Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: Family Gathering
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Thanks to the mutants rolling around like mad, people were able to quickly return to their daily lives.
And as a result of that aftermath... stories about me were leaking out everywhere.
"Wow, sis. Your story's on here again."
"What?"
Seo-ah casually flipped through the TV channels.
The news was praising me as the only country where a mutant serves as a public official.
...I'd gotten somewhat used to it by now, but did they really have to bring it up on the news?
Talking about something everyone already knew like it was some big deal.
Maybe it was that unusual.
It wasn't common, but there were cases in some countries where mutants seized power and completely overhauled society.
Cases like mine, or like the people around me, weren't exactly commonplace.
Maybe that's why things turned out this way—because the people around us treated us so well.
Excluding a few bum-like types you'd run into in daily life, almost no one, including my parents, ever made me feel negative emotions.
And since my own nature didn't really align with suppressing or dominating others, I was just grateful for that temperament of mine.
Anyway, hearing that kind of talk with my little sister around made my face heat up.
"By the way, things sound pretty bad in other countries, huh?"
"Yeah, they're forming like warlords. Cambodia especially... mutants basically devoured the government, and the whole system shut down."
"Well, how would those guys know how to run a country? They had no choice but to end up like that."
"Exactly."
Sure, there might be some politicians among the mutants, but most lived lives far removed from politics.
No way people like that would let a country run smoothly.
It wasn't strange that countries were turning into total chaos overnight.
With even the bare minimum rules vanishing, becoming complete lawless zones, refugees kept pouring out.
The problem was, even with all those refugees, no country would take them in.
Taking in refugees was a thing of the past. In times like these, when everyone's own country was falling apart, who could afford to take in outsiders?
"At least things are getting better these days. That's a relief."
"Yeah. Worth all the running around we did."
We were exchanging these mundane chit-chat when suddenly a call came in from Mom.
-Hey, Seo-hyun. You got time these days?
"Me? Time-wise... yeah, I've been a bit freer lately. Why?"
-No reason. Your relatives say they want to see you...
"Relatives?"
Come to think of it, it had been ages since I'd seen them, right?
-You were too busy studying before, and now you're director and can't make it, so they miss you.
"My sisters?"
-This girl. Time to call them big sis now.
"Eh... we'll settle that when we get there."
-It's been years already. The kids miss you too.
"The kids?"
My distant cousins' kids. Now that I thought about it, they'd grown a ton.
There's a big age gap between me and my cousin sisters, so when I was in elementary school, they got married and had kids... the little ones must be upper elementary by now.
Feels like just yesterday they were squirming babies. Time flies for everyone else.
Things had stabilized domestically, so I could spare a day.
I wanted to see the kids' faces too.
"Mom?"
"Yeah. You free?"
"No emergencies? Wait, speaking of, does this mean I can't graduate college now?"
-...Pretty much. We'll ask the school for a favor later.
"Isn't that unfair~?"
"Hey, special circumstances, special treatment. You want people's lives at risk just so you can go to school?"
"Well, I'm fine skipping it. Anyway, why the call?"
"Your relatives want to see us after all this time. Wanna go?"
"Sure. It'll be nice to see the kids too. But it'll be the first time seeing them since we both mutated... might be awkward?"
"They've seen our faces all over the media anyway."
"Fair enough... So, when?"
"Three days from now."
"Perfect timing. I can wrap up work, finish stabilization, and head right over."
"Sounds good."
And so, I headed out to a family gathering after a long time.
Nothing major would happen, right...?
* * *
The relatives didn't live too far away.
We were in Seoul, and they were in Suwon.
Plus, it was a family thing today, so I didn't want to draw eyes. We decided to just take Mom's car quietly to their place.
"Our girls, it's been a while. You doing okay?"
"It's not like it's been that long... We're fine. You and Dad okay?"
"Aw, what trouble would we have? We've just been living peacefully~."
Mom's face bloomed with smiles. She said lately she was living her best life bragging about me.
"But where's Dad?"
"He had some work. So it's just you two and me today."
Mom said that and started the car.
"Speaking of, I was so shocked when I heard Seo-ah mutated too."
"Good thing it worked out well."
