“Multiple Personality?”
Areum asked that after listening to my explanation.
Um… if you want to put it that way, it’s somewhat similar.
Of course, only Sara knew my true identity, and I hadn’t explained it in detail to Areum. I only mentioned that I was another personality living within Sara’s mind.
So, from the description alone, I might just look like a patient suffering from a mental illness rather than someone who crossed over from another world.
“And the personality I’ve been meeting is not the original ‘Sara’ but rather you, who appeared this year?”
“Yeah, well, that’s right.”
I answered, sipping my coffee. The bitter, cold liquid wet my insides. I didn’t really feel thirsty.
“……”
Areum, with her lips closed and a slight frown on her forehead, seemed not overwhelmingly shocked. Normally, she made a variety of expressions, so if she had been horrified, it would have been super obvious.
“……I see.”
And just like that, she easily accepted it.
“……Is that it?”
“Eh?”
Surprised by her lackluster reaction, I asked, and Areum tilted her head.
“Um… I thought I’d be more surprised.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Areum nod and say.
“I was surprised.”
But her expression didn’t look surprised at all.
“But, thinking it over one by one, it somehow makes sense. I guess the personality changed a bit in between.”
“……”
Is that really enough to convince her? I expected Areum to go all ‘Whaaat?’ like a cartoon character.
“Don’t you think it’s strange?”
“Is it strange?”
Areum looked a bit confused, and I thought for a moment before speaking as if letting it out.
“Uh, I thought there’d be talks about fixing the personality or going to the hospital…”
If I didn’t voice these concerns now, I thought there might be unexpected outbursts later when talking to Areum, or during school life.
Well, since Areum said she liked me, she wouldn’t use this against me.
Areum thought for a while and replied.
“You’re just in a somewhat special situation. Having multiple personalities isn’t bothering anyone. You all seem to get along well, right?”
Since Areum presented such a rational opinion, I had nothing to say.
… How frustrating.
I clearly spoke as if I was feeling ‘Ah, I’ve been found out!’ but the other party’s reaction was so lukewarm.
Besides, it’s not like it was a bad reaction; it felt like a lukewarm positive response, making my prior tension feel utterly pointless.
“Besides…”
Areum suddenly blushed and said.
“The one I’ve started to like is the one who appeared later, right?”
“……”
Um, I really don’t know how to respond to this.
Well done.
No, what can I say to a married man receiving a confession from a high school girl?…
“Are you two dating?”
Sohee, who had been watching, suddenly spoke up.
“Um….”
No, it’s a bit pitiful to say no given Areum’s state.
Besides, this question applied not just to Areum but also to Ha Neul, Sohee, and Sara, who I see every day.
“Well, we’re not dating yet.”
Areum waved her hands while blushing.
“Riiight?”
Sohee dragged out her words, asking.
Geez, Areum. Sohee has seemed off since yesterday, hasn’t she? I hope she doesn’t poke at it.
Otherwise, I might blow up during the night.
… How do I survive when I really become an adult? Should I make a place to escape from now on?
No, that probably won’t work. I can’t even sleep if there aren’t three people here at night now. Plus, I enjoy hugging and kissing. If I say that, it would suck all the air out, and I wouldn’t be left with anything, which is why I purposely don’t say it.
Really? You really like it?
……
Oh no, I messed up.
“Yeah, Areum.”
Just like Sohee, Ha Neul, who had been watching us talk, finally spoke.
With her hands together, looking calm,
“Right now, Sara belongs to all of us. It wouldn’t be fair for one side to monopolize her. Until Sara says she wants to date, that is.”
Is it fine if I ask her to date?
…… Well, the situation got this far because I couldn’t choose one.
You don’t even want to choose, you scoundrel.
I’m so innocent!
I literally didn’t do anything! I just got tangled up like this!
Clueless scoundrel.
So, I’m innocent!
“And we shouldn’t do anything until we become adults. Right?”
Sua smiled and said.
“So, after we become adults…?”
Areum asked carefully.
Ha Neul, Sua, and Sohee all looked at me. All of them seemed to have a twinkle in their eyes. Like predators eyeing a poor herbivore or raptors eyeing small rodents.
Even Areum was covering her mouth and looking at me.
……
I’m already afraid of what might happen when I hit adulthood.
*
“Hey, you guys, sit here.”
After school, I gathered Ha Neul, Sua, and Sohee.
When I climbed onto the bed, sitting cross-legged and clapping my hands to call them, Ha Neul, Sua, and Sohee lined up in front of me without any resistance.
All three were in their school uniforms.
Their styles of clothing were all different. Ha Neul and Sua had their uniform shirts with one button undone in a classic style, but Ha Neul was only wearing a bra underneath, showing a bit more skin, while Sua had another t-shirt underneath. As for Sohee, she had unbuttoned even further, making her ample chest accentuated. There’s a reason why passing boys look over there without even realizing it.
Their skirts were getting shorter in the order of Sua, Ha Neul, and Sohee… No, I didn’t gather them to admire their school uniforms, that’s not it!
I felt a bit annoyed seeing Sohee smirk, aware of my gaze, but I held it in.
I didn’t call them here to fight over that.
“Do you guys have anything you’re hiding from me?”
“Hiding? Like what?”
Ha Neul asked back.
Her expression showed no major change, still smiling lightly.
Because of that, I could tell that something was up with Ha Neul. Normally, she wore a variety of expressions, and she wasn’t the type to hide her emotions from me. If there was truly nothing going on, she wouldn’t have that look; she’d be tilting her head in confusion instead.
“I don’t know what you guys are trying to hide, but if you think it’s for my sake, I want to say that’s not necessary. You all would tell me right away if something happened to me. I want to help too.”
“……”
All three of them focused their eyes on me. Was that a somewhat touched expression? At least it was a moving one.
“It’s not like I can’t help. I can handle most problems within my means.”
At my words, Ha Neul bit her lip lightly.
She looked a bit troubled.
“Yesterday, when I was with Areum, you all disappeared. Normally, you’d all stick by me unless it’s an emergency, so if it wasn’t an urgent matter, you wouldn’t have just wandered off to take a call.”
“……”
“Not just Ha Neul. You both, say something. What’s the issue? Is it related to me, which is why you can’t answer?”
“……”
All three of them drooped their heads.
“If you don’t tell me…”
If you don’t tell me, what?
I have no right to force them. Even if I had the right, I lack the power. No matter how much I push, I’d just get overpowered.
But to think that I was feeling even a little annoyed about it, I wanted to know everything about them but they always hide things from me when it’s actually vital.
Hiccup.
Yeah, you too.
“Even if you don’t tell me, it’s all your choice to share or not. Fine, I’m not going to resort to threats.”
I took a slight breath in, exhaled, and then spoke.
“But as a friend, and as someone you all like… I want to know. I want to help as far as I can. You’re all precious to me.”
… What about me?
You need not say anything.
Sara chuckled shyly in my mind.
“……”
All three kids were just staring at me.
I clasped my hands together as if in prayer and said to them.
“Please… can you tell me?”
Ha Neul, Sua, and Sohee looked at each other for a moment before looking back at me.
“Um, Sara…”
The first one to speak was Ha Neul.
I thought they were finally going to share the secret, and I got a bit tense, but Ha Neul said something completely unexpected.
“Can I at least give you a hug first?”
“……”
I loosened my grip on my hands a little.
And suppressing a sigh that almost slipped out, I said,
“First, after the secret comes out, okay?”
So I set a condition.
