Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: Movie Outing and Vows
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Yoon Na-rin felt great after successfully dragging Anis out of the house. It was right around the time when she was starting to genuinely worry about Anis holing up in her room like that.
And Han U-sol felt the same way. He hadn't been living with her and watching over Anis like Yoon Na-rin had, but he'd heard all the updates from Yoon Na-rin and had been just as worried about Anis.
That's why he didn't try to stop Yoon Na-rin and Reisi Hearts from forcibly pulling out the reluctant Anis. In fact, he quietly sided with them. At the very least, they needed to get her some fresh air, even if it meant dragging her out.
Anis, dragged to the movie theater, stiffened up and glanced around like a small animal. Wondering if she was conscious of people's stares, Han U-sol stepped in front of her to shield her with his body.
"What should we watch?"
"I heard that one's good."
Up ahead, Yoon Na-rin and Reisi Hearts were picking a movie.
"How about this one?"
Han U-sol squeezed in between them, pointing at a movie poster with his finger. It was a hero movie poster.
"Sure?"
"Hero movie. Sounds good."
The whole point of this outing was to lift Anis's spirits. They didn't have any particular movie they'd been dying to see, and the one Han U-sol pointed to happened to be a hero flick anyway. Yoon Na-rin and Reisi Hearts figured Anis would enjoy it, so they nodded without much thought.
Yoon Na-rin finished reserving the tickets at the unmanned kiosk and called out to Anis.
"Anis, let's go in."
"Yeah... tickets?"
"All done."
Once they entered the theater, Anis started looking around in earnest. It didn't seem like she was on guard from people's stares—it looked like pure curiosity. Maybe it's her first time at a movie theater? Han U-sol chuckled softly.
Anis and Yoon Na-rin's conversation drifted into Han U-sol's ears.
"What movie is it?"
"Hero movie."
"Oh."
Anis's voice carried a hint of excitement. Han U-sol thought to himself that choosing the hero movie had been the right call.
"But when do the ads end?"
"About five minutes."
"Oh."
Judging by her asking when the ads would end, Anis really did seem like a first-timer at the movies.
"When do they end?"
"Wait a bit."
"Okay."
Anis kept pestering Yoon Na-rin about when the ads would finish, like a kid nagging her mom in anticipation. Yoon Na-rin answered like a broken record each time—"wait a bit"—until she finally flicked Anis on the forehead.
Han U-sol stole a glance at Anis clutching her forehead in pain, hands over her mouth, and smiled. He thought to himself how glad he was that they'd gotten her out of the house.
Soon the movie started, and Han U-sol regretted watching it. He'd thought it was a straightforward hero flick, but the story turned out pretty grim.
Lots of people died. Scenes of countless civilians getting killed by magic beasts reminded him of the B District attack. Han U-sol's expression darkened.
The protagonist clutched his daughter's corpse and wailed. Ironically, the girl's hair was the same ashen color as Rena's.
Han U-sol turned to check Anis's face. Her expression grew worse and worse as the movie went on.
...My bad.
When the movie ended, the group exited with a slightly subdued mood.
"Wasn't that fun."
"Yeah. Felt too real or something~"
Yoon Na-rin and Reisi Hearts tried to lighten the atmosphere with bright tones.
"Anis."
"Yeah?"
"Want ice cream?"
Yoon Na-rin asked Anis, who pondered for a moment before nodding.
"Then wait here. Reisi and I will grab it."
Yoon Na-rin said that and headed into the convenience store with Reisi Hearts. An awkward silence settled between Han U-sol and Anis.
Han U-sol cautiously spoke to Anis.
"Anis. Uh... how was the movie?"
"...It was fun. It was a comedy."
Anis said flatly. There hadn't been a single comedic element from start to finish.
Was she still in a bad mood? Fair enough. It had stirred up memories that could almost be called trauma.
"...Sorry. Shouldn't have suggested it."
Coming to the theater was fine, but they'd picked the wrong movie. If he'd known it was like that, he wouldn't have suggested it. Han U-sol blamed himself.
"It's okay."
He looked at Anis. Still expressionless.
People he couldn't save. A child's corpse. Dead classmates. It must have brought back bad memories. Was she forcing herself to act okay? Han U-sol's heart grew heavy.
He'd become a hero. Suddenly, before even graduating the academy due to the magic beast attack, but he was still a hero.
——What about you? You said you wanted to save people, just like me. Still the same?
A conversation he'd had with Anis at the snack stand flashed through his mind.
Back then, Han U-sol had vowed: to get stronger. To become a hero and save people.
