The Villain's Sister - Chapter 105

“You’re Giselle Moltke?”

“That’s right. I’m the Giselle from that comic book.”

Willy tried to drive me away by sprinkling holy water, but every attempt failed.

After I spent days talking to him nonstop and following him around, Willy finally admitted defeat after two weeks.

He showed me the first volume of the comic Mist Island, and in return, I overheard the plans of some kids who were scheming to bully him at school and helped him escape.

That’s how we became friends.

“Hmm.”

The comic book, then me.

Willy compared the drawing and me several times, tilting his head in confusion.

“Look closely. There’s no one else who could grow up to have a face like that but me.”

“Ugh!”

“If I weren’t a ghost, I’d punch you right now.”

“But are you really from Mist Island?”

“How many times do I have to say it? I’m from Sandalwood. I went to Woodbury Public School, and my brother’s name is Raphael.”

“That’s all in the comic book, though.”

“The school isn’t mentioned anywhere! Come on, pick up that pen. You said you wanted to write a fan letter to the author. While you’re at it, ask how he knows so much about me.”

The author of Mist Island was Oscar Jackniper.

Considering that Raphael’s brother and right-hand man was also Oscar Jackniper, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots.

“Uh, um….”

Willy looked embarrassed about following my lead.

But I didn’t care; I just said everything I wanted to.

“Then I’ll prove it to you. Hmm. Raphael and I are eight years apart. When I was in first grade, I fell and cracked my leg while playing, and Raphael carried me to school every day until I got better. And once, when he was napping, I tied a ribbon in his hair. He didn’t notice and went out on a date like that, came back with his face bright red.”

“You think that’s enough to prove who you are?”

“You said you know a lot about us, so you’d recognize it if I told you.”

“Maybe… but I still can’t send that letter! What if the author thinks I’m some weirdo?”

“Hey! You can’t even do that for me? We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“Well, yeah, but still….”

His hesitant attitude was frustrating, so I decided to coax him a bit.

“If you send that letter, I’ll mention your name when I win an award after becoming an actress.”

“How do you know you’ll even become an actress… you’re a ghost.”

“What did you just say? Guard up.”

A dork from school and a ghost from another world.

We bickered over the silliest things every day, but we were pretty good friends.

‘I wonder how Willy’s doing.’

Back when he was debating whether to send the letter or not, I woke up on this side before I could even say goodbye.

“Sigh. I don’t know either. Willy, why’d you suddenly show up in my dream and mess with my head like that?”

Even after waking up from my nap, the restless feeling didn’t go away.

The dream world was a mental space created by my Esper ability.

I don’t know exactly what happened, but when Johan was left alone there and our abilities clashed, a part of my power must’ve transferred to him.

That’s why, when I first woke up, I could sense an ability in him that I’d never given him.

In the end, the balance between my power and the regression magic broke, leaving behind remnants of my memories.

‘He must’ve been really hurt….’

Those eyes, reddening just before he vanished, wouldn’t leave my mind.

Trying to shake off the uneasy feeling, I stood up. The sun had already set. It was evening.

“Isn’t it about time for the basketball game?”

“Finals start in twenty minutes. Sit down already.”

“Wow. Beer!”

“You watch basketball too?”

“I was on the basketball team in high school.”

Not in this life, but in the last one.

‘Oscar loved basketball.’

If basketball were a religion, Oscar would’ve been a fanatic.

Tristan grilled sausages while I reheated some cold pizza.

The moment I sat down and cracked open a beer can, the game began.

“But with you running around day and night, when do you even find time to watch games?”

“Watch? I’ve missed plenty. I’ll be done with unpaid work soon anyway. Damn it, why can’t those guys focus? He lost the ball again.”

“Good for you. Now you can live your own life.”

“And you? Have you thought about what you’ll do next?”

“I’ll have to stay hidden for a few years until people forget my face.”

“You can’t do that alone. You’ll need someone to help you.”

“So you’re saying I should take Johan with me?”

“You really don’t see me as a reliable cop, someone you can trust, huh?”

After making my heart drop earlier, Tristan drank his beer like nothing had happened.

“…I trust you. Maybe even more than Raphael.”

Raphael had always protected me, but when it came to truth, trust, and justice, the person I could rely on most was Tristan.

Everything about the man named Tristan Lindbergh proved it.

Keeping his eyes fixed on the TV, he asked casually, “You’re not planning to make a deal with the government? The Death Adder arms deal you handed over, just that alone could guarantee your safety.”

“There are things in the world you can’t compromise on and things you don’t want to. That case falls under both.”

“You sure like making life hard.”

“Would you do it?”

“Hell no.”

Even he had no intention of hiding behind the crimes of a syndicate just to survive.

