Ch.223IF Side Story: Strange Dream

Life is such an unpredictable mess that sometimes truly incomprehensible things happen.

People who were living lavishly and making enormous amounts of money just yesterday can suddenly go bankrupt and end up on the streets overnight.

Or sometimes, the opposite happens—those at rock bottom suddenly have an incredibly lucky break and rise to the top.

This strange situation was an odd combination of both.

Well, if I’m being specific, it’s a bit different.

Despite appearances, I was someone who knew the future to some extent. Naturally, I had some knowledge about how to make money.

After buying a smartphone, I searched the internet daily until “cryptocurrency” first appeared, monitoring the situation carefully. When what I’d been waiting for finally emerged, I bought a ton and then sold it, allowing me to become incredibly wealthy.

Conversely, a family that had gone all-in on alien investments began to falter the moment Noir Corporation started cooperating with this country, and they invested too late, causing them to go completely bankrupt.

Fortunately, I was able to provide a decent place for the parents to live, but—

“…”

—their daughter, Hayun, came to find me.

“…”

Hmm.

Neither of us said anything.

To be honest, my heart was beating rather fast.

I had quit being a Combatant the moment I made a ton of money, and I’d been half-hearted about my high school studies too.

After making a large donation to the orphanage, I brought Jihye out to live with me. Actually, Jihye was initially reluctant to accept one-sided help from me, but she eventually adapted.

Hayun seemed to feel somewhat the same way.

“…You don’t need to feel so uncomfortable.”

I said lightly as I put down my chopsticks.

My house was spacious. It was the kind of place where the type of people I despised in my childhood lived.

In truth, most of that hatred stemmed from jealousy. The unreasonable thought that it wasn’t fair for them to live so well while I struggled.

Now I no longer needed to think that way.

“B-but, Jieun…”

“You helped me a lot when I was struggling.”

That was true.

Even now, my room was full of gifts Hayun had given me. I kept all those CDs well-preserved. I even took them out to listen to occasionally.

“Think of it as me repaying what I’ve received.”

“B-but still…”

“I said it’s fine.”

Seeing that even Jihye, who was sitting with us having dinner, seemed a bit embarrassed, I quickly said that and ended the conversation.

But still, until the end of the meal, Hayun’s attitude of watching my every move didn’t change.

*

What do rich people do with their lives?

If I had been the owner of some company, I might have at least worked.

But I was someone who had become a Combatant with the initial goal of defeating Magical Girls. Now that the goal no longer mattered, I naturally had no intention of working.

I just lived aimlessly, lounging around. Even if I spent ten million won a month from now on, I had enough money to last a lifetime.

I kept it in the bank, so interest kept coming in. I kept getting contacted about investments and such, but I mostly ignored them.

The house is very difficult to clean alone.

So there’s someone who comes to clean every day, and during those times, I just hide in my room and wait quietly…

“…What are you doing right now?”

I asked Hayun.

Hayun was holding a rag in her hand, which she quickly hid behind her back and shook her head.

“Oh, well.”

“…Hayun.”

I sighed deeply and went over to Hayun, quickly reaching behind her back.

“Eek!?”

Hayun was startled by my sudden action. She was so surprised that I snatched the rag from her hand in an instant.

The rag was barely wrung out. It wasn’t that Hayun was weak, but she probably just didn’t know how to properly mop.

“…I told you there’s no need to do this.”

I said, somewhat annoyed.

“Besides, where did you even find this rag? Have you been thinking about this all day? Are you constantly looking for things to clean while I’m in my room? I told you that you don’t need to earn money.”

“Because I’m not earning money…”

Being a Magical Girl hadn’t disappeared as a profession. Other Magical Girls’ families hadn’t gone bankrupt either. However, the work had drastically decreased, and so had the income.

I told her to save all that money since she would eventually need to live on her own.

…

I wouldn’t mind living together forever, but I don’t know what Hayun thinks about it.

