Ch.185IF Side Story: Galactic Love (10)

Why is my life like this?

Why is it that whenever I try to feel even a little happiness, I fall back down?

It’s not like someone is holding my ankle.

I just don’t like how the situation is unfolding.

Ah, right.

In the end, it’s what I did.

I was jealous of Hayun, and so I tried to catch up to her somehow, even thinking I could beat her, and charged at her several times.

And I needed strength to charge.

I looked for that strength in the wrong place. I think that was the problem.

So, it means I was the problem.

“…”

I could hear fighting outside.

When I reached the rooftop of the headquarters building, I despaired once more at the sight of the Magical Girls.

Ah, this will be difficult. With a body already this exhausted, I won’t even be able to win.

But, what do you know.

Those kids fought for me.

I don’t know what they want. Whether it was simply because it was just, or because Hayun wanted to help me. And they’re following her lead. I have no idea.

Somehow, they managed to take down the Kaijin, and we made it to a place where we could broadcast.

James put his hands on the device, and it will all be over soon. I’m going to tell people everything I know. What I went through, why I felt wronged, I’ll say it all and feel lighter.

I don’t care what happens after that. I’ve already come this far—

But what I see is Jihye, tied up.

The chairman has taken someone close to me, someone who’s like family to me, as a hostage.

I could hear the chairman rambling about something. But his voice was drowned out by a buzzing sound. I felt nauseous and my head hurt.

In that ringing, I remembered one thing.

I had already dragged another child into such a situation. A child who, though not exactly well-off, was still pursuing her own happiness in her own way.

I even clung like a parasite to a child I didn’t even deeply consider a friend, and destroyed everything she had.

And now, just because she grew up with me, Jihye was about to be destroyed too.

I could hear fighting outside. It was Hayun fighting. To buy me time. Yes, Hayun too, was like that.

She could have just beaten me up thoroughly and arrested me, and that would have been it. Isn’t that what a Magical Girl is supposed to do?

“…”

I stared at the screen quietly, and then,

“No!”

As I heard James shout, I disappeared from that spot.

There was a cracking sound.

It came from my hand.

My hand didn’t hurt. There was mana surrounding this body. Though it was usually a useless body, it was somewhat useful in places like this.

The man, whose face was distorted with the gas mask still on, fell to the ground like a log.

Seeing that, the men who were about to surround Jihye looked at me.

What happened next was the same.

I just moved mechanically.

My head was already so stiff that it couldn’t turn, but I just did that much. It was rather fortunate. Thanks to that, I didn’t kill anyone. If I had been able to think, I would have crushed all their throats by stomping on them with all my might.

I grabbed one leg in each hand and dragged them out, then threw them out the window. The window that wouldn’t open shattered with a crash when their bodies hit it, but I didn’t care much.

Isn’t this such an advanced world? There must be ways to treat them.

…Was I once no different from such humans? What I did, though not to this extent, was certainly not something to be proud of.

I should be the one punished, so why are the kids around me being punished?

No, no.

In the end, this too was just my fault.

It was all my fault.

…

The scene before my eyes changed again.

This time, I saw girls in colorful clothes.

Girls who couldn’t yet be called adults. They were all injured here and there, bleeding a little. Even their clothes were a bit torn.

“…”

What should I say to these children?

Or do I not even have the right to say anything?

Hayun just smiled shyly when our eyes met. A tired but satisfied smile.

The noise from outside the door is now gone.

It was the result of all the children fighting hard.

“Jieun.”

“…Yes.”

Hayun called my name softly, and I answered.

“Say what you want to say.”

“…”

I just stared at Hayun without saying anything, then turned around.

I approached the broadcasting device.

James sighed in relief. He gave me a somewhat reproachful look for suddenly disappearing without a word, but he didn’t stop cooperating.

James pressed the button—and the broadcasting station programs, one by one, changed to the videos we had prepared.

The moment I was shot by the police.

The moment I had to flee even after fighting a Kaijin.

My appearance, bruised and injured from being beaten up everywhere.

“…”

Pang Pang’s image isn’t in those videos. It couldn’t possibly be there.

Pang Pang was my victim. Perhaps Jihye could be considered one too.

She would also be the reason I could survive. If there hadn’t been someone to take care of me, my mind would have shattered long ago.

After the video ended, my face appeared on the screen.

That face, reflecting like a mirror, was already exhausted and injured.

Eyes swollen from severe beatings despite being a Magical Girl with magic surrounding her body. Bruise marks on the shoulder. Scratch marks on the clearly exposed arms.

But that face, at least, wasn’t just an expression of exhaustion and wanting to rest.

That face was glaring at me.

Thinking about the people who got involved because of this unsightly self of mine.

Thinking the same thoughts as me.

What should I say?

I remember preparing a lot of things. That I had a lot to say because I felt wronged, and that I wanted to intimidate the other party as much as possible.

But my thoughts were already organized. I didn’t want to speak so elaborately.

I slowly bent down and pressed the microphone button.

And staring at the screen as if to pierce it, I said:

“Did you see?”

Who I was speaking to, the listener would know best.

“This is why I’m chasing you.”

I stared at the screen quietly.

The broadcast hadn’t been cut off yet.

There’s more time left than I thought.

“I’ll follow you to the end. And somehow, I’ll make you feel the emotions I felt.”

After saying that, I stopped.

That was enough.

I exhaled deeply.

Somehow, for the first time.

I felt like I had—accomplished something, just a little bit.

*

Pang Pang was listening to that story on the radio.

It was a sound that could be heard on all broadcasts, not just TV.

And she trembled a little.

That story wouldn’t be directed at her. Jieun wouldn’t do that.

Because Jieun didn’t know. She still didn’t know anything.

What would happen if she found out?

…Pang Pang might be the most suitable bait to find the current chairman. At least, it was certain that he had come looking for Pang Pang once.

If Jieun asked Pang Pang to play such a role, what should she answer?

No, in the first place.

When and how should she tell her? Pang Pang had missed that timing for too long, and she had no idea where to start fixing the wrong parts.

If only it had been from the beginning.

If she had told her the reason why she was hiding her during that time. Would Jieun have understood?

With her hands clasped in front of her chest, Pang Pang quietly waited for Jieun.

It was almost time for her to come.

Even if she didn’t come, Pang Pang was planning to wait here somehow. She didn’t think she could keep the promise to run away.

If she did—then she would become a stumbling block for Jieun again.

While waiting anxiously like that—Jieun returned.

But this time, she wasn’t alone. As if they had forcibly followed Jieun, people came rushing out behind her.

All of them were the Magical Girls that Pang Pang had loved so much.

Beings who fight for love and justice, which is impossible for anyone who isn’t an Earthling.

…

But right now, only one Magical Girl caught Pang Pang’s eye.

A Magical Girl dressed in black.

Torn and bruised everywhere, with a very tired expression.

The Magical Girl with that expression that Pang Pang saw every day after letting her into her home.

“Jieun.”

Without even having time to acknowledge the other children, Pang Pang quickly went over and grabbed Jieun’s arm to help her up. Surprised gazes gathered around.

The gazes of people who didn’t even know of Pang Pang’s existence—

—No, at least one person knew.

The person who was looking at Pang Pang with a particularly surprised expression was wearing pink clothes.

As if she had no idea that Pang Pang and Jieun had such a relationship.

Pang Pang hesitated for a very brief moment, then quickly supported Jieun and headed home.

For Pang Pang, Jieun came first.

It would have been the same even if she wasn’t a Magical Girl.