Absence 4

For Han Suho, there is only one sister in the world.

The only one she trusts and loves in the world.

“…Sister.”

Then.

Who is this girl standing before her?

Who is she to use the expression “sister” to her?

“What, were you twin sisters?”

Yoo Sua guessed.

Twins.

It was probably the most rational guess a third party could make.

“Somehow the atmosphere is slightly different, but I thought the appearance and actions were similar…”

“No.”

Han Suho flatly denied that guess.

“I don’t have a younger sister.”

“Then, who is she? She just called you sister.”

“I don’t know.”

Han Suho didn’t know anything either.

She was living a very ordinary, common life after all.

“…I wonder why you called me sister.”

“You are my sister. Because we share the same genes.”

“The same… genes?”

“Yes.”

However.

There was one vague assumption floating in her mind.

“Who is it. The person who created you.”

“That’s confidential information. I cannot answer.”

“…I see.”

Hearing those words, as if understanding something and resolving herself.

Han Suho left the place.

“Aren’t you going to the hunting ground today?”

“No. It seems I have something I need to do.”

Her sister was in deep sorrow.

Due to the misfortune she couldn’t protect.

What would happen if her sister found out about this?

What would happen if she learned that her only sister was involved in some kind of experiment?

She would surely step forward.

Step forward and try to take responsibility on her own.

But if it ends in a sad conclusion again this time.

Her sister, who is already suffering, might not be able to endure.

So, it must be ended before her sister finds out.

So that her sister won’t be sad anymore.

“Thank you for looking after me until now.”

“Uh…”

Only Yoo Sua and the silent girl remain in that place.

“…Maybe I’ll just go home too.”

Somehow feeling deflated.

Yoo Sua was about to turn away immediately.

“Be careful on your way home too. You shouldn’t run into guys like that again!”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“I mean be careful on your way home.”

“I cannot return.”

Her steps stopped far too easily.

The girl was the cause.

“Why not?”

“I was ordered to explore the streets for a week. So I cannot return.”

“…What’s that about?”

“It’s an order.”

It was a strange exchange.

The girl’s way of speaking was stiff and not easy to understand.

But one thing was certain.

“Then what will you do at night?”

“I must explore the streets.”

“Where will you sleep?”

“On the streets.”

“…”

This girl, I can’t leave her alone.

“Come with me.”

“I refuse. I must explore the streets.”

“Enough! Just come with me!”

It was a strange thing.

The girl is a tool.

It’s right for a tool to obey its owner’s orders.

“First, let’s change those rags!”

She couldn’t shake her off.

Because the instinct engraved in her body whispered that she must not attack people.

Eventually, the place Blossom headed to was Yoo Sua’s rented room.

Yoo Sua opened the wardrobe.

“Wear this.”

“What do you mean?”

“Clothes. Whatever you want.”

“…”

“What, you don’t like them?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what answer I should give.”

The girl stared blankly at the wardrobe.

It was because this wasn’t input into her.

How to respond to others’ kindness.

How to interact with others, she hadn’t learned.

“…Then, should I dress you according to my taste?”

“…”

Again, the girl didn’t answer.

Silence is agreement.

Eventually, Yoo Sua dressed her randomly with the clothes she had.

“Hmm. This isn’t bad!”

“…”

The girl, who didn’t know aesthetic values, didn’t react this time either.

She just had a sense that the chest area was loose.

“It’s getting dark, so let’s eat dinner and think about it tomorrow.”

“…”

“Well, is there anything you want to eat?”

“Nothing in particular.”

“Hmm. In a way, that’s the hardest order. It feels a bit off to just give a guest some ramen…”

Yoo Sua pondered for a moment.

Eventually, her hand held a smartphone.

“How about chicken?”

Some time passed.

The room was filled with the greasy aroma of chicken.

“Come on, eat without hesitation!”

“I don’t know.”

“What now?”

“I don’t know how to consume this food.”

“…You don’t know chicken? My goodness.”

Tsk tsk.

Yoo Sua clicked her tongue.

No matter what, to live without knowing chicken!

It was like losing half of life.

Yoo Sua pitied the girl.

This definitely needed help.

“Don’t think too hard. Just grab it with your hands and tear it. Like this!”

Yoo Sua demonstrated personally.

She picked up a chicken leg and bit into it firmly.

“…”

The girl silently watched this and.

Then, just like Yoo Sua, she picked up a leg.

“…!”

Crunch.

She took a bite.

“How is it?”

“…It’s strange.”

A weird texture she had never felt since birth.

Something indescribable rushed into her mouth.

“It’s crispy. Savory. Greasy. And salty.”

“Does it suit your taste?”

“I think it’s a food that can be sufficiently consumed.”

