WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: Ryuu

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ My Platinum-Blonde Childhood Friend is Too Pretty

Chapter 59: Future Daughter-in-law, Elli

By mid-September, it had been about two weeks since our discussions on Elli's cosplay, the bunny costume, and the reverse bunny costume. The memory of that night when Elli said she’d make me wear a reverse bunny costume, which led me to scream and faint after secretly looking it up, was beginning to fade.

Just as the midterms of the second semester were approaching, I heard some special news from Dad.

"Are we really going?"

"Of course, we are. We’re planning to go around Christmas, so get your passport photo taken this week."

Dad's work was so busy that I wasn’t sure if we’d actually go, but the Sweden trip was now almost confirmed.

Would booking a flight now be too late? It’s better to prepare as soon as possible.

"I’m going out with Elli later, so I’ll get it done then. Should I go to a photo studio or use one of those photo booths at the subway station?"

"Go to a photo studio. It’s hard to match the regulations precisely with those booths, and you might get rejected."

"Got it. How many days are we going?"

"Well… I can’t take a long vacation, so excluding travel time, it’ll be about three nights and four days."

"That’s quite a long trip!"

"Is it?"

Dad chuckled warmly at my obvious excitement. I was truly happy and excited. The thought of visiting the country where Elli was born and seeing the winter scenery of Sweden, which Mr. Mark always said was beautiful, thrilled me. And I was grateful to Dad. Though I didn’t know much about his work, I knew he was busy enough to sometimes work weekends. His vacations typically included just a day or two tacked onto weekends, but this time he was taking a longer break.

I figured he’d have to work extra hard to make up for the time off, even though I didn’t know much about his job.

‘When I perform for Mom and Dad, I’ll play Dad’s favorite song.’

To show my appreciation, I decided to pick Dad's favorite song for the guitar performance. I had just begun practicing simple songs, so the timing was perfect. Mom might feel a bit left out, but since both parents shared similar musical tastes, it should be fine. Plus, Mom seemed to value hearing the performance before Elli more than the choice of song.

Just as I was about to ask Dad more questions about the trip, the doorbell rang.

- Ring… Click

"Lee Do… hello."

"Oh, Elli."

"Hello, Elli. Come on in."

Elli, wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and a shirt, entered the house for our date. Her casually entering the front door after punching in the code had become a routine for our family. Elli walked gracefully into the living room where Dad and I were seated and sat demurely beside me.

"Mom is still there, right?"

"Yes, she is. She said Mr. Mark is welcome to join if he gets bored."

"Is that so? But dad isn’t here now..."

Elli's voice turned soft and feminine, completely different from when she bickered with my mom. In front of Dad, Elli always behaved this way. When both Mom and Dad were present, she would often squabble with Mom like siblings or mother and daughter, but otherwise, she tried to show her gentler side. Dad adored her, smiling warmly and willing to do anything for her, treating her more like a beloved daughter than a potential daughter-in-law. I’d likely feel the same way in his shoes.

Immediately after Elli sat down, I excitedly brought up the news.

"Elli, did you hear we’re going to Sweden in winter?"

"I mentioned it before."

"It’s confirmed. Dad told me to get my passport photo taken."

"Really? Sir, are we really going?"

"Yes. Elli, you said you wanted to go to Sweden with Do-yoon, right? Our future daughter-in-law wishes for it, so of course, we’ll go."

"Det var bra (That’s great)!"

Elli clenched her fist in delight, speaking Swedish unintentionally, a language we didn’t hear from her often these days. Her spontaneous expression of joy made Dad and me look at her with eyes full of affection, as if we were seeing the cutest creature in the world. Blushing slightly, Elli lowered her hand but still asked Dad excitedly.

"Did you talk with my dad about it?"

"I haven’t seen Mark the past couple of days, but I’m sure he’ll join us. We’re thinking around Christmas, and Mark said he’d be available from mid-December."

"Then I should get my photo taken too. It’s about time to renew my passport."

"Yes, you haven’t been in a few years, have you? You can take your photos together then."

"Yes, I will."

"Take good care of Do-yoon for me, okay?"

"Leave it to me."

When Mom wasn’t around, Dad openly referred to Elli as his future daughter-in-law. It sounded so natural and obvious that Elli accepted it without any awkwardness. Watching her sit quietly like a docile kitten to make a good impression on Dad, I felt a warmth spread through my heart. The thought that this platinum-haired childhood friend would one day be my wife became more tangible. It was something I always hoped for and believed would happen, but experiencing these moments in daily life made it more real.

"We’ll be back soon."

"Have fun. Do you want some pocket money?"

"We're fine. I’ll just... Oh, I need to change clothes."

"Come on. I’ll help you pick."

"Okay."

Elli led me to my room, and I waited quietly as she opened my wardrobe, pondering what clothes I should wear. Normally, she’d pick something similar to what she was wearing, but since we also needed to take passport photos, she seemed to be giving it extra thought. I couldn’t just suggest dressing casually when she was doing this for me.

