"Sis? Why do you look like that?"
"Wait. Sis... are you crying right now?"
"Oh. Well, no. At least explain why you're crying."
"It's okay. It's okay, sis. Don't cry. Why are you crying, you fool? Don't cry."
"...Sis."
That night, Cheon Yo-hwa experienced heartbreak.
7.
The word ‘unrequited love’ was truly inaccurate.
When one says ‘pair,’ it sounds as if a partner perfectly matching oneself is assud.
A best friend or partner.
Even if it's not now, it carries a nuance that implies there might be hope soday.
Reality was different.
Wouldn’t it be more accurate to call it ‘one-sided love’ or love shattered in pieces - ‘fragnted love’?
"Ah, Go Yo-il!"
"Oh. Welco, Sect Leader."
The feeling of her heart being split in two.
"Wow. Perhaps it's because you've ascended to a high position; your face seems to almost shine with brilliance these days."
"Haha. It's all thanks to you, Go Yo-il!"
Even when she smiled, it didn’t feel like a smile, and even when she thought, it didn’t feel like she was thinking.
The term ‘unrequited love’ couldn't fully capture this feeling.
"I’ve heard everything from Ji-won. You’re planning sothing interesting over at Stanford, right?"
"Ah, yes, that’s correct."
"Well, well. So, Yo-il oppa, it turns out that the reason you won over a lady like to this position was to make use of our sect's assets?"
"Yes, I won’t deny it. I desperately need your help, Sect Leader. A novice like can't accomplish such a task alone."
"Oh dear. It would be a bit difficult for us to go all the way to California for this project. But we owe you so much, we can’t turn you down. Really, it feels like I’ve been hoodwinked, you know!"
"Haha..."
"Oh. I glossed over it, but is it alright if I just call you oppa in private? Yo-il oppa?"
"Um, yes. Of course. Feel free to call whatever makes you comfortable, Sect Leader."
"Aww, you’re too polite. It’s okay to be casual, oppa!"
"Well, that might be a bit..."
She wanted to die.
Every ti Cheon Yo-hwa t Go Yo-il, she was excited. Yet excitent didn't always imply a good phenonon.
Her heart raced uncontrollably against her will, her face flushed, and no matter how much she tried to wear the mask of 'normality' she had crafted all her life, although she was skilled enough to fake it, sotis her true feelings would spring up, causing her words and sentences to splinter and falter.
The hinges of her heart creaked. No one had entered the room.
Alone in the room, Cheon Yo-hwa repeatedly grasped the doorknob, opening and closing it, greeting and bidding farewell to the air of soone who would never co there.
What remained in Cheon Yo-hwa’s mory after parting with a smile were the awkwardly disjointed words and sentences she uttered during their conversation.
"...Sis."
No, to be precise, she wasn’t completely alone.
In front of her younger sister, Cheon Yo-hwa didn’t have to smile. She didn’t need to smile.
"If that was the case, you should have just said so."
Her sister seed to have guessed everything, even without Cheon Yo-hwa having to spill her heart out.
For the first ti in ages, yet frequently these days, her sister stroked her.
"Can’t you give up?"
"..."
"Should I... make it go away?"
"No!"
Her voice tore. Without realizing it, Cheon Yo-hwa scread as if in a fit.
"No. Absolutely not. Don't do that."
"Why...?"
Her sister's voice was calm.
"You feel it too, don't you? Ever since father died, our powers as divine beings are growing stronger. If we decide now, we could surely make that person disappear—"
"No! I said no!"
Who was she shouting at?
Cheon Yo-hwa felt as though her heart was being subrged in a hot swamp and was drowning.
"They're different! It's not like that. It's not like that. They're... they're different from sothing like us."
"..."
"I'm sorry. I thought my feelings would disappear. Just after a few years. I don’t know why they haven’t vanished. Sorry. Father is gone. That person is gone too, so only happiness should remain. Why."
She wanted to die.
Why did she act coy in front of Go Yo-il every ti they t? Why could she only dwell in the air filled with laughter and smiles?
Why did she feel so embarrassed, ashad, and anguished every ti she stood in front of him or turned back?
