My body felt heavy. Something was pressing down on me.
I’m not sure if you’ve ever experienced sleep paralysis before.
A state where your brain is awake, but the nerves in your body have yet to wake up properly, so, although your mind is conscious, you aren’t able to move your body. Your brain materializes the fear you feel from being unable to move your body and turns it into a nightmare.
Like right now.
My body felt as if it were being held in a vice-grip. My neck was being strangled and it was difficult for me to breathe. My body was being constricted so that it couldn’t move. It was trapped.
It then moved away. I couldn’t follow it. I couldn’t reach my hand out and I naturally knew that I couldn’t reach it even if I extended my arm. I can’t catch it.
Light brown hair brushed against my fingers as I barely managed to stretch them out.
The reason for sleep paralysis is often excessive mental or physical stress, but honestly, the latter is more common.
I don’t believe in things like ghosts. I don’t believe in curses or superstitions either. Everything in the world follows an elaborate law and logic. I don’t believe in things that can’t be proven by science. Furthermore, if you know its constitution, then there’s no reason to panic.
Like this, I’ll eventually wake up from my dream.
I slowly opened my eyes. The morning rays slipped between the cracks of the curtains. For me to experience sleep paralysis, a nightmare, and sunlight all at the same time, this is quite the terrible morning. Where’d I put my glasses? I squinted and reached my arm out.
“······.”
I can’t move. Has the paralysis not dissipated?
“······Wait.”
No, sleep paralysis isn’t what’s preventing me from moving. Something is actually holding me down. I wasn’t imagining things. I was wondering why I felt strangely hot.
My eyes adjusted to the light and my field of vision gradually became clear.
“Mm······.”
The culprit was so close that they were almost touching my nose. Pure white, soft, and squishy-looking skin. Closed eyes that had pretty eyelashes. A wriggling mouth. Their hair wasn’t tied up, so their curly hair was splayed out.
They were hugging me tightly as if they were holding a pillow. I was only wearing an undershirt and a pair of undergarments, the other person only had on a thin t-shirt. Our bare skin touched and I could very clearly feel that soft sensation even if I didn’t want to. I don’t even have to talk about the chest that was pressing against my chest.
“······.”
This is troubling. This is honestly troubling. My body was heating up. Blood was rushing up to my face as well. I feel like I’m going to start sweating, no, I’m not thinking of something weird. I’m absolutely not. In this dangerous era, even a middle school student-high school student mix is dangerous. Even if that weren’t the case, I’m not reckless. I’m not a human piece of trash. I don’t have weird feelings towards my own daughter. Seriously. Nevertheless, even when I slept with Saeyeon, it was never to this degree. My nose tickled because of the breath that was being blown onto it. My front hair fluttered.
What should I do? Should I push her off? Should I kick her off the bed? Do I grab her by the shoulders and shake her until she wakes up? More importantly, can’t she let go of me? Is she not hot?
“Master, it’s morning. You must wake up.”
“Hiik?!”
A chill ran down my spine the instant I heard a knock on the door along with Jihye’s voice. Perfect timing. I was feeling hot. Wait, no.
“Hm? Why did you lock the door?”
I heard an audible ‘click click’ sound of a locked door trying to be pulled open along with Jihye’s puzzled voice. The door? I never locked the door. I don’t think I did.
“It seems like you’re trying to sleep longer than usual today, but you mustn’t. No matter how close the exams are, you still have to go to school. Even a lock like this is useless before this Jihye, you know?”
I don’t know what she was misunderstanding, but Jihye’s laughing tone made me seriously uneasy.
“W-Wait! I’m up! I’m awake!”
“Oh dear, so you’re awake?”
The sound of a lock being picked on the other side of the door came to a halt once I managed to let out that shout. All right. Let’s try to make up an excuse.
“Why did you lock the door?”
“J-Just because? I-I’m taking my clothes off right now, so don’t come in!”
“······Oh?”
Together with a sly laugh, I heard the sound of a lock being picked again.
“Wait! I told you to not come in! I’m taking my clothes off!”
“So what? I’m a robot maid. I don’t care about those sort of things. Furthermore, Master, you lifted my skirt and disassembled me however you liked before, didn’t you? I have to confirm whether you’ve properly awoken or not.”
“I-It’s the morning, so an unsightly physiological phenomenon has happened!”
“It’s also a robot maid’s duty to take care of······.”
“You don’t have to!”
It’d be great if she didn’t say things like this even as a joke. She started making these sort of jokes ever since she declared that she was my concubine. While I was in awe about the fact that no matter how much I shouted, Jaim No. 2 refused to wake up despite being right next to me, I heard Jaim’s voice this time.
“Jihye, what are you doing over there?”
“Ah, Miss. Master had locked his door and is currently staging a sit-in, so I was just about to unlock the door. Did you need me for something?”
“Nothing major. I was just wondering if you’ve seen that weird woman.”
“Weird woman? I haven’t seen Miss Ha Nabom lately, if that’s what you mean······.”
“Not that person! I mean the girl who’s claiming to be me!”
“Ah, do you mean the older Miss? I haven’t seen her, yet······.”
······Silence. An unnerving silence. A silence that sent a chill down my spine.
“You said Dad locked his door, right?”
“Yes. He said that he’s naked and an unnatural physiological phenomenon had occurred because it was morning······.”
······Ah, so you could also interpret it like that.
“······”
A short moment of silence. Soon after, the sound of the door lock being picked became even faster and louder.
“Jihye, open the door! Open it right now!”
“I’m opening it now! Ei, if this were an electric door lock, then this would be much faster!”
“Don’t open it! Don’t open the door!”
I tried to jump out of bed, but as expected, I couldn’t get up because I was being held. Instead, the door shot open before I could even let out a shout-cum-scream.
“Master! Incest is not allowed! That’s a crime!”
“I didn’t think you were like that, you complete piece of junk! I’m going to report you!”
I’m saying this for the second time, but I’m only wearing an undershirt and a pair of undergarments, while Jaim No. 2 is only wearing a t-shirt. Furthermore, Jaim No. 2 is latched on to me while we’re in these attires. The door was also locked. It wasn’t true, but I had shouted out that an unsightly physiological phenomenon had occurred because it was morning.
Ah, so this is when people would say ‘I’m doomed~.’.
“Mm······. It’s too loud······.”
Due to the uproar, Jaim No. 2 rubbed her eyes and raised her body at last. I finally managed to quickly distance myself from her. This was the most important thing I had to do in order to avoid causing a misunderstanding. Ah, I have to take my glasses with me as well.
“Huaah······. Ah, Dad. Good morning······.”
Jaim No. 2 stretched like a cat and smiled at me. She was still half-asleep, so her slow tone sounded as if she were truly filled with happiness and delight.
“······Ehehe······.”
Despite the fact that everyone was staring at her blankly, Jaim No. 2 scratched her head and smiled with her sleepy eyes.
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“I cannot believe this!”
Bang! Jihye shouted as she put down the stew on top of the pot stand. Honestly, rather than putting it down, that was more similar to having thrown it down. Was it also a maid’s ability to not spill anything despite doing that?
“Even if you have a father-daughter relationship, how could you sneak into your father’s bed in the middle of the night, while wearing something like that, and sleep together with him after even locking the door? Were my teachings flawed? Please answer me, older Miss!”
“You’re saying that as if I committed a big crime. What’s so bad about a daughter······.”
“Speaking with your mouth full isn’t polite!”
“······You told me to answer you.”
Jaim No. 2 complained while pushing the rice around in her bowl. Jihye is rather strict, huh? Only to Jaim No. 2, though.
“Why are you acting as if you’re uninvolved, Dad?”
I turned my head once Jaim glared at me sharply and said that. Jaim bared her teeth and growled while leaving large gaps in the side dishes with her chopsticks.
“You got to express your weird desires towards your daughter, you must be loving this, huh? I knew you were dirty and vulgar, but I didn’t know it was to this extent.”
“Wait, why are you saying bad words to me? Say something to her!”
“Are you passing the blame to your daughter? That’s terrible, Dad.”
“Be quiet!”
I shouted at Jaim No. 2 who said that teasingly while unaware of the situation we were currently in. Jaim growled as if she didn’t like seeing this either.
“If you were in that kind of situation, then there wouldn’t have been any misunderstandings if you just explained the situation quickly. No, before that, couldn’t you have shaken her off with your strength, Dad? But instead, you said you were naked and that a weird physiological phenomenon had······. What were you intending to do if Jihye and I didn’t come in?”
“Don’t think of weird things. I simply didn’t want to wake her up since she was asleep.”
“Even though you pushed me right off the bed when I snuck into your bed while you were asleep a long time ago······.”
She still remembers that, huh? That happened half a year ago.
“Well, Dad has always been like this, hasn’t he? He’d hit his daughter, and he even went as far as to say ‘From this point forth, you are not my daughter’······.”
······She managed to remember that even though that happened 5 years ago for her.
“That’s right. He did say that. As I thought······.”
“I told you to stop looking at me like that.”
“I’m fine with that, though.”
“Shut up, you weird woman! Be honest! You aren’t me, are you?!”
“Aah······. Master······. It seems I didn’t raise the Miss properly······. Please forgive me······.”
Jaim No. 2 snickered as she tossed out dangerous jokes. Jaim flared up and rebuked her. Jihye was unable to raise her head since it seems she was feeling guilty as a robot maid.
“······Haah.”
How noisy. I want to at least enjoy my breakfast in peace.
“Ehehe······.”
“In any case, why do you seem to be enjoying this situation, Saeyeon?”
I asked her that since she had been simply sitting there on the side in silence while smiling happily. I thought that she would at least say something in a situation like this. Something about jealousy or education. Saeyeon giggled and answered my question while chewing on her food.
“It’s been a long time since we last had a cozy breakfast like this, hasn’t it?”
“······.”
Now that I think about it, it does feel like that. However, while I was silent, Jaim pointed her chopsticks at Jaim No. 2 and shouted. What a rude kid.
“What about this is cozy?! I don’t care where, but make this person go somewhere else, Mom!”
“Don’t be jealous. I’m here like this because I can’t leave even if I wanted to. Aren’t you also interested to see how you grow up in the future?”
“I’m not interested at all! Also, stop sticking your chest out!”
“Even though you were constantly jealous of Mom and Big Sis Nabom.”
“I wasn’t jealous at all! What can you even do with them if they’re big?!”
“Dad likes them big, though. Ah, that’s right. If you’re jealous because I slept with Dad, then why not sleep together as a family today? Dad, me, you, and Mom. How about it?”
“······Ehem.”
“Ah, sorry, sorry. And also Jihye. You’re fine with that as well, right, Dad? You won’t have a flower in both hands, but you’ll have an entire bouquet instead. How about it?”
“The bed is going to be crammed.”
I let out a sigh as I watched the two Jaims and Jihye argue while eating breakfast and Saeyeon smiling on the side.
A few days had passed since Jaim’s second intrusion. No, not her intrusion into my bed, I’m referring to her intrusion to the past from the future.
It’s obvious, but it was decided that Jaim No. 2, who had nowhere else to go, would stay at our place. It feels like our family is gradually becoming bigger.
Even Jihye, who was surprised at first and didn’t know how she should treat Jaim No. 2, started to treat her normally. Albeit, it’s honestly rather fun seeing the difference between how she treats Jaim and Jaim No. 2.
Nevertheless, it’s troubling that Jaim No. 2 latches on to me so much. What could have possibly happened in the future, I have no idea.
“That’s because the two of us were the only ones left in the future.”
When I asked her about this when we were alone, Jaim No. 2’s expression became a bit dark as she answered like that.
“······Just the two of us. As I thought, that’s what happens?”
“Yeah······. I knew it. You knew about it since around this time.”
Jaim No. 2 nodded her head slightly. She then continued with difficulty while smiling sadly.
“That’s right. Mom is going to pass away in 2 years.”
I already knew this, but it hurt no matter how many times I heard it.
“The reason······.”
I stopped in the middle of my sentence. I keep trying to repeat my mistake, huh? I nearly did this with Jihye as well.
Jaim No. 2 must have figured out what I was going to ask as she smiled ruefully.
“Yeah. It’s······ probably better if you don’t know.”
“······Then what about Jihye?”
“Well, there are some circumstances behind that as well. Ah, it’s not what you’re thinking of, Dad. It’s just, reasons. Big Sis Nabom is going to go back soon as well.”
“I heard about that.”
“I see.”
In the end, she either isn’t able to come back or she doesn’t. I’m not sure which it is, though. Once I nodded, Jaim No. 2 continued.
According to Jaim No. 2, Saeyeon, Jaim, and I end up being all that’s left. Moreover, Jaim doesn’t return to the future and ends up growing up here in the present, Saeyeon dies 2 years later, and Jaim and I develop a time machine after that⎯⎯⎯this was the gist of it.
“Well, that’s why you were so nice to me, Dad.”
Jaim No. 2 wiped away her tears which had furtively started to flow down and did her best to laugh. She linked her arm with mine teasingly.
“It might have been because it was just the two of us. We became even closer, so it’s not weird that I would like you like this, right, Dad?”
“Like I said, you need to do something about this physical contact.”
“That’s why I’m telling you like this that I can’t. Ehehe.”
Jaim No. 2 giggled as she rubbed her cheek against my shoulder. Can she really not do something about this? Now that I think about it, in this girl’s time period, it’s a guy in his mid-twenties and a middle school student. Does my future self have an electronic anklet on?
“Mm······. As I thought, a younger version of Dad is good as well······.”
······Well, I understand why.
With the absence of her mom, she lived with me and me alone. Additionally, she went back in time in order to change the past, but wound up finding out the truth. At the very least, one of the things that changed was the fact that I didn’t treat her coldly in the future and was close enough to not complain about how close she stuck to me. I understand why she keeps latching on to me.
But, if that’s the case, then there are still a couple of weird things.
“Dad? Dad!”
“H-Huh?”
I came back to my senses. Jaim was staring at me weirdly.
“Why’d you stop eating all of a sudden? Are you thinking of something strange again?”
“I didn’t, okay? I was simply daydreaming a bit.”
“······That’s all fine and dandy, but can you do something about this?”
Jaim frowned and stared at Jaim No. 2 who had at one point sat next to Jaim and was messing around by touching Jaim’s cheek and playing around with her hair.
“Do something? What do you want me to do?”
“Ei, don’t be mean. I’m doing this because it’s like I have a little sister. Ahahaha, now that I think about it, you really are like a little sister~.”
“······Do you want me to bite you?”
“So you can lick and suck on this big sis’ fingers? Do you like me that much?”
“Kyaahk⎯⎯⎯!”
······Not even going to give her time to think, huh?
Still, it doesn’t seem like she dislikes it.
What I need right now is this sort of rest. A type of leisure that could comfort my exhausted mind. And, above all else, the smile which I had been forcing myself to make in order to not cry until now, was coming out naturally right now.
It’s also been a very long time since I saw Saeyeon smile this brightly.
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“Truly, Miss Jin Jaim only causes problems.”
“······Well, I understand why she does it.”
I could only say that in response to Upperclassman Nabom’s annoyed and deep sigh. Upperclassman Nabom glared at me once I gave her that vague remark.
“Is this a problem that can be resolved by simply saying you understand? Of course, you must be loving this, Underclassman Jin Jaro. You have another cute daughter. At this rate, are you planning to use this opportunity to get on the first page of the morning newspaper?”
“Please don’t joke about weird things. I’m also troubled by how often she latches on to me.”
This was the truth. Understanding why she latches on to me and accepting it are two separate matters.
