After avoiding the reporters and arriving near home, I checked the time and saw it was already 8 PM, well past evening.

I was tired, but more than that, I was worried.

"Why the hell isn't this kid answering the phone..."

I'd been calling since around 7 PM when reporters started gathering, but for whatever reason, Sia wasn't picking up, and it was driving me crazy.

I hoped reporters hadn't found my home, or that Harmageddon hadn't attacked the house. That's how worried I was.

I tried to calm myself with the thought that at least the security system hadn't gone off, but that didn't stop me from worrying.

I was prepared to write an explanatory report or even step down from my S-Class position if necessary as I tried to push through the crowd of reporters.

—I'll handle things here, go check on Sia quickly.

If Noona hadn't noticed and come out to help me, I really would have done it.

...Maybe she helped because she thought I'd cause trouble if left alone.

"Haah..."

I sighed deeply, pushing away useless thoughts as I entered the house.

The home was so quiet I could hear the refrigerator's cooling system humming.

I thought Sia might have already eaten dinner and gone to sleep, but strangely, there was no food smell.

When I glanced around the living room, I saw it was quite messy, and even the landline phone cord had been cut.

*Something definitely happened here.*

With a bitter expression, I stood in front of Sia's door.

Knock knock—

"Are you sleeping?"

There was no answer.

I could hear rustling and breathing from inside, so someone was definitely in there...

"Can I come in? I'm coming in if you don't answer."

Again, no response.

When I entered Sia's room, I found Sia trembling under the blanket, which was pulled all the way over their head.

Though the massive horns, hands, and wings couldn't be completely hidden.

Had they been trembling here the whole time until I arrived?

Swallowing the sigh that threatened to escape from an indescribable emotion, I carefully sat down on Sia's bed.

"Hey. Yu Sia."

"Eek...!"

When I gently touched Sia over the blanket, they flinched and carefully lowered the blanket to look at me.

Their expression was filled with unmistakable guilt and fear.

It was a familiar face.

The same expression I'd seen on people who had been rescued from disaster sites while leaving their friends behind.

"Are you okay? What happened that's got you trembling like this?"

I tried to smile as I spoke, but Sia's expression didn't improve.

"...I'm sorry."

"What do you have to be sorry about? It's okay. Did you eat? If not, should we order pizza?"

"..."

"Don't just hide under the blanket like that. Come on out."

I reached out my hand to comfort them, but Sia flinched and backed away.

Sensing the situation was more serious than I thought, I lowered my hand.

"I saw the news... you being surrounded by reporters because of me..."

So that's what was bothering them.

This kid really has a soft heart despite how they usually talk.

I shrugged with a slight smile to show everything was fine.

"It's okay. I've done plenty of press conferences before, so those reporters are nothing. And it's not because of you, I keep telling you. How is this your fault?"

"It's because of the Berserk Dragon."

"You're not the Berserk Dragon. Didn't we already settle this a long time ago? Don't worry about something that wasn't even your doing."

I sighed in frustration as I argued back, but Sia bit their lip and forced out the words.

"If I hadn't existed in the first place... none of this would have happened."

It was a statement that negated my past ten years, but I didn't care about that.

What mattered more was that Sia had started to deny their own existence.

"Hey, Yu Sia."

Hearing those words, I grabbed Sia's shoulders and turned them to face me.

I could feel them tense up in surprise, but I absolutely refused to let go.

"Remember what I said today."

"...Yeah."

"What did I say? Tell me."

Sia flinched and hesitated for a while before hanging their head.

I wondered if they couldn't remember, but seeing their ear tips turn bright red, that wasn't the case.

"That no matter what happens, you'll be on my side..."

"That's right, I said I'd be on your side even if the whole world became your enemy. So don't say things like 'if I hadn't existed, this wouldn't have happened.'"

I meant this sincerely.

That's why I rejected Sia's words more firmly than ever.

"Thank you... I appreciate it... but... it's not that easy...!"

They spoke with a trembling voice that seemed ready to burst into tears.

I hadn't expected such a sudden outburst, so I kept my mouth shut, and Sia looked up at me with reddened eyes.

"You having a hard time because of me, you getting involved in unnecessary trouble...! How can I just watch that happen...? It feels like I'm committing a crime...! Like I'm accumulating debt! I hate just passing everything onto you and not doing anything myself...!!"

