119 – Bangdaengi # 3
“Ice cream! I think the best flavor is the one that tastes like extraterrestrial nymphs!”
Young Baek Yeo-ul was unable to just pass by the ice cream shop with Mibang on the way.
“Ice cream!”
“I like ice cream too, but not now!”
“Why! Why not…!?”
Tonight, Baek Yeo-ul needed to enter the Great Labyrinth through the “forgotten entrance” and thus had no time for ice cream.
However, Mibang was obstinate.
“Ice cream! Ice cream! Nymphs from outer space!”
Mibang was loudly shouting on the roadside.
Already attracting attention for her tattered white gown, the situation worsened when Mibang started causing a commotion, leading to murmurs among some bystanders.
“What? What’s going on?”
“They look like a sister and a younger sibling.”
“It seems like the sister doesn’t want to buy ice cream for the younger one.”
“Hey! Stop it!”
Baek Yeo-ul was feeling increasingly flustered.
Being perceived as a kidnapper of Mibang was not an ideal situation, especially with government agencies potentially watching.
‘I’m neither a kidnapper nor this kid’s sister!’
Mibang remained true to herself.
While Baek Yeo-ul hadn’t fully grasped the reality yet, reminiscing about her own childhood made her see many similarities.
‘Remembering my younger self, I wouldn’t give up on my tantrums until my parents or friends gave in. I even remember lying down on the floor sometimes.’
Understanding her own childhood character well, Baek Yeo-ul had no choice but to enter the ice cream shop.
Splitting her already tight allowance, she bought a pint cup, which made Mibang extremely happy.
“I’ve always wanted to try this directly! I’m very excited to see if it tastes exactly as I imagined! Ice cream in Chinese characters is written as ‘bing guo’ (氷菓)…!”
Mibang wanted to taste the ice cream directly instead of relying on the information shared by Baek Yeo-ul.
While walking along the street, Mibang tried a bite of the ice cream. The chill was so sharp it almost made her lengthy pink hair bristle.
“It’s so cold (寒)…! It’s even colder than I imagined! It’s delicious…!”
Gee heh heh-.
Mibang was beaming as though she had obtained the whole world through ice cream.
Agu agu-.
After devouring the whole cup of ice cream, Mibang exclaimed.
“Again! Let’s go for more ice cream!”
“No!”
“Why not? Ice cream is delicious! You should eat some too! You don’t eat ice cream enough these days! Back when you used to eat ice cream frequently, you seemed happy, so why are you eating less now?”
Even as a child, Baek Yeo-ul used to enjoy ice cream as a dessert after every meal, precisely because she loved it so much.
It was as cold as winter snow and sweet, which she found delightful.
However, as Baek Yeo-ul grew up, she started eating less ice cream.
“…I guess that’s what happens when you grow up?”
“I don’t understand! Really, I don’t!”
Confined in a tank, Mibang couldn’t help but feel regretful, sharing Baek Yeo-ul’s experiences and knowledge over time.
Mibang didn’t understand why adults ate less ice cream.
“Ice cream is delicious even if you eat it every day! I used to visit the zoo often to see adorable raccoons, but why don’t we go now? Why do you keep doing monotonous study and training every day?”
Mibang had many complaints about Baek Yeo-ul.
Because Baek Yeo-ul had started consuming less delicious food, avoiding enjoyable activities, and focusing solely on monotonous studies and training.
From Mibang’s perspective, as a reflection of Baek Yeo-ul’s childhood self, Baek Yeo-ul was becoming increasingly dull as she grew into an adult.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t live like this! Studying and training is no fun!”
“Huh? I’m trying my best! Even if it’s boring, I need to train so I can help Hanam Jin!”
“…Baek Yeo-ul likes Hanam Jin!”
Mibang also liked Hanam Jin through the feelings received from Baek Yeo-ul. Therefore, Mibang couldn’t understand why Baek Yeo-ul, an adult, didn’t confess her feelings.
“If you like him, declare your feelings! Why keep hesitating without saying anything?”
“That’s… because of the complications of being an adult! What if confessing fails? We won’t be able to go back to how things were before. We’d see each other every day, but it’d become awkward. And…”
Baek Yeo-ul was aware Hanam Jin was recently experiencing significant success, and was actually the grandson of President Nam Tae-geon, with a prominent family background.
If she were to confess her feelings at this moment—
“…Do you think it seems like you’re attracted to him only for his family background?”
“Yes! That’s exactly what I think!”
“Ho ho, Baek Yeo-ul seems to understand her own feelings properly! But I still can’t understand why you’re hesitating even though you like him!”
While watching Mibang use strange Chinese characters in her speech, Baek Yeo-ul reminised about her own childhood.
Did I use to be this annoying too?
But back then, everything was happy.
She had been close with Seugal, and attending school was always enjoyable.
“But after all, in this world, we never know if tomorrow will come or not…! One should live as if every day might be your last! That is life…!”
There was a profound message in the tale of the young child.
Today must be an irreplaceable and brilliant moment for Mibang.
“Ho ho ho! I, Baek Yeo-ul, can help you with your love!”
“You?”
“When we bring down the ‘Red King,’ I can help Hanam Jin. In exchange, I’d like a promise…! If everything goes well, no matter what happens afterward, you have to confess without hesitation!”
“Confession?”
Blushingly—just thinking about it made Bangdaengi feel hot in the face.
To this, Mibang extended her flat chest straight out.
“Baek Yeo-ul’s happiness is Baek Yeo-ul’s happiness! If you’re happy, I’m also happy. If you eat something delicious, I feel the same way, and if you like someone, I like them too! You are me, and I am you!”