It was after school. Upperclassman Nabom and I were alone in the club room. It seems Saeyeon had made plans with her friends to study together, so she couldn’t help us today. She wanted to come here, but I stopped her.
“You say that, but I heard all about how you locked your door in the morning and did weird things with your older daughter.”
“I didn’t do anything, okay? Do you only watch the footage from those hidden cameras all day?”
Seriously, when and where did she install those cameras? I couldn’t find them no matter how hard I searched. Normally, Upperclassman Nabom would play along if I complained like this, but she didn’t today.
“Did I not say that I would even live together with her in order to prevent these sort of dangerous situations?”
Certainly, Upperclassman Nabom did say that it would be better if we made Jaim No. 2 stay with her, so she could keep an eye on her. However, Saeyeon, Jaim No. 2, and I refused. Mostly Saeyeon, though. She said that we should live together since we’re a family, and I went along with that as well. Albeit, Jaim agreed with Upperclassman Nabom’s suggestion. Did she not like her that much?
“For starters, what am I supposed to do when she’s calling herself my daughter?”
“You speak well for someone who grovelled before me and begged me to take Miss Jin Jaim back to the future when she first arrived.”
“Please stop fabricating what happened. I didn’t go that far.”
“Grovelling is the same thing as latching on to my leg. It’s great that you’ve finally accepted the fact that you’re a father, but I don’t like how you’re making it bothersome for me because of that. In regard to Miss Jaim and Miss Jihye, and also the new Miss Jaim, aren’t you treating me way too conveniently?”
She must have had a lot of pent-up complaints.
“······In any case, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask.”
Upperclassman Nabom, who was complaining while compiling a list of my inventions, answered without even turning to look at me.
“If it’s about time machines, then yes, you’re the one who invents them, Underclassman Jin Jaro.”
“······.”
Should I say that my emotions fell flat because of how prompt her answer was, or should I say that it felt bizarre to hear an answer that was incredibly hard to believe be spoken as if it were completely obvious? In any case, it’s true, then?
Upperclassman Nabom continued without looking at me.
“I told you when you initially asked me to give you information on time machines, did I not? That I couldn’t give you the information in order to prevent a Bootstrap Paradox. It’s not like you don’t know what this means, right?”
“Well, I do know, but······.”
For example, if Shakespeare were to copy the manuscript of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ given to him by a time traveler, then it would become a contradiction where the original text would no longer exist. I didn’t know that this was what she meant back when she initially said this.
“You also said you couldn’t give me other things from the future, so I simply thought that was because my future inventions were among those things.”
“Then do you think I should have said ‘I can’t give you any information because you’re the one who invents time machines in the future, Underclassman Jin Jaro.’?”
······Well, she has a point. Upperclassman Nabom seems very moody today. I understand why, but it’s troubling as well.
“So, what did you actually want to ask me?”
······Really, this person has good observation skills.
“I know that people around you have pointed this out to you several times before, but you really lack the ability to hide your inner feelings, so I advise you to simply say whatever is on your mind.”
Upperclassman Nabom didn’t lift her gaze from the sheets of paper in her hand as she spoke. That behavior made me contemplate whether I should say it or not, but it didn’t feel right to back down now in a situation like this. I spoke hesitantly.
“Then I’ll just ask. I have a few questions······.”
“Let me take a guess. Your first question is my secret which the older Miss Jaim seems to be aware of, your second question is whether I truly didn’t know that older Miss Jaim would come here or not, and your third question is if I’m actually not going to come back once I return back to the future. You want to confirm these things, right?”
“······What, do you do fortune telling now?”
Or was this something which Upperclassman Nabom could figure out on her own? Upperclassman Nabom laughed for the first time in response to my question. Albeit, she did so while glancing at me with a weak smile.
“I told you, didn’t I? Your thoughts are written all over your face, Underclassman Jin Jaro. It’s to the point that I sometimes worry about how you intend to become a world-conquering mad scientist that rules over the world.”
“······Ah, yes, is that so? So, what about it?”
I let out a self-pitying sigh. Upperclassman Nabom smiled slyly and spoke.
“Try recalling what I’ve been constantly telling you.”
I became stifled the instant she said that, but I managed to answer her.
“······You’re not my ally, is it?”
“It’s fine if you remember.”
Upperclassman Nabom returned her gaze back to the sheets of paper in her hand. This probably means she refuses to answer.
Upperclassman Nabom had told me since a long time ago that I shouldn’t treat her as an ally. Due to recent events, I forgot.
That this person’s future, is the future where Saeyeon dies.
“······Wait.”
I remembered something.
“Upperclassman Nabom, you definitely said that the future can’t be changed, right?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Then why did you come to the past when nothing will change even if Jaim comes here?”
“Did I not tell you already? I’m here to prevent information contamination. Even if Miss Jaim’s actions don’t affect time itself, we can’t neglect the problem that could happen to Miss Jaim.”
In other words, she’s purely here to prevent something bad from happening to Jaim who’s also from the future. That seems plausible.
I stiffened my face and spoke.
“······Do you think I’d believe that?”
“No. It would be convenient if you did, though.”
Upperclassman Nabom simply shrugged.
Now that I think about it, it was weirder that I didn’t notice such an obvious thing until now.
When I went to have ramen at Upperclassman Nabom’s place, she said that she didn’t expect to be here for this long. However, when I asked her why Saeyeon and I broke up, she spoke as if she knew I would ask this. A clear contradiction.
If I had to take a guess at which one was the truth, then it would probably be the latter. She’s that sort of person, after all. If that’s the case, then the issue is why she lied and what she’s plotting.
Furthermore, the answers for those two questions are simple, but she probably won’t tell me.
This person is really shrewd. It would be easier if she were an ally. It’s to the point that I want to hold on to her and torture the answer out of her. Should I try tricking her with Nanda?
While I was having these thoughts, Upperclassman Nabom spoke while flipping through the documents in her hand.
“I’ll say it again. There are no time paradoxes. However, that doesn’t mean that the same things will happen again without any change whatsoever.”
“······What?”
I asked back because I didn’t understand what she meant, but Upperclassman Nabom continued without looking at me.
“I’m saying that there isn’t only a single way to get from the starting line to the end goal. You could walk, ride a bike, take a subway, drive a car, get on a plane, ride a rocket, or a horse, and I could even ride Underclassman Jin Jaro to the end.”
“No, that’s not······.”
“Unobservable, trivial changes will not occur. Even if Mr. Carlos Gonzalez (Age 30. Unemployed) of São Paulo, Argentina, on the other side of the world were to drink orange juice instead of cola in consideration of his health, the future will not change. You wouldn’t even know if these sort of things were happening right now.”
“······.”
“You’re supposed to point out that São Paulo is a city in Brazil there.”
Upperclassman Nabom smiled and turned to look at me, but I gazed back at her doubtfully.
“······Why are you saying this all of a sudden?”
This honestly increased my wariness.
A moment ago she told me that she wasn’t my ally, but she was meekly answering me now. While mixing in jokes like this.
With her usually sleepy-looking eyes, Upperclassman Nabom looked at me and spoke.
“I never told you I was your enemy either.”
“······.”
“Let’s reset our relationship.”
Upperclassman Nabom put down her pen and looked at me seriously as if she intended to focus on the conversation now.
“Although I’m not really Underclassman Jin Jaro’s ally, I’m not an enemy that’s trying to interfere with you either.”
“······What do you mean?”
“I mean what I literally said. As you had guessed, there’s a reason why I was dispatched to this era to keep an eye on Miss Jin Jaim. Because of this, I don’t intend to tell you, Underclassman Jin Jaro, what that reason is nor am I allowed to.”
Her eyes looked sleepy, but her gaze was clear.
“However, I’m able to assist you if you were to so ask as long as it does not cross that line.”
“So you’re saying a relationship where we use each other is okay?”
“That’s not a bad way to explain it.”
Upperclassman Nabom sat down comfortably with her fingers laced on top of her knees and nodded.
“In that regard, I can’t answer your first question.”
“Then what about the second and third questions?”
“The second question, I believe I answered this with my previous statement.”
This was probably her way of telling me to figure it out myself. I thought for a moment as I looked into Upperclassman Nabom’s eyes which had a glint in them that appeared as if she were testing me.
“In other words, you can change the process, but the result will remain the same. You can’t change the future, but since the process can be changed, an older Jaim arriving in this time frame is a new event for you.”
“Correct.”
“······And, the reason you were dispatched here and given the task to watch over Jaim is to prevent these sort of changes as much as possible.”
“You were only half correct this time.”
I must have been really off the mark as Upperclassman Nabom shook her head this time. Nevertheless, it seems I still passed her test as she smiled gently.
“Still, you’ve also been doing a fair amount of thinking, haven’t you, Underclassman Jin Jaro?”
It’s a problem because I’ve been doing a bit too much of that lately. Of course, I didn’t say this out loud. I decided to say something else instead.
“You haven’t answered my third question.”
Upperclassman Nabom’s expression stiffened for a moment, but a smile soon returned to her face.
This smile was different from before. It looked as if she were resigning herself.
“······Yes. Now then, as a reward for getting the right answer, I’ll give you an honest response.”
Upperclassman Nabom nodded her head as she leaned her back against her chair.
“Yes. If I return to the future, then I will not be coming back. Just as the older Jaim had said, I will be leaving this time frame.”
I had predicted this, but she said it so matter-of-factly that I was surprised. My expression froze, but Upperclassman Nabom continued to look calm.
“Why······?”
“That’s because I’ve already been afflicted with information contamination.”
And this was truly outside of my expectation.
“What do you······. When and why did······.”
“I’ve answered your question.”
Upperclassman Nabom firmly cut me off as I stammered. This was probably her way of telling me to not pry any further.
“I currently have information contamination. If I repatriate while in this state and receive an examination, then, naturally, I will no longer be able to return to this time frame and I’ll also lose the qualification to be a time agent of the Time Bureau. I’ll most likely be confined for a very long period of time under the pretext of treatment.”
Although it felt as if I could glimpse into Upperclassman Nabom’s head due to her usage of the word ‘confined’, there was actually no emotion on Upperclassman Nabom’s face and she had a philosophical look on her face as if this were completely natural.
“······.”
I didn’t know what to say and, as expected, Upperclassman Nabom didn’t say anything either.
A moment of silence fell upon us. Tick-tock, tick-tock, I could only hear the sound of the analog clock ticking. This was uncomfortable. The mood was heavy now.
“Uhm······.”
“Daaad⎯⎯⎯! Are you not done yet?”
The instant I was about to say something, the door swung open. Obviously, it was Jaim No. 2. There’s a limit to how bad your timing can be. This made me wonder if she deliberately waited for the perfect moment before barging in. My hand unconsciously moved to my forehead.
“Ah, you were with Big Sis Nabom, huh? You should have told me, then. If you did, then I would have waited a bit longer before coming in.”
Furtively, Jaim No. 2 latched on to my arm. Upperclassman Nabom gave her a fed up gaze before shaking her head.
“······Truly, Miss Jin Jaim has a knack for barging in at inopportune moments. Be it the small one or the large one.”
“Sis, isn’t that a bit rude? It was just a coincidence.”
Upperclassman Nabom let out an audible sigh in response to Jaim No. 2 as she stuck her lips out cutely and voiced her complaint.
“It doesn’t matter whether it was a coincidence or not, but have you considered learning how to read the mood? While you’re at it, you should also throw away your father complex.”
“What, are you jealous? Did you want to have a pleasant time alone with Dad?”
Once Jaim No. 2 said that teasingly, Upperclassman Nabom frowned and bared her teeth. This was my first time seeing Upperclassman Nabom behave like this. She must really dislike her. But wait, her words and action just now, doesn’t that mean······.
“Don’t imagine something weird.”
“You’re lewd, Dad.”
“······You two come together for weird things.”
I didn’t think that was the case either. I was just saying perhaps.
“In any case, how’d you get here?”
I let out a small sigh and asked that towards Jaim No. 2 who was hanging on to my arm.
“Obviously, I waited at the school gate and came in when no one was around. Do you think it’s my first time coming to this school?”
“······You’re right.”
She frequented this school, after all. Was this school’s security okay?
“Everyone already left the school grounds, so I went looking around and reminisced about the good old times. Everything is exactly like how I remembered it.”
Jaim No. 2 grinned as she looked around the club room.
“Also, I’ve missed this room as well. I couldn’t look around properly when I was here last time since a lot was going through my head, but wow······.”
Now that I think about it, Jaim also looked around this room in awe when she came here for the first time. Before I knew it, Jaim No. 2 had let go of my arm and was picking up my inventions on the desk and looking at them.
“You’re interfering with my work, so stop touching the items.”
Upperclassman Nabom glared at Jaim No. 2 for a moment as she did that. It was so sharp that I feel like a visible onomatopoeia would be necessary.
“······Sis, if you keep getting aggressive with me, then I’ll get upset as well.”
In response to Upperclassman Nabom’s words, Jaim No. 2 finally erased the smile from her face and spoke coldly. The same murderous intent which filled Upperclassman Nabom’s gaze was filling Jaim No. 2’s gaze as well. Of course, it was a sharp murderous intent that didn’t lose out to Upperclassman Nabom’s.
“······.”
“······.”
“Uu, uuh······.”
And I was being stifled between the silence and those two murderous gazes. Why are these two fighting like this? Just being in the same room as these two is becoming unbearable. I figured these two would argue at first, but I expected them to get along over time, however, it’s become even worse now.
“Uhm, the two of you, I won’t ask why you’re fighting like this, but······.”
“······Hmph.”
“······Tsk.”
Once I managed to overcome the murderous atmosphere and utter those words, the two of them turned their heads away and clicked their tongues. I didn’t expect Upperclassman Nabom to react like this as well. I feel like I’ve said this phrase a lot lately. To be exact, after Jaim No. 2 arrived.
“Due to a bad mood, I will be leaving first today.”
Upperclassman Nabom pushed her chair back and stood up. She looked annoyed. Jaim No. 2 clicked her tongue again as she watched Upperclassman Nabom get up.
I don’t know what to say. I feel like in this situation, Upperclassman Nabom was being a bit sensitive, but honestly, she was the one who started picking a fight with Jaim No. 2 the moment she got here. In regard to Jaim No. 2, I feel like she’s weirdly acting superior.
Upperclassman Nabom, who was about to leave through the door after taking her bag, must have suddenly recalled something as she turned to say something to me.
“······At any rate, please remember what I told you earlier.”
Before I could ask her which part of our conversation she was referring to, Upperclassman Nabom closed the door without any hesitation and left.
“Haah.”
Shortly after, once we no longer heard Upperclassman Nabom’s footsteps, Jaim No. 2 let out a sigh. Her sigh was strangely heavy.
“Ah, sorry, Dad. The mood became a bit weird. I feel like I interfered with something as well.”
She must have noticed my gaze as Jaim No. 2 smiled again and turned to face me.
“What exactly did you do to make Upperclassman Nabom hate you so much?”
“Wait a second, why are you blaming me all of a sudden?”
Jaim No. 2 seemed taken aback by my remark as she spoke back.
“No, I mean, Upperclassman Nabom may have a bad personality, but she never behaved this badly, so I thought that you may have done something.”
Despite everything, Upperclassman Nabom wasn’t the type of person to hate someone and act hostile towards them for no reason. Seeing as this was the case, I wonder if something happens before she leaves. And if Jaim is the one who does it.
······Wait, then shouldn’t Upperclassman Nabom dislike Jaim as well since Upperclassman Nabom knows what’s going to happen from now on? But they’ve been getting along well lately. To the point that Jaim goes to her to consult about things.
