Ch.123123. Hero and Villain (7)

“Yes, yes… that’s right, that’s right.”

“…”

Mother’s caress, at that time, Citrus.

Different from what Citrus had given.

That something.

This warmth.

That coziness.

Though different from then, it’s too much for me.

Even if I try to pull away from her embrace.

My head tells me to pull away, that I don’t deserve this.

That I’ve done things that make this impossible.

You’ve sinned against the person right in front of you.

The daughter of the mother before you, her precious child, so mercilessly.

How anxious she must have been watching the scenes broadcast on TV.

She must have heard Citrus’s story. How much. How much.

How painful it must have been for her.

Every time I hit her once.

She must have felt twice the pain herself.

Every time I attacked her.

She must have wished she could take the blows instead.

But.

How could I.

How could I be embraced in mother’s arms?

Me, this trash.

Me, this villain.

Me, this evil one.

I should.

I should.

The karma I’ve built against her is higher than mountains.

The sins I’ve accumulated against her could fill this entire ocean.

The tears of a mother giving love. The sorrow of a mother who nearly lost her child,

must be there.

But why am I.

But why can’t I pull away?

I should push her away.

Push her away, prostrate myself, and beg for forgiveness.

Confess my sins and fully accept the contempt.

Only then might I earn the right to even kiss the tips of her feet.

That’s the kind of person I am.

That’s the kind of being I am.

I’m a being worse than the dust rolling on this house’s floor.

So why am I being embraced?

I should push her away quickly.

…

Even though such thoughts try to move my body.

My body doesn’t move.

Because I want to feel this warmth more.

Because I want to feel this coziness more.

It’s preventing me from moving.

“Vine. Everything’s alright.”

“How… how… can you be alright…”

“Yes. Because I’m your mother, it’s alright.”

Mother doesn’t want to let go of my body.

It seems she wants to keep holding me.

If, if that’s the case…

Even if I’m undeserving, if I could be mother’s doll.

If I could be mother’s hugging pillow, wouldn’t that be a little okay…?

That’s right.

I am a doll…

A doll for mother to use.

If that’s what it is…

If that’s what I should be…

Maybe it’s okay to be embraced a little.

“Vine…”

“…Yes.”

“Mother understands everything. It was just a momentary deviation, wasn’t it?”

“…That’s not it.”

“Your true nature, who wouldn’t know that you’re really a good child?”

“…No, I’m not.”

“Nonsense. Are you saying you don’t trust your daughter and mother’s judgment?”

“That’s…”

“This mother firmly believes that you are truly good.”

The reassuring words and.

That attitude showing no hostility toward me.

Was enough to dilute my heart that was trying to push away, to pull away, one by one.

Is this okay, is this alright?

Whatever.

In that brief moment.

I released the tension that had unconsciously clung to my body, and comfortably nestled into that embrace.

Even though she’s not my mother.

That reassuring embrace.

So warm, so noble that.

To hide my surging emotions.

To hide the tears suddenly about to pour out.

In her embrace, my small face.

The tears of relief flowing from trembling amethyst eyes.

Out of embarrassment.

Pat, pat…

At that touch.

Slowly, slowly.

The fatigue and drowsiness pouring out as my heightened nerves, that tension, relaxed.

Without realizing it.

Snore…

Snore……

* * *

“Oh, she’s sleeping.”

Vine nestled in mom’s arms.

“Is she? Hmm… should I lay her down a bit?”

“Hand her to me. I’ll lay her down.”

“She might wake up. Just a little longer, when she’s properly asleep, then I’ll move her.”

Mom hugged Vine more preciously, as if holding a treasure.

“Mom… isn’t it hard?”

“What’s hard? Yunseul, I raised you just like this too.”

“…No, that’s not what I meant.”

“I’m fine.”

“Hmm…”

Vine, no matter how light, must weigh at least 30kg.

Wouldn’t it be tiring to hold her like that?

Maybe I should be the one holding her instead…

No, that’s not it.

“Really…? Ah, right. Mom, didn’t you say something like that before? That you’d scold that girl who was bullying your daughter.”

“…I did scold her, didn’t I?”

“We don’t call that scolding, Mother.”

“No, it was scolding.”

“…Sigh, fine. If Mom says so, then it is.”

“Yes. Yunseul, there are tangerines over there, take some and eat.”

“I’ll help myself.”

The sight of Vine sleeping soundly in mother’s arms was quite cute.

Her breathing sounds were cute, and the way she clung to her like a koala was cute too.

Pat… pat…

“Mom. Are you really okay with this?”

“Hmm?”

“You used to curse her all the time.”

“Hmm… didn’t our Yunseul say she forgave Vine last time? Then it’s over.”

“…I’m not sure if I have the right to forgive her.”

“Then would I have it? I wasn’t even directly involved in the fight.”

“…Ah.”

Mom raises her patting hand to stroke Vine’s hair.

Rustle, rustle.

In that sound of parting hair, there’s a sense of comfort, you could say.

It’s so peaceful.

I wish this peace would last.

