episode_0276

Click.

I took a picture.

Anything was fine.

Click. Click.

I loved taking pictures.

When you find something you like, others may reach out to touch it,

The girl first looked through the camera lens.

Click.

I took the same picture several times.

I was afraid that I would regret it if I only took it once. I was afraid that I might not like it as much as I thought.

I pressed the camera shutter several times.

『… … .』

If you look at the photo album on your smartphone like that,

There were a lot of identical photos lined up.

A photo I took because I liked it.

But there are many.

There is no need to have many identical photos.

My favorite photo.

Just leave that one alone.

If you run out later, you can just take it again.

One ‘real’ one was enough.

Click!

And the girl,

So that the one and only ‘real’ can shine proudly under the dazzling stars,

I put the remaining photos safely in the trash can.

… … .

『… … .』

“Hmm… friend…?”

“Sister Galaxy went back home.”

Late at night.

[Doll Girl] opened her eyes on a soft bed and looked around.

Wearing a cute harp seal pajama, he chews his fingers anxiously, so it would not be wrong to call him a lonely child.

I fell asleep for a bit and when I woke up I didn’t have any friends.

The monster, who had been chewing his fingers, raised his head and the pure white ‘rabbit doll’ looked out the dark window, delivering the news of Eunha’s return.

Saetbyeol Apartment #801.

A place where Byulnim went to play.

In this place where the starlight has left, only darkness remains.

Perhaps because of the contrast with the excitement I felt just now, I feel more gloomy than usual.

“Friend… Friend… ”

“I’ll come play again next time.”

“when?”

“I don’t know. My sister is busy these days.”

Suddenly.

Could it be separation anxiety?

‘Something’ wearing a half-seal pajamas wandered around the house where the galaxy had disappeared.

Crunch. Crunch.

The sound of biting fingers.

Fingers, not nails.

The dripping blood stains the pure white pajamas.

『… The polar bear pajamas are stained with blood and are being washed, so why don’t you stop?』

“……yes.”

The depressed ‘thing’ comes into the living room.

As he wiggles his bloody thumb, one of his joints falls off and stains the living room.

[Doll Girl] passed the ‘Rabbit Doll’ looking out the window and headed towards the front door.

bean!

Pure white harp seal. Pajamas made for sleeping bags.

The part where the feet go is the tail fin.

I walk briskly with small steps, losing my balance and falling several times, until I reach the front door.

[Doll Girl], caressing her swollen nose, lies flat on the cold floor.

In the arms of the fluffy harp seal is a long doll cow.

『… … .』

A harp seal lying in the hallway.

Eyes that endlessly look up at the tightly closed front door.

The girl waited.

When morning comes, until Eunha wakes up from a night’s sleep and heads out to work.

The resentful ‘thing’ looks at the entrance with innocent eyes.

“Wouldn’t it be hard if you did that every day?”

“huh.”

A girl who waits endlessly.

But the girl laughed.

Because it was no longer a pointless wait.

Because it turned out not to be.

“Friend, I promise.”

『… … .』

“We. Meet again. Happiness.”

With a glimmer of hope in the undying grudge,

The face of the girl waiting for the twinkling star… looked so happy,

The ‘Rabbit Doll’ turned her head and looked out the window.

『… … I’m jealous.』

The dark window reflected its own image.

A pure white rabbit stuffed animal.

[Doll Girl]’s fluffy friend.

… … .

… Since when did it become like this?

‘My face… what did it look like?’

I don’t remember.

In the hazy memories, only the smile of the galaxy remained.

The ‘Rabbit Doll’ looked at herself reflected in the window.

‘… … Sister Galaxy… Will you smile at me now?’

Kwak…

One day on a holiday. Holding the rabbit doll that Eunha gave me as a gift.

The girl with many grudges stares blankly out the window.

‘Then, I’ll try a little harder… too.’

The evening I thought was healing,

The story of a rabbit taking a rest.

… … .

… … .

“Yeah. Bangul. What are you doing now?”

– I’m well prepared and lying down~. What about you, sister?

“Similar. Is everything okay?”

– Every day is a new day! Because I have Eunha unnie~.

Meanwhile, at that time, 11:30 p.m.

The galaxy returned home.

She leaned weakly on the living room sofa, massaging herself as [Doll Girl] had played with her to her heart’s content, and talked on the phone with Eunbangul.

There was some hesitation and a lot of concern.

No conclusion has been reached.

My calf started to ache as if someone had been caressing it.

“If anything happens, call me right away. I’ll help you with anything.”

– Really? Okay! Now that we’re on the subject, I’m scared of sleeping alone! Can I go to your house to sleep?

“Hold on to Ms. Kang Na-ri.”

– It’s not soft.

“Pull to stretch.”

– I tried it.

