But That Big-Eared Guy Was Me? (1)
…A strange ceiling. Nothing to see.
It was pitch black. And freezing cold.
Where am I? Is this the hospital at last?
Lying on something soft, it was definitely a bed.
Whoa! The wild cosplay party is over!
Send this sailor to the hospital!
It hurts.
Nuna…!
Why!
Come here…!
Why?!
Just come a little!
Why?!
Hurry up and come!
Why?!
Why did you come! Why?!
“Turn on the light-”
> [0733-01 : Captain's Quarter - Lighting]
Eh? The light turns on even though no one’s here. Hee— this is the one in the bathroom.
The one that turns back on when you shake your hand after it goes off.
Anyway, my throat must have been torn to shreds.
It’s a woman’s voice, right? Insanely good—
It hurts.
The room comes into view. But my vision is strangely narrow. Inside a spacious metal room, giant monitors are scattered haphazardly, and a hologram mimicking the galaxy fills the space, drifting around. Wow, has holographic technology advanced this far? I casually touch one of the drifting galaxies, and dozens of planets come flying toward me. Lost in the vivid spectacle of the planets, I’m completely entranced for several seconds.
This is the VR version of the universe simulator X-team used to watch. Get a grip.
I snap back to my senses and step down from the bed. Something pokes my foot with a thud.
What…? Is this a Lego? I almost had a heart attack.
'19-year-old unemployed Jeongmo dies stepping on Lego'
The face of the bursting announcer flashes in my mind.
‘…Gun? No, a syringe?’
Looking down, there’s a syringe that looks just like a gun. An empty vial is attached to the syringe. The scattered vials number in the dozens. How many are there? At least fifty, I’d say. I pick up the fallen syringe. It feels strangely snug in my hand. When I pull the trigger, a sharp hiss of air escapes.
[Warning: Heart rate exceeding normal limits]
Cr… this sound is addictive.
It could be registered on YouTube ASMR.
Hem… Is this not the ‘thing’ I’m suspecting?
Probably some kind of stim pack. I’ll believe it’s a stim pack.
It hurts. This is necessary.
But, medical staff?
Can you leave the patient’s room like this?
This is a completely abandoned room.
The mirror is broken, the documents are scattered all over the floor. Oops, what’s this? Combat rations? Which country? What a mess. No patient food delivery? Include seaweed soup! And braised dishes! You won’t? I’ll go complain. I’ll file a complaint. Don’t ignore me.
It hurts. This is necessary. Move.
Since the syringe can be used, I should take it with me.
What? You’re telling me not to take something this ominous?
Out of the question! Aaargh!
It fits so snugly in my hand.
> [Captain's Quarters Security Door Unlocked?]
Captain’s quarters…? This is a patient room, right?
Anyway, open the door~!
> [Security Door Unlocked: Notification - Current internal gravity: 6.807 m/s²]
Eeeek—? Holy gravity.
Mom, I’m in zero gravity!
As the automatic door opens and I step into the hallway, my body floats slightly. This is amazing. Recently, some billionaire spent nearly 1.2 billion on a space trip, and now they’re giving me this insane pseudo-experience in the hospital? What’s the name of this hospital? The cutting-edge hospital of the most advanced country that’s assimilated alien technology? I’ll leave a 5-star review on X.
[Warning: Abnormal heartbeat detected: Treat urgently-]
Ignore the illegal pop-up ads. While walking down the hallway experiencing the strange sensation of reduced gravity, I spot a figure at the end of the corridor.
Charge! I have to go ask right away! Hi! Can you speak English? Yes, I can. Where’s the doctor? Good. Ready.
“You bastard.”
I cover my mouth in shock. On first sight, she says “Tame, kissama!” I wasn’t supposed to say that. I was supposed to say something else. I was living in South Korea. I’m not an unsightly human who uses informal speech with strangers.
“Oh my, Captain. Are you feeling better now?”
The tear-streaked eyes under her eyes look back at me.
Aah…! Fortunately, she’s being kind. But who…?
“-Captain Reina Florence.”
“…Lieutenant Colonel Reina Florence.”
Another unfiltered question pops out of my brain. But she doesn’t seem to be the type to scold me for calling her by name.
“You’ve sweated a lot, Captain. Are you okay?”
Is the elf cosplay the next demon cosplay?
Admitted. You look incredibly good in it.
Large sheep horns resting gently on her long purple hair.
As expected, sheep horns are the cutest.
But it’s suspicious. Cosplay in a hospital too?
Is this for the patient’s psychological stability… or something?
“Wait, that…”
Instinctively, I clutch the syringe in my hand at her words.
Huh, this isn’t removal. It was in the patient’s room.
I’m not being pricked, but I’ll hide it for now.
If I’m wrong, it could be over.
It hurts. This is necessary. Move.
Nurse…? Or doctor? I don’t know. Wearing a white coat, it’s probably one of the two. But Demon-Eye, I need to find the attending doctor, right? So—
“Get out of my sight.”
It’s over.
I’ve become a troublesome patient.
“Didn’t you hear? I said get out of my sight.”
Words keep spilling out of my mouth on their own. A hundred different curses flash through my mind. Why am I like this~ When I look at you, why am I like this~ I can’t control my anger~! My beautiful conversational skill that even a passing dog wouldn’t answer.
“Captain Elia.”
I’m sorry. I said that, but I have nothing to say. I’ll go now.
As I turn my back to leave, Reina catches my wrist.
“…Why like this. Hoo. Come with me.”
She sighs and looks at me with stern eyes.
Hot! That expression is worth the industry award. Thank you.
Dragged somewhere by the wrist.
The door opens, and the warm air from inside rushes in.
So this is… Ah, so this Reina Florence is my attending doctor!
