episode_0043

… … … … …

The president of the association stood in front of the door of the special ward of the Awakened Ones Association and looked at Lee Seo-yeon running hurriedly down the hallway.

Looking at Lee Seo-yeon, who was closing the distance with each passing moment, she seemed almost out of her mind.

Well, that makes sense. I just got back from a long business trip, and the boy I thought of as my little brother left home a long time ago, leaving behind only a note.

That alone would have been incredibly upsetting, but the boy was now seriously injured and lying in bed after being brutally assaulted by some crazy woman.

The president of the association understood Lee Seo-yeon well. However, understanding her feelings did not mean that he could let her in. He suppressed his fatigue and strained his eyes.

This was inevitable. Those in other universes were filling in for him to a large extent, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t working tirelessly.

The president’s silver ponytail swayed gently, and her blue eyes shone sharply.

“Seoyeon, wait a minute.”

Lee Seo-yeon stopped walking, looking taken aback by the sudden, gentle but firm stop from the association president.

Her face was pale, her eyes were lined with traces of anger and anxiety, her hands were shaking slightly, and her breathing was ragged.

“Please step aside, Mr. Chairman. I need to see Ga-eul. Right now.”

But the president of the association did not budge even after earnest requests. He slowly shook his head. His eyes were filled with both sympathy and caution.

“Not yet. Seoyeon doesn’t look well right now. She needs to calm down for a while.”

At those words, Lee Seo-yeon’s voice immediately rose. A spark of anger flashed in her eyes.

“My condition? Does that matter now? You know what happened to Ga-eul! But you’re worried about my condition?”

“That’s exactly why.”

The association president took a step closer. His voice was still calm, but there was a hidden tension in it.

“If we let Seoyeon Yang in now, there is a high chance that she will lose her reason and abuse her powers.”

“What do you mean, I’m using my powers on my little brother?”

The president let out a deep sigh. His shoulders seemed heavy.

“Listen. While Seoyeon was on a mission beyond the dimensional gate, the child had already become quite intimate with several women.”

At those words, Lee Seo-yeon’s face hardened coldly. An extreme coldness radiated from her, incomparable to the urgent expression she had when she had rushed into the hospital room.

Soon her hands began to fiddle with something in her pocket. The president knew that it was a pair of gloves that amplified her powers.

“ Didn’t Seoyeon know and hide it? That child already suffers from dissociative amnesia.

But that child’s brain is now at its limit. After Seo-yeon’s brain manipulation ability was repeatedly applied over a year, Ga-eul’s brain condition became very dangerous. ”

Lee Seo-yeon tried to open her mouth, but the association president raised his hand to stop her.

“If you use your powers on him any more, it will be irreversible. He will become an idiot who can’t do anything, like he has Alzheimer’s disease that is almost terminal.”

A long silence followed. A deep sense of guilt appeared in Lee Seo-yeon’s bloodless eyes, but it soon melted away like crocodile tears.

“I… …I decided not to use it since then. That was the last time.”

“Hmm. I think Seoyeon always made that promise every time she used her powers. Isn’t that right?”

“… … … .”

When the association president almost immediately refuted, a look of confusion flashed across Lee Seo-yeon’s face for a moment, but it quickly changed into a creepy, expressionless expression as if she was wearing a mask.

Was the older sister’s face, which had been worried about her younger brother in confusion and anger, an act? Or was she hiding intense anger behind her expressionless face?

At least the president of the association, who believed that he had common sense, was horrified by Lee Seo-yeon’s sudden change.

“Okay, let’s not make excuses. But it was all for Gaeul.”

“… … … Yes. I know what Seoyeon feels for her younger sister. But I’m telling you that it would be better not to do it anymore.”

“Chairman, why are you doing this to me? This kid has nothing to do with you.

Surely, you… … are not interested in Ga-eul? Do you think I would fall for you just because we’re the same guys――”

The association president burst into laughter at Lee Seo-yeon, who narrowed her eyes and asked questions in a cold voice.

