episode_0296

Swish.

A rainy afternoon.

I lean against the cafe counter and look out the window.

“There are no customers today.”

“Don’t you need days like this to catch your breath?”

Eunha looked at the empty cafe.

He rests his chest, which is larger than his head, on the counter and exhales comfortably.

When it rains, my mind becomes calm.

As she quietly looks down at the pouring rain, Banharin approaches her without making a sound and comes up behind her to massage her shoulders.

The [Black Book] that disappeared from the carrier has not been found yet.

A little bit of anxiety reveals itself in the sound of a pounding heart.

“… … .”

Swish.

I feel depressed today.

It’s obviously because it’s raining.

One day, when I was young,

Even on the day I ran away from the house I lived in with my family and hid in an underpass under the highway,

It was raining.

“What are you thinking?”

“… … Old memories. But I don’t remember them properly.”

Daughter~♪

A guest has arrived.

A beautiful woman in a pure white dress.

They make the popular menu, ‘Galaxy Milk Coffee’.

The woman who received the coffee quietly kissed the back of Eunha’s outstretched hand and left with the coffee.

“… Don’t you tend to forget old things easily? I’m the same way, so don’t worry about it.”

“Are you Mr. Ban Harin?”

“Before I became an adult, I don’t remember where I lived or who I lived with, as if the film was cut off.”

Daughter~♪

A guest is coming.

“Did you just forget, or is it like amnesia?”

“I guess I’m just complaining like this because I don’t know… However, I think there was… one person I thought was precious.”

Gyaruruk~!

A customer who enters the cafe approaches the checkout counter.

Clear and transparent footsteps.

Eunha made a sweet and warm ‘cocoa’, walked up to the counter and bent down.

Tadadot!

The transparent footsteps of a child run through the cafe, caressing the soft skin of the bent-over galaxy before taking cocoa and leaving the cafe.

Galaxy, who had returned to the calculation room, looked back at Banharin.

“… … Don’t you remember anything?”

“Unfortunately, that’s true.”

Banharin’s expression was cold.

Her expressionless face makes it impossible to discern her true intentions.

Lying woman.

Eunha couldn’t tell if what she said was true or false.

Parallel!

Banharin, who was looking around with the ‘pupils’ of her left eye, turns her gaze to Eunha.

“Even if there are no particularly memorable memories, I will stay by Eunha’s side until I die.”

Swish.

The weather is rainy.

My heart feels itchy today.

“So, please be happy in front of me, Eunha.”

Eunha licked her lips as she looked at the window with rain dripping down.

A strange feeling.

The back of my neck started to tickle for no reason, so I turned my gaze away.

Under the cash register, a carrier with [the black book] missing sits forlornly.

Someone… maybe a caterpillar snatched [the black book] away.

When something that was always within reach is no longer around, my fingertips start to tremble like someone suffering from withdrawal symptoms.

‘[Black Book]… It’s already been several months since I first discovered it at a cafe.’

I remember. Tea time with Eunbangul.

Suddenly, [a black man] and [a beast] appeared, greeted us, and left.

(“We finally got there.”)

As if we had broken up once and met again.

[The Beast] had said.

What on earth did that mean?

In the past, too, had he come into contact with a monster?

How did we break up?

Eunha pressed her throbbing temple.

Her memory is fragmentary.

I remember running away from my family and hiding under a bridge in the old days.

I remember eating the meat dish the director gave me at the orphanage with my hands.

I don’t like meat.

Eunha, who had thought that far, covered her mouth and swallowed her nausea.

“Galaxy? Are you okay?”

“Colok… Yes. I’m fine.”

“You feel nauseous when you’re fine? Is it morning sickness? Did the bug princess you met at Goryongsan poop and leave?”

“Mr. Banharin, please don’t shit with your mouth.”

There are no guests coming,

It was a peaceful cafe.

“… … But, what about Bangul?”

“Isn’t it lying underneath there?”

“Oh my.”

The soft dough placed on the counter.

There’s a rabbit underneath it.

The girl who had been in Eunha’s arms since a while ago screams in happiness as she is buried in softness.

… … .

… … .

Time passed.

Any past.

The scenery that unfolds in the album that I quietly opened.

Long ago, there was a man who flew toward the sky.