It hurts. This is necessary. Move.
This woman knows where the medicine is.
“Please sit here.”
When I sit, the warmth slowly relaxes the tension in my body, and the cold pain begins to surge. Pain? I’m not sure what kind of pain. It doesn’t feel like ‘my’ pain. I ignore it and stare at the hologram floating on the desk.
~Syrus 4312 December 24~
'09 Sector Sigma Infection Anniversary 15th, What Remains There?'
4312? It’s currently 2021, lol.
My sister is quite immersed in SF.
But suddenly she turns off the hologram.
“It’s warm water. Drink it slowly.”
I take the cat-shaped cup.
Surprisingly, you have a cute taste.
Mmm, it’s warm. Thank you.
Ah, by the way, TaiXnol. I’ll take the TaiXnol.
“The medicine—”
“No.”
A cutting tone.
It hurts. This is necessary. Move.
This woman knows where the medicine is.
Why? No, you can at least give me one TaiXnol, right?
It’s not that you can’t give it, it’s that you won’t?
Why is the hospital service like this?
Do you really want to go to the complaint center?! It’s not just once or twice!
“…Yesterday, I escorted Captain Cecily to the room. Remember?”
“What are you trying to say.”
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
What is she trying to say? This sister.
Again with the captain? She’s going to drive me crazy.
And who is Cecily? Who is she?!
I need medicine! TaiXnol?
There’s no panacea like TaiXnol in this world?
“Abutilon.”
Abut… what?
What is that? Is it a pseudo-TaiXnol?
I don’t think I’ve ever stepped on anything.
“Cecily brought and handed me this just now.”
Eh? This is the vial that was rolling around in my room.
But how? I didn’t do it?
“And this thing you’ve been holding since earlier.”
The hand grabbing my hand holding the syringe is a bit rough.
This? This was in my room, so, return!
I brought it to return when I see the doctor?
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
“How much have you taken? Tell me honestly.”
I have nothing to hide?
I’m completely innocent. Ah!
“…Captain, it’s not for anything else. I’m worried about your health.”
Health? I’m incredibly healthy?
There’s no pain. Heh heh. Even a physical exam is grade 1?
“If it’s addiction, you should receive treatment immediately. How many bottles have you taken? Two? Three?”
How much do you take. I took an entire box… Eh?
You took an entire box? What does that even mean.
But one person can’t refuse one chicken, right?
Sister, admit it, right? Admit it or not.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
My reflection is visible on the surface of the water in the cup.
“Who…?”
A white-haired, big-eared guy. That’s why you shouldn’t trust big-eared guys. Lol, it’s all because of that big-eared guy who’s Abutilon or whatever! But it’s strange. The cup I’m holding clearly reflects someone else’s face? And when I speak, my mouth moves? Where am I? Then, didn’t I say that earlier? What was that program window? Why are my eyes blurry? Who coughed? Who coughed?! Ah, so my vision right now… No. No. Calm down. It’s a dream, why am I panicking. I have to go home after my discharge and see my family.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
“No, that can’t be.”
“Captain?”
A cracking sound.
The cup shatters, and glass shards scatter everywhere.
The reflection in the broken glass shards is—
-My appearance.
“A, aaah-, aaaaa? It hurts? Me? It hurts. It hurts?”
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
“It hurts! It hurts, it hurts! It hurts! It hurts!”
“Captain!”
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
“Stop! I’m dead! I’m dead—!”
A woman screams in a tearing voice right next to my ear. I jolt and fall from my chair. I frantically look around, but nothing is there. Swallowing my breath, I search for the source of the voice.
“D-don’t, just shut up, I’m not dead yet. I, I’m alive.”
“It’s a hallucination, Captain! Don’t listen!”
No. I’m still alive. I’m still alive.
I have to go meet my family.
“It’s all Elia’s fault, you, you killed me! All of you!”
The sobbing voice’s hatred is directed solely at me.
Kill? Who did I kill. I didn’t kill anyone.
I desperately counter that voice.
“Shut that mouth! What did I kill?!”
“Captain!”
Someone pulls me into a hug.
But I have no time to care about that.
No. I’m still alive. I’m still alive.
Everything, I’m alive. Everything.
Because I killed them with my own living hands.
“…Why…?! Why only—! Why did only the traitor survive?!”
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
“…Give me Eve back! You traitor! Give me Eve…! I want Eve back!”
The cry like a flame falling down the fuse touches the depths of my memory. The exploded fragments of memory pierce my heart.
And my vision blacks out.
“Eve.”
When I open my eyes, a dying woman is in my arms.
The smell of blood is thick. Rain pours down.
“Please, swallow, swallow and you can survive. Swallow it, please.”
‘I’ say.
“Cough— coolk. Cough… I’m sorry. Sorry, Elia.”
The woman called Eve, who couldn’t swallow the painkiller, spits it out mixed with blood, soaking my chest. The pool of blood beneath her has become a bright red mirror reflecting my face. In my head, only three sentences repeat.
Eve is severely injured.
Eve is infected.
Eve is weak.
“Swallow. Eve, please, I beg you. If I swallow this, something—”
“-Kill me. Elia. Hic, please. I can still… exist as myself.”
Tears flow down Eve’s cheek.
She clings to my hand for a long time, struggling to breathe because it’s hard to breathe.
“Please, Elia, hic, I want to die for you.”
She squeezes out her last strength and spits out each word.
“Sorry, huih, sorry, Elia. Hic, I can’t keep… the promise.”
“…Eve, I’ll remember that promise. In my heart, forever.”
Eve smiles at me.
With a friend’s unbearably cruel request—
I shed tears and draw the pistol.
“…I really like you, Eli-”
Eve couldn’t finish her sentence.
A gunshot echoes in the pouring rain.
