Han Yeo-eun's affection for me was fading, and suddenly, a thought, "Thank goodness," quickly surfaced in my mind. Though I occasionally questioned it, I knew my relationship with the seven of them had grown even stronger. Now, all that remained for me was to live safely with them, enjoy a smooth school life, and graduate.
"Hey lady! Come out and eat!"
At Seokjin's voice, ringing through the door, a gust of wind escaped between her curved lips. "Only at times like this do you raise your voice. Han Yeo-ju!" Hearing her name again, she jumped up from her bed and grabbed the doorknob.
"It'll come out quickly. Okay?"
"sorry."
"It was a joke. Eat it quickly. It must be cold."
The steam was still lingering, but... I tried to ignore it and took a large spoonful. As expected, the rice was piping hot, as if freshly cooked, and the perfect texture made me crunch, causing the corners of my mouth to twitch involuntarily. Seokjin checked my expression several times before picking up his spoon.
Warm food. A warm home. And people and love. I love this place. Ironically, I didn't feel much guilt toward Dad. My thoughts were mostly focused on Mom. Today, I missed her more than ever.
👸🍎
As if hearing my small wish, Mom had a dream. This time, instead of a nightmare of her leaving me, I saw her preparing to say goodbye. Instead of leaving silently, without opening her mouth, she held my hands tightly, hugged me tightly, and spoke slowly and carefully. She reminisced about our memories in a soothing tone. At exactly 4 o'clock, Mom opened the door that bordered the dream and reality.
As I passed through that door, my heavy, shut eyes slowly fluttered open. I slowly raised my upper body, clutching the blanket tightly. Then, I lowered my body, which I had just raised, forward. Thud. Thud. I woke up at 4 a.m. like any other day, but it felt like my mother's warmth lingered in my body. I was happy. Instead of swimming in pain and crying in agony.
"...."
I cried because I was so happy that her scent was so strong.
yet.
I have to prepare to send my mom off first.
👸🍎
The next day. I was walking to school with the seven of us, chatting casually. Far away, a familiar silhouette waved at us from the school gate. I frowned, and she laughed viciously. "Oh no." Who was that girl? I'd momentarily forgotten in happiness. I turned my head, hoping the seven of them hadn't seen Han Yeo-eun. But they'd already seen her. Before I could speak, my mouth hanging open in embarrassment, Namjoon had already taken my turn.
"My lady."
"... huh."
"He's waving at you."
"... that is,"
"I'll just ask you once."
"...."
"Shouldn't we wave our hands?"
"...."
"huh?"
"... huh."
"Don't do that." My short reply seemed to be their answer, and we continued our conversation as if nothing had happened. Thinking of Han Yeo-eun, who must have been feeling uneasy, a corner of my heart that had been so tightly shut felt cleared. Han Yeo-eun. What expression could she be making? And then, the question mark at the end of my sentence soon became a period.
"Sister. I greeted you earlier."
"Oh really?"
"Haven't you seen it?"
A look of considerable discomfort.
"No, I saw it."
And at my first answer, his expression crumpled into a very pretty smile.
"... her?"
"I'll go first."
The gaze that had been looking at me with mockery changed. It was filled with vengeance. It burned with unbearable anger. The back of my head stung, but the smiling faces I saw lifted my spirits. Yes. Now I could ignore her. The fake kindness, the laughter, the kindness.
"...."
You can just ignore them one by one.
👸🍎
The scariest thing in the world. Something that harms you. Everyone knows what they fear most, and they avoid it or stay away from it. Whether it's medicine or poison. It's normal to keep at least a step away. But.
"...."
If you get close to something that will harm you throughout your life without even knowing it.
"Body, it must be ticklish. Huh?"
It's too late to take a step back.
Right now, I'm at Han Yeo-eun's feet. I'm croaking and swallowing my breath, lower than Han Yeo-eun.
It's already too late.
The root of this incident was Han Yeo-eun's ironic visit. Less than an hour after the seven of us left the house for academy, someone rang the doorbell, disturbing the otherwise quiet house. Unaware that it was Han Yeo-eun, I flung the door wide open.
"Hello, sister?"
"...how are you here,"
"I asked a passerby if he knew where good-looking people live, and he told me."
"Don't joke around."
"Hey... just kidding. I've seen it in passing sometimes."
Friendly. Kind and gentle. It matched my first impression when we first met. And for the first time in my life, I felt certain. Certain. Han Yeo-eun had come to me with a secret plan. Otherwise, she wouldn't be coming in with that bright smile.
