Chapter 240 – Harmony (End)
In the vast, utterly silent flower garden, only I and Iria remained.
The hideous humans who had groveled for their lives in terror had fled somewhere,
and after that, even scouring the lab for a way off the island yielded no sign of life.
There was no way to know what had become of those humans, but one thing was certain: it was all over.
Feeling lighthearted, I returned from this blood-soaked place to the only beautiful thing left: the flower garden.
A white flower garden, almost light pink, shimmering with the sky and sunlight,
and upon it, kneeling, Iria, whose hair shone as brilliantly as the flower garden itself.
She sat quietly, eyes closed, before the spear piercing Kin’s body.
“I checked everything. There was nothing that seemed dangerous, and no way off the island.”
I approached Iria, who was silently bowing her head, and started talking about trivial things.
That we couldn’t leave the island right away, that there was nothing dangerous, just pointless chatter.
“…Yeah, so what should we do now?”
“Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out. If they notice they haven’t heard from us, they’ll come to get us.”
I took off my coat and gave it to Iria, who was naked, having regained her original body.
She held the coat tightly, opened her eyes, stood up, and turned to me, offering her hand.
“…Can you lend me your hand for a moment?”
“Of course…”
As I placed my dirt-covered hand over her slender, white one,
a small flash of beautiful silver absorbed the blue light from my hand.
Iria extended her silver-tinged hand, now imbued with blue light, towards Kin’s corpse.
Then, roots emerged from the soil and began to entwine Kin’s body,
and soon, hidden by the roots, he quietly vanished into the earth, completely erased from this world.
“Thank you for lending me your hand.”
“It’s nothing, it wasn’t originally mine anyway.”
“…Hehe…”
Iria simply smiled. Looking at me while fiddling with the crude flower ring,
she was beautiful, gazing at me with a smile that seemed both sad and relieved.
“They’ll probably come to rescue us tomorrow, so let’s spend the night here.”
“Huh? Rescue us? Who?”
“Your partners. I just asked all the petals connected to me to come and get us.
By now, everyone should know, and the news should have reached Lapis too. Let’s just wait a little longer.”
“Oh, you could do that?”
“I couldn’t before… but now that I’ve returned to my original body, I feel something strange.
It’s a subtle feeling, like another version of me is connected to me…”
The reason Kin tried to make Iria’s body his partner must have been because of this power.
Iria herself, connected to the petals resurrected in human bodies in the modern era.
If he used that power, he could instantly obtain all the petals scattered throughout the world.
But I’m not interested in that immense power. And it seems Iria isn’t either.
Of course, if I thought about it, I could have all the women in the world…
But it would be hard to manage, and more than anything, it’s a hassle. And the biggest reason is…
“…So, how does it feel? Being resurrected in your original body?”
Because Iria wouldn’t want that. That power isn’t mine; it’s hers.
I didn’t save her because I wanted that power. I kept the promise I made to get her back.
My ‘person,’ the beautiful woman who smiled, whom I moved heaven and earth to save,
I asked Iria how she felt. What she was feeling now, hoping she would answer with a smile.
“It doesn’t feel particularly different, but… there’s one thing that bothers me…”
“Something that bothers you?”
Unlike my expectations, Iria hesitated, scratching her cheek.
Was there something uncomfortable? Well, she had been buried for countless ages,
and it hadn’t even been a day since she regained her body, so her physical condition might be a little strange…
“…Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Should we sit down and rest for a bit?”
I approached Iria, who had a strange expression, and examined her condition with green light.
Her body temperature was rising, her heart was racing, I wondered if she had a fever-
“It’s not that… As I said before, this body is now more strongly connected to everyone else…
So, it’s incomparable to when I was just a soul or borrowing a human body… That’s…”
“Huh?”
“…Everyone’s feelings are being conveyed to me clearly. The feelings towards you are doubling, tripling, constantly increasing…”
I could only stare blankly at Iria, who was blushing and twisting her body.
For some reason, I saw the faces of Chaeyun, Seohee, and Sua overlapping in her.
Had Iria come to love me because of the emotions of the petals connected to her,
or had she come to love me of her own free will? I wouldn’t know, but…
“…I know what you’re thinking. I liked you even before everyone’s feelings mixed together.”
“…I didn’t do anything, I’m not that man. I’m just a human who used that power as he pleased.”
“That’s right, you’re not Hir. In fact, you’re completely different from the Hir I knew.
But you took me out of Kin’s prison and helped me finish what Hir couldn’t.”
“…..”
“And you saved me, even though you said it would have been fine to leave me as I was. Still not convinced?
That alone seems like a good enough reason to like you, Chanwoo, why… why are you so insecure?”
