Chapter 449 - Side Story. Lily Of The Valley (23)

Somehow, I felt like only rough breathing could be heard in this space.

"...Stop talking nonsense."

Da-in oppa, who shot at Kim Sun-woo.

Leaning against the wall with one arm, looking like he might collapse at any moment... he still glared at Kim Sun-woo with murderous eyes and shouted at him.

"Why... why would it be Seo-eun's fault? What could Seo-eun have done back then? It's because of you. From the beginning, you created that environment."

"...Ha! Right! How convenient to blame the environment! Just blame everything on others!"

"Blaming others? Yes, blame. Who kidnapped Seo-eun and locked her up? Who tortured them? Who left them to die? From the beginning... the person who committed... the wrong. It was all you. You're the perpetrator. Seo-eun is... the victim. You crazy bastard."

Oppa spoke as if coughing up blood, his gun barrel trembling as he glared at him.

I had never heard oppa use such harsh words before.

Normally, he hardly ever used such profanity.

...But now, he was using it.

For my sake. Because he thought I was being attacked.

Even as I stood there dazed, still in a state of confusion.

Oppa continued shouting without stopping.

"...And! Seo-eun was just a child! And what, you call such a child pure evil? Evil from birth? Ha... pure evil, that's what someone like you should be called... Seo-eun, Seo-eun..."

And then oppa.

At that point, he turned his head to look at me.

With clear eyes, as if certain, he said:

"Seo-eun. You are a good person."

Perhaps because I flinched at those words.

Oppa, even as he was about to collapse, continued speaking to me with a clear and certain voice.

"I can guarantee it, having lived with you for years. You've always been a good kid, and a good friend outside too. Of course, you might make mistakes sometimes. You might go astray. Like the illusion that man showed."

"But... but, that's when you're alone."

"No. Now you're not alone. Even if you go astray, even if you do something wrong... there are people who can set you right. Me, your friends..."

"Then. Then, it's all good..."

Looking at oppa as he said this.

Watching him intently as he lowered his head after saying that much, seemingly out of breath.

I quietly thought to myself.

"HA!!! This is ridiculous! You call that an excuse?!!"

Yes. There had been times like this before.

"No matter how much you, Da-in, try to make excuses, the essence doesn't change!! Han Seo-eun, that child..."

When I was struggling like this.

When I was suffering alone, like now.

When I might have made the wrong choice.

Someone came looking for me.

[Knock knock.]

Five years ago.

The house where I was hiding.

[Knock knock. Are you there~]

"...Who is it?"

[Ah. Hello. You must be Seo-eun? Nice to meet you, I'm Da-in.]

[I'll get straight to the point. I know you've suffered a lot at the hands of Han-eun Group. I'll help you get revenge.]

"...Get out."

After escaping from Han-eun Group, someone came looking for me when I was alone in the house I had found with difficulty.

...At that time, I thought he might be from Han-eun Group since he came looking for me.

And I was very sensitive due to my memories of Han-eun Group.

So I threatened and drove away that mysterious man who came looking for me.

I wondered if a search team was coming, and considered running away...

But as time passed, it wasn't like that.

That person, that man... kept coming back.

Without doing anything. Just speaking to me, leaving gifts at the door, and then going back... such puzzling visits.

[Seo-eun, have you been well? I need your help...!]

[Ah, it's quite cold outside these days. Make sure to dress warmly when you go out.]

[Oh, it's hot. Seo-eun, it's hot these days. I feel like I'm melting...]

I still found it suspicious, so I didn't pay much attention.

I thought he might be some strange person targeting me while I was still young... but that didn't seem to be the case either.

"No. Why do you keep coming? I don't need anyone else. I told you to leave..."

Even as I said that...

I suddenly realized.

That these times when this person visited were the only times I had what could be called conversations with another person.

And sometimes, I found myself thinking: I wonder if that person won't come to bother me today?

Anyway, as time passed, I got tired of seeing him lingering at the door.

...And I was curious about how he knew about me and why he kept coming.

"...Sigh. Come in."

"Oh? You're finally letting me in!"

I decided to hear what he had to say.

