EP.20 Going Home -1
EP.20 Going Home -1
At that point, I'd run into the biggest obstacle yet.
The problem of having to go to the house where my parents lived.
Not that there was any issue with visiting my parents, per se.
But heading to my family's home was, unexpectedly, a source of worry in several ways—all because of my companion animals, who insisted on coming along no matter what.
Starting with Tia, then Miho, even Kor—every one of them had made their case for tagging along.
Tia declared that since I'd ditched only her the other day, this time she was coming with me no questions asked.
Miho made the excuse that she simply wanted to go see her own fox parents, whom she hadn't visited in a long time.
Kor argued that since she'd introduced her family to me not long ago, it was only proper etiquette for her to come meet my family now.
Everyone except Yata, who was still out, expressed their wish to come along, each brandishing an irrefutable reason.
A Divine Beast entourage assembled before I had any room to refuse.
They were incredibly reassuring when I was heading into a fight, but right then, they just made me uneasy.
"No matter what happens, we cannot let my family find out your true identities, so everyone just stay as quiet as possible. Got it?"
"Okay!"
"Understood!"
"Yeesss...!"
Truthfully, I had briefly considered introducing my companion animals—my Divine Beasts—to my family.
But after imagining how that situation might play out, I immediately scrapped the idea.
I mean, honestly...
"I'd like to introduce you! These ladies here are all my companion animals and my Divine Beasts!"
"Aah...! Our son has finally lost his mind...!!"
"Son...! Daddy knows a good psychiatrist. Let's go see him right this minute."
"You've got girls dressed up in animal costumes and you're calling them companion animals?! I never imagined my brother would sink to this level of degeneracy...! Ugh, this is fucking repulsive!!"
That scenario would absolutely play out, and it might just kill my spirit.
My family were the only ones who protected me and looked after me warmly when everyone else discriminated against me.
If I ended up being treated that way by family so precious to me, I wouldn't be able to bear it.
I might lose the will to live and start thinking suicide sounded nice and easy...
Anyway, that was why I intended to hide the existence of my companion animals from my family.
Having to hide something from my family and deceive them did prick my conscience, but I had no other choice.
My companion animals were all unusual, to say the least...
"It's been such a very long time since I've seen your father and mother!"
"Come to think of it, Miho, have you been living in my old house ever since you were born?"
"No, unfortunately, after I erased your memories, I built a separate dwelling in the mountain behind the house and lived there."
"Why?"
"I simply couldn't bring myself to deceive my own parents with illusions. So, I told them the truth and became independent early."
A remark aimed squarely at me, right after I'd resolved to deceive my family. It stung my conscience.
I tried to appeal to Miho with my eyes, asking if she was being too harsh.
But Miho countered, arguing that if that was the case, couldn't I just introduce her to my family as my companion?
Damn underhanded, sly fox. She never let me win even once.
"Tia."
"Hm?"
"When you grow up, you won't torment me like that, right?"
"Got it!! Don' wowy!!"
"Dear husband, they say a marital quarrel is like cutting water with a knife. Would you mind if I tested whether that's true by cutting you with a knife?"
"I-I'm not water, though...?"
"There is a scientific theory that the human body is 70 percent water, so wouldn't it be roughly the same?"
"No, even so... Hrk?!"
A kitchen knife—I had no idea when she'd produced it—whistled past my cheek and embedded itself cleanly into the wall.
Warm blood trickled down from the shallow cut on my cheek, sending chills through me.
The single remark I'd made to try to beat Miho in an argument, just once, had come back to me as pure terror.
Vowing never to mouth off again, I immediately apologized to Miho.
"Fufu, you two always get along so well...!"
"Where exactly are you looking to see that...?"
"Dear husband~?"
"I'm not exactly sure which part you're looking at, but I think I saw it perfectly. Kor!"
A second kitchen knife, well-honed, was now in Miho's hand.
The tip of the blade was pointed at me, so I had no choice but to execute a graceful tactical pivot.
I was on my way to a family reunion for the first time in a while; I couldn't exactly show up covered in blood.
Treading as carefully as possible to stay on Miho's good side, we eventually arrived at our destination before I knew it.
A homecoming more exhausting than any other. But surely, even that would be over now.
I punched in the door lock code I'd looked up beforehand, unlocked it, gripped the handle, and swung the door open.
And then...
-Pop! Pop!
Party poppers suddenly burst in quick succession, showering me with the confetti inside.
"Wha-what the?!"
"Congratulations! Son!"
"Congratulations!"
The ones who set off the poppers were none other than my parents.