While I was lost in my own thoughts due to that sudden conjecture, Jaim No. 2 looked at me and let out an audible sigh. She sure sighs a lot.
“Haah······. Big Sis Nabom must really have a lot weighing on her mind. This dad is really dense.”
“······This dad?”
Do you have several dads? Who else do you go around calling dad? Once I quickly turned to look at Jaim No. 2, she smiled bitterly and put her hands on her hip as if it couldn’t be helped and spoke.
“You know as well, right, Dad? That you can change the past little by little. Don’t tell me you didn’t even know this yet.”
“I heard about that from Upperclassman Nabom just earlier.”
“Someone had to tell you this as well······. That’s a bit disappointing.”
Jaim No. 2 shook her head and continued.
“Well, fine. Let me explain. As you know, Dad, we’re currently in a loop. I don’t know where the starting point is, but I come to the past, you and Mom get married, Mom gives birth to me, I grow up, and I return to the past again. We’re currently repeating this.”
Yeah. This was something I already knew. It wasn’t as refreshing as I thought it would be when something I would normally see in manga and animations actually happened to me in real life, though.
“Wait, then that means there’s a baby Jaim, doesn’t it? I mean, in the time frame you’re from before using the time machine, there should be a baby Jaim.”
That’s right. I had my doubts about this part.
If we’re in a loop, then there should be a little Jaim as well. However, Jaim No. 2 went out of her way to say that it was ‘just the two of us’. Well, of course, be it a baby Jaim or an older Jaim, they’re both Jaims, so she’s technically right, but······. My head hurts.
“······Of course there is.”
For some reason, Jaim No. 2 went silent for a moment before answering, but she soon continued with her explanation.
“In any case, this should be easier to understand since Big Sis Nabom explained it to you earlier, but I think a little bit changes each time. It may not be a big change, but at the very least, there’s a tiny change. For example, the fact that you’re a bit denser, things like that.”
“You’ve been calling me dense a bunch since earlier.”
Not only am I dense, but my thoughts are written all over my face apparently. What’s up with that? Jaim No. 2 giggled in response to my grumbling and spoke.
“Ahahaha, but it’s the truth. When I was little, Dad had already realized Big Sis Nabom’s······. Woops. I promised to not say this. No matter how mean Big Sis Nabom is towards me, I have to be courteous. Mhm.”
I have no idea what she’s hiding. I grumbled to myself and started packing my bag. Jaim No. 2 blinked.
“Huh? Are you going already?”
“Upperclassman Nabom already left and I don’t feel like working by myself.”
Losing the club room would be troubling, but we honestly aren’t in a desperate situation yet. I also didn’t feel inclined to work by myself. Once I said that, sure enough, Jaim No. 2 latched on to my arm again. Oi, it’s hard to pack my bag like this.
“That’s unfortunate······. I wanted to do this and that while alone with you, Dad.”
“Don’t say dangerous things just because no one is around to hear you.”
Just how exactly did my future self respond in situations like this? I could only sigh. Since I was taking a short break, I spoke towards Jaim No. 2 who managed to stay on my arm even though I tried to shake her off.
“Even if we become close in the future, isn’t this excessive?”
“But it’s proof that we can change the future.”
I stopped shaking my arm once I heard her say that while grinning broadly. Jaim No. 2 didn’t miss that opportunity to press her cheek against my shoulder.
“The future version of you who used to treat me so coldly when I was little, changed into a dad who treats me this nice and warmly.”
I see. I understand now.
Jaim came to the past in order to change her dad who didn’t show her any attention, in other words, because she was sick of me.
And as a result of coming to the past, she may have discovered why Saeyeon and I broke up and experienced Saeyeon’s death, but, at the very least, I changed. I didn’t hate the idea of having a family and I became a dad that was close to his daughter.
“Even now, not only have you stopped disliking me as much as you did when I arrived for the first time as a kid, but you even accepted me like this as well, didn’t you?”
I felt a soft sensation against my shoulder. I felt her squishy cheek every time I pulled my arm. Even though this should bother and annoy me, it made me feel strangely warm.
So, well, I figured doing his much would be fine.
“Ah······.”
I patted Jaim No. 2’s head with my free arm.
Well, I couldn’t possibly do this while looking at her, so I did so with my head turned away. She must have gotten some of my genes as her half-curled hair interlaced with my fingers. Her ponytail bobbed.
“······Ehehe······.”
More weight was pressed against my arm. My face became red. No, this isn’t weird. I don’t have weird thoughts about my daughter.
“So, Dad······.”
I barely managed to turn my head thanks to her voice tickling my ear.
Jaim No. 2 looked up at me with moist eyes and spoke.
“The future can be changed. If we combine our strengths, then surely.”
Hopeful words that were a complete opposite to what Upperclassman Nabom had said.
Different to a proofless impossibility, the possibility that she herself was the proof.
Her words and action alone were enough to make me feel a little saved.
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“You didn’t tell me anything even something so interesting happened?”
“It couldn’t be helped. It’s been a week since we last met.”
“A middle school-aged Jaim, huh······. And she came here using the time machine you made······. You’re gradually becoming more impressive.”
Nanda muttered while looking out into the distance as he ate some bread. That was basically everything, so I didn’t have to add anything else.
It’s been a while since I last met Nanda, so we went to the school mart together. While we were here, I told Nanda about everything that happened during the one week I couldn’t get in contact with him. Of course, I didn’t tell him that Upperclassman Nabom was also from the future, that she had to go back soon, and anything else I shouldn’t say. Nevertheless, there was still a lot to talk about. He was my one and only friend, after all.
“So, where did you go and what did you do for a week?”
“I was spending time as a trainee. It’s a lot harder than I expected. Compared to when this was a dream, it might take a lot of time, but an actual opportunity approaching is a different matter. The singing lessons are tough as well, but they also make me do dance practice even though I’m going to be a trot singer.”
During the last summer break, Nanda participated in a singing audition program that was aired on cable TV. He wasn’t selected, but afterward, he was taken in by a rather famous agency and was acting as a trainee. I was wondering why I didn’t see him around lately, but it was because of this, huh.
Despite his words, there was satisfaction in Nanda’s face. Naturally, different from me who only hears from other people that I’ll become an impressive person in the future, Nanda had actually grabbed an opportunity.
“You’ll end up being an idol at this rate.”
“Haha, no way. Well, I decided to take a break for a while.”
Nanda stretched and said that in response to my appropriate remark.
“It’s a bit late to start studying for the midterms, but there’s also the school festival.”
“They let you out just for that? It hasn’t even been that long since you started, right?”
“Well, they did say some things to me, but······. ‘Always with leisure’ is my motto. The school even asked me to perform during the festival, you know? I was on TV, after all.”
Just as he said, some girls on the other side of the school mart were looking at Nanda and saying something to each other. Once Nanda did his usual cheesy smile and waved at them, they squealed and waved back. Seriously, he’s popular with the girls.
“You look like you’re having fun.”
“I don’t hate it. There’s no way I could hate people liking me, right?”
I said that as a joke, but I didn’t expect him to answer seriously. As expected of Nanda. Normally, if popular fellows did this, they would seem annoying, but since Nanda was the one saying it, I could only think of him as a truly good person.
“In any case, is your preparation for the festival going well, Jjaro?”
It seems Nanda heard that my club was in danger. Nanda spoke while his mouth was full of bread.
“If it’s something I can help with, then tell me. Well, I’m clueless when it comes to things related to science and technology, so I’m not sure how much I can help, but I can at least help with trivial tasks.”
“Our situation isn’t desperate enough to ask for help from someone who’s busy.”
“Isn’t Saeyeon helping as well? Well, I won’t force you, but I’ll help you if you need me. What’s so bad about it when your friend says it’s okay?”
It seems Saeyeon was the source of the information. I didn’t have anything else to say, so I squeezed my juice pack.
“······Uh? Huuh?”
What’s up with him all of a sudden? He was pointing towards something in disbelief.
“······Wait, don’t tell me?!”
Once I turned my head the instant I realized what he was probably looking at, sure enough, it was as I expected. It was Jaim No. 2. Jaim No. 2, who was looking into the mart through the window while receiving the gazes of the people around her, must have spotted me and Nanda as she waved her hand happily and entered through the door.
“Ah, Jjaro Oppa, here you are! You’re with Nanda Oppa as well!”
So she’s not going to call me dad, huh. Should I be relieved? Jaim No. 2 smiled broadly and skipped towards Nanda and I as she received the gazes of everyone inside the mart before latching on to my arm. Wait, you aren’t going to latch on to Nanda even though he’s here?
“Y-You are······?”
Nanda was bewildered even though I had just told him who she was. Well, this was to be expected. The leisure he mentioned earlier was completely gone as Jaim No. 2 giggled at Nanda who was still pointing at her before bowing her head.
“Hello! I heard a lot about you from Jjaro Oppa! I’m his younger cousin, Jin Jayeon!”
Was that her concept? It might be because this Jaim is older, but she’s more flexible. Jaim No. 2 gave Nanda a wink as she spoke. She was probably hinting to him to go along with her story. And, as expected of the sharp Nanda, he quickly hid the surprise in his voice and actions before going back to smiling pleasantly.
“Ah, is that so? It’s nice to meet you. I’m Jjaro’s friend, Shin Nanda.”
“Ehehe······. It’s nice to meet you too, Nanda Oppa!”
Jaim No. 2 grabbed Nanda’s extended hand and smiled happily. I glanced around at the people watching us before asking Jaim No. 2 a question. While also making sure to go along with her story. It was hard calling her No. 2 all the time, so this was a good change.
“Hey, Ja······yeon. You can’t just come to the school whenever you want.”
Honestly, the thing I was curious about the most was where she got that name from.
Once I reprimanded her, Jayeon twisted her body as if she were making a fuss and spoke.
“But~ it’s boring just being at home~ and it’s unfair that Jaim gets to come to school, but I can’t. Jihye refuses to play with me saying that she’s already busy doing housework. That’s why I came to play☆”
Don’t attach a star to the end of your sentence while moving your hands in a familiar way. Stop trying to act cute by sticking your tongue out. Seriously, this adorable brat. Once the other students around us saw the way Jayeon acted, they started whispering to each other as they glanced at us frequently, but Jayeon smiled innocently and waved at them. Should I say that this was a very Jaim thing to do? Seriously, is our school okay? Jaim, Jihye, and this girl all entered the school grounds arbitrarily and no one tried to stop them. What is the security guard doing?
“In any case, it’s Nanda Oppa······. Eheheh. Nanda Oppaa······.”
While still holding on to my arm with one of her own, Jayeon used her other arm to hold on to one of Nanda’s arms and smell him. Even Nanda must not have expected this, as he pulled his body back slightly, but Jayeon pulled him back.
“Nanda Oppa, are you free after school? Do you want to go and hang out somewhere? It’s been a while. I’m free~.”
“Oi. Hey!”
Why is she reciting such a dangerous line? Look, even Nanda is laughing awkwardly because he doesn’t know what to say.
“Ahaha······. T-This is troubling. I-I do have time, but······.”
“Hey! Nanda, what are you thinking?!”
Why are you blushing slightly and scratching your cheek? Once he heard my shout, Nanda waved his free arm in panic and spoke.
“N-No! I didn’t mean anything weird by that! It’s just, I was surprised to see that the little lady had grown up to be so pretty and cute······.”
“That’s weird! D-Don’t you dare think of something bad!”
“Dad······. I mean, Jjaro Oppa, stop being jealous! It’s fine. We’re simply going to have a fun time. Don’t worry about it. In any case, Nanda Oppa’s red face is adorable~! Ahaha, it’s my first time seeing you make this sort of expression! As I thought, I’ve grown up a bit, haven’t I? Ei!”
“Don’t furtively pull Nanda’s arm towards your chest, kid! Nanda, don’t scratch your cheek awkwardly like that either! I’m going to get mad, you know?!”
Jaim raised her voice and laughed as she saw me slam my hand down against a table. My jealousy······I mean, my worry······ ah, I don’t know how to phrase it. In any case, she seems to be enjoying it.
“Ahaha! I didn’t expect you to react like this, Dad. Ah, whoops. Now then, jokes aside, Nanda Oppa, are you free after school? It’s been a while since we last met, so I wanted to hang out and talk to you about this and that. Stop making that face, Jjaro Oppa. Why don’t you have a pleasant time with Big Sis Saeyeon in the club room instead? Ah, Big Sis Nabom will probably come as well. Well, whatever.”
With a bright smile and voice, Jayeon spoke as if she were trying to reassure me. Well, I don’t think they’ll do something weird, but······.
“I don’t know······.”
Nanda continued while carefully keeping an eye on my reaction. I could tell by his troubled face that he didn’t know what to do. In consideration to Jayeon, it should be okay to play with her, but the way she latched on to him was uncomfortable and he was probably concerned about how I would react.
“······Well, it should be fine.”
So I let out a small sigh and nodded my head. Jayeon is probably interested to see the current Nanda as well. She must also be rather bored since she’s been spending time by herself all the time. Nanda’s eyes widened as he questioned whether I was being serious or not and Jayeon’s eyes grew bigger as well but in happiness.
“However, you aren’t allowed to do anything weird either, Jayeon.”
“Okay! Don’t worry! Ehehe······. Now then, Nanda Oppa, please free your schedule after school! You said you weren’t busy, right?”
“Huh? O-Okay······.”
Nanda barely managed to utter that response and nod as he watched Jayeon hop around with sparkling eyes. It seems that was enough for Jayeon, as she furtively distanced herself from us and spoke.
“Thank you, Nanda Oppa! Now then, I’m going to go home before someone tries to come and catch me. I’ll be waiting at the school gate once school is over. Look forward to it, okay? I’ll make sure to look my best! Then, I’ll see you later as well, Jjaro Oppa! Bye~!”
With that, Jaeyeon zoomed out of the school mart and disappeared. She did so with bouncing steps. She also skipped every now and then. She must be on cloud nine.
“······Haha, older Jaim is quite vigorous······.”
And it seems this side has yet to calm down from his initial surprise. Certainly, she did become a lot more lively. Jaim may be cute, but she didn’t give off this sort of feeling.
“You must be going through a lot as well, Jjaro. I doubt she gets along with Jaim.”
“How did you know?”
“I can tell just by looking at her. Think about it, Jjaro. Do you think Jaim, who had been worried about her relationship with her dad lately, would be happy to see an older Jaim appear and latch on to her dad?”
······Well, he has a point. I get what he means. Jaim likes me to a certain extent as well and she’s been trying to get closer to me, so if Jayeon sticks to me, then it might not be to the point of jealousy, but she probably wouldn’t like it either way.
“Still, I wish the two of them would get along······. It’s a bit weird, but they are the same person, after all, and they seem like a pair of sisters.”
Jayeon is the one one-sidedly hugging me. I’m not particularly discriminating between the two of them. Jaim will grow up to become Jayeon and Jaim is what Jayeon was when she was little. My head hurts every time I say this.
“Hahaha······.”
I was looking away awkwardly, but I turned back once I heard Nanda laugh. Nanda shook his head once he saw my gaze and answered.
“It’s nothing. I just thought that you’ve really become a dad now. Not only do you want your two daughters to get along, but, in the end, you let the older Jaim do what she wants in consideration of her feelings.”
“Stop imagining things. It’s not like that.”
“Sure it isn’t.”
“Stop laughing as if you understand everything.”
