__
We stepped inside.
A small bell above the door chid softly.
Ding.
Inside...
The place was clean.
Tidy.
But the lighting wasn’t as bright as a modern store.
The fluorescent lights were white...
slightly dim.
Giving the place an aged feel.
The shelves were fully stocked.
Packed with electronics.
So looked brand new.
But most of them...
Were older models.
_
"Welco."
A male clerk approached us.
His pace relaxed.
"Looking for anything in particular? I can help."
I took a quick glance at the rows of shelves.
Then looked back at him.
"I’m looking for a PlayStation 2."
...
"And an AV player that supports older TVs."
The clerk’s face imdiately broke into a smile.
"Ahh..."
He nodded.
"Alright, sir. Let go find them for you."
Sir?
Do I really look that old?
Whatever.
The clerk walked off.
To start searching.
_
I turned to Yuna.
She was wandering between the shelves.
Her eyes darting from one item to the next.
Looking a little confused.
"Papa..."
"Hm?"
"What kind of place is this?"
"This place..."
"Is a cross-generational electronics store."
"Cross-generational?"
"Yeah."
I pointed at the shelves.
"Here..."
"You can find stuff from way back when... all the way up to now."
Yuna took another look.
More closely this ti.
"And the prices are cheap."
Yuna imdiately turned to .
"Why is it cheap?"
"Shouldn’t it be expensive?"
She furrowed her brow.
"Since it’s all old stuff... like antiques..."
I shook my head.
"Because this isn’t a place for collectors."
Yuna fell silent.
Processing the thought.
A short while later.
The clerk returned.
_
In his hands.
A PlayStation 2.
Slightly dusty.
Along with a few other devices.
"Is this what you were looking for, sir?"
I looked at it.
And nodded.
"Yes."
"Alright, let test it for you first."
He imdiately started sorting the cables.
Hooking it up to a small TV on the counter.
The screen lit up.
The PS2 logo appeared.
Yuna instantly leaned in closer.
Her eyes lit up.
"Whoa..."
"What is this, Papa?"
She pointed at the console.
"It’s for playing gas."
"What kind of gas?"
I thought for a mont.
"Lots of them."
The clerk tested the controller.
Navigating through the nus.
Everything ran smoothly.
The PS2 was working.
Perfectly fine.
He tested the AV player next.
The disc read properly.
The flash drive too.
A video appeared on the screen.
The audio ca through clear.
Every function worked just fine.
"Everything’s in working order, sir."
I gave a nod.
I walked over to the section with the controllers.
_
"Pick one."
Yuna looked them over.
There were a few different colors.
Black.
Grey.
Red.
Pink.
Her hand stopped on one.
"This one."
The pink one.
I grabbed a black one.
"Quite the contrast."
Yuna gave a small smile.
We moved over to the gas section.
Rows of ga cases lined the shelves.
Older box art.
Bursting with color.
Yuna picked one up.
Examining it.
"Papa... what’s this?"
I glanced over.
"That’s a ga."
"How do you play it?"
I picked up another case.
"I’ll teach you later."
Yuna gripped the case a little tighter.
"Can I pick so out?"
"Go ahead."
She imdiately started looking through them, one by one.
Her expression entirely serious.
_
I picked out a few gas right away.
Without hesitation.
Then went back to stand beside Yuna.
Watching her choose.
Judging entirely by the covers.
"This one looks fun."
A short while later.
We gathered a small stack of gas.
And returned to the counter.
"Your total cos to this much, sir."
I paid.
The items were packed into a plastic bag.
It looked completely stuffed.
Heavy.
And bulging with sharp corners.
I picked it up.
We headed out.
The door opened.
Ding.
The cold night air greeted us.
Yuna walked closely beside .
Glancing occasionally at the bag in my hand.
"Papa..."
"Hm?"
"Make sure you teach how to play later."
"I will."
Yuna gave a small smile.
Our footsteps fell into sync once more.
As we made our way ho.
_
[ Report Card Day ]
_
A few days later.
Yuna and I walked along the sidewalk.
Our steps were slow.
Heading toward the school.
The morning air felt light.
Not too cold.
Not too hot.
Today...
was report card day.
_
"Papa."
"Hm?"
"If my grades turn out bad..."
Yuna stared straight ahead.
"It’s your fault."
I turned to her imdiately.
"My fault? How co?"
"Because..."
She shot a quick glance.
"You stopped from studying the night before the exams."
_
"That was so you wouldn’t get too tired."
"Whatever you say."
Yuna quickened her step a little.
"Either way, it’s your fault if they’re bad."
I let out a small sigh.
We arrived.
The school gates were open.
We stepped inside.
A long corridor.
The sound of footsteps.
The chatter of parents.
_
"Which class is yours?"
"That one."
Yuna pointed ahead.
I followed her.
We reached it.
Yuna’s classroom.
Inside...
there were already a few parents.
And their children.
Most of them...
were mothers.
Yuna suddenly waved.
From inside the classroom.
Two girls waved back.
Her friends.
The ones who occasionally ca over to the house.
Though I still didn’t know their nas.
We walked in.
_
I picked an empty seat.
At the very back.
I sat down.
Yuna sat to my right.
To my left...
was an older man.
"Good morning."
He turned to .
"Ah, morning to you too."
I glanced at the little kid next to him.
A boy.
"Is he your grandson?"
"Yes."
He nodded.