Knock knock.

Feeling frustrated, I go out to the veranda.

My eyes meet the [Forgetful Saintess]’s, who is poking her head out from the veranda railing.

Eunha, who was trying to throw ‘that thing’ downstairs by waving her hand, gets caught by her wrist, and bickers with [The Saintess of Oblivion] while holding the cell phone on her shoulder.

It is a night when the yellow paper hanging from the ‘leather choker’ around the neck sways quietly.

“Is this really okay?”

– Of course… Why are you suddenly like this? What happened?

“I just saw someone who resembled Bangul.”

– … … … Where?

“Nearby.”

Hot.

I was grabbed by both wrists by the [Forgetful Saintess] who was grumbling.

Eunha, who returned to the living room dragging ‘that thing’ with its lower body missing, raises the corners of her lips with a complicated expression.

Room 801.

[Doll Girl]’s second friend.

A pure white ‘rabbit stuffed animal’.

“Just someone who looks like you. I suddenly thought of Bangwool and called you.”

– That’s… I see… What a coincidence! How many people like me are there?

“So.”

Galaxy, lying on a soft sofa, looks up at the ceiling as she is crushed by [The Saintess of Oblivion].

11:40 p.m.

It has no nutritional value,

It was a peaceful conversation.

… … .

… … .

Dooroo… beep.

“Grandpa. What should I do?”

ㅡ 『… … Someone said. Conversation is a process in which two people’s hearts touch. At the very least, it’s right to explain what’s going on.』

“Who said that?”

– “It’s me.”

“Oh.”

That night.

Eunha called the wise old man.

… … .

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

“Eunha-nim will soon enter the [Crack Field]. As planned, I will be Eunha-nim’s guide and direct protection, and ‘Mouse’ will be in charge of monitoring the surrounding area.”

A day has passed.

[Rare Hunter Protection – Killing] A woman who is called ‘mouse’ by others.

She stretched her aching body while conducting her regular meeting.

Gentle. Gentle.

Today’s regular meeting was held in Banharin’s car parked near the cafe.

Is it because we work together without dividing day and night?

It was a regular meeting that was always held in the living room of Banharin’s house, but now Banharin is called out to the meeting whenever she has time and place to meet.

“Haaam… Nya…”

I absentmindedly checked the time as I was overcome by drowsiness.

6:10 p.m.

These days, my body and mind have been complaining of fatigue for several days because I have turned back my body clock from being a nocturnal person for several years to the morning.

“… Are you listening?”

“Huh?… Yeah, I’m listening to you properly, so why are you doing that?”

Banharin’s voice is heard from the driver’s seat.

If you look outside quietly, you will see Eunbangul alone in the cafe, preparing to close the door after finishing work for the day.

The ‘mouse’ just blankly watches the scene as if he were watching TV.

Flutter… Flutter…

A rat’s tail wagging from side to side.

As if it were a habit, it wandered around looking for something to wrap around, and then it wrapped around the side brake located between the driver’s seat and the passenger seat.

Then, Banharin, sitting in the driver’s seat, slightly distorts her expressionless eyes.

“Tsk… Please stop this habit of wrapping your tail around things without warning.”

“Didn’t you say that I lack personality and become a crazy rat who adds ‘nya’ to every word? Isn’t my original habit my personality?”

“I don’t care how you take care of your own messy tail, but I’m telling you to be careful not to displease Eunha.”

I averted my gaze at Banharin’s scolding.

The ‘inverted cross ring’ attached to the tail sparkles in the flowing sunset.

Daughter~♪

Eunbangul soon closes the café and returns home in her car.

How dare you drive with those short limbs… The ‘mouse’, who was watching the departing car, asked Banharin a question without thinking.

“Can we just leave it like that?”

“Just leave it alone. After all, we can’t do anything to him, and he’s more friendly to Eunha than anyone else.”

Banharin was ‘observing’ the silver bell.

She shakes her head and looks away from ‘that thing’.

The ‘mouse’ licks his lips at her words, which seem to have given up early.

… … .

Silver bell.

She is a really strange girl.

That thought hasn’t changed since I first encountered ‘that thing’ three years ago.

-Team Leader! That’s weird! That cafe owner, that woman named Eunbangul!

– Nothing! No status, no past!

​

Something that guards the galaxy that is under protection.

Since there was no clear identity, Banharin designated the rabbit girl Eunbangul as a dangerous element that interfered with the protection of the ‘target’.

​

​

The conflict that ensues.

brawl.

The sound of someone pushing a table.

​

​

Taang-!

​

The sound of a gunshot piercing through the neck.

In the old memory, the corpse of the rabbit girl collapses.

– Ugh…! I almost died… Gulp! Why is that monster next to the ‘target’… What the heck is that ‘skill’?

