If My Choice Could Hurt Someone
If my choice could hurt someone else... Brrr... Brrr... The unanswered ringing made me restless, and I tapped on the phone screen. I'd agonized over making this call. Just as I was about to take my finger off and hang up, a bright voice came through the speaker.
"Hello? Jae-woo?"
"Hey, noona... long time no see. You doing okay?"
"What's this? You never usually call. I'm always fine. What about you?"
"Me? Same as always. Nothing new."
It was a blatant lie. A lie about being fine after what happened yesterday. I bit my lip hard. I felt pathetic.
"Nothing's wrong, is there? You're not yourself, little brother."
When I hesitated, my sister sensed something off. She'd always been quick to pick up on things like this since we were kids.
"...No. It's not that. I just had something I wanted to ask..."
I heard her chuckle on the other end. "Wow, you really must have nothing to do in the middle of the day... Go on. What is it?"
I tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out. I wanted to tell my sister everything that happened in the alley yesterday. No, honestly, I wanted to grab anyone—anyone at all—and beg for help. Should I go to the police? The fire department? The military?
She'd only given me a day. I hadn't even had a proper meal, just stewed in my own tangled thoughts.
This was too much for me to handle alone. An alien from outer space wants me to be her mate? Who the hell would believe a story straight out of a trashy sci-fi novel? They'd just think I was crazy, so I couldn't bring it up with anyone.
"...Really nothing going on, Jae-woo? Your noona's on the bus right now, so I can't talk long..."
"...Noona."
"If... if you ever got caught up in something you absolutely couldn't handle, what would you do?"
"Well, first I'd try to figure out the best thing I could do in that situation."
"..."
"Whether that's hiring a lawyer or finding a way to prove my innocence..."
"At least I wouldn't run away. I'd fight it until the end, right?"
"When has Seon Sera ever run away from anything? Never, lol." She threw in a light joke before turning serious again.
"I don't know what's going on, Jae-woo, but there's definitely something you can do. You've always been strong since you were little."
"...What if my choice could hurt someone else? What should I do then?"
The conversation cut off for a moment. I heard her steadying her breath over the phone.
"...Then you shouldn't back down. Even more so."
"If it's a choice that could hurt someone, you have to be more careful, but I'd still rather you pick the option that doesn't hurt you."
"You've always tried to carry everything on your own without even taking care of yourself..."
"Whether you choose to endure it or fight it... in the end, make the choice you can live with. Okay?"
My nose stung at the sound of her voice, always so warm and unwavering. That was just who she was. Whenever I faltered, she always found the answer first and held me steady.
If I made the wrong choice... this time, my sister could get hurt. I had to stop that from happening. No matter what, I had to...
"...Thanks, noona. I feel a little better."
"I gave you such a pretty speech and all I get is 'a little'? Call more often, you idiot. You're so big but you're still such a baby."
"Yeah... I'll call you again next time. Love you, noona."
I hung up and put down my phone. It was 2:30. She hadn't said when or where we'd meet again, so I figured I'd head back to that alley where I first saw her. I let out a long sigh and pulled my hat down low. There was no more room to retreat. I'd rather die than go, but if I didn't, that monster would just come for me anyway, so it was better to go to her first.
I walked out the front door and headed for the alley. But my steps felt especially heavy today.
2:58 PM. I arrived at the alley where I'd met her. I couldn't help but tense up, wondering if she'd eaten someone else. I swallowed hard and cautiously peered inside. Luckily, there was no blood or bodies. I couldn't relax, just pacing around the alley entrance for a while.
But something was off. I thought she'd be right here, but she was nowhere to be seen. What the hell... did I come here for nothing? Just as I was thinking I'd wasted my time, I caught sight of a familiar face through the window of the café across the street. My whole body tensed up. She was sitting by the window, leisurely sipping coffee and staring right at me. When our eyes met, she curled her finger, beckoning me over.
Son of a bitch... I gritted my teeth and crossed the street toward the café.
This café had a low ceiling, so I always had to stoop uncomfortably. I usually avoided this place because of that... The damn alien bitch didn't give a shit about that kind of consideration. Or maybe she didn't even have the concept of consideration in the first place.