It was probably because I kept acting recklessly without any backup plan.

“Then how did you find out about us in the first place?”

“I saw it in the comic. The main characters are the Black Pistols, the rival’s Red Shadow, and the villains are Raphael and his crew.”

“Can you give a real answer for once?”

“In heaven, I met countless people you saved. They told me about you.”

“Ugh. I’m the idiot for expecting an answer. What the hell’s wrong with today’s game? Don’t tell me they’re about to throw away their first championship shot in twenty-three years.”

“They’ll win. Immer will. It’ll go into overtime, and Jimmy Wilkins will score a three-pointer. 121 to 120.”

“How the hell do you know that?”

“When I went to heaven, God told me. Wanna make a bet? If it goes exactly like I said, I win. If not, you win.”

“Deal.”

The second and third quarters were just as terrible.

Mist Island Immer wasn’t bad, but for a team aiming for the championship, the tension was unbearable. My palms were drenched in sweat.

“Haa….”

Tristan put down his beer, dropped to his knees in front of the TV, and clutched his head.

“Please, please….”

The game went into overtime, exactly as I’d said.

“That damn ref! If I ever see him on the street, he’s dead. Damn it.”

Watching him lose it like that erased whatever sense of heroism I’d felt toward him earlier.

I felt like I’d just fallen from the sky straight into cold, hard reality.

Less than a minute remained. Mist Island Immer had 118 points, Black City Mix had 120.

Now, with only five seconds left in the game, all Jimmy Wilkins had to do was make that three-pointer.

“Come on, Jimmy! King Jimmy!”

Tristan shouted, his neck flushed red with excitement.

Jimmy Wilkins threw the shot. The result was….

“…Huh?”

“Ahhhhh!”

I jumped off the couch, leaping over Tristan, who was rolling on the floor, and ran straight to the TV to check the score.

118—120

Mist Island Immer had lost.

“This can’t be right….”

Back then, after finally defeating Black City Mix, their long-time rivals, Oscar and I had screamed ourselves hoarse all night, setting off fireworks until someone called the fire department.

“We lost?”

Oscar had loved basketball, but he’d never done anything to change the outcome of a game.

And in this life, Oscar didn’t exist.

So Immer should’ve won this time too, but they didn’t.

‘The future changed.’

Their first loss in twenty-three years was, for me, a huge ray of hope.

While Tristan curled up on the floor in despair, I patted his back and shouted cheerfully, “We lost! Haha! Did you see that? We actually lost! Ahaha!”

***

“Even if the team lost, you won the bet. Cheer up already.”

“Yeah, right. It doesn’t feel like winning at all.”

With his hoodie pulled up, Tristan sighed for the fifth time.

Losing the finals must’ve really hit him hard.

“You look like you’re in a good mood.”

“Of course I am. We lost.”

“…Are you a Black City spy or something?”

“Ahem. No. I’m just happy to finally breathe some fresh air after so long.”

“Excuses. Go live in Black City, you traitor.”

“You’re so childish. Are you six or twenty-six?”

Late at night, when everyone else was asleep, Tristan and I went up to the apartment rooftop.

The dry autumn air was crisp, and breathing it in felt like clearing my head completely.

If it got just a little colder, we’d be able to see our breath.

Not exactly the best season to leave.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“No.”

“Really? If you were, I was gonna offer you my jacket.”

I instinctively took a step back from him.

“What’s with you? That’s not something you’d normally say.”

“I’m just trying to do something nice….”

“Out of nowhere?”

“You’re only here for a few more days. I just wanted to do something for you while I still can.”

Looking embarrassed, he lowered his head and scuffed the ground with his shoe.

“Then take care of Maria for me.”

“Worry about yourself first. Who are you to be asking favors? Geez.”

Even though the apartment only had ten floors, the building sat high enough to overlook the city lights.

Since the stars no longer shone in the sky, the lights on the ground became the stars instead.

I wondered if there’d ever come a day when I’d miss this city.

I’d long grown sick of it, but maybe if my new life ended up filled with happiness, even this exhausting present could someday turn into a fond memory.

“When he’s transferred, it won’t feel great, but you’ve made your decision, so follow your path.”

“I’ve prepared myself.”

“And elsewhere—”

Just as Tristan was about to continue, the rooftop door burst open.

He pulled me close, holding me tightly against his chest.

Even with a cap and mask on, I couldn’t help but feel nervous.

His arms, firm with muscle, wrapped around me.

I could feel his chest rising and falling against my back.

“Ahem. Ahem.”

If we looked like a couple being affectionate, maybe whoever it was would turn around and leave.

But instead, footsteps drew closer.

If it were another resident, they wouldn’t be approaching this near.

“Hey. You there.”

A tense voice called out to us.