Gaiate's return for Malin was like a wanderer who finally comes home after being away in all directions, bringing neither fine gifts nor good news. Since before Malin and Maya came into the picture, it seemed as if he had been searching for something.
Maya never said anything, and Malin wouldn't ask, either. To Malin, whether it was Maya or Gaiate, they were both reticent. Gaiate was simply not a good father—what father wanders off for a year without returning home? He wasn't part of a geological expedition or an adventurer.
Although Malin also knew that there must be a story behind the middle-aged man's melancholic eyes... if he didn't tell, who could know?
What he saw was just a prodigal who seldom returned home, searching for something.
If someone asked him if Gaiate was good, Malin would definitely say he was—but as a father, he was somewhat derelict.
