Chapter 111:I want to know. (7)

I watched the parade with my older sister.  

People dressed in costumes that children would love, along with mascots in oversized character outfits, walked energetically, while floats that looked like they had been built with a lot of money slowly marched forward.  

To be honest, this amusement park wasn’t particularly famous, so most of the characters in the parade were ones I had never seen before.

But still, it was fun. After all, it really felt like a festival. It wasn’t just the parade itself the excited children, families, and couples surrounding it created a lively, bustling atmosphere, making it feel like a true celebration.  

I don’t think I would have been as moved if I had watched it alone. But right next to me, my sister stood close.  

Right beside me, linking arms, sharing warmth.  

Honestly, if I were walking with my sister, everything would look beautiful, even without this staged atmosphere. Just strolling down any street would be enjoyable. No, I already know it would be. Because every moment I spent with her in the past was always fun.  

Since we had spent the morning riding all the attractions, we decided to take it easy in the afternoon. The amusement park wasn’t just packed with rides, there were plenty of things to see as well. The whole place was designed more like a street rather than a collection of buildings, which made it even more enjoyable to walk around with my sister.  

We left the park at around 3 PM.  

We could have stayed longer, but we only had this one day to enjoy. If we closed and reopened our bakery whenever we felt like it, we would lose the trust of our customers. That’s why we had to make the most of our designated day off.  

Besides, to be honest, it was a rather noisy place to stay for too long. As more people arrived in the afternoon, it became harder to even find a place to sit.  

As we stepped out of the amusement park, the noise we had just been surrounded by suddenly seemed like a lie. It was as if we had never even been inside.  

But if I stood still and listened carefully, I could still hear the rumbling of the rides and the distant screams of people enjoying them.  

“Should we stop by a café for a bit?”  

“Yeah, let’s do that.”  

My sister answered as if she had been waiting for me to ask, and I almost laughed.  

Since we were in the middle of a bustling area in Seoul, finding a café to sit in wasn’t difficult at all.  

“Hoo…”  

As she sat down, my sister let out a deep breath. She bent forward slightly and started massaging her calves, it seemed like her legs were hurting.  

I wouldn’t say my sister is weak. Kneading and baking bread every day requires a certain level of stamina. Rather than lacking endurance, it was more like proof of how much we had walked around nonstop.  

The reason my legs weren’t sore must be because I have… superhuman stamina. Well, that’s not exactly something I could say out loud in front of my sister.  

I watched her quietly as she massaged her legs, and then the vibrating pager on the table buzzed.  

“Ah.”  

“Oh, I’ll go get it.”  

Before my sister could get up, I quickly grabbed the pager.  

“Thanks.”  

She looked slightly surprised for a moment but then smiled warmly.  

My heart skipped a beat. Not just because she looked beautiful when she smiled apologetically, but because I could feel that she was relying on me.  

I had always depended on my sister growing up. Now, I wanted her to depend on me more. Since she had made my childhood happy, I wanted to return that happiness to her.  

I knew I wasn’t there yet. The scars my death had left on her were too deep.  

How much effort had it taken for her to smile like that again?  

I was still afraid to ask about that time. It must have been such a painful memory for her.  

Someday, when I can truly be by her side as myself, will I be able to heal those wounds completely?  

At the counter, I picked up the tray with our two drinks. One was a hot Americano, and the other was the one I had ordered… a drink with an incredibly long name that looked overwhelmingly sweet at a glance.  

Though they both seemed light and refreshing, the tray was surprisingly heavy when I lifted it. If I wasn’t careful, I might spill it.

*

The drink I ordered was just as sweet as I expected.  

I wasn’t sure if it contained caffeine or not. But honestly, even if it did, it probably wouldn’t have much of an effect on me.  

It’s not that I have a high tolerance for caffeine or anything….Rather, the body the goddess created for me had certain differences from that of an ordinary person.

