The Returnee Wants to Live Comfortably

The Hand Reaching Out from the Devil (3)

"Put it on your arm."

The boy handed her something like a paper bracelet.

At his kind attitude, Ha Eunseol felt a strange sensation.

"You should enjoy things while you can."

She couldn't remember anything.

All that was in her mind was the knowledge that some strange adults had harmed her body.

The world seemed frightening and unfamiliar.

That was why curiosity arose.

"Are you sure... is it really okay for me to accept this?"

It was a reasonable suspicion.

She couldn't see; she had to discern people only by their presence.

She didn't know anything and since she had no idea what passersby looked like, she was automatically wary.

'Could he be a trustworthy person?'

She had sensed the presence of those disgusting people just moments ago.

Even if she couldn't remember, it was as if her body itself was crying out in protest.

- Save me.
- What did I ever do?
- Please. Just forgive me this once.

It felt just like that time in the past, when she had begged like this before.

It felt as though she was threatened by some being, like a ghost or a wild beast.

Just how many such revolting people were out there? Maybe all people were like that.

Her wariness was about to turn into outright hostility.

"If there's a ride you want to go on, just tell me. I'll take you."

However, the moment she saw this boy, those feelings began to fade away.

She didn't know who this boy was; she couldn't even see his face.

But she could be certain that she was receiving his help.

It was different from all the filthy presences she'd felt before. It was unmistakable goodwill.

"Th-then..."

Ha Eunseol pointed to a random ride, not wanting to reject a kindness so rarely received.

She chose the Viking ride, mostly out of instinct.

"You want to ride that?"

Anyone could see that it was a ride too intense for a first-grade elementary school student.

Ma Seongjin was about to suggest riding something else, when he recalled a sentence written on the map:

Awakened individuals are exempt from height restrictions.

"Alright, let's do that."

Ha Eunseol and Ma Seongjin proved they were Awakened to staff before entering the line.

Then as now, the Viking was a popular attraction, so the line was long.

As standing in line began to get boring, Ha Eunseol spoke up.

"Hey... did we know each other before?"

"You and me?"

There was no way a stranger would go out of their way to help like this.

Surely there was some reason, Ha Eunseol thought, and didn't let her guard down.

She was even doubting whether, perhaps, they went to the same school.

"Not really. We weren't anything to each other."

"So you mean we're strangers? But then why..."

"I'll just put it simply."

He couldn't know if she would really understand with this explanation alone.
Still, Ma Seongjin swallowed and spoke.

"I hate discrimination. That's all. That's why I helped you."

That was it. Even a child would think it sounded overly simple.

Sensing Seongjin's presence, Eunseol pondered.

Just who is this boy?

He seemed to be her age—how had he rescued her inside the Gate?

If he hadn't been there, she'd probably be brainwashed and threatening people right now.

She didn't know exactly who he was, but there was no repulsion in his presence.

"Are you still scared of people?"

"Yeah. Even those girls from earlier."

"You don't have to be. Look, among all these people here, do you feel anyone giving off that sickening vibe from before?"

The answer was obvious.

Ha Eunseol sensed the presence of those waiting in the Viking queue.

She couldn't tell their exact forms, but she could feel what emotions they radiated.

—People bored as they waited.
—Someone tired of waiting, bingeing on chocolate.
—Someone scolding a child for eating too much.
—Someone who almost tripped while fidgeting behind the rail.

They were all just focused on their own individual matters.

Vroooom—

And she could feel presences from inside the Viking, too.

Emotions radiated from people as the massive ship tilted steeply.

Satisfaction at relieving stress.

The fear from those afraid of heights.

Affection between couples sitting beside one another.

"I'm not scared at all."

Sensing everyone's joys and sorrows, Eunseol realized she didn't need to be afraid.

They were just private feelings directed at themselves or their companions, not at her.

At last, her once-crippling fear seemed to blow away.

"Are you both Awakened?"

It was already their turn to board when a staff member approached.

Ma Seongjin had to prove once more by emitting magic power from his hand.

Of course, Eunseol didn't need to do that.

