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Ha-yoon wasn’t really sure when that feeling of liking someone started to grow.

It probably wasn’t like she just suddenly started to like Ji-eun one day. It was a very small and subtle feeling that gradually blossomed slowly over the time she got to know Ji-eun, eventually becoming something she could express through words and actions.

Thinking about why or how she came to like Ji-eun might even be pointless.

Ji-eun was simply the person who had always been by her side during tough times, someone who quietly sat next to her whenever she wanted to complain about something.

She felt emotions she had never really felt for anyone else, just for Ji-eun.

If asked to choose the person she liked the most out of those she liked, it would be Ji-eun, and Ha-yoon just quietly accepted that.

The moment Ha-yoon followed Ji-eun out was a few minutes after Ji-eun and Ji-hye had exited the room.

Children in the orphanage go to sleep early. Given that they were constantly with the teachers, they had no choice but to keep to that routine.

Kids in middle and high school seemed to stick to their schedules, too.

Sometimes people have negative perceptions of those from orphanages, but since Ha-yoon had never seen other orphanages, she couldn’t make a complete comparison. There were times when families had issues even with all members present, after all.

From the start, Ji-eun had also been from this orphanage.

The situation in the orphanage seemed quite decent. There wasn’t a single worn-out part, and there were no broken sections either.

Most of it was likely thanks to the ‘donations’ from Noir Corporation.

And Ji-eun worked at Noir Corporation to acquire those donations.

Late into the night.

Had she ever been scolded for staying out too late? It was hard to imagine they wouldn’t have said anything upon seeing her come back bruised.

And most of those injuries were likely from battles with Magical Girls, Ji-eun included.

There might have been ways for her to receive the funds directly. Instead, Ji-eun chose to send them to the orphanage as donations—without anyone knowing. Even while potentially being misunderstood by others.

As she walked through the quiet corridor and exited the building, she spotted Ha-yoon and Ji-hye sitting in front.

The two were sitting silently on swings side by side.

There was no distinction between the front and back of the swings. Where they sat had a clear view over the low wall of the orphanage.

At the end of an alley where the red brick house and gray walls chaotically met, this orphanage, built in a somewhat elevated area of the neighborhood, afforded a wide view.

Thanks to the wall, they couldn’t see what lay directly in front or below, but they could clearly see the neighborhood beyond.

And there, houses and tall walls lined up along the ridges of the hills could be seen.

Ha-yoon knew what kind of neighborhood it was.

There weren’t many bus stops along the steep roads, and there were hardly any supermarkets or convenience stores.

But the people living there seemed oblivious to the inconvenience.

If the shops were far, they could just drive there, and this was a neighborhood where people could afford to hire someone to drive them.

It was Ha-yoon’s neighborhood.

Descending that ridge, a four-lane road stretched out like a line, and beyond that lay Ji-eun’s neighborhood.

Ha-yoon had never imagined that Ji-eun would live in this neighborhood until she became a high school student and learned that Ji-eun had been a combatant. Even with it right before her eyes.

No, she hadn’t even thought about what this neighborhood might be like.

That was a bit odd. There must have been places like this among the locations where she fought as a Magical Girl. Why hadn’t she even considered Ji-eun could belong to one of those?

The faint glow of the white streetlamp dimly illuminated beyond the wall. The sight of the two sitting side by side looked somewhat mysterious.

Had they always sat there together, overlooking the neighborhood since they were little?

Ha-yoon thought that was a bit enviable—

“I remember when we were kids.”

Ji-hye spoke up softly, seemingly unaware that Ha-yoon was watching from afar.

Though it was a whisper, the little sounds of cars from a distance and the TV from an open window couldn’t completely drown her voice.

“We used to look at the houses in the distance and wonder how great it would be to live in a place like that.”

Then Ji-hye’s next words made Ha-yoon momentarily forget to breathe.

“… That’s right.”

“You said it wouldn’t be much different since it’s still a place where people live.”

