episode_0079

24. What’s Left at the End (4)

Everyone’s attention is focused on the stage.

The shocking news that we heard from Seo Yeon-woo, who leads the settlement where they live, and the unbelievable things we saw.

Apparently, the people I was talking to a while ago had this creepy thing in their mouths that they were offering them candy.

A girl crying after a man swallows candy to prove it and turns into a demon, then beheads him.

At the end of that scene, the curtain came down on the stage.

Not long after, the curtain rose again and Seo Yeon-woo appeared.

The image of the man who had become a demon and the crying girl had disappeared.

” I’m sorry to show you this scene. But I couldn’t help it because it was a story that was hard to believe. Do you have any questions? ”

But in the theater, only her words echoed.

” Then… I’ll end it here, assuming there’s no such thing. I’m sorry to tell you such shocking news and scenes again. ”

After she left the stage, there was no one left on the stage.

At that moment, the people in the audience came to their senses and began to stand up from their seats one by one.

The theater where everyone has left.

One person left there.

Leaving a warning to everyone and keeping the sadness

*****

He came down from the stage and sent the old man’s body to where his wife was.

It took a while for Charlotte’s hand to pull away from her father’s, who was crying while holding his head in her arms.

After Charlotte came down from the stage, she just stared blankly into space.

The sight was so heartbreaking that I thought my heart would break.

No, it might have already been torn.

As I was just looking at her, I felt someone tap my shoulder next to me. When I turned around, there was Jinhee.

” Are you still… doing that? ”

” Yeah, it must have been quite… difficult. ”

” But why are you here like this? I need to go and comfort you quickly. ”

” But if I go and comfort you, will you feel better? ”

” Haa, Hyunseok. Isn’t that your girlfriend? If you, as her boyfriend, don’t comfort her, who will? Go quickly! ”

I gained a little courage from Jinhee’s actions of hitting my back and pushing me.

” Thank you, sis. ”

” I just didn’t want to see the guy who beat me looking so depressed. Hurry up and go! ”

” Haha… Sorry about that. ”

” You bad guy! Go! ”

So, pushed by my older sister’s hand, I ended up standing in front of Charlotte.

*****

The old man turned into a demon and quickly cut off his neck.

That feeling… was a feeling I hadn’t felt in a long time.

But I couldn’t remember where on earth I felt that sensation…

Perhaps… it’s one of the memories that disappeared when the evil spirit’s energy took control of my body.

But as for the feel… it seems like my body remembers.

The funny thing is that back then I was a man, and now it’s like I’ve been reborn as a woman.

As I felt an eerie sensation and thought about the old man’s last expression… strangely, the eerie sensation disappeared from my hand.

After that, I was just staring blankly into space, wondering what the old man was thinking at the end, when Hyunseok approached me.

” Charlotte, are you okay? ”

” Huh? ”

” No, because you have that gloomy expression on your face… ”

I wondered if I was feeling depressed when Hyunseok asked while scratching his cheek.

” Did it look like that? ”

” Huh? Yeah. You were just staring into space. ”

” That’s true… but it’s not that depressing or anything. It’s just… ”

” Just? ”

” At the end… the old man had a calm expression on his face. So… I was wondering what he was thinking. ”

Hyunseok slowly sat down next to me and said while placing my head on his shoulder.

” Surely… he must have thought of his wife and daughter who had passed away first? ”

” I guess so… right? ”

” Yeah, you probably thought you’d be able to meet your loved one again. ”

She leaned her face against his shoulder and placed her hand on his chest.

His heart pounding, pounding, pounding, it puts me at ease.

” Charlotte…? ”

He seemed surprised that I suddenly put my hand on his chest.

I just ran my hand from his chest to his face and slowly brought my lips to his.

I decided to kiss him and bury what happened today in a corner of my heart.

So that we can prevent this from happening again in the future.

I loved the look on his face as I slowly pulled my lips away from his.

” Thank you. Thanks to you, I think I can gain strength. ”

” Really? Then… that’s fortunate… ”

He turned his head to the other side as if to hide his blushing face, but it seemed he couldn’t hide the red, ripe ears visible through his hair.

His behavior was so cute that I put my hand to his ear.

” Eww! ”

Hyunseok gets up from his seat and looks at me while touching his ear.

