I was holding onto Park Jin-soo when suddenly there was a flash, and I felt as if I were floating. I’ve never worn a spacesuit or been out in space, but if I ever did, I imagined it would feel something like this.
The sensation of my body suddenly floating left me feeling a bit bewildered, but strangely, I also felt a sense of ease, which suggested that I wasn’t in a hostile situation.
After a while, the figure of Park Jin-soo that I had been gripping tightly disappeared. It seemed less like he had vanished and more like I’d been transported somewhere else. This was reinforced by the fact that Lee Sang-yong, who had been behind Park Jin-soo, had also disappeared, not just him. Along with them, the location had shifted to some kind of blank, white space.
In this space, all that remained were myself, Lee Yoo-jin, and an unwell-looking Daesik. Hence, though I didn’t know the specifics, it seemed like only Daesik, Lee Yoo-jin, and I had been relocated somewhere.
From the beginning to the end, I had no idea what was going on, but for some reason, I had a premonition that this was “the end.” Not the end of my life, but rather the sense that we were stepping out from this bizarre Singularity.
There was no concrete basis for this feeling.
No one had laid out a detailed plan for me, nor did I have any prior information at all—just a sudden landing here without any warning.
Nevertheless, without any basis, my intuition whispered: “Soon, finally, you can rest.”
As I was lost in these thoughts, Lee Yoo-jin and Daesik, who had been floating nearby, came drifting toward me. When I reached out with my tendrils to grab them, the state they were in was far from good.
Lee Yoo-jin was a total mess, having taken the brunt of whatever Lee Sang-yong had thrown at her (possibly instead of me), while Daesik, clutching what looked like a jar, was in an equally terrible state.
Especially alarming was the sight of Daesik’s Alice, with her jelly-like appendages floating about. It reminded me of some horror game where a ghastly creature looms in the background, ready to spring at you.
This observation was fleeting, however, and the dominant emotion I felt was sorrow.
Daesik had lost Alice, who was practically an extension of himself. The extent of his grief must have been indescribable. Although he can’t speak, the depth of his pain would likely surpass the ability of words to express it.
Even if somehow repaired, with Yang Ha-na’s reputed skills, Alice would only turn into a patchwork golem. Perhaps suggesting that he asks for a pretty new doll instead wouldn’t be such a bad idea. After all, we had managed to resolve this situation well enough to merit such a request.
With this thought in mind, I mentally nodded, imagining a positive outcome, when an unusual phenomenon began to occur.
The body of Daesik, or more accurately Alice’s body, which had been floating in ruin, started to slowly knit itself back together. Watching the doll mend itself was an eerie sight.
It felt like stepping into a horror game. Surely you weren’t the final boss, were you?
As I struggled to comprehend what was happening, there was an even bigger change with Daesik’s newly-repaired body.
What… What is going on with him?
This thought involuntarily slipped out because it clearly defied description.
When Daesik approached me, he started to swell like an angry green monster. However, instead of turning muscular, his body was inflating bigger and bigger.
Before I could react, Daesik expanded beyond my height, and it seemed like that wasn’t enough as he kept growing.
Startled, I quickly wrapped my tendril around Lee Yoo-jin and pulled her close to my body. Though I wasn’t sure why, I had a foreboding that while we might be stepping out into something safe, Yoo-jin might be in danger in her present condition.
At that moment, Daesik paused his alarming growth, instead pulling me and Lee Yoo-jin close with his doll-like hands and embracing us in his warm, expansive chest. I could feel the jelly-like substance becoming soft and malleable, almost inducing sleep.
But before I could savor this warmth, the radiant white light faded, revealing a familiar white space. A ceiling I once considered barren now filled me with comfort.
Obsessive white walls, cameras I had noticed before entering, and…
Oh, drones?
Familiar drones filled the room, making it feel stiflingly hot. They had appeared to be targeting the Singularity with their dark holes—likely mistaking me and those I had entered with as villains.