“Yeah, I did.”

As Ji-hye spoke cheerfully, Ji-eun nodded along with a smile.

“Well, living in a big house would be nice. Remember when you said it wouldn’t be a hassle if your stomach suddenly hurt in the morning and you didn’t have to wait for the bathroom?”

“When you live with kids, it’s the same anyway. Even if the ordinary house has a bathroom, it won’t be as many as in our orphanage.”

“Right. You’re not wrong.”

Ji-hye laughed.

“Ultimately, it’d still be the same waiting in line in front of the bathroom before school.”

“Having a bathtub would be nice, though.”

“You said that too.”

At Ji-hye’s remark, Ji-eun let out a small chuckle. Ji-eun hadn’t seemed particularly happy since that incident, but now she looked better.

“And how big can it really be compared to our orphanage? Where we live is also a decent-sized house.”

After listening to Ji-eun’s words, Ha-yoon felt her heart tighten.

Home.

This was Ji-eun’s home. That’s why she could redirect donations here. It wasn’t just a simple act of charity; it was because she considered it home.

“Yeah. The room we share is surprisingly spacious. There’s enough space for the kids to sleep when they all come in.”

“Is it spacious enough?”

“If you and I sleep close, there’s plenty of room left.”

After Ji-hye’s comment, Ji-eun laughed again.

“Isn’t that just saying it feels cramped?”

“Is it?”

There was a brief silence between them.

“… Even so, we can at least imagine it.”

Ji-hye whispered again in a soft voice.

“Ultimately, we’re going to have to leave here when we grow up.”

“Yeah. That’s true… Not many years left. If we go to college, things will change, but—”

“Well, either way, we’d have to leave. There’s no way we could still be here after becoming adults.”

Ji-eun shrugged her shoulders at Ji-hye’s words. There were no words exchanged afterward.

“Which means, if it were a house that big, it would be enough for the two of us.”

“It’d probably be too spacious. That’d just be a problem. Plus, look, those houses are expensive, and maintaining one costs a lot…”

“Come on, it’s just imagining, imagining.”

Ji-hye waved a hand dismissively at Ji-eun’s comment.

“And… well, even if it’s not such a big house, we could still live together. It seems like those who left first start off that way.”

At Ji-hye’s words, Ha-yoon fell into thought for a moment before letting out a small laugh.

“That’s true.”

“As long as it’s not too cramped, it should be alright, right? After all, we’ve lived together for so long.”

“…That’s true.”

In response to Ji-hye’s cheerful chatter, Ji-eun simply replied like that.

I wonder what expression Ji-eun had.

Considering how gentle her voice was, she might be smiling, or maybe she was joyfully laughing like Ji-hye’s profile that could be seen slightly.

One thing for sure was that the two must have been talking together like this for a long time.

Since elementary school, through middle school, and even just a little while ago.

Whenever Ji-hye chatted away, Ji-eun would quietly listen, smile, and nod—

“…”

Ha-yoon tightly closed her lips.

Strength entered the hands clenched in front of her chest.

Ji-eun had done the same for Ha-yoon. If there was ever something troubling, she would first notice and pull Ha-yoon’s wrist to a quiet place.

And whether sitting next to each other or facing one another, she would patiently wait to be there silently until Ha-yoon was ready to speak or smile.

…Yeah, that probably wasn’t anything particularly special.

Ji-eun was just that kind of person.

She had been since long ago. Since the moment she met Ha-yoon.

Ha-yoon had never mistaken that feeling…

No, she had never mistaken it.

This feeling of ‘liking’ was utterly sincere. It was because of Ji-eun that she felt this way. Ji-eun was the only one she could feel this kind of emotion towards.

Even if she showed that side to other people, what could it change? Ha-yoon had fallen for Ji-eun because of precisely that side she showed.

So—

So, I’m sorry.

Ha-yoon couldn’t just keep listening anymore.

“What are you two talking about?”

With a bright smile, Ha-yoon stepped forward.