The story of a creature with large wax wings who, upon looking up, melted and fell to the ground.

Did people find a lesson in that story?

He must have been flying towards the sky, thinking that he would not fall.

You never know.

“Okay, are you all asleep? Tomorrow is laundry day, so you should go to bed early.”

“Yes, Sister.”

Sometime in the past.

Hanbit Orphanage, where dusk has fallen.

Children lying on a bed in a second-floor bedroom greet the ‘nun.’

A middle-aged woman with a picture of a ‘silver bell flower’ instead of a name tag on her left chest.

I put down the storybook I was reading to my children and look after them.

The fingernail marks on the bedroom wall are red.

Perhaps in a desperate attempt to escape from the orphanage, a child wiped the blood dripping from his broken fingernails with a tissue and covered himself with the blanket over his head.

Hide under the blanket.

Otherwise, a ‘monster’ might come and eat you.

At the tip of his trembling fingers, there was a single sheet of ‘instruction book’ stuck to the inside of the blanket.

“… … .”

‘Sister Silver Bell’, who was looking at the children lying on the bed with complicated eyes, turns to look at one child.

“Harin, what’s going on?”

“… … When can I meet Byulnim?”

A girl who appears to be in her mid to late teens, and who already has a distinctive beauty compared to other girls her age.

A girl frowning… Banharin ‘observes’ the nun.

He is like a warm blanket.

It seems like it will gently cover the tired child’s body.

The only shade you can hide in during the cold winter.

In this orphanage, the ‘Silver Bell Sister’ seemed to be in that position.

Is this the kind of adult that children follow?

If it’s that nun, she can help you meet the ‘Star’ who is said to be in the basement.

“…Why Star?”

“I want to meet you.”

“… … … It’s a story made up by children.”

“It’s all a lie, you can see it all.”

I have to be careful about what I say in front of this kid.

The nun shook her head.

“Star… is busy.”

“… … .”

“So later. When a new child comes into the orphanage, let’s go see Byulnim together. There’s an empty seat today, right?”

One empty seat.

I reminisce about what happened at dinnertime.

One child left.

A strange meat stew.

Thanks to that, I’m hungry because I only ate salad.

Gulp…

The ‘Silver Bell Sister’, who was laughing at the sad sound coming from Banharin’s stomach, approached the girl.

Then he reaches out one hand, places it on Banharin’s stomach, and arouses the mana within her body.

Click!

It sounds like a switch being flipped.

Soon, Banharin blinks her eyes, feeling no longer empty.

“My skill is that I can turn something around, and right now I’ve turned Harin’s hunger around.”

“… … .”

A skill that turns something upside down. Just hearing it makes it sound incredibly powerful.

There are such skills in the world.

The golden eyes of the girl Banharin look up at the ‘Silverbell Nun’, and she is sweating coldly as she has just used up most of her mana with just one skill.

“Colok…”

“… … Can you turn a person upside down?”

“Well, wouldn’t you collapse before that because you don’t have enough mana?”

The skill of ‘Silverbell Nun’ that turns something upside down.

Is there any need to remember?

While Banharin is thinking, the nun with a warm smile pats the girl’s head.

It’s a warm touch like a blanket dried in the sun.

“Sleep well. Tomorrow will be fun too.”

“… … .”

Tomorrow will be fun too…

So was today a fun day?

After saying those words, Sister Silver Bangul went downstairs.

1 second… 2 seconds… 10 seconds…

As time passed, silence returned.

The children, except for Banharin, are hiding under the blankets.

Phage-ish.

The girl Banharin ‘observed’ the second floor.

“… … .”

“… … .”

Stairs leading down to the first floor.

The ‘Silver Bell Sister’ who just disappeared is hiding on the stairs and listening.

I wonder what the children will say when I leave.

I wonder if it will make any strange noises.

That’s the kind of face it is.

“… … .”

10 seconds… 20 seconds… 1 minute…

Three minutes passed, and silence followed.

The nun, who thought the children were asleep, leaves with a smiling face.

A nun who went all the way down to the first floor.

Only then does Banharin breathe a sigh of relief.

The children who had been hiding under the blankets also let out a tense breath and begin to sleep comfortably.

“Thank you always, Harin unnie.”

