episode_0073

My legs are shaking.

I barely managed to get down from the gyro drop while holding onto Anna’s shoulder.

Unlike me whose face had turned pale, the two siblings’ expressions were normal.

“You guys… aren’t you scared?”

“It’s child’s play compared to airborne training.”

“It’s nothing compared to my dad’s plane.”

I closed my eyes tightly.

How did I end up with these two monsters…

While I was lamenting, Ji-hoo grabbed my T-shirt.

He points straight to the next destination with his finger.

“Roller coaster…?”

You can tell at a glance that the downhill slope is quite steep.

“That sounds fun.”

“I agree. The slope is quite steep.”

Anna also nods.

The two of them drag me towards the roller coaster as if they were planning to do something together.

“Wait a minute, guys, I think I’m going to throw up…”

When I came to my senses, I was already on the roller coaster.

As we board the wyvern-shaped train, a female staff member greets us with a bright smile.

“Welcome aboard our Wyvern Train…”

The staff explained how fast this train is compared to other roller coasters.

It’s so fast that they tell you to put your hat and belongings aside.

“Well, I hope you have a good time. Let’s live and see each other.”

wait a minute.

Want to see it live?

“—!”

As the staff finished speaking, the train started to rattle like crazy.

Then Anna crossed her arms and looked straight ahead.

The same goes for Ji-hoo, who sits next to me.

The child also stared straight ahead and folded her arms like Anna.

It keeps going up.

As I get closer to the peak, my heart rate gets louder.

I held Ji-hoo’s hand tightly with trembling hands.

“Okay, it’s okay. It’ll be safe! If anything happens, I’ll protect you.”

Anna looks at me pitifully as I stutter.

She shook her head and looked forward again.

“—.”

Soon the roller coaster reached the top of the rail.

It’s so high that the air is cold and the people below look like dwarfs.

I tried to swallow deeply.

But, at that moment.

“—!!!”

The roller coaster started to fall at a crazy speed.

Thanks to that, I screamed like I’d never screamed before in my life.

The child’s hand was so clasped that it almost broke.

The insanely fast speed and the twisting rails make your sides twist.

The saliva I was trying to swallow just flew out, and I ended up getting a spit-up.

As the creaking continues, the rail climbs uphill again.

And then I start running my last sprint as if to end my life.

My head is twisted in all directions like a doll.

By the time my neck was ragged, the train had barely reached its destination.

“Thank you for your hard work-!!”

The employee we saw earlier welcomed our return.

The passengers got off the train, chatting about how much fun the roller coaster was.

It was the same for Anna and Ji-hoo.

But… I was still stuck to the rails.

I absolutely can’t get up.

Drool flows from his mouth and the squirrel ears on his head dangle.

The staff gave us a photo as we were the last ones to get off.

This is our face taken on the train.

I stuck out my tongue when I saw that.

These crazy siblings don’t show any change in their expressions even when they fall.

He just stands there with his arms crossed and stares blankly ahead.

Only my face is completely distorted, as if I’ve been to hell.

It feels like I’m facing the storms of time alone…

“Are you guys really crazy?”

“What? It’s more comfortable than swimming in the waves.”

“It’s similar to when my dad carried me and ran.”

Even if Anna is like that, what kind of person is Ji-hoo’s father…

The child points his finger at my face.

“You’re ugly.”

“Sure.”

The two siblings look at my face in the photo and scold me.

Seriously, you guys are abnormal…

We each shared a photo.

“My throat is really parched. Ta-.”

I opened my bag.

And then I took out the ramune that hadn’t been poured yet.

Ji-hoo, with his blue eyes like a bottle, stares at the sight.

“Want to drink?”

I handed over the ramune and wiped my lips with the back of my hand.

Then the little boy looked around holding the blue bottle.

“Isn’t the color amazing?”

Ji-hoo nods to my question.

“How about opening it yourself?”

Ji-hoo opened the lid.

And naturally, I put the bottle in my mouth.

But no matter how long I waited, the refreshing soda never came.

I bent my knees for him like that.

And he kindly explains with his fingers.

“Now, look. Do you see the open cork?”

“There’s a sharp part on the stopper. If you press it, the marble that was blocking it will fall out.”

Ji-hoo did as I said and put the cork right into the bottle.

But the firmly embedded bead did not even waver.

