An Ordinary Day
A day just like any other. Nothing special, nothing out of the ordinary.
"Great work today~!"
"You too, Bangul."
It was 5 p.m. After closing up the cafe and wiping down the tables, Eunha and Eunbangul sat facing each other at a table near the counter, just like they had that morning, enjoying a brief coffee break. The sweet start and end to their daily routine, shared with the adorable rabbit girl. The bitter aroma of coffee tickled her nose, while the girl's light humming danced through the quiet cafe. Is this what it feels like to have your mind cleansed? Even the gloom from the Hunter Promotion Exam melted away softly. Eunha leaned back into the plush chair, savoring the warm cafe atmosphere. On the table sat a caramel macchiato and an Americano. Eunha sipped her sweet caramel macchiato little by little, chatting with Eunbangul. The topic, naturally, was yesterday's Hunter Promotion Exam. Feeling better thanks to the girl, she chatted away enjoyably enough.
"The gym didn't work out in the end, huh? You even called in a hunter specialist trainer on a whim."
"They refunded me, saying I couldn't keep going. Even after pumping iron all day, no muscle gain—they told me to see a doctor first."
"It's that Self-Regeneration skill getting in the way, as always. Whether you like it or not, it resets your body to its 'original state,' so you can't escape being all soft and squishy."
The girl kneaded Eunha's palm—smooth without a single callus—while grumbling. Hands that had torn and blistered countless times. But the Self-Regeneration skill didn't allow her even one callus. Always soft and fluffy. Skin on a full-grown adult this plush—could it really be okay? That's how she got the nickname "Euncheon-gu Soft Fist," and it left a hard callus on Eunha's heart. A callus in the soul. The kind that made her get back up no matter how many times she fell.
...After failing the promotion exam thirty times, maybe it was time to stop getting up. But she still had the strength, so she rose without hesitation. Her stamina was one thing she could rely on. Eunha thought positively.
"Thanks to Self-Regeneration, I don't even gain weight. I can eat all the tasty stuff I want—it's a win, right?"
"Ah! I'm jealous! Actually, I love it. Just the right amount of squish and fluff—hugging you makes me so happy~!"
"Treating me like a body pillow?"
"It's not?"
"Nah."
Eunbangul's bashful grin and interlocking fingers were adorable. Eunha smiled back, grasping the girl's soft hand in return. Eunbangul's snowy white rabbit ears perked up, launching her ochre beret flying with a whoosh. Eunha felt her limp body and spirit, wilted from the exam failure, healing. She picked up the fallen beret from the floor and handed it back to the girl.
......
......
Flicker.
Flicker.
How much time had passed? Suddenly, the cafe lights flickered, cutting their conversation short. Eunha frowned and glanced up at the ceiling.
Flicker.
Flicker.
A chill wind brushed her nape. The cafe windows rattled, making noise—maybe from the breeze. Eunha looked around, her eyes shifting from Eunbangul.
Flicker...
Flicker....
The quiet cafe darkened and brightened like a scene from a horror flick. A eerie cold swept into the once-warm space, dropping the temperature, and Eunbangul scanned her surroundings like a nervous rabbit, her white ears twitching.
……Ding-a-ling~♪
And then, as they frowned at the inexplicable chill, the cafe door swung open. Something clad in black stepped inside with heavy thuds.
Thud...
Thud...
Heavier than dress shoes, like military boots. It was like ink dropping onto pristine white paper. The ink of unease staining the canvas of the cafe black.
A customer?... But we locked the door, right?
Eunha set down her cold coffee cup, frowning. They closed at 5, locked the door, and hung the "Closed" sign. Yet here it was, entering...
Must really want that coffee. Shaking off the weird vibe with idle thoughts, Eunha forced a drowsy smile and looked at the customer.
『……』
It was an eerie figure. Dull black shoes, wrinkle-free black suit, black shirt beneath, black tie. A black satgat hat on its head. And dangling from one end of the hat, a snow-white inverted cross like an accessory.
Gender unknown. Woman? The face was hidden in the hat's shadow. The space under that hat was unnaturally black, like it'd been splashed with ink. Too dark to make out any features. Like a beautiful ink wash painting deliberately splattered with black—all black.
Flicker.
Flicker.
Under the creepily flickering lights, it stood. Staring at Eunha.
Its face was invisible. But the blatant gaze was palpable. Like a human peering at a cute hamster in their palm... the look when observing a pathetic little lifeform.