Ji-eun and Ji-hye turned their heads towards her at the same time. Both looked a little surprised, but they didn’t seem like they were in the middle of a conversation that shouldn’t be interrupted.

Especially Ji-hye, who didn’t wear a particular expression of jealousy or dislike.

“Just, thinking about what we’ll do when we graduate from university and become independent.”

And hidden within those words were many things.

Among them, the biggest one was the talk about the orphanage that Ha-yoon had just heard.

The idea that naturally leaving the orphanage would come when they became adults.

There might be those with families who could spend time with their families for long stretches and receive support from parents, but Ji-eun and Ji-hye couldn’t do that.

They would inevitably have to find their own rooms as they started to live independently.

Or find a job that offers accommodation in a dormitory or something like that.

“Really?”

Ha-yoon pretended not to know such matters as she asked.

“I’m planning to live alone right after I graduate too.”

Ha-yoon made that remark after a bit of boldness.

She looked back and forth at the two with lively looks, sitting between them.

“It’d be fun to live together.”

She didn’t mention separating Ji-hye from them. Ha-yoon already knew just how precious Ji-hye was to Ji-eun.

Even though they had kissed, Ji-eun still hadn’t shown much about it yet. Maybe she thought she kissed because of the circuit rather than Ha-yoon liking her.

If that was the case, though Ji-eun could have gotten angry about being kissed like that, she probably thought it was something necessary back then, as she didn’t say anything about it.

…And that was how Jua had done it as well. Hmm.

While they seemed a bit awkward inside the room, perhaps being outside while talking with Ji-hye reorganized her thoughts.

Ha-yoon felt a bit regrettable.

“Still, I’m not planning on living off of anyone, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Oh.”

Ha-yoon’s words caught in her throat for a moment.

That’s right. Ji-eun didn’t really like living off of someone else.

Even in the orphanage, thinking about it, Ji-eun could have potentially asked Ha-yoon for help with countless matters. She could have shared her concerns with Ha-yoon directly or sought help through Ha-yoon to the federation.

But Ji-eun wasn’t keen on those approaches. If she could, she wanted to solve problems herself.

That must’ve been her principle.

Ha-yoon had never approached Ji-eun with a sense of guard because of that.

Thus, Ha-yoon couldn’t quite pressure Ji-eun.

“I-I’ll also be independent, you know? Once I start earning money, I can fairly cover the rent. Or we can handle the deposit together.”

As Ha-yoon hastily added that, Ji-eun forced a smile.

“Well… we’ll just have to see when that time comes. There are still a few years left.”

Ji-eun said that lightly, closing her eyes slightly.

And because of that, neither Ha-yoon nor Ji-hye spoke again.

Yeah, they still had a few years left.

For now, Ji-hye was too important to Ji-eun, so it felt like it would be difficult for someone else to intrude.

Of course, she didn’t plan to completely push Ji-hye out of Ji-eun’s heart.

The framework of family could neither be broken nor should it be broken.

However, Ha-yoon intended to firmly establish her place near Ji-eun. Just as it felt natural for Ji-eun and Ji-hye to live together, Ha-yoon wanted to be equally accepted there.

Sisters and… that ‘different relationship’ must inherently be ‘different’ in nature.

*

Living with Ha-yoon… well, that was a joyful thing for me.

Isn’t it? I like Ha-yoon. I can’t help but think that.

I felt just as happy when Ha-yoon kissed me today. If it hadn’t made me happy, there would have been no way for the circuit to function properly.

No, if it were someone I disliked, the opposite might have happened.

…Anyway, that doesn’t mean I could recklessly exploit those feelings.

It would be troublesome to assume that because I like someone, they must also like me in return. That could instead lead to the collapse of our relationship.

Even if we ended up living together, and even if I somehow gained my own sense of ‘certainty’ in that process, if I did something strange, I might turn my lifelong friend into just a ‘distant person.’

I need to act cautiously.

