---
We turned away from the counter.
And that was when I noticed two pairs of eyes watching us.
A young couple.
---
Probably in their early twenties. Sitting not too far away in the waiting area. They were whispering far too loudly for it to be considered a secret.
"He’s so young..."
"Yeah... and his kid is already so big..."
"People move fast in life, huh..."
---
I stopped.
Yuna stopped with .
I slowly turned my head toward them.
"We can hear you," I said flatly.
They flinched imdiately.
"Oh—sorry! We were just... uh..."
The man smiled awkwardly. The woman beside him lightly smacked his arm.
---
"We were just surprised. I an... you’re so young, but you already—"
"The administrative system does not recognize emotional age," I said.
"As long as the forms are complete, everything is legal."
They fell silent.
---
Yuna gave the hem of my jacket a gentle tug.
I continued in the sa even tone.
"And for the record, I’m her guardian."
"Oh!"
The woman instantly looked relieved.
"We thought—"
"Many people think many things," I replied.
The man nodded rapidly.
"Right, right... sorry about that."
"It’s fine. Gossip is society’s favorite light exercise."
---
We walked away before they could formulate any new theories.
Once we stepped out of the building.
Yuna looked up at .
"Papa was a bit sarcastic."
"Just a bit. If I used any more, I’d end up a university professor."
She let out a small laugh. Not a loud laugh, but an honest one.
I glanced back down at the docunts in my hand.
Everything was official.
---
Airtight.
Whoever was behind this had thoroughly paved over all the legal avenues.
I gave a slight shrug.
"Well then."
I muttered.
"If it’s this official, I suppose I can’t pretend to be ignorant anymore."
Yuna watched carefully.
"Does Papa regret it?"
"No."
My answer was instantaneous.
I slipped the papers into a folder.
---
"Problems that other people have already solved are the best kind. All we have to do is execute them."
She looked a little more at ease.
We began our walk ho.
At a red light.
Yuna suddenly asked in a quiet voice.
"Papa... if soone asks again later... are we still going to say guardian?"
I stared straight ahead.
---
Legally, I was the head of the household.
In reality, I had only been a father for two days.
Emotionally... I hadn’t done the math yet.
"We’ll see what the situation calls for," I finally said.
The light turned green.
And for the first ti, a realization dawned on .
Being a guardian was far easier than being a father.
---
The only question was—
would I keep choosing the safer word?
---
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