Ch#191
Tie gripped her dad's hand tightly.
'I see, the landlord changed.'
Feeling like she might burst into tears, the child forced strength into her eyes.
She had anticipated it.
From the moment she opened her eyes in the park, she had thought the weather felt a bit chilly.
'Tie went to the other world in summer.'
The fact that the first weather upon returning was cold meant time had probably passed since Tie left.
"......Is this home?"
Dad asked.
Tie finally snapped out of it.
Then fell deep into thought.
'It's dangerous outside, so my plan was to go home first and figure things out!'
If the house was locked, there was no way to get in.
Of course......
The child's gaze turned to room 107 next door, its iron door similarly dark.
The child pondered, then made an uncertain face.
'But why isn't Grandma home......?'
No matter how late, Grandma in 107 always returned by five in the afternoon.
Her work ended then, and from that time, she had to look after Tie.
Her chest fluttered strangely once more.
'Since Tie's gone, no need to watch over Tie anymore.'
But there was no time to be gloomy.
Tie shuddered once.
The temperature had dropped sharply as night fell.
Tie let go of her dad's hand.
And said with a resolute face.
"Wait just a moment!"
The child approached the door of 107.
Then grabbed the flowerpot on the right with both hands.
Grunting as she lifted it,
"It's here!"
Sure enough, a small key appeared beneath the flowerpot.
Tie blew on her hands to warm them, then pushed the key into the stiff keyhole and turned it.
'Grandma told me to do it like this.'
It was an old story, but Grandma in 107 always left a spare key under the flowerpot for Tie.
If she felt lonely alone in 106, she could come to 107 and watch TV.
With a creak-, the door opened.
Tie pocketed the key and beckoned to her dad standing outside.
"Vice Leader, come in."
Tese tan, who had been scanning the surroundings, reluctantly stepped forward.
Upon entering 107, he immediately furrowed his brow.
"......This is a house?"
For a house, this small space was too cramped.
For someone like Basto, he definitely couldn't stretch both legs out lying down.
"Let's wait here!"
Tie, who had sat down, patted the floor.
Tese tan sat on the floor for now as well.
And began examining the neatly packed items on the wall shelves one by one.
"This is the house of a grandma really close to Tie."
Tie said.
Turning his head, the child wore a somehow strange expression.
"Grandma said Tie is family."
Tese tan nodded, unable to find other words to say.
Astie stared intently at him.
Silence stretched on for a while.
As the quiet grew longer and Tese tan rose to check outside,
"What's this. The light's on."
Suddenly, a small mutter came from outside the door.
Tie jumped up from her spot, and Tese tan reflexively went on guard.
Rustling sounds followed, then the noise of lifting and setting down the flowerpot.
"......No way."
With a short word, the doorknob turned.
The figure revealed through the open door crack was an elderly woman.
"You......!"
The old woman, with a tight hat pressed deep on her head, stopped at the doorway.
Her gaze was fixed entirely on Tie beside Tese tan.
Tese tan himself was speechless upon seeing Tie.
The child's face, fine just moments ago, was completely distorted.
Tears streamed pitifully from her pouting lips.
"G-Grandma."
"Oh dear, oh my......!"
The old woman dropped her bags and rushed inside.
Tese tan stepped back, watching as Tie and the old woman embraced each other.
"What happened! What really!"
The old woman cried while thumping Tie's back.
The child only clung to her, crying even more sadly.
"Where did you go and come back now! Disappearing like that while sleeping, without a word to Grandma......!"
The old woman's body trembled.
She now endlessly stroked the back of the child's head.
Muffled sobs quietly filled the room.
"Even reported to the police, they just said can't find you. Searched the neighborhood to the sewer bottoms, nothing...... I, I all this time......!"
"Hic!"
The child began hiccupping.
The old woman pulled away from the child abruptly.
She took a deep breath as if to steady her ragged breathing.
Then wiped the child's tears with her hand before turning her gaze to Tese tan.
"......Mr. Kim."
The old woman's eyes shook finely.
"What are you?"
The old woman's gaze scanned Tese tan in disbelief.
She glanced at Tie and lowered her voice.
"I clearly...... the clothes you wore in the accident, and after the joint funeral even the urn...... I received it myself with these two hands......"
The old woman swallowed hard.
"Am I going crazy and seeing a ghost now?"
Tese tan froze in place, speechless.
Only after a long while did he frown and ask back.
"You know me?"
The old woman's face went blank.
She stared silently at Tese tan for a long time before creakily turning her head to Tie.
The child, having stopped crying, was sniffling with a red nose.
"Baby."
Tie looked up while hiccupping.
Grandma continued.
"Why is your dad acting like that?"
Tie jumped in surprise at the question and looked at Tese tan.
And understandably so,
'Dad being dad was a secret!'
But it was pointless now anyway.
No one in Talochioum knew dad was Tie's dad.
'But in Jongno-gu......'
Everyone knew about Tie and dad's relationship.
Among them, Grandma in 107 was the next-door neighbor like family to father and daughter.
"Why no words. Answer quick! Why is your dad like that? Does he know me or not!"
Tie hesitated, glancing at her dad.
Then, in a small voice, grabbed Grandma's hand tightly.
"Grandma."
"Yes. I'm listening."
"Dad......"
The child glanced at Tese tan again.
"Dad's really sick."
At those words, Grandma Chae Bok-su's eyes widened round.
Tese tan froze in place too.
In the silence, Tie added in a sad voice.
"So sick that now he doesn't recognize Tie......"
* * *
"Nonsense."
Veil muttered in a deflated voice.
His complexion had paled before he knew it.
"Then all this time the kid talking about Jongno-gu and whatever......"
While Veil denied reality, Basto said nothing.
Leonardo too had been statue-like in place for a while.
Libia and Aleric exchanged dazed glances.
'Is this even possible?'
Hard to believe.
No, impossible to believe.
But the suddenly resurfaced memories, and on the other hand, they had no choice but to believe it all.
Because the mismatched situations now perfectly connected.
"Then those two really are father and daughter?"
Ardiana asked.
Due to demonic poisoning, she was drenched in cold sweat like rain.
Lucarion answered weakly.
"......Yes. Astie searching for her dad, wanting to merge with Trebaga, all because of that."
Lucarion's expression remained dark.
"But for some reason, a crack formed in the time magic I just cast......"
Lucarion, raising his head, added helplessly.
"So those two seem to have been sucked back to the previous world."
