Chapter 96
Chapter 96
"Why are you still there?"
The edge in my voice slipped out on its own.
A person who hadn't properly followed her orders—no, to be exact, you could say she'd ignored them. The one who had put cracks in the world Choi Na-kyung had been carefully building for herself was still there.
[......After I was dismissed, the young lady personally re-hired me.]
"Sara did......"
At those words, Choi Na-kyung fell silent.
......Sara, how......?
She knew something had changed. There'd been an article in the newspaper, and she'd heard Sara was causing trouble at school.
But the article had only contained a single photo and a caption. She couldn't touch the press carelessly over that. Not when those kinds of rumors were already circulating about her.
She was thoroughly investigating that so-called "friend." She'd been thinking that eventually, she'd need to separate that person from Sara.
As for what happened at school, it was no different from what had happened when Sara was in elementary school. Sara had grown up and was acting a bit more cleverly now, but the fundamental problem was the same. It was just a matter of paying the teachers better to handle things.
......Even when she heard that Sara was "getting along" with other girls.
Even then, she'd wanted to rush out immediately, but she held herself back.
Because the only person Sara loved, the only person she could love, was Choi Na-kyung.
Her impatience had ruined things once before, but she could slowly fix it from now on.
Or so she had thought.
But now, Sara was acting completely outside her expectations.
Her heart rate began to climb.
When did I stop knowing? How much does she know?
The fact that the mansion's servants hadn't contacted Choi Na-kyung even now meant Sara had nearly complete control over the mansion. Whatever method she'd used.
Had she not spent enough money? Should she have invested more?
......No.
No matter how much money she poured in to place new people, now that Sara had realized that place was her place, the same thing would just repeat.
No, that wasn't the real problem right now.
The real problem was Yang Hye-in, on the phone with her.
Sara had brought Yang Hye-in back. Yang Hye-in had returned to Sara. Despite Choi Na-kyung's warning.
Choi Na-kyung was now certain this wasn't simply a matter of money.
"......So, what business do you have, calling me like this? Were you trying to warn me?"
A blade once drawn isn't easily sheathed. She knew perfectly well she shouldn't respond this way. What she'd learned sitting in this position for so many years was that she must never show the other party even a glimpse of her emotions. Even that brief glimpse was enough for the other person to find a weakness.
[No.]
But whether Choi Na-kyung showed emotion or not, Yang Hye-in simply continued in a businesslike tone.
Her attitude was completely different from the way she'd looked at her in the car.
[The young lady wishes to see you, Chairwoman.]
"......."
At those words, her thoughts stopped for a moment.
When she came to her senses, she was on her feet. She'd kicked back her chair and stood up without realizing it.
......Thankfully, no one else was in the chairwoman's office.
[Miss Ye Sa-ra said she would like to meet with you and asked me to schedule an appointment.]
She had never heard those words before.
No, well.
Strictly speaking, "never" wasn't quite right. She'd heard them a few times back when Sara was very young.
And even after Sara grew out of saying them, she'd been told about it in the servants' reports. That Sara missed her terribly. That she wanted to see her.
But Sara had never said it directly like this.
She had never sent a servant to call and ask to schedule a meeting because she wanted to see her.
Her heart raced. It might have been beating as fast as it had the first time they'd planned to meet outside the hospital, instead of inside it.
Yes, she'd waited so long.
She'd waited this long.
I wasn't wrong.
I knew I wasn't wrong.
But she had to be careful.
Yes, calm down.
Choi Na-kyung quietly steadied her breathing so the other party wouldn't hear.
[.......]
Yang Hye-in still said nothing, as if waiting for Choi Na-kyung's answer.
Thinking about it calmly, the last meeting had gone too far. She'd broken the quarterly arrangement out of impatience. She always wanted to see Sara, to see her face, but she'd held back for so long because she wanted Sara to look only at her.
I want to make every part of her mine.
That was Choi Na-kyung's true heart.
So when Sara had called her "Chairwoman," hadn't she been overjoyed? When Sara had pushed away her own fiancé with her own strength, hadn't she been overjoyed?
Yes, I'm the only person in the world who will love you.
All we need is the two of us.
She'd waited so long. And now, finally, she was—
—No, no. Not yet.
Choi Na-kyung barely managed to stop her racing thoughts.
Not yet. Sara still—she still wasn't complete.
And in reality, hadn't Sara been causing all kinds of trouble outside Choi Na-kyung's control? Hearing her say she "wanted to see her" was a joy, but if she made a mistake now, Sara might still slip from her hands into someone else's.
When she came back to herself, her breathing was a little ragged.