……
I’m not exactly a righteous person. Rather, I’m a somewhat twisted and hypocritical human being,
a far cry from Hir, the king of the roots she loved.
I’d rather she told me it was an emotion driven by the instinct of the petals, like Chaeyun and everyone else,
a manufactured emotion, but I’m currently receiving pure love.
I was embarrassed but happy when I talked to Sister Iran and Lapis about the same feelings.
At the same time, I also felt anxious, wondering, ‘Do I really deserve this kind of love?’
But I’ve forgotten how to deal with the love directed at me again. Honestly, it’s a little scary.
‘Am I really worthy of responding to their genuine feelings?’
A question I ask myself, and I know the answer. I know I’m not worthy.
I’m too far removed to respond to their heartfelt feelings.
“I…”
What was I about to answer? As words I didn’t even know myself swirled in my mouth-
“……”
Iria, who hugged me as if pushing me away, kissed me, and we fell onto the flower garden.
The soft touch and Iria’s emotions and comfort, felt along with the fragrant scent of flowers.
“…I loved you, I love you, and I will continue to love you. What about you?”
“…Thank you, and I love you too.”
Having heard my answer, Iria smiled and took off the coat she was wearing, revealing her pure white skin.
She collapsed on top of me, resting her forehead on my chest, and I stroked her hair.
“…I won’t regret it.”
I am not loved. Not by anyone, no matter how much time passes.
That’s why I hesitated, not wanting to miss the love someone was genuinely giving me.
Only then did my eyes begin to open. The setting sun piercing my eyes and the white flowers filling my vision.
The beautiful silver hair and the flower ring on Iria’s hand, which was clasped in mine.
I was the one who first conveyed my love to her. And she had given me that answer.
From the beginning, there was no need to be afraid that she would leave me someday, that I wasn’t good enough for her.
“…When we get back, I’ll get you something better, and we’ll have a wedding that we couldn’t have in the old days.”
“….Hehehe….”
Iria’s small laughter was heard.
“…You really kept your promise, Oppa.”
Iria raised her head with a familiar habit of speech.
I embraced her with both arms and slowly approached, kissing her.
One night, 24 hours, was long, and we were the ones setting fire to the darkening twilight.
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After spending a night on the deserted island, Minjung came to pick us up as Iria had said.
Sister Iran had separately copied the coordinates file of the research lab, so she said it wasn’t difficult to find this place,
and everyone who heard the voice ringing in their heads told Minjung about our situation.
Hearing Chaeyun and Seohee, she flew all the way here just in case,
and found Iria and me sleeping soundly against a tree in the center of the empty lab.
However, other than the two of us, there was not a single person left alive on the island,
and some of Kin’s subordinates who had fled seemed to have escaped the island, but not ‘all’ of them.
When I heard Minjung’s story, it seemed that there had been friction in the escape process, and they had fought each other.
In the end, the Research Society headquarters was almost annihilated due to Kin and the remaining remnants’ division, and the hidden executives and chairman.
It is said that the executives hiding in other branches may move to revive the Research Society,
but without the main data left in the Research Society headquarters, the remaining remnants will soon self-destruct.
Still, just in case… before leaving this place, I poured out blue light all over the island.
I collapsed the entire research lab with roots of an enormous scale that wrapped around the entire island.
Even if someone set foot on this island, all they would find would be dust.
The only memory I have left is up to that point. The moment I stretched, saying it was all over, and boarded the plane,
I was later told by Iria that I had collapsed in that position.
It must have been because I used too much power to destroy a research lab the size of an island.
When I came to my senses, I was already on my bed in Seoul.
It had been almost three days since I had escaped from that island.
I was about to feel relieved by the familiar scenery and the moderately languid but not bad condition, but…
In this country, I am a wanted fugitive. Although I caught Nigeum, one of the real culprits,
it is impossible to reveal his identity with the information or knowledge that humans possess,
and since the fact that I am related to them is true, this country was still chasing me.
I couldn’t rashly visit my parents in my hometown, or even go outside recklessly.
But Iria, who had been asleep for quite a long time like me, came to me and said quietly.
‘This time, I’ll help you.’
The power residing in Iria’s body, the power to control the petals originating from her.
It was decided to use that power and the flowerpots that Chaeyun and everyone else had made.
The flowerpots spread pollen throughout Seoul, and the pollen erased the memories of the humans who inhaled it.
The existence of the heinous criminal ‘Im Chanwoo’ was erased, and Minjung took charge of the media and large institutions.
The main data left in the Research Society and the vast amount of embezzled funds silenced the government.
Data and huge sums of money recording the corruption and criminal acts of politicians and high-ranking officials in each country.
