Accidentally become a father-Chapter 56: Observing a Child Subject

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The rain grew heavier.

Water fell from the shop’s roof in straight lines, forming a thin curtain in front of the sidewalk.

The puddles on the street began to widen.

Yuna was still standing beside me.

She had lowered her backpack from her head.

Now she just stared at the rain.

Or more accurately—

stared at the children across the street.

One of them jumped into a puddle again.

Splash.

Water sprayed all the way up their pants.

They laughed.

Loudly.

None of them looked worried about getting wet.

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Yuna watched it all.

Silently.

I looked at her for a moment.

Her expression wasn’t hard to read.

Young children usually aren’t very good at hiding their curiosity.

She didn’t move.

But her eyes followed every jump in the puddle.

Like someone watching something deeply fascinating.

About twenty seconds passed.

Then one of the children ran through the rain.

The others chased after him.

Their shoes slammed into the puddles.

Splash.

Splash.

The sound of the water was clear even from where we stood.

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Yuna finally spoke quietly,

"...they aren’t going to get yelled at, are they?"

I looked in the same direction.

"Their parents aren’t there."

"Oh."

She gave a small nod.

But she kept watching them.

A few seconds later she spoke again,

"...it looks fun."

"Yes."

She kicked the tip of her shoe against the sidewalk.

A small movement.

Hesitant.

"Earlier at school..."

She paused for a moment.

"...my friends also said the rain is nice."

"Hm."

"But Mama said I’m not allowed to."

"Because you’ll get sick."

"Yes."

The wind carried the spray of the rain under the awning.

A few drops hit the ground near our feet.

Yuna took a half-step back.

Then stared at the rain again.

Her eyes followed the stream of water falling from the roof.

As if calculating something.

Or imagining something.

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I waited.

Usually, young children will speak again after a few moments.

Sure enough.

"...Papa."

"Hm."

She was still looking at the rain.

"...if you get rained on..."

She stopped.

"...do you really get sick right away?"

"No."

She turned to look at me.

"Really?"

"The human body does not immediately break down from water."

She thought for a moment.

"Does that mean... I can?"

"Not necessarily."

She went back to staring at the rain.

The children across the street were still playing.

One of them was now trying to stomp on the biggest puddle.

Water splashed high into the air.

Yuna followed the movement with her eyes.

A few seconds passed.

Then she said very quietly,

"...I never have."

I looked over at her.

"Never have what?"

She pointed at a puddle on the street.

"...that."

"Jumped in a puddle?"

She nodded.

"Never."

I looked out at the rain.

Then back at Yuna.

Her expression was still the same.

Not sad.

Not pouting either.

More like—

someone looking at something they wanted to try...

but was already used to not doing it.

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For a few seconds, we just stood in silence.

The sound of the rain filled the street.

Yuna finally spoke again,

"...if I do it..."

She paused.

"...will Papa be mad?"

I didn’t answer right away.

I looked at the puddle on the sidewalk.

Quite shallow.

The risk of slipping was low.

The air temperature wasn’t too cold either.

The probability of getting sick was not high.

I looked back at Yuna.

She was still waiting for an answer.

I asked,

"Yuna."

"Hm?"

"Do you want to try it?"

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