Ch.1111. The Sun’s Gravity Is, After All, Strong.

With that warm smile, the sun embracing her younger sister,

Shares her light even with the endless darkness,

Sharing her warmth. That compassionate smile, that touch.

“Vine, I truly wish I could tell you it doesn’t matter at all, that I forgive everything.”

“But if I said that, the path my sister has walked for me would crumble with just a single word from me. Isn’t that right?”

“And back then, you pointed your weapon at me, and I pointed mine at you.”

“In that sense, it would be truly difficult for me to decide whether to forgive you or not.”

“Nevertheless, if I dare to judge you.”

“Vine, even though you were on the side opposing justice, I know that your true nature, your inner heart, was never like that.”

“I truly know. That you’re not a bad person.”

“I’ve been watching over you even after retiring from this work.”

“At first, out of resentment for what you did to me.”

“Gradually, that resentment diluted, and I watched over you for our cute junior Blanc’s sake.”

“Even so, what I saw in you.”

“Come here, Vine.”

They say the sun has a gravitational pull around it.

What is it that makes even that deep darkness of distrust fall into her embrace?

Truly, she who embraces that darkness—which hates everything, and has now resigned itself—

And gives it her warmth.

“Vine, you’ve been through so much. Truly.”

Even the unwavering amethyst trembled.

Creating cracks in that expressionless face.

Yes, although she returned to her original expression, the ripple that disturbed that calm surface.

Quietly delivered her verdict.

“Vine, the punishment I want for you is,”

A moment of silence,

“To make our sister happy.”

“My sister who hasn’t been able to live her own life because of me.”

“Since I couldn’t help her with my disabled body, couldn’t take care of her enough,”

“Please, take care of her. Watch over her.”

“And, Vine, you too.”

“Don’t depend too much on others, find yourself.”

“What’s already passed can’t be taken back. Still, we must move forward.”

“Vine, you too, live happily.”

After embracing her warmly for a while,

She neatly wiped away her reddened eyes with her remaining magic,

Then sat in front of the two girls and said.

“Well, that’s it! Hyewon, you said you’d listen to me too, right?”

“…Unnie, is that really enough?”

“Oh? Are you refusing to listen to your loving sister?”

“…Those eyes of yours are really unfair.”

“Hey, Vine.”

“Ah, yes. Did you call me, Gold Miss?”

“Hey, can’t you change that nickname?”

“Hmm, I’ve never changed an enemy’s nickname before.”

Hyein, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, asked softly.

“Vine, isn’t ‘Gold Miss’ a bit difficult to say?”

“Hmm, then shall I use what I called you before?”

“Hmm, before Vine called me Citrus…”

“It was ‘Crybaby.’ How at our first meeting, you saw me and went on about how pitiful I was, how Eden was crazy. And you cried so much. It really left a strong impression.”

“And look at this person now, exactly the same.”

The former owner of ‘Crybaby’ laughed loudly and said.

“Hahaha! That’s good. Just crying in Unnie’s arms until now, face all red, pfft! Hyewon’s still a baby, baby.”

And the new owner of ‘Crybaby’ angrily protested.

“No! I’m not a baby! And not a crybaby either!!”

“Yes, Crybaby it is. That’s nice. You’ve become the first person whose nickname I’ve changed. Congratulations, Crybaby.”

“Hey!! Just call me what you used to!!”

As the two continued their small argument, Yoonseul, who had been watching them closely from behind, said to them.

“So, Hyewon. Is this really the end?”

“What…? The end?”

“Hyewon, you said you’d follow everything Unnie says. Don’t tell me you’re lying to Unnie… ugh, my waist hurts…”

“Ah, fine! But how can you reconcile so quickly? Isn’t that strange? And how did Yuri unnie and the kids accept her so fast?”

“Well, they had their own confrontation too. And it’s only been a day since Vine came to our house. Though it wasn’t as dramatic as your reaction.”

“What about Yuri unnie, after experiencing such a terrible thing?”

“Well, she calmed down a bit when Vine showed her that sealing device.”

“Then what about Seohyun? She must have been hurt badly by her too.”

“Seohyun is cautious but gradually accepting. She feels reassured with me around.”

“And Arin… ah, I see.”

“Right. In Eden terms, she’s only at the level of fighting low-grade monsters. She has a long way to go before understanding Vine.”

“Well, you and she were always exceptional cases.”

As the two were talking, Hyein interjected.

“Vine is strong. She’s on par with our Yoonseul.”

“Hmm, right now I think I’d lose even to a passing elementary school student.”

“Come on. That’s not true. Ah, I’m proud to have been called Citrus as a code name by someone as strong as Vine. Really.”

