Accidentally become a father-Chapter 78: An Inefficient Method

---

Situation stable.

Variables increased.

But still under control.

---

Books open on the table.

Pages full of numbers.

Word problems.

Standard.

One of them pointed at a question with a pencil.

---

"This one first..."

The other nodded.

"...number three..."

Yuna looked.

Didn’t answer immediately.

Read it first.

---

I cast a quick glance.

Without getting closer.

The problem was simple.

But long.

Inefficient.

---

The girl who spoke earlier began reading out loud.

"A merchant has 24 apples..."

She stopped.

Counted on her fingers.

"...then sells 8..."

Paused again.

"...then buys 12 more..."

She furrowed her brow.

"...so how many are there now...?"

Silence.

---

The other one started writing.

Slowly.

24 - 8 = 16

Then stopped.

Thinking.

16 + 12 = ...

She counted again.

It took time.

---

Yuna watched.

Didn’t answer right away.

Waiting.

Thinking.

"...twenty-eight..."

The answer came out.

Quiet.

Uncertain.

---

The first girl nodded quickly.

"Yeah, yeah, twenty-eight."

Written down immediately.

Without double-checking.

I watched for a few seconds.

Nothing wrong with it.

But—

their method of calculation.

---

Slow.

Inefficient.

I took a sip of coffee.

Warm now.

They moved on to the next problem.

Longer.

More numbers.

---

"A child has 50 yen..."

"...then buys candy for 18 yen..."

"...then buys a drink for 22 yen..."

"...how much money is left?"

---

The first girl started writing again.

50 - 18 = ...

She stopped.

Counted on her fingers.

Slowly.

"...Lend me your fingers for a sec..."

I watched.

For a few seconds.

Enough.

---

This was irritating.

"32."

I spoke.

Three heads immediately turned.

In unison.

Silence.

---

"...Eh?"

The one holding the pencil blinked.

"...but... I’m not done yet..."

"Continue."

She looked at her paper again.

Still hesitant.

"...then... 32 minus 22..."

She started counting again.

"10."

I spoke again.

Silence.

---

Longer this time.

The other girl stared at me.

"So fast..."

Almost a whisper.

I didn’t answer.

Unnecessary.

Yuna looked in my direction.

Briefly.

Then back to her book.

---

"...ten."

She wrote it down.

Without hesitation.

The others remained silent.

Looking at the number.

Then looking at me.

Then back at the number.

---

"...how can you answer it straight away...?"

The question slipped out.

Directed at no one.

I set down my mug.

A quiet clink.

"Easy."

"But..."

---

She didn’t continue.

Unsure which part to explain.

I stood up.

Approached the table.

Normal pace.

Unhurried.

They tensed slightly.

Posture shifting.

Sitting straighter.

I looked at the problem.

Closer.

---

"50."

I pointed.

"Minus 20."

I paused.

One second.

---

"30."

They watched.

Following along.

"Add back 2."

"32."

Silence.

"...oh..."

One of them let out a sound.

Quiet.

"Minus 22."

I continued.

"Minus 20 first."

"The result is 12."

---

"Minus 2."

"10."

I stopped.

Didn’t explain further.

Unnecessary.

Silence for a few seconds.

---

"...that’s... faster..."

One of them spoke.

Eyes still on the paper.

The other nodded slowly.

"Yeah..."

Yuna didn’t speak.

She just rewrote the steps.

Neater.

Simpler.

---

I stood there for a few seconds.

Watching them work.

Their method changed.

Slightly.

Not drastically.

But there was a change.

---

I went back to my chair.

Picked up my coffee again.

At the table—

the atmosphere wasn’t as tense as before.

"...your Papa is smart..."

A small whisper could be heard.

Yuna stopped writing for a moment.

Didn’t turn her head.

---

"...he’s nothing special..."

A flat response.

But, her lips curved up slightly.

---

I heard it.

Nothing that required a response.

The clock ticked.

11:03.

Group work proceeded.

Faster than before.

More efficient.

---