Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Kind, Yet Suspicious
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Isaac visited the orphanage.
In his hands, he carried a large bundle of gifts.
“““Whoaaaaa!”””
The gifts had a tremendous effect.
The children’s faces were filled with excitement. Their eyes sparkled like jewels. They couldn’t take their eyes off the bundle of gifts.
“Ahem!”
When Isaac cleared his throat, the children, who had been captivated by the gifts, finally snapped to attention.
Isaac looked a little miffed.
The children, looking embarrassed for being so focused on the presents, exchanged glances before breaking into bright smiles and belatedly welcoming Isaac.
I let out a small chuckle at their behavior. It was hard to tell if they were happy to see Isaac or the gifts.
Amidst the cheerful atmosphere, I glanced at the person standing behind me.
Red was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, looking somewhat displeased.
Her expression was the same as usual, so the children didn't seem to notice, but if you looked closely, you could see the subtle difference.
It was an expression of clear discomfort.
I knew why.
It was because of the unwelcome guest.
I didn’t know what had happened between them, but Red seemed to find Isaac unpleasant.
On the other hand, he didn't seem to care about her attitude at all.
In any case, it wasn't polite to keep a guest standing at the entrance.
Red reluctantly let him in, and then the children and I opened the bundle of gifts inside the room.
The children gasped in awe, and my own eyes widened in surprise.
Toys, dolls, picture books, snacks—they were all brand-new and recently released. And they were all quite expensive.
The money for just one of those toys could feed us well for a week. The other items were similarly priced.
He was quite the big spender.
To buy such expensive things for the children... Or maybe he cared for them so much that the money didn't matter?
“I like this one.”
“I’ll choose this.”
“Hehehe…”
Everyone excitedly picked out what they wanted.
The children wore beaming, happy smiles.
As I looked through the items myself, I noticed two people were missing.
Wondering where they had gone, I excused myself, saying I was going to the restroom.
Walking down the hallway, I heard voices coming from the office.
“Thank you for inviting me.”
“Yeah, you came a long way. So, what are you going to do now?”
“I’ve prepared a surprise performance the kids will love.”
“A surprise performance…? Whatever. Just don’t make a mess, and go home as soon as you’re done. You’re a busy man, aren’t you? You don’t have time to be fooling around here.”
“Telling someone who just arrived to go home already… How harsh.”
“…”
“You don’t have to worry about me. I made sure to come when I wasn’t busy, so I have plenty of time.”
What a friendly conversation.
That Isaac fellow was rather pitiful.
It was obvious he was interested in Red. Perhaps this visit was an attempt to get closer to her.
The problem was, Red disliked Isaac. She didn't even try to hide it.
Even though her actions screamed ‘I hate you,’ he was still smiling as if nothing was wrong.
If I could, I would have told him to give up quickly and not cling to a love that could never be.
‘There’s no hope for him.’
I was about to turn back, silently offering my condolences to Isaac, when another voice stopped me.
“Excuse me, Ms. Red. The Director didn't come here with any ill intent. He took time out of his schedule because he wanted to see the children. I think your attitude is disrespectful.”
Was that the woman who had been standing behind Isaac? I figured she was a Fixer, too.
The woman spoke her mind, clearly displeased with Red's attitude.
The atmosphere grew tense.
“My attitude? This is how I always am. You know my personality.”
“I still don’t understand. What on earth did the Director do to you to deserve such cold treatment? Just tell us the reason, for goodness’ sake.”
“Nina, it’s fine. Don’t get worked up.”
“It’s because you’re being so deferential that Ms. Red acts this way.”
“The children will hear you. Lower your voice.”
This was not a place I should be.
I could easily imagine the mood on the other side of the door.
I quietly slipped away.
Returning to the room with the other children felt like I could finally breathe again.
Lena must have thought I looked strange, as she asked with a puzzled expression.
“Lily, what’s wrong? Was there a bug in the bathroom?”
I nodded.
Lena’s face paled slightly.
The children didn't need to know about adult problems.
Let them sort it out themselves.
***
We went out to the yard.
It was to watch the performance Isaac had prepared. The children, wrapped in blankets, sat comfortably on the grass, waiting for the show to begin.
The children whispered to each other in excited tones.
“I’m so excited.”
“It’s been a while since we saw a performance. My heart is pounding.”
