A Story Only I Know. (2)
A Story Only I Know. (2)
There is a creature called the immortal jellyfish.
Also known as the immortal jellyfish.
A living organism that, when its lifespan comes to an end, changes into a shape like a pupa, its cells reforming to return to a young state within 48 hours.
Rachel had been fascinated by this organism prior to the Great War.
If the characteristics of that creature could be applied to humans, perhaps humans too might be able to live eternally.
"...Haa."
The research was not complete.
She had taken her hands off that research ever since her husband died, so it would be correct to say it had remained at the level it was back then.
However, if she did nothing, Lily would die.
It was a gamble played with a human life, but Rachel did not hesitate.
Because there had been so many people she had lost while hesitating.
Therefore, she decided that this time, she would absolutely not hesitate.
"I'm going to start, Lily."
Lily did not answer.
A paleness so severe that one would think she was dead if not for the dry beeping of the vital monitor.
Taking in that paleness with her eyes, Rachel lifted the syringe.
"God. Please, allow me to save her this time, hasoseo."
A short prayer.
The syringe pierced into Lily's skin.
Please.
May she be safe.
"..."
Drawing out dead blood, wiping down her body, watching for changes.
She could not take her eyes off.
A whole 48 hours.
Only after that much time had passed and Rachel saw Lily's body wrapped in something like a pupa did she fall fast asleep as if passing out.
And then, just how long had she slept like that?
"Rachel-ssi."
"..."
"Rachel-ssi."
"...Eu."
At the sound of a voice echoing in her ear, Rachel opened her eyes.
She couldn't remember when on earth she had fallen asleep.
Due to her body creaking from working through the night, Rachel let out a groan.
Then suddenly, at the sound of the voice reaching her ears, she sprang right up.
"..."
"Hello, Rachel-ssi."
Lily's appearance was completely different from before she was wrapped in the pupa.
Long, flowing hair.
Eyes like the night sky, properly focused.
Skin without any burns.
"...Hello, Lily."
Rachel offered her greeting.
Seeing that, Lily laughed with a sound like ringing bells.
Beyond the window, the sun was rising.
***
However, happiness did not last long.
"...Lily?"
In terms of time, roughly one month later.
Lily was covered in a pupa once again.
And—
"Where is this place?"
—She lost her memories.
To be precise, as her physical age regressed, her memories from the span of time between her original age and her current age had vanished.
"...This is my lab."
"I was definitely at home..."
She could not hide her misery.
The Lily she knew no longer existed.
Because the Lily before her eyes was the Lily from before they had met.
"My name is Rachel."
"Hello, Rachel-ssi."
Lily smiled.
She had changed, but at the same time, she hadn't changed.
Even without memories of her, Lily was still Lily.
Right, memories can just be built up again.
"I have something to tell you, Lily. This is neither a joke nor a lie."
Let's think positively.
Since Lily has become healthy, let's focus on thinking about the future.
If one possessed patience and experience, one could accomplish anything, and Rachel was a person who possessed both.
So—
...So?
***
"Where is this place?"
"..."
Was it about three months this time?
Lily went inside the pupa again, and when she emerged, she was in a state even younger than when she was last seen.
How old is she now?
Twenty-two? Or twenty-three?
Rachel remained silent.
Was this the price for wishing for a miracle?
She felt as though her heart was being hacked to pieces.
"...My name is Rachel."
"Hello, Rachel-ssi."
The same words. The same conversation.
As long as she is alive, it's enough.
Because memories... can be built up again.
Like that, another half a year passed.
***
"Hello, Rachel eonni!"
"...Hello, Lily."
How much time had passed?
Lily gradually began to grow younger, and by the time she reached around seventeen, she ended up smaller than Rachel.
Originally they had similar heights so their eye levels met, but now Rachel had to lower her head slightly to see Lily's face.
Rachel hated that fact.
To be precise, she was terrified.
Fearing that if time kept passing like this, Lily would vanish.
"Rachel eonni, you make that kind of expression every time you look at me."
"That kind of expression... what kind of expression is that?"
"It feels like you're looking at someone else through me."
"..."
It wasn't someone else.
Strictly speaking, the exact same person.
However, there was an old saying.
That memories are the person.
That memories alone define what kind of person someone is.
If so, was the Lily standing before her truly the Lily she knew?
She couldn't be certain.
No, she didn't want to be certain.
"Lily... by any chance, would it be alright if I leave some recordings?"
"Recordings? Yes, of course it's fine."
Even so, if there was a part that hadn't changed, yes.
