Exiting the research facility, Sihyun stood at the entrance and generated a massive amount of water inside the facility. It was no easy task to fill a building that was almost seven floors high with water, requiring more mana than he could afford. Using up the remaining mana, he filled the seven floors, and water gushed out through the open windows. Sihyun then created a waterstorm in that state.
The windows, unable to withstand the water pressure, shattered weakly. As the water from the building splashed on the floor and touched Sihyun's feet, he, who had been watching it, couldn't hold on any longer and fainted.
Seowoo, who had been waiting in advance, embraced the collapsing Sihyun. Despite trembling, he managed to endure, and Sihyun's collapse was so typical of him that it seemed absurd.
"Did you say you met a Titan and got traumatized?"
As Sihyun fainted, Hahyeok approached the fallen him and asked, shortening his words. Although he didn't directly ask about the incident, Hamin habitually responded with a short "Yeah."
Hahyeok reached Sihyun's side, gently lifted his closed eyelids with his thumb, and confirmed his unconscious state. A regretful voice came out of his mouth.
"The ability is charming, but it's disappointing inside."
Still, being a Quadruple, it should be beneficial in some way.
With a gentle touch, Hahyeok softly brushed Sihyun's eyelids with his thumb and mumbled, "Even though you fainted, you're precious, huh?"
Opening the car door, he continued, "If you go back, come with me. There are procedures to follow. Seeing the mess you caused to save that one over there, you seem to treasure him, so treat him carefully because Sihyun is precious."
"Ah..."
In the passage where Sihyun treasured someone, Haru blushed and grabbed Sihyun's hand. With a ring on his finger, he stared intensely at the face of the one who had fainted. Hamin, who thought something was strange about him being trapped in the research lab, grinned.
Is it normal to become strange when trapped in a research lab?
Hamin quickly considered and nodded his head. Judging from the recent situation, it seemed normal even if he went crazy. But being abnormal and feeling bitter were separate matters. One guy was looking down at the one who fainted, holding him precious, and the other guy was holding the hand of the one who fainted and awkwardly wiping his face. It was quite embarrassing to watch.
"What are you doing to the one who fainted?"
Hamin, who spoke sharply, snatched Sihyun away from Seowoo. If I leave these two alone, I'll have to take care of the whole thing myself. Dissatisfied glares from the two were directed at Hamin.
Receiving a piercing gaze that seemed to pierce the back of his head, Hamin moved to the rear seat and took a seat. When Hahyeok, who was riding ahead, saw him through the rearview mirror, he smiled faintly.
"You're doing well, Mina."
"Don't call me that."
Hamin replied sharply. Hahyeok started the car with a light laugh. The other two also entered the back seat. It felt somewhat cramped for the four sturdy teenagers to ride, but Sihyun, being thinner than his peers, was not in a position where he couldn't sit comfortably, especially since he was halfway leaning on Hamin.
"It might be heavy."
"Not really."
"I... also want to hold him..."
"It's mine, so what can you do."
Ignoring Seowoo and Haru's casual conversation, Hamin gazed at Sihyun with a tired expression. It seemed like he had become increasingly exhausted since getting to know him.
Adjusting his uncomfortable posture, Sihyun, who had fainted, weakly leaned his head against Hamin. Seeing him up close, it became evident once again that he was quite handsome. Long eyelashes, clear skin, a well-proportioned body - if he were a girl, he would have been quite attractive. Hamin, a clean and innocent beauty without a single flaw on his body, discreetly brushed aside a strand of Sihyun's hair covering his neck. A clear mark was revealed. Just when he thought it might be a bit of a miss, he was startled and withdrew his hand. He regained his composure quickly.
Among the crazies, am I going crazy too?
Being in the middle of Seowoo and Haru, who were known for their eccentricities, Hamin seemed a bit tainted as well. Hamin, who had worn an expression of disgust, handed Sihyun over to Haru. Seowoo looked somewhat repulsive to me, and Haru felt like a loyal puppy following its owner, so it seemed okay to let him go.
However, Hamin soon regretted handing Sihyun over to Haru. Seeing Haru cradling the collapsed Sihyun and affectionately ruffling his hair like a dog, Hamin couldn't bear to watch and took him back. In the midst of the madness, Haru embracing the limp Sihyun, whether he was conscious or not, seemed strange enough. Hamin, who observed quietly, couldn't decide whether to pity or be annoyed with Haru. He narrowed his eyes and soon closed them, thinking it would be better not to see the noisy scene, given the state of intoxication.
Seowoo, silently observing all this, made a sound, "Hmm," and then looked out the window.
Sighing, Hahyeok, who checked the antics of the boys in the rear seat through the rearview mirror, raised the corner of his mouth. Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, he increased the speed of the car. In the quiet car, the only calm person was Hahyeok, and the only one unconscious was Sihyun.
***
Puff, puff, puff, puff.
Woken up by the familiar sound, Sihyun looked around the dim space. The absolute darkness without a single visible light resembled Sihyun's space.
