A few minutes later, I found myself sitting on a long bench inside the dental clinic, surrounded by several other patients waiting for their appointments. Some were quietly scrolling through their phones, while others sat with their hands pressed against their swollen cheeks. Every now and then, someone would glance nervously toward the treatment room whenever an unfamiliar sound came from behind its closed door.
Unfortunately, we were the last ones in line.
I glanced at the little appointment slip in my hand before looking toward the treatment room again. Honestly, I couldn't understand why I was feeling so nervous. Elena was the one with the troublesome tooth, not me, yet somehow, I was sitting here with sweaty palms and a heart that refused to calm down.
My poor little angel...
I looked at Elena, who was sitting beside me with her little legs swinging happily beneath the bench. She had absolutely no idea what awaited her inside that room, and the thought of watching some terrifying dentist approach her tiny mouth with those dreadful instruments made my stomach twist.
What if it hurts? What if she starts crying? What if that demon dentist makes my precious daughter suffer?
I rubbed my forehead, trying to push those thoughts away. Of course, I knew dentists were medical professionals who helped people, but my childhood experiences had left me with a rather unreasonable fear of them. In my imagination, the poor man waiting inside had already transformed into some horrible monster armed with drills and metal instruments.
Meanwhile, the person who should have been worried was having the time of her life.
"Papa! Papa! Look!"
I turned toward Elena and found her standing in front of a colorful poster hanging on the wall. She was pointing at a picture of a smiling tooth holding a toothbrush, with several cheerful-looking characters surrounding it.
Written across the top were the words:
BRUSH TWICE A DAY TO KEEP CAVITIES AWAY!
Elena studied the poster for a moment before slowly turning toward me. Her adorable expression changed into something unusually serious, and she placed both hands on her little hips as though she'd just discovered a terrible injustice.
"Papa!"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Why don't we have this picture in our bathroom?!"
I blinked at the unexpected question.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Elena pointed accusingly toward the poster.
"Look! It says brush two times! Then no bad teeth!"
"Ah... Yes, that's right. Brushing your teeth twice a day helps keep them healthy."
Her eyes widened as though my answer had confirmed something she'd suspected all along. She looked at the poster again before turning toward me with an expression of complete betrayal.
"Then it's Papa's fault!"
"...Excuse me?"
"Papa didn't put the picture in our bathroom! That's why Elena got a bad tooth!"
I stared at my daughter, momentarily speechless. Good heavens, was she seriously blaming me for her toothache? I'd spent the entire morning trying to help her, and now I was apparently the criminal responsible for this whole disaster.
"Hold on, young lady! Papa tells you to brush your teeth every morning and night. You're the one who secretly ate all those Halloween chocolates!"
Elena puffed out her cheeks, although she immediately winced when the swollen side began hurting again. She gently rubbed it before looking at me with an expression that suggested she was still completely convinced of her argument.
"But Papa didn't put the picture!"
"That's not how it works, sweetheart!"
"It's Papa's fault!"
I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it again when I noticed several people looking in our direction. An elderly woman sitting nearby was covering her mouth to hide her laughter, while a young man who had been nervously tapping his foot was now smiling at Elena.
Even the woman sitting opposite us, who had looked rather frightened when we arrived, seemed completely charmed by my daughter's ridiculous accusation.
"She's adorable," the elderly woman said with a chuckle.
I smiled awkwardly.
"Hahaha... Thank you. She's also very good at blaming her father for things he didn't do."
Elena immediately raised her little hand.
"Papa! Elena is telling the truth!"
That earned another round of laughter from the nearby patients. Somehow, my daughter had managed to turn a gloomy waiting room full of frightened people into a rather cheerful place, all while accusing her innocent father of being responsible for her dental problems.
I sighed and gently patted her head.
"All right, all right. Papa will put a brushing poster in our bathroom when we get home. Happy now?"
Elena's face brightened.
"Really?!"
"Yes, sweetheart."
"Yay! Papa, promise!"
She raised her little finger, demanding a proper promise. I couldn't help smiling as I hooked my pinkie around hers, although I was still wondering how I'd managed to lose an argument against a four-year-old.
After a moment, I gently guided her back toward the bench.
"Now, Elena, listen carefully. This is a clinic, so we have to be considerate of the other patients. No running around or shouting, okay?"
"Okay, Papa!"
She nodded obediently and climbed onto the bench beside me. For a little while, she entertained herself by looking around the waiting room, occasionally asking questions about the posters on the walls while I tried my best to answer them.
Then the treatment room door opened.
"Next patient, please."
A middle-aged man stood up from his seat and walked inside. I watched the door close behind him, hoping that his appointment would be over quickly. Unfortunately, a familiar mechanical sound soon echoed from the other side.
BRRRRRRRR!
My shoulders stiffened.
