The First Night Without Each Other

"Goddammit! Even if it's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me, ripping up my resignation letter right in front of my face without even reading it is just too much!"

Si-hyun got clocked on the forehead the moment he handed over his resignation, then got booted from the master's room. He'd been so sure that method would let him escape the guild.

This can't happen... My brilliant brain's first plan reduced to scraps of toilet paper!

Do-jin's reaction to the resignation letter had been razor-sharp.

"Luna might understand if she were a normal girl, but that's exactly the problem..."

Luna was obedient and listened well. But there was one unbreakable condition: Si-hyun had to be by her side.

Without him, she'd obviously snap right back to that hollow, empty apocalypse in an instant.

"I was the one who taught Luna emotions. I have to take responsibility so that doesn't happen."

His plan to submit the resignation and escape as an outsider had failed flat.

Is this damn guild one you can't just quit whenever you want?

Maybe he'd unknowingly signed a slave contract instead of an employment one. But Si-hyun wasn't the type to give up there.

"Heh heh heh... Right, I'm Yoon Si-hyun. The man who doesn't know the meaning of quit."

Si-hyun jumped up from his seat and moved straight to the next plan.

"Gaaah! D-Do-jin uncle! My stomach suddenly hurts so bad, I think I need to go to the hospital! M-my appendix might've burst!"

Si-hyun barged back into the master's room and flopped straight onto the floor. Clutching his left side, he started rolling around dramatically.

If uncle's got a shred of human compassion, he can't just ignore a patient collapsing right in front of him!

But.

"Did you forget we have a dedicated medical wing in the guild? We've got plenty of top-notch doctors, so go get checked out. One more thing—appendicitis is on the right side, not the left. If you're gonna fake it, do your homework first and come back."

Do-jin saw through Si-hyun's act in a heartbeat.

"Aaaah~ Uncle! I really gotta go!"

"Want another knuckle sandwich?"

"...On second thought, feels like I just gotta take a massive dump. Later."

"The entrance is just blocked by iron doors anyway, so jumping from the second floor should get me out at least."

His legs might break, but whatever. A broken leg was a bargain compared to the world ending.

And yeah, world-ending apocalypse sucks, but you think I'd just sit by while my princess cries?!

The silver-haired girl who stared at him every morning, promising to wait—that image flashed in his mind.

I absolutely won't let those golden eyes of Luna's fill with tears!

Si-hyun bolted up to the second floor. But after searching every office and bathroom, every possible exit was sealed with iron doors.

"Th-the third floor... I could maybe handle that...!"

But the third, fourth floors—all the way up to the freakishly high tenth floor—every human-accessible spot was blocked solid.

"I was really gonna try up to the fifth floor, but blocking it all the way to the tenth is just overkill, uncle!"

Han Do-jin was that kind of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠man. If he decided to do something, he did it. And once decided, he prepared thoroughly.

That meticulous prep crushed the wild plan of one lunatic(?) trying to jump out to get home.

"It's not over yet... I've still got twelve plans left!"

A ton of time passed like that, but Si-hyun was still trapped in the guild.

"I-I'm sorry, Admiral Yi Sun-sin... Your descendant shamefully lost with twelve ships at his command..."

From blindly smashing iron doors to escaping down pipes from the eleventh floor—every desperate attempt failed.

"Too much time's passed. I didn't think it'd take this long."

Looking out the window, the sun was dipping low.

If I could've used the beginner package, I could've hidden in the bathroom and shadow-stepped home...!

The update still had ages to go. Even at best, it'd finish tomorrow.

"At first, not transforming at night was great... Who knew it'd butterfly-effect back like this."

The notification window flickered faintly, desperately conveying its remorse.

"Why's it your fault? You just wanted to show me better features sooner. Don't beat yourself up."

"In a situation like this... Yeah, it's definitely an emergency. Feels like someone's already decided my future where I can't go home."

I hoped so.

If Luna remembers everything I've taught her so far, maybe...

