Seonoh had already won several rounds.
"Another checkmate," he said with a smile, his spirits lifted. Playing janggi with Elder Yoon all day, he hadn't noticed that evening had fallen. Absorbed in the game, his nightmares seemed to evaporate.
In fact, he could hardly recall having had them at all.
Outside, the sun was setting, signaling it was time for dinner. Elder Yoon, who was preparing the meal, went out to buy some groceries.
While Elder Yoon was briefly out, Seonoh entertained himself in the room, playing with some miscellaneous spirits. He was lying on the floor reading a book with them when suddenly, a loud banging sounded from the front gate.
It couldn't be his grandfather knocking like that, so someone else must have come by. Normally, Seonoh might have peeked through the curtains or snuck outside, but today he stayed calmly inside, engrossed in his book.
"Hey, Seonoh."
At that moment, Sisi, who was on his wrist, spoke up.
"I didn't plan on interfering, but I guess I have to."
"Huh?"
"It's because things are pretty dangerous right now."
"Dangerous? What is?"
"Are you really okay with this?"
Seonoh blinked down at Sisi.
"Are you really fine with living like this?"
"...What do you mean?"
"I'm asking if this narrow, trash-filled world is truly your sanctuary."
Sisi's eyes squinted flatly as it flicked its tongue.
"Do you think you can stay safe here forever?"
"Grandpa told me not to go outside. I'm going to listen to him from now on."
"What a waste of the mark of hometown, truly..."
Sisi clicked its tongue as if in pity, muttering under its breath.
"You're a coward."
Seonoh nodded, still looking at his book, as if in agreement.
"Yes, that's right. I am a coward."
***
Finally, Jaegyeom's eyes snapped open.
The vines that had been wrapped around his ankles were now nowhere to be seen.
Freed from the vines, he swam directly toward Yoon Taehee.
The man, who was lost in a peaceful slumber from the past, wore a serene, calm expression. Jaegyeom grabbed Yoon Taehee by the collar and shook him lightly, but he didn't open his eyes.
Jaegyeom looked over at the turtle, who was next to him. Though he couldn't speak underwater, he seemed to understand the gesture.
Just as he'd done with Jaegyeom, he bit Yoon Taehee firmly on the ear.
But no matter how long they waited, Yoon Taehee didn't wake up.
"M- master! It seems like this man has no breath left in him."
At the turtle's words, Jaegyeom's eyes widened in shock.
"...What?"
He hurriedly shoved the turtle aside and slapped Yoon Taehee's face sharply and repeatedly.
No. This can't be. Wake up, wake up already!
Jaegyeom's face contorted in desperation as he flailed his hands, Yoon Taehee's head turning back and forth violently. Blood spilled from his lips, diffusing into the water like ink.
Just as Jaegyeom was about to raise his hand again, he paused mid-motion.
Could it be that this guy... didn't want to wake up?
The thought abruptly forced its way into Jaegyeom's mind, and his eyes shook.
Perhaps he didn't want to wake from this sleep. Unlike Jaegyeom himself, who cannot die, maybe Yoon Taehee wished to remain like this, forgetting everything, and to let his life end within these happy memories.
It didn't matter to jaegyeom since he could not die anyway... but maybe leaving Yoon Taehee in peace was better for him? If he woke him, was he just being selfish?
What if he resented him for waking him up? Would it be pulling him out of a happy past and back into this hell? Did he have the right to wake you?
Would it really be right to wake him up from the happy past?
Perhaps I am ruining your paradise...
The strength in Jaegyeom's hand slowly faded as he hovered over Yoon Taehee's face. Looking down at him, he gently brushed the cheek he'd struck so many times before.
"..."
After a moment's hesitation, Jaegyeom slowly backed away from the other man. He moved his arms and legs, finally surfacing from the water. He gasped, coughing and expelling water as he wiped the moisture from his eyes.
"Are you really going to leave him behind?"
The turtle asked, clinging to Jaegyeom's shoulder after following him up.
"..."
Jaegyeom, wiping his eyes, remained silent. His breathing had gradually steadied.
He took a deep breath, finally filling his lungs.
Having caught his breath, Jaegyeom dove back underwater. He swam toward the sleeping Yoon Taehee. Gripping the man's nose, he leaned close and pressed his lips to his.
Jaegyeom breathed the breath of today into Seonoh of the past.
Come back.
To this hell...
I'm sorry, but I have to wake you. I know it's selfish, but I have no choice. I need you. To end this life, I need you.
And I promised Jeongju and Mesani. I said I'd invite you home. So I'll wake you. I'll wake you and ask when you're free.
In my tomorrow, you were there.
So I'll bring you into my today.
After breathing life into Yoon Taehee, Jaegyeom swam straight toward the bottom of the lake. Yoon Taehee's sword lay there,
waiting. Jaegyeom picked it up, pulling at the scabbard. But it merely shook and rattled, refusing to open. He closed his eyes and muttered under his breath.
"Hidden Weapon. Strange. Piercing Heaven and Earth."
The scabbard that had been sealed shut unlocked. Jaegyeom's eyes opened slowly. The well-honed blade gleamed as it revealed itself.
With a steady gaze, Jaegyeom scrutinized the sword.
What he must do was return Yoon Taehee's name to him.
He must return "Yoon Taehee" to Yoon Taehee.
Focusing his mind on the sword, Jaegyeom infused it with his spiritual energy. Then, all at once, the quiet waters began to stir, bubbling up and churning as if boiling.
