Chapter 155
Whoom.
A sharp sound sliced through the air in the backyard. Adjusting his sword grip, Lucas paused to wipe off his sweat and catch his breath.
Above him, the spring sky was a clear blue.
Just like the person peacefully sleeping in the bedroom.
* * *
“Miss, can you hear my voice? How is it over there? Is it spring there, too? …Here, it’s fully spring now.”
Still asleep, Selena gave no response. Jane watched the lifeless Selena then turned her attention to a doll in her hand.
“It’s so nice that it’s spring, isn’t it? Last winter was terribly cold. Oh, maybe you don’t know? I must have done a good job then. Making sure the fireplace was always hot, changing the blankets daily… there was no chance for you to feel the cold.”
Jane chattered on and then burst into laughter. Her laughter filled the room, slowly fading until only a leaky sigh remained.
“Both Miss and Sir Aiden… seem to be sleeping for too long. It’s really hard on Priest Ian. He has to visit Miss’ room during the day to bestow his divine power and then at night he does the same for Sir Aiden… He’s wasting away day by day. Out of pity for the Priest, you should wake up now.”
As she finished speaking, Jane completed another doll.
It was a small, yellow bear with a pleasing smile. Content with the doll, she gently placed it beside the sleeping Selena.
“This is a gift for you, Miss. You always liked dolls. Look, all the dolls I’ve made for you have piled up…”
Jane’s gaze moved to a stack of dolls she had made. She had diligently crafted them over the winter while waiting for Selena to wake.
“I’m going to have my meal now. Have a nice dream.”
Thud.
The sound of the door closing echoed in the room. Then, the room was utterly silent, save for the sound of soft breathing.
The scent of spring wafted through the window—a smell that matched the brightly shining spring sunlight perfectly.
It had been nearly four months since Selena and Aiden began their sleep.
* * *
…I found myself waking in complete darkness, a strangely familiar void that had become almost expected.
I closed my eyes again.
If it’s dark whether they’re open or closed, I might as well keep them shut. It’s more comforting.
…Am I dead? Was that night my last?
“…Why… why…”
Why… why make me happy only to kill me? Was it a punishment or a reward?
It felt too enjoyable to be a punishment, and too brief to be a reward.
“Just a little longer… let me live…”
Let me hold on just a little longer.
Even if I couldn’t see, hearing their voices was enough. Being together was enough. There were too many who hadn’t received my goodbyes.
I should have hugged my family. I should have comforted those who would cry after I was gone.
I shouldn’t have told Aiden that I wanted to live. On the day I said I wanted to live, I died—how much must he be suffering now?
I should have apologized to Lucas. I changed his fate. He was supposed to be the main character, and I turned him into a supporting character… I should have at least apologized.
And to Jane and Ian… I should have properly said goodbye. Take care, live well. I was truly grateful.
It was nice to meet them, and I enjoyed our time together.
Tears trailed down the side of my temple. Just because I cried once, these tears seem to have a mind of their own.
As I raised my hand to wipe them away, a strong gust of wind blew.
From the direction of the wind, a swarm of white butterflies began to fly toward me.
The butterflies whirled wildly above my prone body, then suddenly clustered together, forming something.
It was a familiar scene.
The flock of butterflies emitted a brilliant white light.
I clenched my eyes shut. When I opened them again… the butterflies had disappeared.
And then, that child appeared.
Her lips curled into a mischievous smile. Her eyes rounded. Her face was unchanged just as they were the last time I saw her. Her cheeks were a peachy color.
“Sister.”
I slowly got up. The person I had wanted to see, or perhaps… the person I hoped not to meet for a long time.
After a long while, yes… after a long while, I wished to meet that child.
“Eunji…”
I called out her name, and Eunji perked up with a nod.
“Is Sister crying? It’s the first time I’ve seen you cry.”
She seemed fascinated as if she had witnessed something truly unusual and squatted beside me.
Eunji looked at me, resting her chin on her knees. Her twitching eyebrows seemed to convey a slight annoyance.
“Sister, is this some kind of holiday home? Why do you come here so often?”
“…I didn’t mean to come.”
At my reply, Eunji’s eyes widened as she looked at me. After a moment, her head tilted slightly, and she muttered to herself.
“Really? Well… last time it was me who called you. Despite all my shouting that it was dangerous, you wouldn’t wake up.”
“What?”
I asked, as her muttering was too soft to catch. However, Eunji clamped her mouth shut, deciding not to answer.
She glanced at me while flashing a mischievous smile.
“No, nothing.”
Soon after, she reached out and grasped my hand. The contact felt cold, almost like touching a deceased person.
But then, that made sense, didn’t it, since it belonged to a dead person?
“You’re thin.”
Eunji murmured as she inspected my hand.
“Yeah, a bit.”
“….Did it hurt a lot?”
She must have known I had been in pain.
“A bit.”
In truth, it wasn’t just a bit; it had hurt a lot. But it wasn’t something I could complain about in front of Eunji.
She had suffered her entire life… yes, all 19 years of it.
From infancy to her last day at 19, she lived every day….under the shadow of death.
I remembered her hollow cheeks. I also remembered the way she’d sit alone in the hospital room staring blankly out the window.
I squeezed Eunji’s hand holding mine.
Eunji glanced down at our hands and then rested her head on my shoulder with a content smile.
“I didn’t want to see Sister, but I missed you.”
“You didn’t want to see me?”
“Yes. I pushed you to live a happy life, but it’s sad if you just die. However…”
Eunji paused. Curious about her expression, I looked down at her shoulder.
Eunji had her eyes closed, like someone deep in thought.
“You came back so soon.”
Yes, that’s right. It was Selena’s life that you wished for me… Yet, I hardly lived it properly and died again. I’m sorry. Really sorry.
I silently apologized while stroking Eunji’s head with my other hand, the one she wasn’t holding.
Eunji opened her eyes and looked at me.
As our eyes met, Eunji let out a small laugh.
“There’s so much I want to say, yet nothing at the same time. I have things I want to tell you, but I won’t.”
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