Ch.344Epilogue. And, Family (1)

I never experienced adoption in my past life or in this one.

They say that young children, especially those with pretty faces, have a higher chance of being adopted. Maybe Jihye and I fit those criteria.

But in the end, neither of us ever left the orphanage to join someone’s family.

If I try to recall my faint childhood memories, I think it might have been difficult because Jihye and I were always so inseparable.

Adults came to see us a few times, and I think there were even some promising discussions, but ultimately, we never became part of anyone’s family.

It was fortunate that “I” wasn’t adopted. Even though I was a child, I also had memories of my past life, so I wouldn’t have been able to pretend to be innocent as someone’s child.

In reality, I wasn’t what adults would call a “good” child when I was young. Come to think of it, considering I joined Noir Corporation as a Combatant because I couldn’t become a Magical Girl, maybe I just had a difficult personality to begin with, even without those special circumstances.

But Jihye was different.

Unlike me, who never talked about family or made such speculations, the young Jihye occasionally shared her fantasies about what it would be like to have a family.

Those fantasies were… well.

In a way, they were like the daydreams people have when buying lottery tickets.

What they’d do with the prize money, what they’d buy first if they won the jackpot multiple times.

“If you had a family, what would you want to do first?”

That’s how Jihye would ask.

And just like there’s always someone who says, “As if you could win that,” when people talk about lottery tickets, I would shake my head.

I said some harsh things when we were young, but seeing Jihye continue to talk about such things undeterred made me change my mind a little.

Probably no one would come for us. Probably, we would have to stay here until we became adults.

I felt a little disappointed sometimes. I wanted to ask if she wanted to leave me behind, if she was willing to break our sisterly bond. But no matter what, I couldn’t say such things. If adults really came for Jihye, I would have to let her go. It couldn’t be helped.

Anyway, despite everything, “family”—something that existed normally for others—felt as distant to us as winning the lottery.

For Jihye, who wasn’t in my special situation, she must have genuinely wanted a family.

Whenever Jihye fantasized about finding her family, I was a little scared that our relationship might change. The thought of losing the time we naturally spent together was honestly frightening.

For Jihye it might have been like winning the lottery, but for me, it meant the possibility of losing family.

…But as Jihye grew older, she stopped talking about such things. What broke her wasn’t my harsh words from childhood.

It was simply time.

By the time we passed the “age that adults prefer for adoption,” we had no choice but to accept that this place was our home, and the children around us were our siblings.

…

But.

But, after so much time had passed. Even after Jihye and I had completely grown up.

“…”

An adult came looking for Jihye.

A woman sitting with her knees together and hands placed on them, head bowed low before us who were much younger than her.

“Jihye’s…”

I slowly opened my mouth. My voice cracked a little, unavoidably. I had never even thought this would happen.

“You’re saying you’re Jihye’s mother.”

The person who nodded and identified herself as “Jihye’s mother” slowly nodded again.

I exhaled softly.

What should I say?

I’m not worried anymore about Jihye separating from me. We’re still young, but we’re also adults, so we decide for ourselves where and how we live. What others think doesn’t matter that much.

However Jihye feels about her mother is up to her, but that won’t break the fact that we’re family.

“…Yes, I am… Jihye’s mother.”

I thought for a moment.

Why appear now?

Because we’ve become successful?

Well, I thought that could be possible. In fact, if that’s not the first thought in this situation, wouldn’t that show a lack of caution? Stories of people who give everything to someone claiming to be their mother, only to be betrayed, appear regularly in the news, newspapers, and online.

But somehow, I didn’t think that was the case.

If she was appearing because we’d become famous, she would have shown up years ago. But this person only appeared now. After knowing that Jihye has me as family and lives with other children.

Only after we had clear self-determination, not during childhood.

Why was that?

I desperately wanted to ask why, but unfortunately, this wasn’t my business. No, as family it was my business, but I meant I didn’t have the right to ask such things.

I looked at Jihye.

Jihye’s face was expressionless.

Usually, Jihye’s expressions are varied. She makes all kinds of faces for all sorts of reasons. But right now, there was nothing in her expression. That scared me a little.

Come to think of it, had I ever seen Jihye truly angry since we became adults?

Since she started living with me, she had always seemed to live with a smile, as if she were happy and joyful.

“…I told you so.”

But, perhaps reading my emotions from my expression, Jihye said with a bitter smile.

“The DNA registration.”

“Ah.”

That’s right.

Even before we became adults, probably when we were in our early teens, Jihye stopped bringing up fantasies about family. She had probably given up in some sense. There was no point in fantasizing when there was no possibility of it becoming reality.

But last year.

When Jihye and I were alone, she quietly brought it up.

With children sitting on our laps, staring blankly outside.

“…I wonder what it would have been like if I had a mother.”

…The other children who formed relationships with us all had parents who visited at least once. Though not completely harmonious, I think they were genuinely pleased to see their granddaughters.

No matter the reasons their relationships weren’t the best, it was definitely something that could be called family affection.

Naturally, Jihye and I never experienced that.

The teachers did visit us, but… they had too many children to look after.

It would be natural to want someone who genuinely cherishes you as their only child, such a special existence.

“…”

After hearing such talk for the first time in so long, I didn’t know how to respond, so after thinking for several days, I found one solution.

Of course, I didn’t think it would really mean anything.

I just wanted Jihye to feel a little better.

“How about registering for a DNA test?”

There’s a foundation that spans the globe. Since alien companies have entered Earth, naturally there are also many alien civic organizations and foundations.

It’s not common on Earth yet, but when interplanetary migrants start moving in large numbers, parents and children can become separated on distant planets. There was a foundation to help find those families.

Although Jihye was an Earthling, and naturally her parents would be on Earth if they existed, that place had a reputation for finding people quickly and accurately, so I made that suggestion to Jihye.

“If your family has registered there, they’ll surely come looking for you.”

I thought that if someone was seriously looking for family to the extent of registering their DNA with the foundation, they would rush to find Jihye the moment they located her.

“What, you still remember that conversation?”

Jihye laughed and joked.

But she smiled brightly, as if very grateful that I had brought it up. That smile alone was enough to make me happy.

However, I didn’t really think we would actually find anyone.

“…”

“So…”

Since neither Jihye nor I said anything, the woman fidgeted a bit before finally speaking.

“…You’ve really grown up… well.”

Awkward formal speech.

Definitely not the way a parent would typically speak to their child.

But that expression.

That expression, looking like she might burst into tears at any moment, seemed so genuinely sincere that…

I unconsciously held my breath.

“…”

Jihye swallowed hard.

“So… you’re saying you’re my mother?”

Again, somewhat awkward formal speech.

But her voice was already wet with tears.

“…Yes, if the DNA test is correct.”

And for some reason my eyes got a little wet too, so I quickly lowered my gaze.