As expected from a secret department of a secretive association, the work was done reliably.

The body was removed, traces were erased, and the galaxy was dressed up so that no harm would come to it.

For the protection of the galaxy.

It should have ended as a simple missing person case.

– … … .

– … … Shhh~.

But, the day after the girl was removed.

‘That thing’ went to work at the cafe with his white rabbit ears twitching as usual.

– Not just one person.

– You could just think of that as a single force.

An unidentified, unidentified girl.

Eun Bang-ul, who clung to Eun-ha as if nothing was wrong, put her index finger to her lips and smiled brightly, was so scary.

Finally, after three years, they each protect the galaxy in their own way without interfering with each other’s work…

It became such an ambiguous relationship.

“What on earth is that?”

“Do you know me? But I’m not a bad person.”

“Oh my. Do you remember how many assassination plans the team leader made three years ago?”

“Was there something like that? I will date Eunbangul and marry Eunha.”

I am impressed by Ban Harin, who can talk nonsense without any hesitation, with her expressionless face.

The ‘mouse’, with its round, flat ears down like a mouse, bursts into laughter.

A team leader who always worked like a machine.

How did I create these kinds of relationships without knowing it?

The more I know, the more my head hurts.

Rattling.

That’s how the conversation ended.

‘Mouse’ finished his regular meeting and prepared to get out of the car.

… … .

……dripping.

and.

At that moment,

Eunbangul approached with a bright smile and knocked on the driver’s window.

clearly.

I saw him leave in a car.

“Yahoo~, what were you doing here?”

“Hello, Eunbangul. I was preparing to go to [Crack Field] with Eunha this holiday.”

“That would be nice~ I want to spend the holidays with Eunha unnie… I want to go too.”

“I will only accept your heart.”

Banharin conversing naturally.

The ‘mouse’, who was about to get out of the car, put on his passenger seat belt and silently looked straight ahead.

… … The girl with pure white rabbit ears locks the cafe door and goes home.

A strange being.

He hugs the rat tail that has the ‘inverted cross ring’ he received as a gift from Eunha.

“My Galaxy unnie, please take care of me during the holidays~!”

Soon, Eun Bangul was having a proper conversation with Ban Harin.

The girl waved her hands and disappeared into a dark alley.

“… … .”

Normal conversation.

A pair of pitch-black eyes peering into the car’s interior, pressed against the driver’s window.

Those eyes, as black as tar, give me goosebumps.

“… … Phew…”

Banharin, who was always expressionless, let out a sigh she had been holding back.

… … .

… … .

‘Oh my… It’s hard to earn a salary…’

It’s evening.

The time when the night sky approaches.

The ‘mouse’, who had parted ways with Banharin, walked along the road at a quick pace.

Work was completed safely today as well.

All that remains is to get home before the sun sets.

The meeting was prolonged by an unexpected visit from the rabbit girl.

‘Well… even though it’s a meeting, there are only two of us…’

I thought about it while crossing the crosswalk.

[Rare Hunter Protection – Killing] Team 1.

Since when did only two team members remain?

A mouse that has only recently ‘realized’ that fact looks up at the darkening sky.

I was scared.

I was afraid that I too would disappear like this, as if my very existence had disappeared… I was afraid that I would quietly disappear without anyone remembering me.

It feels like something I never thought I would experience during the past three peaceful years.

‘Later… Even after Galaxy’s ‘protection’ stops, the monsters will still come.’

The ‘mouse’, who was reminded of the smile of the galaxy, wrapped its tail around his waist.

A life that cannot be lived without her and [the Black Book].

… … I hate myself for thinking that I’m not bad.

“My hair is falling out…”

Ouch…

How long did it take to walk like that?

A voice was heard by the ear of ‘Mouse’ who was walking through the dark Euncheon-gu.

“Hair… disappears when you sleep…”

A sad voice.

The sound of fingernails scraping skin.

The thin rat tail stood up and looked around.

The streetlights don’t turn on. The sky is getting darker.

‘Something’ sitting in the middle of the crosswalk muttering, clutching its head.

Not a person.

It’s different.

There is no way that ‘that thing’ that is scratching its head so much that its skull is visible can be alive.

‘It’s not written in the rules… Is that the ‘mediocre guy’ that Eunha mentioned?’

Something in between, neither a monster nor a ghost.

The ‘mouse’, swallowing its saliva at the distinct smell of blood, looked around.

A deserted Euncheon-gu came into view, and across the crosswalk, a pure white ‘rabbit stuffed animal’ was walking along, squeaking.

She clutched the ‘inverted cross ring’ attached to her tail.

I thought I only encountered monsters of the ‘known rules’ thanks to this ring. But it’s still scary.

‘I said that I could just ignore the mediocre things and ignore them.’