“Haah.”

I sighed deeply and grabbed Hayun’s wrist.

“J-Jieun…!”

Hayun was pulled along by my hand.

I sat down on the living room sofa and pulled Hayun’s arm more.

Then I sat her on my lap. In that position, I hugged Hayun tightly in my arms.

“No. Don’t do anything.”

Had I gained some confidence?

Honestly, it’s pathetic what kind of confidence this is. Getting this confident just because I have some money.

Do I think I can do this just because Hayun is living in my house?

Well, Hayun doesn’t dislike it, so I guess that’s fine.

“…”

Hayun’s face turned bright red, and she couldn’t say anything.

We stayed like that for a while without even turning on the TV—

Beep, beep, beep.

The sound of someone entering the door lock password was heard, and click. Someone came in.

And that person who entered paused when they saw us.

“…”

It was Jihye, who also lives here.

Jihye stared at the two of us with her mouth wide open.

I silently let go of Hayun, and Hayun got off me and sat beside me.

Her face was still flushed.

“Well, I’m seeing all sorts of things.”

Jihye grumbled as she went into her room.

Neither Hayun nor I could say anything in response.

*

That night.

I turned off the lights and lay in bed to sleep when someone burst into my room.

It was Jihye.

“Jihye?”

“Let’s sleep together today.”

“Huh?”

“We used to sleep like that anyway.”

“No, that was because we only had one room when we lived at the orphanage.”

“Really? Then why were you so close with Hayun today? Is this big house starting to feel cramped now?”

I was left speechless by Jihye’s words.

Jihye confidently walked to my bed, dove in, and patted the space next to her.

“I’m going to sleep here from now on.”

I burst out laughing at Jihye saying this in her pajamas.

“Well, suit yourself.”

I said as I lay down next to Jihye, but I was surprised when she clung tightly to me.

But before I could even respond, Jihye had already wrapped her arm around my waist.

“…”

And she tensed up, as if determined not to move.

The problem didn’t end there.

Just as Jihye tensed up, someone else entered the room.

…It was Hayun.

Seeing Jihye and me, Hayun’s eyes widened and she reflexively turned away, but instead of leaving the room, she paused in thought for a moment and then turned back around.

Then she approached my side—

“Ha.”

Jihye let out a laugh of disbelief.

Hayun grabbed the empty side next to me and lay down. She wasn’t as confident as Jihye, but still.

Hayun looked up at me and said,

“…You seemed to like hugging me…”

“…”

So, is she saying she’ll do whatever it takes to make sure I don’t abandon her, even like this?

Two versions of myself fought in my head.

One side argued that I shouldn’t do something so unconscionable and should send her away. What kind of behavior is this toward a friend?

The other side questioned: If she disliked it, wouldn’t she avoid doing this?

The side arguing against unconscionable behavior seemed to be thinking of a rebuttal, but then quickly nodded in agreement.

That’s true. Hayun wouldn’t think that resolving something with her body was a good thing.

If she disliked it, she wouldn’t be doing this.

As a result, I just ended up sleeping like that.

…

Isn’t this exactly the same as the lives of those people I used to despise so much?

That thought briefly crossed my mind, but with the warmth I felt from both sides, I decided to just accept it—

*

…or so I seemed to have dreamed.

When I opened my eyes, it wasn’t that kind of room.

But what hadn’t changed was that I had incredibly beautiful women on either side of me.

Perhaps that’s why I had such a dream.

Hayun and Jihye.

Both of them were lying with their arms as pillows, their heads resting near my chest.

…

Come to think of it, aren’t these two the ones who are actually benefiting from this…?

“…Sigh.”

What am I thinking?

In the end, I’m the one who benefits the most.

It was simply fortunate that such happy days were possible without having to give up one person and hurt everyone.

…Let’s just sleep more.

I don’t have anything to do today anyway.

And so, I continued to savor the happiness for a while longer.