episode_0070

If the evil spirit Yoon Jiyu’s deceitful trap was a series of understandable situations, then today was a well-orchestrated play from start to finish.

But was today’s events all just a well-constructed act?

Even her father joining in on the scheme?

No matter how much they are family, or share similar genes, thinking about Yoon Jiyu and Yoon Jichang not being able to kill each other without hesitation…

“It’s definitely not a well-constructed act.”

That means Yoon Jiyu’s current appearance is close to the truth.

However, this is assuming that she really had a younger sister.

“I’ve never heard of it before.”

If there really was a younger sister, there’s no way Yoon Jichang, that lying scoundrel, wouldn’t have said a word. He would have let slip at least one small clue.

But you never know.

Even if it’s from someone you dislike, when you come across confusing information, you must always cross-check. I don’t want to fall into the trap of confirmation bias just because of hatred.

“After the performance, I’ll have to ask.”

Before that, let’s dig up more information about Yoon Jiyu.

The more information, the better.

Especially when it comes to targets for revenge.

Even if it’s not needed right away, if you store it up and use it when necessary, that’s the power of information.

And maybe the younger sister could be Yoon Jiyu’s weakness.

It could help keep Siwoo safe.

“Do you have… a picture?”

“Oh. A sister? I do… have one.”

Yoon Jiyu stared at me intently, covering her mouth with her hand.

Is that hand to hide her expression?

Or is she just pondering?

“Can you keep a secret?”

Thinking she might be having a daydream, I discreetly pinched my thigh, but it just hurt.

Yoon Jiyu’s bizarre behavior continued to the point of absurdity.

I felt like I didn’t know so much.

“Was it the piano?”

Was it because I was so immersed in the piano without knowing how to surpass my limits that everything went wrong?

Was the moment I thought it was too late actually the fastest?

Even though I knew how to solve the problem, did I pretend not to know?

Because I didn’t want to stray from playing the piano.

Maybe the piano was like a drug to me.

I lived without knowing I was so addicted.

“Y-yes!”

“Are you lying?”

“Of course not!”

Yoon Jiyu returned to her usual self, smiling quite relaxed.

“If you try not to keep it, I’ll go to Siwoo, who you like, and tell him everything.”

“No. No… I won’t.”

“Every deal comes with a price. You know that, right?”

I nodded in agreement, feeling like someone who had used everyone they met was speaking, but I couldn’t help but wonder what she was hiding that made her show such an onion-like appearance.

Yoon Jiyu fiddled with her phone and then showed me a photo.

A girl with much longer hair than now, standing so close that their cheeks touched, with a casual brown-haired girl caught my eye. She didn’t look much like Yoon Jiyu, and her features were somewhat similar to Chaewon’s.

The place where the photo was taken was the same as the space I was in now, Yoon Jiyu’s room. The background, the wardrobe, and the heart-shaped mood light on the top shelf were all the same. It seemed like a fairly recent photo.

“When was this… taken?”

“2 years ago.”

“Where is she now…?”

“Right now.”

Yoon Jiyu let out a long sigh and looked up.

… Is she dead?

“Please… don’t do anything bad to her….”

I looked into Yoon Jiyu’s eyes as she gripped my chin.

“My precious sister, please don’t kill her.”

“I-I promise.”

“She’s living in Gangbuk, Seoul right now. It’s quite far from our house.”

“I see.”

But there are still a few things that don’t make sense like this.

Yoon Ji-yoo, why did she talk to me about her younger sibling when we’ve only just met? Even though we’re not that far apart, she speaks as if we haven’t seen each other in ages.

If I didn’t misinterpret it, Yoon Ji-yoo just displayed an attitude as if she was dealing with a real dead person.

“… Just go meet them, right?”

She asked the obvious question with an innocent expression.

The response that came back was surprising.

“You can’t meet them.”

Why can’t I meet my own family… I had this question, but it was quickly resolved by Yoon Ji-yoo’s following words.

“We’re not family anymore.”

***

Contrary to Yoon Ji-yoo’s worries, Mr. Yoon Kwan-chul finished his returning accompaniment and didn’t pay any attention to me.

Look at that. The danger level is even higher for Yoon Ji-yoo.

There’s no way the experiences from my past life were wrong.

“I’ll tell you more when we get closer.”

“Ah, yes… That, that would be good….”

“I’m not saying we’re not close right now. It’s just… this is a very important story to me… so it’s a bit difficult to talk about.”

“It’s okay. Take your time.”

….