As I stepped inside, I immediately spotted her by the window. She was reading a book, which looked totally out of place on her. Even though she knew I was there, she deliberately didn't look up, focusing entirely on her book. An alien enjoying books and coffee? The incongruous sight gave me chills.
I walked over and sat down across from her without a word. Ten minutes... twenty minutes... She didn't spare me a single glance, just quietly turning pages. If this was how it was going to be, why the hell did she call me over?! I was furious, but losing my temper with her would only hurt me. I was the one who had to be patient here. I decided to wait until she spoke first. The only sound in the quiet café was the rustle of pages. The silence just made the time drag on endlessly.
"...Your stare is annoying." She finally closed her book and spoke. "I waited for you in the alley from noon, but you didn't show? I was getting bored, so I grabbed a coffee."
"Save it. I didn't come all the way here to shoot the shit with you."
She snorted. "Tch. Fine. So, have you thought about it? I told you the answer was already decided, but... I'm curious how much courage you've mustered."
"...Yeah. I thought it to death, couldn't even eat." I let out a sigh and looked her straight in the eye. "You're right. What can I really do? You're a man-eating alien, and I'm just a human who doesn't even have the strength to fight back."
I took a deep breath and stared her down. "Don't you dare touch my life or the people around me. Promise me that... and I'll accept whatever you want. Your mate, or whatever. That's my condition."
"Condition?" She tilted her head, looking intrigued. "Interesting." She swirled her cup around in her hand. Her eyes never left me. "Do you still not understand who's in a position to make conditions here?"
"...You're the one who crossed the line first. You said you'd kill everyone I know if I didn't become your mate..."
"If you think about it the other way... don't I need this kind of safety net to be willing to go along with you?"
"Hmm..." She pretended to think for a moment. "Fine. You still don't seem to know your place, but... you're cute, so I'll let it slide. But—I get to set the conditions."
Her expression hardened, and the murderous aura around her intensified. "First, I won't touch your life. At least not until I leave this planet. But don't interfere with anything else. Whether I kill or eat anyone, it's none of your business."
My throat was so dry I could barely swallow. I was screaming no inside, but my mouth just wouldn't obey.
"As for the people around you... that depends on the situation. If you behave yourself, I won't have any reason to touch them. But what if you piss me off just once? I can't make any promises then. I'll do whatever I want."
"How about it? Isn't this a pretty generous deal?" She tapped her fingers on the table. Tap. Tap. Tap. A rhythm demanding a quick answer. I had no choice but to speak. If I held out any longer, it was really over.
"...Ha." I squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them. I wanted to run, but would running really change anything? "Fine... I'll do what you want." My hands clenched into fists on my knees. My trembling knuckles were turning white.
"...But if you touch the people around me, I won't just sit back and take it. And don't get the wrong idea. I'm not doing this because I like you. I'm just... doing this to protect the people I care about. So I will never love a monster like you. Never."
I forced the words out, trying to sound strong. She stopped tapping. "Hmm..." I could feel her displeasure, but it looked like she was gritting her teeth and holding back. Was it her pride?
"Fine. I don't care whether you love me or not. You're mine now, anyway." She said this and stood up. Even though she was standing, our eye level wasn't that different thanks to the height difference.
"We'll be seeing a lot of each other. I'll come find you when I'm bored. I already know your address. Your password is 1774."
"!!!!"
"...Hunting and eating humans doesn't stimulate me anymore. It's just a boring meal. But making you my mate is personal entertainment." She gripped my shoulder hard and whispered right in my ear. "I'll make you wish you'd just been eaten. That would have been mercy. In the end, you'll be crying and clinging to me, begging to be loved."
With those words, she walked out of the café as if nothing had happened. It was like my words had scratched her pride.
"Hoo... haah..." As soon as she was out of sight, the breath I'd been holding finally burst out. I clutched my chest and gasped for air. I had just negotiated with a murderous monster... It was an experience I never wanted to repeat.
While I was trying to catch my breath, a reluctant-looking part-timer came over. "Um... you're with the person who just left, right? She hasn't paid yet..."
"..." My head started throbbing again. I just knew I had gotten mixed up with a real crazy bitch.