He realized that the last memory was struggling with water, and now it felt like a dream. While glancing around, he heard the sound again, puff, puff! It was an excessively familiar sound.
"Pia...?"
As Sihyun called out the culprit of the sound, he realized his mistake and shut his mouth. The blue eyes widened.
Crazy, Pia.
An expletive rose from within. No matter how absent-minded he was, how could he forget Pia? He thought about the time when he reassured Pia to stay quiet and went for a model shoot, which was about ten days ago. Remembering Pia, who waited for him without eating for ten days and didn't come back, Sihyun turned pale. Just thinking about how much I neglected him made me dream of Pia getting angry. Hoping to see Pia even in a dream, he called out his name eagerly, and mist formed in a part of the space. Soon after, Pia appeared with a pop. Seeing Pia after a long time, he seemed a bit elongated, maybe because it was a dream.
"Pia?"
"Puff!"
"Sorry."
As he called his name and reached out, Pia turned his head and shook his wings. It seemed like he was clearly angry. Sihyun found his appearance cute and strangely realistic, even though he knew it was a dream. He apologized two or three times before Pia turned to look at him. Opening his eyes slightly, it felt strangely human.
"Puff, puff, puff, puff!"
"I'm really sorry."
"Papa puff!"
"Yeah, I won't do it again."
Although only sounds of puff, pat, and puff were heard, somehow, Sihyun felt like he understood what Pia wanted to say, so he gave a suitable response. It felt like communication was possible in the dream. After apologizing once again, the small creature flew towards Sihyun. It looked quite familiar landing on his hand.
As he gently stroked the soft fur and pressed the small horn with his thumb, Pia made happy sounds, puff, puff! Although it was only sounds of puff, pat, and puff, Sihyun somehow knew what Pia wanted to say. Apologizing once more, the little creature flew towards Sihyun. Landing on his hand, it seemed quite comfortable.
While stroking the fluffy fur with his hand, when he pressed the small horn with his thumb, Pia made happy sounds, puff, puff! It seemed like a cute and realistic scene, even in a dream.
"Puff, puff!"
"Hmm?"
"Puff, puff, puff!"
"Look over there?"
Suddenly, Pia extended one wing and pointed somewhere. Following Pia's indication, Sihyun turned his gaze toward the pointed direction. The pitch-black space seemed no different from anywhere else.
"There's nothing there. Let's put it bluntly." Pia shouted, flapping its wings as if expressing its frustration. Gradually, the dark space began to dim.
What was once as dark as coal turned from deep gray to bright gray. Then, abruptly, a dazzling white light filled the space, making Sihyun furrow his brow. While everything else remained dark, only the area Pia pointed to was glaringly bright.
"What's that?"
"Puff, puff."
As if telling him to look closely, Pia whimpered. Sihyun, who had closed his mouth, petted Pia and strained to gaze at the brightened space. The gradually fading space, as if starting the engine, distorted for a moment and unexpectedly revealed the sky. It was twilight.
Sihyun tilted his head, looking at the sky, a dazzling mix of orange and crimson. As he observed it curiously, something strange appeared through the clouds.
It was a gap.
A very small and narrow gap.
So fine that it seemed like a delusion. The gap started to split with a sound like pop, revealing a long, thin opening on both sides. As Sihyun stared at the elongating gap, one area brightened additionally. It displayed a slightly different scene.
Orcs, sirens, and even giant worms. Irregulars living in every terrain, be it land, mountains, or sea, were bowing or kneeling in that direction. It was a bizarre scene that momentarily stole his gaze.
"Puff!"
Suddenly, Pia, who had left Sihyun's embrace, pushed Sihyun's back with a short burst of force. Originally, it should have been a power so negligible that it couldn't even be compared, but Sihyun, feeling as if a giant had pushed him, lost his balance and was pushed forward. From the space that showed the sky, an arm emerged, grabbing his falling body.
Startled, as Sihyun widened his eyes, ominous arms pulled him into the inner space. As if being sucked in, he felt a brilliant light. Sihyun squinted his eyes tightly.
He felt that even above his eyelids, the sight became brighter. Thinking that it had disappeared, when he opened his eyes again, the world had changed.
Neither the dark space nor Pia was visible. When he lifted his head, he saw the twilight sky, and Sihyun observed it intently. A gap appeared through the clouds. It was the same gap he had seen.
Wondering if it was just a hallucination, Sihyun mumbled, and the slightly enlarged gap gradually began to widen. As if someone had pried open and revealed it, the gap grew larger and bigger, becoming the size of the sun.
Through the gap, eyes appeared.
Eyes with thick eyelashes, a giant eye.
It was still closed.
The surroundings became noisy. The rumbling sound filled his ears, and he heard someone taking pictures. Only then did Sihyun realize that there were other people in this space.
While everyone in the dream seemed to find the current situation fascinating, only Sihyun felt an unusual energy, staring with narrowed eyes. When the commotion of people became a little louder, its eyes opened.
And simultaneously,
Darkness descended upon the world.
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