episode_0179

The story after that. (7)

The area of the road gradually decreases as you pass a large road covered in snow.

We arrived at Bongwonsa Temple after passing through a forest of collapsed and ruined buildings and a residential area with a mountain behind it.

Perhaps because of the continuous snowfall, the ruined temple looked quiet yet a little scary, and the wind blowing through the collapsed buildings sounded like a person’s scream.

But despite that appearance, the children couldn’t contain their joy at just arriving at a new place and just sat on their chairs, stamping their feet that weren’t touching the ground.

*****

The kids were bored while riding in the camper van, so as soon as we stopped to park, they ran out into the yard that could be seen from inside, saying they wanted to play.

” Let’s pitch a tent in the yard over there. And after lunch, we’re going to take a walk on the mountain path. Is that okay? ”

” Yeah, it’s okay. There’s snow on the mountain, so we can go slowly so that the kids won’t be in danger. ”

He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something to me as I answered him, but then stopped again.

” Why? ”

Rather, I asked because I found the sight strange.

” I asked if you were okay… I did it for your own good. ”

” Me…? ”

” Yeah. You looked uncomfortable when you were eating yesterday. ”

Those words brought back an unpleasant feeling I had yesterday.

That feeling I thought was nothing special. I kept it a secret because I didn’t want to make him worry, but he seemed to have noticed it.

” It’s okay. Don’t worry so much. It’s nothing. ”

” Really? ”

” Then! Look! Like this… ”

The moment I tried to get up from my seat to show that I was okay, I felt dizzy and just sat there.

” If it’s hard, it’s okay to climb the mountain by myself. ”

” Oh, no… I’m really okay… ”

” Okay. But if you have a hard time walking on the mountain path, tell me. Got it? ”

” Yeah. Thanks for your concern. ”

After hearing my answer, he sat down next to me, put my head on his shoulder, and stroked it.

” Soon… I’ll have a wedding. If I disappear again this time, like the three months I disappeared for, then I… ”

” I told you. I am… yours now. I will stay by your side for the rest of my life. I will never… leave you. ”

As I said that, I raised my head and gave him a short kiss on the lips, then buried my face in his arms and hugged him tightly.

I feel a little dizzy and have heartburn, but as I slowly listen to his heartbeat, I feel a little… better.

While he was pitching his tent in the yard, we started touring the surrounding buildings with the children.

” Sister! What are you doing here? ”

” Is this the place where people used to come and bow? ”

” What? ”

” Yeah. Our sky has prayed too, right? It’s something similar. Do you see that yellow person shape over there? ”

” Yeah! It’s shiny and cool! ”

” That’s a Buddha statue, so you should bow down to it. ”

” Oh, I see! I want to do that too! ”

” Is that so? ”

Haneul, who had been holding my hand and shaking it here and there, slowly entered the building and clung to my body.

” But, it’s a little scary here… ”

A child who turned his head away from the Buddha statue and buried his face in my leg.

How cute that sight was.

Well, it’s not that I didn’t understand what the child was saying.

The ceiling had half collapsed and snow had piled up, and the place where the Buddha statue had been had been left neglected for quite some time, giving off an eerie feeling.

As I looked around, I found incense and candles, and after creating a breeze with my flame wings to clear away the snow and dust, I placed the candles and snapped my fingers to light them, and the room felt quite cozy.

I stroked Haneul’s head and asked how he was doing now.

” Right now… I think it’s a little, okay… ”

” Really? Then… Su-ah! You too, don’t stay outside and come in. ”

Before coming inside, Suah let go of my hand and said she would wait outside, but she just stuck her head out of the door and looked at us.

” Ugh… Wh, that’s scary…! ”

” Now, it’s okay. And even if a scary ghost appears, I’ll protect you. Okay? ”

” Yes… ”

Su-ah slowly and painfully moved her legs to where Haneul was. I held the two children’s hands and pointed to the scent in front of us.

” This is called incense. Do you want to pick them up one by one? ”

Children looking curiously at the long green stick at my words.

Holding the hands of the children who were holding the incense sticks, he held the tip of the candle to the flame of the slowly burning candle.

” Okay, if we do it like this… Do you want to blow it and say ‘whoosh’? ”

At the same time, the sight of the children puffing out their cheeks and moving their tiny lips toward the burning incense was truly adorable.

As the flames disappeared and pure white smoke billowed, the children’s cute puffy cheeks frowned slightly as they smelled the scent of the smoke, then gradually opened their eyes wide and looked at me at the same time.

” Hey, sister! It was weird at first… but now it smells good…! ”

” Oh, that’s right! But, what should I do now? ”

He held the hands of the two children holding the incense and slowly placed it in the incense burner, then stepped back slightly and clasped his hands together in prayer.

” Try to copy me~ ”

When I said that, the children who had been holding my small, delicate hands tightly looked at me and when I knelt down and bowed down before the Buddha statue, they did the same and bowed down in front of it.

” You can repeat this a few more times, but um… you can do it while making a wish. Okay? ”

After bowing a few times and getting up, the children were smiling happily.

Could it be because of that smile? Even the Buddha statue in the ruins seemed to be smiling kindly at us.

I saw him coming out of the room where the Buddha statue had been, shaking off the children’s pants that were dirty with dust and snow, and setting up the tent before cooking in front of it.

It seemed like they had quickly finished preparing, as they had already placed a frying pan on the stove and were frying the children’s favorite sausages and fried eggs.

Perhaps sensing that fragrant scent, the children lifted their short legs and ran towards the tent where he was, their bodies heavy from their thick clothes tottering.

