"...I'm sorry... I'm really sorry...."
Run with all her might. Irene bit her lower lip tightly.
How could she not know that Sara was the daughter of her adoptive parents after hearing her surname.
Before she became a Fallen. Her adoptive mother was eight months pregnant. and she didn't think she would meet her little sister in this way.
"Arella... She did it on purpose!!!"
Gritting her teeth in annoyance, and full of anger. Irene angered herself, and poured all this trouble onto Arella.
But when Irene was in a high rage, and felt she could beat the arella to a pulp. The cold immediately cooled her brain, to return to being calm.
Ran slowly, and felt the cold, against her skin. Irene who saw the process of changing afternoon to night, gritted her teeth, and she turned back.
"I'm just checking to see if she go home or not! I'm not worried about her at all!"
Feeling guilty, for having left her little sister to go out to play alone, leaving no news at all. Irene returned to the Playground, and she hid behind a tall wooden fence.
"Big sister Irene~! Where are you~?!"
Irene's face turned blue.
Sara, apparently still looking for her.
Peeked out from behind the wooden planks, and saw Sara looking everywhere for find her. With a face that grows sluggish with every failure. Irene could only lower her head, feeling guilty.
"Big sister, I've given up. Sara's not very good at playing hide and seek."
"Sister Irene, where are you? please, go out..."
Searched everywhere, and couldn't find Irene's whereabouts, because of Irene's own rich experience in the battlefield. Sara who saw the playground which was very quiet, felt a little scared.
"Sister Irene?" Her voice trembled, with fear and helplessness.
Realized that he was alone in this empty playground. Sara lowered her head, shedding a few tears.
"Please, don't leave me alone.... Do you hate me? I'll be a good girl!"
"Please..."
"... Don't leave me alone.."
"... Hiks..."
Seeing Sara, her little sister slowly wept, in the deserted playground. Irene's heart ached.
She clenched her fists tightly.
"Bam!"
Sara: "!?"
Looking back, across the street. Sara suddenly saw someone she already knew.
"Brother Linc!"
Sara approached him quickly.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the wooden fence. Irene hit the ground hard, ignoring her own injured hand.
Until the end, Irene was still can't to get close to Sara, her younger sister.
She feels sad. but, there are still some reasons that stop it.
And the reason is...
Confusion.
Don't know whether to make a decision or not. Sitting in an obscure zone, not wanting to know anything.
.....
Fear the future.
This was what Linc and Doctor Servial saw in Irene herself.
Knowing Irene's mindset. This make Linc little frustrated.
"You're a pretty hyperactive kid. Your parents are waiting you to go home."
Sara who was hugging Linc's waist, shook her head quickly.
"I can't find big sister... Does she hate me?" Sara wiped her tears.
Linc shook his head: "There's no point in crying here. Let's go home. It's almost night time."
"But... No! I want to find big sister! Sister Irene still hasn't been found!"
Irene lowered her head guilt.
Wanted to submit a complaint for Linc, and tried to find sister Irene together. Sara who saw Linc's gaze, knew that it was impossible.
Sara, lowered her head with pooled tears.
"Big sister Irene is gone... Will big sister come back... does she hate me...."
Hearing Sara's helpless voice, as if going to cry next time. Linc stroked Sara's head gently, and looked intently at the wooden fence.
"She will back."
Irene: "...."
Remembering all the happy things Irene did with her little sister. Linc smiled gently, stroking Sara's head.
"She Will back, because Irene, really love Sara."
Irene bit her lower lip tightly. feeling guilty, and holding back with all her might the tears that welled up in her eye sockets.
Sighed, and looked at the sun that was about to set. Linc felt the air getting colder, walking slowly towards the home.
hugged Sara, like him who always carried Luna. Linc smiled, comforting Sara.
Linc passed Doctor Servial.
"I understand."
"...."
Say those words. Linc looked forward, as if talking to Irene.
"It's oke."
"...." Irene looked ahead blankly. and she raised her head.
"Just leave it all to me." Linc smiled, taking Sara home.
Lowered her head, and cried like a child silently. Irene's mental defense finally collapsed.
her tears couldn't stop flowing.
But...
She smiled very ugly, with tears on her face.