Oh, no. Not that sound again.
A few minutes later, the man emerged, holding a small piece of cotton against his mouth. He looked perfectly fine, but seeing the cotton only reminded me of my own unpleasant childhood visits.
Another patient was called, followed by another. One by one, the people around us disappeared into the treatment room and eventually returned. Some looked relieved, while others seemed uncomfortable, but none appeared to have suffered the horrible fate my imagination had prepared for them.
That should have reassured me.
Unfortunately, it didn't.
Elena glanced up at me while I was nervously turning the appointment slip between my fingers.
"Papa?"
"H-Hm? Yes, sweetheart?"
"Why are you shaking?"
I immediately straightened my back and forced a confident smile.
"Shaking? Hahaha! What are you talking about? Papa isn't shaking!"
Elena studied me for a moment before reaching out and placing her tiny hand over mine.
"Papa, are you scared?"
"Of course not! Papa's a grown man. Why would I be scared of a dentist?"
She tilted her head, clearly unconvinced, but thankfully decided not to question me any further. Instead, she returned her attention to the colorful posters while I silently tried to convince myself that everything would be fine.
Unfortunately, the waiting room gradually emptied until only the two of us remained.
I looked around at the vacant seats before lowering my gaze toward the appointment slip. There was no one left ahead of us, which meant the next time that door opened, it would finally be our turn.
I glanced at Elena, who was happily swinging her little legs beside me, completely unaware of her father's growing anxiety. Seeing her innocent smile, I gently took her hand and reminded myself why we'd come here in the first place.
Dear God... Please let everything go smoothly for my little girl.
After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the treatment room door finally opened, and a young nurse stepped into the hallway with a clipboard in her hand. She glanced at the remaining appointment slip before looking toward the two of us sitting on the bench.
"Next patient, please. Mr. Kounari?"
"Y-Yes! We're here!"
I immediately stood up and adjusted my coat, preparing to take Elena inside. However, before I could even reach for her hand, my daughter jumped off the bench and rushed toward the open door with both arms stretched behind her like a pair of wings.
"Weeeee! Elena's coming!"
"Elena! Sweetheart, don't run!"
The nurse chuckled at her excitement and held the door open for us. Meanwhile, I followed behind with the enthusiasm of a prisoner being escorted toward his execution. Honestly, how was my four-year-old daughter so excited about visiting the dentist when her own father was practically trembling?
"Someone's certainly excited to see the doctor," the nurse remarked.
"Hahaha... Yes. A little too excited, actually."
I followed Elena inside, trying my best not to look at the collection of dental instruments arranged beside the enormous reclining chair. Unfortunately, my eyes immediately landed on the drill resting on a metal tray, and every unpleasant memory from my childhood came rushing back.
Oh, God. There it is.
A middle-aged dentist wearing a white coat was sitting beside the chair, reviewing something on his computer. He looked up when we entered and greeted us with a friendly smile.
"Good afternoon! Mr. Kounari, correct?"
"Yes, Doctor."
He glanced at me before gesturing toward the reclining chair.
"So, are you the patient, sir?"
"NO! I'M NOT!"
My answer came out considerably louder than intended. The dentist paused, and even the nurse looked surprised by my reaction. Realizing how ridiculous I sounded, I quickly cleared my throat and attempted to recover whatever dignity I had left.
"Ahem! I mean, no, Doctor. I'm just accompanying my—"
"Elena is the patient!"
Before I could finish, Elena jumped forward and raised both hands proudly, announcing her presence as though she were introducing herself to an entire kingdom.
The dentist blinked before breaking into a warm smile.
"Oh! So you're the patient!"
"Yes! I'm Elena!"
"Hahaha! Well, aren't you an adorable little angel? Come here, sweetheart. Let's take a look at those teeth."
Elena happily climbed onto the reclining chair with the nurse's assistance. Once she was seated, the dentist adjusted the chair slightly and lowered himself onto his stool, examining her with a gentle expression.
"Now then, Miss Elena, can you tell me what's troubling you?"
Elena immediately placed one hand against her swollen cheek.
"My tooth hurts, Doctor!"
"Oh, dear. And how did that happen?"
She looked at him with an expression of complete seriousness.
"Halloween chocolate!"
The dentist raised an eyebrow.
"Halloween chocolate?"
"Yes! Elena ate chocolate! It was so tasty, but then my tooth started hurting!"
I sighed and folded my arms, already knowing exactly where this conversation was heading. Sure enough, Elena pointed accusingly toward her mouth before continuing her explanation.
"It's the chocolate's fault, Doctor! Elena didn't do anything wrong!"
I nearly choked.
You secretly ate all those Halloween chocolates, young lady! How is the chocolate responsible for everything?!