While I was mulling over this, my body exited—
—and Daesik, who was cradling me and Lee Yoo-jin, also came out. Chaos unfolded immediately. Though the weapons didn’t fire, Daesik was still growing.
As he expanded, drones he inadvertently crushed hit the walls with a bang, cameras shattered, and the table that had once held the Singularity collapsed in splinters.
Worried that Lee Yoo-jin might get hurt, I wrapped her in my body. There was no time to revel in the joy of being back in a familiar space.
Bang! Clatter!
Giant Daesik had caused a ruckus, akin to a cat knocking over a cup on a table. It wasn’t catastrophic like demolishing the entire room, but there was no denying the disruption.
Knowing this place wasn’t safe with Daesik in such a state, I decided to lead us out through the doorway. Though his size had grown, he was still, after all, a doll, so there was no overwhelming pressure, but it still wasn’t a place for ordinary humans.
As we made our way to the door painstakingly, a familiar voice called out faintly.
“What the…?”
Focusing my vision toward the source, I saw Electric Scent pressed against a wall by Daesik’s massive fist. She appeared reluctant to attack, probably having already realized that the entity before her was Daesik.
Watching her being compressed brought out a laugh initially, but then I noticed her face resembled an older version of mine, leaving me with an uneasy sensation.
Is this domestic violence…?
With such absurd thoughts crossing my mind, we finally reached the door and came face-to-face with Daesik’s huge contorted expression. He seemed a bit uneasy too, twitching his massive body, but his size made movement cumbersome.
What on earth were you thinking, Daesik?
Even though he hadn’t abandoned his beloved Alice, clinging to her might turn out similar to letting her go, I mused internally.
In the midst of these thoughts,
“Good heavens, what…? Ra… Lime!”
The door opened hurriedly as Han Seori appeared, startled by the sight of giant Daesik before locking on to me and becoming teary-eyed.
Frankly, I hadn’t anticipated this kind of reaction from Han Seori. Even though her concern for me wasn’t something I failed to notice, I never imagined she would become so emotional.
But did that irritate me? No.
In fact, seeing her tears reminded me of the harrowing ordeals I had faced inside. Expecting some grand adventure but falling into a terrible trap, witnessing indescribably horrible things—there was no room for anger. Instead, I felt a deep sorrow I hadn’t experienced before.
It dawned on me; seeing her tears reflected my sorrows as well. Though nothing tangible like chicken droppings flowed from my eyes.
“It’s a relief you’re safe! I was so worried…”
Han Seori rushed to my side, replacing what I couldn’t give, and it felt more than sufficient.
Kim Cheon-soo, following behind her, wiping his nose with a smirk, seemed somewhat distasteful but compared to the villain within, he was truly an angel… no, a divine celestial entity worthy of such a title.
Thus, comparing him to whatever-that-was, Kim Cheon-soo seemed like a grown-up, even somewhat naive and pure… whatever that means.
Strangely, amidst this, I felt like I had come home. Technically, I hadn’t moved from this room, yet it felt akin to a hikikomori reentering the world.
…Am I overthinking this?
A jumble of thoughts.
This was how much returning felt significant to me.
Touched by this odd feeling, I hugged the bowed Han Seori. Though the position was a bit awkward, she willingly hugged me back.
“…Uh, there’s someone watching.”
“Eek.”
“Oh dear.”
The comment from this vantage may sound odd.
It was contrary to what we’d expect, yet from the outsider’s perspective, it made sense.
Still, given Lee Yoo-jin’s condition, Hwang Bo-yul and Kim Cheon-soo appeared shortly after, gently pulling her away and heading somewhere else.
I, too, shifted my position into Han Seori’s embrace.
As she held and petted me a few times, she murmured while gazing at the inflated Daesik.
“What happened to him…?”
She muttered this while absent-mindedly squeezing Daesik’s body.
“I’m hungry.”
Han Seori blinked surprised, and I too was startled that jelly trembled.
“Let me out too, please.”
Meanwhile, Electric Scent, still squashed under Daesik’s fist, mumbled her dissatisfaction.
