“What kind of announcement could it possibly be?”
“…I don’t know.”
“Uh… You really don’t know?”
“…Yes, I genuinely have no idea this time.”
“Huh…”
When the man shook his head, showing he really didn’t know, the journalist who had hoped to extract something from him looked disappointed and clicked his tongue.
‘So disappointing…’
He had just tried to probe for any information in order to publish an article as quickly as possible, but the disappointment was palpable.
Nevertheless, even though it was fruitless, his curiosity only grew. The person he had just questioned was known for casually leaking inside information from the government.
There was still a vivid memory of how this man had reliably reaped benefits by starting his statements with “Only the teacher knows…” and then letting the details slip. His tips had always been surprisingly accurate.
But even this leak-prone individual said he didn’t know—indicating that it was true.
By that point, the journalist who had posed the question couldn’t help but swallow nervously.
What kind of announcement could this be, causing so much suspense and such strict confidentiality?
‘Then again…’
Reflecting on recent events, it was foreseeable that something groundbreaking was about to be announced.
Strange things had started appearing in neighboring countries, and just when everyone thought they were safe, something that held human heads had appeared.
It wasn’t an overstatement to say the entire nation was obsessed with this phenomenon. With such attention, it was inevitable that people—and even those who stood to profit—would exploit this wave.
They quickly jumped aboard, spreading various stories, true or false.
The blue thing was actually a secret experiment from the north, and its blue coloring was to avoid exposing it as a spy. Or perhaps the monstrous figures were capturing and eating people, while the government secretly experimented on them. Maybe the president himself was one of these blue creatures, and the entire nation was already under its control.
All kinds of rumors, plausible or not, emerged, creating sensational stories that spread everywhere.
These theories, wrapped as either doubts or dismissals, became uncontrollable.
In the midst of this chaos, some individuals even claimed they had directly encountered “it.” When journalists interviewed them, these people admitted they had seen it in a dream—making such absurdities seem almost charming by comparison.
However…
The story that the MZ generation enjoyed wasn’t enough. There was a shockingly clear photo. Though small, it clearly showed something—a photo that couldn’t be dismissed.
Moreover, the person who released it wasn’t usually associated with sensational topics, giving the report even greater credibility.
In this context, when the government, which had until now remained silent, announced it would make a major statement, the press conference room was packed with journalists eager to capitalize on the rare story.
The creature hadn’t been seen since, so this was the last chance to profit from the hype. Hence, some wondered why the government didn’t maintain silence—it would likely die down on its own.
Something was afoot.
But no one knew exactly what.
How long had he been mulling over his discomfort when the spokesperson finally approached the microphone and began an elaborate speech?
Filled with flowery language, evasive wording, and disclaimers of responsibility, the announcement boiled down to this:
All the rumors are false news.
No one has died.
That is not a human.
And now, we will reveal its true identity.
“…What?”
When the man mulled over this statement, his eyes widened.
Wait, they’re not obfuscating—they really are going to tell us what it is?
While the journalists tried to decipher the speaker’s coded language, murmuring started among them.
Then the closed door opened, revealing one紧张的女性 and another stone-faced woman entering. On closer inspection, there were actually three people—it was just that the third figure was too small to notice initially.
“Eh?”
“Is it… blue?”
“It can’t be…”
Soon everyone’s eyes were fixed on the diminutive yet peculiar blue figure wearing an adorable suit.
Flash, flash, flash!
The photographers, despite not fully understanding what was happening, instinctively snapped pictures in a frenzy.
As the camera flashes burst, a peculiar blue tentacle protruding from the top of the figure’s head began to twitch.
“…”
Some who caught sight of this suspected it was the same figure that had carried human heads in the photos. They gasped but decided not to flee, considering it a professional obligation.
Decisively,
“…Whatever it is, it’s kind of cute.”
“It’s healing.”
“…It seems very well-behaved.”
“What is it…?”
The blue being, called Lime, displayed an unexpectedly polite demeanor.
It didn’t resemble the wild, head-carrying monster from the photos. Instead, it looked more like a cute child in a little suit, walking daintily, evoking a warm smile akin to watching a beloved nephew.