Nanda continued to grin warmly despite my complaint. It honestly wasn’t a bad feeling, and I probably would have genuinely hated this if it were the old me, but being told that I seem like an actual dad now feels······. Well, it feels nice. It sounds like I’ve changed in a good way.
“Now then, should we start making our way back now? Our break is nearly over.”
Nanda stood up after checking the clock.
“I thought you would come here with Saeyeon, but it’s a bit unfortunate that I couldn’t see Saeyeon as well. Well, it should be fine since I’ll be at school for a while.”
Nanda turned towards me and added something while grinning.
“A fun date with the older Jaim is waiting for me after school as well.”
“Don’t you dare plan anything weird, you hear me? I won’t let you off easily, all right?!”
After raising my fist at Nanda who escaped preemptively while chuckling, I got up as well. Seriously, that guy. I shook my head and headed towards my class, but it’s not like I didn’t understand that intention of his. He’s probably telling me not to worry.
“Ah.”
I stopped in place for a moment as a sudden thought came to my head. I should have told him to bring Jaim along as well. If it’s Nanda, then he might be able to make the two of them reconcile.
“······Never mind.”
I considered going to his classroom and asking him, but I shook my head and started walking back to my class again. It would be a hassle to go find him again and talk about it.
And······. No, never mind.
I also have some pride.
I resumed my steps.
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“······.”
“······.”
It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this atmosphere. It’s been a while since we intentionally created this atmosphere, but now it felt uncomfortable. Only the sound of ticking and rustling resonated throughout the club room.
Even though Saeyeon said she would help, she didn’t come to the club room today either. She used the excuse that I told her to study hard. I did stop her before, but she did go around saying that she’d help.
It feels like Saeyeon has been avoiding me. Even though I’ve been avoiding her until now, now that the roles have reversed, it doesn’t feel great.
Did Saeyeon feel like this as well?
‘You have something to talk about with Big Sis Nabom, right?’
Moreover, what did she mean by this?
It’s gradually becoming harder to understand Saeyeon. What is Saeyeon thinking? How much does she know? How much of Saeyeon did I actually know until now?
“······Ah.”
This might have been the same for Saeyeon as well.
She couldn’t figure out what was on my mind, what I was hiding, and how much of the me she knew was the actual me.
I let out a sound once I thought this.
“What’s wrong, Underclassman Jin Jaro?”
Upperclassman Nabom must have thought that I was trying to start up a conversation as she asked that. Only her mouth moved, she didn’t turn towards me.
“If it’s about our previous conversation, then you shouldn’t concern yourself over it. I simply lost my composure due to my annoyance. I’m repenting for my actions.”
I obviously knew what she meant by this. The mood was heavy because of this, after all. However.
“No, well, Jaim No. 2 is also at fault for that······.”
Jayeon’s attitude was also bad. I said that while rubbing the back of my neck. Before I knew it, I went from scratching the back of my head to rubbing the back of my neck out of the fear of going bald.
“It’s true. I don’t feel like I acted that way when I was young. I have no idea what the problem is······.”
“Are you saying that kids these days are unruly? As expected of a 21-year-old old lady.”
“Can you not do something about that attitude of treating me like an old lady? It’s not polite to tease someone about their age.”
Her gaze was sharp so I lowered my head. As expected of the mind of a girl who’s sensitive about their age.
Upperclassman Nabom let out a sigh and spun her chair around to face me.
“I may be from the future, but I am currently older than you, Underclassman Jin Jaro. I’m not sure if you’re doing that intentionally, but that teasing tone of yours isn’t pleasant.”
“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”
I bowed my head again and apologized because she looked and sounded really annoyed. It seems that was enough for Upperclassman Nabom as she turned her chair away again. Another uncomfortable silence fell over us.
Mm, I was honestly trying to relieve the tense atmosphere by joking around a bit, but I feel like it’s become even worse now.
It’s true that I feel like there’s a gap between me and Upperclassman Nabom still. No matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I tried to not blame her since I was the one who asked, it wasn’t something that I could forget easily.
However, it’s also true that I’ve become fond of Upperclassman Nabom. I don’t hate her. Only half a year has passed since we first met, but it was fun spending time with her.
That’s why, since I can’t do anything about her going back and never returning, at the very least, I wanted us to go back to how we used to act before she had to go back. It’ll all be over once she leaves, after all.
Therefore, at this moment, I don’t like this heavy atmosphere.
“······So how’s the progress?”
And, well, I’ve also matured. I know that if I don’t do something, if I don’t put my effort into it, then nothing will change.
“I’m roughly done with writing out a list. The pivotal problem is that among these items, we don’t have a lot of things which we can show others.”
“If we take out the failed products and only show the stuff that works······.”
“Personally, I don’t think it would be a bad idea to show the failed products as well, for the same reason I told you before.”
“······Do you really want to do a comedy show?”
“We don’t have to go that far, but what we have currently is so bland that I feel like no one would be interested. Well, all festivals may be like this, but I feel like we should at least have something interesting to look at. Rather, if you made those tools to conquer the world like you said a long time ago, Underclassman Jin Jaro, then you could have made everyone burst into laughter. Now that I think about it, you haven’t said things like that anymore, have you? Have you given up on that fantasy?”
“······I didn’t know where you were going with that, but you hit me where it hurts.”
Of all topics, why is she bringing that up again? Upperclassman Nabom smirked as she watched me smile bitterly and shake my head. Can’t she let my bad past stay as my bad past?
A long time ago, when Upperclassman Nabom was about to take Jaim back because she had information contamination, I threatened her by disclosing that fantasy.
It was literally a youthful delusion, a delusion that looked cool back when I hated everything in the world. However, it was a delusion that wasn’t impossible if I scraped together all of my inventions. I bluffed saying that I would inflict myself with ‘information contamination’. Upperclassman Nabom had panicked and taken a step back because of my bluff. She said that it was possible for it to occur. Now that I think about it, she might have said that just to cover it up. I’m not sure what it was, but she said she had to do something in this time frame.
“Your facial expression at that time was quite amusing. The fact that you struck a pose in your own way while shouting that desperately.”
“Please stop hitting me where it hurts. Seriously······.”
Once I grumbled that to myself, Upperclassman Nabom smiled widely as she continued to work on the draft. Seriously, I have no idea why she likes teasing me this much.
······Well, it’s fine since we were able to get out of that heavy mood.
“In any case, Upperclassman Nabom, you’re working unexpectedly hard, huh?”
“I told you before, but this is my first festival. Moreover, I also have an attachment to this place. It’s my first time doing a club activity, my home and this room are the only places I can reside in, and most importantly······.”
With a warm smile on her face, Upperclassman Nabom turned to face me and continued.
“I want to leave behind at least one proof that I was here.”
“······.”
This wasn’t where I wanted to bring the conversation to. Was the topic not good? It was difficult to say something, so I rubbed the back of my neck. Upperclassman Nabom smiled bitterly at me and spoke.
“I’ve told you many times that you should just say what you want to say and not create these sort of troubling situations. You truly are a poor speaker, Underclassman Jin Jaro.”
“······You got that right. I don’t learn from my mistakes either.”
I let out a sigh and decided to just ask.
“Why do you have such a bad relationship with Jayeon?”
“Jayeon······ is what you’re calling her?”
Upperclassman Nabom chuckled gently in response to my question. Come to think of it, this was most likely Upperclassman Nabom’s first time hearing this name.
“That’s what she called herself in front of everyone earlier. It’s a relief since I didn’t want to keep calling her No. 2 like some robot or transforming hero. I don’t know where she got that name from, though.”
Upperclassman Nabom chuckled and shook her head at my explanation.
“I knew you were dense, but I didn’t know it was this severe, Underclassman Jin Jaro.”
“······Jayeon said that as well, but I feel like people have been calling me dense a lot lately.”
I didn’t think this person would say it as well. Am I really that dense? More importantly, why am I being told that in this situation?
Upperclassman Nabom changed her expression to look a bit more serious before then asking a question.
“I’m asking this just in case, but has the older Jaim said anything about me?”
“She was going to, but she stopped herself saying she has to be courteous.”
I’m not sure what she wanted to say, but it seems that’s also the reason why Upperclassman Nabom is calling me dense. Upperclassman Nabom’s face relaxed once she heard my answer.
“Is that so? So she has at least the bare minimum of manners.”
“She also said that the me this time is really dense.”
If it’s this person, then she most likely knows about the thing Jayeon talked about as well, so I feel no pressure talking to her about it. I did previously ask her if this were a loop. At that time, she told me I did a good job figuring it out.
Upperclassman Nabom smiled gently once she heard my grumbling.
“That’s right. I said this a little earlier, but I thought you would realize at that moment. However, it seems this Underclassman Jin Jaro is really dense.”
“It doesn’t feel great being compared to myself······.”
I complained in response to her warm smile and strangely fitting teasing tone. Should I say my previous generation······? At any rate, just how sharp was my previous self that everyone is acting like this?
“······Wait.”
Everyone?
“Wait a second.”
I may actually be really dense, but I felt like something was off.
I looked at Upperclassman Nabom and asked her a question. Upperclassman Nabom simply continued to smile.
“Jayeon was here when she was Jaim and she’s here now, so she can call me dense since she’s met me twice, but how do you know if I’m denser, Upperclassman Nabom?”
Jayeon traveled back in time twice, so I understood it was possible for her to notice these sort of small changes, but what about Upperclassman Nabom?
“Have you perhaps traveled to the past once before this because of a case related to Jaim or something and met my previous self?”
‘Previous self’, it feels weird saying this. I feel like my sense of time is gradually becoming convoluted.
Upperclassman Nabom chuckled. For some reason, this laugh felt different from all of her other laughs until now.
How should I explain it? It was an incomprehensible laugh that was filled with joy, regret, a sense of refreshment, and many other emotions that were difficult to mix.
Upperclassman Nabom cleared her throat once she noticed my gaze and answered my question.
“Pardon me. Well, it’s my third time.”
“······Your third time?”
“It’s my third time here. Although it’s only my second time meeting you, Underclassman Jin Jaro.”
There were several emotions mixed into her smile. I had no way of knowing the meaning behind her smile. I didn’t understand those words either.
“It’s your third time traveling back in time?”
This was the first thought that came to mind. She said she was an agent, after all, so there’s a chance that she had been dispatched to the past before. But what does she mean when she said this was her second time seeing me? Did she see me when I was much younger? Or did I perhaps meet the younger version of Upperclassman Nabom?
I don’t know. Although it seems Jayeon, Upperclassman Nabom, and maybe Saeyeon think that I should naturally be able to figure these things out, I have no idea what they’re talking about. The reason why Jayeon and Upperclassman Nabom argue? How should I know? This is her second time meeting me? What’s this supposed to mean? Something I have to talk about with Upperclassman Nabom? What are we supposed to talk about?
If these were facts that I simply couldn’t figure out, then I would be frustrated, but it was a bit different.
Because Upperclassman Nabom was laughing right now.
“Ku, kuhuhuhu······. Ah, ahahaha······.”
Upperclassman Nabom laughed louder and louder as if she couldn’t handle it any longer. I’ve seen this person laugh a fair amount of times, but this was my first time seeing her laugh like this.
“J-Just how dense, Underclassman Jin Jaro······ Ahahahahaha······!”
She lowered her body and trembled. For some reason, this laughter gave off an atmosphere that prevented me from complaining. I felt as if I were being pressured.
And I also felt anxious.
I don’t know whether it was because of Upperclassman Nabom’s laughter, or because this was a fact that everyone seemed to know except for me. However, I know one thing. I know that I’m missing one important piece of the puzzle and that’s why Upperclassman Nabom is laughing like that.
Laughing as if she couldn’t bear it. Herself, me, everything.
I couldn’t utter my usual complaints or grumble while in front of this laughter.
I could only wait anxiously for whatever was going to come out of her mouth next.
“Haa······. This Underclassman Jin Jaro truly is dense.”
Upperclassman Nabom raised her head while trying to catch her breath after laughing so much. There were even tears in her eyes because of how much she laughed.
“If I knew it would be like this, then I should have tried to seduce you more aggressively. If I had let things go like this, then you might have never figured it out. If that happened, then······.”
After letting out a small sigh, Upperclassman Nabom spoke with a smile still on her face. There were tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. She brought her face close to mine. Our noses nearly touched.
My entire field of vision was filled with Upperclassman Nabom’s face.
“Seriously, you figured it out so quickly when I was little, but why are you so dense this time?”
“When, you were little······?”
Come to think of it, she said something similar to this when we were talking about Jayeon. That she didn’t act like that when she was little. I thought she was just saying that about kids these days in general.
“As I thought, instead of only being happy about you responding to me and messing around with you, should I have given Underclassman Jin Jaro more of a hint since you’re so dumb and dense?”
Upperclassman Nabom’s words. That strangely familiar intonation.
⎯⎯⎯When I was little.
I remembered.
The conversation Jaim and I had a long time ago.
The conversation we had while Saeyeon, Nanda, and Upperclassman Nabom weren’t present.
I suddenly remembered the conversation we had which no one else could have possibly overheard.
⎯⎯⎯When Upperclassman Nabom was little.
“······No, that’s ridiculous.”
The puzzle pieces started to fall into place inside my head because of those words.
The hidden cameras that I couldn’t find no matter how hard I searched. The hidden cameras she claimed to have installed even though she never came over to our place before.
Claiming to have watched the footage from her hidden cameras, Upperclassman Nabom knew things that only Jaim, Saeyeon, and I could have known.
The fact she said it was hard to deal with Jaim, but even harder to deal with Saeyeon.
The fact she fawned over the popular star, Shin Nanda. The time she spoke informally.
The fact she would enjoy going to places with me to a strange degree.
The fact she would only mess with me and say idle jokes to me.
The fact she disliked being ignored and looked forward to my reactions.
When I went to Upperclassman Nabom’s place, she said the same thing I had said to Jaim, ‘Is there a problem with me walking around my home comfortably?’.
The fact she would sometimes call me the same thing Jaim does, ‘a complete piece of junk’.
Whenever she got excited or worked up, she had the same habit as Jaim of bringing her face so close to mine that our noses nearly touched.
The fact she would always jokingly say ‘a physical relationship’.
The sad look on her face when she told me that Saeyeon was going to die in 2 years.
It’s possible to come up with a different explanation for each and every one of these. You can interpret them all differently. Honestly, the thought in my head right now is ridiculous. There are plenty of explanations that aren’t ridiculous.
However, regardless of that, it’s ridiculous, but······.
I couldn’t deny it.
“That’s why I would always tell you that we had a ‘physical relationship’. Well, I did say it in a more roundabout way, though.”
While looking at me whose mouth was half agape, Upperclassman Nabom, no, was it all right for me to call her ‘Upperclassman Nabom’ now?
“I’ve been constantly waiting. Until the day you finally realize.”
Everything was explained.
It was ridiculous, but it still explained everything.
The fact that she was on good terms with Jaim even though they argued a lot, the fact that she and Jaim No. 2 teased and disliked each other, the fact that she was friendly towards Saeyeon, but kept a fair distance away from her, and the fact that she would sometimes look sad. Everything. All of these things.
There were hints. Several of them.
To the point that I have to fully admit that I’m seriously dense.
But, despite that.
“Don’t, don’t tell me······.”
“······Have you finally realized?”
The tears that had gathered in the corners of Upperclassman Nabom’s eyes flowed down.
The beauty spot, which was one of Upperclassman Nabom’s distinct features, was erased by her tears.
She then concluded.
“⎯⎯⎯Dad.”
My body felt heavy. Something was pressing down on me.