“It would be nice if even my sister could run away from here.”

These are children who hide like turtles under their blankets.

The story I heard was about the girl Banharin.

A strange feeling.

The girl, her golden eyes blinking, turns her head.

“… So, what brings you here?”

Whispering.

So that it can’t be heard on the first floor.

– … … !

Then,

‘Something’ that had been quietly watching the girl flinched and stepped back.

… … .

[Observation] A girl using a skill,

The gaze of Banharin,

I see something in the corner of the bedroom.

A hazy ‘something’, like a ghost, is swaying in the air.

– … … .

– … … .

It is a vague, ‘ghost’-like entity.

This afternoon, something started to appear in the orphanage yard.

A woman who looks like a mouse, and a woman in a detective outfit.

He was wandering around during dinner time earlier, and this time he followed me to the bedroom.

Is this a new rule for the guide?

Banharin glances at the ‘guide’ attached to the blanket and glares at the ‘ghosts’.

– … … .

No voice was heard. Only sight was seen.

Two ghosts swaying like smoke.

Next to them, five people are wandering around with their faces covered by black masks.

‘What’s increased?’

What could it be?

Why am I seeing something like that today?

I couldn’t understand.

– … … !

A female ghost with round mouse ears perked up and gave orders to five masked people.

Five people moving in unison at the same time as the command.

Soon, they stood side by side in front of Banharin,

He starts to work hard to create something, his whole body wriggling.

“… … ?”

It was a letter.

They are creating letters with their bodies.

Are they crazy ghosts?

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

“Real! Ms. Kim Yu-hee! We have to make a basement ‘room’!”

“Tear me to pieces.”

Meanwhile, the present has returned from the past.

The five members of the Dark Dragon Corps who were recruited by Do Jong-ha did their best.

The process of finding the orphanage’s basement as quickly as possible before outside intruders arrive.

The task is to ask ‘Past Banharin’, who has better eyesight than others, to find the basement.

Of course, Banharin, who only had good eyesight, couldn’t understand what was being said.

Thanks to this, I am asking you to help me find the ‘basement’ by creating letters with your body.

The people of Amryongdae, who were making the word with their bodies, start grumbling.

“No, sir. Don’t you see that others are suffering? Isn’t the little girl surprised?”

“How to make the letter ‘실’ alone.”

“You said you would do something difficult because you are the leader. You have to take responsibility for what you say.”

“Be careful when you sleep at night. If your butt hurts, that’s me biting it.”

“Don’t say things like that, you crazy captain.”

“Shut up, sisters.”

It’s noisy.

I wonder if that’s okay.

Dojong took a step back from the people of Amryongdae who were bickering among themselves.

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

‘Underground… What’s the last letter? It’s just rattling.’

The past has returned once again.

Girl Banharin frowned as she observed the ‘ghosts’ in front of her.

Crazy people who express themselves with their bodies.

If you just open your mouth wide, they’ll listen to you, but you’re just trying too hard.

“Jihar and Goolungi… Are you telling me to go underground?”

Banharin frowned as she understood it perfectly.

Immediately after asking ‘Sister Silver Bell’ if Byulnim is in the basement,

Unidentified ‘ghosts’ are urging you to go underground.

Could this really be a coincidence?

“… … .”

A moment of thought.

Finally, Banharin carefully got up from the bedroom and started going down to the first floor without making a single sound.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3. Don’t make noise at night.

– They say that mice can hear what’s said at night.

– There’s always one person who sleeps lightly.

– As long as you don’t make too much noise, you can wander around at night without any problem.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quiet at night.

The girl’s footsteps were very small.

I wonder if he usually wanders around at night.

Shit… Shit…

As Banharin quietly went down to the first floor,

The seven ‘ghosts’ also follow the girl, coming closer like ducklings.

Do you want to go underground?

‘The stars in the underground… Can I take those ‘ghosts’ down to the underground?’

Well… that’ll probably be okay.

Especially, the five people wearing those masks are so stupid that they would be harmless no matter where they are shown.

They must have been good people who were called the neighborhood idiots when they were alive.

‘Please meet the stars and attain Buddhahood.’

Phage-ish.

Banharin, who came down to the first floor, ‘observed’ her surroundings with her golden eyes.

