Cultural Festival (12)
It was a few days ago when Min Iri got a text from Lee Yuyeong.
Taeyang had even asked people around him to keep it a secret. Min Iri wanted to text him right away, but she held back. First, she asked Kim Hayan what was going on.
She'd denied it, thinking there was no way, but Kim Hayan's words confirmed it was true. Anger filled Min Iri's heart, but she let out a sigh and calmed herself.
Kim Hayan hesitated for a moment before replying.
'He's probably been through a lot in all sorts of ways.' That's what it felt like from her position of always watching over her little brother from the side. Lately, Taeyang had looked exhausted. Ever since he'd cut ties with Gahee, he'd sometimes mutter to himself—calling himself the worst, saying there was no choice...
She'd never seen Taeyang fall into such despair in her life, so even Hayan didn't know what to do.
If she was sure it was the wrong choice, she'd stop him right away... But honestly, aside from the Gahee issue, Kim Hayan didn't know what hardships Taeyang was facing. Whenever she tried to ask, he was quick on the uptake—changing the subject or refusing to talk.
'He's not planning to cut ties with everyone else too, is he?' People around were worried, so she needed to sit him down for a talk sometime.
Min Iri thought about it. Yeah, whichever school he chose, it was Taeyang's freedom. His life, after all. But still...
'What if something big happens once he's separated from his sisters?'
A high school where he knows no one and has no one to protect him comes with all sorts of risks. What if he gets targeted by delinquents, or gets tangled up with a guy like Seonwoo again? As his big sister, worrying about and saving her little brother was just common sense.
'So I'm just fulfilling my role as a big sister.'
After pondering for days, Min Iri finally texted Taeyang.
———
I got a text from Min Iri. I could guess why she was contacting me, but I replied anyway. If I didn't, she'd probably show up out of nowhere and put me in a headlock.
That otaku Yuyeong must've spilled it after all. Still, Min Iri was only at Yandere Stage 1, so unlike Yuyeong, she wouldn't straight-up demand I not go to Elmae High. If I sweet-talked her right, she'd respect my choice.
Once committee work wrapped up and I'd sorted my thoughts, I called her. And I knew right away. There was no need to sort my thoughts.
"Hello?"
[Yeah, Taeyang... I heard from Yuyeong.]
"About high school?"
[You really gonna apply to Elmae High?]
"Yeah, I've made up my mind."
[Sigh~ Well, you should go to the school you want.]
"Thanks for understanding."
[Yeah, don't worry. I'll just transfer to Elmae High.]
No matter how much I prepared mentally or not, Min Iri was an overwhelming opponent.
"What?"
[At least there'll be someone to look after you.]
Min Iri said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"No, sis, you're gonna be a senior next year."
[So?]
"So why switch schools all of a sudden? You've got entrance exams to prep for."
One more thing: Elmae High only has a baseball team. No track team or other sports activities for college prep. Plus, the teachers would all be new to her—what help could they give a sudden transfer student in such a short time?
[Who gives a damn about college right now!?]
Oh man, Iri sis had really lost it. As I sighed, a uneasy feeling hit me. No way Yuyeong or Gahee would say the same thing, right? Wait, Yuyeong? Totally possible. It was just changing which school she'd attend anyway. But it'd mean giving up her high school soccer team manager gig. She'd worked hard at it in middle school too—would she really drop it? But given how obsessed she was with me now, yeah, pretty likely.
And Choi Gahee... A normal person wouldn't even think this. Sure, they might imagine it, but they wouldn't act. Problem was, Choi Gahee wasn't normal.
I'd deal with those two later. For now, talk Min Iri down first. If she kept this up, she might ruin her own life.
"Iri sis, calm down first. You've gotta go to college."
[Calm down? What if something happens to you going to school alone?]
"What could possibly go wrong?"
It was just going to school, for crying out loud. Anyone hearing this would think I was enlisting in the army or something.
[What if someone bullies you?]
If anything, my intimidating look scared people off, and Elmae High was known for its model students. Even if there were delinquents or covert bullying, it wasn't worth worrying about yet.