I’m not sure if you’ve ever experienced sleep paralysis before.
A state where your brain is awake, but the nerves in your body have yet to wake up properly, so, although your mind is conscious, you aren’t able to move your body. Your brain materializes the fear you feel from being unable to move your body and turns it into a nightmare.
Like right now.
My body felt as if it were being held in a vice-grip. My neck was being strangled and it was difficult for me to breathe. My body was being constricted so that it couldn’t move. It was trapped.
It then moved away. I couldn’t follow it. I couldn’t reach my hand out and I naturally knew that I couldn’t reach it even if I extended my arm. I can’t catch it.
Light brown hair brushed against my fingers as I barely managed to stretch them out.
The reason for sleep paralysis is often excessive mental or physical stress, but honestly, the latter is more common.
I don’t believe in things like ghosts. I don’t believe in curses or superstitions either. Everything in the world follows an elaborate law and logic. I don’t believe in things that can’t be proven by science. Furthermore, if you know its constitution, then there’s no reason to panic.
Like this, I’ll eventually wake up from my dream.
I slowly opened my eyes. The morning rays slipped between the cracks of the curtains. For me to experience sleep paralysis, a nightmare, and sunlight all at the same time, this is quite the terrible morning. Where’d I put my glasses? I squinted and reached my arm out.
“······.”
I can’t move. Has the paralysis not dissipated?
“······Wait.”
No, sleep paralysis isn’t what’s preventing me from moving. Something is actually holding me down. I wasn’t imagining things. I was wondering why I felt strangely hot.
My eyes adjusted to the light and my field of vision gradually became clear.
“Mm······.”
The culprit was so close that they were almost touching my nose. Pure white, soft, and squishy-looking skin. Closed eyes that had pretty eyelashes. A wriggling mouth. Their hair wasn’t tied up, so their curly hair was splayed out.
They were hugging me tightly as if they were holding a pillow. I was only wearing an undershirt and a pair of undergarments, the other person only had on a thin t-shirt. Our bare skin touched and I could very clearly feel that soft sensation even if I didn’t want to. I don’t even have to talk about the chest that was pressing against my chest.
“······.”
This is troubling. This is honestly troubling. My body was heating up. Blood was rushing up to my face as well. I feel like I’m going to start sweating, no, I’m not thinking of something weird. I’m absolutely not. In this dangerous era, even a middle school student-high school student mix is dangerous. Even if that weren’t the case, I’m not reckless. I’m not a human piece of trash. I don’t have weird feelings towards my own daughter. Seriously. Nevertheless, even when I slept with Saeyeon, it was never to this degree. My nose tickled because of the breath that was being blown onto it. My front hair fluttered.
What should I do? Should I push her off? Should I kick her off the bed? Do I grab her by the shoulders and shake her until she wakes up? More importantly, can’t she let go of me? Is she not hot?
“Master, it’s morning. You must wake up.”
“Hiik?!”
A chill ran down my spine the instant I heard a knock on the door along with Jihye’s voice. Perfect timing. I was feeling hot. Wait, no.
“Hm? Why did you lock the door?”
I heard an audible ‘click click’ sound of a locked door trying to be pulled open along with Jihye’s puzzled voice. The door? I never locked the door. I don’t think I did.
“It seems like you’re trying to sleep longer than usual today, but you mustn’t. No matter how close the exams are, you still have to go to school. Even a lock like this is useless before this Jihye, you know?”
I don’t know what she was misunderstanding, but Jihye’s laughing tone made me seriously uneasy.
“W-Wait! I’m up! I’m awake!”
“Oh dear, so you’re awake?”
The sound of a lock being picked on the other side of the door came to a halt once I managed to let out that shout. All right. Let’s try to make up an excuse.
“Why did you lock the door?”
“J-Just because? I-I’m taking my clothes off right now, so don’t come in!”
“······Oh?”
Together with a sly laugh, I heard the sound of a lock being picked again.
“Wait! I told you to not come in! I’m taking my clothes off!”
“So what? I’m a robot maid. I don’t care about those sort of things. Furthermore, Master, you lifted my skirt and disassembled me however you liked before, didn’t you? I have to confirm whether you’ve properly awoken or not.”
“I-It’s the morning, so an unsightly physiological phenomenon has happened!”
“It’s also a robot maid’s duty to take care of······.”
“You don’t have to!”
It’d be great if she didn’t say things like this even as a joke. She started making these sort of jokes ever since she declared that she was my concubine. While I was in awe about the fact that no matter how much I shouted, Jaim No. 2 refused to wake up despite being right next to me, I heard Jaim’s voice this time.
“Jihye, what are you doing over there?”
“Ah, Miss. Master had locked his door and is currently staging a sit-in, so I was just about to unlock the door. Did you need me for something?”
“Nothing major. I was just wondering if you’ve seen that weird woman.”
“Weird woman? I haven’t seen Miss Ha Nabom lately, if that’s what you mean······.”
“Not that person! I mean the girl who’s claiming to be me!”
“Ah, do you mean the older Miss? I haven’t seen her, yet······.”
······Silence. An unnerving silence. A silence that sent a chill down my spine.
“You said Dad locked his door, right?”
“Yes. He said that he’s naked and an unnatural physiological phenomenon had occurred because it was morning······.”
······Ah, so you could also interpret it like that.
“······”
A short moment of silence. Soon after, the sound of the door lock being picked became even faster and louder.
“Jihye, open the door! Open it right now!”
“I’m opening it now! Ei, if this were an electric door lock, then this would be much faster!”
“Don’t open it! Don’t open the door!”
I tried to jump out of bed, but as expected, I couldn’t get up because I was being held. Instead, the door shot open before I could even let out a shout-cum-scream.
“Master! Incest is not allowed! That’s a crime!”
“I didn’t think you were like that, you complete piece of junk! I’m going to report you!”
I’m saying this for the second time, but I’m only wearing an undershirt and a pair of undergarments, while Jaim No. 2 is only wearing a t-shirt. Furthermore, Jaim No. 2 is latched on to me while we’re in these attires. The door was also locked. It wasn’t true, but I had shouted out that an unsightly physiological phenomenon had occurred because it was morning.
Ah, so this is when people would say ‘I’m doomed~.’.
“Mm······. It’s too loud······.”
Due to the uproar, Jaim No. 2 rubbed her eyes and raised her body at last. I finally managed to quickly distance myself from her. This was the most important thing I had to do in order to avoid causing a misunderstanding. Ah, I have to take my glasses with me as well.
“Huaah······. Ah, Dad. Good morning······.”
Jaim No. 2 stretched like a cat and smiled at me. She was still half-asleep, so her slow tone sounded as if she were truly filled with happiness and delight.
“······Ehehe······.”
Despite the fact that everyone was staring at her blankly, Jaim No. 2 scratched her head and smiled with her sleepy eyes.
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“I cannot believe this!”
Bang! Jihye shouted as she put down the stew on top of the pot stand. Honestly, rather than putting it down, that was more similar to having thrown it down. Was it also a maid’s ability to not spill anything despite doing that?
“Even if you have a father-daughter relationship, how could you sneak into your father’s bed in the middle of the night, while wearing something like that, and sleep together with him after even locking the door? Were my teachings flawed? Please answer me, older Miss!”
“You’re saying that as if I committed a big crime. What’s so bad about a daughter······.”
“Speaking with your mouth full isn’t polite!”
“······You told me to answer you.”
Jaim No. 2 complained while pushing the rice around in her bowl. Jihye is rather strict, huh? Only to Jaim No. 2, though.
“Why are you acting as if you’re uninvolved, Dad?”
I turned my head once Jaim glared at me sharply and said that. Jaim bared her teeth and growled while leaving large gaps in the side dishes with her chopsticks.
“You got to express your weird desires towards your daughter, you must be loving this, huh? I knew you were dirty and vulgar, but I didn’t know it was to this extent.”
“Wait, why are you saying bad words to me? Say something to her!”
“Are you passing the blame to your daughter? That’s terrible, Dad.”
“Be quiet!”
I shouted at Jaim No. 2 who said that teasingly while unaware of the situation we were currently in. Jaim growled as if she didn’t like seeing this either.
“If you were in that kind of situation, then there wouldn’t have been any misunderstandings if you just explained the situation quickly. No, before that, couldn’t you have shaken her off with your strength, Dad? But instead, you said you were naked and that a weird physiological phenomenon had······. What were you intending to do if Jihye and I didn’t come in?”
“Don’t think of weird things. I simply didn’t want to wake her up since she was asleep.”
“Even though you pushed me right off the bed when I snuck into your bed while you were asleep a long time ago······.”
She still remembers that, huh? That happened half a year ago.
“Well, Dad has always been like this, hasn’t he? He’d hit his daughter, and he even went as far as to say ‘From this point forth, you are not my daughter’······.”
······She managed to remember that even though that happened 5 years ago for her.
“That’s right. He did say that. As I thought······.”
“I told you to stop looking at me like that.”
“I’m fine with that, though.”
“Shut up, you weird woman! Be honest! You aren’t me, are you?!”
“Aah······. Master······. It seems I didn’t raise the Miss properly······. Please forgive me······.”
Jaim No. 2 snickered as she tossed out dangerous jokes. Jaim flared up and rebuked her. Jihye was unable to raise her head since it seems she was feeling guilty as a robot maid.
“······Haah.”
How noisy. I want to at least enjoy my breakfast in peace.
“Ehehe······.”
“In any case, why do you seem to be enjoying this situation, Saeyeon?”
I asked her that since she had been simply sitting there on the side in silence while smiling happily. I thought that she would at least say something in a situation like this. Something about jealousy or education. Saeyeon giggled and answered my question while chewing on her food.
“It’s been a long time since we last had a cozy breakfast like this, hasn’t it?”
“······.”
Now that I think about it, it does feel like that. However, while I was silent, Jaim pointed her chopsticks at Jaim No. 2 and shouted. What a rude kid.
“What about this is cozy?! I don’t care where, but make this person go somewhere else, Mom!”
“Don’t be jealous. I’m here like this because I can’t leave even if I wanted to. Aren’t you also interested to see how you grow up in the future?”
“I’m not interested at all! Also, stop sticking your chest out!”
“Even though you were constantly jealous of Mom and Big Sis Nabom.”
“I wasn’t jealous at all! What can you even do with them if they’re big?!”
“Dad likes them big, though. Ah, that’s right. If you’re jealous because I slept with Dad, then why not sleep together as a family today? Dad, me, you, and Mom. How about it?”
“······Ehem.”
“Ah, sorry, sorry. And also Jihye. You’re fine with that as well, right, Dad? You won’t have a flower in both hands, but you’ll have an entire bouquet instead. How about it?”
“The bed is going to be crammed.”
I let out a sigh as I watched the two Jaims and Jihye argue while eating breakfast and Saeyeon smiling on the side.
A few days had passed since Jaim’s second intrusion. No, not her intrusion into my bed, I’m referring to her intrusion to the past from the future.
It’s obvious, but it was decided that Jaim No. 2, who had nowhere else to go, would stay at our place. It feels like our family is gradually becoming bigger.
Even Jihye, who was surprised at first and didn’t know how she should treat Jaim No. 2, started to treat her normally. Albeit, it’s honestly rather fun seeing the difference between how she treats Jaim and Jaim No. 2.
Nevertheless, it’s troubling that Jaim No. 2 latches on to me so much. What could have possibly happened in the future, I have no idea.
“That’s because the two of us were the only ones left in the future.”
When I asked her about this when we were alone, Jaim No. 2’s expression became a bit dark as she answered like that.
“······Just the two of us. As I thought, that’s what happens?”
“Yeah······. I knew it. You knew about it since around this time.”
Jaim No. 2 nodded her head slightly. She then continued with difficulty while smiling sadly.
“That’s right. Mom is going to pass away in 2 years.”
I already knew this, but it hurt no matter how many times I heard it.
“The reason······.”
I stopped in the middle of my sentence. I keep trying to repeat my mistake, huh? I nearly did this with Jihye as well.
Jaim No. 2 must have figured out what I was going to ask as she smiled ruefully.
“Yeah. It’s······ probably better if you don’t know.”
“······Then what about Jihye?”
“Well, there are some circumstances behind that as well. Ah, it’s not what you’re thinking of, Dad. It’s just, reasons. Big Sis Nabom is going to go back soon as well.”
“I heard about that.”
“I see.”
In the end, she either isn’t able to come back or she doesn’t. I’m not sure which it is, though. Once I nodded, Jaim No. 2 continued.
According to Jaim No. 2, Saeyeon, Jaim, and I end up being all that’s left. Moreover, Jaim doesn’t return to the future and ends up growing up here in the present, Saeyeon dies 2 years later, and Jaim and I develop a time machine after that⎯⎯⎯this was the gist of it.
“Well, that’s why you were so nice to me, Dad.”
Jaim No. 2 wiped away her tears which had furtively started to flow down and did her best to laugh. She linked her arm with mine teasingly.
“It might have been because it was just the two of us. We became even closer, so it’s not weird that I would like you like this, right, Dad?”
“Like I said, you need to do something about this physical contact.”
“That’s why I’m telling you like this that I can’t. Ehehe.”
Jaim No. 2 giggled as she rubbed her cheek against my shoulder. Can she really not do something about this? Now that I think about it, in this girl’s time period, it’s a guy in his mid-twenties and a middle school student. Does my future self have an electronic anklet on?
“Mm······. As I thought, a younger version of Dad is good as well······.”
······Well, I understand why.
With the absence of her mom, she lived with me and me alone. Additionally, she went back in time in order to change the past, but wound up finding out the truth. At the very least, one of the things that changed was the fact that I didn’t treat her coldly in the future and was close enough to not complain about how close she stuck to me. I understand why she keeps latching on to me.
But, if that’s the case, then there are still a couple of weird things.
“Dad? Dad!”
“H-Huh?”
I came back to my senses. Jaim was staring at me weirdly.
“Why’d you stop eating all of a sudden? Are you thinking of something strange again?”
“I didn’t, okay? I was simply daydreaming a bit.”
“······That’s all fine and dandy, but can you do something about this?”
Jaim frowned and stared at Jaim No. 2 who had at one point sat next to Jaim and was messing around by touching Jaim’s cheek and playing around with her hair.
“Do something? What do you want me to do?”
“Ei, don’t be mean. I’m doing this because it’s like I have a little sister. Ahahaha, now that I think about it, you really are like a little sister~.”
“······Do you want me to bite you?”
“So you can lick and suck on this big sis’ fingers? Do you like me that much?”
“Kyaahk⎯⎯⎯!”
······Not even going to give her time to think, huh?
Still, it doesn’t seem like she dislikes it.
What I need right now is this sort of rest. A type of leisure that could comfort my exhausted mind. And, above all else, the smile which I had been forcing myself to make in order to not cry until now, was coming out naturally right now.
It’s also been a very long time since I saw Saeyeon smile this brightly.
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“Truly, Miss Jin Jaim only causes problems.”
“······Well, I understand why she does it.”
I could only say that in response to Upperclassman Nabom’s annoyed and deep sigh. Upperclassman Nabom glared at me once I gave her that vague remark.
“Is this a problem that can be resolved by simply saying you understand? Of course, you must be loving this, Underclassman Jin Jaro. You have another cute daughter. At this rate, are you planning to use this opportunity to get on the first page of the morning newspaper?”
“Please don’t joke about weird things. I’m also troubled by how often she latches on to me.”
This was the truth. Understanding why she latches on to me and accepting it are two separate matters.