The floor, the walls, the pillars that support the orphanage,

[Observation] Skills start to show Banharin things that others cannot see,

She finally pressed her throbbing left eye and headed to the living room.

Living room. A long dining table where dinner is served.

The girl, Banharin, lowered her body and went under the table.

A place where children who are afraid of meal times do not come.

A place where you can’t even look at it while eating because of the ‘rules’.

The darkness under the bed and table was originally one of the things that children were afraid of.

“… … .”

Click…

And finally.

Banharin, who felt the floor under the table,

I found a small groove, hooked my finger into it, and pulled with all my might.

What was revealed was a square basement entrance that could barely fit one adult.

The girl swallows quietly and looks down into the darkness of the basement.

‘Here, the star…’

The worries were short.

All it took was a little courage.

The ‘ghosts’ that seemed foolish gave me courage.

“… … .”

Banharin, who had made up her mind, went down to the basement.

… … .

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

“Cluck…! Is this it…”

We’re back to reality again.

Do Jong-ha, who had been spitting out blood due to continued use of [Skill], lowered his head.

A past made of blue particles.

Clear the dining table in the middle of the living room, clear the rubble of the burned-down orphanage, and clean the soot stuck to the floor.

“Bread!”

Boom!

The ‘mouse’, who kicked away the remaining debris with force, hands over [Silver Potion] to Do Jong-ha.

“Kekeke… Thank you.”

“I also received it from Eunha, so why don’t you thank our Malrang Cow later?”

Do Jong-ha looks at the revealed entrance to the basement with a potion in his mouth.

She had very complicated eyes.

What the Hanbit Orphanage of the past tried to hide,

Something that the current [Blue Dragon Guild] is trying to hide.

Of course, what they were trying to hide might be different,

Whatever it is, it will be underneath here.

Hot and cold…

A squash bee that has descended to the ground.

‘Fly’ lay face down on the soot-covered floor, rubbing his plump cheeks against the basement entrance.

Like a child looking for its mother.

The ‘something’ that exists underneath here seems to be very precious,

He curls up at the entrance to the basement and puffs out his cheeks.

“… Is Galaxy down here?”

Warm. Warm.

“Okay. Can’t we just go and meet up?”

The ‘mouse’ holding the [Black Book] and ‘Fly’ winks at Do Jong-ha.

There is no hesitation. This is an orphanage that I came to learn about.

Squeak…

The basement entrance, which had not survived the passage of time, opened its mouth with an eerie sound.

“Rush in.”

“No. 1. Break in.”

Fightingㅡ.

A word from Do Jong-ha.

Kim Yu-hee, the leader of the Dark Dragon Corps, who was glaring fiercely at the plump buttocks of the Pumpkin Bee, pushed the first member of the Dark Dragon Corps next to him with his buttocks.

Number 1, who was pushed forward, charges towards the basement with natural steps.

“This fucking s- …

There are eight steps to take.

Squeak…

Finally, Kim Yu-hee, who had entered the basement last, closed the entrance.

… … .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3. Don’t make noise at night.

– They say that mice can hear what’s said at night.

– There’s always one person who sleeps lightly.

– As long as you don’t make too much noise, you can wander around at night without any problem.

4. ■◇◇■■ ●□■

– □■●■□

– ◇■◇■◇◇■

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time passes.

Sasa-sak… the sound of footsteps.

『… … .』

Dduk dduk…

The orphanage of the past is late at night.

The sound of kicking the orphanage rubble.

The voices of the living.

Open your eyes.

『… … .』

‘Something’ that had been lying in the darkness on the first floor rises.

Look around quietly, open the basement entrance where the sound came from,

It starts to go down inside.

Squeak… Click.

The door closes.

… … .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4. ■◇ ◇■ will be left behind.

– □■●■□

– ◇■◇■◇◇■

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A late evening orphanage where time is intertwined.

The girl’s golden eyes were what wove together the passing time.

Dig up memories that have been buried carefully.

“… … .”

“Ah…… Hello? Sorry, I can’t see right now…”

A shabby basement from the past.

The iron gate at the end.

The girl Banharin who went down to the basement,

Leaning quietly against the iron gate,

I came face to face with the star with a languid voice.

There was a smell of blood at the iron gate where the stars were.