Chapter 28 – I Don’t Like It?

“Nope?”
“Then, the first day from today… Yes?”

Why is he saying something like ‘1 day from today’ as if it were natural?
If all men ask me to date, do you think I will go out with you?

“I don’t like it. Why am I dating you With a woman I don’t even like.”
“Uh… Uh?”
“I’m sorry, but I have a crush on someone else, and that person isn’t you.”
“Uh… ?”

I left Seunghee, who was staring at her swollen red eyes, and turned around.

“Mother. First, let’s go into the hideout. It could be dangerous again.”
“Ah? Oh, yes.”

She wraps her mother around her shoulder and leads her to the hideout.

For some reason, it seems that my mother was taken aback by my reaction. I glanced back at Seunghee.
Was it that surprising? I think it’s a natural reaction.

“Ruler! Wait! Then what should my brother do!”

As I was about to enter the hideout with my mother, Seung-hee sprints behind me and argues with me.
It was a waste of words to even answer.

“You killed it. You do it yourself.”
“Me, me? Did I not kill you?!”

I bet you do.
I ignored Seunghee and went inside the hideout with my mother.

“Hey, hey! Hey!”

Seunghee grabbed the hem of my dress and stretched it.
I sighed and told my mother.

“Mother. Please go in first. I’ll go in and talk to him.”
“Ah, yes.”

I left the hideout and closed the door.
Seung-hee was trembling, biting her lips as if something unfair had happened.
And then he listened to me with an angry expression.

“Hey! What do you mean I killed my brother? Am I very offended? Please apologize!”
“Oh yeah.”

To Seung-hee, who speaks in an argumentative manner, I spoke clearly once more.

“You killed Seungpil. Honestly, do you know?”
“What… What did you say?”

Seung-hee asks, feeling full of energy.

“I told you not to come out. Why did you come out?”

Seunghee was at last at a loss for words.
He just made an expression as if he was taken aback by my words and asked who came out.

It seems that he has at least a conscience.
It was only his expression that made him feel unjust, and it was fortunate that he didn’t say it out of his mouth.

“Why did that man shoot Seung-pil? I could have just gotten something to eat, so why would I risk my life to fight two young men? Why did he kill Seungpil, try to kill me, and eventually die himself, so why did he do such a risky thing, thinking he had more to gain?”

Seunghee was stunned.
It was still trembling, but the reason for the trembling was different.

It’s not that I’m angry and shaking. Seunghee was trembling with fear.
It was fortunate that I had at least a head that could read the intentions behind my words.

“It’s because of you, Han Seung-hee. Because you came out Because you showed your face to that man. Because I didn’t hear you telling me not to come out. The man shot your brother. To kill us and take you—the young woman.”
“I, I, I don’t like—”
“Curiosity or something, you must have just looked outside without thinking. But, your brother died because of it. If you hadn’t shown your face there, Seungpil wouldn’t have died.”

Seung-hee’s mouth twitched as if she was shocked by my blunt words.
But I haven’t even said half of what I want to say yet. I had no intention of stopping along the way.

“To be honest, you are very intrusive. It’s called a nuisance. Because of you, Seungpil died and I almost died too. What would have happened if he had died there too? Not only you, but my mother, who was still inside, must have been captured and enslaved by that man. Because of you alone, all of us here almost came to an end. Know?”
“Ah, that, sorry——”
“Don’t apologize. It’s not because I’m trying to hear an apology. Don’t talk long We’ll live on our own, so you live on your own. Okay?”
“Look at me, how…”
“So you tell me to live on your own. Whether you’re hunting for other survivors or hunting for yourself, don’t stick to us. Because it gets in the way I don’t want to die because of you.”
“That! Then! Are you saying you’re going to live with your mother and do something like that?”
“Okay. I will live like that.”
“Under! Pervert!”
“Unlike anyone else, even if we hear pervert, we know that family life is more precious.”
“Me too…”
“I don’t know? You are already late Your brother is already dead.”
“Oh… My brother is still…”
“Didn’t I tell you to decide quickly? What do you say when you die?”
“Yeah, you too! Shouldn’t my older brother help me? Still, oppa, I have to save him!”
“I did enough. If Seung-pil takes a bomb like you with him to save him, it’s obvious that both me and my mother will be in danger. Why are you doing such a loss? And, I’m sorry to say this, but I’d rather do it with my mother than with you.”
“Ah…”
“My story is over. Live well.”