"No one's gonna bully me."
[What about another car accident?]
"I'll take the subway."
[What if there's an accident on the subway?]
"That's not something you can control, sis!"
Quit imagining some disaster blockbuster out of nowhere. Why always assume the worst?
[What if you get tangled with some asshole like Seonwoo again?]
Haa~ This was all that bastard Seonwoo's fault. Part of me wanted to storm his house and trash the place, but yelling at him wouldn't change anything. I couldn't waver. Calm down and persuade Min Iri.
"If anyone messes with me, I'll tell you, Iri sis."
[But...]
Her voice was still anxious. I spoke calmly, slowly.
"Think about it, sis. You're gonna be a senior next year. Graduate the year after."
Actually, thinking it over, this wasn't a big deal. Even if I went to Pulkkot High, we'd only overlap for a year before they graduated. So any protection would be short-term. Transferring for that? Stupid.
[Who knows what could happen in a year.]
But Min Iri wouldn't give up.
"Then what about after that year? Would you finally relax then, Iri sis?"
If that was really it, I'd go to Pulkkot High. If it meant the sisters escaping yandere mode and graduating happy.
[.........]
Silence stretched on. She probably couldn't picture what came after. Neither could I. If she was still like this after graduation, who knew what she'd do. The Min Iri route wasn't even in the game.
What if she just loitered around my school post-grad? If it got worse, she might lock me up to keep me from going. Tossing aside her own college or job for me.
Too extreme? In the Love Chain endings, the sisters kidnap, imprison, and murder people around the protagonist after graduating.
Yeah, to fully relax, I needed to normalize them before graduation at least.
Since Min Iri couldn't respond, I spoke first.
"You've gotta live your own life too, sis. Go to college, get a job, whatever."
[If you get hurt... You think I could live carefree?]
"I won't get hurt. Look, I'm fine going to a different school now."
[Until I see it for myself... I won't believe it.]
"But you're not gonna be by my side forever, right? You gonna live in anxiety forever without me?"
[I'll protect you. Forever.]
Wait. Did I just get chills?
"Wait a sec..."
[Thinking about it, I don't need college or whatever. Yeah, my grades suck anyway. As long as Taeyang's by my side.]
"What kinda nonsense is that!"
[Taeyang, trust your sis. I'll protect you forever. I'll keep anyone from touching you. No need to learn self-defense. Just trust sis, okay? All you gotta do is stay glued to my side.]
I'd messed up. That careless "you're not gonna be by my side forever" could be twisted into "We're not meant to be together anyway."
[Right, Taeyang. You asked me to marry you last time, yeah? Let's do it. Soon as we graduate, we'll register the marriage. I can wait that long. Yeah, we gotta be together forever to keep you safe, right?]
"Iri sis, please!! I'm suffering here!!!"
[.........]
Thankfully, when I raised my voice a bit, Min Iri quieted down. She seemed unreasonable, but she actually watched my reactions closely.
Haa~ No choice, huh. If this kept up, who knows what'd happen. Time for a temporary fix—a pretty risky gamble of a proposal.
"If something really happens at Elmae High, I'll call you right away."
[Calling after it happens is too late.]
"No, it won't be. So let's decide then. Whether you transfer or... whatever."
[Kim Taeyang, you really mean that promise?]
"Yeah. I promise."
My hunch was right. Slipping in the marriage talk brightened her voice a ton.
Too soon to relax, though. I added a condition immediately.
"But if nothing happens until you graduate, you let me go."
I set the deadline before graduation. Emphasizing it again, Min Iri seemed to accept. She was anxious before I even enrolled, so she wanted the promise to start now. Fine, whatever happened now would probably be her fault anyway. Yuyeong was weird, but she'd never directly harmed me.
[Kim Taeyang, if anything happens, you tell sis right away! If you hide it, I'll get mad!]
"Got it."
I absolutely wouldn't tell her if anything happened. No, not even our real sister. I hung up and let out a deep sigh. I felt like collapsing right there.
How did dealing with Min Iri end up harder than the game heroines? Haha, but still... What could possibly happen before they graduate?