Epilogue: Time of Choice
I am not afraid.
I can truly say that with confidence.
If you gathered all the humans my age and gave us a fear test, I'm confident I'd be in the top 0.1%.
However.
"..."
I look at the people standing in front of me.
This is frightening.
It's utterly terrifying.
I'd rather go through the Riverside incident one more time... no, scratch that.
First, let's see how I can handle this situation.
"If I said I was going to sleep alone tonight..."
"You'd die."
"Even for you, Jae-heon-ssi..."
"No."
"Not allowed."
"..."
Everyone except Manual objected.
Although Manual herself didn't object.
"Why are you being so quiet?"
"Because you told the kid to leave."
Ah, she's sulking because of that.
But what can I do?
Anyway.
"But then, the others I don't choose will resent me, won't they?"
"Will they?"
At my words, Yu Daon shakes her head.
Well, Yu Daon probably wouldn't resent me.
"She's right. Why would we resent you?"
Song A-rin lets out a deep sigh and opens her mouth.
"We can just kill the one who goes in that day."
"If it's going to be like this, we shouldn't have agreed to a plural marriage."
I'm telling you, I feel like I'm suffocating.
"But really, no one will resent you or anything."
"Do you people really not understand the problem here?"
It's beyond whether you resent me or not; I'm telling you I can't breathe.
But, of course, no one seemed to be listening to my opinion.
"What, should we have a final appeal time or something?"
"Branch Chief-ni—"
"Lee Ha-neul."
"...Ha-neul-ssi..."
Unable to even muster the energy to hide my sigh, I let out a long breath and look at the others.
"I'll go first. Respect for elders and all."
The Branch Chief raises her hand.
"..."
Right. I'll just stay quiet. At least they're letting me make the choice.
I start gaslighting myself and decide to listen to what the Branch Chief has to say.
"First of all. I'm pitiful."
What kind of talk is this all of a sudden?
I wasn't the only one who thought so, as the others also made expressions that seemed to find it absurd.
"Is there anyone here who isn't pitiful?"
Song A-rin mutters, and Eileen also nods.
"Have you all fought with an unhappy life? There's no one here who isn't an orphan."
"I'm not an orphan."
"That's why I'm always happy. To have in-laws I can greet, aå¨å®¶ (mother's home) to go to."
To think she'd dodge it like that.
Thinking that, I glance at Eileen, then look back at the Branch Chief.
"Anyway, I'm pitiful. Of course, I'm an orphan too."
"At that age, it'd be more strange if you weren't an orphan. Your bones would have decomposed by now."
"True."
"That's why Black Hair is the most reliable when she's on our side."
"Should I just kill you all?"
The Branch Chief mutters, then turns her gaze back to me.
"Regardless, in all my years, I've never found a husband even once."
"It'd be weird to find one twice! You're a divorcee!"
"Right."
"That's true."
"Will you just shut... sigh..."
The Branch Chief lets out a big breath and looks at me.
"So, how about giving a vote to pitiful little old me?"
Appealing for sympathy right from the start? Not easy.
I wonder what kind of appeal the next candidate will bring.
Thinking that, I shift my gaze.
"Why are you avoiding my eyes! Hurry up and look into my—"
"Grandma, your appeal time is over. Next."
"What appeal time! No! Kim Jae-heon-ssi! Choose me, now!"
"I'm going crazy. She's so strong she won't budge."
In the end, the others had to step in and plead with her before the Branch Chief finally yielded her spot.
Next was Eileen.
"I..."
Eileen stands still for a moment, then looks at me.
"It has to be you."
"..."
I understand what Eileen means.
In a way, this is also another form of appealing to sympathy.
But it's a story related to me, different from the Branch Chief's.
Then...
"..."
I close my eyes for a moment and then open them.
"I understand."
"Are you choosing me?"
"No. We must maintain fairness."
"..."
Eileen looks at me as if I'm absurd, then steps aside.
Next is...
"My turn."
Song A-rin, wearing pajamas, puffs out her chest proudly and approaches.
"Me."
She looks at me.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Our eyes meet, and after a long silence, Song A-rin opens and closes her mouth.
"I, I..."
"...Yes."
"I am..."
Why can't she speak? She was so confident just a moment ago.
Song A-rin repeatedly opens and closes her mouth.
"...To, to be honest..."
Her voice suddenly becomes small, and she takes quick, short steps toward me, whispering.
"I want to be your first."
"..."
This was somewhat unexpected.
Thinking that, I look at Song A-rin, but she has already turned red-faced and moved away.
I look at her with a complicated gaze.
"Me."
Jang Chae-yeon appears.
"..."
My eyes meet Jang Chae-yeon's.
Then, Jang Chae-yeon blinks and opens her mouth.
"I'm the prettiest, you know."
"Should I kill her?"
"You're so annoying!"
"Really, just because you have a pretty face and a good body...?"
And, while people's criticisms are heard, the fact that no denials are heard suggests that Jang Chae-yeon might not be wrong.
"I'm done."
In true Jang Chae-yeon style, she moves away.
After making eye contact with me a few times.
Then, Yu Daon.
When Yu Daon and I make eye contact, I give an awkward smile.