“Thump, thump…”
The children’s faces were filled with excitement and anticipation.
Even I was starting to look forward to it.
Come to think of it, I’d read in a magazine that one of the reasons Isaac was so popular with children was because he put on fun shows for them.
Just then, Lena gently nudged my arm.
I turned my head.
Lena grinned and said in a small voice.
“This is your first time, right, Lily? Seeing Isaac’s ice performance.”
I nodded.
“It’s really pretty. I’m sure you’ll love it, Lily.”
Hearing that made me feel a flutter of excitement.
I hoped it wouldn't be a disappointing performance.
Suddenly recalling what had happened in the office, I glanced at Red and the Fixer named Nina.
They stood there quietly as if nothing had happened. It seemed they were suppressing their emotions in front of the children.
Right. No need to fight in front of the kids.
Just then, music began to play from a machine placed on the grass.
As a calm, sweet melody filled the air, Isaac began to move.
Isaac flicked his fingers lightly.
Tiny ice particles gathered in his hand, solidifying in an instant to form an ice bird.
The bird moved as if it were alive.
He released it, and it flew up into the sky.
The bird circled above us, and fine, white ice crystals drifted down slowly. Like snow.
The children held their breath.
Clap!
All eyes turned to Isaac.
As Isaac clapped his hands, a chill rose from beneath his feet and spread rapidly.
It brushed against our bodies but was surprisingly not cold.
‘How strange.’
While I was marveling at that, in that brief moment, new sculptures appeared one after another.
Isaac created various sculptures and then set them in motion, beginning to weave a story that matched the flowing music.
A sad, beautiful, yet poignant story.
Everyone was captivated by the spectacular and dreamlike production, unable to look away.
‘This is amazing.’
Everyone lost their hearts to the story he created.
Even the sound of the children breathing was drowned out.
Perhaps the children wished this performance would never end.
Like a person asleep in the cold, wishing to remain in their dream forever.
But no story lasts forever. It was time to wake up.
No matter how disappointing, the page must turn to the end. Just as one closes a book after reading the final page, Isaac's story also drew to a close.
Like all such stories, it reached a happy ending.
All the ice sculptures shattered at once, and ice crystals floated in the air.
Sparkle, sparkle.
The crystals glittered in the sunlight.
Sniffling sounds could be heard. Some children even had tears in their eyes.
While the other children were lost in the afterglow of the performance, I was thinking about the time I had seen Isaac fight.
His hand-to-hand combat skills were amateurish, but I had thought his ability to handle magic was decent.
Correction. This was the realm of genius.
I couldn't help but be amazed by his god-like skill.
And in a corner of my mind, it was deeply imprinted that he was an opponent I should never underestimate.
If he became an enemy, he might be a bit of a headache.
Silence fell over the yard.
Soon, cheers erupted, and applause poured out.
I, too, applauded him for the amazing performance.
***
Even after the performance, Isaac spent time with the children.
He played with them and showed them magic, which thrilled them.
The clear sound of the children's laughter filled the orphanage for a long time.
But Isaac seemed very interested in me, constantly asking the children questions about me.
“When did Lily start living here?”
“How did she end up here?”
“Do you know what her life was like before she came here?”
Naturally, the innocent children answered Isaac’s questions honestly.
Of course, there was more they didn't know, and each time, he showed a strangely disappointed expression.
His interest didn't stop in the evening either.
“It was the same the first time I saw her, but that child is wearing a mask.”
“She doesn’t like showing her face to others.”
“Is there a reason?”
“I don’t really know. But I doubt it’s for a good reason.”
“Then have you ever seen what’s under the mask?”
“No.”
He even asked Red about me.
Was it because of that attitude?
I found Isaac a little unsettling.
I mean, of course. He kept asking about me so persistently, it was bound to feel strange. And even while playing with the children, he kept glancing in my direction.
He seemed too conscious of me.
At first, I didn't think much of it. Seeing how kindly he treated the children, I had a decent impression of him. But now, something smelled fishy.
And naturally, I became very curious about why Red disliked him.
‘Don’t tell me he’s a lolicon…!?’
Shudder.
That would explain everything, but I shouldn't jump to conclusions.
Still, I tucked that possibility away in the back of my mind.
After that one visit.
The number of days Isaac came to visit the orphanage increased.