Yet, the fact that Ha-yoon could take such actions indicated that she didn’t harbor any bad feelings towards me.

…

Looking back again, Ha-yoon was also amazing.

Being able to kiss someone of the same sex—well, then again, actors do perform same-sex kissing scenes when necessary, so perhaps I should think that if you want to do it, you can do it.

I took a few soft breaths while keeping my eyes closed.

For now, the slightly cool night air refreshed the heat building inside me a little.

It wasn’t exactly pleasant air, but still.

“Let’s go in.”

I had to start getting ready for bed soon.

My body felt heavy and sluggish. Regardless of the circuit’s assistance, it’s tough being so actively moving.

Plus, today was mentally exhausting too.

Climbing so high up and then crashing down to the bottom isn’t particularly fun.

Pang-pang was still deep in sleep. I wondered if it was bad to enjoy myself too much alone.

As I rose from my spot, Ji-hye got up too, and Ha-yoon, situated between Ji-hye and me, quickly came closer to me.

I suddenly thought of something and was about to ask Ha-yoon something, but then I shut my mouth.

“Hmm? Why? Do you have something to say?”

Ha-yoon quickly sensed something was off and inquired, but I shook my head.

“No, it’s nothing much.”

Ha-yoon tilted her head, but she still believed my words.

Is it nothing much?

Honestly, I really wasn’t sure.

I felt a bit scared to ask Ha-yoon if she had reached out to her parents.

I knew that their relationship wasn’t exactly smooth. Just looking at how they hadn’t made any effort to reach out first made it terrifying; people who had treated their daughter as a mere tool coming back like that.

But in the original webtoon, Ha-yoon used the bouquet her parents gave her as a wand.

In this world, it probably hadn’t changed much from that scenario.

To a child with such thoughts about her parents… No, to a child who longs for them, it felt wrong to just ask something like that carelessly.

…

No, it wasn’t just that.

It was more about the guilt I felt.

The fact that Ha-yoon ended up being separated from her parents was largely due to me.

Not just Ha-yoon, but all the other kids too. I had no way of knowing whether the reason they still couldn’t get in touch was because they were lying low or if they were working on something from another angle, and so asking them to call felt even more terrifying.

Could I handle it if Ha-yoon got hurt again because of me? Or if the other kids here suffered?

In the end, I kept postponing it.

Kept putting it off until it became like this, and yet I was still postponing something else.

As I entered the room, the kids had already laid out their blankets.

Just two days in, but the children were getting scarily accustomed to staying here.

It might be that they were finding it easier to adapt since they had previously lived in even harsher places.

At the very least, it probably wasn’t an act. The children seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves.

“Wait a moment.”

Before we lay over our blankets, Jua raised a hand and spoke.

With her very neat appearance looking a lot more polished than her tattered clothes from the ruins, Jua’s unique fastidiousness seemed to stand out even more.

I decided that was a good thing.

Jua looked at me and said, “I think it’s unfair that we always sleep in the same spot.”

“Unfair?”

When Rose questioned her with a laugh, Jua’s face turned a bit red, but she continued on.

“Like by the door or near the chair. There are uncomfortable spots to sleep, aren’t there? So I think it’d be good to rotate our sleeping spots each time.”

“…Really?”

Jua’s suggestion felt somewhat credible.

It would indeed be warmer for the children sleeping in the middle than those by the window. And they’d likely feel quieter than those sleeping near the door. The kids by the window might experience the cold and discomfort of the chair legs even more deeply since the desk was directly below the window.

“Um, but I…”

Ji-hye raised a hand timidly and said.

“I like sleeping next to Ji-eun.”

“…”

The children’s gazes turned back to Jua, and her face reddened further.

“I-I don’t mind switching out the others!”

It seemed she couldn’t bear to separate Ji-hye and me, as Jua ended up stating that out loud in a fluster.

“Shh, Jua.”

Because it was already time for the kids to sleep, my response only made her face flush more.

 

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