He had made a mistake.
Was it really so?
If he hadn't acted separately from his family...if he had explained it to them...
But...
Did his plans really work so flawlessly?
He would have chosen the same thing, knowing that if he had come back, he would fall into this situation again.
If his family had known, they wouldn't have allowed it.
And maybe that's why none of them were even alive right now.
He shouldn't be alive though.
Although there is an exception.
Again...
Was he selfish?
He does not know.
He couldn't answer that.
He was simply facing the consequences of his choice.
He slowly lifted his head and looked intently into her eyes.
Even though it seems like he will drown at any moment in the flood of emotions.
With an appearance that is still upright, does not give up, and will not bend and break.
No regrets.
He would face the responsibilities of his choices.
"Mom," she said, taking a deep breath. His throat was dry, he said forcefully. "Let's talk"
He didn't apologize.
It was not withdrawn.
He didn't make any mistakes.
Still, some things sometimes have to be sacrificed. Now he was facing what he had left behind.
-Tuk- -Tuk- -Tuk-
A synchronized gait with fine cane sounds. Even if he didn't turn around, she knew who he was. Still, her eyes trembled when she turned her head.
Ji Hofan.
Not his grandfather, but Ji Hofan, the leader of Ji. He looked at her with an unwavering gaze, with a sense of foreignness.
He pressed his lips.
This feeling made him question his decisions over and over again.
He was no different from the criminal awaiting his execution. Every minute is full of tension.
When he looked at the inn a little more, he saw his father. How long has he been there?
The pupils of his eyes trembled.
Are their feelings dulled? He couldn't even feel its presence.
Turning his head, guessing, to his right, he was met with another keen eye. gin.
and Shura.
His knees trembled, struggling with a heavy feeling of kneeling and pleading. He wanted to apologize, to break this deadly cold silence.
He resisted.
He didn't do anything wrong.
So why does he feel like he's made a mistake?
What was his mistake?
He took a deep breath.
His shoulders slumped as if under a heavy load.
error...
What was wrong...
Maybe he's carrying the burden he can't carry alone...
But...
...
Her head is aching.
He thought about it so much that his eyes darkened for a moment.
A warm liquid from his nose was slowly sliding down his chin.
Drop by drop, she dyed her red shine outfit.
Perhaps his mistake was to give them the most successful hope.
He should have stayed away from them.
There was no rule that he would be with them just because he was his family. They would have been happy, even happier, without it.
They wouldn't have had to pull the 'tribini'.
He felt an urge, momentarily to break his own rules, erase those parts of their memory and disappear...
Wait...
R.O.S.E. That was in the plan. According to the system, they were not supposed to remember him so that no one would be affected by his death. It shouldn't have taken a week.
So what went wrong?
Feeling their keen gaze, he quickly lifted his head, meeting a pair of misty amber eyes staring at him.
Nanren...
The pupils of the eyes shrank.
HE...
He planned everything.
He fell into his trap.
What was its purpose?
Wait-
What does it feel like to be involved in someone's plans? Like use and throw away? The feeling of betrayal, the feeling of betrayal...
No matter how good the goal is.
It was not up to him to do that.
His eyes darkened, and he looked at Nanren with his village eyes.
"You Have Really Changed"
It wasn't the Nanren he knew.
Although he felt a sense of loss, he did not notice it among the dozens of emotions. He was too alien to emotions to notice this feeling.
But that overwhelming feeling of discomfort was evident.
The feeling of being targeted by honey-colored eyes. What's more, he couldn't even recognize her anymore. He couldn't tell if he was friend or foe.
"What do you want ?"
What is your purpose ?
"You"
He was taken aback by the answer.
"Explanation too, of course, but you first," Elena continued.
"The real you"
said Hofan.
Soon after, Rance spoke.
"Honestly".
He's confused.
-To be continued-