” It’s cold, right? Here, have a glass of warm milk and the food will be ready, so wait. Okay? ”

” Yeah! ” , ” Yes! ”

There was a small chair for children next to him. I sat there and watched the children slowly drinking milk. I also sat next to him.

” Is there anything I can help you with? ”

” No, just do this, and you can just sit there. ”

As I watched him slowly flipping fried eggs with a spatula and the children chatting happily with each other, I somehow felt sleepy again.

I kept telling myself to hold on because it would be finished soon… but it seems I couldn’t overcome my drowsiness and my consciousness fell into the lake of sleep once again.

*****

When I opened my eyes, what I saw was a lake under the same starry night sky I had seen last time.

Last time, I clearly remember… you were floating on the lake with both feet, but this time… you were floating on the lake.

Strangely enough, the water in the lake was warm. It was as if I was being held in my mother’s arms.

As I was floating on the lake, the night sky was so beautiful that I put my hand on my boat as if I was lying down comfortably, and two stars in the starry night sky headed towards me and flew into my boat.

Surprised by the sight, I caressed my stomach and felt a slightly heavy sensation in my lower abdomen.

The feeling in my lower abdomen that would normally feel strange now felt reassuring and warm.

Feeling the warmth and the lake covering me made me feel drowsy again.

And when I hear the voice, I…

*****

” Charlotte. Charlotte! ”

Rubbing my eyes, I slowly lifted my heavy eyelids and looked forward. This was the sight of him.

” Ugh… I think I fell asleep again… Sorry… ”

” It’s okay. It’s only been about 30 minutes. The kids have already eaten and are playing with Cerberus over there. How about it? Can you eat it? ”

” Yeah. Excuse me, but could you warm it up a little? ”

” Then I’ll just fry the rice for you. Is that okay? ”

I nodded slowly, folded the blanket over me, and stretched, placing it aside.

” Oh my! Seriously, I don’t know why I’m like this these days. Is it because it’s so peaceful? ”

” Well, maybe, or maybe… ”

I tilted my head and asked him as he stopped talking.

” Or…? ”

” No. I just have a guess… but I don’t know much about my own body. ”

” My body…? ”

I don’t know what he meant, but the smell of the deliciously stir-fried food made my mouth water and I felt hungry.

A strange sensation felt in the lower abdomen when I touched my slightly hungry stomach.

I felt a sensation in my lower abdomen that I had felt in a dream while I was sleeping, and it felt a little strange, but I thought it was an illusion because I had just woken up.

” Here you go. Be careful, it’s hot. ”

” Hey~ Do you think I’m some kind of kid? Don’t worry. Just like this… Woof…! ”

As I spoke, the aroma coming from the spoon I lifted suddenly made me feel nauseous.

I tried to hold it in, but… the more I held it in, the more nausea and vomiting I felt, so I put down the spoon and headed to the bathroom inside the camper van.

” Ugh… Ugh… Ugh… ”

I couldn’t come to my senses because of the constant feeling of nausea and headache that was trying to come out of my body even though I hadn’t eaten anything.

Maybe it was because I had already vomited a little, but the scent coming from there made me…

” Ugh… Ugh… Ugh… Ugh… ”

Let’s take a slow breath through our mouths instead of through our noses, and wipe away the sticky saliva flowing out of our mouths. Let’s take a slow breath and turn our heads with our mouths covered by warm hands that stroke our backs.

” Are you okay? I used my ability to prevent the scent from reaching me. ”

” Oh, thank you… Haa… Why are you suddenly like this… Sorry. I cooked it for you, but you probably won’t be able to eat it… Sob… ”

Just thinking about the sight and smell of the food he made for me made me feel nauseous.

Why on earth am I doing this? Is there something wrong with my body like he said?

No, but there’s no reason for that…?

As I was thinking about what the problem was, he slowly lifted me up, sat me down on the sofa, and poured me a cup of water.

” Charlotte… Are you… Are you on your period? ”

As I was about to feel better after drinking some of the water he offered me, I heard a question and the water I was swallowing came out in my mouth, causing me to cough and ask him the same question.

” What…what?! Hey, wait a minute, what are you, what are you saying…! ”

” No, that’s right… ”

He also blushed and turned his head away from my gaze, as if he was embarrassed. Looking at him, I knew that I had not misheard, and after thinking about what he said…

‘ Oh, oh… Okay, wait a minute… B, you did that when you went to the other world, right…? And when you came back… ‘

Almost two months have passed since the showdown with Thanatos.

I thought about it carefully, counting the cycles with my hands, and just as he said…

” Uh… That day never came, did it…? ”

” Really? Then, by any chance… ”

After listening to what I said, he came over to me with a faint smile on his face, sat down next to me, and touched my lower abdomen, that is, the area where my uterus is…

” Could it be that we too… have come into being now? ”

” Huh…?! ”

As he spoke and touched my lower abdomen with his warm hands, I slowly drew out my divine power.

When I was searching through the divine power, I felt the spark of life within me.

That world. That is, in ‘Madero’, the other world, they sometimes checked on the condition of the mothers like this, and it was the same as that time.

I slowly raised my hand and placed it over his hand that was caressing my lower abdomen, thinking.

Finally, the blessing from heaven for me and him has taken root within me.

‘ But… seeing how I feel this… it seems like it’s not ‘one’… but ‘two’…? ‘

I couldn’t bring myself to tell him, who was touching my stomach as if he was happy, that I was carrying two lives at once.