” Hehe, so cute. ”

” What…? ”

” I’m just talking to myself~ Okay, then let’s go do the old man’s favor. ”

” Uh…yeah… ”

I grabbed his hand that was touching his ear and headed towards where the bodies of the old man and his wife were.

Yeonseo and the other people who were already around us seemed to have left first, as if they were considerate enough to leave Hyunseok and I alone.

As we headed outside, it seemed like everyone remaining in the settlement was heading towards the corpse, so we walked among them.

To a place where there are people who need to hold each other’s hands and slowly let each other go.

*****

Where we arrived was a large plaza past the garden on the east side of the museum.

There, people’s corpses were placed on a rock tower that seemed to have been made by Lee Seok-hyeon, and the surrounding area was covered with vines and firewood that seemed to have been made by Yeon-woo.

” It’s finally here! ”

Yeonseo ran over and shouted as if she saw us coming.

” Sorry, did you wait? ”

” No, I came at the perfect time. I just said that because you two were being so playful. ”

” Haha, Yeonseo, you can do it with Seojin too, right? ”

” Ugh… If you say it like that… ”

But the marks on her neck that had not yet disappeared were still noticeable.

He approached her slowly and whispered in her ear.

” I guess it was pretty intense though? Judging by the marks that still remain? ”

” You…you….!! ”

I turned my back on her, who was glaring at me with a blush on her face, and grabbed Hyunseok’s hand as I approached Yeonwoo and the others in front of the tower.

” You’re here? Are you okay now? ”

” Yes, thank you for avoiding that… spot. ”

” No, I was more worried about Yeonseo. ”

” Really? Oh~ I see~ ”

When I said to Yeonseo who came up behind me with a faint smile, ‘Huh! ‘ she went to Seojin and went to another place with Seojin.

‘Did I tease you too much? Lately… teasing Hyunseok and Yeonseo has become so much fun… but why is it like this? ‘

I asked Yeonwoo unnie, thinking that I would apologize when we met later.

” Where is the old man’s body? ”

” This way. Follow me ”

Let’s follow Yeonwoo. There, there was a decapitated body along with the corpse of a woman who had already decayed… The old man was there.

The man’s face, with its calm expression, seemed even more calm because he was next to his wife.

” Sister, shall we start now? ”

” Okay, since everyone is here, I think we can proceed. Please. ”

” Yes. ”

I spread my divine power and made this place a sanctuary.

As they used more of their divine power, pure white light began to surround the tower, causing people to gasp in amazement or crouch down with their hands together in prayer.

Looking at that scene, he made a holy fire and lit it so that it spread from where the old man was. The fire slowly spread and began to burn down the tower.

” It’s quite… fancy yet solemn. ”

Hyunseok let out such sentiments while using the wind to block the flames from spreading to other places.

” Yeah. ”

As the fire soon engulfed the tower, people began to cry here and there.

It is a time to say goodbye to precious family, friends, and lovers.

Those who were talking next to me until yesterday have now become a handful of ashes.

Ashes that scatter and disappear into the distance the moment you touch them.

Everyone here who witnessed that sight will remember.

The time I spent with them burning there, and the time after they left.

*****

After the joint funeral, most of the bereaved family members appear to have decided to remain here.

For them, Yeonwoo decided to use her powers to build a makeshift building and live there, and Lee Seokhyun and Kim Jinseok also stayed behind to protect and help them.

Hyunseok, Jinhee, and I decided to go into the building and rest.

Since arriving at Garam Settlement from Nodeul Island, I had not been able to rest properly, so my body was losing strength and my eyes were slowly closing.

” Then, I’ll go to my room. Hyunseok, take good care of your girlfriend~ Okay? ”

” Okay, go and get some rest, sister. ”

I went into Hyunseok’s room, leaned against him, and jumped into bed.

” Charlotte…? ”

” Ugh… I’m tired. I’m tired… ”

He answered while lying face down on the bed and stamping his feet.

He sat next to me and stroked my head.

” Good job. Really… ”

” Yeah… ”

” But how about washing up and resting first? ”

” Ugh… This is annoying… ”

” I can’t… wash you… ”

” Ugh… Ah… Got it! ”

I quickly got out of bed and went in the direction he pointed.

There, she slowly took off her clothes one by one and touched her flushed cheeks.

He wouldn’t know what I thought when I heard that.

He won’t know that I thought about taking a bath with him for a moment.

‘I’m embarrassed right now… but… the day we can do it together… will come…? ‘