Chapter 128
Chapter 128
"Explain yourself."
So-hee got straight to the point.
Su-a, who had just finished showering, joined in as if it were only natural.
Yu Ha-neul, Shin So-hee, and Lee Su-a sat around the table, each positioned like a point of a triangle. The unconscious Sara still lay on the bed.
"Explain what?"
Yu Ha-neul put on a brazen front.
Of course, that shameless act wasn't especially solid. So-hee and Su-a were, after all, Yu Ha-neul's friends. And at the same time, Sara's friends.
And maintaining this relationship was something Sara wished for. It wasn't something she could shatter on a whim.
...Nor did Yu Ha-neul herself have the slightest desire to do so.
But that still didn't mean she could reveal the reason here and now.
It was Sara's personal situation. Not something someone else could disclose lightly.
Of course, she was the one who'd created this situation, but...
Yes, she hadn't been thinking. That was probably the most accurate way to put it.
Holding Sara close felt good. Bringing their faces close, too. If she could manage to press their lips together, it would feel even better. And if she could make a promise to spend their whole lives together, Yu Ha-neul would probably burst into tears of sheer joy.
But even after sorting out her own feelings, Yu Ha-neul still couldn't bring herself to confess to Sara.
Because she was afraid.
Afraid that Sara might not accept her feelings.
Besides, there was definitely a reason it felt impossible.
Inside Sara, there was also 'Sara.' Of course, Yu Ha-neul considered 'Sara' a friend as well... but there was a major problem.
Whenever things got intense, Sara and 'Sara' would switch places.
She had her own workaround: begin the intimacy while 'Sara' was in control and reach the climax with Sara. But apart from that, she doubted whether Sara would actually enjoy it.
To Sara, the most important existence right now was 'Sara.' Sara treasured 'Sara' so much that she would willingly give up her own place for her.
In that situation, even if Yu Ha-neul confessed her love, would Sara have the emotional space to accept it?
Whether she accepted or not, it would place a heavy burden on Sara's heart. That was why she couldn't just blurt it out.
But she couldn't hold back, either.
She liked Sara.
She wanted to be with her for life.
She wanted to get closer, more intimate, step by step.
So, in a truly cowardly way, she was exploiting her circumstances.
Even though guilt always lurked in a corner of her heart, when her plan had failed a moment ago, she'd still felt 'disappointed.'
...But there was no way she could spill all of that out here in this room.
That was why Yu Ha-neul had to keep up a brazen face for now.
"...What were you doing earlier? Explain."
Strictly speaking, So-hee didn't really have grounds to demand an explanation either, but... Yu Ha-neul felt both rivalry and kinship toward So-hee. After all, So-hee, Su-a, and Yu Ha-neul were all in the same situation.
Liking Sara, but unable to do anything about it.
"Don't tell me you two are actually going out?"
"...."
Yu Ha-neul was at a loss for words at that.
"...No."
After a brief moment of agonizing over how to answer, she decided to take off the mask she'd been wearing.
She judged that keeping it on wouldn't do her any good here.
"How can something like that happen if you're not even dating? Sara climbs on top of you? You didn't... do something terrible to Sara, did you?"
"No."
She shut that down firmly.
...Honestly, hearing that didn't leave her conscience completely clear. She had clearly been exploiting the situation in a yuri kind of way. From a certain perspective, it could easily be called something awful.
But in the current situation, it was also necessary.
Sara seemed to have developed some immunity after being held by Yu Ha-neul a few times. But the fact that 'Sara' had returned at the very last moment, right before their lips touched, was probably because a shocking situation had been layered on top of an intense one, someone had caught them, Yu Ha-neul and Sara, in bed with their bodies nearly overlapping and about to kiss.
The more these actions repeated, the more extreme the measures required would likely become.
...Maybe, when that time came, she'd need these girls' help.
Even if Sara might think differently, Yu Ha-neul hated the idea.
"We're not dating, and I didn't threaten her."
Though she had tried to force herself on her.
...Thinking about it now, she really had gone off the deep end, Yu Ha-neul reflected.
