, who was glancing at her father's work as it was being finished, asked loudly.
“Why did you bring me here when you’re not going to give me any work to do? I told you I can do better.”
Her father just swung the hammer.
“What are you talking about?”
Soon after, her father, who had finished his work, sat down on the rock next to her. Leila handed him a water bottle as if she had been waiting for it. He drank it without even looking at her, then wiped his wet beard. Suddenly, a sharp question flew out.
“Who are you hanging out with these days?”
"Yes?"
“Why are you asking me this twice?”
Leila answered hesitantly.
“Who do I... who do I hang out with? My village friends are obvious. They’re the kids I’ve been watching since my father was a kid, so I ignored them.”
“Penny, that girl with the windmill on her beak said! She said you’ve been doing some dangerous things lately!”
Leila's eyes widened. 'Something dangerous? Penny?' Just thinking about it made her sigh as she suddenly had an idea.
“I won’t do anything dangerous. Do you believe Penny? She always says that. She’s always exaggerating and making a big fuss.”
“But why are you so absent-minded these days? Do you think you’ll grow up only if you get married?”
“Eh! Marriage?”
Leila frowned in surprise.
“Just try to make eye contact with a guy and have sex. I’ll crush that guy!”
“You said you were going to get us married just now, so how are you going to get us married?”
“Well, there has to be someone who catches your eye!”
No matter what happens, her father quickly changed his words, saying that she is a daughter he would not mind putting in his eyes.
Her father, who raised his daughter alone after her mother died early, was not a man who knew how to say warm words. However, perhaps because of that, he showed his love through actions instead. Leila knows that her father respects her and does not force her to do anything.
Leila sat down next to her father, her butt pressed against his, smiling sheepishly.
“What kind of person catches your eye, Dad?”
“Huh, not yet!”
“No, if there is, what kind of person do you like?”
At those words, her father seemed to be about to shout something again, but then changed his mind and fell into a deep silence. Leila hummed a tune as she waited for an answer. She looked at Collie, who was rolling and yapping over the golden plains in the distance, with his sunshade up.
Her father, who had been groaning for a while, blurted out without warning.
“The one who will make you happy!”
"What is this? My dad is so touched."
“Today? Why, of all days.”
“Yeah, I have to clean it up before it rains!”
The sky was clear, but a real typhoon was coming soon. The Casni people were sensitive to the seasons and weather, as they had developed agriculture with abundant rainfall.
'I can't help it.'
Leila followed her father out of the house with Collie for the first time in a while. She let out about twenty cows and sheep and led them out. The cows lined up in an orderly line along the path they always walked, and the sheep were mixed in between. Collie barked at anyone who fell behind or was late, forcing them into the line.
Leila, who had been walking for a while, suddenly asked as if she had remembered something.
“Dad, is the Big Dipper moving?”
“What kind of a price is that? If it moves, those who call it a guiding star are all fools!”
'It was a lie after all.'
Leila shook her head. If they ever meet, she’ll have to call him a liar. She made up her mind to make another excuse. Although it was embarrassing, her desire to see him was as strong as a cloud. In a flurry. She wanted to see him. Why.
'I don't know.'
The thought that she shouldn't do this had long since disappeared. Although she would become solemn whenever her maternal uncle came to mind, she couldn't stop her heart from tilting.
The ranch land is about an hour's walk from their house, where the river meets the river. It's a wide plain. This season, everything is golden. She found herself humming. As she walked, shaking her buttocks, following the little calf's tail, her father's palm slapped her buttocks.
“Where are you already, wagging your butt! You little thing?”
“Dad, I’m a grown woman. Are you going to spank your nineteen-year-old daughter’s butt like that?”
“It’s all grown up. It’s worthless!”
Her father didn't even snort.
Thump thump thump. The sound of a hammer rings out. Her father is busy pulling out and fixing old fences. Leila sits in the shade and plays with the calves. Every now and then, she watches her father sweating profusely and quietly blurts out a word.
“Dad, should I just do it? I think I can do it better!”
“Be quiet!”
Her father is stubborn.
'Oh, I'm bored.'
Time passed slowly. When Collie got tired of running around the plains, he would run to her and hug her, and rub his fur. Even under the weight of the large Collie, Leila would still grunt and roll around with Collie.
Leila, who was glancing at her father's work as it was being finished, asked loudly.
“Why did you bring me here when you’re not going to give me any work to do? I told you I can do better.”
Her father just swung the hammer.
“What are you talking about?”
Soon after, her father, who had finished his work, sat down on the rock next to her. Leila handed him a water bottle as if she had been waiting for it. He drank it without even looking at her, then wiped his wet beard. Suddenly, a sharp question flew out.
“Who are you hanging out with these days?”
"Yes?"
“Why are you asking me this twice?”
Leila answered hesitantly.
“Who do I... who do I hang out with? My village friends are obvious. They’re the kids I’ve been watching since my father was a kid, so I ignored them.”
“Penny, that girl with the windmill on her beak said! She said you’ve been doing some dangerous things lately!”
Leila's eyes widened. 'Something dangerous? Penny?' Just thinking about it made her sigh as she suddenly had an idea.
“I won’t do anything dangerous. Do you believe Penny? She always says that. She’s always exaggerating and making a big fuss.”
“But why are you so absent-minded these days? Do you think you’ll grow up only if you get married?”
“Eh! Marriage?”
Leila frowned in surprise.
“Just try to make eye contact with a guy and have sex. I’ll crush that guy!”
“You said you were going to get us married just now, so how are you going to get us married?”
“Well, there has to be someone who catches your eye!”
No matter what happens, her father quickly changed his words, saying that she is a daughter he would not mind putting in his eyes.
