episode_0116

Click!

The digital camera fires a flash.

A gloomy rainy season, dark clouds pouring down rainwater.

Click! Click!

“Is it okay if I take a picture like this?”

Eunbul goes outside without an umbrella and takes pictures of the rainy sky over and over again.

After checking the results captured on the camera, the girl trudged back to the cafe.

6 pm.

It’s time for Eunha and Kang Na-ri to get off work after the day.

Dangling~♪

The doorbell on the door breaks the silence.

The girl brushed herself off like a rabbit and combed her soaked rabbit ears. Their pure white fur is shiny, as if they take good care of it on a regular basis.

Snap!

Eunbangul leaned back against the door and captured the interior of the cafe through the lens.

“Whoa…! I lived really hard today too!”

Just like that, the girl put the camera in her apron pocket,

He twitches his white rabbit ears as if he is thinking of something… and takes a step forward, looking back on his memories one by one.

Bruise… Bruise… Bruise…

One step. One step.

Capturing today’s memories.

I walk in the footsteps she passed by.

I sit down on the chair she was sitting on.

I traced the object she touched, savoring the faint warmth.

‘I grabbed this Merc cup and this handle as well. Then a customer came and stood in front of the counter…’

The girl thinks.

It was easy to remember.

I was only watching her.

Hair stone…

Before leaving work, I enjoyed tea time sitting across from her.

I lower my back on the chair she was sitting on and drink the same coffee she drank.

Eunbangul had her own tea time with a satisfied smile.

… … .

In a cafe that has lost its vitality and is empty of people.

A girl’s unique ritual to end the day.

Proving to myself that I was only watching the galaxy.

As I follow her traces one by one, I feel like my empty heart is overflowing.

At some point, I started following in her footsteps.

‘If Eunha found out, she would hate it, right? ‘You don’t like being burdened.’

It was like that today too.

When the guild scout of [Changcheon Swordsman] came to the cafe,

He had a very burdened face.

Because I am a person who shows everything on my face.

Didn’t the guild scout immediately notice that Eunha was feeling burdened and leave right away?

I couldn’t even deliver the ‘promotion commemorative gift’ hidden in my pocket…

“Phew.”

It makes me laugh.

Eunha is the cutest when she looks embarrassed.

Eunbangul, who was stamping his feet with a happy face, put away the coffee he was drinking and headed to the break room.

The cafe has already been cleaned, so it’s time to change my uniform and go home.

Dalkak-.

A rabbit girl enters the lounge and approaches the board that fills one wall.

Numerous photos taken from three years ago were decorated there, most of which were selfies taken by the girl with Eunha.

From a commemorative photo taken when this cafe opened three years ago to a photo of Eunha holding a shiny D-class hunter certificate.

Eyes as black as the tar of silver bells ruminate on the memories hanging on the wall.

‘We’re running out of empty seats. I’ll just narrow down the important photos and take the rest home.’

Photos are convenient.

Even if a person’s memory weathers away and disappears, a photo that captures the memory remains and returns to us.

What is captured in the transparent lens are memories of the present.

A rope that lifts sparkling jewels from weathered sand.

“…I always look happy. I was really happy today too.”

Please, I hope that tomorrow I will be as happy as I am today.

Eunbangul touched the board full of photos.

Wow!!!

And, at that moment,

The board that was shaking under the girl’s touch fell to the floor.

“Pnyun?!”

Was the screw holding it in place broken?

Eunbangul took a step back and stepped on the floor of the break room with one foot to calm her startled heart.

I really almost fainted.

“What is it? I was really surprised!”

I puffed out my soft cheeks and looked at the board.

Fortunately, the precious photos are safe.

The girl sighed in relief and checked the back of the board.

“……Huh? What is this?”

And the silver bells,

Attached to the back of the board…

I found a ‘guide’.

… … .

​

Shoot……

​

The sound of rain coming through the lounge window.

The gloomy weather brings cold winds amid the sweltering heat of July.

​

The fear that comes from instinct whips the girl’s heart.

​

​

Excited. Excited.

​

‘Guide’ attached to the back of the board.

Eunbangul frowned.

​

I looked around carefully.

​

As if I had already taken it off and put it back on several times,

A guide with transparent tape attached.

A wall with a board hanging on it.

Engraved there… numerous traces of nailing.

Palak~.

A post-it note attached to the guide.

“…….”

Jjiik-i.

Eunbangul frowned as he read the writing on the post-it note.

I wonder if he was lost in thought for a while, twitching his rabbit ears.

The girl looked like she had decided on something… and took off the guidebook.

Layers of transparent tape stick together and shed sad tears.

… … .

… … .

[Guide to working at a leisurely cafe]…

someone,

Hidden behind the board,

Title of ‘Guide’.