But he'd only half-kept that vow.
He'd become a hero, but failed to protect people. Han U-sol agonized over it. Anis probably felt the same.
He'd agonized, but his resolve to become a hero and save people hadn't wavered. That's how he'd picked himself up.
And Anis was probably the same. She was hurting now, but if he comforted her a little, she'd overcome it soon enough. He believed that.
"Anis."
"Yeah?"
"We said we'd become heroes and save people, right?"
"......"
Anis's eyes trembled slightly.
"It's sudden, but we've become heroes now. But we couldn't save people."
Anis listened quietly without opening her mouth.
"We might fail next time too. Or the time after. Even so."
But still.
"Next time, let's save them. Let's make sure no one dies."
That's what heroes do.
"......Yeah."
Anis forced the corners of her mouth up in a smile as she replied. Han U-sol felt like it looked strained.
Was she still struggling? Unlike him, Anis had lost classmates during the incident.
Maybe she feared losing those close to her.
Han U-sol put strength into his voice and spoke with conviction.
"Don't worry, Anis. I won't leave you. I'll stay by your side forever."
"......"
After blurting it out on impulse, Han U-sol blushed a few seconds later. It sounded like a confession.
No, he didn't not want to confess. But he wanted to do it later, in a more romantic setting. Anis liked romance, after all.
"Thanks."
Han U-sol, who had ducked his head, looked up at Anis's voice. The strained smile was gone; now she wore a genuine one across her face.
Staring blankly at her smile, Han U-sol thought to himself: Should've just confessed right then.
The silence didn't last long. Yoon Na-rin and Reisi Hearts returned from the convenience store.
"Got ice cream! Pick one!"
"Anis looks cheerier now?"
Yoon Na-rin glanced back and forth between Han U-sol and Anis, nodded, and handed ice cream to Anis.
"Here, Anis. You like chocolate, right?"
"Yeah."
"It's getting dark already. Let's head to the office."
Yoon Na-rin led the way, with Anis and Reisi Hearts following behind.
"Puhahaha!"
Partway down the road, Anis suddenly burst out laughing.
"Anis?"
"No, just... funny."
What was so funny? Yoon Na-rin tilted her head.
...Was she laughing at that confession-like line from earlier? Timing-wise, it was the only thing that made sense.
Han U-sol's face heated up. Yeah, it was the kind of cringey line he'd kick off the blankets over in bed later.
...I wanna die.
Why'd he say it like that? He could've just said it normally.
Han U-sol followed quietly behind Anis, face red.
The hot summer wind tousled Anis's hair.
The scent of her tickled his nose. The magic beast smell you only got from otherworldly beings. Han U-sol felt like it was a bit stronger now than when they were at the academy.
All magic beasts were hostile to humans. Staring at Anis's back as they walked, Han U-sol thought idly.
What if.
What if Anis were hostile to humans.
If she didn't try to save people, but harm them instead.
What then?
Could he still look at her the same way?
...Ha. Ridiculous.
All magic beasts were hostile to humans. But not Anis.
She's a magic beast, but human.
She wants to save people, just like me.
Silly thought. Even as imagination, it was rude to Anis. Han U-sol quickly shoved the nonsense aside and apologized to her in his mind.
Anis seemed much better now, bantering with Reisi Hearts. Maybe his comfort had helped. Han U-sol felt inexplicably cheerful.
He'd made one embarrassing memory, but his steps toward the office were light.
"Anis."
"Yeah?"
"We said we'd become heroes and save people, right?"
"......"
Yeah. I wanted to save them. Even though it all crumbled in the end.
I don't even know myself anymore. Did I really want to be a hero?
"Next time, let's save them. Let's make sure no one dies."
Why?
They're just people in a novel. Do I really have to save them?
"......Yeah."
I forced a smile.
Can't let them find out. That I'm twisted.
That I don't care about being a hero or whatever.
That I don't care if people die or not.
Even if they die. Even if it hurts. It's all just typed letters on a keyboard.
But even so.
[I have to become a hero and save people.]
I have to become a hero and save people.
Because that's what you all want.
"Don't worry, Anis. I won't leave you. I'll stay by your side forever."
"......"
Yeah. That's enough.
As long as I have you all.
As long as we can be together.
As long as you don't leave my side.
I don't care about anything else.
Unlike the other clumps of text, only you make me feel alive.
You're the only living things in this world.
"Thanks."
Only then did I smile brightly.
[How contradictory.]
Puhahaha—laughter burst out.
"Anis?"
"No, just... funny."
Contradictory?
Not at all.