It was after school. Upperclassman Nabom and I were alone in the club room. It seems Saeyeon had made plans with her friends to study together, so she couldn’t help us today. She wanted to come here, but I stopped her.
“You say that, but I heard all about how you locked your door in the morning and did weird things with your older daughter.”
“I didn’t do anything, okay? Do you only watch the footage from those hidden cameras all day?”
Seriously, when and where did she install those cameras? I couldn’t find them no matter how hard I searched. Normally, Upperclassman Nabom would play along if I complained like this, but she didn’t today.
“Did I not say that I would even live together with her in order to prevent these sort of dangerous situations?”
Certainly, Upperclassman Nabom did say that it would be better if we made Jaim No. 2 stay with her, so she could keep an eye on her. However, Saeyeon, Jaim No. 2, and I refused. Mostly Saeyeon, though. She said that we should live together since we’re a family, and I went along with that as well. Albeit, Jaim agreed with Upperclassman Nabom’s suggestion. Did she not like her that much?
“For starters, what am I supposed to do when she’s calling herself my daughter?”
“You speak well for someone who grovelled before me and begged me to take Miss Jin Jaim back to the future when she first arrived.”
“Please stop fabricating what happened. I didn’t go that far.”
“Grovelling is the same thing as latching on to my leg. It’s great that you’ve finally accepted the fact that you’re a father, but I don’t like how you’re making it bothersome for me because of that. In regard to Miss Jaim and Miss Jihye, and also the new Miss Jaim, aren’t you treating me way too conveniently?”
She must have had a lot of pent-up complaints.
“······In any case, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask.”
Upperclassman Nabom, who was complaining while compiling a list of my inventions, answered without even turning to look at me.
“If it’s about time machines, then yes, you’re the one who invents them, Underclassman Jin Jaro.”
“······.”
Should I say that my emotions fell flat because of how prompt her answer was, or should I say that it felt bizarre to hear an answer that was incredibly hard to believe be spoken as if it were completely obvious? In any case, it’s true, then?
Upperclassman Nabom continued without looking at me.
“I told you when you initially asked me to give you information on time machines, did I not? That I couldn’t give you the information in order to prevent a Bootstrap Paradox. It’s not like you don’t know what this means, right?”
“Well, I do know, but······.”
For example, if Shakespeare were to copy the manuscript of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ given to him by a time traveler, then it would become a contradiction where the original text would no longer exist. I didn’t know that this was what she meant back when she initially said this.
“You also said you couldn’t give me other things from the future, so I simply thought that was because my future inventions were among those things.”
“Then do you think I should have said ‘I can’t give you any information because you’re the one who invents time machines in the future, Underclassman Jin Jaro.’?”
······Well, she has a point. Upperclassman Nabom seems very moody today. I understand why, but it’s troubling as well.
“So, what did you actually want to ask me?”
······Really, this person has good observation skills.
“I know that people around you have pointed this out to you several times before, but you really lack the ability to hide your inner feelings, so I advise you to simply say whatever is on your mind.”
Upperclassman Nabom didn’t lift her gaze from the sheets of paper in her hand as she spoke. That behavior made me contemplate whether I should say it or not, but it didn’t feel right to back down now in a situation like this. I spoke hesitantly.
“Then I’ll just ask. I have a few questions······.”
“Let me take a guess. Your first question is my secret which the older Miss Jaim seems to be aware of, your second question is whether I truly didn’t know that older Miss Jaim would come here or not, and your third question is if I’m actually not going to come back once I return back to the future. You want to confirm these things, right?”
“······What, do you do fortune telling now?”
Or was this something which Upperclassman Nabom could figure out on her own? Upperclassman Nabom laughed for the first time in response to my question. Albeit, she did so while glancing at me with a weak smile.
“I told you, didn’t I? Your thoughts are written all over your face, Underclassman Jin Jaro. It’s to the point that I sometimes worry about how you intend to become a world-conquering mad scientist that rules over the world.”
“······Ah, yes, is that so? So, what about it?”
I let out a self-pitying sigh. Upperclassman Nabom smiled slyly and spoke.
“Try recalling what I’ve been constantly telling you.”
I became stifled the instant she said that, but I managed to answer her.
“······You’re not my ally, is it?”
“It’s fine if you remember.”
Upperclassman Nabom returned her gaze back to the sheets of paper in her hand. This probably means she refuses to answer.
Upperclassman Nabom had told me since a long time ago that I shouldn’t treat her as an ally. Due to recent events, I forgot.
That this person’s future, is the future where Saeyeon dies.
“······Wait.”
I remembered something.
“Upperclassman Nabom, you definitely said that the future can’t be changed, right?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Then why did you come to the past when nothing will change even if Jaim comes here?”
“Did I not tell you already? I’m here to prevent information contamination. Even if Miss Jaim’s actions don’t affect time itself, we can’t neglect the problem that could happen to Miss Jaim.”
In other words, she’s purely here to prevent something bad from happening to Jaim who’s also from the future. That seems plausible.
I stiffened my face and spoke.
“······Do you think I’d believe that?”
“No. It would be convenient if you did, though.”
Upperclassman Nabom simply shrugged.
Now that I think about it, it was weirder that I didn’t notice such an obvious thing until now.
When I went to have ramen at Upperclassman Nabom’s place, she said that she didn’t expect to be here for this long. However, when I asked her why Saeyeon and I broke up, she spoke as if she knew I would ask this. A clear contradiction.
If I had to take a guess at which one was the truth, then it would probably be the latter. She’s that sort of person, after all. If that’s the case, then the issue is why she lied and what she’s plotting.
Furthermore, the answers for those two questions are simple, but she probably won’t tell me.
This person is really shrewd. It would be easier if she were an ally. It’s to the point that I want to hold on to her and torture the answer out of her. Should I try tricking her with Nanda?
While I was having these thoughts, Upperclassman Nabom spoke while flipping through the documents in her hand.
“I’ll say it again. There are no time paradoxes. However, that doesn’t mean that the same things will happen again without any change whatsoever.”
“······What?”
I asked back because I didn’t understand what she meant, but Upperclassman Nabom continued without looking at me.
“I’m saying that there isn’t only a single way to get from the starting line to the end goal. You could walk, ride a bike, take a subway, drive a car, get on a plane, ride a rocket, or a horse, and I could even ride Underclassman Jin Jaro to the end.”
“No, that’s not······.”
“Unobservable, trivial changes will not occur. Even if Mr. Carlos Gonzalez (Age 30. Unemployed) of São Paulo, Argentina, on the other side of the world were to drink orange juice instead of cola in consideration of his health, the future will not change. You wouldn’t even know if these sort of things were happening right now.”
“······.”
“You’re supposed to point out that São Paulo is a city in Brazil there.”
Upperclassman Nabom smiled and turned to look at me, but I gazed back at her doubtfully.
“······Why are you saying this all of a sudden?”
This honestly increased my wariness.
A moment ago she told me that she wasn’t my ally, but she was meekly answering me now. While mixing in jokes like this.
With her usually sleepy-looking eyes, Upperclassman Nabom looked at me and spoke.
“I never told you I was your enemy either.”
“······.”
“Let’s reset our relationship.”
Upperclassman Nabom put down her pen and looked at me seriously as if she intended to focus on the conversation now.
“Although I’m not really Underclassman Jin Jaro’s ally, I’m not an enemy that’s trying to interfere with you either.”
“······What do you mean?”
“I mean what I literally said. As you had guessed, there’s a reason why I was dispatched to this era to keep an eye on Miss Jin Jaim. Because of this, I don’t intend to tell you, Underclassman Jin Jaro, what that reason is nor am I allowed to.”
Her eyes looked sleepy, but her gaze was clear.
“However, I’m able to assist you if you were to so ask as long as it does not cross that line.”
“So you’re saying a relationship where we use each other is okay?”
“That’s not a bad way to explain it.”
Upperclassman Nabom sat down comfortably with her fingers laced on top of her knees and nodded.
“In that regard, I can’t answer your first question.”
“Then what about the second and third questions?”
“The second question, I believe I answered this with my previous statement.”
This was probably her way of telling me to figure it out myself. I thought for a moment as I looked into Upperclassman Nabom’s eyes which had a glint in them that appeared as if she were testing me.
“In other words, you can change the process, but the result will remain the same. You can’t change the future, but since the process can be changed, an older Jaim arriving in this time frame is a new event for you.”
“Correct.”
“······And, the reason you were dispatched here and given the task to watch over Jaim is to prevent these sort of changes as much as possible.”
“You were only half correct this time.”
I must have been really off the mark as Upperclassman Nabom shook her head this time. Nevertheless, it seems I still passed her test as she smiled gently.
“Still, you’ve also been doing a fair amount of thinking, haven’t you, Underclassman Jin Jaro?”
It’s a problem because I’ve been doing a bit too much of that lately. Of course, I didn’t say this out loud. I decided to say something else instead.
“You haven’t answered my third question.”
Upperclassman Nabom’s expression stiffened for a moment, but a smile soon returned to her face.
This smile was different from before. It looked as if she were resigning herself.
“······Yes. Now then, as a reward for getting the right answer, I’ll give you an honest response.”
Upperclassman Nabom nodded her head as she leaned her back against her chair.
“Yes. If I return to the future, then I will not be coming back. Just as the older Jaim had said, I will be leaving this time frame.”
I had predicted this, but she said it so matter-of-factly that I was surprised. My expression froze, but Upperclassman Nabom continued to look calm.
“Why······?”
“That’s because I’ve already been afflicted with information contamination.”
And this was truly outside of my expectation.
“What do you······. When and why did······.”
“I’ve answered your question.”
Upperclassman Nabom firmly cut me off as I stammered. This was probably her way of telling me to not pry any further.
“I currently have information contamination. If I repatriate while in this state and receive an examination, then, naturally, I will no longer be able to return to this time frame and I’ll also lose the qualification to be a time agent of the Time Bureau. I’ll most likely be confined for a very long period of time under the pretext of treatment.”
Although it felt as if I could glimpse into Upperclassman Nabom’s head due to her usage of the word ‘confined’, there was actually no emotion on Upperclassman Nabom’s face and she had a philosophical look on her face as if this were completely natural.
“······.”
I didn’t know what to say and, as expected, Upperclassman Nabom didn’t say anything either.
A moment of silence fell upon us. Tick-tock, tick-tock, I could only hear the sound of the analog clock ticking. This was uncomfortable. The mood was heavy now.
“Uhm······.”
“Daaad⎯⎯⎯! Are you not done yet?”
The instant I was about to say something, the door swung open. Obviously, it was Jaim No. 2. There’s a limit to how bad your timing can be. This made me wonder if she deliberately waited for the perfect moment before barging in. My hand unconsciously moved to my forehead.
“Ah, you were with Big Sis Nabom, huh? You should have told me, then. If you did, then I would have waited a bit longer before coming in.”
Furtively, Jaim No. 2 latched on to my arm. Upperclassman Nabom gave her a fed up gaze before shaking her head.
“······Truly, Miss Jin Jaim has a knack for barging in at inopportune moments. Be it the small one or the large one.”
“Sis, isn’t that a bit rude? It was just a coincidence.”
Upperclassman Nabom let out an audible sigh in response to Jaim No. 2 as she stuck her lips out cutely and voiced her complaint.
“It doesn’t matter whether it was a coincidence or not, but have you considered learning how to read the mood? While you’re at it, you should also throw away your father complex.”
“What, are you jealous? Did you want to have a pleasant time alone with Dad?”
Once Jaim No. 2 said that teasingly, Upperclassman Nabom frowned and bared her teeth. This was my first time seeing Upperclassman Nabom behave like this. She must really dislike her. But wait, her words and action just now, doesn’t that mean······.
“Don’t imagine something weird.”
“You’re lewd, Dad.”
“······You two come together for weird things.”
I didn’t think that was the case either. I was just saying perhaps.
“In any case, how’d you get here?”
I let out a small sigh and asked that towards Jaim No. 2 who was hanging on to my arm.
“Obviously, I waited at the school gate and came in when no one was around. Do you think it’s my first time coming to this school?”
“······You’re right.”
She frequented this school, after all. Was this school’s security okay?
“Everyone already left the school grounds, so I went looking around and reminisced about the good old times. Everything is exactly like how I remembered it.”
Jaim No. 2 grinned as she looked around the club room.
“Also, I’ve missed this room as well. I couldn’t look around properly when I was here last time since a lot was going through my head, but wow······.”
Now that I think about it, Jaim also looked around this room in awe when she came here for the first time. Before I knew it, Jaim No. 2 had let go of my arm and was picking up my inventions on the desk and looking at them.
“You’re interfering with my work, so stop touching the items.”
Upperclassman Nabom glared at Jaim No. 2 for a moment as she did that. It was so sharp that I feel like a visible onomatopoeia would be necessary.
“······Sis, if you keep getting aggressive with me, then I’ll get upset as well.”
In response to Upperclassman Nabom’s words, Jaim No. 2 finally erased the smile from her face and spoke coldly. The same murderous intent which filled Upperclassman Nabom’s gaze was filling Jaim No. 2’s gaze as well. Of course, it was a sharp murderous intent that didn’t lose out to Upperclassman Nabom’s.
“······.”
“······.”
“Uu, uuh······.”
And I was being stifled between the silence and those two murderous gazes. Why are these two fighting like this? Just being in the same room as these two is becoming unbearable. I figured these two would argue at first, but I expected them to get along over time, however, it’s become even worse now.
“Uhm, the two of you, I won’t ask why you’re fighting like this, but······.”
“······Hmph.”
“······Tsk.”
Once I managed to overcome the murderous atmosphere and utter those words, the two of them turned their heads away and clicked their tongues. I didn’t expect Upperclassman Nabom to react like this as well. I feel like I’ve said this phrase a lot lately. To be exact, after Jaim No. 2 arrived.
“Due to a bad mood, I will be leaving first today.”
Upperclassman Nabom pushed her chair back and stood up. She looked annoyed. Jaim No. 2 clicked her tongue again as she watched Upperclassman Nabom get up.
I don’t know what to say. I feel like in this situation, Upperclassman Nabom was being a bit sensitive, but honestly, she was the one who started picking a fight with Jaim No. 2 the moment she got here. In regard to Jaim No. 2, I feel like she’s weirdly acting superior.
Upperclassman Nabom, who was about to leave through the door after taking her bag, must have suddenly recalled something as she turned to say something to me.
“······At any rate, please remember what I told you earlier.”
Before I could ask her which part of our conversation she was referring to, Upperclassman Nabom closed the door without any hesitation and left.
“Haah.”
Shortly after, once we no longer heard Upperclassman Nabom’s footsteps, Jaim No. 2 let out a sigh. Her sigh was strangely heavy.
“Ah, sorry, Dad. The mood became a bit weird. I feel like I interfered with something as well.”
She must have noticed my gaze as Jaim No. 2 smiled again and turned to face me.
“What exactly did you do to make Upperclassman Nabom hate you so much?”
“Wait a second, why are you blaming me all of a sudden?”
Jaim No. 2 seemed taken aback by my remark as she spoke back.
“No, I mean, Upperclassman Nabom may have a bad personality, but she never behaved this badly, so I thought that you may have done something.”
Despite everything, Upperclassman Nabom wasn’t the type of person to hate someone and act hostile towards them for no reason. Seeing as this was the case, I wonder if something happens before she leaves. And if Jaim is the one who does it.
······Wait, then shouldn’t Upperclassman Nabom dislike Jaim as well since Upperclassman Nabom knows what’s going to happen from now on? But they’ve been getting along well lately. To the point that Jaim goes to her to consult about things.
