After finishing her drawing, Rion fell into a deep sleep, perhaps from the aftereffects of using her powers, collapsing right there on the ground.
Seeing this, Yoon Si-woo looked a bit flustered, but soon picked up the sleeping Rion and headed out of the zoo with me.
Just as I was about to lay Rion down in the orphanage, she grabbed my hand, mumbling in her sleep with a soft voice.
“Sis, let’s go to the zoo together next time.”
I couldn’t bring myself to promise her anything, even a lie, so I kept my mouth shut and turned away.
I’m sorry, but I probably won’t have a next time.
I muttered these words inwardly.
*
On the way home, Yoon Si-woo shared his thoughts about the day’s events.
“Today was really fun. Scarlet, I think I spent my holiday really well thanks to you.”
It seemed he truly enjoyed himself. I nodded at his smiling face, and he continued, shyly smiling.
“Hey, if there’s any other place you want to go, just say so.”
Yoon Si-woo said something like that.
But due to the ringing in my head, I couldn’t quite make out what he said.
So, hoping he wouldn’t speak to me right now, I subtly looked away.
In response, Yoon Si-woo mumbled, looking a bit downcast.
“Ah… It’s not that… if there’s a place you want to go…”
…I couldn’t understand what he was saying.
At this moment, I just wanted to avoid conversation.
“I’m sorry, I’m a bit tired. I’ll head to my room first…”
Since we were almost home, I said this to Yoon Si-woo and entered my room, closing the door behind me.
Immediately, I collapsed onto my bed and covered my ears.
But the sound ringing in my head wouldn’t go away.
The alarm was going off.
Ddingding~ Good morning~ Ddingding~
The alarm sound was now so familiar to me.
It was a sign that I was going through difficult times, a reminder that I was exhausted and worn out.
I couldn’t remember when it started, but this alarm had been echoing in my head for some time.
Honestly, it was stressful dealing with the reality that lay before me.
But still, I was mentally prepared to handle it.
Hearing the alarm sound as a mere hallucination was nothing at all.
In fact, I wished the alarm would keep sounding.
At least while the alarm was ringing,
Bap-bap-bap-bap~ Good~ ning~
It would mean that I still existed.
However, in between those alarm sounds.
Bap-bap-bap-bap~ Good~ ning~
Another sound kept creeping in,
Someone’s voice, piercing through.
You’re a fool. No matter how much you deny it, nothing will change.
The voice interrupted.
Bang.
Just like every time I heard that voice.
I clenched my fists and hit myself hard on the head.
Usually, this would at least lessen the noise in my head, even if just a little.
But today, there was no such sign of relief.
I still didn’t want to listen.
I kept striking my head, striking and striking.
Until…
You saw it, didn’t you? Your own future.
I frowned at those words.
Yeah, I saw it.
I couldn’t unsee it.
Today, I saw my future.
My hands trembling, I opened the shopping bag that contained the doll Yoon Si-woo had given me.
Inside were a cat doll and the drawing that Rion had secretly tucked in earlier.
With my eyes shut tight, I took out the picture, slowly opened my eyes, and confirmed once again the horrifying future depicted in it.
No matter what anyone says, you are such a existence.
Up until now, I could endure.
I convinced myself that my existence had a positive impact on this world.
Seeing that those meant to die in the original story were still alive.
Seeing that Yoon Si-woo had grown even stronger than in the original.
If my mere existence could help improve this world’s fate even a little,
If my efforts could help my valuable friends who have appeared anew,
I had endured, fueled by that singular thought.
Even if one day I found myself in an irreversible situation and lost my life to Yoon Si-woo,
I kept telling myself that would be okay.
But the drawing Rion made of the future she saw,
showed a red-haired girl standing with a knife plunged into her heart amid flames,
and a white-haired boy lying beneath her.
Yoon Si-woo dies.
Because of me.
In the future, I am the one who kills the hope of this world.
My head spun.
Nausea rose within me.
I thought maybe I could change the outcome of this crumbling world.
Yet, the future depicted in that drawing seemed to say that I was only bringing about that destruction, not helping it.
It felt like my very purpose was being denied.
I shook my head, rejecting it with all my might.
“No…”
No, you are the one who kills. The person you think is precious dies because of you.
But the voice kept digging deeper into my mind.
I wanted to deny it, covering my ears and screaming.
“No…!”
Being born as a witch is like that.
Because of such existence, you are betrayed by those you believed in, cast aside, and ultimately killed.
“No,” I shook my head.
I struggled against the incessantly heard voice, repeatedly banging my head against the wall.
My forehead split, blood flowing, turning the white dress I wore red.
Yet even as the figure of the cursed girl reflected in the mirror turned redder, the wounds on that girl’s body seemed to mock me, healing and healing until they completely closed.
So let’s burn it all away. Your sadness, your resentment, your rage. This cursed world.
“NOOOOOO!!!”
With a scream, the mirror reflecting the cursed girl shattered into countless pieces.
The large crash filled the room with sharp shards scattered everywhere.
Reflected in the mirror fragments was the image of the red girl, filling the room with a fiery red hue, as if it were on fire.
As if this was the future I would create.
I sank to the ground, sobbing as if I had lost my mind.
