episode_0054

After the broadcast ended, I stood still for a while.

My fingertips were trembling slightly.

Breathing heavily, I shrugged my shoulders.

“That was an excellent speech,” James said.

“It might change public opinion a bit. Many people in our district have never trusted the government or the police. Well, that’s the case in every country ruled by those who blindly follow power-hungry fools.”

Although I couldn’t help but find it a bit strange for him to say such things, considering he held quite a high position himself through his ‘power’…

Well, James was a businessman, not a congressman or a minister. No matter how wealthy a businessman in this country is, they may not be as high in status as one might think when facing members of parliament.

Being beneath him, James seemed to appear in a much higher position than he actually was.

“The broadcast went well, right?”

“Yes, I’m confident in my abilities.”

“…Why couldn’t Chairman Hyeon stop it?”

“He wasn’t present at the scene. Perhaps he thought he was clever. But being absent from the scene, he couldn’t consider what needed to be done. He was in a position where he could just command those below him.”

And then, I scared off the people in the building.

How could they escape so cleanly?

It must have been a stroke of luck.

I didn’t want to harm anyone, so I started by scaring away the people gathered in the first-floor shopping mall.

Some employees must have come down first to help those people escape.

Moreover, there had been casualties in other buildings of this company due to me, and even the intruders here were because of me. Regardless of whether the government turned a blind eye, federal agencies or companies had to care about public opinion at least. They probably conducted evacuation drills, even if only for show.

James had anticipated the need for such drills.

“You must have thought it was enough. With so many troops hidden here, you could mobilize the monsters as soon as you arrived, right?”

Emphasizing that it was all because of me, James seemed to want to see my reaction.

The circuits began to react to my energy.

The restraints that had been holding the monsters firmly soon turned into armor enhancing their strength, releasing the monsters.

Although I managed to carry out the plan to the end, I almost achieved nothing and was almost caught.

“People who only think with their heads don’t understand the variables on the ground. They believe the world will unfold as they predict with their smart brains and come up with ‘neat’ ways to handle various variables… Well, variables that suit my taste don’t always pop up.”

I stared at James intently.

He looked quite proud somewhere.

Come to think of it, James, despite being a high-ranking executive in this main office, always came out to lead the frontline troops directly.

I had thought he was just blinded by ambition, but it seemed there was more to it.

After all, if you didn’t supervise your subordinates, who were merely hired hands, they might not do their job properly unless someone oversaw them.

If there had been at least one person here who knew how to think, the plan would have been much more difficult.

Perhaps even destroying the broadcasting room.

“Well, the job is finished like this. All that’s left is to escape…”

James’s gaze shifted behind me.

“Before that, is there anything you’d like to discuss? It seems like you don’t intend to attack. We might have a few minutes to spare.”

“…”

Right.

I realized I hadn’t consciously turned around.

Hayoon was standing behind me. While my face was visible on screen, Hayoon’s face was not. She happened to be positioned slightly behind me.

Hayoon had come to help me. Other magical girls who followed her did too.

Why?

I still couldn’t quite grasp it. From the perspective of a magical girl, I must have been a terrorist who needed to be captured.

No, wait.

The magical girls were also present. It should have been easy for them to deduce that it wasn’t my doing.

So, the only remaining reason was that they acted for the Federation.

I hadn’t actively protested to anyone, nor had anyone moved for my sake before. So why was today different?

Not knowing the answer made me afraid to look back at Hayoon.

What would she think if she saw my face?

What expression would she make while looking at me?

I… am not ready to accept everything yet. Even if Hajoon suddenly treats me warmly here—even though I wanted that too—

—At the same time, I didn’t want to accept it right away.

I wanted to get angry a little more. I wanted to run wild. I wanted to hate those who hated me.

It was a desperate situation, but ironically, I felt free as I raged within it. I didn’t have to think at all when swinging the hammer.

Hayoon was waiting.

Without bothering to call my name or turning away in disappointment, she stood there, hoping I would look her way.

Should I run away like this?

Just like I’ve done so far.

But I knew that wasn’t an option.

I saw James.

James was smiling, twisting his lips. He seemed to be contemplating seriously, with a choice of “turning back” in front of him, looking at me who was irritated and in pain.

Isn’t he the guy who enjoys seeing me annoyed and in pain? Because he’s a sadist in a hamster-themed world.

Annoyed by his expression, I turned away.

There was Hayoon over there.

The other magical girls were not visible.

They probably haven’t left yet. They’re probably just waiting for us to finish our conversation.

More precisely, they are waiting as Hayoon wishes.