It was too adorable not to pay attention.
As the journalists were mesmerized, the small being, Lime, reached the podium and raised a hand in a friendly wave. Despite being momentarily charmed, some reporters quickly recollected themselves.
This was no time to be amused.
However,
No one knew what to ask. The spokesperson had already retreated to a corner where he was filming the blue creature, Lime, with his own smartphone. Meanwhile, Lime stood there, waving its hand but staying silent.
It was Han Seori, standing nearby with an anxious expression, who broke the awkward silence.
“Ahem… Good afternoon.”
With a slightly shaky voice, Han Seori began her prepared speech.
Unlike the previous spokesperson’s convoluted explanations, Han Seori’s words were straightforward and clear, almost as if speaking to a child.
Summarized, here’s what she said:
The blue figure here is indeed the same one in the photos. Its name is Jin Lime.
It is absolutely not a human-harming entity. The neck in the photo (here a nearby woman suddenly pulled her own neck out, causing a minor commotion) is not human, as you can see. (Her expression suggested this was not previously agreed upon.)
These two are beings called Singularities. Seori herself works for a “Secret” government-run laboratory.
There are Singularities in our world, some that indeed harm people. However, this particular one, Jin Lime, plays a significant and challenging role in stopping such threats. Though it doesn’t speak, it understands everything, so reporters are asked to be mindful when speaking.
The current uproar stems from an incident while this Singularity, Jin Lime, was “handling” an adversarial Singularity.
Due to the potential for confusion, they had kept it hidden until now, but they arranged this press conference because Jin Lime was being misunderstood.
Naturally, questions followed when Han Seori’s explanation concluded.
“So, the sightings in other countries—are they also Singularities?”
“We don’t know what they call them there, but we call them Singularities.”
“Is it certain this Jin Lime Singularity does not harm humans?”
“Our Lime does not harm. Look, even a close embrace doesn’t trigger any attacks.”
“Isn’t it just reacting to imprinted individuals?”
“Well, come up and see for yourself.”
“Wh-what?”
Caught off guard by the sudden invitation, a dumbfounded journalist hesitated amidst the intense gazes. He stepped onto the stage, embraced Lime for a full minute, and safely descended.
Back among the group, the female reporter seemed dazed, recalling the sensation she had just experienced.
It seemed to have gone well.
“And why are you making this announcement all of a sudden?”
“Because we don’t want it to be misunderstood.”
“So why keep it hidden until now?”
“…As I said.”
“Hey! Stop asking. Didn’t we already cover this earlier?”
“No, how do we know this is real? You were quiet until now, and now you’re doing this because you’re bracing for a disaster, right?”
“Hem. We’ve explained our position thoroughly. We will not entertain this question further. Next.”
A stream of trivial questions followed, asking what Lime liked, whether more Singularities existed, and why they appeared.
In reality, these questions appeared trivial but were harder to answer, mostly because of the same simple reason:
…We don’t know.
And then,
One reporter carefully raised his hand and asked:
“I’ve heard people claim to have seen this blue creature in dreams even before now. Is there any connection between these dreams and the Singularity, Jin Lime?”
“…Hmm. That’s difficult to confirm. If you, or anyone else, have had such dreams, please contact us.”
“Is the woman beside you also a Singularity?”
“…Didn’t you see her detach a neck earlier?”
“Did you think it was magic…?”
It seemed like the chaotic yet rather smooth conference was winding down. Given the intensity of the day, it felt like time to wrap things up. From Han Seori’s tone, it seemed they were no longer planning to conceal the existence of Singularities.
Perhaps, it would be wise to write an article, observe public reaction, and refine further questions.
But an incident occurred at that moment.
“Having monsters and humans live peaceably is nonsense! You can’t believe this!”
A journalist, watching from the corner, suddenly changed demeanor, pulling out something from his pocket and throwing it toward Lime.
“What… is that!?”
“It’s a… bomb!?”
The orderly atmosphere of the press conference was shattered, screams erupted everywhere.