I frowned at the rudeness of her pushing me inside before I could even send her back. Why? Whenever I run away, she keeps coming back. It's so annoying. She stole the person who should have been my greatest support in life. Even my father, whom I trusted so deeply, fell for the vixen Han Yeo-eun. What are you planning on doing next?
"When will you be home?"
"answer,"
"My dad asked me."
"...don't interrupt me."
"Sorry. I didn't know."
"...."
"If you don't want to come home, you don't have to."
"I'm not going."
"okay."
Because that would be good for both of us. Han Yeo-eun's words really bothered me. Was it because I was uncomfortable? Was it because my dad was treating me well? Han Yeo-eun. She's a question mark to me. That's why my mind is even more confused.
"That's right. Do you like apples, unnie?"
"... apologize?"
"Yeah. I apologize."
"...."
Soon, my once-dazzling mind became dizzy. Come to think of it, I'd never even tasted apple peel in my life. Could I have ever actually tasted an apple? Han Yeo-eun handed me a basket filled with apples. The apples, stacked in a heap, were bright red.
"... i like you."
"okay?"
"...."
"Then do you want to eat one each with me?"
"...with you?"
"It's childish... but I wanted to apologize to my sister. I bought some apples."
"...."
"So if you eat this, you'll be fine with me again."
"...I'll think about it."
"Think about it."
But for now, let's eat them at the same time. Got it? Han Yeo-eun held out the apple, and I picked it up without saying a word. Whether I picked it out of curiosity or to eliminate my enemy, no one knew. Even though I was the one holding it, I didn't know.
Han Yeo-eun bit into the apple first, leaving teeth marks and tiny tears. Only after seeing the apple shattered into small pieces did I take a cautious bite. It was delicious. However, I struggled to calm my churning stomach right before swallowing, and after I did, I looked at Han Yeo-eun. "All right?" I said. "I'll go now." I couldn't forget Han Yeo-eun's expression before I could finish speaking. The smug look in her eyes and the corners of her lips, as if she were saying, "I've defeated you."
"...Don't look at me like that."
"why?"
"I feel bad."
"Yeah, sorry. But, sis."
"...."
"I guess Dad... didn't tell me everything."
"... What are you talking about."
"There's still seven more people to come, so there'll be plenty of time."
"You speak properly."
"Wouldn't it be better for you to act again now?"
"...you've finally gone crazy."
"I've been crazy for a long time."
Han Yeo-eun's sudden change in attitude didn't easily dissipate my embarrassment. "Aren't you going to eat more apples?" "They're delicious," she kept mentioning. Suspicion began to creep in, knowing she wasn't the type to entrust her fate to such an ordinary, small fruit. I threw the apple in my hand toward the trash can with all my might, and with a heavy thud, I opened my mouth.
"I can't accept your apology. Get out now." But instead, she smiled with even more confidence, looked at the mirror next to me, and, as if I had thrown the apple she was holding, threw it with all her might at the mirror where I was reflected. The mirror, unable to withstand the recoil, crashed down next to me, letting out a shrill scream. Small and large pieces of debris scattered everywhere, and Han Yeo-eun quietly snickered, making me feel irritated.
"What are you doing...?"
"I'm annoyed by your reflection in the mirror."
"Is this your house?"
"It's not even my sister's house."
"...what the hell is wrong with you, huh?"
"I know,"
How nice it would have been if you had introduced me sooner. The word "introduction" was on your lips again. My anger reached a fever pitch, and a fierce exchange of words broke out between Han Yeo-eun and me. Fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, an hour passed. Suddenly, my body began to tingle and my breathing became unsteady. At first, I could hold on, but soon, the threads supporting my legs snapped, one by one, as if my strength had waned. It became so difficult that I couldn't even speak properly.
"...."
"Body, it must be ticklish. Huh?"
"You, you..."
"Yeah. I didn't know you were this stupid."
"...."
"I guess Dad didn't tell you that you were allergic to apples."
"...allergies?"
"huh."
"You know that,"
"Then why would I ask you for forgiveness?"
I wanted to get up right now and confront Han Yeo-eun, but my vision was already at her feet. Yeoju, get up. That's why I want to step on you more. My heart pounded. Thump thump. And to that rhythm, Han Yeo-eun giggled maniacally and stroked my hair.
"My poor sister."
"...."
"Do you have any last words? To your father, or to those seven people."
Even to Mom. I had so much to say, it was enough to make my mind trickle down. But I vowed to myself that I'd first get down to Han Yeo-eun's level before saying it. Absolutely. I didn't want to say it in such an ugly way.
