Chapter 126
Chapter 126
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: If It's Not a Dream
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"So."
*Whoosh!*
While staring at the flames still rising endlessly into the sky, Song Arin met my gaze.
"What's the secret between just the two of you."
"..."
I'd thought that nothing could be scarier than the cold while trudging through unwanted snowy mountains.
But I was wrong.
"..."
I avoided Jang Chaeyeon's piercing stare.
"Hey."
"..."
"Hey."
"..."
"Hey."
"..."
"Hey."
"Yeah."
I realized it then. This wasn't something I could just ignore and brush off.
"What are you talking about?"
Jang Chaeyeon blinked at me.
"Well, it's like this."
Honestly, I wasn't sure if I should even say it.
I stared hard at Yoo Daon.
But when our eyes met, she just smiled softly.
"...Does it really have to be something you need to check with her about?"
Song Arin spoke to me in a prickly tone as she watched the exchange.
"Yeah."
My answer was obviously yes.
Their expressions hardened at my response, without a hint of hesitation.
But it was only natural.
The story of her being possessed and surviving. And the future where Yoo Daon became a monster and killed everyone.
How could I just do whatever I wanted with that story?
It wouldn't be respectful to her.
"Even if I ask you like this?"
"Yeah."
"Hah, seriously."
Song Arin crossed her arms and snorted in disbelief.
"Why's it so important that you have to act like that?"
"Asking in the first place... isn't that a bit much?"
Did they really need to know what Yoo Daon had done in the past?
What if they ended up resenting her, or starting to fear her? That would only deepen divisions in the team.
No choice. Time to push back hard here.
I clenched my fists and looked back and forth between the two of them.
"People have a right to privacy, and I think respecting that is important."
Their faces completely stiffened at my words.
"...Hah."
"..."
Song Arin let out a hollow laugh while sweeping back her bangs, and Jang Chaeyeon bowed her head with a grim expression.
"...It's okay."
Yoo Daon, who had been watching, smiled softly and tapped my shoulder.
"You can tell them."
"...But Daon, are you really okay with it?"
Yoo Daon smiled faintly and nodded at my question.
"Of course. I like that you're worried about me, Jaeheon..."
"..."
Yoo Daon looked at the others and smiled gently.
"But if something big really happens because of this, I'll feel too bad toward you."
What big thing could happen?
I looked at Yoo Daon again, but she just kept smiling and nodding.
"Well, then. Got it."
*Ahem.*
I cleared my throat and looked at the others.
"So, here's what happened."
I explained to the two of them what had gone down with Yoo Daon.
The story of first meeting her, Butterfly's Dream, and the future where she killed everyone.
"..."
"..."
The two of them fell silent after hearing my explanation.
"It's pretty shocking, right? But don't worry too much about Daon."
"It is shocking."
Jang Chaeyeon muttered, looking away.
"But that's not the shocking part."
"Huh?"
"...Whew."
Song Arin let out a sigh of relief.
"I didn't know a story like that was behind it."
She answered in a much softer voice than before.
"If you hadn't been there, Jaeheon, I probably would've ended up just like that."
Yoo Daon stared at me.
"I probably would've died there too, or something."
So maybe that's why Yoo Daon turned out that way.
"Looking at it that way..."
Yoo Daon rested her chin on her hand and looked at the other two.
"You two would've had it pretty rough without Jaeheon too."
The two of them nodded at Yoo Daon's words.
"I probably would've... become a Cube Apostle."
"I'd have my head explode. ...Or maybe become one of the play's characters."
Jang Chaeyeon murmured softly, and Song Arin nodded in agreement.
"Whatever it was, it wouldn't have been good."
"Probably not."
The two of them nodded.
"Oh, right, Chaeyeon."
"Yeah."
Jang Chaeyeon looked straight at me as I spoke.
"If I remember right, you said you knew a bit about the Gangdong Branch Mountain."
"Yeah. Not often... but I've worked here a few times."
Jang Chaeyeon nodded slowly.
"Then do you know how the work gets done here?"
"I do."
Jang Chaeyeon looked up at the sky.
Snow was still falling from it.
"But."
"Yeah."
She turned to face me.
"You don't need to do it."
"...True."
Jang Chaeyeon wasn't wrong.
There was no need for me to do it specifically.
"Should we wait then?"
"...Not a bad idea. If it works, the snow will stop."
Jang Chaeyeon nodded.
"If the snow doesn't stop, tell me then."
"Well... we'll see when that happens, right?"
This feels bad. Are we going to have to stop another wedge?
No. Don't think negatively.
"Well, we'll just hang out like this for a bit."
The three of them nodded at my words.
Snow was still falling from the sky.
*
"...It's not ending."
I'm hungry.
How much time has passed?
Snow was still falling from the sky.
*Whoosh!*
Fortunately, the butane gas was still burning strong without going out.
"About... eight hours, roughly."
Song Arin fiddled with her phone as she answered.