Welcoming me with sudden words of celebration—I had no idea why they were doing this and just stood there, bewildered.
"Um, Mom, Dad...? What's with the congratulations out of nowhere?"
"What do you mean, what for!"
"Our son finally made something of himself—of course we'd congratulate you!"
"M-Made something of myself?"
"Yes! You became an agent, didn't you?"
"And not just any regular agent, but a special agent at that! We're so proud of you!!"
"..."
Evidently, there was still a traitor left within the government.
Director, you son of a bitch...!!
***
"Did you really not mention even the slightest thing about me?"
[That's right. I swear on my oath, I did not breathe a single word about you to anyone.]
"Then how do my parents know I'm that agent everyone's talking about?!"
[Regrettably, I haven't the faintest idea. Why, I myself am genuinely astonished at the fact that your identity got leaked.]
"Then who on earth..."
[Unfortunately, there's little I can do to help. First, I'll have the government look into whether classified information is leaking internally, and I'll contact you then. Hang in there.]
"Yes..."
After my call with the Director ended, exactly one thing became clear.
The person who told my parents my identity was not the Director.
From the moment he first spoke until the call ended, the Director's voice had been tinged with bewilderment—that was proof.
If it was acting, that would be terrifying, but the Director was a man who, surprisingly, was forthright about his assertions.
It really didn't sound like a lie.
Then who on earth had tipped them off?
If it wasn't the Director, only one other person came to mind.
But before I could even ask, a short text message arrived saying 'Nope!', which likewise forced me to eliminate that person from the suspect list.
With neither the Director nor the crow as the culprit, nobody else readily came to mind then.
The situation had come to the point where I had no choice but to ask my parents directly.
I had no other option but to put my phone away and head back inside from the backyard.
My parents were still in high spirits, as if there'd been a major celebration.
I didn't want to piss on their parade, but since it was an important matter, I asked them bluntly.
"Hey, so. How did you two find out I'm an agent?"
"Aha~! So that's why your expression's been stormy ever since earlier?"
"Goodness, you were worrying about something so trivial."
"No! I'm asking because it's seriously important! The fact that I'm an agent is classified intel, and it just got leaked so easily, didn't it? If it comes down to it, I'll have to silence whoever told you two this information!"
"Hmm~ If that's the case, there's no problem at all!"
"Haha, from what I can see, there really doesn't seem to be anything to worry about."
"What do you mean?"
My parents laughed merrily, sharing a conversation only the two of them understood, and I couldn't hide my bafflement.
I didn't mind them enjoying my flustered reaction, but I wished they'd answer a little more seriously.
"Because, you see, we're the only ones who know that you're an agent. That's why."
"What...?"
"In other words, nobody else knows that fact except Dad and Mom. Even your little sister, Seon-a, doesn't know."
"Th-then how did you two know I'm an agent?"
"You were blatantly on video, weren't you? The footage of you fighting those broadcast station people."
Video of me fighting a broadcast station... There was only one.
But at the time, I was wearing the Illusion Mask, so I should have looked like a different person...?
When I pointed out that the face in the footage wasn't mine, unexpected words came out of both their mouths.
"At first, we also thought it wasn't you because the build was the same but the face was different."
"But the more we watched, the mannerisms and certain body parts were unmistakably you."
"Mannerisms and certain body parts...?"
"Yes. Seon-ju, do you know you bounce only your left foot whenever you're annoyed?"
"With your left hand planted firmly on your hip."
Did I have a habit like that...?
A flicker of doubt crossed my mind.
But Miho, who had been standing behind my parents, nodded her head and backed them up, confirming it was spot on.
"Honestly, up to that point, we were only half-sure. We became completely certain the moment you turned around."
"Because you're the only one with a scar like this on the back of your neck."
"Ah...!!"
My parents pulled up the footage from back then and zoomed in on the exact moment I turned around.
And right there, a tiny scar I'd gotten back when the discrimination was severe remained clearly visible.
I shot a glance at Miho, wondering how this happened, and the fox offered a supplementary explanation that the mask's coverage was limited to the face alone.
In other words, my parents had seen through the different face and recognized me from my mannerisms and a small scar.
Observational skills so sharp they gave me chills.
"If we couldn't even notice something like this, why, we'd hardly be fit to call ourselves your parents, would we?"
"If it's about our son or daughter, we know absolutely everything."
"Mom... Dad..."
My parents gazed at me warmly with gentle smiles.
To a third party's eyes, it might have looked like a scene straight out of a heartwarming movie, but...
The single fact that Miho was standing directly behind my parents instantly flipped the genre into an obsessive horror flick.
Where did my emotional moment go...?