“There’s no one in the world who says chicken doesn’t taste good. Yep.”

Yoo Sua smiled proudly.

The girl couldn’t understand.

“Right. What’s your name?”

“The registered individual name is Blossom.”

“I’m Yoo Sua. Nice to meet you for now.”

Blossom simply couldn’t.

Understand why Yoo Sua was smiling at her.

A day passes.

Yoo Sua woke up in a good mood on a holiday morning.

“Let’s go!”

“Where do you mean?”

“The streets. You said you need to explore them, right?”

Yoo Sua grabbed Blossom’s hand and led her.

“I’ll guide you! With your social skills, you probably can’t properly explore the streets anyway?”

“…”

Blossom has no awareness of social skills.

Therefore, she doesn’t feel the need to receive Yoo Sua’s help particularly.

But then again, there was no part in the order she received that said she had to explore the streets alone.

“Yes.”

So Blossom simply complied.

“Is there any place you want to go or see?”

“No.”

“…You really have no idea.”

What circumstances could she have?

Although concerned, Yoo Sua didn’t pry deeply.

People’s circumstances are as numerous as the stars.

Forcibly prying into them is no different from poking at wounds.

She herself, well, wasn’t without circumstances either.

She could roughly guess the situation through context.

“Where is this?”

“Ah, this is what we call a clothing store. You can buy various clothes here.”

So, she doesn’t speak further.

She will treat her like an ordinary person.

“What is this food?”

“Ah, this is called tteokbokki…. Haven’t you eaten tteokbokki either?”

“No.”

As if meeting an ordinary peer.

She will show kindness, and continue to do so.

“Cough! What! This is…!”

“Nuclear fire chicken flavor 500 times.”

“I think this is food that puts strain on the body.”

“Is that, your thought?”

“…Thought?”

Some might say.

Is there a need to go this far for someone you’ve just met?

“In your feeling, this food was too spicy to eat, right?”

“…”

Buying her clothes.

Buying her food.

Providing a place to sleep.

“…Yes.”

There’s no particular need for Yoo Sua to do this much for this girl.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking a picture. A picture.”

However, stubbornly, Yoo Sua will do so.

She will do her best for this girl she just met.

“Every moment of life is precious. You should always commemorate it!”

Isn’t such a life.

A repayment to that girl who once saved her?

“Okay, I’m taking it!”

“…”

Click.

On the screen was captured a girl whose face had reddened from eating spicy food, no longer able to be described as expressionless.

Wandering the streets, eating delicious things, going to interesting places.

Spending the whole day like that.

“This place is.”

“Ah, this is a place called the Han River. When night falls…”

Boom!

Babang!

Colorful fireworks bloom in the night sky.

“…!”

“Like this, you can see a great sight!”

“…”

“How is it, fun right?”

She smiled brightly.

So that the girl too could smile brightly in return.

“What are you plotting?”

[Plotting? That’s quite an absurd thing to say.]

“…Are you going to play dumb?”

[Rather, I should be the one asking you. Do you have the right to question me?]

“…That’s.”

[You don’t. You’re an outsider, aren’t you?]

“…”

[Or are you going to run and tattle to your sister again?]

“…Don’t insult my sister.”

[I made no such promise. The promise I made with that child was only about you.]

Han Suho bit her lip.

She was so powerless.

[Is there any problem with me using my tools as I please?]

She can’t even properly save a single girl before her eyes.

[Of course, it’s not that there’s no way.]

As a businessman, not a father, the middle-aged man speaks.

[If you come back, I wouldn’t be unable to listen to what you have to say.]

“…”

[The efficiency is lower than expected. I wouldn’t be unable to give you that kind of toy.]

Come back, he says.

Give up the freedom you once gained with your own hands, he says.

It was truly a pathetic story.

Han Suho is powerless.

She has always only relied on her sister.

Being so powerless, yet she sympathized with the unknown sister of the girl she just met.

She worried about the sister who, unlike her in her childhood, had no sister as a support, being deprived of freedom.

She can’t ask for help from her sister who is already struggling.

Wouldn’t this just be a burden to her sister?

“I…”

“Women are truly.”

Han Joon-hyuk raised the corners of his mouth in satisfaction.

“Foolish.”

It would have been just one day.

The moment of meeting would have been fleeting.

Her unique insight was excellent.

That part, since he had taught it directly through gifted education, was naturally so.

With such insight, even though she roughly guessed what he was plotting.

To think that the first emotion she felt was sympathy.

It was the height of inefficiency.

If she returns to this father’s embrace, he will thoroughly educate her this time so that she never has such inefficient thoughts again.

“But, before that.”

The man turned his gaze.

On the monitor was a girl showing unnecessary interest in one experimental subject.

“Shall we retrieve that first?”