“How about doing it yourself?”

Anna says indifferently, as if she is bored.

But I shook my head.

“Why- You have to try this yourself. If you succeed, it’ll be a great pleasure.”

I clench both hands and cheer for Ji-hoo.

Ji-hoo pressed hard enough that his cheeks bulged.

And finally…

“—!”

“That’s right- I did it!”

Bubbles rise from the drink.

He pressed so hard that the carbonation overflowed and even wet Ji-hoo’s hands.

“Oh my, it’s going to be sticky.”

I quickly took out some wet tissues from my bag.

And then he looks at Jihu with concern, surprised.

but…

Ji-hoo’s expression was completely different from what we expected.

He smiled faintly, perhaps pleased with having accomplished something on his own.

He, who had never laughed before at a gyro drop or a roller coaster, laughed at just one drink.

Anna looked down at me as I wiped the child’s hands.

I found myself nodding my head at the sight of them looking like mother and son.

“How is it? It tastes good? It tastes even better when you achieve it yourself.”

Ji-hoo smiled and nodded.

And he tried to give me back the bottle he had drunk from.

“It’s okay. I’ll give it to you as a gift.”

I stroked the child’s forehead.

Then Ji-hoo looked up at me with bright eyes.

“Why? What’s on my face?”

Ji-hoo shook his head subtly after hearing my question.

Then he took out his phone and typed out a text message.

“No, I’m not ugly right now.”

I chuckled at the child’s words.

I spoke to the child softly, my eyes slightly open.

“I’m not that ugly either.”

It’s because the kids around me are so pretty.

I held the child’s hand.

And even if Anna doesn’t come out, we hold hands.

“Now, let’s go. We have to go find our parents.”

Anna carried my bag for me.

And we headed to the missing person’s shelter together like a family.

The shelter roof is visible beyond the horizon.

Soon we find a woman fidgeting in front of the building.

Beautiful appearance with long black hair.

Anyone who saw it could tell right away that she was Ji-hoo’s mother.

“Jihu…!”

The mother recognized her son from a distance.

She comes running towards us in a hurry.

“Where on earth did you go! Mom and Dad searched for you for so long…”

The child was hugged without saying a word.

Then I write a letter and show it to my mom.

“I was lost, but these ladies helped me.”

“Yeah…?”

My mother looked up at us immediately after reading the text.

She greets us politely and thanks us over and over again.

I smiled awkwardly and waved my hand.

Ji-hoo had many secrets, but I decided to pretend I didn’t know.

At the sound of mother’s loud voice, father also came out.

But his appearance is somehow… familiar.

Unmanaged unkempt hair.

A friendly man-to-man and jeans look, like an uncle.

But I could immediately remember his clear and intense eyes.

“Chi… Chief of Police?”

Dae-eun’s face darkened seriously when she saw us.

He never thought he would see a level 1 criminal in a place like this, and in front of his son.

“…”

His steps gradually quicken.

The ranker ran quickly to his wife and son.

“Anna… and that hostage from back then.”

He prepared to fight straight away to protect his family.

His wife looks puzzled at the sight.

“Honey…what’s wrong?”

“You step back.”

“Back off. They said they found our son.”

You found my son…?

He frowned at the unexpected words.

And he asks us with an indifferent face.

“What the hell is this?”

I opened my mouth first for the sake of the blunt Anna.

“That’s right. Your son was lost and wandering, so we brought him here.”

Ji-hoo wrote a text message on his cell phone and showed it to his father.

The ranker’s eyebrows twitched as he read the contents.

“That’s right, my sisters brought me here. They even gave me drinks.”

The child shook the ramune I gave him and smiled.

Dae-eun’s eyes widen when she sees his smile.

He is a son who never even smiled in his life.

But now it’s even funny.

Dae-eun raises her head and looks at the two of us.

I smile awkwardly and tell him.

“Your son is really handsome. Who does he resemble… haha.”

Despite my compliments, he still didn’t relax.

Dae-eun takes a deep breath and asks me.

“Why did you come here? And with that villain…”

“Why, we came to play too.”

“Were they really in cahoots? Or, Stockholm syndrome?”

“That’s not it…”

I’m not sure how to explain it.

If you think about it, hanging out with Anna is a dangerous thing to do, from a common sense perspective.

But before I knew it, I… became so used to being with her.

Now we’re comfortable together.

