Ch.211Episode 40. Cosplay at Home (2)

“Um… was there something else you wanted to say?”

Mitchell was looking out the window. Could she have noticed that I’ve formed a harem?

Mitchell has a past where her relationship fell apart because her husband cheated on her. If she knew about what I’ve been doing with the special class students, it would be more than enough to destroy all the goodwill I’ve built up.

“……”

She turns around and stares at me. For a while, she just silently gazes at me without saying anything.

“What do you think of Yeonhwa, Eugene?”

“Yeonhwa?”

Maybe it was because the question came out of nowhere.

I couldn’t think of anything. What do I think of Yeonhwa?

I’m not sure.

How do I feel about Gu Yeonhwa?

If this had been before my possession, I might have said, “She’s the cutest character ever!”

It’s not like I liked the character Gu Yeonhwa from the beginning.

I didn’t particularly care for her chuunibyou setting, but after learning about her circumstances, she seemed like a child throwing tantrums, which made her endearing. Plus, her personality was so kind and pure to the point of being a pushover that I couldn’t bring myself to dislike her even if I tried.

But as the novel progressed, Gu Yeonhwa’s personality became corrupted.

The girl who never spoke ill of others even when she was hurting inside became a villain after Mitchell’s death, committing merciless slaughter and accumulating sins.

Even now, I still feel sad remembering how she cried while questioning whether what she was doing was truly right.

“She’s a child I can’t hate. No… perhaps it’s better to say she’s a child I don’t want to hate.”

Mitchell probably won’t understand the emotions I’m feeling.

I don’t understand them either. Sometimes I wonder why I’m so emotionally invested in a mere character, and I remind myself that it’s just a fictional story.

But since possessing someone in this world, those thoughts have long disappeared.

What stands before me isn’t a character, but a ‘person’ with their own personality.

“I just want Yeonhwa to be happy.”

Because she’s been unhappy until now.

I don’t have the right to judge the depth of her misfortune, but that’s how I felt watching over her.

“I want her to safely become a hero… No, even if she doesn’t become a hero, I just want her to live happily and freely.”

Ah, though I’d prefer if she didn’t cosplay indiscriminately.

“……”

Even after I finished saying these embarrassing words, Mitchell just kept staring at me silently.

After what felt like a long time, she spoke softly.

“I’ve already mentioned that Yeonhwa only talks about you, right?”

“Ah, yes. You did mention that before.”

I still remember her bowing her head and asking me to take care of Gu Yeonhwa.

“…Do you see Yeonhwa romantically?”

“What?”

Faced with this perplexing question, I opened and closed my mouth a few times, desperately trying to figure out what to say. Seeing this, Mitchell shook her head.

“No, that question was inappropriate. It’s Yeonhwa’s decision anyway. I feel like I’m interfering too much.”

I understand what it means for her to ask such a question.

She knows better than anyone that the greater the love, the greater the potential hurt, so she’s concerned that a relationship with me might cause pain.

“Like you said, I also want Yeonhwa to be happy. But I think the happiness Yeonhwa desires isn’t in my hands.”

Mitchell looked down at her hands with a hint of regret, then slowly clenched them into fists. Then she raised her head, looked straight at me, and said:

“So… please continue to take care of Yeonhwa. Please remain someone precious to her.”

Mitchell said with an awkward smile.

Looking at her, there was only one thing I could say.

“…I will.”

Upon hearing my answer, Mitchell’s smile became much more natural.

“I just… wanted to tell you that.”

“I see.”

“I’ll be going now.”

“Ah…”

As I hesitated while watching her turn away, Mitchell looked back. She tilted her head and asked:

“Is there something else you wanted to say?”

“Will you be going to Comic World…?”

“No, I won’t.”

“What about cosplay…?”

“I won’t do it.”

She cuts me off sharply before I can even finish speaking. I suspect she must have been quite the tsundere in her younger days.

“…That’s a shame.”

I tried, Yeonhwa.

“Does it make sense for an instructor to ask a parent to do that?”

“Actually, it wasn’t my suggestion but Yeonhwa’s.”

“Anyway! I won’t do it. So please don’t ask anymore.”

Mitchell, who had maintained a warm atmosphere until just a moment ago, had already returned to her usual prim state.

“I’ll be going now.”

Click-clack.

The sound of her heels echoes in the hallway. As I quietly listen to the sound growing fainter, suddenly the footsteps stop.

“I haven’t said this yet.”

“Yes?”

“…Thank you for saving me. You assigned heroes to protect me because you were worried I’d be targeted by villains, right?”

