Chapter 155: It's You
Song A-rin’s life had not been smooth.
To be fair, if you were to pick someone from the Management Bureau whose life had been smooth, that would be the more difficult task. But Song A-rin’s was especially rough.
She still remembered that time vividly.
It no longer appeared in her dreams, but the memories remained, unavoidable.
The anomalous phenomenon that had erupted suddenly during dinner.
Her family, unable to accept the situation.
Her, managing to slip out through sheer, unbelievable luck—the only word for it was a miracle.
The only things that saved her were what felt like all the luck she had in the world at the time, and that strange, inexplicable sense that still kept her alive to this day.
Passing by the man who had been calling for her.
Passing by the grandfather and grandmother who were fighting each other.
The memory of somehow getting inside the television and surviving.
Of course, to a young Song A-rin, that past was far too brutal, a memory she never wanted to recall again.
So she tried to forget, and later, simply blocked her own memories with hypnosis.
Not completely erasing them, but whenever they threatened to surface, she would grit her teeth and struggle to keep them locked away inside.
A past she didn't particularly want to remember.
And now, that past was strangling her once more.
In the end, she had no real choice.
*
Silence flowed.
Song A-rin’s mother and father stared at her, while Song A-rin gritted her teeth.
"What did you say?"
"I am your daughter."
Song A-rin continued, enunciating each word clearly through clenched teeth.
"The child you're looking for isn't a doll, but a person. And that person is me."
The woman walked slowly toward Song A-rin, her expression gentle.
Song A-rin's breathing grew thin as the woman stroked her hair.
"The hair is the same."
As if touching something precious, she stroked Song A-rin's hair, then lowered her hand to brush her face.
"The shape of the face is similar, too."
Her hand swept over Song A-rin's eyes, nose, and mouth.
She looked at Song A-rin.
Song A-rin swallowed hard.
The woman stretched her hand out behind her.
"A-rin."
Observing her hand,
"Ms. A-rin! Get back!"
"Huh...?"
At my shout, Song A-rin turned to look back.
The woman's jaw distended grotesquely.
- Crunch!
"Ugh..."
Along with the sound of something breaking, Yu Daon gritted her teeth.
Somehow, Yu Daon had intervened, her arm extended and shoved into the woman's mouth.
The woman's hand was twisted at a grotesque angle, bleeding, and the being presumed to be Song A-rin's mother could only wiggle her fingers and stare at Yu Daon.
- Bang!
I quickly drew the gun I had prepared and pulled the trigger.
The thing's head snapped back.
"Ugh..."
"Are you okay?"
"Something got on my hand."
I was worried she was hurt.
Yu Daon rubbed her hand against the wall, scrubbing it, and frowned.
"I was asking if you were okay."
"She is similar to A-rin."
It wasn't surprising anymore. The woman who was Song A-rin's mother muttered as her neck, which had been bent, righted itself.
"But there are two big differences."
"May I ask what they are?"
What method could she possibly have to distinguish between Song A-rin and an imposter?
"A-rin was much more affectionate toward me!"
"Ms. A-rin isn't very affectionate."
"Ms. Daon. Please."
I cut off Yu Daon, who was nodding in agreement, and looked at her mother.
"And..."
"And?"
"Our A-rin is young!"
Song A-rin's mother's jaw distended grotesquely, and her father's jaw did the same.
"...Ha."
Song A-rin let out a sigh.
"Yeah. What was I expecting?"
She muttered, taking half a step back.
"I knew it."
"..."
"You know who I used to think were the stupidest people?"
Song A-rin muttered, raising her head.
"It was those who couldn't cut ties with acquaintances or family members who had become isolation objects, and got themselves killed because of it."
She raised a hand.
"I was sure I was different from them."
"..."
"After all, I escaped from that hell."
Her expression was—
"But now I see."
"Ms. A-rin."
"This is truly horrifying."
It was twisted, as if she might burst into tears at any moment—only she wasn't crying.
- Snap!
Yu Daon skillfully dodged the lunging jaw and looked at me.
"Mr. Jae-heon, what should we do!"
"Take them down."
"Not run away?"
"Yes."
"If that's what Mr. Jae-heon wants, then that's what we'll do!"
Yu Daon shouted while continuing to evade the snapping teeth.
"How should I do it!"
"Just give me a little time!"
"Okay! Just leave it to me!"
- Crunch!
Blocking the teeth lunging at her with her arm, Yu Daon shouted cheerfully.
Blood sprayed from her arm, which twisted at a grotesque angle, but paying it no mind, she kicked the mother, who was biting her, and pushed her away.
"Ms. A-rin, you stay here."
"How could I?"
Song A-rin muttered, standing next to me.
"I'll explain. My parents."
"..."
"Then you'll understand faster, right?"
"That's... true."
But was that really okay?
When I stared at Song A-rin, she nodded.
"It's fine."
"...Understood."
Song A-rin let out a short laugh and continued.
"Father's name: Song Han-tae. Age at death: 42. No connection to the Management Bureau. An ordinary office worker."
