I carefully extended my hand toward the remote control.
Although there was no TV in this House, the thought of holding a piece of civilization in my hands for the first time in so long made me restless with excitement.
Ah… Of course, the collar that had snapped around my neck with a click could also be considered one of the marvels of civilization—a marvel that I’ve never experienced before. But that was not the kind of civilization I wanted.
It was the kind of civilization Han Seori wanted. Or, well… it might have been something she wanted and brought to me… But that’s beside the point.
Anyway.
I grabbed the remote, and the familiar feel of its surface was oddly comforting.
I handled it carefully, making sure not to smear any Jelly, and reminisced about its texture when…
A thought struck me. I suddenly remembered something that happened not long ago. Feeling a bit uneasy, I glanced around my room (?).
A pure white room.
Its contents included only a bed and a few toys that I no longer played with. And…
“Hey, Seoni~”
…What are they even doing, just sitting there so blankly?
The idiots Daesik and Sosik were fixated on the TV, as if bewitched.
A completely empty white space would seem fitting, except for a few added objects; fundamentally, there was still nothing hanging on the walls.
Actually, it might be naive to think that there are no surveillance cameras in a place like this.
If I were in charge of managing these Singularities, I’d have installed cameras all over the place. You don’t leave this kind of thing alone without any idea what it might do next, right?
Of course, it’s not something I would do—more like something the others would do.
Besides…
There have been moments when Han Seori has acted as though she saw something that wasn’t supposed to be here, even though I scoured the area before and found nothing.
Now, with Original attaching that wall-mounted TV, it seems there’s definitely a hidden camera somewhere.
Is this what they call a hidden camera?
No, isn’t this a violation of human rights?
But wait—I’m not human anymore; I’m Jelly, remember?
There’s no fun, but living comfortably as an unemployed bachelor or being exploited for my brilliant intellect like a slave (not sure which is really happening here)…
If I had to choose, I’d go for the former, so I didn’t think there was any point in raising objections.
When you gain something, you must give up something else, right?
Which means…
It’s meaningless to be nervous about getting caught pressing the remote button while channel surfing, isn’t it?
I suddenly felt like I’d become an idiot. My brain might have turned soft like Jelly, making me somewhat dim-witted.
I wondered how I was even thinking like this. It wouldn’t be strange if my brainpower had dropped a little…
—”What nonsense is that?”
After all, I have a reservoir of knowledge!
At any rate…
There’s no way I could secretly change the channels without Han Seori noticing.
But that doesn’t mean I want to see those round, cutesy characters either.
Although Daesik and Sosik seem thoroughly entertained, the alpha decides the original channel, as in the case of older members in the dorm or Grandma taking charge of the living room.
If Han Seori already touched the remote, then it’s not strange at all for me to fiddle with it as well, right?
Still, I felt a bit nervous about it. So, I picked up Sosik who was staring blankly at the TV.
The little guy wriggled a bit, probably out of annoyance, but quickly gave up and refocused on the screen.
Being aware of some unseen camera, I moved my tentacle carefully, positioning the remote in Sosik’s dull hand.
Then I gently pushed the buttons using Sosik’s fingers.
“Friends…”
“The next news is on.”
The overly spherical character disappeared, replaced by the news anchorman I had seen moments ago.
Watching the news briefly, a strange feeling came over me.
Despite the massive issue with food made from Singularities affecting people, and my own life drastically changing in an instant, the world continued to spin unhindered.
No, it’s probably excessive egotism to think that the world would stop for me.
Of course, that’s only natural.
That’s why I wanted to immerse myself in the stimulating cultural life I’ve always enjoyed rather than worry about a world that will go on without me.
What’s the point of caring about a world that’ll keep spinning just fine without me?
I doubt I’ll have the chance to be part of it anytime soon.
With a slightly distorted feeling…
I thought back to my childhood, sneaking out to the living room to secretly change the channels while my parents slept. Reliving that nostalgic sensation, I operated the remote again.
Whatever this is, why does it make me feel such an adrenaline rush?
Perhaps there really is a lack of entertainment here.
Eventually, as I passed the channel featuring X-Soon, since it was late, a movie with a yellow warning sticker in the top-left corner started playing.
Oh, hmm… wow.
After being cut off from entertainment for such a long time, I might have normally scoffed and changed the channel, but for some reason, the video in front of me seemed intriguing.
A sense of guilt akin to watching something I shouldn’t, coupled with a primitive feeling of secretly doing something while thinking I might already be caught, stimulated me in an exciting way.
As I let out a faint, childlike giggle while churning Jelly…
“Wow! The friends are back!”
Huh?
Where did my yellow-sticker movie go? Why are you back?
The eerie character, having shaken his body while delivering a chilling line, started humming a nursery rhyme as if reciting a dictionary.
Unable to adapt to this sudden scene change, I tilted my head, quickly realizing what had happened.
I noticed Daesik’s (in Alice) hand resting on the remote. Sosik pretending ignorance was just an added bonus.
Is X-Soon really that good?
Is this why adults say not to let kids watch XTube?
Mom… no, Dad hasn’t gone to sleep yet…
You’ve never closed your eyes, kids…
Changing the channel again…
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Monkey’s butt is red~ red like an apple-”
“Get your hands off me!”
“Banana is long~”
“I don’t want to act violently. So…”
“Fast~ Faster than flying~”
No, c’mon.
Eventually succumbing to an experiment in violence, I shoved Daesik and Sosik away.
This is how terrifying the TV is.
Only after that, seeing the spread of gloomy slime did I feel satisfied and focused back on the screen.
But…
Was the TV broken? The screen, which had been randomly flickering, now showed only noise-filled blackness, accompanied by a crackling sound.
It was an ominous noise.
Realizing what had happened, I panicked and started to quiver, then handed the remote to Sosik again.
At that moment…
The door opened, and Han Seori returned.
After ending her call, she tilted her head and approached the TV.
“Huh? What’s going on here?”
I… have no idea.
Noticing the remote in Sosik’s arms, Han Seori snatched it and began tinkering with the buttons.
She didn’t seem ready to blame anyone, so I relaxed and let my Jelly jiggle with relief.
Ahem, I knew this would happen, so that’s why I gave the remote away!
I was certain Han Seori wouldn’t be upset.
Just then…
“Huh?”
The crackling noise stopped, and a bizarre figure wearing a strange mask appeared on the screen.
As the attention of Daesik and Sosik turned toward the TV, a grotesque voice began to emanate from it.
“An announcement from Call of Twilight.”
Hmm…
What’s with this middle-school-disease-styled name?
This doesn’t feel like a regular movie scene. Typically, certain elements associated with such scenarios are missing.
It feels more like the snuff films you’d find in the Deep Web.
Wondering what this was, I glanced at Han Seori, but she, too, stared rigidly at the screen.
“To those who keep hiding the truth, we’re sick of you.”
“They have the right to know.”
“The rising sun will declare who’s right.”
The same vague, cryptic lines began pouring out.
What is this?
It almost felt like some sort of hidden camera scenario with a deeper meaning.
But given Han Seori’s now icy expression, something felt off. If it were acting, she should have pursued acting instead of a PhD.
…At least the face fits.
Ahem.
Anyway.
Afterward, the unknown person revealed some kind of timer and disappeared.
Once this genderless someone vanished, the stopped timer began ticking down.
Like a ticking time bomb.
“…Why are those bastards doing this all of a sudden?”
Han Seori’s slightly rough murmur rang out.
Counting down carefully toward zero, something seemed to be happening.
It probably has nothing to do with me, right…?
It better not…
