Independence 3

Living alone is not an easy task.

Especially in this dystopian world, for a young lady who’s the precious daughter of a wealthy family.

Han Seoyeon’s twin sister is not the protagonist of the original work.

Having been born and raised in luxury from a young age, she couldn’t be accustomed to harsh environments.

Naturally, it’s impossible not to worry.

Isn’t this exactly how a mother bird feels watching her baby bird trying to fly for the first time towards the world?

First, they found the room she had rented.

Fortunately, both the interior and exterior were ordinary.

There were no signs of fraud.

“I have a few questions, Suho.”

“Okay. Ask me anything, sister.”

“What are the contract terms for this room?”

“400,000 won per month. The deposit is 1 million won.”

Han Suho proudly puffed out her chest and said.

“How about it, isn’t this a reasonable contract?”

“Yes. You did well on this. I’ll praise you.”

“I studied hard, you know. To prepare for my future life.”

It was quite an insight into real estate.

Although it’s a bit far from the Academy, it’s rare to find a room with these conditions in the metropolitan area.

“I plan to earn money at the nearby hunting grounds. And…”

A life plan that comes out smoothly without hesitation.

It’s clear that she has studied the economic aspects.

“Then, what about the rest?”

But in the end, theory is just theory.

“What do you mean by the rest?”

“Internet, food, laundry, cleaning, and so on.”

“…Well?”

What Han Seoyeon was truly worried about, like any guardian, was whether her child would be able to eat properly.

“…I haven’t thought about that far.”

See?

This carefree response.

As their upbringing was different, there were bound to be subtle changes in personality as well.

The issue was one of experience.

Han Suho lacks experience.

The experience of living alone in society.

The experience of struggling at the bottom.

Of course, it’s better not to have such experiences.

Han Seoyeon didn’t want her lovely sister to go through such experiences.

“…Are you angry?”

“No. I’m not angry.”

However, this is the path her sister has chosen.

It’s certainly not wrong, it’s the right thing to do.

“I’m just worried. Very much so.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize for this. You haven’t done anything wrong, Suho.”

If that’s the case, as a sister, Han Seoyeon had an obligation to support that path.

“It’s just… you know, I’m a bit of a meddler and an old-fashioned person.”

No.

It wasn’t about obligation at all.

“I don’t want to leave you alone. So…”

She wants to help.

As a sister.

She wants to be of help, even if just a little.

“…You might not like it, but would you like to go out with me for a bit?”

At the tender age of seventeen.

Meddling might be a nuisance.

“I want to teach you various things. Like tips for living alone.”

Overcoming her embarrassment, Han Seoyeon suggested.

“Well, I’m not forcing you! You can refuse if you don’t want to. I don’t intend to meddle if it’s too much…”

“I’d love to!”

Han Suho smiled without hesitation.

“As long as it’s with you, sister, I’ll like anything.”

“…I see.”

How should she put it?

Looking at her sister smiling brightly, Han Seoyeon felt both joy and a bitter feeling.

She’s a child who can smile so purely.

Such a child, due to her own indifference until now, had no choice but to wear a mask of fake smiles.

She wants to take care of her from now on.

She doesn’t want to make her lose this kind of smile ever again.

“Ah, of course you’re paying, right? It’s to celebrate my moving.”

“…Haha.”

It’s a normal conversation between sisters, without any pretense.

“Of course I’ll pay you back later. There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world!”

So, Han Seoyeon couldn’t help but smile.

“…Wait, then how did you manage the deposit and monthly rent?”

“Sponsorship. Since I’m an S-class Awakener, I have various sponsors.”

“Then, aren’t you quite rich?”

“Not enough to pay for the Academy’s dormitory fees. Ah, but I probably have more than you, sister?”

“…”

Correction.

It was clear that there must be genes programmed between sisters to kill each other.

“You really…”

Despite the mischievous childishness.

The corners of her mouth wouldn’t go down.

Even if you have a lot of money, it’s easy to get lost at first when living alone.

So, Han Seoyeon decided to do everything she could right away.

Housing was already settled.

The rest was clothing and food, and various other miscellaneous things.

“This, and this… Oh, this too!”

Various items needed for daily life, such as toiletries or laundry baskets, were all bought with Han Seoyeon’s money, regardless of Han Suho’s opinion.

It wasn’t experience gained from slum life.

This was knowledge derived from experiences in her previous life.

It was wisdom squeezed out by an orphaned, penniless social rookie to survive.

Unlike the current Han Suho, there were no sponsors or anything like that.

“Hmm. This should be enough for now.”

First, buying all the miscellaneous items.

Next was food.

“How are you going to handle meals?”

“I plan to buy and eat as needed. I’m not good at cooking.”

She’s not good at cooking.

No, to be precise, she’s never cooked before.

It was a natural story.

Who would dare make the young lady of the Firefly Group cook?