Lily trusted her words completely at face value.
Perhaps because she was naturally trusting by nature, every time her memories vanished, she listened to her stories so willingly.
Perhaps because of that, she clung to it even more.
She believed that beyond the vanished memories, memories shared with Rachel herself would remain.
"There's nothing special to do. Just leaving video recordings, that's all."
"Ah, I love that!"
Lily liked being captured on camera.
That was true for twenty-five-year-old Lily, twenty-three-year-old Lily, and seventeen-year-old Lily.
Thanks to that, Rachel was able to keep a record of everything.
And at the same time, remember everything.
"Hello, Rachel eonni!"
"...Yes. Good morning."
Lily kept growing younger, and every time she regressed, she lost her memories.
Every time that happened, Rachel stated her name, explained the situation, and showed the younger Lily the videos she had filmed with her.
When would it stop?
Would it even stop?
If it didn't stop, wouldn't she eventually disappear one day?
At the sudden thought, her heart sank.
Lily's age was thirteen.
"I achieved my dream, hehe."
"You said you wanted to marry a child named Ian, right?"
"Yes, me in the video looks super happy."
Though I'm happy too, of course!
Ian.
Ian Elpida.
Lily's everything, her husband, her partner, her friend, and her happiness itself.
Lily said she first met that person when she was seven years old.
Did she say she had first bumped into him while wandering around the alleyway looking for Santa halabeoji?
"I think I started liking Ian from that moment on."
"...I see."
Seven years old.
If she grew any younger than that, the memory of the person named Ian would be erased from Lily's mind.
That was not what Rachel wanted.
Because what Rachel wished for was to bring Lily and her husband together.
[ Entry Impossible. High concentration of residual radiation present. ]
However, the situation remained unchanged.
The location where Lily's husband ought to be was impossible to enter due to radiation.
She had made inquiries in various places, but could not even trace his whereabouts.
Was he really dead?
Would Lily and Lily's husband never be able to meet forever?
Just like herself.
"Don't be so sad, Rachel-ssi."
"...Lily."
"Even when spending time with you, Rachel-ssi, I was smiling."
Thirteen-year-old Lily smiled brightly.
The very next day, Lily became twelve.
Naturally, Rachel did not exist in Lily's memories.
***
"I want to see that scenery again."
"What kind of scenery?"
"A sky where the stars dance."
Ten-year-old Lily said.
The memory of holding Ian's hand and running around to her heart's content toward the direction where the stars flowed.
The sight of the child talking about that memory was truly...
She looked so happy.
"...Shall we go see it?"
"Can we see it?!"
"It'll be fine. Talk about a ceasefire or whatever has been coming up recently."
It wasn't a proper ceasefire.
That was because all the high-ranking figures, having decided they could no longer live on a ruined Earth, had fled to Mars.
Wars are started by those in high positions, and finished by ordinary people.
It wasn't even funny.
"Can we go to the place where I saw the stars? Um, near my house!"
"That might be difficult, Lily."
The place where she first met Lily was Lily's hometown.
A place inaccessible to humans due to radiation.
It was a land where living creatures could no longer live.
"...That's a bit disappointing."
"I'm sorry."
"No, it's okay! Because if it's you, Rachel-ssi, you'll show me an even better view! I believe in you!"
"..."
However, ten-year-old Lily was unable to go see the stars.
In the end, it was nine-year-old Lily who saw the meteor shower with Rachel.
Nine-year-old Lily said it was her first time seeing a meteor shower.
Her heart felt like it was tearing apart.
And once again.
"Hello!"
"Yes, nice to meet you."
"Could this place be Santa halabeoji's gift factory?!"
Looking at seven-year-old Lily, Rachel gave a bitter smile.
Seven-year-old Lily was the Lily from the period when she was fixated on Santa halabeoji.
If asked how she knew that, well.
Perhaps because there were stories she had heard from Lily.
"I'm not Santa halabeoji, but I can give you gifts."
"Waaah—!"
She handed the dolls and candies lying nearby into Lily's arms.
Things eight-year-old Lily used to use.
And those things were items that nine-year-old Lily had used.
Because she was the same Lily, she had no dislikes, and seven-year-old Lily was overjoyed with a pure smile.
"Will I be able to meet that kid again?"
"...Which child do you mean?"
One day when she was seven.
Lily asked.
Even though she knew which child she meant, Rachel asked back reflexively.
"His name was, well... Ian. He said he was Ian Elpida."
"..."
At the child's words, Rachel shed tears.
The next day. Lily became six years old.
A six-year-old who did not know Ian.