Waves began to ripple across the lake's surface.
The ripples spread from beneath the water until they swallowed the entire lake. Soon, a massive, spiraling vortex whirled around Jaegyeom's grip on the sword, growing ever larger.
Jaegyeom swung the energy-infused sword horizontally with full force toward the lakebed.
Crash—!
The intangible energy from the blade struck the lakebed like lightning, sending a tremendous noise reverberating through the cave and violently shaking it. The intense force split the lake's ground, creating a massive rift, as if a cliff had formed between the earth. The lakebed began to collapse at an angle.
The entire cave finally started to crumble.
***
The pounding on the front door had stopped at some point. Lying down and reading a book, Seonoh turned a page with a soft rustle.
But then, the doorknob began to rattle, as if someone outside was trying to open the locked door.
The ghosts in the room huddled together in a corner, clutching one another in fear. Seonoh felt an inexplicable chill of terror himself.
Dropping the book he'd been reading, he hugged the ghost beside him tightly.
"I- I'm scared."
Then Sisi on his wrist asked,
"Why? What are you scared of?"
"Because I don't know what's out there," Seonoh replied, his shoulders shaking. "Maybe it's 'him' outside."
At Seonoh's trembling words, Sisi questioned,
"Him?"
"Grandpa said he would come," Seonoh continued in a shaky voice.
"He'll take everything I have, ruin everything."
"..."
Listening quietly, Sisi closed its eyes.
"Seonoh." It continued softly, "If this place is your paradise, and you've decided to stay in this cramped garbage heap, then from now on, you'll live in fear whenever the wind makes the window shake, even a little."
"..."
"There's nothing you'll be able to do in this dump, aside from waiting and trembling until the day Yoon Wonjoong returns to his senses. Is that really okay with you?"
"..."
Seonoh said nothing in response.
"Seonoh, maybe it really is 'him' out there, just as you said. What's waiting beyond that door might be your fate, your misfortune, your downfall. And you're scared of the bad things that might happen, aren't you?"
"..."
"You're afraid you'll regret opening the door, right? Isn't that so?"
"I don't want to hear it. Stop talking."
But Sisi continued, undeterred.
"That's right. You could live your whole life regretting opening the door. 'I shouldn't have opened it then. But the opposite is just as true. For the rest of your life, you'll regret not opening it today. As long as you don't open the door, you'll never know what's really waiting outside."
Sisi let out a mocking laugh, flicking its tongue.
"Do you understand? That's the nature of regret."
"No! This is all happening because of me!" Seonoh shouted, clutching his head with his hands.
"So please, just stop!"
In agony, he reopened the book he'd thrown aside and began reading aloud, his voice trembling like an aspen leaf. He wanted to drown out Sisis voice.
"Te- Teo wanted to go to the sea... to the emerald sea, and..."
He quickly turned to the next page. Something was wedged between the pages. It was a photograph of someone, drenched in blood, drawing back a bowstring. Seonoh paused, staring at it in confusion.
"W- what is this?"
Without much thought, he turned the photo over. There was writing on the back.
"Have you ever seen a stuffed genius?"
"..."
As Seonoh's eyes slowly widened, the letters suddenly blurred, and his vision wavered. His breathing became strangely erratic, and his head throbbed as if it were about to split. Gripping his forehead, he lowered his head.
...Have you ever seen a stuffed genius? I am happy. At a time like this, even love is pleasant. By the way, how old are you? How does it feel to be stuffed, Jaegyeom? I don't think it'd feel that delightful if it were me. I risked everything, staking my undying life. Mi help you win, take down Naryecheong. And if I quit, would you finally like me? Everything began from the moment I met him. It felt as though the world was giving me a hint, that it was you, to follow you. He was, in fact, the herald of downfall...
Seonoh shot up, clutching his ears, veins bulging as he screamed.
"No...!! No!!"
Even with his ears covered, the two voices-strange yet somehow familiar-whirled wildly in his mind.
"Go!! I said, go...!"
Seonoh spun in place, throwing himself against the wall, tormented.
Just then, the door rattled again, this time as though it would break.
Staggering in pain, he stumbled toward the door. Grimacing and with tears welling in his eyes, he glared at the door.
"Why have you come for me?"
There was only silence from the outside.
"Who on earth are you?"
In the end, Seonoh reached out and opened the door.
The moment he opened it, a torrent of water burst in as if a dam had broken. The bone-chillingly cold water flooded the room, collapsing walls and tearing down the ceiling.
Somehow, from the ground to the sky, the entire world was submerged in water as though it were an aquarium.
A massive whirlpool was devouring everything. Swept away, Seonoh clung desperately to a utility pole, struggling to resist the current.
"Seon... oh..."
Turning his head, he saw the water ghost being dragged away by the fierce current. Letting go of the pole, Seonoh yelled "no!" and reached out to the ghost, his hand nearly touching it.
Just as his fingertips brushed against the ghost's, a voice he couldn't recognize thundered in his mind.
—Yoon Taehee!
Seonoh's eyes snapped open.
The first thing he saw was a shower of rocks, large and small, hurtling into the water like meteors. The cave was collapsing, the scenery crumbling. Below him, the ground shattered, and above, rocks were falling. Seonoh was spiraling down into the whirlpool.
"Yoon Taehee!"
But amid the cataclysmic scene, someone was reaching out to him.
"Taehee——!"
In that instant, Seonoh understood.
What had been waiting outside the door was 'love masked as fear.