"Please, I'm begging you. Yo-hwa, don’t... don’t ddle with her, with Yu Ji-won. Just, don't touch her. You shouldn't. It’s not right."
“If it’s made to look like an accident.”
“No. I know this, Cheon Yo-hwa. We both know, don’t we?”
“...”
“She’s a very, very beautiful person. Not like soone like . Sorry. I didn’t want to say this. I’m sorry.”
Her sister hugged her. And with the sa face, the sa hair, and the sa eyes, she murmured.
"You were only ever ant to love one person. That’s just how it always was."
"..."
"Perhaps it was Go Yo-il who chose such a person from the beginning. Among countless choices and candidates... Yes. It's ruthless. Truly."
Ti was dying.
However, only the ti within Cheon Yo-hwa was dying. Outwardly, as the newly empowered Sect Leader, she managed the organization efficiently.
Her skills blossod phenonally.
It was as if she was born with an innate instinct for organizational managent and resource allocation, seamlessly achieving not only the existing operations of the sect but also the ‘Ti Capsule’ quest entrusted by Go Yo-il.
"I've assembled all the personnel needed for the operation. So, Yo-il oppa, how exactly do we create this Ti Capsule?"
"Well. I have this ability to seal ti, and that's what I plan to use. Sect Leader, I bet your Outer God is getting stronger, right?"
"Oh, yes!"
Go Yo-il referred to the deity inhabiting the sisters as an Outer God.
Strangely, Go Yo-il possessed more detailed and precise information about the ‘divine being’ than the sisters themselves. It was probably information he had obtained from a reincarnated individual.
"Sect Leader, have you been having strange dreams recently?"
"Gasp!"
“The dreams feel uncannily vivid, almost indistinguishable from reality, and when you wake up, are you able to rember them almost entirely as if they’re lucid dreams?”
“Wow...!”
Cheon Yo-hwa exaggerated her reaction. Such exaggeration would be imprinted as ‘a natural trait of Cheon Yo-hwa’ to the person opposite her.
“How did you know?! I’ve been really troubled by this recently!”
“That’s also a power attributed to the Sect Leader. Think of it as a sort of simulation ability.”
“Simulation...”
“Yes. If provided with enough data, the Sect Leader can run through any scenario as a simulation. Ah, of course, it won’t work for things that are outright impossible. Only feasible scenarios.”
“...Is that so.”
So was the dream where we kissed last night actually a possible event?
In an instant, that rebuttal nearly slipped out, but Cheon Yo-hwa managed to hold it back just in ti.
It wasn’t particularly difficult. After all, she had beco quite accustod to suppressing things in front of Go Yo-il.
“So, you’re using my simulation ability to create a ti capsule? Hmm, I can’t quite visualize it yet.”
“My ti seal. Your simulation. And your sister must create a nightmare creature.”
“My sister, too?”
“Yes. It’s quite complex... Anyway, focus on cultivating your powers for now. Oh, and of course, I don’t an to the extent of letting the Outer God corrupt you.”
“Hmm. So what’s my role?”
Go Yo-il grinned awkwardly.
“I’d like you to ‘simulate’ the events between Ji-won and .”
She paused.
Cheon Yo-hwa pretended to casually put down her coffee cup.
A café run by a fellow believer.
Though they had reserved the shop, and they were the only custors, it felt nice to shed the title of Sect Leader for a bit and experience ‘normal’ outings like a date.
Naturally, behavior like this couldn’t avoid fostering rumors.
Within the church, followers would subscribe and like every move Yo-hwa made on their ntal YouTube.
In the sect, Go Yo-il was already seen as the sect leader’s consort. It wasn't as though Cheon Yo-hwa was unaware and avoiding those rumors.
In reality, it was entirely different.
Such tricks were clearly useless in changing the ‘relationship’ between the two.
“Presumably, you’ve gathered but... This is the real reason we initially approached you.”
Because of love and the inability to love, she discovered the traces of soone she cherished but could never hold dear.
"It’s a mission impossible without your collaboration, Sect Leader. It’s a plan only you can help us with in this world.”
“...Ah.”
“Will you help us?”