"He’s my grandson."
"Oh..."
I leaned back slightly.
"By the way... how old are you?"
"Fifty-five."
I turned to Yuna.
"Look."
I gestured slightly.
"This grandpa..."
"Is fifty-five... and he still managed to co here as a guardian."
Yuna imdiately sat up straight.
Giving a small bow.
"You look very healthy."
The man laughed.
"Hahaha... thank you."
The room grew quiet again.
_
A few nas were called.
One by one.
Before long.
"Nishida Yuna."
I stood up imdiately.
Yuna did too.
"I’ll go on ahead, Grandpa."
Yuna turned to the older man.
"Alright."
He nodded.
We walked to the front of the classroom.
The teacher was already seated.
With a file in hand.
I took the seat in front.
Yuna sat beside .
The report card rested on the desk.
Unopened.
The teacher looked at us.
Ready to speak.
_
[ Numbers on a Page ]
The teacher in front of .
Yuna’s horoom teacher.
Her face was familiar.
She had co to our house that one ti...
But—
I’d forgotten her na.
I ended up staring at her for a few seconds too long.
Just trying to rember what her na was.
"It’s been a while, Nishida-san."
"Yeah... I suppose."
_
She reached for the report card on the desk.
She opened it slowly.
Written clearly at the top:
[ Nishida Yuna ]
She turned the page.
Her eyes scanned the numbers for a mont.
Then, she gave a small nod.
_
"Your daughter’s grades... are excellent."
I leaned forward a little.
To take a look.
Neat rows of numbers.
85... 88... 90...
Math—
98.
"Hm..."
"Thank you."
I looked over to my side.
"See, Yuna."
"What did I tell you."
Yuna leaned in to look as well.
Her eyes instantly lit up.
Her lips parted slightly.
Proud.
_
"If only you’d let study harder, Papa..."
"Maybe I would’ve gotten a 100."
"Haha..."
A dry laugh escaped my lips.
"They probably would’ve just gone down."
"Eh?! No way."
Yuna shot a sharp glare.
The teacher watched the two of us.
Then, she spoke up.
_
"Why don’t you let Yuna study harder?"
Her tone was gentle, but firm.
"As a parent, you should be supporting her."
Ah.
Here we go.
"The teacher’s right."
Yuna imdiately chid in.
"You need to support , Papa."
I let out a short sigh.
"Haha... listen, Sensei."
The teacher stayed quiet.
Giving room to speak.
"Is it really right for to let this child study late into the night?"
I turned slightly toward Yuna.
"Should I just let her sit there, completely losing track of ti?"
I looked back at the teacher.
"Out of the question."
"Because her health is more important."
The room grew a little quiet.
The teacher turned to Yuna.
"Is that true, Yuna?"
Yuna gave a slow nod.
"It is..."
"Papa often stops from studying for too long."
"Especially before exams... he just tells to go to bed early."
_
I wasn’t really paying attention anymore.
My gaze drifted.
To the wall.
White paint.
A little faded in the corners.
There was a frad class photo.
And a piece of paper.
Handwritten.
Cleaning roster.
...
My eyes stopped.
Saturday.
Na—
Yuna.
_
The teacher spoke again.
"Yuna..."
"Your father is right."
Yuna’s head snapped up.
"But, Sensei—"
"You’re allowed to study."
"But don’t stay up too late."
"Don’t forget to eat."
"What matters most... is your health."
Her tone was soft.
She raised a hand.
Gently patting Yuna’s head.
Yuna looked down a little.
Pouting.
"You’re just like Papa, Sensei..."
The teacher gave a small smile.
"If you get sick..."
"You won’t be able to co to school."
"And then..."
She glanced over at .
"You’ll just end up making things difficult for your father."
Yuna fell silent.
Slowly.
She turned to look at .
Her eyes softened.
_
"Papa... I’m sorry."
I gave a slight shrug.
"No need."
"You’re the one who’d get sick, not ."
The teacher closed the report card.
Pointed to the bottom.
"Well then, Nishida-san."
"Please sign here."
I nodded.
Picked up the pen.
Signed my na.
Quickly.
Without a second thought.
_
The report card was pushed toward .
I took it.
The teacher looked at .
"Yuna is a smart girl."
"You really must support her."
I t her gaze.
For a few seconds.
Then turned to Yuna.
"You heard her, Yuna."
"You’re smart."
Yuna gave a small nod.
"So..."
I continued.
"You don’t need to study at ho."
Silence.
The teacher reacted imdiately.
"You can’t say that."
Her tone was a bit firr now.
"Studying at ho is still important."
_
I stood up.
"Alright, thank you."
"Let’s go, Yuna."
The teacher stood up as well.
"Thank you as well."
"For taking the ti to co."
"Have a safe trip ho."
Yuna quickly got to her feet.
Bowed respectfully.
"Thank you, Sensei."
We turned around.
And walked out of the classroom.
Slow footsteps down the corridor.
The faint sound of other people talking.
The report card was in my hand.
Yuna walked beside .
Silent.
.
.
.
Then—
"Papa..."
I didn’t look at her right away.
"Hm?"
"If I had gotten a 100..."
She paused for a mont.
"What would you have said?"
I glanced her way.
"Hm..."
I thought about it for a second.
Then answered.
"I’d still tell you to go to bed early."
Yuna fell silent.
...
Then let out a long sigh.
"You’re so weird, Papa..."
__
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