With those dirty means, the heavy and heavy sins they had placed on me were simply disappearing.
In the first month, the ‘Seonghwe University Murder Case’ was still occasionally mentioned.
In the second month, the photo of Nigeum, who was revealed as the perpetrator of the case, had a name I had never heard before,
and before I knew it, people were too busy cursing Nigeum, who had ‘committed suicide,’ rather than mentioning me.
In the third month, even if I went outside, I could no longer find anyone who knew my name.
And this morning was the fourth month, the fourth month since I had been forgotten by everyone.
## “…어제 부모님을 찾아뵙고 오셨다고 들었습니다만, 큰 문제는 없었습니까?”
Sitting at the table, casually munching on snacks, Theresa approached me.
“There wasn’t anything for you to worry about. No one recognized me on the bus.
But I got a bit of a scolding from Mom and Dad. Asking what I’d been up to, why I was only coming now.”
“So, what did you do?”
“I just erased the memories related to that incident in a blue hue. Mom, Dad, even my sibling.
Tell Iria I’m sorry for the trouble. Family matters should be resolved by the person involved.”
The story of visiting family after the incident the day before, without even a phone call.
My parents were angry, asking what was going on, but it seemed they were worried after all.
I used a bit of power to ensure my family and acquaintances in my hometown wouldn’t be harmed because of me, and then returned.
Of course, even while this was happening, Theresa and Minjung were traveling around the country, cleaning up the aftermath.
But I felt responsible for erasing my family’s memories myself, so I went out for the first time in a while…
“…How was your first time outside in a while?”
“Nothing much had changed. Summer’s almost over, so it’s getting cooler, and maybe that’s why there are so many people.
I still prefer being at home. It’s not noisy, and I don’t have to be self-conscious.”
The sound of the TV mixed with Theresa’s voice; I picked up the remote, turned off the TV, and leaned back in the chair.
The living room was quiet at last, and I lay there idly, feeling bored. Is this how unemployed people always feel?
Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever had this much free time since entering university.
When I was in school, I was always chasing after assignments, and after dropping out, I was chased by strange organizations.
Others enjoy small moments of leisure in their daily lives, but I only got it after going through all sorts of hell…
How funny is that? I don’t even know if the leisure I gained is worth all that hardship…
“…Hehe, I like home too. No, anywhere with Master…♡ In that sense…”
Theresa slightly loosened her collar, her face flushed a light red as she approached me.
She moved the chair next to me and stood in its place, slowly caressing my leg.
But…
“…Huh?”
“Sorry, someone got here first. You’ll have to wait your turn.”
“…Chu, unghuhu…♡ How unfortunate.”
Theresa lowered her gaze to see what was at the end of her fingertips,
And at the end of that gaze, Chaeyun was kneeling in front of me, licking my dick.
“…Why are you here again?”
“Always acting mean, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen Oppa too.
You’re always spending time with him in the same house, so you should give way a little. Chu-lup, um…♡”
Theresa’s eyes and voice turned cold as she argued with Chaeyun, neither willing to back down.
“You, I know you were with Master yesterday, right? And you say it’s been a long time?
I can’t believe a bitch like you is ‘Iria.’ So shameless and arrogant, how dare you…”
“Yes, you’re right. Yesterday, I was with Oppa as ‘Lee Chaeyun,’ and today I’m ‘Iria.’
I’m exhausted from traveling around the country, so I’m meeting Oppa like this, okay? Isn’t that right, Theresa?”
“…Seriously, you guys…!”
Theresa’s face turned red not with excitement, but with a different emotion, and she clenched her fists, trembling.
She gave up arguing with Chaeyun, turned around, and went into the kitchen.
“…She’s angry. Apologize later, she does weird things when she’s like that…
Last time you did that, she put medicine in the food, or tied me to the bed…”
“Heehee…♡ I know, so don’t worry too much. ‘The original me’ wouldn’t be like this,
But strangely, when I become ‘Chaeyun,’ I find it fun to torment someone.”
The one smiling bashfully and licking my dick in front of me right now is none other than Chaeyun.
But the fact that one of her pupils is tinged with silver is proof that ‘Iria’ is connected.
It was her new power, connected to her petal-selves, as she regained her original body.
The power to connect her emotions and memories with the petals, possible because they were originally one being.
Of course, it’s just a connection, not possession.
For example, right now, Iria is experiencing Chaeyun’s body, emotions, and memories,
And the only influence she can have on Chaeyun is through communication.
The control of the body and will is in Chaeyun’s hands, that’s their current state.
