He nearly lost his balance in his haste.
The man hurriedly reached out and braced himself against the side of the boat.
But before he had even steadied himself, he continued toward the outside, calling out, "What happened?"
The fright on the child's face had not yet faded.
Now he looked bewildered.
Hearing his father's voice, the child instinctively turned to look.
The man stared at the child, who was standing there perfectly fine, and looked puzzled.
"...What did you just shout?"
The child blinked.
"I..."
"I almost fell overboard just now."
Huh?
The man walked over to the child.
He reached out and grabbed the child's arm.
"You almost fell overboard?"
He looked at the water outside the boat.
Ripples trailed behind the moving boat.
"How could you be so careless?"
The man looked the child over.
Hmm.
Nothing seemed wrong.
He let out a relieved breath.
The child pouted, looking aggrieved.
"The boat suddenly lurched really hard."
"Dad, didn't you feel it?"
The man froze.
Huh?
Did it?
He had been half asleep just now.
Well.
Maybe he'd actually fallen asleep.
The rocking of the boat had been so soothing.
It was the child's scream that woke him.
He hadn't felt the boat lurch at all...
The child grew anxious.
"Really!"
He wasn't lying.
"I fell right off just now..."
The child gestured with his hands.
Huh?
The man tapped the child on the head.
"Don't be ridiculous."
"You almost fell overboard."
"You didn't fall in."
Why was the child making things up?
"No!"
The child shook his head vigorously.
"I really did fall in just now!"
The child reenacted what had happened.
He leaned over the edge of the boat.
"I was just like this..."
The