...Perhaps, though I wouldn't have admitted it then.

I might have been unconsciously longing for human warmth.

And finally, the man who introduced himself as Da-in and explained why he had been looking for me.

Somehow, he told an absurd story.

"...So, you know most of the secrets of the ability users in this world..."

He wanted to borrow my power because he wanted to become a villain for someone he loved?

What kind of crazy talk is this...?

I was going to refuse after hearing that.

But.

"You were hurt by Han-eun Group. You want revenge. I'll help you."

What was my reaction to what oppa said next?

...I think I got angry about how he knew and drove him away.

But.

Was it because of that gaze I felt during our conversation?

A transparent and sincere gaze, different from the adults I had met so far, one that saw me as a human being, not as an experimental subject.

...Somehow, I felt like I could trust him.

As if my exceptional mind had made an intuitive judgment.

"...Well. If you really want to prove yourself, keep coming and prove it... I guess..."

I think I said that quietly, head bowed, holding the door as he was leaving.

And what did oppa say to that?

"...! Yes, thank you, Seo-eun."

Right. For the first time, he smiled brightly and said that.

And after that, oppa came to see me every day.

Perhaps I started smiling more than before.

As time passed.

When I finally came to trust oppa.

Only then did I realize.

...If oppa hadn't come into my life, I would have been much more broken than I thought.

Always alone, drowning in pessimism, self-hatred, resentment, and regret. Eventually, I would have gone wrong as a human being. That's probably the truth of the "White Witch" that Kim Sun-woo showed.

But oppa came to me.

Someone who came to me when I was falling apart as a child, constantly talking to me... and staying with me.

Someone who always reached out first when I was in difficult situations.

Just like now.

"......"

In the basement of Han-eun Group, where light flickered from the machines behind.

"...not possible! Han Seo-eun, you must sacrifice yourself!!! Even if you continue to live..."

Ignoring Kim Sun-woo's voice coming from the front, I looked at oppa's face as he caught his breath, then closed my eyes.

Yes.

Because I had oppa.

I'll be okay now, won't I?

With that thought, I turned my head again with firm resolve to look at Kim Sun-woo.

...Perhaps he realized I wasn't going to move as he wanted.

Kim Sun-woo raised his voice even louder toward me.

"In the first place!!! Han Seo-eun, what meaning is there if you continue to live! You've lived only thinking about revenge against me. You have no values of your own, no dreams you want to achieve, no goals, no ideals you want to become. What meaning is there for someone like you to live in this world?!!"

Looking at Kim Sun-woo trying to persuade me until the end, I fell into thought.

Yes. Values.

I don't have grand values. I might not have beliefs either.

...But.

I do have dreams.

Clearly, there are things I want to achieve.

And I do have ideals.

"Why wouldn't I have dreams? There are things I want to achieve."

"Huh? More lies! Then Han Seo-eun, tell me. What ideals do you have?"

"I..."

After saying that much.

I took a breath, then put on the suit again and said:

"I!! I have a dream of living happily with oppa for the rest of my life!!!"

With those words, I flew into the air wearing the suit.

All lasers were once again aimed at Kim Sun-woo.

Ah. I said it.

My true dream. The lifelong wish I had.

Looking at me, Kim Sun-woo laughed as if in disbelief.

"Haha... Hahahahaha!! You call that a dream? How is that a dream, you fool!"

"That's just your opinion. This is my dream, and this is what I want to achieve, so what are you going to do about it? Go to hell. I'll find my own happy life."

As I prepared the lasers with those words, what did he realize?

"Haha... Is it because that man said unnecessary things? Han Seo-eun has really armed herself with strange beliefs. Fine. If words won't work, I'll have to discipline you directly."

Kim Sun-woo, as if giving up on everything, smiled dejectedly and once again surrounded his body with flames and electricity.

Along with that.

Flash

KWAAAAAAANG.

"Oppa, watch out!!"

Barely blocking the lightning that Kim Sun-woo suddenly fired at Da-in oppa with my suit acting as a shield.

Finally, the battle unfolded once again.

The final fight to end the persistent bad blood between me and Kim Sun-woo, which would probably be the last.