… … .

… … .

… … .

Puddeuddeuk!!

The pure white rabbit ears were torn off from the roots.

Blood splattering,

My eyes close.

… … .

… … .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

7. Store cutlery in a designated place.​

– Kitchen knife holder, bedroom drawer, etc… It is recommended to store cutlery at a height where ‘children up to 80 cm tall’ cannot touch it.

– Children tend to have accidents when they look away for a moment.

​

7-1. Sometimes, cutlery that has not been taken out may end up on the floor.​

– Cover cutlery that has fallen on the floor with a soft object, such as a cushion.

– Afterwards, say, “I found it. The game of tag is over.”

– If you remove the soft object after a while, the blade will be gone.​

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cheaeng~!

​“Uh-huh. Yes. There are a lot of babies in our apartment.”

『Crackling~.』

​

​

The sound of a sharp blade falling to the floor.

The sound of a child’s laughter heard as if in passing.

After returning home from the cafe, Eunha looked down at the sharp kitchen knife that had fallen in the hallway and burst into laughter.

It is a sincere laugh that comes from the heart.

How come it comes in so many different ways every day? Have you decided on an order?

‘I definitely named it… [Invisible Baby]. ‘It’s been a really long time.’

[Black Book] and I met each other in early May and started living together.

The day after I was cut to pieces by the [Red Woman] for the first time, I was given paid leave by Bell because I looked tired.

The day my paid vacation ended,

The one who came to congratulate Eunha on her successful return to work was the [Invisible Baby] in front of her.

That was already two months ago.

Eunha praised herself for still being alive.

He came back after saying hello to the [black person] in between, but in the end, he didn’t die and came back, right?

Good is good.

“At first, I thought [The Black Book] was a dangerous item, and I tried to find a way to get rid of it… but it felt easy when I gave up. Who else will play with you other than me?”

『Crackling~.』

“So you too… just play quietly with me.”

Eunha reflects on a brief memory.

She wrapped her trembling hands and forcibly pulled down the corners of her mouth.

『Kyarrr~. Let’s play together, sister.』

The bright laughter of a child wanders around Eunha’s feet.

An invisible, ‘child about 80cm tall’ exists there.

Chaeengㅡ.

Feeling at a loss, I closed my eyes tightly.

Then, the kitchen knife that fell in the hallway took a couple of steps closer to Eunha.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

– Children tend to have accidents when they look away for a moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you take your eyes off it even for a moment, the blade moves.

He asks me to play with him and to give him a warm hug.

In order for Eunha to end the day with all four limbs intact, she must keep her eyes on the ‘cleaver’ and find a soft object to cover the ‘cleaver’.

The other day, I went to pick up the cushions on the living room sofa…

Should it be like that this time too?

‘are you okay. Fly friends. ‘Don’t be scared.’

Chaeengㅡ.

Every time you blink, a ‘cleaver’ approaches.

The place where the sharp blade is headed is the galaxy’s abdomen.

The fear that comes from instinct makes Eunha’s heart pound.

『Crackling~ Funny older sister.』

『Here I come again.』

『Are you going to play? This time too?』

“……okay.”

The immature laughter of children.

Eunha came to her senses.

Aren’t they kids around the same age as [Doll Girl] and ‘Fly’?

Let’s play a little bit.

Yesterday evening. After meeting ‘Fly’.

Because Eunha was awakened to maternal love for an unknown reason.

I couldn’t just send the children in front of me away.

Have I gone crazy?

“I promised. I’ll play with you, so come back again.”

“really?”

“Come on. Sister is playing with you. Come on.”

Immediately after,

Eunha took a deep breath and…

I kicked the ‘cleaver’ that had fallen on the floor with all my might.

Charrr! Cheaeng!

A kitchen knife slipped down the entrance hallway with a metallic sound.

The cool flying blade hits the living room sofa and stops.

Eunha checked the ‘cleaver’ that had flown far away and turned around.

“The Rose of Sharon flower has bloomed!”

The play begins.

… … .

… … .

Phew. Phew. Phew.

… … .

… … .

10 minutes later.

In the darkness where nothing can be seen.

“Haa…! Haa…! Gotcha, you bastard!”

『Cawrrr.’

Cheaeng!

Eunha, whose eyes were averted in pain, grabbed the struggling ‘cleaver’ and pressed it to the floor.

[Invisible Baby] runs through the hallways, laughing.

“Huh…! Cough!”

My whole body is covered in blood.

The floor is wet, as if rainwater had leaked.

Eunha raised her right eye, which was still intact, and started fighting with the ‘cleaver’.

… … .

It was okay at first.

‘The Rose of Sharon has Bloomed’ is something everyone has enjoyed at least once.

