The Young Man One
Two Tins of Soda

Kelvan twirled the can, shaking its contents half-dwelling. Despite drinking soda, the widower man looked like he was drinking wine. While Livia almost spent it without any conversation between them.

"Nea," said Kelvan suddenly, stopping the long silence. "He was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth. I am so grateful that she was able to survive to this day, grow up to be a cheerful child, and have many friends.

At first, I thought that Nea just needed to please her, no need to worry about grades, because I could get her into any university, even giving her the best job in the whole world. I just don't want her to feel sad when I think about her mother who's gone.

But I realized it was the act of a coward who didn't want his daughter to be sad. Nea had to see the color of the real world in order to survive when I could no longer be by her side."

"For that, you hired me?"

"I don't want to force him to get good grades, but I want to support him by hiring you. At the very least, he knew that I really cared about him. Nea has the right to choose how to navigate the future."

"You're an amazing dad. It is difficult to find a parent who does not demand the future of a child, instead you prefer to provide the best support from all sides. The picture of a world that is not always beautiful in color is already very scary, so how should parents who are closest to their children scare?"

Livia was too engrossed in responding until she made herself noticed for too long. Fortunately, Nea moved to change her sleeping position so that their attention could be equally distracted.

"Is this Sunday you're also going to go see grandma?"

"Oh, yeah. I've said that I always visit him every weekend."

"What if I take you?"

"Can't!"

Livia said any excuse, sure. He was forced to do so in order not to get his grandmother to meet Kelvan, as he could have been considered the man he was going to marry. In fact, the last time a coworker accompanied the difficult return to the city because of the unilateral assumption of the grandmother.

Kelvan who was already shocked to see the reaction of rejection, was further shocked by reality. "P—men like me? What's that supposed?"

"My grandmother was dumped by my grandfather and the pain still lingers today. He would go berserk whenever he saw me bring a male friend before him."

Forgive me, grandma, Livia said in her heart.

"You often bring men in front of your grandmother?"

"Bu—that's not what I mean." Livia rolled her eyeballs upwards, trying to string together a more plausible explanation in the head. "I just don't want you to have any trouble meeting Grandma. So, you don't have to worry, I'll go alone as usual."

Kelvan thought for a moment, then said, "Alright."

Livia slightly squeezed the soda can in her hand, chugging its contents slowly. Kelvan himself furrowed his brows, trying not to force his desire to deliver.

Regardless of what feeling gripped Kelvan's heart at the moment, he thought about understanding it even more. It might just be because she's used to seeing Livia's face, considering she and Nea never let a woman into their home again.