- Snap!
"Whoa, that was close."
Yu Daon muttered, skillfully dodging a jaw.
"Dad was a bit, no, very strict. So I spoiled myself a lot with Mom, and conversely, I think Dad found me difficult."
"Is that so."
"But I think I understand a bit now."
"Understand what?"
"That people can't always be honest. Emotions aren't something that can be expressed so easily."
"Like you, Ms. A-rin?"
"Yeah. Like me."
"Ah, then does that mean Ms. A-rin's inability to be honest is because you take after your fath— Kyaaak!"
Yu Daon screamed as her shoulder was bitten.
"Let's move over that way, Mr. Jae-heon!"
- Bang!
I quickly drew my gun and shot the man lunging at her, then turned my gaze back to her.
"Mother's name: Na Eun-hye."
"She seemed gentle."
"Right. She was famous for her good personality."
I watched her carefully, half-expecting Yu Daon to say something like, "Aren't the genes from the father's side this time?" But thankfully, she was busy fighting and didn't seem to say it.
"Age at the time: 39. I think she didn't know about the Management Bureau... ...Honestly, I'm not sure."
"What do you mean, you're not sure?"
"Sometimes her ability to assess a situation was uncannily sharp."
Song A-rin muttered, narrowing her eyes as if recalling the past.
"So I think the only times Dad ever got mad at Mom was when she'd done something truly unavoidable."
"I see."
"Anyway, that's my family."
I glanced away, and a semi-transparent window appeared.
[Critical: 0]
Still nothing had changed.
"Is it not time yet!"
"It seems like it'll be over soon!"
"Okay!"
Yu Daon was still dodging the attacks, moving her body this way and that.
"Ah. There's one more person."
"Huh? But I'm an only child?"
Song A-rin blinked and muttered.
"You, Ms. A-rin."
"Me?"
"You didn't give an explanation about yourself."
"...You already know about me."
"But the Song A-rin within this family is someone I don't know."
"..."
Song A-rin looked at me, let out a short sigh, and began to speak again.
"Me? Well. I was just a kid back then."
"Okay."
"Is that it?"
"Your personality, hobbies, things you liked?"
"How am I supposed to remember all that? Just, you know, liked kid stuff."
"What about now?"
"...Huh?"
"Do you have things you like now, or someone you like?"
"...I do."
Song A-rin's gaze turned toward me.
"What is it?"
"I'm not telling."
"No, what is it?"
And Song A-rin averted her gaze again.
"I said I'm not telling."
"No, why..."
"Kim Jae-heon. I said I'm not telling you?"
"Huh?"
Why is she suddenly using my full name? She doesn't usually do that.
At the same time,
[Critical: 1]
A semi-transparent window appeared.
"It seems I don't need you to tell me after all."
"What?"
- Chk-chk!
I raised the gun barrel.
"I told you it would be enough if I talked about myself, didn't I?"
"...Enough?"
"Yes. It seems there's no need to investigate your private affairs that deeply."
"...Ah, shit..."
Song A-rin closed her eyes tightly and muttered.
"Why?"
"...Mind your own business."
She's irritated again.
Leaving her to her muttering, I raised my gun.
The world turned black and white, and their movements slowed.
In the now-familiar sensation, I slowly assessed the situation.
Who should I shoot first?
The biggest threat.
Then...
My gaze turned toward the entity closest to Yu Daon.
- Bang!
Fire spat from the muzzle, and the bullet pierced the side of Song A-rin's father, who was biting Yu Daon.
"Kuh-heuk...!"
He screamed and fell to the side.
After staggering a few times, he said nothing more.
"One down!"
Yu Daon laughed cheerfully.
And...
Song A-rin, closing her eyes tightly.
- Crunch!
"Ow, ow, ow!"
And Yu Daon, screaming again as she was bitten. I watched them and raised my gun.
"We'll handle it from here. Take a rest."
Song A-rin looked at me.
"...No."
"Yes?"
She held out her hand to me.
"Give it."
"...This?"
When I pointed to the gun I was holding, she shook her head.
"No, your hand."
"My hand?"
"Hurry."
Saying this, Song A-rin grabbed my hand as if seizing it.
"...Hoo."
Her hand was cold.
"I must have told you before."
"Yes."
"That ordinary people can't develop abilities."
"...You did."
Was it during the Red Lady incident? A story from before I became close with Song A-rin.
"But you're different."
"..."
"You make it happen."
Song A-rin looked at me, then at the two figures.
She let out a long sigh.
Her gaze went to the fallen male, then to the female who was now biting Yu Daon.
"Thank you for everything."
She bowed her head slowly.
- Squeeze.
The grip of her hand holding mine tightened.
"So show me."
[Your emotional exchange with Song A-rin deepens.]
[Song A-rin awakens a new talent.]
[Talent: Domination]
As she raised her hand into the air,
Song A-rin's mother, who had been lunging at Yu Daon, stopped.
As if she were a puppet on strings, something was restricting her movements.
"See."
Song A-rin sighed and muttered.
"You can do it."