“You didn’t feed your son anything weird, did you?”

“Yes. I bought that drink here too.”

I pointed to the Ramune with the amusement park sticker on it.

Even the chief of police could only feel relieved after seeing that.

“Let’s give it a special treat today.”

“Are you touched by our good deeds?”

Anna accepts his words expressionlessly.

There’s really no way things will go well for us, Anna…

“Don’t get me wrong. I just don’t want to see blood in front of my son.”

“You too, be careful. I don’t know why you’re hanging out with that piece of human trash, but… you’ll definitely regret it.”

The sheriff gave me a sharp warning.

And then he leisurely left with his family.

On his way out, Ji-hoo suddenly turned his head.

And waved at us.

But that hand is soon stopped by his father.

Because of that, I could only stare blankly at the child’s back.

Human garbage… Regret…

I looked up at Anna blankly.

Her expression didn’t change at all despite the harsh words.

But I could tell.

That she’s not feeling very well.

I could just tell by feeling.

“Let’s go.”

Anna said firmly.

And then I turned my head first and headed towards the parking lot.

“Anna, just a moment…”

I stopped her.

“Are you going home feeling awkward like this?”

“…”

I smiled at her, who seemed to be in a bad mood.

And then he gently grabbed the killer’s arm.

“There are still highlights left.”

“—.”

A red sun hung on the horizon.

A sky dripping with lava.

I gazed at the beautiful sight from inside the Ferris wheel.

But Anna’s gaze was not directed outward.

She looks at me and asks softly.

“Why?”

She, who said she had no feelings, suddenly asked me how I felt.

I tilted my head.

“What?”

“I’m a dangerous person, just like he said. So why are you being nice to me?”

I chuckled and shook my head.

And he muttered with his head tilted back.

“That’s right-. Why are you being so nice to bad kids-.”

Actually, there was no big reason.

At first, I felt sympathy.

And the second is… a strange sense of kinship.

She had been longing for the love of someone she trusted like me.

And that love was cruelly abandoned.

“—.”

It was extremely quiet inside the reading car.

I looked at Anna, who was sitting across from me.

A blank-faced Russian woman.

A woman with white hair and white eyes and an angelic appearance who killed countless people.

The woman looks at me.

I’m sure she wanted to kill me too.

But right now, at this moment.

She asks me another question, not about life or death.

“Don’t you regret being with me?”

“Regret?”

I’ve heard it somewhere.

Those two words magically warmed my heart.

“Because of me, I got kidnapped… and jumped from a tall building… it was hard.”

She, who said she had no feelings, worries about me.

Looking back on everything that has happened so far.

“…”

I couldn’t answer that question readily.

I just look at the beautiful red sunset from afar.

This question…

I’ve done it to someone too.

And that person has also been through many hardships because of me.

Every time that happened, that person would say something to me.

I ran my fingers through my sticking out hair.

After a while, he turned to the side and smiled brightly.

“No, I don’t regret it.”

“…”

Anna’s eyes, bathed in the glow of sunset, tremble.

She immediately got up from her seat.

And then it comes to me very slowly.

I was frozen by her impulsive behavior.

Soon Anna’s breath gradually gets closer.

Her soft lips collide with my cheek.

I lost my mind because of the thrilling sensation.

“Your sister used to express her affection like this.”

The killer whispered in my ear.

And then he continued in a soft voice.

“Thank you for today.”

I stared blankly at Anna.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her for a while.

Because Anna, who was looking at me, smiled at me.

“—.”

The whole world went dark.

I walked back to my apartment alone.

There was so much going on today.

I also met the chief constable and his son, and spent a long day with Anna.

It’s so hard to climb stairs that my legs start to shake.

Well, still…

Thanks to that, I was able to quickly shake off the memories I wanted to forget.

I’m so tired that I think I can fall asleep comfortably without thinking about anything.

I chuckled and headed down the apartment hallway.

but…

Any hope of falling asleep comfortably soon disappeared completely.

Because there was someone standing in front of my house.

And I knew right away who it was.

Black, beautiful hair.

And… dangerously beautiful red eyes.

My heart is pounding.

My whole body automatically feels goosebumps.

A redneck, his suit jacket draped over his elbows, was leaning against the front door of our house.

Soon her red eyes meet mine.

At that moment, my breathing also began to quicken.