For that to happen.

“Well… I guess it’s okay for now.”

“Hmm?”

“Mom. Won’t you hug me too? Why only Vine…”

“Did Yunseul want to be hugged too? Alright, come here, my daughter.”

Tap, tap.

Mother’s words telling me to come closer.

Following those words, I tightly embrace both Vine and Mom—

…It’s warm.

Vine, when I hugged her to sleep last time, it felt really good.

She’s a child who feels good to hug.

Warm… and soft.

“Mom. You’re honestly enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Hmm?”

“Holding Vine. You’re honestly enjoying it, right?”

“Hmm? All mothers enjoy this. What mother wouldn’t enjoy the pleasure of holding a child?”

She says this while patting Vine gently.

“…Are you really going to adopt her?”

“That depends on this child’s wishes.”

“…But adoption is a bit…”

“Hmm? I thought you would be the most pleased, Yunseul.”

…I do want her as a sister.

It’s not that I don’t want her to become family.

Not as the mother Vine lost.

I should have properly checked her parents back then.

I didn’t have the power then, couldn’t identify who filed the missing person report.

Since then, it’s become difficult to find them.

I was half giving up.

Maybe I should put more effort into that instead.

There’s too much to do.

Sigh…

“Still… if we adopt her… I’ll think about it more later. Just making Vine my sister suddenly… you saw earlier. When Mom suddenly asked ‘Do you want to be my daughter?’ she was horrified and refused.”

“Hmm… I was quite sincere.”

“It must have been burdensome for Vine. In her heart, the memories of what she did to me remain. It’s hard for her to do anything with Mom. And she can’t exactly throw a fit either. Vine, isn’t she very docile?”

“Yes, she’s docile.”

Pat, pat.

“Mom…”

“Yes?”

“I think she’s fallen deeply asleep now.”

“No.”

“Doesn’t she look asleep?”

“No.”

“…Mom.”

“Hmm? What is it, Yunseul?”

“You don’t want to let go, do you?”

“Hmm?”

“Mom. That’s greed…”

“What are you saying? Ahem… let’s go to your room quickly.”

“Ah, okay…”

Mom is just as dishonest.

Well…

I should go upstairs.

When else would I experience something like this again?

* * *

“Mmm…nyah…”

“…Huh?”

“Are you awake?”

An unfamiliar ceiling.

I know it’s a cliché thing to say.

But that’s how it is.

And beside me is Blanc.

…Ah.

This was Blanc’s house…?

“Are you awake? You fell asleep just like that. How tired you must have been.”

“What…?”

“Our mom’s embrace is really warm. Even I get jealous.”

“…Ah.”

“Want to be my sister?”

“What???”

“We’re sharing our mom, so you should be my sister, right?”

“W-what are you saying, Yunseul…?”

“Exactly what I said. Our mom likes you.”

“What…?”

Before I fell asleep…

Ah.

“…You’re not saying this just because she hugged me once, are you, Yunseul?”

“No. No, no, not at all.”

“You seem to be trailing off…”

Blanc held back her words.

…Sigh.

I got up from the bed and looked around the room.

“…It’s a bit embarrassing when you look around like that. I didn’t clean up.”

“It’s not like you use this room regularly. Your mother must have tidied it up. I’m not pointing out that it’s dirty or anything. It’s clean and… just.”

“Just?”

“How should I put it. It’s a very Blanc-like room.”

A girl’s room.

Similar to Blanc’s room at the dormitory, but somehow this one feels more homey.

What makes this one feel more like a lived-in room, I wonder?

“…It’s really embarrassing when you look at it like that. It feels like showing my bare skin.”

“Hmm… so that’s how you feel. Well, this side of you is really… new.”

There are quite a few cute dolls visible too.

I guess it’s the difference between a dormitory decorated after growing up a bit and a room you’ve grown up in since childhood.

“Hmm… then is there a graduation photo of Blanc here too?”

“My graduation photo?”

“Usually there is one, isn’t there?”

“…I suppose there would be?”

She gets up from the bed.

“Then, I shall look for it. Your dark history…!”

“…Want me to find it for you?”

Huh…?

This wasn’t the reaction I was expecting.

“…Shouldn’t you be more embarrassed or something?”

“Hmm…? Why would I be? You’ll find out anyway.”

…Ah.

This is the problem with having spent so much time with her.

Since it’s become like we grew up together, it’s just like looking at graduation photos with friends, a trip down memory lane…

“Tsk.”

“…? Vine? What’s that disappointed sound?”

“Isn’t it disappointing? Your reaction. This isn’t the reaction I wanted.”

“What…?”

“I thought I’d finally see a flustered Bl—no, Yunseul again. But because I’ve watched you grow up.”

“Well… if you don’t like graduation albums, should I play some old videos instead?”

Blanc said, pulling out several USBs from a drawer.

“I have recordings I made for animation production, and some animations I received.”

“…My animations?”

“Yes. You and I are the main characters, I think?”

“What…?”

…Oh no.

I’ve been countered…?