Trial (2)

"Boyfriend... Right, that's what we were."

Boyfriend. The familiar yet strange echo of the word made me pause, and only then did fragments of memory begin to return.

A lover I had confessed to first—that was the relationship between Abel and me.

No matter how late I'd slept, I never thought I'd forget something like this. The déjà vu I'd been feeling since earlier must have been because I'd blanked on that fact.

Honestly, when will I ever fix this scatterbrained habit of mine? Unnie had told me more than once or twice that I should work on it.

"You're acting a bit strange this morning."

Abel turned off the gas and approached me, placing his hand on my forehead. The boldness of his action made my heart skip a beat for a moment.

It must have been my imagination, but I could almost hear the rapid thumping in my ears.

"No fever, it seems..."

"I-I'm fine."

"Then why is your face so red?"

The innocent curiosity in his question left me momentarily speechless. Then, as if he'd read my thoughts, his expression shifted into something sly.

"Ah. So that's what it was."

The distance between us closed in an instant, and the erratic beating of my heart only grew faster.

Whether he realized it or not, Abel's expression remained perfectly composed. No—judging by that devious look, he had definitely caught on to what I was thinking.

"Does our little tomato still get flustered like this?"

"...Tomato?"

The familiar term made me involuntarily frown. That same déjà vu from before flickered through my mind again.

That sensation, as if some important memory had slipped away...

A slight headache came on, and I clutched my forehead. Abel's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes widened in surprise before he quickly asked,

"Are you okay? Does something hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. It's just... I feel like I've forgotten something."

"Forgotten something?"

"...Must just be my imagination."

The inexplicable headache subsided. That elusive feeling—like something just out of reach—had vanished completely, as if washed away.

So much so that it really did seem like it was just my imagination.

"Let's keep an eye on it. If it gets worse, we'll go to the hospital, okay?"

"Got it."

I nodded at Abel's words and began helping him set the table. I took out the utensils and retrieved the side dishes from the refrigerator.

The same routine as always. The déjà vu that had been clouding my mind earlier no longer lingered.

What on earth was that feeling? Pushing the idle thought aside, I took a seat at the table.

"Today's breakfast is your favorite—soybean paste stew."

"Soybean paste stew?"

"Yeah. Well, the paste itself is store-bought, though."

As he spoke, Abel placed the bubbling stew on the table. Watching him transfer the earthenware pot while wearing that chick-patterned apron made me smile for some reason.

If I hadn't mustered the courage to confess first, I probably never would have seen a sight like this.

I might have even ended up heartbroken, beaten to the punch by Unnie.

If that had happened, it would have hurt enough to tear my heart apart.

"Wow, looks delicious."

"Haha. At least say thanks."

"I mean it."

"Then I'm even more grateful, aren't I?"

Abel smoothly countered my words with a smirk.

After carelessly tossing the dish towel near the sink, he took the seat across from me. Seeing him look at me like that made me chuckle as I picked up my spoon.

"Thanks for the meal."

With those words, the quiet clinking of spoons and chopsticks began. For some reason, my chopstick skills felt a little off, and I failed to pick up the kimchi several times.

I finally managed to grab a piece, but it slipped and fell. Abel caught it before it hit the table.

With a quiet laugh, he held the kimchi out to me with an "Ah~" sound. Like a baby bird, I obediently took the bite he offered.

"The kimchi's delicious too."

"I didn't make the kimchi, though?"

"It tastes better because you're the one feeding it to me."

Abel froze for a second at that before grinning at me.

"What's this? You've been learning a thing or two from me, huh?"

"Don't flatter yourself."

I reached my spoon toward the soybean paste stew.

The stew was still bubbling, the heat lingering in the earthenware pot. I scooped up a spoonful of broth and brought it to my mouth.

The familiar scent and flavor spread across my tongue. Even though the paste was store-bought, the taste somehow carried Abel's warmth.

Of course, it might have just been my imagination.

Drip.

"Huh?"

Something trickled down my cheek. I hadn't felt any particular surge of emotion, yet tears were spilling uncontrollably down my face.