“And I like that I can be so bold when I’m ‘Chaeyun’…♡”
“Ugh…”
It’s been four months since Iria left for the provinces to help Minjung clean up the aftermath of the incident.
Sometimes, when Iria is exhausted, she borrows the bodies of other petals to meet me from afar.
A few days ago, she used Sua’s body, and a few days before that, she used Yuri’s body to relieve her fatigue and desires.
“…But aren’t you coming back to Seoul soon? When do you think you’ll be back?”
“Hmm… If it goes as Minjung says, I think I’ll go up once we’ve finished touring Daegu.”
“Really? Then let’s go eat marinated ribs when you come up. You like that, right?”
“Oh, I love it! But Oppa, is it okay for you to go outside now?”
“Yeah, I even went to see my parents yesterday. I erased their memories while I was at it…
I wore a hat when I went out, but no one recognized me, thanks to you guys. Thank you.”
“…I still have a long way to go to repay what I’ve received…”
“…Ah, sorry. I think I’m about to cum…”
In the midst of our conversation, which was making us both feel awkward, my urge to ejaculate came crashing in, uninvited.
Chaeyun, perhaps happy that the awkwardness was broken along with the mood, wore a comfortable smile and—
“…Hehe♡ Yes, like always…♡ Ung…”
She took my glans into her lips and began to tickle the tip of my urethra with her tongue.
The tingling sensation on my sensitive spot made my hands clench…
“Ugh…!”
I pulled her head closer and began to release my semen into her mouth.
“…Ung…♡ Eup…♡”
Chaeyun swallowed the semen coming out of my dick without hesitation.
The sound of her swallowing filled the quiet living room.
“…Um, that was delicious♡ Petals are amazing, aren’t they? It tastes sweet.
When I ate it with ‘Iria’s’ body, it was just bitter.”
“…You don’t have to force yourself to swallow when it’s your body.”
Chaeyun, who got up from her spot and licked the semen from the corners of her mouth, smiled sweetly.
She just smiled and slowly approached me without saying a word, lifting her skirt.
“…Then next time, I’ll definitely…♡”
“Ugh, this is the living room… Get a room or do it somewhere people can’t see.”
The voice came just as Chaeyun’s skirt, which had been covering her white, slender legs, was about to be completely lifted.
It was my older sister, Iran, who couldn’t stand it any longer and came out of her room, clicking her tongue in a scolding tone.
“…Iria, you’ve changed a bit since you went to that island with Chanwoo, haven’t you?
I don’t think you were this bold before…”
“Aww, Rapus is just jealous because she hasn’t been able to do it with Oppa for a while, right?
Please bear with it a little longer, for the sake of the baby in your belly♡”
Chaeyun lowered the skirt she had been lifting and gently stroked Iran’s belly as she came out of the room.
Indeed, Iran’s belly hadn’t changed much over the past four months, but it was somewhat swollen.
“How are you feeling, Sis?”
“Well, I’m doing pretty well, except that I’m a little hungry more often these days.
It’s not boring at home because you’re always here, and Theresa’s here too.”
Unlike the petals, my sister had severe morning sickness and headaches during her pregnancy, like humans,
But she seemed to have regained her strength thanks to Theresa, who was always at home, and me, who hadn’t had to go out for a while.
“Is there anything you want to eat? I can order something…”
“Huh? Oh, no… I don’t need delivery… I’ve been craving fruit lately, like persimmons…”
“…What, you want me to go get them?”
Theresa, who had been muttering “persimmons…” in a low voice, seemed flustered by the attention she was getting.
I watched the two of them, who suddenly started arguing as if they were dumbfounded, burst into laughter.
“…Shouldn’t you stop them?”
“Iran is similar to you. She usually just teases Theresa like that.
You said you had a prearranged appointment earlier, right? Let’s go together, I’ll buy some persimmons.”
“Yes, it’s a shame I couldn’t do what I wanted… But I’ll be able to see you again in a week!”
Chaeyun… Iria smiled, stood on tiptoe, and gave me a light kiss on the lips.
“I love you, my king.”
With those words, the silver light that had been shining in the center of her pupils disappeared.
She was still smiling even though the connection between them had been severed, and she took my hand.
………….
………….
“Come to think of it, who are you meeting?”
“That’s a secret until we get there.”
Chaeyun and I walked hand in hand down the street. The clothes of the people around us had changed from short sleeves and shorts
to long sleeves and jeans, and the falling maple leaves told us that the weather had cooled down.
The time that had passed from the day the cherry blossoms fell to the time when the green leaves of summer turned into maple leaves.
Quite a lot of time had passed, and it seemed that many things had changed, but we were walking down a street that was not much different.