To be fair, 'Sara' had provoked her first.
"Then why in the world...?"
Su-a asked.
"...That's... because of Sara's personal matter..."
"...."
Su-a's eyes narrowed.
"Is it about her 'memories' again?"
"...."
Right, that was how she'd excused herself when she'd hugged Sara in front of So-hee last time. And it really was connected to her memories. The two personalities inside Sara each held different memories. Though they could apparently read each other's memories to some extent, and even interfere with each other's thoughts.
Yu Ha-neul nodded for now.
"...."
At that, So-hee and Su-a fell quiet. The atmosphere felt somewhat relieved.
Of course, the tension hadn't fully lifted. Their expressions stayed serious.
That was only natural. If this situation continued, every time they needed to recall a 'past memory,' Yu Ha-neul and Sara would have to press their bodies together like that.
And... when two people with at least some mutual affection kept repeating something that looked so much like romantic intimacy, they might eventually develop those kinds of feelings.
She couldn't be sure, since it was between two women and not a man and a woman, but still.
"How long are you going to have to keep recalling these memories? Didn't you recover all of them last time?"
"Well..."
Yu Ha-neul hesitated for a moment. How should she explain this?
Su-a and So-hee's gazes converged on the stammering Yu Ha-neul.
"That is, um..."
"I'll explain."
Yu Ha-neul slowly opened her mouth, then gave a start at the voice and turned her head.
It wasn't just Yu Ha-neul. Su-a and So-hee also turned toward the source of the sound—the bed.
Sara, who had been lying quietly on the bed, was sitting up.
No. 'Sara' was sitting up.
'Sara,' who had risen with a grimace and a palm pressed to her forehead, soon pulled herself fully upright and perched on the edge of the bed.
"Well... even if we tried to hide it, it seemed like it'd all come out eventually."
'Sara' let out a deep sigh.
And she spoke.
"What Ha-neul said about 'memories' is basically right. When I confront the most shocking, or should I say most intense, memory from my life, I can recall that specific 'memory.'"
"And this 'intense thing' is... rubbing bodies with Yu Ha-neul?"
So-hee asked, frowning slightly.
But a moment later, her expression shifted to one of bewilderment.
"That's right. Unless it's a memory at the level of just rubbing bodies, I'd need something as shocking as meeting my mother again."
'Sara' said it with a perfectly nonchalant face.
"Uh... oh, sorry..."
So-hee said, somewhat deflated.
"Well, it's fine. You're all doing it because you like me, right?"
"...Huh?"
At 'Sara's bombshell statement, So-hee's head shot up. Her expression was a mess of shock and embarrassment—the unmistakable look of someone whose hidden feelings had just been exposed.
"Sara, you...!"
Yu Ha-neul, horrified, tried to cut 'Sara' off—
"No, to be precise... it's not me you like, but 'Ye Sa-ra,' right."
"Huh...?"
So-hee made that sound again. This time, it was genuine confusion.
"Not just So-hee. Su-a, you too. And Ha-neul, you too. You all like 'Ye Sa-ra,' don't you?"
The three of them gaped.
"But you don't have to worry. I'm the one who knows. The 'Sara' you know doesn't know yet. She's incredibly dense. So oblivious that even when you hug her outright, cling to her, and practically shout your feelings with your whole body, she doesn't notice. In a way, that's lucky, isn't it?"
She said it as if she were completely unbothered, but 'Sara's own face was gradually reddening with every word.
Of course, it was only natural—since the actions these three had taken were also directed at 'Sara.' After all, 'Sara' was the personality who had existed in this body first.
"Uh, um, ah..."
So-hee's face turned bright red as she just moved her lips, like a broken toy. She obviously wanted to say something, but the words apparently couldn't make it out.
"...."
And Su-a hung her head low—
—except she didn't.
"So,"
"You're saying you're not the 'Sara' we've been thinking of?"
"Exactly."
'Sara' barely pulled herself together and answered.
"To be precise, I'm this body's 'original owner.'"