Her father, who raised his daughter alone after her mother died early, was not a man who knew how to say warm words. However, perhaps because of that, he showed his love through actions instead. Leila knows that her father respects her and does not force her to do anything.
Leila sat down next to her father, her butt pressed against his, smiling sheepishly.
“What kind of person catches your eye, Dad?”
“Huh, not yet!”
“No, if there is, what kind of person do you like?”
At those words, her father seemed to be about to shout something again, but then changed his mind and fell into a deep silence. Leila hummed a tune as she waited for an answer. She looked at Collie, who was rolling and yapping over the golden plains in the distance, with his sunshade up.
Her father, who had been groaning for a while, blurted out without warning.
“The one who will make you happy!”
"What is this? My dad is so touched."
Her father's cheeks were slightly red.
“Your maternal uncle did that!”
“What did he say?”
“I’m not good at raising daughters!”
Leila gave a small laugh. It wasn't new. He loved Leila, who resembled his mother, very much, and he always said that.
“Your father is a very hypocritical person. You are the only one who has a hard time, our little one.”
The reason she stopped feeling upset with her father, who always said the opposite of what he thought, was that her maternal uncle was always there to tell her the truth.
“So if you don’t know, then let me do whatever you want!”
Well, she thinks it's a matter of pride, even though her maternal uncle proudly said that he went to war for money. Whatever the reason, she believes that her maternal uncle also contributed to the creation of the independent Ramrock that she has today.
“I’ll go and have a blast! I’ll show those guys the true colors of the Casniers, so don’t cry! If I don’t come back, don’t cry, and listen to your father! Leila, our little cutie!”
Leila remembers him ruffling her hair with his big, hard hands. The longing came crashing down on her like a tidal wave. Leila, tears welling up in her eyes, hugged her father’s waist.
“I miss my uncle. Right?”
My father's heavy hand rested on the back of her head.
“What’s the point of seeing that ugly guy again? He’s probably in a better place than where we are now.”
“...”
“Anyway, that’s what happened. I told you to do whatever you want. So, do whatever you want. But if you bring me someone who doesn’t suit my taste, I’ll beat them to death with a club, so just know that!”
Leila stopped crying and burst into laughter.
“This is a big deal. There’s not a single kid in town that catches Dad’s eye.”
Her father nodded seriously.
“That’s why!”
On the way home, her father kept grumbling that he was hungry. While she was absentmindedly accepting his words, saying, “I should have brought more food,” Leila began to think about Aaron again. It was really a big deal. Thinking about someone could be such a good feeling.
'...Have you eaten?'
The fact that the man who made her heart flutter was a Dubliner was a problem, and to make matters worse, he was a beggar. She really was the problem herself. The longer she spent thinking about it alone, the more her heart raced. She must be crazy.
'I really have to go and find out tomorrow.'
When the outline of the house began to come into view, the sun had set. The purple sky was rushing past. The river was a little stronger than a few days ago, so the sound of the water was loud. The sound of cows crying was heard from time to time, and her head was starting to hurt.
“What the heck is that kid?”
Her father, who was grinding the cow's rump a few steps ahead, suddenly shouted.
What was happening? A tall man's shadow was moving near her house, which was almost deserted. The blond hair and tall stature were enough for Leila to know who he was.
'Aaron?'
“Your maternal uncle did that!”
“What did he say?”
“I’m not good at raising daughters!”
Leila gave a small laugh. It wasn't new. He loved Leila, who resembled his mother, very much, and he always said that.
“Your father is a very hypocritical person. You are the only one who has a hard time, our little one.”
The reason she stopped feeling upset with her father, who always said the opposite of what he thought, was that her maternal uncle was always there to tell her the truth.
“So if you don’t know, then let me do whatever you want!”
Well, she thinks it's a matter of pride, even though her maternal uncle proudly said that he went to war for money. Whatever the reason, she believes that her maternal uncle also contributed to the creation of the independent Ramrock that she has today.
“I’ll go and have a blast! I’ll show those guys the true colors of the Casniers, so don’t cry! If I don’t come back, don’t cry, and listen to your father! Leila, our little cutie!”
Leila remembers him ruffling her hair with his big, hard hands. The longing came crashing down on her like a tidal wave. Leila, tears welling up in her eyes, hugged her father’s waist.
“I miss my uncle. Right?”
My father's heavy hand rested on the back of her head.
“What’s the point of seeing that ugly guy again? He’s probably in a better place than where we are now.”
“...”
“Anyway, that’s what happened. I told you to do whatever you want. So, do whatever you want. But if you bring me someone who doesn’t suit my taste, I’ll beat them to death with a club, so just know that!”
Leila stopped crying and burst into laughter.
“This is a big deal. There’s not a single kid in town that catches Dad’s eye.”
Her father nodded seriously.
“That’s why!”
***
On the way home, her father kept grumbling that he was hungry. While she was absentmindedly accepting his words, saying, “I should have brought more food,” Leila began to think about Aaron again. It was really a big deal. Thinking about someone could be such a good feeling.
'...Have you eaten?'
The fact that the man who made her heart flutter was a Dubliner was a problem, and to make matters worse, he was a beggar. She really was the problem herself. The longer she spent thinking about it alone, the more her heart raced. She must be crazy.
'I really have to go and find out tomorrow.'
When the outline of the house began to come into view, the sun had set. The purple sky was rushing past. The river was a little stronger than a few days ago, so the sound of the water was loud. The sound of cows crying was heard from time to time, and her head was starting to hurt.
“What the heck is that kid?”
Her father, who was grinding the cow's rump a few steps ahead, suddenly shouted.
What was happening? A tall man's shadow was moving near her house, which was almost deserted. The blond hair and tall stature were enough for Leila to know who he was.
'Aaron?'
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