While I was lost in my own thoughts due to that sudden conjecture, Jaim No. 2 looked at me and let out an audible sigh. She sure sighs a lot.
“Haah······. Big Sis Nabom must really have a lot weighing on her mind. This dad is really dense.”
“······This dad?”
Do you have several dads? Who else do you go around calling dad? Once I quickly turned to look at Jaim No. 2, she smiled bitterly and put her hands on her hip as if it couldn’t be helped and spoke.
“You know as well, right, Dad? That you can change the past little by little. Don’t tell me you didn’t even know this yet.”
“I heard about that from Upperclassman Nabom just earlier.”
“Someone had to tell you this as well······. That’s a bit disappointing.”
Jaim No. 2 shook her head and continued.
“Well, fine. Let me explain. As you know, Dad, we’re currently in a loop. I don’t know where the starting point is, but I come to the past, you and Mom get married, Mom gives birth to me, I grow up, and I return to the past again. We’re currently repeating this.”
Yeah. This was something I already knew. It wasn’t as refreshing as I thought it would be when something I would normally see in manga and animations actually happened to me in real life, though.
“Wait, then that means there’s a baby Jaim, doesn’t it? I mean, in the time frame you’re from before using the time machine, there should be a baby Jaim.”
That’s right. I had my doubts about this part.
If we’re in a loop, then there should be a little Jaim as well. However, Jaim No. 2 went out of her way to say that it was ‘just the two of us’. Well, of course, be it a baby Jaim or an older Jaim, they’re both Jaims, so she’s technically right, but······. My head hurts.
“······Of course there is.”
For some reason, Jaim No. 2 went silent for a moment before answering, but she soon continued with her explanation.
“In any case, this should be easier to understand since Big Sis Nabom explained it to you earlier, but I think a little bit changes each time. It may not be a big change, but at the very least, there’s a tiny change. For example, the fact that you’re a bit denser, things like that.”
“You’ve been calling me dense a bunch since earlier.”
Not only am I dense, but my thoughts are written all over my face apparently. What’s up with that? Jaim No. 2 giggled in response to my grumbling and spoke.
“Ahahaha, but it’s the truth. When I was little, Dad had already realized Big Sis Nabom’s······. Woops. I promised to not say this. No matter how mean Big Sis Nabom is towards me, I have to be courteous. Mhm.”
I have no idea what she’s hiding. I grumbled to myself and started packing my bag. Jaim No. 2 blinked.
“Huh? Are you going already?”
“Upperclassman Nabom already left and I don’t feel like working by myself.”
Losing the club room would be troubling, but we honestly aren’t in a desperate situation yet. I also didn’t feel inclined to work by myself. Once I said that, sure enough, Jaim No. 2 latched on to my arm again. Oi, it’s hard to pack my bag like this.
“That’s unfortunate······. I wanted to do this and that while alone with you, Dad.”
“Don’t say dangerous things just because no one is around to hear you.”
Just how exactly did my future self respond in situations like this? I could only sigh. Since I was taking a short break, I spoke towards Jaim No. 2 who managed to stay on my arm even though I tried to shake her off.
“Even if we become close in the future, isn’t this excessive?”
“But it’s proof that we can change the future.”
I stopped shaking my arm once I heard her say that while grinning broadly. Jaim No. 2 didn’t miss that opportunity to press her cheek against my shoulder.
“The future version of you who used to treat me so coldly when I was little, changed into a dad who treats me this nice and warmly.”
I see. I understand now.
Jaim came to the past in order to change her dad who didn’t show her any attention, in other words, because she was sick of me.
And as a result of coming to the past, she may have discovered why Saeyeon and I broke up and experienced Saeyeon’s death, but, at the very least, I changed. I didn’t hate the idea of having a family and I became a dad that was close to his daughter.
“Even now, not only have you stopped disliking me as much as you did when I arrived for the first time as a kid, but you even accepted me like this as well, didn’t you?”
I felt a soft sensation against my shoulder. I felt her squishy cheek every time I pulled my arm. Even though this should bother and annoy me, it made me feel strangely warm.
So, well, I figured doing his much would be fine.
“Ah······.”
I patted Jaim No. 2’s head with my free arm.
Well, I couldn’t possibly do this while looking at her, so I did so with my head turned away. She must have gotten some of my genes as her half-curled hair interlaced with my fingers. Her ponytail bobbed.
“······Ehehe······.”
More weight was pressed against my arm. My face became red. No, this isn’t weird. I don’t have weird thoughts about my daughter.
“So, Dad······.”
I barely managed to turn my head thanks to her voice tickling my ear.
Jaim No. 2 looked up at me with moist eyes and spoke.
“The future can be changed. If we combine our strengths, then surely.”
Hopeful words that were a complete opposite to what Upperclassman Nabom had said.
Different to a proofless impossibility, the possibility that she herself was the proof.
Her words and action alone were enough to make me feel a little saved.
Ο
✿ΟΟ✿ΟΟ✿
Ο
“You didn’t tell me anything even something so interesting happened?”
“It couldn’t be helped. It’s been a week since we last met.”
“A middle school-aged Jaim, huh······. And she came here using the time machine you made······. You’re gradually becoming more impressive.”
Nanda muttered while looking out into the distance as he ate some bread. That was basically everything, so I didn’t have to add anything else.
It’s been a while since I last met Nanda, so we went to the school mart together. While we were here, I told Nanda about everything that happened during the one week I couldn’t get in contact with him. Of course, I didn’t tell him that Upperclassman Nabom was also from the future, that she had to go back soon, and anything else I shouldn’t say. Nevertheless, there was still a lot to talk about. He was my one and only friend, after all.
“So, where did you go and what did you do for a week?”
“I was spending time as a trainee. It’s a lot harder than I expected. Compared to when this was a dream, it might take a lot of time, but an actual opportunity approaching is a different matter. The singing lessons are tough as well, but they also make me do dance practice even though I’m going to be a trot singer.”
During the last summer break, Nanda participated in a singing audition program that was aired on cable TV. He wasn’t selected, but afterward, he was taken in by a rather famous agency and was acting as a trainee. I was wondering why I didn’t see him around lately, but it was because of this, huh.
Despite his words, there was satisfaction in Nanda’s face. Naturally, different from me who only hears from other people that I’ll become an impressive person in the future, Nanda had actually grabbed an opportunity.
“You’ll end up being an idol at this rate.”
“Haha, no way. Well, I decided to take a break for a while.”
Nanda stretched and said that in response to my appropriate remark.
“It’s a bit late to start studying for the midterms, but there’s also the school festival.”
“They let you out just for that? It hasn’t even been that long since you started, right?”
“Well, they did say some things to me, but······. ‘Always with leisure’ is my motto. The school even asked me to perform during the festival, you know? I was on TV, after all.”
Just as he said, some girls on the other side of the school mart were looking at Nanda and saying something to each other. Once Nanda did his usual cheesy smile and waved at them, they squealed and waved back. Seriously, he’s popular with the girls.
“You look like you’re having fun.”
“I don’t hate it. There’s no way I could hate people liking me, right?”
I said that as a joke, but I didn’t expect him to answer seriously. As expected of Nanda. Normally, if popular fellows did this, they would seem annoying, but since Nanda was the one saying it, I could only think of him as a truly good person.
“In any case, is your preparation for the festival going well, Jjaro?”
It seems Nanda heard that my club was in danger. Nanda spoke while his mouth was full of bread.
“If it’s something I can help with, then tell me. Well, I’m clueless when it comes to things related to science and technology, so I’m not sure how much I can help, but I can at least help with trivial tasks.”
“Our situation isn’t desperate enough to ask for help from someone who’s busy.”
“Isn’t Saeyeon helping as well? Well, I won’t force you, but I’ll help you if you need me. What’s so bad about it when your friend says it’s okay?”
It seems Saeyeon was the source of the information. I didn’t have anything else to say, so I squeezed my juice pack.
“······Uh? Huuh?”
What’s up with him all of a sudden? He was pointing towards something in disbelief.
“······Wait, don’t tell me?!”
Once I turned my head the instant I realized what he was probably looking at, sure enough, it was as I expected. It was Jaim No. 2. Jaim No. 2, who was looking into the mart through the window while receiving the gazes of the people around her, must have spotted me and Nanda as she waved her hand happily and entered through the door.
“Ah, Jjaro Oppa, here you are! You’re with Nanda Oppa as well!”
So she’s not going to call me dad, huh. Should I be relieved? Jaim No. 2 smiled broadly and skipped towards Nanda and I as she received the gazes of everyone inside the mart before latching on to my arm. Wait, you aren’t going to latch on to Nanda even though he’s here?
“Y-You are······?”
Nanda was bewildered even though I had just told him who she was. Well, this was to be expected. The leisure he mentioned earlier was completely gone as Jaim No. 2 giggled at Nanda who was still pointing at her before bowing her head.
“Hello! I heard a lot about you from Jjaro Oppa! I’m his younger cousin, Jin Jayeon!”
Was that her concept? It might be because this Jaim is older, but she’s more flexible. Jaim No. 2 gave Nanda a wink as she spoke. She was probably hinting to him to go along with her story. And, as expected of the sharp Nanda, he quickly hid the surprise in his voice and actions before going back to smiling pleasantly.
“Ah, is that so? It’s nice to meet you. I’m Jjaro’s friend, Shin Nanda.”
“Ehehe······. It’s nice to meet you too, Nanda Oppa!”
Jaim No. 2 grabbed Nanda’s extended hand and smiled happily. I glanced around at the people watching us before asking Jaim No. 2 a question. While also making sure to go along with her story. It was hard calling her No. 2 all the time, so this was a good change.
“Hey, Ja······yeon. You can’t just come to the school whenever you want.”
Honestly, the thing I was curious about the most was where she got that name from.
Once I reprimanded her, Jayeon twisted her body as if she were making a fuss and spoke.
“But~ it’s boring just being at home~ and it’s unfair that Jaim gets to come to school, but I can’t. Jihye refuses to play with me saying that she’s already busy doing housework. That’s why I came to play☆”
Don’t attach a star to the end of your sentence while moving your hands in a familiar way. Stop trying to act cute by sticking your tongue out. Seriously, this adorable brat. Once the other students around us saw the way Jayeon acted, they started whispering to each other as they glanced at us frequently, but Jayeon smiled innocently and waved at them. Should I say that this was a very Jaim thing to do? Seriously, is our school okay? Jaim, Jihye, and this girl all entered the school grounds arbitrarily and no one tried to stop them. What is the security guard doing?
“In any case, it’s Nanda Oppa······. Eheheh. Nanda Oppaa······.”
While still holding on to my arm with one of her own, Jayeon used her other arm to hold on to one of Nanda’s arms and smell him. Even Nanda must not have expected this, as he pulled his body back slightly, but Jayeon pulled him back.
“Nanda Oppa, are you free after school? Do you want to go and hang out somewhere? It’s been a while. I’m free~.”
“Oi. Hey!”
Why is she reciting such a dangerous line? Look, even Nanda is laughing awkwardly because he doesn’t know what to say.
“Ahaha······. T-This is troubling. I-I do have time, but······.”
“Hey! Nanda, what are you thinking?!”
Why are you blushing slightly and scratching your cheek? Once he heard my shout, Nanda waved his free arm in panic and spoke.
“N-No! I didn’t mean anything weird by that! It’s just, I was surprised to see that the little lady had grown up to be so pretty and cute······.”
“That’s weird! D-Don’t you dare think of something bad!”
“Dad······. I mean, Jjaro Oppa, stop being jealous! It’s fine. We’re simply going to have a fun time. Don’t worry about it. In any case, Nanda Oppa’s red face is adorable~! Ahaha, it’s my first time seeing you make this sort of expression! As I thought, I’ve grown up a bit, haven’t I? Ei!”
“Don’t furtively pull Nanda’s arm towards your chest, kid! Nanda, don’t scratch your cheek awkwardly like that either! I’m going to get mad, you know?!”
Jaim raised her voice and laughed as she saw me slam my hand down against a table. My jealousy······I mean, my worry······ ah, I don’t know how to phrase it. In any case, she seems to be enjoying it.
“Ahaha! I didn’t expect you to react like this, Dad. Ah, whoops. Now then, jokes aside, Nanda Oppa, are you free after school? It’s been a while since we last met, so I wanted to hang out and talk to you about this and that. Stop making that face, Jjaro Oppa. Why don’t you have a pleasant time with Big Sis Saeyeon in the club room instead? Ah, Big Sis Nabom will probably come as well. Well, whatever.”
With a bright smile and voice, Jayeon spoke as if she were trying to reassure me. Well, I don’t think they’ll do something weird, but······.
“I don’t know······.”
Nanda continued while carefully keeping an eye on my reaction. I could tell by his troubled face that he didn’t know what to do. In consideration to Jayeon, it should be okay to play with her, but the way she latched on to him was uncomfortable and he was probably concerned about how I would react.
“······Well, it should be fine.”
So I let out a small sigh and nodded my head. Jayeon is probably interested to see the current Nanda as well. She must also be rather bored since she’s been spending time by herself all the time. Nanda’s eyes widened as he questioned whether I was being serious or not and Jayeon’s eyes grew bigger as well but in happiness.
“However, you aren’t allowed to do anything weird either, Jayeon.”
“Okay! Don’t worry! Ehehe······. Now then, Nanda Oppa, please free your schedule after school! You said you weren’t busy, right?”
“Huh? O-Okay······.”
Nanda barely managed to utter that response and nod as he watched Jayeon hop around with sparkling eyes. It seems that was enough for Jayeon, as she furtively distanced herself from us and spoke.
“Thank you, Nanda Oppa! Now then, I’m going to go home before someone tries to come and catch me. I’ll be waiting at the school gate once school is over. Look forward to it, okay? I’ll make sure to look my best! Then, I’ll see you later as well, Jjaro Oppa! Bye~!”
With that, Jaeyeon zoomed out of the school mart and disappeared. She did so with bouncing steps. She also skipped every now and then. She must be on cloud nine.
“······Haha, older Jaim is quite vigorous······.”
And it seems this side has yet to calm down from his initial surprise. Certainly, she did become a lot more lively. Jaim may be cute, but she didn’t give off this sort of feeling.
“You must be going through a lot as well, Jjaro. I doubt she gets along with Jaim.”
“How did you know?”
“I can tell just by looking at her. Think about it, Jjaro. Do you think Jaim, who had been worried about her relationship with her dad lately, would be happy to see an older Jaim appear and latch on to her dad?”
······Well, he has a point. I get what he means. Jaim likes me to a certain extent as well and she’s been trying to get closer to me, so if Jayeon sticks to me, then it might not be to the point of jealousy, but she probably wouldn’t like it either way.
“Still, I wish the two of them would get along······. It’s a bit weird, but they are the same person, after all, and they seem like a pair of sisters.”
Jayeon is the one one-sidedly hugging me. I’m not particularly discriminating between the two of them. Jaim will grow up to become Jayeon and Jaim is what Jayeon was when she was little. My head hurts every time I say this.
“Hahaha······.”
I was looking away awkwardly, but I turned back once I heard Nanda laugh. Nanda shook his head once he saw my gaze and answered.
“It’s nothing. I just thought that you’ve really become a dad now. Not only do you want your two daughters to get along, but, in the end, you let the older Jaim do what she wants in consideration of her feelings.”
“Stop imagining things. It’s not like that.”
“Sure it isn’t.”
“Stop laughing as if you understand everything.”