“How about trying it out this time?”

Han Seoyeon thought differently.

She believed without a doubt that her sister had talent for cooking.

The Han Suho of the original work was truly a jack of all trades.

Cooking was one of her specialties, and she often made delicious food for the children in the slums.

This part was completely different from her sister.

The children in the slums always ran away when they saw the stir-fried bean sprouts she made.

Han Seoyeon looked around the studio apartment once.

It’s a room equipped with even a refrigerator.

It would be a waste not to use it.

Cooking for oneself would be a great help in economizing.

Above all, it’s also a desirable way to take care of one’s health.

“I want to taste the food Suho makes.”

“…!”

Cooking skills praised as the best even in the original work.

It was impossible not to be curious.

“How about as payment for helping with the move?”

“If you insist, sister, I’ll try my best…!”

Walking with her sister.

Side by side, chatting.

They selected water and ingredients at a nearby store.

“Let’s start.”

Returning to the room, the sisters put on aprons side by side.

“I’ll teach you the basics, like how to handle knives or prepare ingredients. It’s your first time, after all.”

Han Seoyeon skillfully handled the cooking utensils and ingredients.

Although she was terrible at cooking, she managed the preparation stage quite competently.

“Now, from here on it’s Suho’s turn.”

“…”

“You don’t need to be nervous. Just follow the recipe and it’ll be fine.”

“…Alright.”

She spoke as if confidently teaching cooking.

But in reality, the only dish Han Seoyeon knew how to make was stir-fried bean sprouts.

Well, why, what.

If you’re not satisfied, be the older sister instead of the younger one!

A moment of time passed from there.

Han Seoyeon couldn’t hide her astonishment.

“…What is this smell?”

In creative works, there are often exaggerated reactions to cooking that are disconnected from reality.

It’s to express how delicious the food is, but it’s a situation that couldn’t happen in reality.

“─!”

That common sense was overturned before her eyes.

A shock ran through Han Seoyeon’s mind.

“It’s done.”

The prepared meal was an ordinary home-cooked meal.

Bubbling soybean paste stew and ham fried with egg batter.

“Sister, would you like to try a bite first?”

“…I’ll eat well.”

She didn’t decline.

Han Seoyeon took a spoonful of rice, dipped it in the soybean paste stew broth, gently placed a piece of ham on top, and put it in her mouth.

“H-how is it…?”

“─It’s delicious!”

It’s delicious.

There was no other word to describe it but delicious.

“I’m glad. Then, I’ll eat well too.”

It’s better than the Academy’s cafeteria food.

It was a high-quality home-cooked meal that you couldn’t buy even if you paid for it.

“One more bowl!”

“Is it that delicious?”

“Of course!”

“How does it compare to the cafeteria food?”

“It’s even more delicious than that!”

“…Even so, I think you’re exaggerating too much.”

“I’m not just saying that. Not at all.”

Without realizing it, Han Seoyeon had emptied another bowl of rice.

“Whoever becomes Suho’s partner is blessed. To be able to eat such delicious meals every day.”

“…I see.”

Baek Da-eun, Lee Ha-yul, the last heroine coming next semester.

It’s impossible to know which of the three will end up with Suho, or if it will be someone completely different, but one thing was certain.

The person destined to be with Han Suho was a blessed individual.

The moment they let even a drop of water touch their hands, the older sister would turn them into mincemeat, though.

“Do you want to eat it every day?”

“Yes.”

“Then, shall I pack you lunch every day?”

The best home-cooked meal provided free every day.

It was an incredible offer.

“No, that’s too much…”

She wanted to accept it readily, but she couldn’t.

“It would be a burden on you, Suho. I can’t eat like that.”

That would be relying on her sister’s kindness.

It’s no different from forcing a younger sister who’s just starting to live alone to cook for two people every day.

“It’s fine for me. Cooking seems more doable than I thought.”

“No, still.”

“I want to be of help to you, sister.”

Han Suho’s eyes were resolute.

“I’ve owed you a lot until now. So, I want to repay that, even now.”

“It’s not a debt. I just did what was natural between sisters.”

“It’s the same for me, sister. Packing a lunch for you isn’t a burden. It’s natural as sisters. Because I want to take care of you. With my own hands.”

“…”

Han Seoyeon doesn’t think of giving something to someone precious as a loss.

Conversely, she thinks of someone precious giving something to her as a burden on that person.

“Is it… not okay?”

“…Alright.”

In some ways, it was an extremely selfish set of values.

When pointed out like this, there was nothing to say.

“Then, for every meal I receive from you, I’ll buy you something in return, understand that, okay!”

But that’s that.

This is this.

Is money more important than pride as an older sister!

“What’s that supposed to mean…!”

Pffft.

Han Suho burst into laughter.

Was it just her imagination?

On this good day, she felt as if tears were welling up in her eyes.

This everyday life with her sister was happiness.