"Thank you...."
"Thank... you..."
Irene, crying like a crybaby.
______
Heavy rain today...
Seeing the dripping water curtain outside his office window. Linc who was playing poker with Anton, and Rugcius, Anton's older sister. Lay down the last card casually.
"Royal flush."
"Well, you must be cheating!" Anton couldn't stand it, and he immediately snapped at Linc angrily.
"Don't blame me for continuing to win for 29 consecutive rounds. You all suck too much." Linc contemptuous, but, with a raised chest, proud.
"How is it possible to get a royal flush three times in a row! You must be cheating!"
"Oh? Where's the proof. Don't you dare point your finger at me until you're absolutely sure!"
Anton: "There are surveillance camera!"
Linc: "I'm your boss!"
Anton: "I want to file a law!"
Linc: "I fired you!"
....
Argues with Anton, even leading to blowing up the Neisser Society if Linc doesn't admit to cheating. Rugcius, who had been silent all this time, got up, and she pinched Anton's ear tightly.
"AAA-Ouch! Sister???!"
"Stop it. I know that you guys are just kidding. but if other people hear it, maybe they will think of you as a terrorist."
"Then, why do you keep pulling my ears!?"
Rugcius glanced at him with the disdainful eyes. With He had seen many times in the house.
"You are easy to bully."
Anton: "...."
Fell silent, and was finally able to escape from his sister grip, and rubbed his aching ear with a pained expression. Rugcius shrugged her shoulders, and nudged Linc's arm with a smile.
"Let's play again later. You seem to have a guest."
Nodded his head, and waved his hand at Rugcius who tugged Anton's ear out the door. Linc cleared all the scattered cards, and he said:
"Come in."
Irene who hesitated, entered inside with a smile full of contempt.
"Looks like your work isn't as serious as I imagined."
Linc laid out all the poker cards, and he shrugged his shoulders, unconcerned.
"Sometimes, we also need a break. Then, how about you? Why did you come here?"
Saw that Linc was looking straight at her. Irene played with her long white hair, and she looked to the side, not daring to look at his face.
"I guess... Thank you..." Irene's voice gradually became very stiff, and her neck turned a little red.
Yesterday, when she came home and tried to conquer the fear in her heart. Irene finally saw her parents, and she suddenly realized that the fear she have had completely vanished.
What she was most afraid of was seeing the death of her adoptive parents.
Imagining them becoming Transfusion because her, and would die at any moment due to their short lifespan, made Irene's throat go dry.
Luckily all of that never happened.
"I know that you can restore the Hore assimilation limit in the body. But, you may also have paid a certain price. Don't get me wrong, I mean... Just... Just..."
Irene's ears were getting redder and redder.
"I just wanted to say thank you... And pay back..." Irene's voice was getting smaller, due to embarrassment.
Linc shrugged his shoulders: "It's fine. However as long as you are Neisser Society operators, taking care of your mental health is my responsibility."
Seeing that Irene was still silent, and felt disapproved of his answer. Linc knew that this was already a matter of Irene's pride.
Everyone has their own pride.
They will continue to want to pay off their debt, until the debt they have is finished.
As a former Fallen who has a stubborn ego. Irene of course has a very strong self-esteem.
"Then what are you doing?" Linc asked resignedly.
"... I also do not know..."
Looked at each other, and suddenly smiled in unison. They both laughed weakly.
"In that case, I'll think about it first! When the time comes I will pay you back many times over!"
"Well, be careful."
Seeing Irene coming out of his office, and closing the door tightly. Linc sat in his lounge chair, and enjoyed this rare free time.
"[Ding! +1000]"
"[Ding! +1000]"
"[Ding! +1000]"
"[Ding! +1000]"
"[Ding! +1000]"
....
Linc: "...."
Silence, he opened his mouth with struggle: "Claire, you did it on purpose didn't you?"
Claire shrugged her shoulders: "You said you wanted to tell you every income that goes into LOVE's pocket. Here, I've told you."
"You asked for it yourself."
Don't know because of his bad mood, or some other reason. Linc could imagine the smile full of ridicule, etched so vividly in his mind.
"[Ding! +666]"
"CLAIRE!!!!!"
Linc shouted angrily.