You Won't Abandon Me, Right?
On the way home, my footsteps felt as heavy as if lead weights were dragging them down. The necklace box tucked carefully in my bosom felt unusually cold against my skin. Ariel's teary voice and her eyes stained with betrayal lingered in my mind like an afterimage, refusing to fade. The path I would normally have walked joyfully, chatting with villagers about the festival, felt endlessly distant and treacherous today.
"Unnie! You're back?"
The moment I opened the front door, a small figure fluttered toward me like a butterfly and wrapped her arms tightly around my waist. The soft warmth of Psyche came with the fresh scent of soap. She nuzzled her face against me like a puppy, sniffing curiously, then fiddled with the hem of my clothes as if confirming how long I'd been gone.
"Psyche, unnie's home. Were you good by yourself? Nothing scary happen?"
"Of course! I read the book you taught me and just waited for you. But unnie, where did you go?"
Psyche rubbed her face against me and looked up with sparkling eyes. The instant our clear gazes met, I realized with a start and glanced down at my empty hands. Caught up in the argument with Ariel and my own worries, I'd completely forgotten to buy the groceries and stationery that were my original goal. All I'd bought was the necklace hidden in my bosom.
"Ah... Psyche, sorry. The village was so buzzing with festival excitement that I got distracted looking around and forgot the ingredients."
"Ehehe, unnie, you're always like that. Were you that excited for the festival? Then let's go together now! I was running out of stationery anyway and wanted to pick some out with you."
Psyche burrowed deeper into my arms. "It's way better walking with unnie than waiting alone at home."
Psyche took my hand and pulled me toward the village. I hesitated a bit about heading back to the square where I'd run into Ariel earlier, but with no dinner ingredients at home, I took the child's hand and stepped out again.
The village, as dusk began to fall, was even busier with festival preparations. But my mind was still a tangled mess. As we wandered the market picking out potatoes and meat, Ariel's final words echoed relentlessly in my ears.
'Don't you ever come near the bakery again! I'm done waiting for someone like you!'
Ariel was my most precious friend, across both my past life on Earth and this one. The only one who had pulled me, adrift and unable to adapt to this world, out into the light. Hadn't I been too neglectful toward her? Had I taken her sincere worries and affection for granted, using Psyche as an excuse?
"Unnie, this potato is huge and firm. How about potato soup for dinner? I'll help!"
"Huh? Oh... yeah, good idea. Let's get that. It'll taste even better with Psyche helping."
"What about this one? It's that sweet apple we had last time. Should we add it to the basket? You like apples, unnie."
"Yeah... I do."
My soulless responses continued until Psyche, carrying the basket beside me, finally stopped walking. She tugged lightly at my hem and looked up with worried eyes. Amid the villagers' laughter and bustle, Psyche was focused only on my mood.
"Unnie, you've been worrying about something since earlier. Even with me here, it feels like you're thinking about something else."
"Huh? No, it's nothing. Just a bit dizzy from all the festival crowds. Let's hurry—the sun's setting. It'll get cold if we're late."
I forced a smile and stroked her head. But even at the dinner table back home, my mind was only half present. I couldn't taste the warm potato soup at all. I barely responded as Psyche's eyes sparkled, recounting what she'd read in her history book today. The only sound filling the awkward living room was the clink of spoon against bowl.
"So the protagonist returned to the castle and... Unnie? Are you listening?"
"Ah, huh? Sorry, Psyche. What did you say? What did the protagonist do at the castle?"
"......"
Psyche finally set down her spoon. The child who would normally whine for more attention or beg for treats looked at me today with an unusually mature expression.
The silence over the table felt oppressively heavy.
"Unnie, if you're done eating, shall we go to bed now? I want to fall asleep next to you quick today. You look tired, and I'm worried."
Psyche took my hand without asking anything and led me to the bedroom. The warmth from her small hand only pricked at my heart more sharply.
As night deepened and faint moonlight filtered through the window, we lay side by side in bed. Psyche clung to my arm as usual, burying her face in my chest, but her long lashes trembled—she wasn't asleep.
The room was silent, save for the steady tick of the wall clock.
"Unnie, are you asleep? You're not pretending, right?"
Her small voice came from the darkness.
"No, not yet... Can't sleep. Why aren't you sleeping, Psyche? Bad dream?"
"I tried to hold it in, but... I think I should just say it. Unnie, tell me honestly. You ran into Ariel-unnie in the village earlier today, didn't you? That's why."
I drew in a breath at the child's sharp question. Even in the dark, Psyche's purple eyes seemed to pierce right through me. I realized I couldn't hide it anymore. This little one was far more sensitive to my emotions than I'd thought, already sensing that I was sacrificing something for her sake.
"Yeah... I did meet Ariel. She was really angry. She thinks I'm only taking care of you and ignoring her."
I turned to face Psyche. "She must've waited for me a lot. I think I was too thoughtless. I hurt her, and it weighs on me."
A heavy silence filled the bedroom after my words. I'd expected Psyche to sulk about hating Ariel or cling to my arm crying that I was hers and not to go. But her reaction, transmitted from within my embrace, completely defied my expectations.
She tightened her grip on me, then slowly loosened it and spoke cautiously. "...I'm sorry, unnie. It's because of me, right? Because I tried to keep you all to myself..."
"Psyche? Why are you apologizing? This is my fault for not balancing my friend and my sister properly."
Psyche shook her head. "No. I think I've made things hard for you. I wanted you to only look at me, and I was scared of anyone else being by your side, so I kept acting spoiled."
Psyche confessed her heart honestly. "I knew you were troubled every time I grabbed your hem. But... I pretended not to notice because I didn't want to lose you. I'm a selfish kid."
Psyche looked up at me. Her eyes, infused with moonlight, held not jealousy or obsession, but genuine remorse and deep resolve.
She took my hand and caressed each finger preciously as she continued. "I didn't think my greed might make you lose your most precious friend. You have to be happy for me to be happy, but I've been making you sad."
Psyche smiled faintly. "I actually thought it was pretty when you laughed and talked with Ariel-unnie. I was just scared I couldn't fit in between you."
"Psyche... You're not bad. Unnie's the one who's sorry."
"Unnie, I'm really okay now. Even if you go meet Ariel-unnie or other people... I believe you won't abandon me."
Psyche's earnest gaze reached me. "I don't want to be a bad kid who troubles you. So... tomorrow, make sure to go and make up with Ariel-unnie, okay?"
I stared at Psyche in a daze. This child was growing as fast as the love I'd given her—no, even faster, more maturely. Obsession stems from anxiety. In these three months, the sincerity I'd poured into her had finally taken firm root as 'trust' in her heart. Her desire to monopolize me had been overshadowed by her inability to bear seeing me sad.
"Psyche... Thank you. You're the kindest, most wonderful little sister in the world."
I hugged her tighter. The steady beat of her small heart pulsed rhythmically against my chest. The tangled knot of guilt over Ariel and worry for Psyche unraveled in an instant. Anxiety washed away, replaced by warm relief.
Yeah, tomorrow I'll go to Ariel for sure. And apologize from the heart.
"Unnie, I love you. The most in the world."
"I love you too, Psyche. So much. Now have sweet dreams."
Psyche's breathing soon evened out into peaceful rhythm. I pressed a soft kiss to her smooth forehead. The moonlight outside enveloped us gently. Tomorrow would surely bring clearer, warmer sunlight than today.