“Don’t worry, Seoyeon. I’m not gender-obsessed, but I don’t want to be like you.”

“You guys?” Lee Seo-yeon’s voice became sharp.

“The boy in the hospital room, the woman who became close to Seo-yeon Yang’s younger brother… …and developed quite strong feelings for him.

I don’t want to join that crowd, so I plan to keep my distance from now on. Don’t worry. ”

Lee Seo-yeon was deep in thought after hearing the association president’s words. She seemed to have agreed for the time being, but there was still a hint of doubt on her face.

“Then why? Why do you go through all this trouble?”

“It may be hard to believe, but this is all for the good of humanity.”

The association president smiled bitterly.

… … … … …

As I slowly opened my eyes, my blurry vision gradually became clearer, and I saw a familiar face. It was none other than Seoyeon.

The pretty eyes of my older sister, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, were filled with tears. The moment I saw her filled with tears, a warm feeling welled up in my heart.

“Ugh, uh… … … .”

“Autumn, autumn!”

My sister’s voice trembled violently as she called me. The emotions in her voice overwhelmed me.

I tried to open my mouth to respond to her call, but my throat and mouth were so dry that no sound came out. When I suddenly felt thirsty, my sister quickly brought me a cup of water and put it to my lips.

“Drink slowly. Don’t rush.”

The warmth in my sister’s voice enveloped me. After moistening my throat with the water she gave me, I was finally able to speak.

“Who, sister… … .”

The moment I uttered those words, sadness welled up in me, and Seoyeon felt the same way, as she hugged me tightly.

I could feel her body trembling slightly through the thin fabric. Her scent, her body heat, everything captivated me.

“I’m sorry, Autumn. I’m really sorry. I should have been there for you… … .”

Tears welled up in my eyes without me realizing it at my sister’s words. Feeling the warmth of my sister for the first time in a long time and her sincere words touched my heart.

Until now, I had somehow managed to suppress my longing, but only then did I realize how much I had missed my sister and how much I needed her comfort.

“Sister… … ! I missed you… … !”

“I missed you too, Autumn. Every day, I thought of you.”

But at the same time, I felt a little uneasy. Was the current Seoyeon noona really the noona I knew?

But the discomfort was so minor that it was quickly forgotten.

“It’s okay now, Autumn. I’ll take care of you. I’ll protect you.”

I felt relieved by my sister’s words, but I also felt a small sense of anxiety that I hadn’t felt when I was living with her. The intense emotions in her voice swept over me like a huge whirlpool, and I was a little scared.

It was a feeling I didn’t know what to call it, perhaps a warning sign of instinct, but I ignored it and hugged myself deeper into Seoyeon’s arms.

Right now, I was just so grateful to have her by my side. The feeling of safety in her arms, and the feeling of all the anxiety and fear that had built up since leaving my sister’s house melting away, made me not want to think about anything else at this moment.

… … … … …

When I recall the hazy memories of when I was half-conscious last time, I was in much better shape now. I could only get up from the bed with my upper body up, or lift light objects.

But that was the limit. I felt sorry for my older sister, so I tried to do it on my own as much as possible, but drinking water or eating with a spoon was not as easy as I thought.

“Autumn, I’ll help you.”

Sister Seoyeon came over and brought a glass of water to my lips. It was a kind help from my sister, but I felt a little embarrassed because we were so close that I could feel her breathing.

“, thank you. But if you just pour it into a paper cup, I can drink it by myself――”

I spoke hesitantly, but my sister did not accept my opinion at all.

“No. Autumn, you are still recovering. I don’t think you can do anything without me. I will help you with anything.”

“Uh, uhhh… … … .”

I couldn’t do anything without my older sister. It wasn’t entirely wrong, so it made me even more upset.

I wanted to grumble, but behind my sister’s gentle expression, there was a firmness that did not allow for any refutation. I had no choice but to get my sister’s help and drink the water.

Her touch was gentle, but there was something tenacious about it that seemed to hold me.