“Stay?”
Father echoed my words back. I nodded when I heard it.
“Yes. I’m staying.”
“……What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what it sounds like.”
“I’m asking whether going back is the right choice, or staying is.”
I scratched my cheek and said,
“That too—I just said it a moment ago—I think going back looks like the right call.”
“And?”
“It may be right, but I’m not going back.”
“……”
The more I spoke, the more Father’s expression creased. He looked like he couldn’t tell whether I meant we should go or not.
I mean, how do I make it any simpler?
“Let’s just leave it at that.”
“Even if we return, are you saying you, Baek, will stay?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to.”
At that, Father’s brows twitched slightly.
“If we return, that will be an order. You can’t stay just because you want to.”
“Yes, that’s true. But, well……”
I spoke as if it didn’t much matter.
“Then I’ll just be a little insubordinate.”