episode_0299

***

“How are you feeling?”

“It’s okay. It has good recovery, thanks to magic.”

“Magic is convenient.”

“So it’s magic.”

“Sure.”

An awkward silence followed, and Kim Seong-ah scratched her cheek and looked away.

“Well… can we sit down and talk?”

“It’s your house.”

“Oh, that’s right… Me too.”

She sits across from me and smiles exaggeratedly.

We face each other at the table. I’m worried about what kind of expression I should make due to the awkwardness that comes along with the joy.

“How have you been? Was there a house somewhere?”

“You were homeless?”

“Homelessness!?”

“It wasn’t difficult. There were a lot of empty boxes and newspapers in places like the local park.”

He said faintly, recalling the chilly night air.

“It must have been difficult.”

“In particular, it was actually good.”

“Do you like being homeless?”

“There is such a thing.”

He recalled memories of wandering the wilderness. Memories of looking at dry tree branches, making a fire, and sleeping with hay as a blanket.

“I have a question, can I ask you?”

“If I say no, you won’t ask?”

When he asked playfully, Seongah Kim pursed her lips.

“It’s a joke, what are you curious about?”

“You were around when I was working as a magical girl, right? Right?”

“Looks like you managed to see it. I thought it was somehow hidden.”

“You can see it very clearly.”

Kim Seong-ah, who was relaxed, smiled brightly.

She leaned forward, twisting her wet hair with her fingers.

A glimpse of her bare skin caught his eye through the loose shirt, and Kang In-ho leaned against the backrest and turned his eyes to the ceiling for a moment.

“Anything else you’re curious about?”

“…Since when were you able to transform?”

“Not long ago. Two days after leaving home? Since I was sleeping on the street, I had time to go back and it was easy for me to train.”

“It was comfortable. I guess you enjoyed living on the street well.”

She immediately made a sullen face.

Kang In-ho simply shrugged his shoulders in response to the offended look.

“How are you? Looking at the shape of the house, it doesn’t seem like it.”

At his question, Kim Seong-ah felt something stir in her heart.

It was less hot than anger, and brighter than sadness.

“I was sick because I didn’t eat well. I didn’t even have time to sleep.”

It was sad.

“It must have been difficult.”

Before I knew it, he calmly responded, handing me a cup of warm tea.

“It was difficult. I don’t think I’ve ever had this much trouble in years.”

She followed him and leaned against the backrest, wrapping her arms around herself.

She tried to put on a bright face, but strangely the corners of her mouth did not move.

Kang In-ho brought his share of tea to his mouth and examined her face.

He looks tired and lonely.

“But… what was really difficult was that he wasn’t by my side.”

“…….”

“Uncle, can’t you come back home?”

“……”

“Please. Please. The empty space for you is too big.”

“It is true that we were together a lot, but if you look at it in reality, it wasn’t that long…”

“It’s not a matter of time!”

Kim Seong-ah hit the table. It was similar to the day he and she fought.

“I just need you.”

“It’s not important whether we spent a day together, a week together, or a month together. What you gave me is important!”

“Because of you, I look forward to tomorrow morning.

Because I have you, I eat delicious food.

The house becomes brighter because you are there.

I look forward to coming home because of you.

I can rest because I have you.”

Despite her passionate appeal, he had a face like a calm lake.

“So… won’t the same thing happen? Do you think you and I will never fight again?”

He cut off coldly.

“I’ll do anything. I’ll do as you tell me. Just stay next to me.”

“Seong-ya.”

“I won’t miss school. I will study hard too. I will also try to go to college. So, so…”

“Can’t you just stay next to me?”

Her face contorted, and she gritted her teeth.

“Seong-ah, why on earth are you doing this to me?”

Kang In-ho still had an expressionless face. No, maybe she felt that it was that kind of face.

“I, I…!”

Kim Seong-ah opened her eyes wide as she was overcome with emotions.

Ah, that’s what I meant.

Only then did Kim Seong-ah remember the ‘thing’ that Kang In-ho had mentioned.

“I…!”

Still, she opened her mouth. There seemed to be no way to catch him by not saying this.

My mouth was trembling. I felt nauseous and even dizzy.

Perhaps the shock of the battle had finally come to her, and she felt the blood drying from her fingertips.

‘You have to say it!’

Still, I had to say it.

“I like you!”

It was truly a confession that made me nervous and worried about what would happen next.

***

“…eventually.”

Kang In-ho pressed his throbbing head with his fingers.

Even with moderate pressure, my head didn’t get any better.

“I definitely said it last time.”

There was a lot of fatigue in his voice.

“Well, still.”

Seongah Kim shifted her gaze here and there like a student being scolded.

My face turned red and I felt embarrassed.

“Okay. What….”

“…But, you are not surprised.”

When Kim Seong-ah, with a blushing face, muttered as if she was dissatisfied, Kang In-ho only then apologized and apologized.

“Ah, that’s right. Um, yeah.”

“What a reaction.”

Kim Seong-ah muttered, and Kang In-ho looked dumbfounded for a while, then shook his face.

“Quite, it’s because I was so surprised.”

“If that’s the case, well.”

Kim Seong-ah agreed to the hastily made excuse.

Silence fell on the table. I could hear the refrigerator humming.

“So what is the answer?”

“I told you before. Don’t love me. I can’t answer your feelings.”

“If people’s minds could be easily controlled, half of the world’s problems would be reduced.”

“Suddenly you speak well.”

“So what exactly do you want? I’m not talking about dating.”

“It’s not possible yet. Well, it was what I expected.”

Kim Seong-ah leaned down and brought her face closer.

“I want to change the conditions I made last time.”

“You can break the contract at will and make contracts at will, it’s completely arbitrary.”

“Can’t you just say that and move on?”

Kim Seong-ah opened her eyes. Kang In-ho slowly turned his face to see the knife-like gaze.

“Okay, just say it freely. What are the conditions?”

“First of all, I will attend school diligently. I will never miss you.”

She said in a somewhat serious voice.

“That was the original condition. Don’t pretend to give up something big.”

When Kang In-ho pointed this out, she made a chirping sound.

“Now that I think about it, there isn’t much time left until the CSAT, so let’s do it this way. I decided to prepare hard for the CSAT and even take the exam.”

“…Okay.”

“Okay, what else would you like to suggest?”

“I want to remove the condition of not loving Mr.”

“…Okay.”

” Surprisingly, he gave me permission. ”

“If I say no, will you just step down?”

“No.”

“Look at this. Just because you’re told not to love doesn’t mean you won’t love. It’s not a request to love me.”

“It’s refreshing. Is this an adult?”

“You changed the conditions. Can I add something too?”

“Yes. It’s okay if I do the dishes, and I can clean the living room or yard.”

When Kim Seong-ah spoke while pointing, he shook his head.

“Until you take the CSAT, I will stop the evil forces.”

“…Yes?”

“That’s the condition. If you don’t like it, don’t.”