“The magical girls I call by code names are those I acknowledge as my enemies. You were plenty strong back then.”

“Yes, it feels good to be praised. Instead of just sitting here, shall we go downstairs to the shop and eat some bread?”

But Hyewon objected.

“Unnie, today’s your day off. You should rest properly. Right? Let’s just order something simple. Why bother going out and troubling Unnie?”

“Ah, right! Vine, can I add just one more thing to what we discussed earlier?”

“Hmm, what if I say no?”

“Is it really not possible? Just hear me out once.”

“Sigh, really. This is why I hate humans. Such duplicity…”

“Fine. Hate us all you want, but help out at our shop. I won’t say it’s unpaid. Okay?”

That proposal might have sounded quite tempting to Vine.

But there was someone who opposed this offer.

Yoonseul, who had been quietly listening to everything, objected in surprise.

“No way! Unnie, Vine is already working hard! She’s already fully booked! Sold out!!”

Hearing that, Vine looked at Yoonseul with an incredulous face and said.

“Excuse me, Blanc? I’m not a product. I’m still a person with my own identity?”

“Vine, if you give in to Hyein unnie’s words, I’ll consider it your surrender in our bet.”

“That’s the most unreasonable thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Hahaha! I see. I understand. Then is it okay if I just ask for a little help sometimes?”

“Ah, Unnie. Yes. I won’t complain if Vine helps out when she’s not busy.”

“Blanc, why are you deciding my employment on your own…?”

“Because we hired you first at our house! You can’t steal talent!”

“Sigh, really. Nothing has changed at all…”

Vine and Yoonseul continued their pointless argument until Hyewon, who was ordering pizza, shouted in irritation.

To an observer, it might sound like elementary school children arguing, but in reality, the conversation was gradually turning into something not suitable for children.

“Ah, enough! Stop chattering so annoyingly! What kind of pizza do you want to eat?!”

“Ah, anything is fine with me. It’s been so long since I’ve tasted a luxury item like pizza. Even a basic cheese pizza would be heavenly.”

“What…? Pizza is a luxury item? Vine, really…? Ah, that’s right. Sigh, Vine. You can call me Unnie. You can come and hug me too. Okay?”

“Citrus, what are you talking about? Playing both sides. Anyway, anything is fine with me. Please ask Blanc.”

“Me? Then, that one with lots of meat, yes. That should be good.”

After finishing the order through the delivery app, Hyewon asked.

“So, while we wait for the pizza. We have nothing to do. Shouldn’t we do something?”

“Then, shall we share some old stories?”

“How petty, talking about old stories. We’re not just friends hanging out.”

“Come on, memories are memories. Bad memories are bad memories. We all have some, don’t we?”

“Right, it seems like just yesterday when our Hyewon first became a magical girl and bragged about defeating a monster all by herself.”

“That monster, was it perhaps one that I placed there?”

“No, it must have been naturally occurring. We don’t send rookies against your monsters.”

“No! Such an embarrassing memory…! Someone else’s story, please?”

“Hmm, for Yoonseul, I remember when she first came to the association headquarters, it was so big that she got lost in the building and I found her sitting in a corner.”

“Aaah, Unnie! That, that kind of thing…!”

“Huh, so you were doing such incompetent things, Blanc?”

“Ah, Vine, when we first met, you were so scared that you hid behind a monster…”

“Citrus! That story!!”

And so, the four continued their conversation until the pizza was delivered,

With sighs, mockery, embarrassment, and multiple attempts to run away in shame that were stopped.

Hyewon, relieved when the pizza finally arrived, rushed to the door as soon as the doorbell rang and received it.

The time of dark history, which they thought would end, continued until they finished eating all the pizza.

Despite the endless embarrassing stories, Vine, seeing pizza after a long time, ate so deliciously that her usually expressionless face changed,

And she ate until she refused Hyein’s offer of more, saying she was full.

“Ah, I’m full.”

“I know. This is surprisingly big. Unnie giving up after just 2 slices… that bread-loving Unnie…”

“Mmm, I’m full.”

“Yes, I’ll clean up, so Blanc and the rest can sit.”

“No, leave it, I’ll do it.”

“Crybaby, you go rest too. What’s so difficult about cleaning up?”

“Alright… Ugh… What should we do now…?”

“Ah, Hyewon. Before you came, we were about to go to the department store to buy clothes for Vine.”

At that moment, there was someone sitting in a wheelchair with sparkling eyes.

“What? Going to buy clothes for Vine?”

The sun’s ruby began to burn as brightly as when she bakes bread.