"Your wings are beautiful. You look just like an angel."

And before boarding, they noticed:

The wings that had been black were now pure white.

****

They went on other attractions besides the Viking.

Perhaps her heart had opened up—Eunseol walked around with a much brighter expression.

Her wings were pure white, reflecting her state of mind, as if all inner fear had left her.

Only her eyes remained red.

"Want to eat something?"

It was already 2 p.m., and she had yet to eat.

She'd been having so much fun, she'd forgotten her hunger.

Had she ever had this much fun, even before losing her memory?

Considering how unfamiliar and yet exhilarating it felt, probably not.

"That one."

"A hamburger?"

Her vision still hadn't returned.

She still had to distinguish things by their presence.

But she was getting faster at adapting and the inconvenience was lessening.

She no longer got lost in crowds, and could tell glass doors from automatic doors.

But there was still one issue...

"What kind of burger do you want?"

"Um..."

It was hard for her to distinguish characters.

Still, she could faintly sense, by intuition, what was written and made an appropriate choice.

"Bi..."

"Big Mac?"

"Yep!"

Once they had paid, the food came out quickly.

Eunseol easily bit into the massive burger, which would be hard for most children her age.

Watching how well she ate, Seongjin marveled, as if she had a black hole in her stomach.

"Is it good?"

"Yeah, it's good."

She ate so quickly that it was all gone before she realized it.

She reached for some fries, but they were already gone, and not a drop of cola was left.

She was shocked; she'd even eaten up Seongjin's share.

"Huh? Seongjin, what are you doing here?"

"And who's that with you?"

Just then, my friends from school ran into me by coincidence.

They had come to grab lunch at the same burger place and eyed Seongjin with suspicion.

But the moment their eyes met Seongjin's, they suddenly lost all their energy.

"Forget what you just saw."

"Yes."

And they walked away, eyes glazed and dazed.

It was as if he'd hypnotized them, but as far as Eunseol could tell, she had no idea what had happened.

"Don't mind them. We're us, and they're them."

"Okay."

Seongjin took a bite of burger and sipped his cola as he spoke.

He, too, had been quite hungry, so the food went down easily.

Looking around, Eunseol noticed some odd people nearby.

"Honey, ahh~"

"Ahh~"

A man was feeding a woman fries.

"Isn't that my straw?"

"Oh, come on~ What does it matter? We've already kissed."

The man slurped from a straw the woman had used, without even wiping it.

(Slurp)
(Slurp)

A couple drank from the same cup using two straws at once.

Eunseol could feel the sticky emotions exchanged between couples everywhere she turned.

It wasn't unpleasant, but it was a very strange feeling.

Others might ignore it, but because Eunseol could only judge by presence, it drew all her attention.

And here she was, going around with a boy and girl together.

Pok!

Eunseol put her straw in Seongjin's cup.

When the boy looked at her, wondering what she was doing, Eunseol pointed at her surroundings.

Noticing, Seongjin soon made a disgusted face.

"Aww, you're so cute~"

"Coochie-coo."

He felt like the patty and lettuce he'd just eaten were going to come back up.

Having spent 50 years without any sexual organs, watching couples flaunt their affection in his face was revolting for Seongjin.

Ugh-!

He suddenly remembered a fact he'd forgotten.

Today was December 24th.

Christmas Eve.

A time when damn couples would swarm like cockroaches.

On top of that, this was like their home ground.

Recalling this uncomfortable fact, Eunseol spoke.

"Want to drink together?"

She offered to share one cup with two straws, just like the others.

Was she trying it herself because she'd seen others doing it?

Being forced to imitate this long-standing couple's tradition next to her made Seongjin grit his teeth in frustration.

He wished he could have forgotten today was December 24th.

"Don't you want to?"

"..."

At the sight of Seongjin's displeased expression, Eunseol looked very flustered.

Worried that she'd done something to upset him, she wore a troubled look.

Noticing her concern, Seongjin finally sighed and put the straw to his lips.

"I'll do it."

"Thank you!"

Cheered by his consent, Eunseol also put her lips to a straw.

