Chapter 12: “Homecoming and Small Gifts”

“Phew….”

I’m tired and exhausted.

The biggest reason was spending the whole day rummaging through the Gate.

Next came haggling with the buyer, and after that, I was worn out from buying various items.

It was just one more child, and yet I didn’t understand why so many things were needed.

What tired me even more was attempting to awaken at the Gate after collecting Petra and herbs.

If I had succeeded, I wouldn’t have been this exhausted.

To get to the point… I failed.

Awakening as an Esper on your own was never easy.

You have to feel the mana in your body and awaken it.

Most people can’t, which is why they naturally awaken as they grow older.

But I had already experienced it.

I could feel the mana deep in my heart.

All I had to do was focus and draw it out.

I thought it would be simple.

But something was wrong.

It was as if a thick wall surrounded the mana room, making it impossible to extract anything.

After struggling for a long time, I gave up, grabbed my things, and left the Gate.

That’s when the unease began.

I never wanted to live as an Esper, but I also didn’t intend to spend my life as a normal person.

Surviving in an increasingly harsh world without any abilities would be extremely difficult.

Even to live an ordinary life comfortably, enhanced physical abilities from being a special individual were helpful.

But then I thought… maybe I’ll never awaken.

Could I live properly with a normal body…?

“Hyung! Hyung-ah!”

It was while I was climbing the uphill path home, carrying my heavy load with an exhausted body and mind.

From afar, I heard a familiar voice.

Waving his short arms, Jaeyul came running down toward me.

“What? Why are you out here?”

“You didn’t come, so I came to meet you! And the streetlights down there aren’t on, it’s dark.”

…How trivial. What could you possibly do in the dark…?

But the way he spoke so boldly was kind of cute.

It was admirable that he came out to wait for me.

I suppose this is how it feels to have a dog.

When you leave and come back, they wag their tail and give you energy… something like that.

“There’s a lot… I’ll carry it!”

Jaeyul boldly grabbed the heaviest shopping bag from my hands.

“It’s heavy. You can’t carry that.”

“No… I… can… ah…!”

As expected.

Jaeyul struggled and barely took a few steps before setting the bag down.

“Give me that, and carry this.”

I gave him the big but light bag.

His willingness to help was endearing.

Come to think of it, I was a bit late.

Had he eaten properly? I should get home earlier from now on.

Leaving a child alone too long felt uncomfortable.

“Soon… I’ll be able to carry all this!”

“Okay. I’ll look forward to it.”

“Really….”

How long will those fragile arms last…?

Even picking up a spoon with those toy-like hands seemed miraculous.

I climbed the hill home with Jaeyul leading the way.

But something felt strange.

Normally, coming home meant lights off, emptiness, and no warmth.

But the house was brightly lit and unfamiliar.

It looked cleaner than before, and I sensed the smell of people living here.

Jaeyul dashed to the kitchen, stacking the bags neatly, and brought a meal.

“…What’s this…?”

I watched awkwardly, feeling like I was in someone else’s house.

“You were late… so I thought you’d be hungry when you got back….”

He scratched his neck awkwardly, avoiding my gaze.

The spread on the table… was incredible.

Some store-bought side dishes I’d bought, two packs of instant rice, and a fried egg with a slightly burnt edge.

On top, he had drawn a heart with ketchup… as decoration.

Mismatched spoons and chopsticks were aligned neatly on each end.

“…S-sorry… did I make you angry…? I don’t know much….”

He seemed to think my silence meant that.

“But! You’ll learn quickly… just give me a little time… ugh….”

What was he sad about?

The child spoke with all his heart, his voice eventually moist with emotion.

They say human emotions are contagious, and I felt it too.

A strange heaviness rose in my chest.

Because of his tearful voice, his drooping shoulders, the humble meal, and imagining him cleaning and preparing food while waiting for me…

I still didn’t know how to console a crying child.

So I just sat down at the prepared table and picked up chopsticks.

I shoved a completely burnt fried egg into my mouth.

“Delicious. Thank you.”

It had been years since I ate a meal prepared for me.

The last time was when I lived with my parents.

Even a burnt fried egg felt warm and comforting.

“Uh… there’s more!”

Encouraged by my words, Jaeyul brought another plate of burnt eggs from inside.

Completely blackened, a pile of ashes…?

“Our Jaeyul… burned an entire tray of eggs….”

My heart, about to feel touched, quickly cooled.

“B-but… I gave you the nicest one….”

…No more cooking for him.

“Yeah… thanks. You should eat too. You’re hungry, right?”

Finally, Jaeyul relaxed and sat across from me.

I quietly watched him eat.

I understood why he did this.

He wanted to show he could help, to earn more time living here.

I knew the intention wasn’t completely pure, but I thought it was fine to indulge him a little.

If he’s willing to try… that’s enough.

A desperate child like this… deserves some grace.

“Jaeyul.”

“Hmm…?”

His friend was my smartphone.

Seeing him lying in the living room, staring at the small screen, I felt glad I prepared this gift.

He sat up at my call, still wearing the clothes I wore when I was young, the neck binding stretched, revealing one shoulder.

“This is a present.”

I pushed the paper bag containing the things I bought today toward him.

Jaeyul hesitated to reach for the bag, which was as big as his body.

“…A present…?”

“Yes. Open it.”

He carefully unpacked each item.

A second-hand smartphone, some clothes, and shoes I had splurged on.

Everything except the phone was gift-wrapped.

It wasn’t a special day, but wrapping was free, so I had done it to make it feel like a gift.

“…All of this… is for me…?”

Jaeyul couldn’t take his eyes off the items.

“A housewarming gift.”

“What’s that…?”

…He knows about mandatory education, but not housewarming gifts?

“It’s for living with me. Don’t like it?”

“Ah… well… it’s fine….”

He slid the unwrapped items toward me.

He probably couldn’t let go, lingering over the phone and clothes.

What a little kid… Normally, kids just enjoy gifts, right?

This reaction was unexpected.

“…It’s enough already, really….”

“Why? Don’t you want to wear nice clothes or shoes?”

“…Well….”

He scratched a nonexistent nail and chose his words carefully.

When he finally spoke, it left me speechless.

“If it costs you a lot… you’d hate it too….”

I wondered… what kind of treatment had this child endured…?