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Was it really my fault?

I opened the bakery earlier than usual and waited for Si-hyun, my mind filled with worry.

After all, I had put an enormous burden on Si-hyun yesterday.

Looking back, I even hugged Si-hyun from behind. Given that I was in a situation where I had received a confession of sorts from another woman, it was all the more unsettling to wrap my arms around someone trying to run away…

No, perhaps it was even creepier catching a runaway person from behind.

Really, if I could go back to that moment, I would love to smack the back of my head.

On top of that, what I said to Si-hyun in that situation was downright bizarre.

Instead of just saying I liked him, I blurted out that he resembled the person I liked and requested him to stay by my side? You’d doubt if that even counted as something you’d say. If I shared that with Yoori, she’d probably grab her neck and fall over.

I had tried to follow Yoori’s advice, only to tack on a statement that sounded completely off.

I could have simply said there was someone with the same name.

But still, I thought there was probably no other way than that. After all, if I kept hiding my feelings, I would have to reveal them someday.

“……”

Right, if Si-hyun doesn’t show up, it’s my fault.

So—

While I was lost in this inner monologue, Si-hyun’s figure appeared through the shop window.

Without thinking, I jolted up from my seat, then calmly sat back down.

If my actions were too overwhelming, Si-hyun might change his mind.

No, perhaps he was here to say he would quit. He was that kind of good-hearted person. All those words he said yesterday might have been just to spare my feelings, and on further reflection, he might have decided it was too much.

So, it would be best not to get my hopes up.

But even as I thought this, my heart was racing.

Ting-a-ling!

The small bell attached to the shop door rang, and Si-hyun stepped inside.

The expression on Si-hyun’s face as he entered was slightly tense, making my heart nearly drop to the floor.

I struggled to maintain my composure and opened my mouth.

“Hello.”

Maybe it was because I had practiced several times earlier, but my voice didn’t crack.

“Hello.”

Si-hyun replied and walked over to me.

Usually, Si-hyun would head off to change clothes immediately. Then he’d come out and stand behind the counter beside me, chatting about various things to start the workday.

But this time, Si-hyun walked directly towards me.

Thump-thump!

My heartbeat echoed loudly in my ears.

“Older Sister.”

Si-hyun opened his mouth, facing me.

“I have something I want to talk about.”

At those words, time seemed to freeze.

*

When I finished speaking, the four of them were at a loss for words.

They simply stared at me in silence.

I spoke about everything that had happened to me, sharing my thoughts as they came to me.

The emptiness I felt when I first arrived here. The sense of loss from having to speak to my family as if they were strangers. The anxiety of not being able to express my feelings while having the person I liked right beside me. And my worries about the events from that day.

I still liked my older sister, but she liked the old version of me. So I didn’t know what to do.

I wanted to grow closer to her, but I didn’t know how—

I poured out not only what had happened but also all my worries as if I had lost grip of my hands.

So it was no surprise they were left speechless after hearing everything I said.

“……Um.”

The first to break the silence was Kalia.

“It sounds like you’ve been troubled a lot. I’m sorry we didn’t notice sooner.”

At Kalia’s words, I almost burst into tears without realizing it.

Maybe it was because my emotions had been so raw while speaking. But I bit my lip to hold back. After all, I had lived longer as a man. While I had cried before, I didn’t want to shed tears due to my pride. At least not in front of others.

“It feels a bit odd to say this now, but—”

Kalia cleared her throat and continued.

“We came here to help you. The Goddess herself asked us to.”

“The Goddess?”

In an instant, my tears went away. Why would the Goddess care?

“Well, she knows how much you’ve been struggling.”

“……”

I could feel my face getting hot.

So it turned out I couldn’t control my feelings, and now even the Goddess was worried. And now my companions had come here because of it—

“Your expressions are readable, you know? You heard it from beyond the door, right? We’re comfortable being here together. So stop with the strange thoughts. You don’t have to shoulder it all alone.”

At that, Dana looked at me with a bit of anger on her face.

“What, we’re companions, right? We put our lives on the line and traveled together. It’s time to share the burden.”

“Exactly.”

Pia, who had been listening, nodded vigorously.

“Just because you’re a Hero doesn’t mean you have to bear everything alone. That’s why we form parties and go together. Each of us has our strengths and weaknesses. If the Hero tries to do everything alone, what about the rest of us?”

“……”

This time, it was my turn to be left speechless.

Arna watched us quietly, but it wasn’t that she had nothing to say; rather, it seemed she felt that her companions had already said everything she wanted to express. Watching her lean against the wall with her arms crossed, I felt I could hear all the things she wanted to say without her needing to speak.

“Well, I agree with them. After all, we’re companions.”

Having listened to everything, Kalia said with a satisfied expression as she smiled.

“However.”

And soon her expression turned serious.

“The problem is that none of us here has dated anyone before. Even if we pooled all the knowledge and wisdom of the four women present… honestly, I don’t think it’d be a huge help.”

“Ah.”

Pia and Dana’s faces turned bright red in an instant.

“Well, I guess there’s really not much to worry about.”

But Arna seemed to think differently.

“When it comes to this, besides being honest like you did earlier, I think there’s no other way.”

Seeing all those gazes directed at her, Arna let out a small sigh.

“……Even if I look like this, I’ve lived for over 150 years. During that time, I’ve seen plenty of people confess and fail or succeed. Typically, those who try to hide their true reasons and beat around the bush end up a step behind.”

“……”

Oh.

We had no choice but to feel dumbfounded by her unexpected words.

Indeed, while Arna looked similar to us, she was actually an elf who had lived for quite a long time. They said she was treated like a newly-adult among elves, but—

“Don’t think that I’m asking you to divulge all your secrets. Just be honest about how you feel about that A-yoon person and what you want to do from here on. After all, she’s made her feelings clear to you.”

“……Wouldn’t that seem weird?”

“If we’re going to talk about what’s strange and what’s not, isn’t what she said to you even stranger?”

At that, I had no response.

Seeing me like this, Arna smiled softly.

“If you fail, well, that’s something you can deal with when it happens. At least she was courageous enough to come to you. Isn’t it only polite that you do the same?”

*

Indeed, she was right.

My sister had come to me. She confessed to me out of fear of being rejected.

And I had messed up before her.

That wasn’t being polite to the other person.

So, I stepped forward differently this time.

“Older Sister, there’s something I want to talk about.”

And I grabbed her hand firmly.

Her eyes widened in surprise. Seeing her shoulders tremble, I honestly almost lost my courage.

However, I recalled Arna’s words once more.

Right, my sister had given me the courage.

Now it was my turn to be brave.

“I have conditions too.”

“C-conditions?”

My sister questioned, her voice shaking.

“Yes.”

I took a deep breath, steeling my resolve to respond.

Right, I’d think about failure after it happened.

What I wanted to say was—

“I don’t want to be a substitute for that person.”

My sister’s pupils shook violently.

“Not as a substitute for that person, but as myself.”

Not as a shadow of my past but as who I am now.

“Not as a replacement for that person, but as me.”

I steeled my resolve and finally spoke the last part.

“I, Cha Si-hyun, want to be by your side, Older Sister. Is that okay?”