She found joy in sipping cola from both sides at once.

The experience might vary by partner, but having this boy as her partner was not unpleasant at all.

She wanted to stay with him, to keep this close company; this was a new feeling for her.

'Yet I keep being the one receiving help...'

A feeling of guilt surfaced naturally.

He probably had plans of his own, yet was spending all his time on her.

Afraid she might be a burden, she felt a pang of sorrow.

And yet, he kept doing his best to help her.

"Um, hey."

"Yeah?"

"Can't you tell me now?"

Taking her mouth off the straw, Eunseol asked in a soft tone.

"Your name, I mean."

They'd been together all this time, yet she'd never heard his name.

Thinking it proper to finally introduce himself, the boy spoke.

"Ma Seongjin."

"Thank you so much, Seongjin... I've just taken up all your time for nothing because of me."

"You don't have to apologize. I'm doing this because I want to."

It wasn't a lie.

He had gained the system lock function by saving Eunseol.

But Eunseol, unaware of this, simply regarded it as pure kindness.

She couldn't see his face, but a new presence was beginning to bloom from Ma Seongjin.

It was a feeling the complete opposite of those nauseating girls from earlier.

Instead of a presence she desperately wanted to escape, this was one she wanted to stay close to for a long time...

"Seongjin, how long can we be together?"

She'd finally found a good person, hard to come by, but reality had to be faced.

Winter camp would soon be over.

When it ended, Seongjin would probably have to leave.

"Probably by tomorrow we'll have to part ways. I could try to get you on the same bus as me, but after that, we'll have to separate."

"I see..."

Facing the impending farewell, Eunseol looked forlorn and regretful.

But it was too hard to abandon hope just yet.

"Then... can we meet again someday?"

There was nothing she could do for him.

But if they met again, she wanted to repay his kindness.

"It's not impossible."

Hearing hope in Seongjin's reply, Eunseol reached out her hand as if to make it real.

"Then... can you promise me?"

"...."

Seongjin felt a sense of déjà vu from several months ago.

It was strange, but refusing her hope outright would be worse.

Thinking that, he hooked his pinky around hers.

"Thanks."

"No need."

Seongjin hooked her pinky with one hand, while with the other, he hid his phone below the table.

It was Yun Jaeho's phone, which he'd charged earlier.

He was using it to lure high-ranking members of the Angel Guild here.

Knowing the guildmaster's disposition, there was no way he would leave a child like Eunseol alone.

Looking at Eunseol's beaming face, Seongjin quietly used a skill.

.
.

'I'm sorry.'

I erased her memories of my from her mind.

I had no choice.

I'd learned several things from checking the phone.

That Black Flame Cult was just a subsidiary of some higher organization, and there were traces of information about Eunseol being leaked to them.

It was clear they would try to kidnap her again, supposedly to bring down some god or whatever.

'I can't just sit by and do nothing.'

But taking her to my house couldn't guarantee safety, either.

If my entire family was endangered because of one child, whose fault would that be?

Even if I survived, my mother, father, and sister wouldn't stand a chance.

And if my left her with some other facility, that facility's staff would be put in danger next.

A group that hires people willing to kill a child's parents just to abduct her as a subsidiary?

The higher-ups above them would be even worse—or, at the very least, not any better.

I didn't know exactly what kind of organization it was; its scale was still unclear.

Acting rashly could be a fatal mistake later.

If I was going to entrust her somewhere, it would have to be somewhere powerful.

Like the Angel Guild.

'I can't let the people around me get hurt because of me.'

If I left her memories intact, she'd just cling to me and refuse to part.

But even if her mind forgot, her body would remember.

I could see it in her face.

When we'd first met, she had been full of negative emotions and anxiety, but now she looked like a bright, angelic child.

'Even if only for a short time.'

I imprinted these happy memories deep in my heart.

May her recollections remain with her soul, so that she could become a happy child.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
It's sad, but necessary. I'm guessing they would meet after the timeskip...
I'm always saying timeskip this, timeskip that...
But I'm just guessing...
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】