I am back – Chapter 148

In the end, the conclusion we reached was to just speak honestly.

Well, there’s nothing to hide in the first place.

We don’t know when we’ll leave.

Also, if we do leave, we can’t know when we’ll come back.

Of course, we will come back someday. I truly don’t think we’ll be gone for that long.

If there’s something that requires us to be away for years, it would be better to shuttle back and forth between here and Irrelaysia rather than staying there permanently.

However, if that happens, it will be difficult to keep the bakery running consistently. It would probably be better to either hand it over to someone else… or return it to the church. The pastor would understand.

But Ga-young didn’t start working here just because she needed money. She had something she wanted to say to her older sister.

If she was just working for pocket money, it would be a bit sad, but I would have felt somewhat relieved to tell her. I would say I might have to go abroad for a while and might not be able to come back. Then, while they might miss me, they probably wouldn’t be too upset.

But, Ga-young is… a bit different.

Though neither of us had ever met her before, it felt like she knew her sister. Not just recognizing her face, but really wanting to get close to her as a person.

If that wasn’t the case, she surely wouldn’t have tagged along for the volunteer activity that day.

“Still, it’s not really time for Ga-young to come yet.”

My older sister said, smiling at my concern about how Ga-young might react.

“You can just think of it leisurely until then. Ga-young will surely understand us.”

Yeah, with Ga-young’s personality, she might feel a little sad for a bit, but she wouldn’t fall into total despair.

After all, it’s not like we’ll never meet again.

“…Ah.”

Thinking about that suddenly made me feel a bit strange.

I had only ever seen situations that seemed like forever goodbyes.

I had already died twice, and in a way, both of those deaths were choices I made.

Suicide… though it’s a bit weird to express it that way.

The fact remains that it was something I chose in the end.

But… this was the first time I had a choice left behind.

We can meet again.

“Right.”

When I had completely given up on everything, the people around me looked for a way somehow.

Maybe that way of thinking has been gnawing at me until now. Even though I knew in my head that we could meet again, somehow I ended up thinking we would part ways forever.

“I can just come back.”

I will come back. There’s a place to return to. No matter which world I go to, there are people who will welcome me.

How… warming and miraculous those words are.

*

“Traveling abroad? Where to?”

Yu-ri, who hadn’t visited for a while, came by today and said that we might be going away for a bit.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she listened to what Ah-yoon and I said.

Yu-ri’s belly was now so round that it was clearly visible even under thick clothing. Her child was growing healthily. She seemed burdened by the weight of her body compared to before pregnancy.

Yet, the fact that she came all the way here made me think her will was truly impressive.

After pondering for a while, Yu-ri, who heard our story, briefly fell into thought but soon brightened up, asking with a smile.

According to Ah-yoon, Yu-ri had been trying hard to connect the two of us. Apparently, even when I didn’t notice, Yu-ri was adamant that Ah-yoon and I needed to get together.

…In fact, if I had stepped just one more step forward, Yu-ri’s efforts would have borne fruit.

Thinking that made me feel a bit sorry for Yu-ri.

Maybe that’s why? When Ah-yoon said she wanted to go on a trip with me, Yu-ri’s eyes sparkled instantly.

“Oh, but where are you planning to have the wedding? If it’s a venue, I could look into it.”

“Wedding?”

Seeing Yu-ri speak with a bright expression toward the counter, Ah-yoon suddenly went blank and then her face turned bright red.

“W-Wait, it’s not a honeymoon!?”

And her voice suddenly raised.

I was taken aback by Ah-yoon rarely raising her voice, and her expression turned even redder… No, maybe it was because she was embarrassed that I caught her shouting, or was it because of the previous mention of “honeymoon?”

Actually, thinking back to what was said earlier, it was almost certain that her face turned red due to the mention of the honeymoon.

Could it be that she doesn’t truly think of marrying me just yet?

While I thought that couldn’t possibly be the case, a part of my mind couldn’t help but think that way. I’m not sure why.

As I suddenly slumped down, Yu-ri laughed at me.

“Hey, look at Siyun being all glum. Isn’t that a bit too much?”

Of course, she probably didn’t mean that seriously. Just looking at her expression, it was likely a joke.

“Uh?”

Only then did Yu-ri’s face lose its joviality as she noticed my situation.

“Ah, no, Siyun! That’s not what I meant…!”

Then she looked at Yu-ri with a distressed expression, but Yu-ri simply continued to gaze out the window while whistling.

“Shin Yu-ri!”

In the end, Ah-yoon shouted Yu-ri’s name.

*

“…What I meant is that we’ve never really talked about marriage yet.”

After some time had passed and the situation settled down, the three of us gathered around a table in the bakery.

We hadn’t really sat together like this before. Even when Yu-ri came, we were usually working and most often a customer or so would show up, so we thought it was better for at least one person to guard the counter.

However, unlike Yu-ri’s playful expression, Ah-yoon seemed to take the current situation quite seriously.

Maybe it was because I had made a dejected expression.

“We’ve just begun seeing each other…”

“But you two live together, right?”

Yu-ri had been told about this during her last visit.

“…It’s not like we’re living alone together…”

“But you’ve said you share the same room, right?”

When Yu-ri brought up a different argument, Ah-yoon seemed at a loss for words.

“Why are you avoiding talking about marriage? Don’t you like each other?”

“Yeah, I do. That’s for sure.”

Ah-yoon nodded. My face felt a bit flushed.

Ah-yoon too seemed a bit embarrassed to say that, her face reddening.

But with that said, Ah-yoon replied.

“In our country, there’s still no system for same-sex marriage.”

“And so?”

Yu-ri raised an eyebrow.

“Not that… but I mean… ‘marriage’ is a bit…”

“Whether the country acknowledges it or not, if you want to do it, can’t you? What does the system matter? Oh, I guess I can’t argue since I’m someone who’s already done the marriage paperwork.”

Yu-ri hurriedly added an excuse at the back.

“No, I mean, that’s not what I meant…”

“…What does that mean? Are you saying that getting married is… Ah.”

Yu-ri started to say something but then suddenly clamped her mouth shut.

“I see. The perception of others is a concern.”

“No, it’s not that.”

Ah-yoon’s tone was much firmer in response to Yu-ri than before. Enough to make Yu-ri flustered.

“I’m not thinking of not getting married just because of people’s views. What I mean is…”

Ah-yoon’s gaze turned to me.

…Ah, I see.

A wedding is not just between the two of us.

It requires people to celebrate for it to be a true wedding.

Of course, Ah-yoon’s parents… might find it difficult to come, but friends or relatives would be a different story.

…And then there’s Mom.

Ah-yoon is probably thinking about that. Whether my mom could attend the wedding as my mom.

“…Anyway, we need more time. So this trip is just a trip for both of us and not related to marriage.”

“…Oh, I see.”

Yu-ri seemed to be a bit overwhelmed by Ah-yoon’s statement.

“I’m sorry. You two probably had your own thoughts.”

“No, it’s okay. I was just overreacting. I should have just said I have plans.”

“I just…”

Yu-ri looked between the two of us and said shyly.

“I simply wanted to see my best friend get married.”

“…”

Ah-yoon quietly gazed at Yu-ri and then smiled softly.

“If we end up getting married, I’ll let you know first.”

“Really?”

As soon as Yu-ri heard those words, her face lit up.

“Yeah. I promise.”

As Ah-yoon said that, she looked at me.

In her eyes, there was a certain determination.

It seemed she was genuinely thinking about having a wedding with me.

Seeing that expression on my older sister’s face made my heart race.

And yet, on the other hand…

Don’t you think the roles seem to have flipped a bit?