When [Invisible Baby] feels that the kitchen knife is getting close enough, it turns its head and kicks the approaching kitchen knife, sending it flying away.

I thought it was a game that went well with [Invisible Baby], which moves when out of sight.

Even if you take your eyes off for a moment, the speed at which the ‘cleaver’ approaches is like that of a child running.

[Invisible Baby]’s sincere laughter warmed Eunha’s heart.

I thought this would be okay.

After playing with [the invisible baby],

Considering the timing, I planned to bring cushions from the living room sofa.

『Kyaarrr~! sister! more!”

“sister! Let’s play something else! hide and seek!”

Clap!

But, they turned off the circuit breaker.

Smart guys.

Even if you didn’t specifically choose to play with it, [Invisible Baby] would have giggled and turned off the light.

After all, monsters should not be trusted.

“Uuuup! Uuuu!”

Eunha barely managed to hold on to [Invisible Baby]’s kitchen knife in the darkness where she couldn’t see an inch ahead.

Pieces of intestines pour out from a boat that has been cut open by a sharp kitchen knife.

sick.

『Kyaarrr~!』

Laughter.

The sound of innocent children’s footsteps.

It is the unspoiled sound of angels.

Eunha ignored her trembling fingertips and pressed the flying ‘cleaver’ to the floor with all her force.

“Cough…! I don’t know anymore! Whatever happens, happens!”

Purung~.

and…

She placed her large breasts on top of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

7-1. Sometimes, cutlery that has not been taken out may end up on the floor.​

– Cover cutlery that has fallen on the floor with a soft object, such as a cushion.

– Afterwards, say, “I found it. The game of tag is over.”

– If you remove the soft object after a while, the blade will be gone.​

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fluffy stuff.

You can’t go to the living room where there are cushions.

This will do.

“I found it…! Tag… call! The game of tag is over…!”

Stop…!

It seems to be working.

The moment Eunha uttered the words ‘ending the game’, the ‘cleaver’ that had been twitching below became calm as if it were a lie.

The sound of laughter ringing in my ears also stops.

『… … thank you. sister. For playing with us.』

“If you’re thankful, turn on the lights. Your eyes will get worse.”

Clap!

The light comes on.

Under the lights that drove out the darkness, Eunha looked around the blood-soaked entrance hallway.

Who does the left hand rolling over there belong to? A confused smile appears.

Since I can only see from one eye, it is difficult to sense the distance.

『The person who played with us twice… She was the first time.』

“Isn’t it obvious? People have to cry when they get stabbed. I endured it because she’s my sister.”

『Next time… Next time, we’ll play with you.』

『It’s a promise, sister.』

“What are you talking about?”

And just like that, we ended with an awkward goodbye.

[Invisible Baby]’s voice could not be heard.

Rustling…

The ‘kitchen knife’ underneath her chest…

Before I knew it, it had disappeared.

“…….”

Eunha, who was groping her gaping left eye, slowly raised her upper body.

My whole body is sticky because of the blood flowing down.

“……Did you go?”

“yet.”

“good.”

『Kyaeluk~.』

A cold wind passes by Eunha’s cheek.

Now really…

There was no sound.

… … .

​

​

Crackling, cackling.

The sound of a baby’s laughter lingering in my head.

“I lived…”

​

[Invisible Baby] leaves, leaving Eunha alone.

She lay down in the hallway using her own blood as a blanket.

With my recovered left hand, I caress my abdomen, where only the scar remains.

When the lights went out, I thought I was going to die like this, but I did it in the end.

Eunha looked up at the ceiling and smiled languidly.

It hurt, but I endured it.

I survived today too.

Thinking like that made me feel better.

“…was it soft?”

and,

After a crisis has passed, shame comes suddenly.

Eunha slowly pondered over what she had done when carrying out the rules of [Invisible Baby].

I covered my face with both hands… and struggled silently.

“Just… I should have brought a cushion while getting stabbed…”

It was recognized by Goeyi for its softness.

Should I be happy?

It was an evening full of thoughts.

… … .

… … .

… … .

The next morning.

No rain, but cloudy with dark clouds.

“Oh, Mr. Banharin. You’re early.”

“Are you crazy to be later than your guests?”

“Are customers who come 30 minutes before business starts sane?”

Eunha, who covered her scar with long-sleeved clothes and a mask, went to the cafe early this morning to prepare for the day.

“Good morning! Eunha unnie!”

“Goodbye to you too, Bangul.”

After finishing organizing the items in the warehouse, Eunbangul waves to Eunha.

“I made sikhye at home. Would you like to drink it?”

“Really? When Nari Kang comes, let’s all drink together.”

“Good~!”

Pure white rabbit ears sticking up high into the sky,

It was a peaceful day.