As soon as I got back, I slid down the laurel tree using it as a support.
A child who resembles her....
There was no way I could hate that kid.
Even though I no longer have feelings for her, I still loved her as family.
The trees rustled as if to signal the stroke of 12 o'clock.
There was only one reason why the trees moved as if they were riding the wind in this place where there were no abnormal weather conditions.
I got up and staggered back to the human world.
.
.
.
''It's my brother!''
As soon as I came out, the child who had been crouching down suddenly got up and came towards me.
Honestly, I was very surprised.
I was worried that the child might not remember me because he was so young...
I seemed to remember it very well
''Do you remember me?''
''Yeah! Of course!''
The child answered with a bright smile.
"What's your name, oppa?"
Lee Dae-hwi
''Lee Dae-hwi....''
The child muttered my name, then looked up and said
''How old are you?''
''21''
''There's a 12 year age difference between us''
''Maybe when you're 13 I'll still be 21''
''uh?''
''I'm not human''
''Then... is it a siren?''
''what?''
"I heard the townspeople say there's a siren living there."
I knew you didn't know about us... but you didn't know this much...
I sighed deeply and said
''It's not a siren''
''then?''
''Elf, I am''
''fairy?''
''Yeah. Fairy.''
"Are you the fairy who protects this forest?"
"No, I don't protect this forest."
''then?''
"Guard the only gate connecting the human world and the elf world."
''Why are you guarding there?''
"Humans can't come here, nor can elves enter the human world."
"Oppa, you came in."
"Leap months are an exception. That's why I said I'd see you today."
''amazing....''
"Perhaps there is a passageway through which other races live, just as there is a passageway through which I come here."
"Don't people age quickly there?"
"Time is different here and there. My day is your four years. So you see me every four years. I see you once a day."
''I'm jealous... I want to see you every day too...''
"See you every four years. I promise."
''Yeah, promise....''
Yoon-i nodded with a sullen expression.
''You have to come... You have to come''
''Yeah! Sure!''
And I smiled at the kid and said,
"I almost forgot to say this. Happy birthday, Yoona."
"Thank you.... This is the first time I've received congratulations from anyone."
"What? This is your first time?"
I asked back in confusion, and Yoon-i continued speaking calmly.
''I have no friends''
''I have a dad''
''Dad is sick''
''Are you sick?''
"Yeah, I lie in bed every day crying out for Mom's name."
''.....what about food?''
''Don't eat alone!''
I hugged the child tightly.
A living, breathing hope in the midst of tragedy brought about by love that transcended fate.
At that moment, I thought about taking this child with me and leaving him to live.
I think that would be better for this child...
Of course, there will be strong opposition...
I hesitated and asked cautiously.
''Will you live with me?''
Even though he was half-elven, I thought it would be okay since he had a faint trace of elven blood in him.
"If you come with me, you can live without any worries."
''Is that your hometown?''
''huh''
"Then I'll go with you. Is Mom there?"
"No.... Mom isn't here and I can't go with Dad either."
''Then I'm not going''
"Why? It'd be better for you that way. You could make friends there too..."
''No!!! I'm not going!!!!''
Yoon-i cut me off, yelled at me, and ran off somewhere.
''......''
I looked behind the child and then came back again.
.
.
.
''Go out and go straight to the right.''
''uh?''
This is what Dong-Hyeon said to me out of the blue after Yoon-i left and came back.
''What are you talking about all of a sudden?''
"Sister's grave. Right there."
''Huh?''
"It's...well there, so go take a look. Honestly, I can't stand seeing you. No, I don't want to see you. And if I see your daughter, what's the big deal?"
''I can't hate you''
''Did you see that kid?''
I nodded cautiously.
"Should I bring you here and live?"
"Are you crazy? You want to see me kill that kid here?"
"You can't kill that kid. No, you can't hate that kid. I guarantee it."
''How can you be sure of that?''
''I did that''
"Huh? Are you saying you no longer resent that kid? Don't you think that barrier was broken once because of that?"
''That's....we destroyed it to bring my sister back.''
"If that child hadn't been there, I wouldn't have brought my sister here."
"You can never hate that kid. He looks just like your sister."
''But that girl isn't my sister.''
"When I think of my sister, I feel a little sorry for her. I know we'll only see each other once every four years, but I plan to help her during that time."
"You're giving...a blessing? To that thing?"
"It's the only way I can atone for my sister. Thank you for the location of the grave. I'll go and see you before it's too late."
As I was about to leave, Dong-Hyeon stopped me and said
''Wait a minute. It's almost midnight.''
''Ah... already like that.....''
"Don't be silly, Lee Dae-hwi. Losing my sister is enough for me. I don't want to lose you too."
''don't worry''
"If I really lose you because of that kid... If I lose you too... I might really kill that kid. Because you and your sister are more precious to me than that kid."
''That's a scary warning.''
"So, just do it roughly. How old did that kid say he was?"
''9 years old''
"Well, humans live to be around 100. If that child isn't murdered or commits suicide, then he'll live a long life without getting sick, provided you give him a blessing every four years."
''right''
"I'll be 13 this time, so let's just go 22 more times and be done with it."
''Yeah.... Okay then''
"And if that child doesn't come back anymore, then don't go. That child has to live his own life. You can't be responsible for everything. Just watch. Please."
"Don't worry, really. I won't fall for that kid and become human."
"You said you looked a lot like your older sister... That's what worries me."