Chapter 242
Chapter 242
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 242. I'll Take Responsibility
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Someone had been possessed by something. That's the expression people use when they read or hear about it.
They say they've been led by some inexplicable force.
I was much the same.
"Jaeheon?"
Yoo Daon's voice reached my ears, but I ignored it and kept walking.
Slowly, toward my house.
"Jaeheon's acting strange!"
Yoo Daon's voice rang out,
and someone grabbed my shoulder.
"Snap out of it."
It was Jang Chaeyeon.
"I'm perfectly sane right now."
"Doesn't look like it."
She shook her head at my words.
"You're not the type to charge ahead like this."
Me? Not the type?
"I'm not that kind of person."
I shoved Jang Chaeyeon aside and kept walking.
She stumbled back with an "Ah" of surprise and followed behind me in a flustered voice.
I could hear the footsteps of Jang Chaeyeon and the others trailing me, but I paid them no mind and pressed on.
The evidence we'd only found after uselessly rummaging through the church.
...
Ignoring the house's scenery for the third time now, I headed to my sister's room.
Just as always, her belongings were laid out.
Wardrobe, bookshelf, school supplies.
Nothing different.
No harvest this time either?
No, there was something different.
I stared at the notebook spread open on my sister's desk.
...
This hadn't been here.
All I'd seen before was my sister reading something, and the small note I'd left.
I'd never seen anything like this.
I sensed the others following me.
Out of worry for me? Or just because I'd come here?
I couldn't tell.
Slowly, I opened the notebook.
[To whoever reads this notebook]
Someone knew this notebook would be read. Unlike a child's crooked scrawl, it was written in elegant handwriting.
[I am a weak person.]
Was this my sister's handwriting? Honestly, I couldn't remember.
[I faced countless things and lost the will to fight any longer.]
It was written plainly in that calm script.
[My family, unable to bear seeing me like that, told me,]
[That They'd Take Care Of My Burdens Too.]
[At first, I opposed it. But in the end, I chose to run away.]
[I couldn't endure anymore. It was too much for me to handle, and I didn't want to handle it anyway.]
[Too much had happened. The amusement park, the church—everything was exhausting.]
[To me, with a mind so fragile it would shatter at a single push, my family's words were unbearably sweet.]
[I used my one chance to go back, and now, seeing my family smile purely, I leave this note.]
[Saying I'm sorry, and thank you.]
[But it couldn't end like that.]
[Even if I can't bear the burden, just being by his side—that's all I can do.]
[And keeping him from suffering too much at such a young age is one of the few things I can do for him.]
[I'm sorry. And thank you.]
[I love you always.]
That was how the writing ended.
...
"What is this...?"
Song Arin, who had come up behind me at some point, muttered.
Who could have written this letter?
It wasn't a question of who.
Anyone could figure it out.
There's only one person who would leave a letter like this in this room.
I lifted my head and looked ahead.
A mirror came into view.
A cute, fancily decorated mirror, like something a child might peer into.
My face reflected in it.
A translucent window appeared.
[Name: Kim Jaeheon]
[Age: 27]
[Talent: Insight]
[Background: He is different from others.]
[Weakness: There's no way you don't know your own weakness.]
I stared blankly at the translucent window.
My talent is Insight.
Special skill is...
I recalled what my sister had said.
I don't want to know.
No, even if I don't want to, I have no choice but to know.
Not with evidence this clear.
I looked at the mirror.
The translucent window still floated there.
Slowly, the field labeled "Special Skill" began to melt away.
[Name: Kim Jaeheon]
[Age: 27]
[Special Skill: Intuition]
[Talent: Insight]
[Background: He is different from others.]
[Weakness: There's no way you don't know your own weakness.]
...
Why do I have the intuition that should belong to my little sister?
Why didn't I realize it when I looked at her?
...
I kept thinking.
When I looked at my sister, what translucent window had appeared?
I forcibly dredged up the hazy memory.
[Name: Kim Areum]
[Age: 24]
[Special Skill: X]
[Talent: Intuition]
[Background: She's insightful, but doesn't even know she has good intuition.]
[Weakness: No major differences from other humans. Attack her vital points and she dies.]