In that sense, it was fortunate that Yang Hye-in was the one on the other end. At least it wasn't the first time she'd seen her like this.
She unclenched her left hand and saw the nail marks pressed into her palm.
"......Is that so."
Choi Na-kyung answered in an even voice.
[Yes, it is. What would you like to do?]
What would you like to do, she'd said.
Originally, Yang Hye-in wouldn't have phrased it that way. Not "what would you like to do," but "what shall we do."
Choi Na-kyung stared intently at her palm as she answered.
"Then, arrange it."
Last time, the meeting had ended far too early because Sara had rebelled. It had been much shorter than their usual scheduled meetings, so it would be better to make up for it and bring things back to their normal level.
And the next time they met, she'd have to be more careful.
From now on, she had to be far more cautious. She didn't have many cards left in her hand.
[Yes, understood. Then I'll proceed with that—Ah.]
That sound, again, wasn't like Yang Hye-in.
She was a professional maid who had been fairly thoroughly trained. She'd heard that she was taught never to let out exclamations or interjections, no matter what happened.
A small clatter came through, as if a hand were covering the receiver. And from beyond it, the faint sound of a person's voice.
......Was she talking to someone else right now while on the phone with the chairwoman?
It was more surprising than displeasing.
[......Chairwoman.]
After a brief wait, Yang Hye-in addressed Choi Na-kyung.
There was a trace of hesitation in her voice.
"Go on."
[The young lady says she would like to speak with you directly, even if only briefly.]
"......."
Choi Na-kyung said nothing for a moment, then,
"For what reason?"
She asked shortly. If she spoke any longer, it felt like her emotions would come bursting out.
[......She says she wants to hear your voice.]
"......."
Choi Na-kyung couldn't answer for a long time.
"Do that, then."
She barely managed to say that much.
*
"......Uh......"
I tried to say "mother," but the word wouldn't come, so I swapped it.
"Chairwoman?"
[Yes.]
A voice came through the receiver, almost mechanically composed. It was somewhat different from the soft voice I'd heard when we met last time.
......Does this person really love Sara?
No, she must. I was nearly certain of it.
Even if she didn't, to be honest, I had no other options right now. I still needed to recover Ye Sa-ra's memories.
The mansion did have a phone. I could've used my smartphone or Yang Hye-in's contacts, but Yang Hye-in had said calling from the mansion phone would get through much faster. So I'd chosen this phone on purpose.
Strangely enough, in an era when everyone carried a touchscreen smartphone, this was a rotary dial phone you stuck your finger in and turned. Though it did fit the interior decor as a decorative piece.
Thankfully, just hearing her voice didn't cause anything unusual aside from my face flushing and my heart racing.
No, actually, I suppose that level of reaction is unusual enough.
"......I miss you."
I put as much longing into the words as I could, aiming straight for Choi Na-kyung's heart. I saw the expressions of the four people watching me stiffen slightly.
[.......]
Choi Na-kyung didn't answer.
"Could we meet next weekend?"
[.......]
Still no answer.
When the silence stretches this long, I start to doubt whether I've misjudged things.
I took a deep breath and spoke again.
"Please......."
[.......]
No answer this time either, I thought, and then.
[......Alright.]
She finally answered.
[Shall I come to see you that day?]
"......Yes."
I replied.
And after a long stretch of silence, the call suddenly cut off with a click.
I carefully set the receiver down. The four who had been holding their breath and watching me came closer.
"How did it go?"
So-hee spoke first.
"She said she'd come here. This weekend."
"Did you get the exact time and date?"
Yang Hye-in asked calmly.
"......No."
Choi Na-kyung hadn't specified anything.
Last time, she'd come on a Saturday. But there was no guarantee it would be the same this time.
Choi Na-kyung visited Sara once per quarter. The day of the visit was the first of the month that began the new quarter. Naturally, it couldn't always fall on a weekend. The time she came wasn't fixed either...... or so Yang Hye-in had told me.
"Then we'll have to wait all weekend."
Ha-neul said it like it was the most obvious thing.
"Yeah, we'll be with you then too."
Su-a chimed in from beside her.
It was genuinely reassuring. These three were the people I'd met in this world, the only ones I could fully trust.
But at the same time, I was also worried.
I'd have to act sweet and ingratiating in front of Choi Na-kyung. I might even have to wear that wedding-dress-like outfit from last time.
......Would they be able to stay quiet seeing me like that?
But as if they knew exactly what I was thinking, the three of them gave me a small smile.
......Right. Nothing gets done if all I do is worry.
I'd have to keep struggling and flailing somehow, just to move forward. That's the only way to stay afloat without sinking.