No, I won’t become like that.
If it comes to that, I would rather… rather…
I picked up a long, sharp shard of the broken mirror from the floor.
Gripping it with both hands, I aimed it at my chest.
I still had much left—regrets, lingering attachments, promises I couldn’t keep.
But I couldn’t bear the future that lay ahead.
With a forceful thrust, the mirror shard came down.
But it wouldn’t pierce my heart.
When I looked ahead with my frozen arm,
There stood Yoon Si-woo, gripping my arm with a distorted face.
In that instant, I panicked and thought, Ah, I’ve been caught. But as I faced Yoon Si-woo, the scene from the drawing flashed in my mind, and my breath quickened.
No, this can’t happen…
I thought, murmuring inside as I tried to apply force again to pierce my chest, but Yoon Si-woo held my arm tightly, leaving me immobile.
As he held my arm, Yoon Si-woo muttered as if he couldn’t comprehend.
“… Why, why are you doing this, Scarlet?”
“… Please, don’t stop me.”
Don’t say that, of all people.
It’s all for you.
I cried inside, my face grimacing, but still, Yoon Si-woo’s grip on my arm didn’t budge.
But in stark contrast to his unwavering hold, his voice was filled with tremors as he asked me.
“… Why, what’s the reason? Do you have a reason for doing this?”
After a moment of hesitation, I answered Yoon Si-woo’s question.
“… The drawing, on the bed.”
Honestly, it would be best to just tell the truth.
I thought that, and I confessed the existence of the drawing to Yoon Si-woo.
As soon as I did, Yoon Si-woo took back the mirror shard with careful strength and reached for the drawing that Rion had made lying on the bed.
For a moment, I noticed his eyes tremble as he scanned the picture.
It was a drawing he couldn’t help but recognize, showing himself and me.
“… What is this?”
“Rion… Rion drew it…”
I said that, but Yoon Si-woo’s expression said more explanation was needed, so I quietly admitted.
“… Rion can see the future. That’s a drawing of you and me after seeing us today. Do you understand…?”
Yoon Si-woo’s eyes widened with fear.
I would end up killing Yoon Si-woo.
That future was bound to be difficult for him to accept.
Therefore, I thought I had to do anything to prevent that.
“Because of me, you die. I can’t accept that… So please, let go of this hand… It would be better to die before that happens…”
“… Scarlet.”
“… Or would you rather do it? Do you remember the promise we made back then?”
Kill me.
As I said that, I saw Yoon Si-woo inhale sharply.
He looked as if a storm of confusion, sadness, and anger swirled in his eyes.
Heaving, gasping breaths were palpable.
“… Huh.”
And then, Yoon Si-woo calmly drew his sword from thin air.
The pure white blade, the Holy Sword of Truth.
The tip of that glowing white sword slowly approached me.
Upon seeing that, I thought, Ah, he is going to do it.
So I slowly closed my eyes.
Then, a moment later, with a rustling sound.
“Just a little, I’ll cut it.”
Yoon Si-woo’s voice was clear as day right near me.
When I opened my eyes, Yoon Si-woo was holding several strands of what looked like red threads.
From the sensation I felt, I knew it was my hair.
“… You said before, didn’t you? That you believe in me more than anyone in the world.”
Yoon Si-woo tied that hair around the handle of the Holy Sword and looked at me, questioning.
“Was that a lie?”
“… It’s not a lie.”
“Do you not trust me that much?”
“… That’s not it.”
“Then why?”
With a tone slightly laced with anger, he asked.
“You trust a silly drawing more than you trust me.”
I felt a bit flustered by his words, but before I could respond, Yoon Si-woo glared at me fiercely.
“I’m strong. Much stronger than you think. And if you’re worried, I’ll become even stronger, enough to fight and defeat witches.”
He gripped my shoulder tightly as if to emphasize that, then growled in a low voice.
“So, I won’t ever die because of you. Not ever. So don’t worry about that drawing, got it?”
“But…”
“Scarlet.”
With a pleading yet sorrowful look, he said.
“If you don’t want to die, then say you don’t want to die.”
I sighed inwardly at those words.
Ah.
“If it’s that difficult, say it’s difficult. If you’re worried or scared, don’t ask me to kill you, just say so honestly.”
I thought to myself, I’ve been caught.
Yoon Si-woo, looking down quietly at me, glanced at the hair tied to the sword handle.
“See? If you’re ever in danger, I’ll know immediately. No matter where I am, I’ll run to you.”
Without even realizing it, tears welled up in my eyes.
And, as if to tell me not to cry, Yoon Si-woo gently pulled me into a strong embrace and whispered into my ear.
“So Scarlet, don’t think of bad things. Just think about how to be happy. If something bad happens, I’ll figure it out. I’m someone who gets things done. Trust me, okay?”
“…”
To my silence, Yoon Si-woo urged softly.
“Say you believe me.”
In contrast to the voices ringing in my head, this voice was closer and clearer.
Ah, this guy will really do anything for me, I thought.
With hope and desire, I replied.
“… Yeah, I believe you.”
Then Yoon Si-woo gently patted my back, as if he was pleased.
That touch eased some of my anxiety and worry, and I slipped into a deep sleep.
Merry Christmas to all the readers!
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