episode_0077

It’s lunchtime at Easty Academy. Tachibana and Mirai are walking happily to the guild.

I checked all the suggestions yesterday, so there’s nothing that needs to be done right away today.

“Why didn’t you call me! You’re not a complete stranger… I know you already!”

“That’s something you should ask the person involved.”

Tachibana, who heard about what happened last night, grumbled and forced himself to do something, even though he knew full well that he had no justification for doing so.

As expected, it was as expected. Although it didn’t deal any damage to Mirae.

“Anyway! I’m upset! Mirae Yang is upset!”

“I see.”

Tachibana follows the future closely.

The future frowned as if Tachibana was really annoying, and she gradually increased her walking speed.

“What were you doing in the first place? You were constantly watching in the park.”

Tachibana wasn’t always watching. At least, most of the time, he didn’t feel the gaze of others.

But there was a possibility that he might be suddenly watched from somewhere. This was a fact that even Tachibana himself could not deny.

“I’m going to do something else for a moment… .”

Actually, I didn’t even deny it.

The future also didn’t necessarily reprimand Tachibana.

It’s not that I don’t want to do it, I’m just so excited that I can’t even think about doing it.

“That’s more important than Mom. Yeah, that’s about it. If you know, then step back.”

A look of shock spread across Tachibana’s face as he watched Mirae absentmindedly waving her hand, saying it was annoying.

“The future sheep is… more, more, more of a landmine girl than I thought.”

He said it with a smile as if it were a joke, but in fact he was half serious.

If there had been no connection to the future in the first place, the word ‘mine girl’ would never have come to mind.

“Mine Girl… ?”

It was a somewhat unfamiliar word to Mirae, who spent every day thinking of her mother.

I wasn’t really interested in games, let alone things like surfing the internet.

“This is a woman who feels dangerous the closer you get, like a landmine that will explode if you step on it.”

For Mirae, who had no idea what was going on, Tachibana added a friendly explanation.

Mine girl.

A person who appears to have no problems on the outside, but who actually has many problems once you start dating them. This word was created because their form is similar to a landmine that you cannot know until you step on it.

“Isn’t that what you do to Haru Unnie? Saying things like, “Is that all your mom loves you?” and pushing Haru Unnie into a dead end. And then you just groan and suffer alone until you burst! and start crying and making Haru Unnie suffer.”

The examples are so detailed and vivid that it’s surprising.

Tachibana gave an example to make the future easier to understand.

“Oh, that wasn’t it.”

Mirae, who had a stinging corner, walked faster and moved away from Tachibana.

It’s half fabricated. In the end, it’s all just Tachibana’s delusion.

But the future was nothing but a pitiful denial.

My mom said something similar, saying that I was a bothersome woman… There are definitely a lot of things I need to reflect on… .

“Huhhh… .”

“… … .”

Tachibana looked at her with suspicion, and Mirai avoided eye contact, eventually distorting her face.

As usual, it wasn’t because Tachibana’s nagging was annoying.

It was a sad face. It was the first time Tachibana had seen the weak face of the future.

Of course, there’s no way Mirae’s confession would have gone smoothly. Both Haru and Mirae must have suffered mentally, and the process certainly wasn’t smooth.

“Well, in the end, it’s candy that I have to give to my older sister Haru, so in a way, you could say it’s an important thing.”

As someone who had chosen the same destination, Tachibana was able to vaguely see what was on his mind in the future, and he brightened the mood with a refreshing smile.

“White Day is coming soon, right?”

When Tachibana put his face in to check Mirai’s expression, Mirai lowered her head and muttered.

“I see… … .”

I had completely forgotten about it. That’s because I never took care of it until now.

The only anniversary I always celebrate is my birthday.

Besides, my mom always carried a handful of candy or chocolate with her, so she didn’t think White Day or Valentine’s Day was that special.

“By the way, next time I should invite everyone. Of course, except for Mirae-yang who keeps talking nonsense.”

When Future’s answer was not very satisfying, Tachibana brought up another topic.

Also, Mirai’s thoughts, who were seriously thinking about what to prepare for White Day, followed Tachibana’s voice.

“Who is included in all of them?”

“First of all, with my older sister… … .”

Tachibana’s lips, which had been chattering as if he was fantasizing about something pleasant, were now tightly shut.

Because it wasn’t easy to think of someone I was close enough to invite to my home.

“There’s only mom.”

“Mirae Yang’s aunt, senior Na-rin, the scary-looking older sister. And Seo-hu’s family. Because Haru said she was indebted to me.”

Of course, what do you think?

In fact, it wouldn’t have mattered if Tachibana had only come for one day, but that wasn’t the point right now.

A future where we feel alienated and discouraged.

Tachibana just wanted to see that kind of future.

“Tachibana, not everyone who calls will respond to your invitation.”

But the future knew the people Tachibana had mentioned very well.

First of all, there is a very high chance that Aunt and Sister Hannayeon will not go. Minseohoo will also not want to go, and then naturally the aunt and uncle will also be eliminated.

At best, it’s just my sisters and my mother, but if that happens, there’ll be no room for Tachibana.

Mom, who goes to an unfamiliar place, will stick to Hannayeon unnie. In that respect, she can trust and rely on Hannayeon unnie. Of course, she doesn’t like it.

“Hmm… definitely. But still, my goal is Haru Unnie after all.”

It’s a shame we didn’t get to see the future in such a dispirited state, but there’s no need to put too much meaning into a joke thrown out for a momentary amusement.

Haven’t we already achieved our goal? We’ve also received a clear promise from the future.

Tachibana continued walking with a smile on his face.

The future can be unpredictable.

The future is an achievement that cannot be achieved even if you work hard for your entire life.

Because that was what remained for Tachibana.