Before I could even wonder why, the floodgates opened, and the tears kept falling as if my tear ducts had malfunctioned.

I lowered my head and hastily wiped away the tear stains, but the tears wouldn't stop. My body refused to obey me.

Despite not feeling particularly sad, the moisture on my face had no chance to dry.

"Why... why is this happening?"

When I raised my head again, I saw Abel watching me with concern. Perhaps because of my strange behavior since morning, a faint question lingered on his face.

"Is something wrong?"

"N-no. It's nothing like that."

The moment I denied it, the tears only fell harder, as if contradicting me.

Just why was I crying like this? And over something as trivial as tasting a spoonful of soybean paste stew.

For some reason, an overwhelming sense of longing filled my chest.

"Did you have a nightmare?"

At Abel's words, I tried recalling the dream from last night. Something vague surfaced in my mind. It felt like... I'd had some absurd dream.

A dream where I'd been possessed by the body of a villainess in a RoFan world.

A dream where, with Abel's help, I overcame adversity only to get dragged into even greater dangers.

Honestly, it was such a ridiculous dog dream that it felt utterly delusional.

Even now, after waking, I couldn't forget the cold expression Abel had worn when we first met in that dreamworld—the way he treated me like a complete stranger.

Had I been hurt by that?

It was just a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dream in the first place, so why were these emotions welling up so violently?

...Hmm?

A faint vibration reached me.

A golden energy, bright enough to illuminate the surroundings, appeared and instantly lit up the space. The energy gathered on the dining table before taking the form of a small bird.

Abel didn't seem to notice it, still watching me with worried eyes.

Peep?

A golden canary tilted its head.

As it approached and pecked at my shoulder, a sudden sense of déjà vu began swirling chaotically in my mind.

At the same time, a sensation washed over me—as if the boundary between dream and reality was crumbling.

The canary—no, Ria—swiveled her head, scrutinizing me.

Somehow, her gaze felt ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠almost... disappointed in me.

Peep peep!

As if she'd read my thoughts, Ria chirped insistently.

When I turned my head, Abel was still watching me.

His expression, asking if I'd had a nightmare. His gentle tone, treating me with kindness. His sweet words and actions, so affectionate it was almost palpable.

And then, I couldn't help but realize—

"...The dream... was this side."

I'd completely forgotten. That this was a trial—that even my original memories had been overwritten.

If not for Ria, whom Yurph had lent me, I might have been trapped in this sweet dream forever.

Even now, knowing the truth, I felt an unwillingness to wake up bubbling inside me.

Had it not been for her, I would have kept turning away from reality without ever noticing.

'Thank you, Ria.'

As if vaguely understanding my thoughts, Ria shrugged her tiny bird shoulders. It was oddly cute.

"Are you really okay?"

"Huh?"

Abel asked again, and without thinking, my voice rose. I knew this was a fantasy—so why wasn't it breaking?

I quickly turned my head, but Ria only shook hers vigorously, as if she didn't know either. Abel tilted his head at my odd behavior.

"Hmm... You must be really tired."

"Yeah... something like that."

I brushed it off for now.

Usually, in trials like this, the illusion shatters the moment you realize the truth. So why wasn't this dreamlike fantasy disappearing?

Suppressing a sigh that threatened to spill out, I rubbed my temples. Ria, too, seemed puzzled, fluttering around the table with restless chirps.

She then perched on Abel's shoulder and began pecking at his neck.

Abel, completely unaware of her existence, simply kept his eyes on me.

"Should we go there together? It's been a while."

"Where?"

"The Aquarium. You've always liked that place, right?"

The Aquarium...

It was true—I'd loved it since childhood.

The memory of holding my sister's hand, the two of us gazing in awe—it was still one of my most cherished ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠memories.

The fact that Abel knew this much about me only confirmed that this trial was a fantasy constructed from my own memories.

"Sure. Let's go."

For now, I'd play along with the illusion while searching for clues. I needed to figure out why, despite realizing the truth, I still couldn't wake up.

'...Get a grip.'

I had to overcome this trial.

Only then could I walk my own path without being swept away by the greater currents.