Chapter 140
“You look really tired.”
Even though it was late, she wanted to repay that kindness now.
She also felt so sorry for the woman that she wanted to do something for her. The situation where she not only couldn’t save Jin-ah but also had to pretend she didn’t know anything, keeping her mouth tightly shut and doing nothing, was so frustrating that she wanted to do something. She wanted to do something that she could do. Something she could do even if she wasn’t a magical girl.
But, would something like that really be a repayment? Maybe it would be even more…….
“Miss, you look really tired.”
Heesu was startled by the voice that suddenly spoke and looked in that direction.
This time, it wasn’t a hallucination. The woman, who looked even more haggard than before, was looking at her with a wistful smile. Heesu, who was staring blankly at her face, flustered, not knowing what to do.
“No. You look more…….”
Tired…….
Heesu, who was about to say that, pressed her lips together. She thought for a long time about whether she should say the words that were on the tip of her tongue, but she ended up just swallowing them. The same went for the other words.
Are you okay? May she rest in peace. Jin-ah must have gone to a good place. It must hurt a lot, but please be strong. I’m sorry I couldn’t save her. It’s all my fault…….
She couldn’t say any of it. The moment she was about to speak, she hesitated, afraid that she would inflict an even greater wound on the sadness the woman was feeling. As she hesitated and hesitated, in the end, there were no words that she could utter. Heesu, who was experiencing the death of someone close to her for the first time, had no idea what to say in a situation like this. She didn’t even know if she had the right to say such things.
“Here, drink this.”
The woman handed something to Heesu. It was a cup of coffee. Heesu, who had received it in a daze, blinked blankly.
“Oh…….”
“It’s great when you’re tired.”
The woman smiled as she said that. Over her face, the smiling face of Jin-ah she had seen that day overlapped. The especially clear eyes she saw through her round glasses and the gentle eyes she saw between her wrinkled eye corners.
Heesu felt like she knew where Jin-ah’s kindness had come from. She even thought that perhaps that day, she had received the woman’s kindness through Jin-ah.
“Thank you.”
Heesu bowed her head. She couldn’t miss the chance to say thank you this time either.
“It’s nothing.”
The woman smiled again and looked at the place Heesu had been staring at. It was the job posting attached to the window. Heesu stammered, looking at her profile.
“It looks like you’re…… looking for someone.”
“Yeah. But the hours are a little awkward, so I don’t know if I’ll be able to find anyone.”
Should I say I’ll do it?
As Heesu hesitated and worried beside her, the woman turned her head and looked at her.
“Do you want to try it, young lady?”
It was said in a joking tone.
“Oh, m-me?”
Heesu was surprised by the sudden question and asked again, even stammering. The woman, who interpreted her look as one of being in a difficult position, chuckled.
“It’s a joke. Don’t worry about it.”
As the woman was about to turn away again, Heesu, feeling unnecessarily desperate, quickly spoke.
“No, it’s not that……!”
“Huh?”
The woman looked back at Heesu with a puzzled expression. Facing her, Heesu scratched her head, feeling awkward.
“Actually, I…… was looking for a job…….”
Heesu stopped speaking there and pressed her lips together again. The words were just on the tip of her tongue and wouldn’t come out.
‘If I’m here, won’t it make you more miserable because it’ll remind you of Jin-ah?’
She actually wanted to ask that. But she couldn’t. No matter how much she thought about it, that was a question she shouldn’t ask. But as long as she had that thought, she couldn’t easily stay here either. So she kept worrying and hesitating. She did that even as she felt frustrated with herself.
The woman quietly looked at Heesu’s face as she worried with her lips pressed together. She stared at her, and as if she had read the question on her face, she answered.
“I’d like that.”
“Huh?”
As Heesu’s eyes widened in surprise, the woman smiled softly.
“If you’re here, I feel like my daughter is here, and that would be really nice.”
“…….”
Heesu was stunned by those words. She stared blankly at the woman, then suddenly nodded.
“I-I’ll do it, then.”
“Oh my. Really?”
“Yes.”
The woman smiled and held out her hand to Heesu.
“Thank you. I look forward to working with you.”
“No. I’m the one who should be more grateful.”
Heesu swallowed the rest of her words as she shook hands with the woman.
Thank you. For giving me a chance to repay you, even if it’s late and only a little.
Heesu held the woman’s hand tightly, just like on that day.
The weight in her heart had been lifted a little. Even though she had gone through something more tragic than that day, the woman was not crying today and was smiling. That was really nice.
Even if she wasn’t a magical girl, there was something she could do. Right here.
***
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