A strong-willed ‘mouse’ crossed the crosswalk.

With heavy steps, I pass by ‘something’ sitting on the floor, scratching its head.

When I lower my head to the sound of crashing water, I see a puddle of blood staining the road.

“Hair… Where did it go…?”

‘Pretend not to see… Pretend not to see…’

Thump. Thump.

Cross the crosswalk.

Is it trying to check if it can see me? The gaze of ‘that thing’ is fixed on the back of my head.

“When I woke up on my birthday, there was a present by my bedside. One day, I wished for a hair.”

“… … .”

“And on my birthday, there was a pile of hair on my pillow.”

“Poohahahaha!”

『… … .』

“… … Uh. Sorry.”

A ‘mouse’ with its mouth shut crossed the crosswalk at a leisurely pace.

My face feels hot from the gaze pouring into the back of my head.

I almost got into trouble.

『… … How could that be…』

There wasn’t even a hair to touch, but something must have touched a nerve.

‘That thing’, which had gotten up from the crosswalk, approached the ‘mouse’ with blood dripping down its body.

An intuition that warns of danger.

I have to run away.

She wrapped her stiff rat tail around her waist, and raised her mana to use the [Speed Manipulation] skill.

Tick…!

And the feet of the ‘mouse’ that lowered its posture,

The moment I was about to kick the floor with all my might.

Squeak……

A forklift, which had been lurching down the road, stopped next to her.

… … .

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

1-1. If you find a blood donation bus of [Neulpurum Emergency Center] parked on the side of the road while walking.

– Even if you see it, pretend you didn’t see it and pass by. If you have even the slightest suspicion that you saw it, it will approach you.

​

– If your reaction is delayed and you see a woman in a doctor’s gown getting off the bus, you should immediately close your eyes and turn your back on her.

– And in a small voice, say, “Your daughter is waiting.”

​

– If you hear the sound of ‘it’ leaving, then it’s a success.

– Open your eyes when the bus engine sound disappears.

​

​

※Caution! Focus on the sound of the bus engine.※

– You should open your eyes when you see that the bus has completely moved away. The engine sound should get quieter.

– If the engine sound suddenly disappears, the engine has simply turned off, so do not open your eyes.

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

Gray van.

The scratch marks carved here and there revealed a subtle sense of oppression, like scars carved into human skin.

It was dark around here and I couldn’t see inside through the window.

On the side of the forklift, the words [Neulpurum Emergency Center] are written in name pen.

A blood donation vehicle with a strange appearance.

I feel a strange sensation, like my whole body is frozen, like a mouse in front of a cat.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

It’s dangerous.

Much better than the bald guy I just saw on the crosswalk.

Glance…

I glanced away.

‘That thing’ that was sitting in the middle of the crosswalk has retreated to the sidewalk and is lying face down on the ground.

He lowered his head as if he didn’t see the forklift and repeated several unintelligible words.

“… … Collapse…”

The air is cold.

The smell of blood coming from a real monster, not something vague, is so thick and strong,

I had to straighten my legs, which were about to give out due to dizziness.

‘Mom… Pretend not to see… Pretend not to see….’

‘The Mouse’ closed his eyes tightly and headed home.

Step, step…

The sound of labored footsteps.

Boohoo…

The sound of the forklift’s engine.

“… … .”

Gray van.

Following closely beside the ‘mouse’.

Biting my lips tightly.

Should I run away?

No, you have to pretend you didn’t see it.

She puts her hand on her heart that is pounding as if it might burst, her face tearful.

Just a thought.

What should I do?

If you say ‘parked blood donation bus’, isn’t that against the rules?

All kinds of thoughts.

… … Rumble!

Soon, a forklift following the ‘mouse’,

The door opened wide.

Cold sweat running down.

The startled ‘mouse’ quickly turned his back.

“Tyaha!… Tyahaha, wait…”

“Mr. Mouse. Would you like to ride?”

Galaxy’s voice could be heard from the wide open forklift.

“… … huh?”

“I was following a rabbit. The sun will set soon and I’ll be heading home. Do you want to stay the night?”

A languid voice.

I turned my head blankly.

Eunha opens the driver’s door and smiles lazily.

Her complexion was strangely pale, as if she had anemia.

Why open the window and startle people? Why open the door and make a fuss?

I decided to give it a look because it was a galaxy.

The ‘mouse’ blushes at the warm gaze looking at him and turns his head.

“… … Haha… Haaaa… Life really…”

It’s weird.

Silver bells and galaxies.

It’s nice to meet you two.

“… … .”

“Mr. Mouse?”

“… … Sigh… Where is the nearest bathroom?”

Knock knock!

I don’t know anymore.

The ‘mouse’ with its eyes closed climbed into the back seat of the van.