“I’m glad you didn’t consider me a stalker for secretly assigning heroes to you.”

“Huh! I’m not that thoughtless, you know?!”

Mitchell shouts sharply and then continues walking.

“Please tell Yeonhwa I’m going ahead.”

“I will. Take care.”

I bowed to see her off.

I also wanted Gu Yeonhwa to be happy, and I intended to continue looking after her. But I didn’t think I could meet Mitchell’s expectations.

Gu Yeonhwa wasn’t the only person precious to me.

The entire special class was precious to me.

I couldn’t abandon any of them. Even if others called me trash, I would strive to maintain these relationships.

After watching Mitchell walk away, I went back into the counseling room. Yeonhwa was sitting on the sofa, just as she had been before we left.

“Gu Yeonhwa?”

“Eek—!”

When I called out to her, Yeonhwa was startled.

She flinched and turned to look at me. Judging by her wide eyes, she seemed quite surprised.

While I was puzzled by her unusual reaction, Yeonhwa shouted provocatively:

“W-what!”

“…What’s wrong? You seem to be trembling.”

“I’m not, not trembling at all! Look, I’m holding this paper cup.”

She boldly picked up a paper cup. The cup convulsed, spilling its contents.

“Ack! Hot!”

She hurriedly put the cup down on the table and nursed her hand. The liquid had splashed onto her hand as well.

I chuckled at Yeonhwa’s behavior. I finally understood why she was so flustered.

“…You heard everything, didn’t you?”

Yeonhwa flinched noticeably.

Seeing her obvious agitation, I smiled and approached her. Yeonhwa turned her head away, her face flushed.

“W-well, my mom was saying unnecessary things…”

“I don’t think they were unnecessary at all.”

“What?”

I brought my lips close to her ear and said:

“I like you, you know.”

Hiccup!

She hiccupped and trembled slightly, genuinely surprised by my words. She’s so easy to read.

I can’t help but smile, knowing exactly what expression she must be making even without seeing her face. I stroked her blonde hair once and stepped back.

“Um, well…”

She mumbles, covering her tomato-red face with the back of her hand. Her snow-white skin had turned completely red, making her embarrassment obvious and incredibly cute.

“It’s about time for lunch. Want to go to the school cafeteria and eat?”

“…Yes.”

Hiccup!

Yeonhwa nodded while covering her mouth to suppress her hiccups.

* * *

On the day of Comic World.

Forcibly woken up at dawn as usual, I yawn widely, fighting off sleepiness.

After starting the car, I wait for Yeonhwa when I hear a rolling sound in the distance. I see Yeonhwa approaching, her blonde hair swaying as she waves her arms.

“Oppa! Good morning!”

“Oh. Morning. But… why did you bring a suitcase?”

I look at the suitcase handle in her grasp, then lower my gaze. Seeing a bag large enough to fit her entire body, I let out a hollow laugh.

Looking at it reminded me of the hellish experience from last year.

“Why did you bring something so big?”

“I was thinking about it yesterday, but I didn’t know what to do, so I just packed everything!”

“No, even so…”

“I never said I’d only do one type of cosplay, right? Since we’re doing it at home, we have plenty of time!”

I was so dumbfounded that I lost my words.

It seems impossible to have a normal date with Yeonhwa.

Maybe that’s why I like it even more.

These unique dates are more refreshing than ordinary ones, and they offer rare experiences.

Of course, I still don’t want to cosplay.

“Ah, right…”

“Come on, hurry and load the luggage!”

As Yeonhwa approached and held out the suitcase, the scent of strawberries from her body tickled my nose.

It seems she was still using the perfume I bought her.

“Strawberry scent.”

“What?”

“I’m glad you’re still using it well. At this rate, won’t you never be able to forget me?”

“Y-you’re one to talk, you still have the keychain I gave you on your car keys.”

Yeonhwa pointed at the white tiger keychain attached to my car keys.

“Ah… this?”

I showed the keychain to Yeonhwa with a smile.

“Of course. It’s from you.”

“I-it’s amazing how you can say such things so casually…”

Yeonhwa pouted and blushed shyly. I had said it deliberately knowing she would be embarrassed, and it seemed to have worked quite well.

“Anyway, please take the luggage!”

She shouts, lifting the suitcase with both hands.

“If you can lift it, you can put it in yourself.”

“I don’t care! Just take it quickly!”

Knowing she was just acting this way because she was embarrassed, I decided to let it slide for now.

Instead, as punishment for shouting, I’ll hold her hand on the way there. I want to watch Yeonhwa’s embarrassed face as we go.