The dentist, however, seemed thoroughly entertained by her explanation. He chuckled softly and nodded as though she had just presented him with a very important medical report.
"I see. So the chocolate is the culprit?"
"Yes!"
"Well, chocolate certainly tastes delicious, but eating too many sugary treats can contribute to cavities. That's why we need to brush our teeth properly and be careful about how many sweets we eat."
Elena listened attentively, nodding along with every word. Then she raised her little finger with the confidence of someone who had just discovered the solution to all her problems.
"Doctor! Elena knows something!"
"Oh? What do you know?"
"Papa promised to put a brushing picture in our bathroom! Then Elena won't get bad teeth!"
The dentist looked toward me.
I looked toward the ceiling.
"...It's a long story, Doctor."
He laughed before turning back to Elena.
"Well, a reminder might help, but you still have to brush your teeth, little one. Now, would you mind opening your mouth so I can take a look?"
"Aaaaaah!"
Elena opened her mouth as wide as she could, revealing her tiny teeth and the troublesome one that had caused all this trouble. The dentist switched on the examination light and carefully inspected the area with a small dental mirror.
At first, everything seemed perfectly normal.
"Hmm... I see. There's a cavity here, and this tooth seems a little loose."
"Can you fix it, Doctor?" I asked anxiously.
"Let's examine it properly first. Don't worry, Mr. Kounari. We'll see what needs to be done."
I nodded, feeling slightly reassured by his calm voice. At least he seemed experienced, and unlike the terrifying monster I'd imagined, he was actually rather friendly.
Unfortunately, that reassurance didn't last very long.
After completing his examination, the dentist leaned back and studied Elena's tooth with a puzzled expression.
"That's strange..."
My heart immediately sank.
"Strange? What do you mean, Doctor?"
"Well, the tooth appears loose, but it feels unusually firm. I've never encountered quite this much resistance from a child's baby tooth."
I scratched my cheek awkwardly.
"Ah... About that. My daughter is a little... special."
The dentist smiled.
"Every child is special, Mr. Kounari."
No, Doctor. You really don't understand.
After explaining that the tooth might need to be removed and obtaining my permission, the dentist prepared his equipment. Elena, meanwhile, remained perfectly calm, watching everything with sparkling eyes as the nurse arranged the instruments beside her.
"Now, Miss Elena, I'm going to make sure you're comfortable before we begin. If anything hurts or you want me to stop, just raise your hand, all right?"
"Okay, Doctor!"
The dentist nodded approvingly and began preparing for the procedure. Once the area had been properly numbed and he was satisfied that Elena was comfortable, he carefully attempted to loosen the troublesome tooth.
A few moments passed.
Then a few more.
The dentist frowned.
"Hmm?"
I leaned forward.
"Doctor? Is something wrong?"
"Not exactly. It's just... rather stubborn."
He adjusted his grip and tried again, applying a little more controlled pressure. However, the tooth refused to move, remaining firmly in place despite his efforts.
Elena tilted her head.
"Doctor?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Elena's tooth is really strong!"
The dentist chuckled.
"Hahaha! It certainly seems that way."
Oh, Doctor. You have no idea.
He examined the tooth again before deciding to use another instrument to assist with the procedure. The nurse handed him the appropriate equipment, and a familiar mechanical sound filled the room.
BRRRRRRR!
My entire body stiffened.
THAT SOUND!
I instinctively grabbed the edge of the nearby chair, struggling to maintain my composure. Elena, on the other hand, seemed fascinated by the strange noise and watched the dentist with the curiosity of a child observing a new toy.
"Papa! Look at the machine!"
"Y-Yes, sweetheart. Papa can see it."
The dentist carefully worked on the tooth for a short while, but just as he began making progress, the instrument produced an unpleasant mechanical noise.
KRRRK!
Then it stopped.
The dentist paused and inspected the instrument. He pressed its control once, then frowned when nothing happened.
"That's odd. It seems to have malfunctioned."
The nurse leaned closer.
"Doctor, should I bring the spare?"
"Yes, please."
I stared at the broken instrument, then slowly glanced toward my daughter, who was still sitting comfortably in the chair.
Wait a minute. Did my daughter's tooth just break a dental machine?
The nurse returned with another device, and the dentist resumed his work after checking that Elena was still comfortable.
"All right, little one. Let's try again."
"Okay!"
BRRRRRRR!
The new machine started smoothly, and for a brief moment, I thought everything would finally work out. Unfortunately, after only a short attempt, an equally unpleasant sound echoed through the room.
KRRR—CLACK!
The machine stopped.
Again.
The dentist slowly lowered his hand, staring at the equipment with an expression of complete disbelief. The nurse leaned forward to examine it, while I sat there wondering whether I should apologize or pretend I hadn't noticed anything unusual.
Elena, meanwhile, smiled proudly.