Unable to hold back tears any longer, Sia cried out while dropping crystal-like tears.

"You should have just ignored someone like me...!! You should have just left me to live alone!! Why!! Why... do you keep creating debts I can never repay... how am I supposed to repay you when you keep being so good to me..."

"...Yu Sia."

"I'm sorry.... I'm sorry.... I didn't mean to... to say it like this...."

Seeing Sia's expression that looked like they might collapse at any moment, my heart sank.

I had been mistaken. While these incidents might seem trivial to me after ten years of experiencing all sorts of hardships, they weren't trivial to Sia.

I had unconsciously assumed they would be fine, but they weren't.

Smiling and saying it's okay, don't worry about it, don't think of it as debt—all while patting their shoulder—had become a burden and debt to Sia.

All these unresolved issues were too heavy a burden for an 18-year-old to carry.

In an already frustrating situation, problems kept arising, their self-esteem was dropping, and they felt they could only receive help without giving anything back—the emotional burden must have been immense.

Still, I knew what I needed to say.

"Don't think of it as debt."

"That's exactly what I'm...!"

"I know it's not as easy as just saying it. But I'm serious. You can tell because I keep saying the same thing. I don't think of it as debt."

Sia mumbled at my response before slumping their shoulders.

"Is it because... you're a Hero...? Is that why you say that...?"

"No, even Heroes would go bankrupt if they kept giving without receiving anything in return. Heroes are people too. And if Heroes were expected to sacrifice unconditionally like that, who would want to be one? You'd have to be an idiot."

I smiled slightly as I said this, and Sia blinked blankly.

Judging by their expression, they seemed to be saying, "But that's exactly what you're doing, you idiot."

Their expressions are really easy to read.

With that thought, I let out a deep sigh.

"I do this because it's you. Because you're Yu Sia."

"Huh?"

To me, who has lost all family and friends, Yu Sia is my only remaining friend and practically family.

If it weren't for the hope that Yu Sia was alive, I would have quit being a Hero as soon as the Gate closed and lived however I wanted.

But I kept going, believing in the information from the former Hunter Association President, now Hero Association President, that Yu Sia was alive.

Because you're the only person with whom I can share memories of the past.

Because you're someone I absolutely cannot lose.

That's why I never felt reluctant to give anything.

Of course... that wasn't the only reason.

I pressed my lips together and thought for a long time.

Should I say it or not?

I opened and closed my mouth repeatedly, trying to speak, and just as melancholy began to creep into my heart, I steeled myself and opened my mouth.

I faced myself reflected in the mirror that was Sia.

"I'm helping you for my own sake."

That all this time, helping you wasn't purely for your benefit.

That I was atoning by projecting the faces of those whose hands I had let go, those I had lost, onto you.

"I'm doing it because I want to atone."

In the end, even helping Sia was for my own benefit.

Yes, I was acting for myself, and it just happened to benefit Sia as well.

I know this is hypocrisy. I also know it's terribly selfish.

But I felt I would collapse if I didn't engage in such hypocrisy.

"So don't think of it as debt. I'm doing it because I want to, for my own sake."

After honestly confessing my hidden feelings, Sia looked at me with a surprised expression, lips tightly sealed.

They must be disappointed. I would be too in their position. That's why I resolved to calmly accept whatever Sia might say.

After breathing silently for a while, Sia turned to me.

I had already mentally prepared myself. So it's okay.

"It's not your fault."

"...What?"

I couldn't help but ask, completely caught off guard by the unexpected response.

Sia looked at me and managed a strained smile.

The words I once gave to Sia were now being given back to me.

"It's not your fault."

With a trembling voice full of sincerity.

The words I most wanted to hear were being spoken by the person closest to me.

It felt like being hit on the head with a hammer.

I never expected Sia to say something like this.

"...Why."

I couldn't help but ask, not having expected such comfort after confessing that helping them was all to satisfy my own selfishness and self-interest.

Sia looked at me for a moment before saying with a faint smile:

"...To repay my debt. I'm saying this for my own sake."

I know it's strange to say this, but...

For the first time, I felt drawn to Sia.

"..."

So I couldn't say anything.

I could only quietly bow my head.

"Thank you."

As I mulled over those words I had managed to utter, I quietly crushed feelings that should never be revealed.