“….”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

And then I opened my eyes.

In front of me, there was Hayoon.

She was a mess. Perhaps even worse off than me. Torn here and there, bleeding, but Hayoon was standing there.

Standing, looking at me.

What should I say?

Should I thank her? Amidst my various emotional mistakes, being able to be here, to achieve my goal, was thanks to Hayoon and the magical girls.

Even if she hadn’t left, could I have defeated so many monsters alone? Could I have complained on air about being wronged and issued warnings?

No, I probably couldn’t have.

Whether I went to the orphanage or not, I probably would have failed.

It was because Hayoon and her colleagues came here that I succeeded. Without asking what I was trying to do, they just came and helped.

But still.

I couldn’t bring myself to say thank you. The words just wouldn’t come out as if stuck in my throat.

Instead.

“….Why?”

I ended up asking that question.

Not out of embarrassment, not because the situation was awkward—those weren’t the reasons.

I truly didn’t know.

“Why did you help?”

At my question, Hayoon’s expression faltered slightly.

“I am your enemy, after all.”

Right. The reason the magical girls came here is probably to arrest me. Otherwise, there would be no reason for them to come.

These kids didn’t know that monsters were hidden on this top floor.

“You are under the Galactic Federation. So… shouldn’t you refrain from helping me with this?”

My warning wasn’t just directed at the chairman of this company.

Those who pushed me this far. Whether government officials or federal agents. I couldn’t fix everything, but I wanted to at least give those higher-ups a taste of their own medicine.

And the magical girls exist to prevent such things from happening.

“Why? Why go this far?”

“….”

Hayoon’s gaze dropped.

I didn’t wish for that.

I wished she had explained a bit more properly.

I envied her, supporting people for the sake of justice in any situation.

Not just despair, but also using a wonderful power that suits a protagonist of hope.

I often thought how nice it would be if I were born as Hayoon without such parents.

And that’s why I wanted to win.

Not to cause harm, but…

So, I hoped she would explain properly, without beating around the bush.

Because I couldn’t do it.

If only Hayoon would speak first.

It would be fine. Saying, “From now on, I will act for you. Let’s destroy all those Galactic Federation guys together. I will help you seek revenge.”

It would have been great if she said that.

But Hayoon didn’t choose either of those two options.

Silently bowing her head towards me, she offered something.

It was a communicator.

The same communicator I saw when we caught the alien stalker with Hayoon last time.

“Oh.”

James, who had been watching me and Hayoon, made an interesting remark.

“Why?”

Hayoon couldn’t easily come up with a response to that question.

The reason was simple.

It was because the other person was Ji-eun.

So, if it had been someone else in Ji-eun’s place, would she have acted the same way?

If it had been someone other than Ji-eun on the top floor, and that person had been in the same situation as Ji-eun, would Hayoon not have helped them?

No. She would have helped. Definitely.

But at the same time, she might not have known what to say to convince that person.

Operating in this manner brings no benefit. In the end, all it leads to is self-destruction.

Rather, she would help. She would support them until the end, ensuring the best possible outcome. Let’s do this together.

… It was an impossible story for Ji-eun.

An obvious story.

Because she couldn’t understand that person’s heart. She couldn’t empathize deeply because she didn’t see that person’s circumstances through to the end.

To Hayoon, Ji-eun wasn’t that kind of person.

What kind of food she liked. What they did when they met outside on holidays. What menu items she usually ordered at cafes, and what kind of streets she liked.

How she looked when she was happy. How she smiled. What habits she had when holding back tears while watching a sad movie.

When walking beside Hayoon, Ji-eun didn’t necessarily hold hands or link arms.

But she felt closer to Ji-eun than to those who naturally engaged in such behavior.

It was because it was that comfortable.

She knew.

Even if they didn’t hold hands now, even if they didn’t link arms, she knew that Ji-eun didn’t mind walking together. She thought being with Hayoon was enjoyable, she knew—

So, words like what’s right, what’s wrong, justice, and so on, crumble before the reasons.

No matter how similar they looked, no matter how similar their pasts and reasons were, Hayoon couldn’t treat that same person like she treated Ji-eun.

Because she didn’t know all those facts.

She couldn’t even fathom feeling pain in her heart whenever she thought of Ji-eun.

That’s why she couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

Ji-eun’s expression seemed to be warning her not to.

… Did she mention self-destruction?

Ji-eun’s life had already shattered into pieces. Everything had ended, to the point where it was uncertain whether things could ever return to normal. Hayoon keenly felt this fact. If it had been someone else, she wouldn’t have been able to understand why things had ended midway.