I hadn’t changed, and the people hadn’t changed either. It was as if the past commotion had been a lie.
Of course, Chaeyun, who was humming a song next to me as she walked down the street, was the same…
“Ah, there she is! Unni!”
There was only one thing that had changed.
Chaeyun raised her hand and ran towards a fierce-looking woman in the distance.
Seohee was standing in front of a narrow alley, lighting a cigarette,
and behind her was a female student wearing a school uniform.
“Why are you so late? I was waiting for you because you said you wanted to see me.”
“But it doesn’t matter, does it! Ah~ you’re so cute!”
Seohee poked at Chaeyun with a grumbling tone, perhaps because she hadn’t seen me yet,
and Chaeyun, who was already used to her sharp attitude, ignored her as if nothing was wrong.
And the female student, who was being petted by Chaeyun, scratched her cheek, not knowing what to do.
“….Ah.”
Seohee, who had pulled Chaeyun and was making a loud noise because she had ignored her, and Chaeyun, who was denying it,
The girl, who had been awkwardly fiddling with her collar in front of the two of them, suddenly let out a short sound when she looked at me.
It was Nabi. Here, where no one and nothing had changed, the only thing that had changed was Nabi.
A young girl wearing a slightly oversized school uniform with a name tag that read ‘Kim Nabi’ on her chest.
She still hadn’t noticed me and slowly approached me, leaving the two of them who were fighting.
“…It’s been a while.”
“…How have you been? You look much better than last time.”
“Do I? I decided to go to school. I didn’t have any parents or relatives, or any memories of growing up,
and I told Seohee Unni that all I knew was that I was 14 years old this year.
Then… Unni asked me if I really didn’t want to be her younger sister. And then, somehow…
I got an older sister named Kim Seohee, and a mother. And then they told me I had to go to school.
Can you see this name tag? My last name is Kim. ‘Kim Nabi…’ It’s a really weird name, right? It’s really weird…”
Nabi showed me the school uniform name tag with her hand and smiled, then suddenly dropped big teardrops.
“…Thank you, to my sisters and to you…”
……
Kindness and gratitude, which I feel like I haven’t received in a long time besides love.
I don’t know what to do in these situations. I’m sure I used to know.
…I remember now.
I awkwardly raised my hand and patted Nabi’s shoulder. And…
“Congratulations.”
“…Yes, yes…!!”
I only utter one heartfelt word. I don’t know if this is the right thing to do.
Nabi is crying even more sadly than before, let alone answering.
I said that everything hadn’t changed. I thought that everything hadn’t changed.
But in fact, it was me who had changed, and I hadn’t even noticed that I had changed.
I realized this just now while comforting a girl who was crying in front of me.
I ‘had changed.’ I was afraid of everything in the world, and everything in the world had become unfamiliar.
I definitely wasn’t like this when I was young, but I had changed after becoming an adult.
But now, I realized again that I hadn’t changed, but had simply forgotten.
“Huh?! What, Lim Chanwoo, you can come out now?! Nabi, why are you crying again?”
So I had been standing still all this time, and I hadn’t even tried to change.
I can’t help but laugh at the fact that I found out about this after going through all sorts of crazy things.
“…What do you guys like? I’ll pay for dinner today.”
I don’t regret it. I definitely don’t regret meeting them.
A quiet life with the girls who swore eternity with me according to the flower’s ritual,
and the conviction about me as a human being. This is what I have gained.
I took out a small bottle from the inside pocket of my coat and looked at the dozens of petals inside.
“Oppa?”
I stroked Chaeyun’s head as she tilted her head, looking at me, who was standing still.
“Let’s go, do you guys like beef? Or pork?”
“If we’re going to eat, it’s better to eat something expensive. Hey Kim Nabi, hurry up and say yes. He’s treating us.”
“Unni, you have a lot of money, why do you want to do that to Oppa?”
I watched the backs of the three people who were walking ahead of me and fiddled with the bottle containing the petals.
The petals, which maintained their vitality and contained moist moisture despite the cold weather for autumn.
I suppressed the corners of my mouth that were rising without my knowledge and put the bottle back in my pocket, and then,
“….Ouch?!”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
I quietly followed behind them and bumped into a woman’s shoulder.
I apologized to the woman who stumbled from the impact and sprained her ankle, and
tried to follow the group who had already gone far away, but the woman grabbed my wrist.
“Hey! What are you going to do about this?! The heel is broken! Seriously, this is so frustrating…”
…Ah, I guess I haven’t really changed.
“…I’m sorry, are you hurt? I’ll compensate you, so…”
I took out the bottle I had put in my pocket and supported the woman who had fallen to help her up.
“…Can I have your phone number?”