"Oh, your phone works?"
"Nope. Just guessing."
Song Arin showed me her phone.
The blank screen of the powered-off device just reflected my face.
"Yeah, figures."
Maybe it's time to move.
I groaned and stretched my body.
"Guess we have to resolve this ourselves after all."
"I'm ready."
Yoo Daon stood up and flexed her arms into a muscle pose.
"The other two are... already set, I see."
Before I could even say anything, the two of them were already standing and looking at me.
"So, can you lift us up a bit, Chaeyeon?"
"Got it... Huh?"
That didn't sound like agreement.
I looked at Jang Chaeyeon with a puzzled expression, and she pointed at the sky.
"It's stopped."
"Huh?"
She was right.
The snow that had been falling moments ago had ceased.
"...Huh?"
And above it, something brighter than the sun was shining.
That's definitely...
"That..."
"Yeah. The light we saw from the Team Leader's car."
Jang Chaeyeon nodded at my mutter.
Why is that up there?
Soon, the intense light shining into my eyes faded, leaving only the snow-cleared sky above.
"...Looks like nothing happened."
"Seems so."
That's what I hoped, at least. Even if something did happen now, I had no way to deal with it.
"Chaeyeon."
"Yeah."
Jang Chaeyeon nodded and raised her hand.
Soon, the four of us were floating in the air, and before we knew it, we were back on solid ground.
*Rustle.*
Snow caught in the trees fell to the ground with a sound.
"Shall we head back?"
If we just rested in the shelter and it ended, that'd be way too easy.
Just as I started to step forward, Jang Chaeyeon urgently spoke up.
"Wait."
"Yeah?"
"Something's off."
"...Why say it like that and make me uneasy."
"...No, I don't know exactly."
"Me neither."
Song Arin squinted and scanned the surroundings as she muttered, while Yoo Daon closed her eyes and sniffed the air.
"Why you, Chaeyeon?"
"...Nah. The air just feels a bit different."
"Then let's be careful."
It's a place where something happening wouldn't be weird.
I looked around as I walked.
My feet slipped in the snow, making it a bit hard to walk,
But nothing happened until we made it down.
"..."
Soon, the cityscape came into view.
"We got here faster than I thought. And nothing happened?"
Yoo Daon said cheerfully as she stepped forward.
"Yeah, really."
Nothing happening was good, at least.
I raised my phone.
Signal should be back by now. Time to report to the Team Leader...
"..."
The phone was still without signal.
This is unsettling.
*Crash!*
I pulled out the manual.
[Office Manual]
[OX. If you don't know what situation you're in]
1. While working at the Management Bureau, situations where you don't know what you're dealing with will occasionally arise.
2. In such cases, various checks are needed. First, look around at the surrounding buildings.
I looked at the surrounding buildings.
Ordinary buildings, like I knew.
3. If the buildings are fine, check the time. You might have gone to the past or future.
There was no way... to check the time.
4. Or it could be a dream. Do a reality check.
I pinched my finger, but nothing happened.
5. If none of the above four methods give a clear answer, you're probably fine.
6. Even so, if you feel a sense of incongruity, keep observing your surroundings.
That's it?
With growing unease, I looked around.
"Let's go a bit further for now—"
*Boom!*
The ground vibrated.
The moment the four of us exchanged glances,
*Boom!*
The ground shook again, sending birds flying up.
Screams echoed from far away.
"What is it? What's happening?"
Song Arin muttered anxiously, staring ahead.
*Boom!*
Buildings began to collapse.
"..."
Far off, a black circle of clouds spread over the visible city.
*Pour!*
Rain started pouring there.
A translucent window appeared over the dark clouds.
[Name: -]
[Age: -]
[Talent: -]
[Ability: Rain]
[Background: Nature has never always been friendly to humans. It's the same now.]
[Weakness: Time to think about the root of this incident.]
"This is..."
The dark clouds from the flood.
Did I go back to that time? Then the branch chief would handle it somehow, so should I run?
"Everyone, for now, buy some time..."
"Jaeheon."
Yoo Daon tugged my sleeve with a pale face.
"...Yeah?"
"Look at that."
A tidal wave the size of a building was surging toward us.
Wait. A tidal wave as big as a house?
This isn't the coast. It's inland.
"How is this even—"
"That's not important right now!"
Jang Chaeyeon yelled, snapping me out of it.
"Don't think! Evacuate!"
At her words, the four of us started racing back up the mountain.
Branches scratched my face, leaving cuts, and I tripped at times as I climbed.
"Huff... huff..."
When my breath reached my throat,
"Stop."
We all halted at Jang Chaeyeon's word.
"It's passed."
Looking far off at her words,
The ground I'd been standing on had become sea,
And water was rising.
"...Chaeyeon, this is."
"Yeah. ...A cruise ship."
We exchanged glances.
*Pour...*
Rain fell in the distance, and waves churned right before our eyes.