If it was already destroyed, what more could there be to destroy? Ji-eun could only move towards the end.

It felt like tears would burst forth if she opened her mouth.

Because she knew that she was the one who had ruined the life of her closest and most precious friend.

She couldn’t possibly be forgiven with just saying she didn’t know.

“….”

Ji-eun was kind.

Even now, while holding back tears, she asked Hayoon what all her actions meant until now and why she was acting this way now.

She wanted to apologize.

But would that be okay?

Would it seem like she was trying to resolve that painful time with just one word of apology?

During that time, Hayoon couldn’t even imagine how Ji-eun had lived. Where she had hidden, what she had eaten, how she had slept and washed.

Any thought was the worst.

Because she could never have lived comfortably in a good home, enjoying everything.

… Like Hayoon, she could never have lived.

Unable to go to school, unable to meet anyone other than family.

Would it be okay to apologize without knowing any of these things?

In the end, the choice available to Hayoon was nothing at all.

Hayoon reached out her hand.

It was a communicator. Something Hayoon always carried with her. When magical girls faced danger. Or when the Federation had tasks for them. They could communicate using this device.

And after reaching out her hand, she realized how foolish an act it was.

The communicator contained location information. It was used to call each other, so it was natural.

Wasn’t giving this to Ji-eun a form of surveillance in a way?

But…

“Oh.”

That’s how James reacted.

“Let’s take that.”

Upon hearing James’ words, I turned around as if to ask, “What do you mean?”

It’s a communicator. Isn’t it obvious that it can be tracked?

“If we put it in a spatial area, tracking will be impossible. Even if it were possible, at least it wouldn’t be where they are.”

That… isn’t exactly wrong.

Actually, I don’t exactly know what that space is. It might not even be a void space but just something hidden somewhere in the vast universe.

At least so far, I haven’t been zapped by cosmic radiation when opening it, so it shouldn’t be that dangerous.

“And, if it’s a tracking device, I can remove it. While ensuring that you can still receive calls. If we bypass several networks, they won’t be able to track us immediately.”

That guy really is a jack-of-all-trades.

Well, all the equipment I’ve used so far has been made by him.

“….”

I turned back to look at Ha Yooni.

Ha Yooni was still bowing deeply, holding out the communicator towards me.

I reached out and took the communicator.

It was a plain plastic button.

After fiddling with it for a moment, I looked back at Ha Yooni.

I should thank her.

But the words didn’t come out of my mouth.

“So….”

Instead, I thought a bit and spoke the next words.

“Now, what are we going to do?”

Ha Yooni probably wants to ask me too.

In fact, I had no answer to such a question. I really have no plan now.

I thought it might end here, which is why I even said goodbye to Pang Pang.

Feeling scared standing there without being able to give a proper answer, I might have brought up that topic first.

“I….”

Ha Yooni opened her mouth.

Ha Yooni, who occasionally showed a weak expression in front of me. When people deliberately ignored her, when she received the attention of someone who seemed uninterested, when everyone’s gaze was on her.

But that was Ha Yooni’s everyday appearance.

When Ha Yooni wore her magical girl outfit, she always sparkled. Even after a tough fight, she smiled and looked at people, always confident.

I had only seen that side of Ha Yooni on TV. We had met many times in battles, but I always ended up losing and running away.

Watching her, I always felt jealous.

So I didn’t like it.

But I didn’t say anything. My feelings were not pleasant either. It’s because it’s a mind that’s too self-centered.

… As always, what I disliked the most was that things didn’t go my way.

“I will do what I can.”

Ha Yooni said that while raising her head.

And finally, she looked straight at me.

“….”

Sparkling eyes.

She wasn’t smiling, but her eyes were strong as she looked at me.

Those eyes were the same as the ones I faced in battle with Ha Yooni.

“….Okay.”

I replied like that.

I took a step back.

The sound of drones flying could be heard. It seems like they were preparing while we were talking.

Should I say goodbye?

Should I say let’s meet again?

Thinking about it, I decided to just keep looking at Ha Yooni until the end.

*

“….Are you okay?”

As Jieun stared blankly at the disappearing figure, a voice came from behind.

It was Rose.

“….Yes.”

Although she hesitated when Jieun asked for help, she was the one who eventually followed and helped.

Not just Rose, but everyone else too.

“You’ll probably face criticism.”

“….I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need for you to apologize.”

After Rose responded, she stayed silent for a moment before speaking again.

“If you had said it from the beginning, this situation wouldn’t have arisen.”

None of the people here dared to deny that statement.