TFSG 64

Chapter 64

The Terminally Ill Baby Doctor Doesn’t Hide That She’s a Genius

I was dazed.

“…Dad, why are you acting so serious?”

Of course, it felt good.

“He says he’ll only listen to me…”

My neck tingled for no reason.

But there was another part that was incredible.

“He says he’ll do anything I ask.”

You promised you’d do anything in exchange for me treating you one more time, didn’t you?

So why are you pretending otherwise now?

I almost let it slide.

“Shameless father!”

I smacked my dad’s shoulder repeatedly, and after a while, I had to grab his hand.

“It hurts!”

“…Why hit me there? Do you enjoy torture or something?”

“Tch, who would do that!”

Frustrated, I pinched his cheek hard.

“I’m mad! I already promised to do whatever I say in exchange for treatment. So you weren’t serious before?!”

“That’s not true.”

My dad obediently let me pinch his cheek.

His cheek stretched so much that it sounded like he said, “Naaah.”

“My intentions haven’t changed then or now.”

“Then what’s different!”

“Mindset.”

He said this in his ridiculous stretched-cheek expression, which made the moment less serious.

“Before, I was just a negotiator for you. A patient.”

“……”

“Now, I’m trying to act a little as a father.”

He grinned, and somehow it looked cool, which made me feel inexplicably upset.

‘No, am I really upset?’

The truth was, I felt good but was pretending not to.

No, that’s not it.

“I’ve never had anything good happen to me, so I can’t adapt.”

I felt embarrassed.

To think I’m someone who doesn’t even know how to properly feel happy. It made me feel inadequate, and that frustration burned inside me.

“…An analogy?”

When I didn’t respond, my dad’s smile slowly faded.

“…Did I do something wrong?”

I knew.

At least in this situation, my dad hadn’t done anything wrong.

He had punished those who insulted me,
He stopped when I asked,
And promised to be my sword until I acknowledged it—and to protect me even more in the future.

Could it get any better than this?

I knew it. I really did…

“Sniff, sob, huff… go away…”

“…Are you in pain?”

“Go away. I hate… I hate you.”

He wouldn’t understand why I suddenly started sobbing. Of course.

Even I didn’t understand myself.

Why was this even something to cry about?

But.

After living each life so diligently…

It felt unfair that all I had left was my inadequate self.

“I guess I was the one at fault.”

“Do you even know whose fault it was?”

Sniffling, I looked at my dad.

My tear ducts were broken; my vision blurred as the tears kept welling up.

Damn it… I lived as hard as I could, and now that things are going well this time, I feel unfairly frustrated.

My dad hesitated but wiped my tears with his hand.

But it was useless.

The tears kept coming again.

“You don’t have to hold back.”

I rubbed my eyes forcefully.

It was ridiculous that having someone comfort me made me cry even more.

Since when had I become this weak?

I bit my lip firmly.

“Why… why did you start remembering only now…”

“……”

“Do you want to confuse me?”

I knew. It was too late to say this now.

If he wanted to say this, he should have done it when he said he remembered my birth.

Above all, I hadn’t forgotten that I started recovering my memories because I began treatment.

“You don’t need to be so meticulous; I’ll keep my promise too.”

But still, it made me resentful all over again.

“I have no intention of breaking it.”

No matter how much people betrayed me in the past, I never broke a promise.

That was my last bit of pride.

I wasn’t a despicable or sinister person like them.

“…Because of the promise.”

“I won’t break it.”

I said this with watery eyes, glaring in an attempt not to cry, but it was useless.

It had always been like this.

When the tears burst after holding them in for so long, I had to let them out until I calmed down.

It was laughable, even to myself.

I came to see my dad, intending to treat him just as a business transaction. And now, look at me, blabbering everything.

This was all because my dad suddenly softened.

“I hate you. Why did you do that to me?”

“……”

“You could have chosen not to…!”

Because I wasn’t him, I didn’t know what it felt like to lose my memories and identity.

So this was said without understanding my dad’s situation. Yet, I had the right.

If I had waited only for him across three lifetimes,

I had the right.

“Really, it was too much.”

If he was someone who could side with me,

Even if I hadn’t approached him, he could have come at least once, right?

“I won’t acknowledge it until my dad remembers everything.”

I knew.

This wasn’t appropriate for a doctor to say.

Having diagnosed my dad, I already knew that before I leave this world, I would completely cure him first.

So it wasn’t a fair thing to say.

But he was my dad.

He had lived a long, lonely life, so I could endure that.

If he truly performed the miracle of remembering on his own…

I would acknowledge it.

Tears streaming, I stubbornly glared at my father.

Would he still not say harsh words?

“If even when you glare at me while crying, I think you’re adorable, then you really are my daughter.”

“……”

“I remembered your birth. I’ll try to recall everything step by step.”

“……”

“But if I get sick in the process, you’ll nurse me all night again. So this time, I’ll remember without getting sick.”

His large hand tapped my cheek, and his thumb gently wiped away the hanging tears.

“Being resented makes me realize the bitterness of long-held emotions. It’s natural, isn’t it?”

“You can’t only do what’s nice.”

“That’s right.”

He smiled faintly.

“My brother said I was a terrible father.”

“That’s true.”

“Yes, it is.”

Even as I stubbornly cursed him, my dad accepted it without complaint.

I felt my tension melt away, as if I alone was holding all the resentment.

‘What am I doing?’

I’m not a child.

‘When your body gets weaker, it affects you…’

I wiped my tears bravely.

“Sorry. I made you see something you shouldn’t have.”

I rubbed my eyes until the sting under them reminded me how uncontrollable the tears were.

Then my hand was held by my dad. He carefully pressed my eyes with his sleeve.

A soft wind blew. The cool breeze dried my tears.

“You must have been startled. You cried so suddenly.”

I lowered my head, sulking. Like a child, I had suddenly poured out my resentment.

There’s still a long road ahead, and what have I done?

“I’ll accept it if you say, ‘Why now?’”

“You have no right to say that. And I won’t. Your anger is justified.”

In this state, it would be hard to continue treatment.

“Even though I came to look for the dad I cared for first and stirred things up?”

“Still, I’m thankful. And let me correct one thing.”

“……”

“I didn’t live well.”

Finally, I looked up and took in my dad’s face.

“I don’t remember. I was always annoyed by the person who came looking for me, yet constantly filled with strange anxiety, nuisance, and irritation.”

“……”

“Humans need goals, they say. You gave me that. I’m thankful.”

He fiddled with his chin. His eyes, full of sincerity, looked at me.

Barely noticeable, his expression softened.

“You gave me the chance to remember you. So next time, give me the chance to be your dad.”

I hesitated but spoke honestly.

“…You must have been a good person in the past.”

“Thank you.”

He paused for a moment, then placed his hand gently over my head.

“I’ll try my best so that the current me can also be recognized.”