If Mibang’s help could allow her to help Hanam Jin, could there be anything more significant than that?
Mibang owned the ultimate concept called “Life.”
If it was valuable enough to be carefully guarded on a national scale, it must have incredible power, which could surely help Hanam Jin.
‘Maybe after this matter resolves successfully, Hanam Jin might see me instead of Seugal.’
Just then, as they were approaching home.
Mibang, walking along the white asphalt path with long strides, began to hesitate.
Back when she was a child, Baek Yeo-ul did the same, slowing her steps because she didn’t want to show her mother the low grades on her report card.
“Aa-!
Baek Yeo-ul understood why Mibang hesitated.
She could somewhat empathize with the emotions Mibang was feeling.
Mibang seemed to miss her mom and dad, but she knew they shouldn’t meet.
Baek Yeo-ul’s parents were Mibang’s parents as well, but strictly speaking, they weren’t actually her biological parents.
‘Should I show them Mibang? It would be quite a surprise. I only just learned that my mom was involved in establishing the underground lab.’
“Uh… Baek Yeo-ul’s mind is getting complicated too now!”
More worries arose.
Thinking at that moment, Baek Yeo-ul recalled Hanam Jin.
What would Hanam Jin do in this situation?
“Mibang, let’s go.”
Baek Yeo-ul held Mibang’s hand.
Mibang was greatly surprised.
“To… Mom and Dad?”
“Yes! If Hanam Jin were here, he’d probably do the same! You want to see Mom and Dad, right? If you have something to say, say it yourself! Since you are me but also somewhat not me.”
“If Mom and Dad dislike me… Baek Yeo-ul isn’t actually a real person…”
“I don’t care about that!”
So, Baek Yeo-ul held Mibang’s hand and entered the house.
—
Once Seugal returned home, finished her bath, and changed into clean, fresh clothes, she relaxed on the sofa.
Today had been eventful, and more was expected to come.
“Ho ho, she was cute!”
Seugal involuntarily smiled as she thought about Mibang.
Seugal had always liked cute children.
It was exactly because young Baek Yeo-ul appeared cute in Seugal’s eyes that they became close so quickly.
She resembled a small, quirky raccoon or red panda—playful and endearing.
However, why did their relationship grow distant?
Seugal had her own reasons.
She wished she could someday tell Baek Yeo-ul, but—
This would likely remain a burden she’d carry alone for life.
“Let’s focus on today’s tasks.”
Shiiing-!
Seugal drew her blade “Maple” and inspected its sharp edge.
The blade had a menacing crimson hue, like a fully matured maple tree leaf.
“Bring down the Red King…”
As far as Seugal knew, the Red King was the king of the fairies.
If Kore, the fairy princess, was Hanam Jin’s mother, then the Red King would technically be his maternal grandfather.
‘He doesn’t seem to be aware of this fact.’
Even Hanam Jin, who usually acted so smug, didn’t know this—Seugal found it hilarious and oddly satisfying.
After all, she’d felt like she was playing right into his hands since the kidnapping incident, but now she felt on top.
But she couldn’t let herself get too delighted.
‘Is it alright to make him fight against his own grandfather? His family member.’
Family.
Seugal thought of her mother.
Her mother, who had been suffering from an incurable illness for so long, had been sleeping continuously.
To Seugal, she looked like a beautiful princess.
But over time her hair thinned, and her dark circles darkened.
“Daughter, what did you learn at school today?”
Although her mother always treated Seugal with kindness and affection…
Seugal knew her mother suffered from excruciating pain during the night.
“Seo Do-cheol, please put me to d*ath! The pain’s too much! I can’t bear it anymore…”
“Hyeon-ah, just hang in there a little longer. You said you wanted to live until Ga-eul gets married.”
“Ugh… It feels like my whole body’s burning.”
During these moments, Seugal would retreat to her room, covering her ears and praying for miracles that would miraculously heal her mother.
However, her “miracle” arrived a step too late.
So Seugal became twisted.
She was hurt but pretended not to be, feeling not okay but pretending otherwise.
She wasn’t originally a bad person, but that’s where her descent began.
Siii-.
Seugal eyed her reflection in the mirror.
It felt like everything was broken, as if she herself was malfunctioning.
Then came the kidnapping.
“Since the kidnapping, my everyday life has been broken.”
No—
Actually, that wasn’t true.
“I’ve been broken since a long time ago.”
Crack!
Seugal clenched her fists and shattered the mirror in frustration.
As if dissatisfied with herself.
The broken shards of the mirror scattered.
And as she slowly turned away from the shattered pieces, right at that moment—
“Now there’s not much time left.”
The reflections of Seugal in the multiple fragments of the shattered mirror began to speak, their lips moving.
The hairs on her head stood up.
“What? Is the reflection of me in the mirror talking?”
“Yes, your ‘miracle’ is becoming similar to mine. It took less time than expected. I reached that level around the age of twenty-two.”
“Twenty-two? What are you? Who are you?”
Seugal felt like she was experiencing hallucinations or hearing delusions.
Perhaps a spell or trick?
While on guard, the Seugal in the mirror spoke.
“I am you. Your future self. Also the one who chose Hanam Jin.”
“You chose Hanam Jin?”
The broken mirror reflected a self Seugal didn’t recognize. Her face was scarred, with a notably colder and more ruthless expression.
“Yes, I chose him. You would have done the same. We need to give him the chance to choose. The opportunity for him to repent and atone. But if Hanam Jin doesn’t make the right choice—”
The blade “Maple” reflected in the mirror glowed an unusually crimson hue.
“You need to prepare yourself.”
———
———
