Secret (1)
Secret (1)
Fwoooosh──!!
The final burst of fireworks painted the star-filled night sky in brilliant colors.
Claire tucked the object in her hand into her coat and approached the gathered group.
"I trust you'll keep quiet."
"O-of course. Keeping your mouth shut is basic survival if you want a long career as an Awakened, isn't it?"
"Absolutely. Ha, haha...."
Under her gaze, cold enough to chill bone, the graduates quickly nodded and offered awkward laughs.
"I'll arrange another time for you to meet her. You should return for tonight."
"If you'd do that for us...."
Kim Gyeong-tae bowed to Claire on behalf of the group. Unlike when they had arrived, they now chatted quietly among themselves as they slowly receded down the moonlit street.
"Ha-na."
"...Yeah."
Baek Ha-na looked up. She had been carefully cupping her hands, afraid of disturbing the Fairy sleeping soundly atop them.
"The festival is over. The professor said you may stay at the mansion starting tonight."
"...Really?"
"Yes. And Maria. Idni."
The two girls, who had been staring intently at Baek Ha-na's hands, flinched and snapped their heads up.
"You two will stay at the mansion for the time being as well."
"U-us too?"
"For real...?"
At the unexpected instruction, they nodded blankly, their expressions dazed.
"The two of you, as well. If you aren't going home, stay at the mansion."
"Understood."
Nam Seo-hee answered for both of them, still carrying the unconscious Lee Na-young on her back—Lee Na-young had fainted from sheer relief that the Fairy was alive.
"It's late, so please head back to the mansion now. I have matters to settle and will return sometime tomorrow."
"Okay... See you tomorrow, Big Sis."
"Yes. Ha-na. Have a good night."
Claire smiled softly and lightly brushed Baek Ha-na's damp hair aside. For a moment, Maria and Idni stared at the sight with startled expressions, but when Lee Ye-sol popped her head between them from behind, they quickly composed themselves.
"Lee Ye-sol. See them off."
"I shall. Everyone, shall we go?"
Lee Ye-sol gave Claire a single nod, then led the girls slowly away. Once she could no longer sense any presences nearby—
Tak, tak-tak, taktaktak─!!
Impatience flickered across Claire's face, and she launched herself into a thicket some distance away.
Rain had been falling since dawn. The sodden soil and the droplets clinging to leaves splattered noisily as she sped through, soiling her clothes, but Claire only quickened her pace.
Deep within the brush, where the trees grew tall and thick foliage blocked even the moonlight—
Fwaaaah─!!
Holy power erupted from her body, sweeping away the dense darkness.
Shhhh....
A breath of wind stirred.
The faint scent of blood still hanging in the air brushed past Claire's nose.
"...!!"
She threw herself toward the source of the wind.
"Professor...!!"
Baek Woo-jin was slumped against an unfamiliar tree.
The ground around him was stained dark crimson. Moonlight seemed to gather around him alone, as though someone were watching over the scene.
"Professor!!"
Claire reached his side in an instant and unleashed holy power with an intensity that threatened to detonate.
"You don't... listen...."
"...."
When his pale hand caught her wrist, Claire had no choice but to pull her power back. She had been told beforehand that healing would not work on him, but her body had reacted before her mind could catch up.
"...Excuse me."
As if handling something immeasurably precious, Claire gathered Baek Woo-jin into her arms.
"Your clothes... are getting... dirty."
"...It's fine."
His voice sounded as though it might break at any moment. His body was so cold it stung.
Suppressing the urge to break into a run, Claire walked quietly through the undergrowth with Baek Woo-jin in her arms. Right now, even a stray breeze could become a deadly poison.
She drew in the holy power she had spread and let the darkness return.
Stepping lightly, leaving not even footprints, she slipped out of the thicket and expanded her senses to the fullest, searching for a route free of any presence.
"Professor."
"...."
Baek Woo-jin had already coughed up blood several times in her embrace. He nodded.
Hwoo-ook─!!
Without hesitation, Claire leaped—and in an instant, landed atop the Temple of the God of Amusement. There had been no other way to avoid the eyes of so many.
She opened the glass pane connected to her own room and stepped inside.
"Just hold on a little longer...."
The room had gone unused for months, yet not a speck of dust could be found. She laid Baek Woo-jin on her bed, then went into the bathroom and returned with warm water and a towel.
"Excuse me."
She tore away the blood-soaked clothing and began to clean his soiled body with the warm, damp towel.
'Professor....'
Right after they had emerged from the Rift.
- Claire.
- Yes, Professor.
- The Fairy will die today.
- ...?
On the way to the auditorium, he had told her that.
- But I told you, didn't I? That farewell is farther off than you think.
Warmth had filled her empty hand.
- I would appreciate your help.
She had nodded.