If it was on a similar level to the body I used in Irrelcia, then even without consuming caffeine, I’d have enough energy to stay awake all night and march the next day without a problem.  

Though, that would mean I’d need to eat a lot. On the other hand, the fact that I wouldn’t gain weight no matter how much I ate…..could that be considered an advantage?  

Slowly, I sipped the sweet drink, which was likely filled with milk, fresh cream, and syrup.  

Even earlier at lunch, my sister had looked at me with curiosity. No—rather than curiosity, it would be more accurate to say she looked at me fondly. That wouldn’t be strange, but still, it made me feel a little embarrassed.  

The changes in me weren’t limited to just my gender and appearance. Though I hadn’t lost my sense of self, there were many ways in which I was different from ordinary people.  

It wasn’t just embarrassment I was afraid that my sister might come to see me as something alien.  

Maybe that was part of the reason why I still hadn’t fully revealed my identity.  

“Where should we go next?”  

My sister asked with a smile.  

It was still midday. Considering that we had time together until the evening, there were plenty of things we could do. If we were staying within Seoul, we had enough time to even go somewhere a bit far.  

“Ah, well…”  

In fact, I had a rough plan for what to do next. But because I had been too careless, that plan fell apart before I even got the chance to put it into action.  

In other words, the reason this time after leaving the amusement park felt so unplanned was entirely my fault.  

“I’m sorry.”  

“Hm?”  

When I apologized, my sister blinked in surprise.  

“Well, um… Actually, I was planning for us to have dinner at that really nice place up there…”  

I glanced out the window as I spoke.  

A towering skyscraper connected to the amusement park came into view. Built by the same company that had constructed the amusement park, it was the tallest building in the country.  

And on one of the higher floors was a very famous restaurant. The one I had visited before with my comrades.  

Back then, we had been incredibly lucky someone had canceled their reservation at just the right moment, allowing us to take the spot. But normally, it was a place that required reservations several months in advance. There was no way that kind of luck would strike twice.  

Especially since I had only tried to book a table less than a week in advance. Of course, there were no available seats.  

“I failed to get a reservation…”  

As I spoke with a slightly dejected tone, my sister stared at me in surprise, her mouth slightly open.  

Then, she let out a small chuckle and said,  

“You don’t have to feel so bad about that, you know?”  

Feeling a bit embarrassed, I averted my gaze. I hadn’t been expecting too much, but still, I had wanted to give my sister a nice experience.

“Pfft.”  

I barely managed to hold back my laughter.  

“So that’s why you were so down?”  

My sister spoke as if she couldn’t believe it.  

“It hasn’t even been a week since we made these plans. How were you supposed to get a reservation at a place like that? Not to mention the price.”  

Well, the price wasn’t really an issue…  

“Hmm, I mean, if we ever get the chance, I’d like to go someday, but…”  

She looked up at the towering building outside the window as she spoke. Then, bringing her gaze back down, she looked at me directly and said,  

“But that’s not why we’re meeting up. It’s not about going to an expensive restaurant—we’re meeting because we enjoy spending time together.”  

Hearing that made my feelings a little complicated.  

I mean, when you think about dating, isn’t that kind of thing expected?  

Even if the guy is younger, isn’t it better if he takes the lead a little?  

Hmm…  

Well, I’ve never actually been on a date before, so this is just my own assumption. But it’s not like I don’t have any romantic ideals about it.  

The problem was, to my sister, I wasn’t a reliable man I was just a younger sibling of the same gender. Even though I was a few centimeters taller than her, it wasn’t such a significant difference that she would see me as dependable.  

And I was younger.  

Maybe to her, my words had come off as a bit of an overconfident bluff.  

My face grew hot.  

I regretted bringing it up.  

But at the same time, I still wanted to tell her. I wanted to be as honest as possible when I was with her.  

“Then, let’s take our time thinking about what to do next. We have plenty of time anyway.”  

“…Okay.”  

Hearing her sound much more relaxed than before, I answered quietly.