"Elli."

But I thought I could offer some input.

"What?"

"How about wearing the sleeveless knit vest we bought last month? The one we got as a couple outfit. It’s neat and stylish, so we can match."

"......"

"Don’t you like it?"

"No, it’s fine. I think I put it in here..."

The couple’s knit vest we bought last month for fall. I suggested it because I thought it was neat and comfortable, and Elli seemed to agree. However, I didn’t know where it was, but Elli did. She opened the bottom drawer and pulled out the neatly folded beige knit vest, a white shirt to wear underneath, and matching pants.

After handing me the outfit, she said,

"I’ll change and come back, so wait here."

"Okay. Take your time. I’ll practice the guitar."

"Alright."

After saying that, Elli left to change and returned to my room 30 minutes later, wearing a white shirt and a beige sleeveless knit vest with a black neckline accent, matching my outfit perfectly.

"Let’s go."

She grabbed my hand and led me out of the room.

"We're off!"

"See you later."

"Take care."

Just as we were about to leave after putting on our shoes and saying goodbye to Dad at the entrance,

"......"

"Is something wrong?"

"Wait a moment."

"Oh? Okay."

Elli took off her shoes and approached Dad, saying something I couldn’t hear. Whatever Elli said made Dad burst into a hearty laugh, something he rarely did.

"Hahaha! Alright, have a good time!"

It had been a long time since I heard Dad laugh like that. But I couldn’t help but wonder what she had said.

"What did you say?"

"You don’t need to know."

Despite my curiosity, Elli, with her cheeks tinged pink, wouldn’t tell me. I doubted Dad would tell me either. What could she have said? However, I forgot about it completely when Elli continued.

"We’ll take the photos first and then go to the room cafe."

"We’ll go to the workshop another time? What will we do at the room cafe? Kiss?"

"Kissing is a given. Don’t be silly. We’ll look up travel destinations. Since we’re going to Stockholm, we’ll focus on that area."

"Oh… How do you know?"

"Because I’m going with your family. We’ll likely visit tourist spots nearby. Your grandma also lives close by."

"I see."

Without discussing much, my heart pounded with anticipation for the trip, just like when I eagerly awaited the seaside trip with Elli.

Really, every month brought new, unending excitement.

Spending joyful times with Elli.

Lee Do-hyun, Do-yoon’s father, watched as his son and Elli left, smiling.

‘They’ve grown up so much.’

It had been over ten years since his son started playing with Elli, holding hands and wandering around. Initially, he thought it was a fleeting connection with a girl from the same daycare, a foreign child unfamiliar with Korea.

But it had continued for 12 years. And they had even become neighbors.

‘Ye-rin and Mark are good people... and so are Jeong-woo’s and Bin’s families.’

It was rare these days to have such close-knit relationships with neighbors in an apartment complex. And all these connections stemmed from his son, Lee Do-yoon. Lee Do-hyun found this commendable.

From a young age, his son had always been polite to adults and wore a gentle, unyielding smile, something that made his father proud.

‘He’s inherited the best traits from both me and Ji-eun.’

Do-hyun’s gentle nature was often seen as lacking assertiveness, while his wife, Song Ji-eun, had a strong will but lacked calmness. Their marriage, despite seeming mismatched, allowed them to complement each other and live a happier life. Their son, Do-yoon, inherited the best qualities from both, making him an exemplary son. In this sense, Do-hyun understood why Ji-eun doted on their son so much. 

How could they not love this commendable son?

And what about Elli, who had been by their son’s side for 12 years?

‘I wish she’d become my daughter-in-law soon.’

Though they were just 17, having watched them for so long, Do-hyun eagerly awaited that day.

Elli, with her platinum blonde hair, fair skin, and blue eyes, was as beautiful as someone from a movie. 

Despite seeing her for over a decade, her ever-blossoming beauty and the sight of a girl growing into a woman in love always amazed Do-hyun. She was a bit stubborn and often clashed with Ji-eun, likely due to their similar personalities, but her affection and care for Do-yoon made her a beloved presence. Do-yoon never looked at other girls, seeming to have eyes only for Elli.

‘If I suggest they get married as soon as they turn twenty... Ji-eun might be upset. But maybe not.’

Realistically, he knew it was difficult, but Do-hyun longed for Elli to officially join their family soon. He had been thinking this for the past three years. Ji-eun, despite her frequent bickering, also seemed to see Elli as a future daughter-in-law. Do-hyun’s laughter broke his contemplative silence.

When was the last time he laughed so heartily?

But he couldn’t help it. 

His future daughter-in-law, dressed in a matching outfit with his son, had approached him, her face red, and said,

"We’ll be back… Father."

How could he not laugh?

Do-hyun had often jokingly called her daughter-in-law, but it was the first time Elli had called him something other than 'sir.' 

It made him happy and filled him with joy.

And once again, he found himself hoping.

"When will Do-yoon marry her..."

He wished they’d get married soon so she’d call him ‘Father’ every day.

Footnotes:

Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried