Chapter 21: Before [True Happy-End] Wanting to Be Someone Else (Part 2)

“I thought I’d change my attitude towards you a bit. I want to become’someone else’ with you.”

Hearing that, I felt incredibly sad. Becoming ‘someone else’—meaning he wanted to distance himself from me.

Now that I think about it, he used to pat my head or touch my cheek, but lately, he hasn’t touched me at all.

While I kept acting indecisive, did he end up hating me?

“Do you mean you want us to become strangers, brother?”

Unable to hide my hesitation, I asked him. However…

“Yeah. Because if we’re not strangers, we can’t love each other, right? So, I want to become strangers with you.”

His words were truly unexpected.

This feeling welling up in my chest—what is it? It’s painful and joyous. But more than anything, I’m filled with questions.

“Why do you care so much about me, brother?” I don’t think I’m someone worthy enough to attract you…”

“Are you serious? You’re saying something awfully weak-spirited.”

He seemed surprised.

“You’re always charming. Now, of course, and even as a child.”

“If I start listing your good qualities, there’ll be no end. Do you want to hear them?”

Saying this, he began to enumerate my ‘good points’: my cuteness, my friendly smile, my caring nature, the beauty in my gestures, my honesty, my eccentricity, my strength…

“No, that’s enough. Please stop; it’s embarrassing… But I still can’t understand. I mean, I used to have such a terrible personality, didn’t I?”

Until I regained the memories of my past life, I was selfish, arrogant, and an all-around awful person.

I seriously believed that the world consisted of three types of people: those inferior to me, those from another world, and those to whom I must grovel. Even I cringe at the thought.

To me, my parents and brother were ‘beings from another world,’ so I tried to stay away from them as much as possible.

“I was really twisted back then, wasn’t I? Although I’ve reflected and changed my behavior now, you, brother, should have known my ugly personality well.”

“Yes, young Mireille was certainly twisted. The whole family was twisted. And it was I who twisted you.”

“It’s my fault you became so arrogant. I’m really sorry,” he said.

He continued.

One day, he was informed by our parents that ‘Mireille is not your real sister; she is the daughter of noble birth.’ ‘Her future lies in becoming the crown princess, welcomed by the royal family.’

“The moment I found out that you weren’t my blood-related sister, I almost lost my mind. I didn’t know how to comprehend my affection for you—so from that day on, I became scared to interact with you and kept my distance. I was a coward. It was around that time that you started showing signs of ‘twistedness.’ I think I hurt you deeply.”

Indeed, as a child, I was shocked when my once-kind brother suddenly distanced himself from me.

The feeling of being walled off by the one person I thought was my ally—I felt so lonely.

Not knowing why he was avoiding me, I tried to act strong as if I weren’t hurt.

That pretense of strength turned into arrogance.

Thus, Mireille Gasstark, the selfish and arrogant woman, was born.

He had his own reasons, which he couldn’t explain. The reason he suddenly avoided me on a certain day—it was because of his feelings for me.

“Brother…”

“But then, when you were in your second year at the academy, you relied on me. I was really happy. Your personality had regained the brightness it had in your childhood. Even though I had treated you so coldly, you managed to recover on your own and try to carve out your own path.”

He seems to think I changed my personality through my own efforts. In reality, it was because I had regained my past life’s memories…

“I know. Your current personality is your true nature.”

“My true nature…?”

“Yes. I wished for our family relationship—the days spent with you as my sister to last forever. But—”

In a quiet voice, he continued.

“Truthfully, I wanted us to become ‘strangers’. Not a brother and sister, but a man and woman who are strangers. I want us to love each other as strangers and then become family again.”

This time, as a family called husband and wife.

Hearing his whisper, I was at a loss for words. My thoughts were scattered. This warmth rising inside me—what is it? What should I say?

I felt like running away, yet I clung to him. I couldn’t understand myself.

He seemed to realize I was confused.

“I’m sorry for bringing this up so suddenly.”

Smiling faintly, he gently distanced himself from me.

“I have work to attend to today, so I’ll be leaving now.”

I nodded silently, my gaze still lowered. Despite being told such straightforward words, I couldn’t respond… I felt pathetic.

He turned back slowly, his ice-blue eyes narrowing.

“I’ll come again, Mireille.”

******A few days after this story, the final chapter of the main story, [the True Happy-Ending], takes place.******