Perhaps anticipating my silence, Han Yeo-eun chuckled and stepped toward the front door. At the same time, my vision blurred, and darkness gradually descended. A ringing in my ears and my breathing grew quieter, like turning down the volume on a cell phone. Just as the thought crossed my mind, "I'm dying," the scene that entered my narrow field of vision...
"Han Yeo-ju!!"
He opened the door a beat faster than Han Yeo-eun, and ran straight to me as soon as he saw me.
"Lady. Breathe. Okay?"
...who was it?
👸🍎
A place where white snow fell. I instinctively knew this was a dream. But it was too lucid to be moving on my own. My feet felt glued to the floor. My body felt as if it were frozen stone. I couldn't move. The white snow covered my body, but I didn't feel the cold. It was called snow, but in reality, it felt like white dust falling from the sky.
As the snow piled up to my ankles, something surged up from the ground and wrapped its arms around me. Warmth washed over my previously numb body. It was warm. It was a warmth so familiar, it made me tense. I tried to raise my arms, but they wouldn't move.
"My lady."
"...."
"Because our heroine is brave."
"...."
"Because you're strong, unlike me."
"...."
"I have to get up."
"...."
"Hey, you must wake up now." My congested breathing cleared, and my vision brightened. A white place. But it wasn't snowing. Unlike just now, I could feel things touching my body. And no one had ever embraced me. There was someone who held my hand desperately, though.
"...."
Seokjin. It wasn't you I met in my dream. It was you who ran to me.
"... My lady."
I just want to believe it's you. So.
"...help me."
Please help me.
👸🍎
A place where years of my past were buried. And a place I left on my own two feet. In the dark night, the bright lights must have meant I wasn't asleep yet. I slowly approached and rang the doorbell. Silence. I expected it. I'd long since given up on expecting anything from Han Yeo-eun, the woman I'd tried to kill. I naturally pressed the door lock code, and the door clanked open. And in front of the door. Han Yeo-eun's expression, terrified and lost in thought, staring at me, was something to behold.
"hi."
"...."
"I'm not a ghost. Am I alive?"
"... crazy bitch."
"You're the crazy bitch, right?"
"...."
"If I had my way, I would put you in jail."
Because I was too kind. It was true. I wanted to put him in prison and let him rot away for the rest of his life, but I didn't want to tarnish my father's life. Just because of you. I didn't want to ruin my family's life. Han Yeo-eun, trembling, finally collapsed, and her father ran out at the noise. Seeing him for the first time in a long while,
"My lady."
"...."
"Yeoju,"
Emaciated. That word was perfect.
"I guess I was too naive."
"...."
“Is it because I trusted my younger brother too much, who was jealous and quarrelsome?”
"...."
“Or maybe it was because I trusted my dad too much, who didn’t even tell me what illness I had.”
"My lady..."
I never had to come back here, but at least I felt like I had to live. Dad. Dad, you were supposed to be my world. I still need you. I'm too young and immature. But before we meet again, what should I do about him?
"...either send him back to the orphanage or throw him in jail."
The day he leaves this house, I'll come back.
"...Just wait until then."
I turned around, and all I could hear was my father's voice, turned around in anger.
👸🍎
Inyoung, who had been standing on the other side of the house, gradually approached. Seokjin. He ran to me as I recited his verse and held me in his arms. "Did you finish well?" Instead of answering, he just smiled. "Thank goodness." Seokjin's actions, as he stroked the back of my head, saying "You worked hard," were incredibly similar to someone else's. Was that why he cried?
"... great job."
"...I was scared."
"Yeah. Me too."
"...Why you?"
"Because you're down."
"... thank you."
Thank you. Thank you. Seokjin answered my voice, wet with moisture. Mom. Mom. Mom. It's enough. I think I can walk briskly now. But please come to my dreams sometimes. Please hug me sometimes. I held onto him tighter, harboring a small wish.
After that, I finally opened my eyes after the sun had risen. It wasn't painful. The warmth that lingered faintly, no, perhaps deeply, in a corner of my heart was still warm. The seven people who greeted me were still the same.
"did you sleep well?"
"huh."
"me too."
"...."
"I had a good dream."
"...."
"You came out. You were holding a woman's hand, and she handed your hand to me."
"...."
"Please take good care of me, my lady."
What has changed is the owner of the eyes that caress my hand and hold my eyes. What has returned is,
"... dad."
"...Come in, daughter."
"I missed you. A lot."
"...I'm sorry and thank you. Thank you for coming back."
My place.
"... Yeo-eun! This too!"
"... yes."
Her place.
"I'm going to eat chicken and play a game tonight, how about betting on the price of the chicken?"
Our place.
Now all that's left is to achieve my goal of living a normal life. A normal life.