Strange customer.
"……We're closed for the day. Could you come back tomorrow?"
『……….』
"Gasp...... Huff... Cough. Gonna order now?"
Her chest tightened; she gasped for breath. So cold. Like winter had come. Frost blanketed the windows white. Eunha rubbed her goosebumped arms, staring at it.
This must be what it's like facing a ghost in a horror movie. If she looked away, it'd lunge with some unnatural movement and do god-knows-what. She couldn't tear her eyes away.
What's this all of a sudden? Villain attack? Bangul has to play with me after coffee. What the hell is that? What do I even do...?
She racked her brain in the unnaturally darkened cafe. The mood had been perfect just moments ago—what bolt from the blue was this?
Crack...
Frost painted the windows white, blocking the outside view. In May, temperatures this low weren't normal. Someone was using a skill to chill the cafe. A villain terrorist attack? This suddenly? She'd seen news about random villain attacks rising, but she hoped they'd stay on TV.
TV events happening right in front of her—her mind wouldn't process it.
...Bangul first.
The image of the girl with twitching white rabbit ears surfaced. Eunha snapped to, biting her lip. Whatever it was, she had to protect Eunbangul. She was family. Heart pounding, she moved. Not overcoming fear, but desperation shoving it aside for now.
Eyes fixed on the black thing, she reached for Eunbangul across the table.
Grab.
Good—she caught the slender wrist. To forget the fear even a little, she gripped it tight.
…….
The wrist she grabbed was hard. And cold. Like a frozen corpse.
"……Who are you?"
『At last, you've reached me.』
The something whose wrist Eunha held spoke. Seated across the table, it exhaled breath like winter wind. A voice rising from a deep, dark well. More beastly growl than human. A non-human something, cloaked in human skin, mimicking a human voice to address Eunha.
She hadn't noticed at all.
Grip...
Unable to suppress the chills, she clenched her fist until it drew blood. Teeth grinding would clash audibly, so she pursed her lips shut.
She had no idea what was what anymore. Eunha decided to stop breathing. Passing out from lack of air might bring some peace.
『Little child. A wandering child.』
『You've strayed from the path as well.』
The something whispered in her ear. Cold breath trailed her cheek. Sticky like blood.
Grab—.
She'd grabbed its wrist, but suddenly it had hers. Was her panic amusing? It laughed. The laughter reeked of blood.
Squelch—.
Squelch—.
Squelch—.
Like soaked cotton balls smacking the window. Transparent handprints stamped on the frosted glass. One, two... Countless on the cafe's large windows. As if begging to be let in, they pounded mercilessly.
Windows on the verge of shattering, blindingly flickering lights, gut-churning cold—Eunha's senses reeled. The intense stimuli nearly deafened and blinded her.
『……』
Yet amid the chaos, the "Black Person" at the entrance stood unshaken, like the center of the world... gazing only at Eunha.
Grind...
Behind it, evoking awe beyond fear, loomed the shape of an inverted cross.
That Black Person...... Definitely from yesterday's deja vu car crash... the last thing I saw...
She didn't know. Just order coffee and leave already. Wrist gripped by the something, Eunha stared at the Black Person still standing at the entrance.
The Black Person at the door. The somethings across the table—what the hell were they, causing this mess in a closed cafe? Her first encounter with this type of problem customer was bringing tears.
Grab.
Grab.
Grab.
Cold hands from the something reached out. They seized her other wrist, then another wrapped her waist. Thigh, ankle, knee, shoulder—soon, from behind, the something embraced her, clutching her chest. Body ensnared by countless hands, a non-human something whispered human-like from behind.
『At last, you've reached me, child.』
Cold hands. Like a massive snowball piled softly. Like quiet drizzle soaking in.
They'd crept close, making her aware of their presence.
Grab—.
And soon, cold hands extended forward, covering Eunha's eyes.
Darkness came.
『We've been waiting for you.』
Darkness, as always.
Nothing there.
…….
…….
"……Huh? Yes? Are you listening?"
"………?"
She came to. Eunha blankly looked up at the rabbit girl shaking her shoulder. Eunbangul's warm hand on her shoulder. Eunha's trembling fingertips, corpse-cold pale.
"……Huh? What was that just now?"
"What?"
"Dunno."
It was a little later that Eunha, dazed at the cafe table, responded to Eunbangul's call.