No special skill, no major differences from other humans.
What if my sister had fooled my eyes?
Could I swear that was impossible?
No.
There have always been plenty of beings who could toy with my eyes.
It started with the Butterfly's Dream incident.
If there are those who communicate through translucent windows, then naturally there would be those who could deliberately deceive them.
...
My sister fooled my eyes, and gave me her intuition.
Absurd thought. No one would think that.
Right, no one would—
[Your understanding of 'Kim Areum' has increased.]
[Critical: 0->2]
And my eyes calmly informed me that my deduction was correct.
I had no choice but to squeeze my eyes shut.
It's fine. Stay calm. Nothing's resolved yet. If I just find my sister—
"Jaeheon!"
Yoo Daon grabbed my sleeve.
"Your face is so pale. Are you really okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Jaeheon, I'm really worried—"
"...Let's go."
At my words, Yoo Daon widened her eyes,
"...N-No, I don't want to."
and shook her head.
"I don't like it. I'm sorry for not listening to you, Jaeheon, but you need to rest now...!"
"She's right. Your face looks absolutely awful right now."
Agreeing with Yoo Daon, Song Arin grabbed my other sleeve and pulled.
"Rest. It's the most serious expression I've ever seen on you."
"Song Arin's right. Right...?"
At some point, Jang Chaeyeon had silently grabbed both my shoulders from behind.
...
I slid into my sister's chair like I was melting.
No, I'm fine. Just a little longer. I have to think, figure it out—
My stomach churned.
What had I been seeing all this time? And what am I seeing now?
I closed my eyes.
What is at the top of this place?
Why has this darkness called to me like this?
What am I, exactly?
Endless thoughts chained together.
What is a prophet in the first place?
Is this darkness just one trial bestowed upon prophets?
Then, was my sister merely sacrificed for one of the prophet's tests?
Why does that prophet crawl into this hellish place?
Because they lost something precious? Or under mental control?
Everyone except me entered this place, so why only I...
No.
I entered too.
So was all of this planned?
Should I turn back and leave right now?
*Clap!*
Someone clapped right in front of my face.
The loud noise jolted my ears, and when I opened my eyes, five faces were before me.
Yoo Daon on the verge of tears, Jang Chaeyeon at a loss, Song Arin glancing at me, Park Ye-eun staring confusedly at the floor, and.
*Clap!*
Eileen clapped again as she looked at me.
"I understand."
She gazed at me.
"I understand all too well what you're going through."
I couldn't say, What would you know?
Her gut-wrenching sobs still echoed in my ears.
"I understand that feeling all too well."
Eileen approached me slowly.
The sound of her combat boots thudding against the floor.
She bent down, kneeling as if hugging her knees, and looked at me.
"It's okay."
...
"I may not fully understand your pain, but I know what that feeling is like."
Eileen slowly reached out her hand.
Her rain-soaked, cold hand touched my cheek.
"But."
Eileen narrowed her eyes.
Eyes devoid of passion, desire, sorrow, or joy.
All that remained was a sense of responsibility.
"I'll share that responsibility with you."
With one hand on my cheek, she took my hand with the other.
"There's no need for that..."
"No."
Eileen let out a sigh-like laugh and bowed her head.
"No need. You're right. None at all."
She lifted her head.
"But you understand my wounds too."
...
"To be honest right now... I'm exhausted."
...
"I lost what I'd searched for my whole life, right before my eyes. Can my parents ever come back? Is it time to let go of that hope now?"
With hollow eyes, she smiled and tightened her grip on my hand.
"So I'm borrowing a reason to live from you for a while. By taking care of you, I'm putting my despair on hold."
"That's—"
"Not right."
Eileen nodded.
"So let me lean on you just for a bit. You're not the type to push away someone who needs you."
She looked at me, adding, Instead.
No more words were needed.
...
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
It wasn't over yet.
I opened my eyes.
"Let's go."
"You sure you're okay?"
"No. I'm not."
I answered Song Arin's worried question plainly.
"But we have to go."
I punched my knee and stood up.
Now I understood.
That's why you took it on.
If taking responsibility is the brother's job, then finding her is too.
I looked up at the peak.
The summit now sparkled right before my eyes.