"Doctor! My tooth won again!"
I covered my face.
Good heavens. This is becoming a disaster.
The dentist examined both instruments, looking increasingly confused. He had apparently never encountered a situation in which two pieces of dental equipment failed during the same appointment, especially while treating a four-year-old girl.
"That's... highly unusual."
"Doctor," I asked nervously, "is everything all right?"
"Mr. Kounari, I've been practicing dentistry for nearly twenty years, and I must admit I've never seen anything quite like this."
I swallowed.
"Hahaha... Is that so?"
He looked toward Elena's mouth again.
"Her tooth is extraordinarily resistant. I can't explain it."
Well, I can.
She's the daughter of a dragon queen, Doctor! That little tooth probably has better defenses than a military fortress!
Of course, I couldn't exactly tell him that. Instead, I smiled awkwardly and pretended everything was perfectly normal, although I was beginning to suspect that bringing Elena to an ordinary human dentist might have been a terrible idea.
The dentist refused to give up. After checking the tooth once more, he tried a different approach using his remaining instruments. He carefully positioned the extraction forceps and attempted to loosen the tooth, but even with controlled pressure, it barely moved.
Then something extraordinary happened.
CLINK!
The forceps slipped from his grip and landed on the metal tray. The dentist picked them up, inspected them carefully, and discovered that the instrument had become slightly bent.
"...Impossible."
He slowly turned toward me.
"Mr. Kounari... What exactly does your daughter eat?"
I hesitated.
"Um... Rice? Chicken? Vegetables? Sometimes pancakes?"
"And chocolate!" Elena added proudly.
"Yes, sweetheart. Unfortunately, chocolate too."
The dentist looked at the bent instrument again before glancing toward Elena, who was still sitting comfortably in the chair. She seemed more interested in the ceiling light than in the increasingly desperate man trying to remove her tooth.
For several seconds, the room fell silent.
Then the dentist placed the forceps on the tray and leaned back in his stool.
"I... I need a moment."
He removed his gloves, stood up, and walked a few steps away from the chair. At first, I assumed he was simply going to consult another dentist or retrieve additional equipment.
But then he slowly lowered himself to his knees.
I stared at him.
The nurse stared at him.
Even Elena turned her head toward him.
"Doctor?"
The man looked down at his hands, his shoulders slumping in defeat.
"Twenty years..."
His voice trembled.
"Twenty years of studying, practicing, and dedicating my life to dentistry... and I can't even remove one little tooth."
The nurse hurried toward him.
"Doctor! Please, get up!"
But he seemed unable to hear her.
"Maybe... maybe I should have listened to my younger brother."
I frowned.
"Your younger brother?"
"He told me to become a YouTuber! Said I could make videos about dental care and earn money without having to deal with troublesome patients!"
He slowly raised his trembling hands toward the ceiling.
"WHY DIDN'T I LISTEN TO HIM?!"
I stood there, completely speechless.
My four-year-old daughter had just destroyed a man's entire career ambition with a single baby tooth.
And the worst part?
Elena didn't even understand what was happening.
She leaned forward in the dental chair and looked down at the kneeling dentist with genuine concern.
"Doctor?"
The man slowly lifted his head.
"Y-Yes, little one?"
Elena smiled sweetly.
"Don't be sad, Doctor! Elena's tooth is just too strong!"
The dentist stared at her for a moment before lowering his head again.
"That's exactly the problem..."
I covered my mouth, desperately trying to decide whether I should laugh, apologize, or immediately carry my daughter out of the clinic before this poor man suffered a complete emotional breakdown.
Shit. Elena actually made the dentist question his entire career.
The nurse continued trying to comfort him, but the poor man was already muttering something about buying a camera and starting a dental education channel. At that point, I decided we'd caused enough trouble for one afternoon.
"Ah... Doctor? Thank you for trying. I think we'll consult another specialist."
He gave a weak nod without looking up. I carefully lifted Elena out of the chair, thanked the nurse, and hurried toward the door before the situation could become any more embarrassing.
"Bye-bye, Doctor!" Elena called, waving over my shoulder.
As we reached the hallway, I heard him mumble something that nearly made me stumble.
"Maybe I should call my brother about that YouTube channel..."
Oh, come on! Don't actually quit because of my daughter!
I hurried out of the clinic, carrying Elena in my arms while trying not to think about the emotional destruction we'd left behind. Her tooth was still firmly in place, which meant our entire visit had accomplished absolutely nothing.
Once we were outside, Elena looked up at me with a thoughtful expression.
"Papa?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"The doctor couldn't remove Elena's tooth."
I sighed.
"Yes, Elena. Papa noticed."
She considered that for a moment before raising her little fist with the confidence of someone announcing the results of an important battle.
"Dentist mission failed!"
To be continued...