But it was a peculiar experience.

She, who had remained as a villain to me, had all these human-like qualities.

Life, it’s going to be a long and eventful journey.

“Chaewon is overflowing with consideration.”

… Of course, there’s also some PTSD involved.

I didn’t expect her to tell the same story she told to my past self to my current self.

But wasn’t it Jung Si-woo who was considered to be the closest to her? I sensed the scent of a kind fool even from my current self. If I completely fall for it, there’s nothing bad on this side.

Anyway, I needed to do a cross-check, so I immediately called Yoon Ji-chang in the evening.

“I only called for Yoon Ji-chang, why are you here?”

A certain nuisance followed along.

“I just wanted to go out. Why, can’t I?”

“Sorry Chaewon. I tried to leave him behind, but he insisted on following.”

In the end, Si-woo made me say things without any hesitation.

This role originally belonged to Yoon Ji-chang. Why are you trying to take that away too, Jung Si-woo?

When I expressed my discomfort, Si-woo came over and whispered to me.

“I just wanted to see your face.”

“Hmph.”

Due to a sudden gust of wind igniting all the delayed fuses of the explosives in the danger storage, I was startled and threw them all outside.

Bang! Crash! Bang, bang!

The storage room shook violently with the sound.

“Why are you trying to fall over all of a sudden?!”

“Ow.”

Thanks to Si-woo catching my stumbling body, this time the storage room itself caught on fire.

If it continues like this, it will explode as soon as the gunpowder is ignited. Put out the fire immediately.

“What… what’s wrong with this guy.”

I took a deep breath and distanced myself from Jung Si-woo.

When I hid behind Yoon Ji-chang, Si-woo gave me a strange look and then started glaring at Yoon Ji-chang for no reason.

I’m sorry to leave the tanking role to the poor otaku, but it can’t be helped. I needed to buy some time.

“Why are you suddenly acting like this…?”

Has there been a change in attitude all of a sudden? He used to avoid me even when I approached him sneakily.

If he doesn’t understand my plea to go back, then he doesn’t want to go back.

Is it because he doesn’t want to be alone with Yoon Ji-chang? It’s a bit pathetic for Song Sung-hyuk to be jealous of Yoon Ji-chang—.

— Ding

He had been tapping on something vigorously with his hands, and then a message came through on KakaoTalk.

I discreetly took out my phone from my waist to check it without Yoon Ji-chang noticing.

— Jung Si-woo: I’ll eat and go back first

— Jung Si-woo: We’ll talk later with Yoon Ji-chang

— Jung Siwoo: It’s even more suspicious if you suddenly turn around as soon as you come.

Not only did he read my inner thoughts, but he also provided a solution.

I felt that the me from three years ago had suddenly grown. I didn’t expect to have grown this much.

At this rate, he will quickly catch up to me. He might even surpass me in the blink of an eye. Thanks to Min Chaewon, a great fertilizer that promotes his growth by my side.

“It’s all thanks to me. That’s right. It’s all thanks to me!”

The best senior in life who promised to guide me on how to be prepared and calm in the future, even on how to overcome the wall of performance. It was possible because I was there.

Jung Siwoo should be grateful. If it weren’t for me, his life would have been as messed up as mine.

Jung Siwoo, who is leading a happy life, will never understand how miserable it will end up.

— Me: Got it.

When he launches such an aggressive offensive, the physical instinct goes crazy.

Trying to persuade him to tell the truth and hold back? Then Siwoo will just take it as ‘Chewon’s real request because he’s embarrassed.’

Anyway, that guy’s already lost his mind, he doesn’t care about my consciousness, whether it’s Siwoo’s or Chaewon’s.

In a way, it’s a critical situation where Siwoo is about to be captured, but the timing is too early. I still haven’t fully recovered all my memories from when I was six years old.

I have to protect the explosives warehouse. I don’t want to break the promise with Chaewon by being captured myself.

“It’s not easy….”

But maybe because I perceive Siwoo as Chaewon, my body reacts more strongly when Siwoo is closer than before. Thanks to that, managing the explosives is not easy.

I hope Siwoo understands my difficulties and voluntarily adjusts the distance.

“He probably noticed roughly today….”

Because it’s me. Because it’s myself, I can’t not know.

If he doesn’t notice, then he’s not Siwoo. I’ll have to hit him on the back of the head.

If he dares to do something similar without realizing it, whether it’s a walk or practice, I will never do it together.

I will run away with the leg strength trained by Strelka’s walk.