Nanda continued to grin warmly despite my complaint. It honestly wasn’t a bad feeling, and I probably would have genuinely hated this if it were the old me, but being told that I seem like an actual dad now feels······. Well, it feels nice. It sounds like I’ve changed in a good way.
“Now then, should we start making our way back now? Our break is nearly over.”
Nanda stood up after checking the clock.
“I thought you would come here with Saeyeon, but it’s a bit unfortunate that I couldn’t see Saeyeon as well. Well, it should be fine since I’ll be at school for a while.”
Nanda turned towards me and added something while grinning.
“A fun date with the older Jaim is waiting for me after school as well.”
“Don’t you dare plan anything weird, you hear me? I won’t let you off easily, all right?!”
After raising my fist at Nanda who escaped preemptively while chuckling, I got up as well. Seriously, that guy. I shook my head and headed towards my class, but it’s not like I didn’t understand that intention of his. He’s probably telling me not to worry.
“Ah.”
I stopped in place for a moment as a sudden thought came to my head. I should have told him to bring Jaim along as well. If it’s Nanda, then he might be able to make the two of them reconcile.
“······Never mind.”
I considered going to his classroom and asking him, but I shook my head and started walking back to my class again. It would be a hassle to go find him again and talk about it.
And······. No, never mind.
I also have some pride.
I resumed my steps.
Ο
✿ΟΟ✿ΟΟ✿
Ο
“······.”
“······.”
It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this atmosphere. It’s been a while since we intentionally created this atmosphere, but now it felt uncomfortable. Only the sound of ticking and rustling resonated throughout the club room.
Even though Saeyeon said she would help, she didn’t come to the club room today either. She used the excuse that I told her to study hard. I did stop her before, but she did go around saying that she’d help.
It feels like Saeyeon has been avoiding me. Even though I’ve been avoiding her until now, now that the roles have reversed, it doesn’t feel great.
Did Saeyeon feel like this as well?
‘You have something to talk about with Big Sis Nabom, right?’
Moreover, what did she mean by this?
It’s gradually becoming harder to understand Saeyeon. What is Saeyeon thinking? How much does she know? How much of Saeyeon did I actually know until now?
“······Ah.”
This might have been the same for Saeyeon as well.
She couldn’t figure out what was on my mind, what I was hiding, and how much of the me she knew was the actual me.
I let out a sound once I thought this.
“What’s wrong, Underclassman Jin Jaro?”
Upperclassman Nabom must have thought that I was trying to start up a conversation as she asked that. Only her mouth moved, she didn’t turn towards me.
“If it’s about our previous conversation, then you shouldn’t concern yourself over it. I simply lost my composure due to my annoyance. I’m repenting for my actions.”
I obviously knew what she meant by this. The mood was heavy because of this, after all. However.
“No, well, Jaim No. 2 is also at fault for that······.”
Jayeon’s attitude was also bad. I said that while rubbing the back of my neck. Before I knew it, I went from scratching the back of my head to rubbing the back of my neck out of the fear of going bald.
“It’s true. I don’t feel like I acted that way when I was young. I have no idea what the problem is······.”
“Are you saying that kids these days are unruly? As expected of a 21-year-old old lady.”
“Can you not do something about that attitude of treating me like an old lady? It’s not polite to tease someone about their age.”
Her gaze was sharp so I lowered my head. As expected of the mind of a girl who’s sensitive about their age.
Upperclassman Nabom let out a sigh and spun her chair around to face me.
“I may be from the future, but I am currently older than you, Underclassman Jin Jaro. I’m not sure if you’re doing that intentionally, but that teasing tone of yours isn’t pleasant.”
“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”
I bowed my head again and apologized because she looked and sounded really annoyed. It seems that was enough for Upperclassman Nabom as she turned her chair away again. Another uncomfortable silence fell over us.
Mm, I was honestly trying to relieve the tense atmosphere by joking around a bit, but I feel like it’s become even worse now.
It’s true that I feel like there’s a gap between me and Upperclassman Nabom still. No matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I tried to not blame her since I was the one who asked, it wasn’t something that I could forget easily.
However, it’s also true that I’ve become fond of Upperclassman Nabom. I don’t hate her. Only half a year has passed since we first met, but it was fun spending time with her.
That’s why, since I can’t do anything about her going back and never returning, at the very least, I wanted us to go back to how we used to act before she had to go back. It’ll all be over once she leaves, after all.
Therefore, at this moment, I don’t like this heavy atmosphere.
“······So how’s the progress?”
And, well, I’ve also matured. I know that if I don’t do something, if I don’t put my effort into it, then nothing will change.
“I’m roughly done with writing out a list. The pivotal problem is that among these items, we don’t have a lot of things which we can show others.”
“If we take out the failed products and only show the stuff that works······.”
“Personally, I don’t think it would be a bad idea to show the failed products as well, for the same reason I told you before.”
“······Do you really want to do a comedy show?”
“We don’t have to go that far, but what we have currently is so bland that I feel like no one would be interested. Well, all festivals may be like this, but I feel like we should at least have something interesting to look at. Rather, if you made those tools to conquer the world like you said a long time ago, Underclassman Jin Jaro, then you could have made everyone burst into laughter. Now that I think about it, you haven’t said things like that anymore, have you? Have you given up on that fantasy?”
“······I didn’t know where you were going with that, but you hit me where it hurts.”
Of all topics, why is she bringing that up again? Upperclassman Nabom smirked as she watched me smile bitterly and shake my head. Can’t she let my bad past stay as my bad past?
A long time ago, when Upperclassman Nabom was about to take Jaim back because she had information contamination, I threatened her by disclosing that fantasy.
It was literally a youthful delusion, a delusion that looked cool back when I hated everything in the world. However, it was a delusion that wasn’t impossible if I scraped together all of my inventions. I bluffed saying that I would inflict myself with ‘information contamination’. Upperclassman Nabom had panicked and taken a step back because of my bluff. She said that it was possible for it to occur. Now that I think about it, she might have said that just to cover it up. I’m not sure what it was, but she said she had to do something in this time frame.
“Your facial expression at that time was quite amusing. The fact that you struck a pose in your own way while shouting that desperately.”
“Please stop hitting me where it hurts. Seriously······.”
Once I grumbled that to myself, Upperclassman Nabom smiled widely as she continued to work on the draft. Seriously, I have no idea why she likes teasing me this much.
······Well, it’s fine since we were able to get out of that heavy mood.
“In any case, Upperclassman Nabom, you’re working unexpectedly hard, huh?”
“I told you before, but this is my first festival. Moreover, I also have an attachment to this place. It’s my first time doing a club activity, my home and this room are the only places I can reside in, and most importantly······.”
With a warm smile on her face, Upperclassman Nabom turned to face me and continued.
“I want to leave behind at least one proof that I was here.”
“······.”
This wasn’t where I wanted to bring the conversation to. Was the topic not good? It was difficult to say something, so I rubbed the back of my neck. Upperclassman Nabom smiled bitterly at me and spoke.
“I’ve told you many times that you should just say what you want to say and not create these sort of troubling situations. You truly are a poor speaker, Underclassman Jin Jaro.”
“······You got that right. I don’t learn from my mistakes either.”
I let out a sigh and decided to just ask.
“Why do you have such a bad relationship with Jayeon?”
“Jayeon······ is what you’re calling her?”
Upperclassman Nabom chuckled gently in response to my question. Come to think of it, this was most likely Upperclassman Nabom’s first time hearing this name.
“That’s what she called herself in front of everyone earlier. It’s a relief since I didn’t want to keep calling her No. 2 like some robot or transforming hero. I don’t know where she got that name from, though.”
Upperclassman Nabom chuckled and shook her head at my explanation.
“I knew you were dense, but I didn’t know it was this severe, Underclassman Jin Jaro.”
“······Jayeon said that as well, but I feel like people have been calling me dense a lot lately.”
I didn’t think this person would say it as well. Am I really that dense? More importantly, why am I being told that in this situation?
Upperclassman Nabom changed her expression to look a bit more serious before then asking a question.
“I’m asking this just in case, but has the older Jaim said anything about me?”
“She was going to, but she stopped herself saying she has to be courteous.”
I’m not sure what she wanted to say, but it seems that’s also the reason why Upperclassman Nabom is calling me dense. Upperclassman Nabom’s face relaxed once she heard my answer.
“Is that so? So she has at least the bare minimum of manners.”
“She also said that the me this time is really dense.”
If it’s this person, then she most likely knows about the thing Jayeon talked about as well, so I feel no pressure talking to her about it. I did previously ask her if this were a loop. At that time, she told me I did a good job figuring it out.
Upperclassman Nabom smiled gently once she heard my grumbling.
“That’s right. I said this a little earlier, but I thought you would realize at that moment. However, it seems this Underclassman Jin Jaro is really dense.”
“It doesn’t feel great being compared to myself······.”
I complained in response to her warm smile and strangely fitting teasing tone. Should I say my previous generation······? At any rate, just how sharp was my previous self that everyone is acting like this?
“······Wait.”
Everyone?
“Wait a second.”
I may actually be really dense, but I felt like something was off.
I looked at Upperclassman Nabom and asked her a question. Upperclassman Nabom simply continued to smile.
“Jayeon was here when she was Jaim and she’s here now, so she can call me dense since she’s met me twice, but how do you know if I’m denser, Upperclassman Nabom?”
Jayeon traveled back in time twice, so I understood it was possible for her to notice these sort of small changes, but what about Upperclassman Nabom?
“Have you perhaps traveled to the past once before this because of a case related to Jaim or something and met my previous self?”
‘Previous self’, it feels weird saying this. I feel like my sense of time is gradually becoming convoluted.
Upperclassman Nabom chuckled. For some reason, this laugh felt different from all of her other laughs until now.
How should I explain it? It was an incomprehensible laugh that was filled with joy, regret, a sense of refreshment, and many other emotions that were difficult to mix.
Upperclassman Nabom cleared her throat once she noticed my gaze and answered my question.
“Pardon me. Well, it’s my third time.”
“······Your third time?”
“It’s my third time here. Although it’s only my second time meeting you, Underclassman Jin Jaro.”
There were several emotions mixed into her smile. I had no way of knowing the meaning behind her smile. I didn’t understand those words either.
“It’s your third time traveling back in time?”
This was the first thought that came to mind. She said she was an agent, after all, so there’s a chance that she had been dispatched to the past before. But what does she mean when she said this was her second time seeing me? Did she see me when I was much younger? Or did I perhaps meet the younger version of Upperclassman Nabom?
I don’t know. Although it seems Jayeon, Upperclassman Nabom, and maybe Saeyeon think that I should naturally be able to figure these things out, I have no idea what they’re talking about. The reason why Jayeon and Upperclassman Nabom argue? How should I know? This is her second time meeting me? What’s this supposed to mean? Something I have to talk about with Upperclassman Nabom? What are we supposed to talk about?
If these were facts that I simply couldn’t figure out, then I would be frustrated, but it was a bit different.
Because Upperclassman Nabom was laughing right now.
“Ku, kuhuhuhu······. Ah, ahahaha······.”
Upperclassman Nabom laughed louder and louder as if she couldn’t handle it any longer. I’ve seen this person laugh a fair amount of times, but this was my first time seeing her laugh like this.
“J-Just how dense, Underclassman Jin Jaro······ Ahahahahaha······!”
She lowered her body and trembled. For some reason, this laughter gave off an atmosphere that prevented me from complaining. I felt as if I were being pressured.
And I also felt anxious.
I don’t know whether it was because of Upperclassman Nabom’s laughter, or because this was a fact that everyone seemed to know except for me. However, I know one thing. I know that I’m missing one important piece of the puzzle and that’s why Upperclassman Nabom is laughing like that.
Laughing as if she couldn’t bear it. Herself, me, everything.
I couldn’t utter my usual complaints or grumble while in front of this laughter.
I could only wait anxiously for whatever was going to come out of her mouth next.
“Haa······. This Underclassman Jin Jaro truly is dense.”
Upperclassman Nabom raised her head while trying to catch her breath after laughing so much. There were even tears in her eyes because of how much she laughed.
“If I knew it would be like this, then I should have tried to seduce you more aggressively. If I had let things go like this, then you might have never figured it out. If that happened, then······.”
After letting out a small sigh, Upperclassman Nabom spoke with a smile still on her face. There were tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. She brought her face close to mine. Our noses nearly touched.
My entire field of vision was filled with Upperclassman Nabom’s face.
“Seriously, you figured it out so quickly when I was little, but why are you so dense this time?”
“When, you were little······?”
Come to think of it, she said something similar to this when we were talking about Jayeon. That she didn’t act like that when she was little. I thought she was just saying that about kids these days in general.
“As I thought, instead of only being happy about you responding to me and messing around with you, should I have given Underclassman Jin Jaro more of a hint since you’re so dumb and dense?”
Upperclassman Nabom’s words. That strangely familiar intonation.
⎯⎯⎯When I was little.
I remembered.
The conversation Jaim and I had a long time ago.
The conversation we had while Saeyeon, Nanda, and Upperclassman Nabom weren’t present.
I suddenly remembered the conversation we had which no one else could have possibly overheard.
⎯⎯⎯When Upperclassman Nabom was little.
“······No, that’s ridiculous.”
The puzzle pieces started to fall into place inside my head because of those words.
The hidden cameras that I couldn’t find no matter how hard I searched. The hidden cameras she claimed to have installed even though she never came over to our place before.
Claiming to have watched the footage from her hidden cameras, Upperclassman Nabom knew things that only Jaim, Saeyeon, and I could have known.
The fact she said it was hard to deal with Jaim, but even harder to deal with Saeyeon.
The fact she fawned over the popular star, Shin Nanda. The time she spoke informally.
The fact she would enjoy going to places with me to a strange degree.
The fact she would only mess with me and say idle jokes to me.
The fact she disliked being ignored and looked forward to my reactions.
When I went to Upperclassman Nabom’s place, she said the same thing I had said to Jaim, ‘Is there a problem with me walking around my home comfortably?’.
The fact she would sometimes call me the same thing Jaim does, ‘a complete piece of junk’.
Whenever she got excited or worked up, she had the same habit as Jaim of bringing her face so close to mine that our noses nearly touched.
The fact she would always jokingly say ‘a physical relationship’.
The sad look on her face when she told me that Saeyeon was going to die in 2 years.
It’s possible to come up with a different explanation for each and every one of these. You can interpret them all differently. Honestly, the thought in my head right now is ridiculous. There are plenty of explanations that aren’t ridiculous.
However, regardless of that, it’s ridiculous, but······.
I couldn’t deny it.
“That’s why I would always tell you that we had a ‘physical relationship’. Well, I did say it in a more roundabout way, though.”
While looking at me whose mouth was half agape, Upperclassman Nabom, no, was it all right for me to call her ‘Upperclassman Nabom’ now?
“I’ve been constantly waiting. Until the day you finally realize.”
Everything was explained.
It was ridiculous, but it still explained everything.
The fact that she was on good terms with Jaim even though they argued a lot, the fact that she and Jaim No. 2 teased and disliked each other, the fact that she was friendly towards Saeyeon, but kept a fair distance away from her, and the fact that she would sometimes look sad. Everything. All of these things.
There were hints. Several of them.
To the point that I have to fully admit that I’m seriously dense.
But, despite that.
“Don’t, don’t tell me······.”
“······Have you finally realized?”
The tears that had gathered in the corners of Upperclassman Nabom’s eyes flowed down.
The beauty spot, which was one of Upperclassman Nabom’s distinct features, was erased by her tears.
She then concluded.
“⎯⎯⎯Dad.”