"Yeah. Oh, and I hear you're visiting temples a lot these days?"
"The monks keep seeking me out..."
Seo-ah brushed it off vaguely.
With Mom's habit of frequent temple visits, it'd be obvious she'd drag me along to her usual spots later.
"If you had more time, we'd go together."
"Ah, Mom. Kinda... I'm swamped these days, no time for anything."
"I know, I know, you rascal."
"How are the kids? Do-yeon and Do-hoon?"
"Do-yeon's in middle school now... Do-hoon's third grade elementary."
"Already?"
"Already? You were busy studying for college, swamped with classes once you got in, then the army kept you busy... that's seven years already gone."
"...Yeah, it's really been that long."
"Tell me about it."
"You haven't seen them much either, have you?"
"You think I have tons of free time?"
"You're both as bad as each other~ Ugh, but I'm already excited to brag about you two to my sis."
"What'd Auntie say?"
"She was thrilled. Remember when Mom was busy with work, Auntie watched you, or your cousin sisters looked after you?"
"Yeah."
"Give the kids some pocket money when we get there. You're making good money now."
"Was planning to. They gave us pocket money back in the day."
I'd already prepared thick envelopes with Seo-ah—separate ones for the kids and the sisters.
At that age, raiding Mom's wallet usually didn't work, so I'd tell the sisters they could let the kids spend freely.
"But won't the sisters complain it spoils the kids?"
"You see them once every blue moon? They'll say that, but they don't mean it."
Mom laughed as she said it.
A short drive later, the familiar apartment complex came into view.
Man, been forever since I was here.
* * *
"Oh my, oh my. Long time no see~"
Auntie opened the door and welcomed us with a fuss.
"Hi, Auntie."
"Yeah. You all good?"
"We're the same as always..."
"Keeping the country safe—must be tough."
"Not really that hard. Honestly, I haven't struggled much."
"Even so, heading a national agency... World keeps turning. I always wondered what you'd do after school, Seo-hyun, but becoming the mutant manager after mutating? Who'd have thought."
"Technically, not a person anymore."
"Aw, semantics. Oh, the kids and others are coming soon."
"Jeong-in sis and Jeong-hyun sis?"
"Well, sisters now, but old habits. Them, the kids, and Do-yeon said she's coming after school."
"Shocked when I first heard. Middle school already?"
"It's been years. Time flies for others, you know."
"Yeah, true."
Then Auntie spotted Seo-ah standing blankly and grinned warmly.
"Aw, Seo-ah, I hear you've been through a lot lately?"
"Not too bad. My abilities make it manageable..."
"Heard all about it. Incarnation of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, right?"
"Yeah. Not sure how it happened, though."
"What do you mean? Must be from me taking you to the temple."
"No, Mom. If temple visits lead to meeting the Bodhisattva, what about all those esteemed monks? I just got lucky."
Right then, the doorbell rang, and the sisters arrived.
"Whoa, who do we have here? Our celebrity cousins always on the news! Seo-hyun and Seo-ah, been forever!"
"Long time, sis."
"Yeah, long time no see."
We were deep in catch-up when I spotted my distant cousins peeking from behind the sisters.
The oldest, big sis's daughter Lee Do-yeon, spoke up.
"Wow... Is that really Seo-hyun bro?"
"Yeah. Long time. Last I saw, you were just starting kindergarten. Good memory holding on."
"I remember! But bro—no, sis now?"
"Call me whatever's comfy."
"Anyway, sis. Can you come to school with me sometime?"
"School? Why school?"
"Wellll... Kids don't believe you're my cousin even when I tell them."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. They keep saying I'm lying."
I nodded at her words.
At that age, little lies could lead to bullying.
And for kids that age, that stuff was huge.
Not full-on bullying, but getting labeled a liar meant the other kids looked down on you...
No big deal to help out.
Gotta give my niece a boost.
"Sure, let's go."
"Oh, you don't have to."
"Sis, at her age, this is prime time for that stuff among kids. You want your daughter called a liar?"
"Well, no... but isn't it too much trouble for you?"
"Trouble? Nah. Be back later."
"Yay! Just follow me!"
I followed behind Do-yeon as she strode out proudly.