* * *

“What should I do while I’m sleeping? I guess he must’ve been tired because he fell asleep as soon as lunch time came.”

Upon arriving at the guild, Mirai and Tachibana headed straight to Haru’s seat.

At the same time, I ran into Im Seul-gi, who had just brought a blanket from the break room, and I was able to hear a general outline of the situation.

“I’ll do it. Thank you.”

“Yeah, it’s nothing.”

Mirae, who received a blanket from Im Seul-gi, covered Haru with the blanket as carefully as possible in case he woke up.

Aren’t you the one who made your mom suffer from sleep deprivation?

From the day before yesterday to yesterday. Mirae, who saw her mother sleeping happily with her cheek on her arm, took a step back with a bitter smile on her lips.

Let’s go back now for today. I didn’t come here for important business.

“Oh, the younger sibling of Senior Haru that I only heard about! He really exists… .”

Just as Mirae was about to turn around, her eyes met with Kim Min-ji’s, who was getting up to go eat lunch.

Mom’s junior?

I don’t know why I was suspicious of my younger brother, but I couldn’t be rude to him since he was related to my mother.

“Hello… .”

While Mirai was doing that, Tachibana returned to Haru without a trace.

“Sister Haru is sleeping… .”

Eyelashes that were gently drooping. Pure white cheeks without a single blemish despite the complete absence of makeup. Thin black hair that covered it all.

More than anything, the cute lips that seemed to have a vivid color all by themselves made the blood of the clan that Tachibana was trying to suppress boil.

Of course, I didn’t like him because of his looks.

The day Tachibana first met Haru, all he saw from the child who ran away from home was kindness.

But there was no denying that her looks were also a great advantage.

Tachibana took out his cell phone as if possessed by something and started taking pictures of Haru’s sleeping face from various angles.

There is no camera sound, nor is there a flash.

One sheet, two sheets.

“Um… .”

Feeling frustrated with the usual filming, Tachibana soon began to film continuously, frantically, all day long.

But I don’t like continuous shooting either.

Of course, Haru’s beauty was beautifully captured from any angle, but the image of her lips quivering in sleep was not captured properly.

Tachibana tried shooting a video for the last time.

Then, as the blood flow increased, my heart began to pound violently.

It feels different from the photo. It feels like I’m doing something bad…

That would be the case, as there is a video recording of Haru’s disheveled appearance… .

“That’s a crime. Erase it.”

“Whoaaah?!”

Cheolpereok─

A cell phone lying perfectly flat on the gray tiles of the guild lobby.

The voice from the future came out of nowhere, and because it used the word crime, Tachibana, who was already feeling guilty, lost his phone.

“Is it broken?”

“Whoa… It’s not just broken… .”

Tachibana picked up the cell phone and let out a voice full of shock.

A broken phone is nothing to worry about. It’s just that it was so bad that I was genuinely shocked.

The engraved patterns were messy, like multiple spider webs overlapping each other. If I touched it, it felt like the liquid crystal fragments would dig into my skin.

Even the phone screen doesn’t turn on.

“I got punished.”

“This, can this be recovered? All I’ve collected so far… .”

Tachibana was crying and struggling, and Mirae asked in a low voice, furrowing her eyebrows.

“What did you collect?”

“Oh, it’s nothing!”

Tachibana stepped back hesitantly, hiding his cell phone behind his back.

“Give it to me.”

The siege is tightening.

When Tachibana, backed up against the wall, swallows dry saliva.

“Huh… Huh? When did you come?”

Haru raised his head, rubbing his eyes.

“Onee-chan! Mirae-yang keeps making life miserable…!”

Tachibana placed his cell phone next to Haru so that Mirae wouldn’t take it away, and hugged Haru’s neck with both arms, filling him with selfishness.

“The future…? Hey, who is our good future making life miserable?”

One day, unable to push away or accept Tachibana like that, he just smiled awkwardly in an awkward posture.

Then he stopped.

I found the cell phone that Tachibana had left behind.

“But why is your cell phone like that?”

He tilted his head and looked at Mirai and Tachibana.

At that moment, Tachibana’s head began to spin rapidly.

“Ah, ahh! That’s perfect timing. Let’s buy a cell phone together this weekend! I want to change it to the one that Haru unnie picks out.”

Turning crisis into opportunity.

In retrospect, it was impossible for data to be recovered in this day and age. Still, just in case, Tachibana decided to back up to the cloud from now on, and continued speaking in a sly voice.

“And I register Haru unnie’s number first. I take a picture first… and I fill up my text messages… and my phone records… with Haru unnie only… .”

The once clear voice gradually becomes muffled and sticky.

“Then let’s do that… . You came all this way… but I’m so sleepy… .”

If it were a normal day, I would have been terrified, but now I was so sleepy that nothing entered my head.

“That… Go buy lunch with Hanna Yeon… Wait a minute… .”

One day, I rummaged through my bag and handed the kids a 50,000 won note.

We came to have lunch together. It was nice to see each other… .

“I’ll go to school after work… See you later… .”

One day, muttering like that, I headed towards dreamland.

At the same time, an ominous atmosphere surrounds the surroundings.

Mirae, who had been standing still, suddenly took out her cell phone.

“Miss Mirae, didn’t you say that taking pictures is a crime?”

“… … .”

There was no excuse. If it had been normal, I would have said it was okay since we were family, but now, it wasn’t the time for me to do that.

◦Please send me %◦”

“… Okay.”

Mirai and Tachibana eventually returned to school when lunch was almost over.

One day, I got some much-needed sleep and the two children indulged their desires.

Today was a satisfying lunch for everyone.

“Chef Hanna Yeon, friends are like that. They exist and then they don’t exist… Are you listening right now?”

“Yeah… What… .”

Except for one person who had to be indoctrinated with negative values about friends even at work.