Si-hyun had taught Luna a lot. Among it: 'how to wait' and 'that he always comes back to her.' Those two were included.

Maybe—just maybe—she'd behave and wait a day.

Yeah. Luna's changed a lot from the start. She shows less anxiety than in the early days when she first felt emotions... And lately, she's been sleeping more.

Si-hyun hoped Luna would just fall into a deep sleep waiting for him. If he rushed home the second the blockade lifted in the morning, he could make it before she woke. Then he could reassure her like nothing happened.

Don't think so negative—try some positive too. Looks like escaping's a bust anyway.

He'd tried everything possible. Shot twelve tearjerker escape flicks, all box-office bombs.

Guess I'm just no good at escaping. Wasted all my stamina for nothing.

Running around all day from morning to evening had worn him out.

"I thought my stamina was solid since I've been exercising lately, but today was too much?"

"Haha, you're the only one worrying about me. Thanks always."

Si-hyun raised his right hand and gently stroked the empty air where the notification window floated.

"Me? Why would you—actually, fair enough. Everything you've done to me has been pretty extreme."

Summoning him smack in the middle of Bosingak where a mengmang-grade was rampaging. Tossing him into Eclipse's Netherworld mid-trashy novel binge. Even counting the big ones, he'd needed ten lives.

"The biggest offense was probably turning the novel into reality. At first, I thought I'd read too many webnovels and was hallucinating."

Si-hyun already knew what the notification window would say.

Whenever he asked why the novel became reality, it always gave the same answer.

"Gonna say it's because ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I wanted it~ Or I wished for it desperately~? Doesn't matter, I never did. I said I wouldn't get mad, so be honest now."

The notification window bounced up and down indignantly, like it was truly wronged.

"Aigoo~ Is that so? If I really regret it, I'll grant you one wish. And stop fidgeting, you're distracting—"

At that moment, the notification window zoomed right up to his nose and started sparkling intensely.

Si-hyun was bemused by the window's sudden stuttering.

I was just joking, but it's taking me so seriously? Backpedal now and it'll wail all day.

Did the notification window desperately want something from him? He was already saving the world—what could it crave so badly?

Si-hyun gently pushed back the seriously sparkling window and asked.

"What wish? Seeing you get this excited out of nowhere makes me wanna know."

"Yeah yeah, got it. Can you tell me what it is? Your reaction's got me dying of curiosity."

The window hesitated a bit, then displayed a message.

The text glitched out in places—he couldn't make sense of it.

"Notification window, honestly, I can't read that."

"Updates are hell for both of us. Was curious, but oh well."

The window flickered disappointingly. But Si-hyun had already caught that the last message wasn't the real wish.

Probably some restriction keeping it from saying it properly. Must suck not being able to tell me, but it changed it to 'worrying about me' instead.

He couldn't know the real wish, but he resolved to grant it someday if he heard it right.

"We got sidetracked, but anyway—I don't hate you. I was annoyed at first, but everything you did was for me."

Si-hyun lay back ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and faced the window.

"So let's keep doing great. Partners."

"In a world where the novel became reality, who else shares all the secrets but you? Gotta be partners."

He hadn't said "precious" or "unique and unparalleled," but Si-hyun let it slide.

She looks happy—no need to ruin it.

Exhausted, Si-hyun dozed off briefly. The notification window watched him quietly by his side.

Unique and unparalleled. A term for something one-of-a-kind in the world.

The notification window repeated the meaning to itself, inching closer to Si-hyun.

Dark brown hair, long lashes. Elegant eyes and nose bridge. He was like a 'trap'—dangerously alluring, drawing you in despite knowing better.

The notification window giggled softly, yearning for 'that day' when he'd fulfill her wish to come soon.

And at the same time.

In a quiet room, a small shadow rose from the bed.

Beautiful hair gleaming silver. Golden eyes shining brighter in the dark. The girl.

"Si... hyun... where...?"

Luna woke from her sleep.