I left Seung-hee, who had hardened, outside, and entered the hideout alone.

-Thud. Clap.
And locked the iron door.
It’s not impossible to open it, but at least Seunghee won’t be able to open it alone.

“Hey, hey! Hey!”

Thump thump.
Belatedly, Seung-hee knocks on the iron door.

“Hey! Please open the door! I’m scared! Are you really scared?!”

I really didn’t know that it would be abandoned. A look of bewilderment was felt through the iron gate.

“It’s Changjae.”

Hearing Seunghee’s urgent voice, her mother stood up as if to open the door.
I dry such a mother

“Mother. Just a moment.”
“It must be dangerous outside.”
“Are you okay. No matter how dangerous it is, I can’t understand it, but you have to go through some rough times to know that.”
“Still…”

“Hey you bad guy!!”
-Bang!

“Look. Are you full of energy?”
“Haha… That’s right. Ah.”

While talking to her mother in the dark hideout, I couldn’t stand it and hugged her mother.

“I’m sorry, mother. For a moment… I will stay like this.”

Hot.
Mother’s body temperature.

When I was hugged by my mother, I knew it all over again.
That my hands are still shaking.

I feel I’m still alive
I was lucky to be alive and able to hold my mother.

My mother hugs me and caresses me.
His touch was so kind that I felt like I was going to cry.

“Are you okay. It’s not Changjae’s fault.”
“Ugh…”
“Mom knows that Changjae did his best. No matter who replaced her, she would not have done better than Changjae.”
“Mother…”
“Are you okay. Mom and Changjae are all right, right? Seung-hee is there too, so Seung-pil will be saved soon. Don’t worry. Everything will be alright.”
“… Yes.”
“My mom will help if there is anything I can do, so tell me anything. Understand?”

It was scary.
I was afraid to die.
It was scary to see other people die in front of me.

But what scares me most is that my mother will be left alone after I die.
More than anything, I was afraid of the future that my mother would try to save me.

“Mother. If I die… Can you die with me?”

It was an absurd and ineffective story.

But I couldn’t help but say it. I couldn’t imagine that Seungpil would die today, but there was no guarantee that I wouldn’t die tomorrow.

If I die and my mother is left alone like Seunghee.
And if I live again
I will never be happy

“Huh. I will. Mom will die along with Chang-jae. So, don’t worry about Changjae.”

Mother is a liar
She usually reveals her feelings so easily, but only when it’s like this does she lie calmly.

“… Just kidding, mother. I won’t die never.”

The only way to prevent such a future is for me not to die.

“I’m most happy that my mom does too.”

Let’s not die
Even for my mother. Even for me who thinks of my mother. Let’s not die

“Mother, then today… Can you finish it?”
“Huh? Ah.”

My mother immediately realized what I meant and blushed.

I know it’s cowardly.
To bring up this story right after Seungpil’s death.

Because I don’t want to die like Seungpil, to earn coins, for the safety of my family.
I made up an excuse that my mother could never run away from and said.

But that was a story I couldn’t sanely tell without an excuse like that.

“Mom too… If creativity is good, good. And in fact… If Changjae hadn’t said it first, my mother would have asked for it first.”
“… Thank you.”

Happy.
Honestly, I’m glad.
The fact that I could have this kind of relationship with my mother even with this excuse.
It could be said to be the only positive function of this crazy system.

“But that… Can you stop letting Seunghee in?”

Mother said a little worried.
Even now, Seunghee was knocking on the door outside.

“Wow! Sister! Sorry! Please open it! Hey! I was wrong! I won’t do that again! I’ll listen carefully! I’ll do the laundry and the dishes too! Please let me in! Aaaaah!」

At first, Seung-hee, who was angry, resentful, and cursing at me, was now crying and begging for wrongdoing.

“I think Seunghee also reflected a lot. Huh?”

Well… After all, wouldn’t that be an act to escape a momentary crisis?

“… Iknow, right.”

But I hid my true feelings and nodded at my mother’s words.

Not for Seunghee, but for my mother.
If I really die, my mother will be sad too.