"Dad… um, about everything up until now… I'm so sorry."
I had just returned from a two-month business trip and was finally relaxing at home when my daughter, Umi, came in from school. She approached me, bowed her head, and spoke with sincere regret.
I'd already gotten the full story from my wife, Sora, so I had a general idea of what this was about. Still, I simply said, "I see," and let her explain.
──I want to get away from my friends. Please, I'll do anything, just let me change my career path.
I still remembered her desperate plea from last autumn. Ever since she started junior high, Umi rarely with the rest of her family. She'd answer direct questions clearly enough, but the moment the topic shifted to school, a look of disgust would cross her face, and she'd flee to her room. By the time I left for my trip two months ago, she wouldn't even look at me anymore.
I tried to tell myself that this was just how teenage daughters treated their fathers, but I couldn't help feeling lonely. The girl standing before me now, however, was a world away from the one I'd left behind. The change was so striking it took me by surprise.
"I heard from your mom that you made a new friend," I began. "You seem to be having fun."
"Y-Yeah! He's kinda shy, so he doesn't talk much at school or really stand out, but he's super kind and always puts me first… We were on the committee together for the cultural festival, and he worked so hard as a leader, even though he wasn't used to it… Oh, but he's also super cheeky, especially when we played games together the other day──"
My daughter chattered on, her face lit up with happiness as she spoke about her new 'friend.' I couldn't remember the last time she'd spoken so eagerly about school or her friends. It reminded me of when she was in elementary school, always talking about her best friend, Amami-san. The joy radiating from her now was just as bright, if not more so.
It was clear just how irreplaceable this new friend had become to her. Though her decision had been born from a desire to 'run away' rather than confront her problems, it seemed to have led her in the right direction. That in itself was a huge relief, but…
"Umi, about this friend…"
"Oh… y-yeah. I guess you probably heard from Mom, so you already know, but… um, my new friend… is a boy."
I had been prepared for this since Sora told me, but hearing it confirmed that her new friend was a boy from her class still felt different. It wasn't exactly strange—it's a co-ed school, and my daughter is a beautiful girl.
"What kind of kid is he? Can you show me a picture?"
"Yeah… here."
She pulled out her smartphone and showed me a picture of the boy. It looked like it had been taken while they were hanging out at his place. He was blushing, looking away from the camera with a shy but hesitant peace sign. Just as Umi had described, he looked timid at first glance, and someone who didn't know him might not get the best first impression. But looking at the photo, I could see a clumsy kindness in his expression.
"Umi."
"What is it?"
"I'm glad you made such a good friend."
"…Yeah!"
Seeing her nod with a smile so wide it seemed ready to burst, I offered a silent thank you to the boy on the other side of the screen.