"To be honest, I don't have much to appeal with."
She smiles.
"Just, well. I'm fine with whatever Jae-heon-ssi is comfortable with. I don't want to add to your burdens."
"Don't act all nice."
Yu Daon looks at me with an awkward smile even after hearing Song A-rin's remark.
"..."
Then, the others look at me.
Ah. I'm a bit tired.
I'm really a bit tired.
Thinking that, I look at Manual.
"What? Should I appeal too?"
"No. Give me some advice."
"How about going outside and dying?"
"That's not great."
At my answer, she pouts but comes closer to me.
"First of all."
Manual whispers.
"You're going to do it anyway, right?"
"..."
"You know what I mean, right?"
Manual mutters.
"Anyway, they will respect your opinion."
"That's right."
"So, you don't need to listen to all of their opinions."
"True."
"So what I'm saying is this. Are you really confident?"
Confident?
That's a difficult question.
As Manual said, I'm not really confident.
In many ways.
Honestly, my body can handle it.
I recall the isolation object Team Leader gave me.
'Jae-heon-ah.'
Right after the wedding, Team Leader came to me and handed me a white pill.
'Take it if you need it.'
'I'm not that old yet.'
'It's an isolation object. I snuck one out.'
'Don't you value your life?'
'Trust me and use it. I used this to hold the line in the mandatory defense— no, honey, wait. No. Honey. Honey, let's talk—'
The last legacy Team Leader left me as he was dragged into the darkness.
If I take this, I suppose I'll manage.
Frankly, I also don't like the idea of others fighting because of this.
If I choose someone, it might create some weird hierarchy or ruin the dynamics between everyone.
"..."
In novels, the protagonist handles this kind of thing so well, but how are you supposed to manage it?
I'd rather go hospital subjugation one more time by myself.
Thinking that, I rub my temples firmly and open my mouth.
"What would be best?"
"..."
Manual meets my eyes.
With her deep, lake-like pupils, she looks at me seriously.
Our gazes hang in the air for a moment.
"Just choose me."
"Someone take her away."
"No, hey! Did I say anything wrong! Hey!"
As she's dragged away by Jang Chae-yeon's telekinesis, Manual shouts.
"What's wrong with me! Hey! I'm also—"
"Please shut up."
"Mmpphh! Mmmpphhmmpphh!"
Leaving behind the muffled cries of Manual whose mouth is covered, I fall into thought.
"...I'll go think for a bit first."
Saying that, I turn around.
"Are you going to think deeply again?"
Then, Song A-rin, hearing my answer, lets out a deep sigh, and the others also sigh.
"We're saying it's okay, so why are you worrying?"
"Because I'm not okay."
At my words, Song A-rin closes her mouth.
"..."
Looking at me, Jang Chae-yeon lets out a small sigh.
"Right. I thought it would come to this."
Muttering, Jang Chae-yeon grabs my arm and pulls.
"Wait, Chae-yeon-ssi."
"Follow me."
"Chae-yeon-ssi. Wait a moment. I'm still—"
"I said follow me."
Ignoring me, Jang Chae-yeon pulls me along, and the others follow behind her with displeased, yet somewhat relieved expressions.
What is it? Why? What's going on?
I thought that as I walked, but only for a moment.
"Eek!"
Jang Chae-yeon pushes me into a room.
What is it? What's this?
That thought was also brief.
The others also crowd into the room.
What is this place?
Thinking that, I look around.
"..."
Just a bedroom comes into view.
It's just a bedroom, just a bedroom, but...
"..."
My gaze heads to one spot.
A sign.
A sign I've seen twice before.
"..."
Wait a minute.
"Chae-yeon-ssi. Don't tell me this is..."
"Correct."
Answering my question, Jang Chae-yeon nods.
"Is this your third time? It's our second."
"It's my third time!"
"Right. Good for you."
Calmly responding to Yu Daon who raises her hand, Jang Chae-yeon looks at me.
I know this place.
No, I know it well.
"...The room you can't leave unless you XX..."
A cold sweat breaks out, and the color drains from my face.
Simultaneously, writing appears on the sign.
<The Room You Cannot Leave Unless You XX>
<The Room You Cannot Leave Unless Everyone is Satisfied>
"...Right. Honestly, we all thought you'd be like this."
Song A-rin mutters in a calm voice and uncrosses her arms.
"Were you testing me?"
"No. We all decided on this extreme measure because we thought you wouldn't make a choice until the very end."
Speaking calmly, Song A-rin looks at me.
"Jae-heon-ssi."
Yu Daon smiles and spreads her arms.
"I'll make it painless for you!"
"...It's been a long time coming..."
The Branch Chief lets out a deep sigh.
"...Ugh..."
Eileen echoes the sigh.
"..."
I put my hand in my pants pocket.
The white pill is in my hand.
"...Sigh."
A sigh comes out involuntarily, but there's nothing I can do about it.
No, perhaps this is for the best.
At least they won't fight.
Swallowing the pill, I open my mouth.
"I'm sorry."
At my words, the others also nod, as if understanding.
That night, I managed to get through it somehow, really somehow.
I was laid up in bed the next day, but that's another story.