It was wretched.
“Hm, well. Yes!”
It was rciless.
“It’s a request from you, after all. How could I refuse? Haha, are you really okay with this?”
“Pardon?”
“Because this ans I’ll know all about what happened between you two. You know, this or that. Ah! So embarrassing!”
“Eek. Well, it’s a little embarrassing, but that’s okay. I trust you, Sect Leader.”
“...”
She felt the corners of her mouth tremble slightly.
‘What are you doing, Cheon Yo-hwa?’
Laugh.
“Hahaha. Oh, oppa. If you trust people too easily, you might end up regretting that later, you know?”
Yeah. Laugh. Laugh it off.
It’s what you do best, isn’t it? Smiling.
“Oh! But… Umm. Never mind, forget it.”
“Yes? What is it?”
“It’s nothing! We can just skip it.”
“No, please do speak comfortably, Sect Leader. Haven’t we accomplished the most challenging task together?”
Hmm? Isn’t there sothing else you’re even better at than laughing?
“Uhh... Sigh. Actually, within the sect, people make weird assumptions about our relationship.”
“Yes?”
“Well, uh. Oh. Don’t get wrong? I don’t think that way at all! It’s just, the believers who don’t know any better—those nobodies—are saying it’s weird. Like why are we giving an outsider like you so many privileges?”
“...”
“Rumors like that circulate sotis. Seriously, it's like these cockroaches never disappear no matter how you get rid of them. Right?”
“No matter what, killing them is...”
“No, you need to be decisive about these things, oppa. If I, the Sect Leader, say to ignore it, they should, right? Yet here they are, climbing up and ddling in our business?”
“...”
Acting. Scheming.
You excel at deceiving and manipulating others, don’t you? After all, you managed to fool even father.
Indeed, in this, you are far more competent than Yu Ji-won. So enviable!
"Haven't you seen enough blood? I believe there might be a more moderate approach."
"A more moderate approach..."
Steeple your fingers, rest your chin, and act as if you're just pondering—naturally and disinterestedly.
Just look at him. He's watching with such a serious expression, isn't he?
Is he really worried about the lives of church mbers who an nothing to him, even as he believes the world is ending? Why?
How foolish.
"Well... there's been so chatter about whether you and I might actually be dating... which would explain things to them."
How foolish.
"Oh, don't worry about it! The elders here have always had plenty to say about my friendships."
"Ah..."
How foolish.
"They all know how pure and devoted you and Ji-won are to each other. I do!"
"Ji-won and I aren't that sort of relationship..."
"Hehehe. That’s enough. When you go to California, I’ll book first-class tickets and hotels for you two so you can enjoy your journey!"
"...."
"When you return, I'll clear up any noise in your absence. So don’t worry!"
"...."
How foolish.
"—Sect Leader."
"Yes?"
"Perhaps... that idea might actually work."
"What idea?"
"Engagent."
"Eek."
How foolish. How foolish. How foolish.
"Think about it. We won't actually get married; we'll stage an engagent to mask our relationship. That way, there won’t be any objections when using the sect's resources."
"Uh, um, well... I’m not particularly against it, but are you okay with that, oppa?"
"Yes. As long as we postpone the wedding date, the world will end before the day cos. If rely an engagent can sway the sect's opinion..."
"No, not that. What about Ji-won? You have Yu Ji-won, don’t you? Are you okay with being engaged to ?"
“Ah.”
Go Yo-il smiled.
He realized the intent behind her question yet considered it pointless. A vague yet warm smile spread across his face.
There was boundless trust there.
"It's fine. If it's with Ji-won."
"..."
"Because I trust her."
Half a year later.
Cheon Yo-hwa and Go Yo-il beca engaged.
So mbers expressed dissatisfaction over Go Yo-il's status as a prospective husband being too low, but his educational background was respectable enough, and at the very least, complaints weren't openly expressed.
"...."
Rustle.
The engagent docunt, painstakingly written with each character—bearing both Cheon Yo-hwa's and Go Yo-il's nas neatly—crumpled in her hands.
"Hahaha."
She wanted to die.
Reviews
All reviews (0)