After that, until they reached the auditorium, he had briefed her on what would happen and what she needed to do. But not once had he mentioned anything about his lifespan.
Now, her face set hard, she was about to wipe the blood from the corner of Baek Woo-jin's mouth when—
Buzz-buzz─!!
She pulled the vibrating smartphone from her coat.
[ Jaden : All invited guests have departed. ]
She tucked the phone away and spoke to Baek Woo-jin, who lay pale as a corpse.
"...You can rest now."
Buzz-buzz─!!
Her smartphone and smartwatch both began buzzing again insistently, but she shut them off without even checking the alerts.
"Rest well."
After replacing the basin of water, now stained with blood, Claire quietly kept watch beside Baek Woo-jin as he sank into a deep sleep.
**
"Ugh, do we really have to do this in the middle of the night? We could've just done it tomorrow."
"Stop complaining and keep moving."
Maria worked her cloth over the footprints Baek Ha-na had left on the floor while Idni let out a small sigh and erased the other tracks.
Just then, Nam Seo-hee and Baek Ha-na, the owner of those footprints, emerged from Baek Ha-na's room into the hallway.
"The inside's done."
"Oh!! Then come help us."
Idni welcomed them by patting the floor beside her.
"No, wait, why are you coming?"
"If you don't want me to, do it yourself."
"I mean, that's not what I—"
As Nam Seo-hee started to retreat, Idni scrambled over on her knees and grabbed her thigh.
"Want something to eat?"
"Night snack sounds great!! At the temple, we couldn't even dream of this."
Idni was the first to answer again.
"Yeah. I figured our Idni might be a little hungry. Right?"
"Huh? How'd you know? I'm a little...."
Halfway through her reply to Maria, Idni's mouth clamped shut. Her face flushed bright red to match Maria's grinning expression.
"Y-you...!!"
"Hmm~? What could be the matter? Oh dear, you missed a spot there."
"You just wait...."
Fuming, Idni went back to scrubbing the stains with Nam Seo-hee.
"I'll go see what there is to eat, then."
Baek Ha-na left her friends behind and headed for the kitchen.
Fortunately—maybe thanks to the cereal incident last time—the freezer was stocked with plenty of frozen food that just needed a quick reheat. There were also drinks and snacks in ample supply.
Confirming that nothing else needed preparing, Baek Ha-na quietly made her way to the study.
"Haa."
She drew in a deep breath of the scent that always steadied her heart, then peeked through the crack of the slightly open bedroom door.
- Peep... peeep....
The peeping was clear enough to hear from far away.
On the bed sat a small basket, and beside it, a pile of chocolate. She had left it there so the Fairy would have something to eat if it woke while they were asleep.
After confirming once more that the Fairy was healthy, Baek Ha-na turned and stopped in front of the study desk. She picked up the envelope that had been left on top.
[Baek Ha-na]
A cute post-it note served in place of a seal.
Just her name, written plainly.
Something about the combination of that perfectly neat handwriting and the pink post-it note made her smile without quite knowing why.
Slide.
Baek Ha-na pulled the letter from the envelope and leaned back against the chair they had often sat in together when she was little. Using the bright light of the full moon as her lamp, she read.
I'll be away from the house for a short while due to some business.
It might take around a month at the longest, so don't bother contacting me.
And you're free to play, but don't you dare skip your daytime training with Claire. I'll be checking when I get back.
That was so like him.
I imagine you're reading this while sitting in my chair.
Baek Ha-na flinched and glanced around before her gaze returned to the letter.
Using it is fine, but don't go rummaging through the drawers on your own.
"Hmph... I already know what's in them, you know."
It had happened five years ago, but she still remembered it vividly.
That day, just like today, the grown-ups had been away and only the children were left.
Baek Ha-na glanced at the drawer that once held her practice notebooks, then returned to the letter.
I'm sorry I can't watch it with you this year.
"...."
Don't get into trouble before I return.
Baek Ha-na carefully set the letter down on the desk.
"Ha-na?"
The study door opened, and Maria poked her head in.
"Ah, yeah?"
"Sorry. Did I interrupt?"
"No. I was about to come out. Are you all done?"
"Yeah. Idni's yelling for her late-night snack, so...."
"That sounds like Idni. I'll be right out."
Maria studied Baek Ha-na's face for a moment, then smiled softly and closed the door.
Alone again, Baek Ha-na folded the letter neatly, slipped it back into the envelope, and tucked it away inside her coat.
Buzz-buzz─!!
Just as she was gathering herself to stand, the smartwatch on her wrist buzzed loudly.
[ Urgent Notice : Currently, the Barrier has ceased operation.... ]
The message instructed that any students remaining in the dorms were to stay inside and await further instructions.
"Hooo, hooo... Urgh...."
Her chest felt tight, as though blocked by an inexplicable anxiety.
A long while passed before Baek Ha-na was able to leave the study.