"What The—!! Why did I feel thirsty all of a sudden?"
As he walked home, fatigue hit him far too quickly. His steps slowed, his body heavy, so he stopped at another shop to buy a drink.
The moment he entered, his throat became so dry he couldn't even speak. He grabbed a bottle and drank it all in one go, but even then, his condition only worsened.
He stepped out of the shop and tried to walk, but suddenly his legs felt unbearably heavy. His vision blurred as he struggled to stay upright, forcing himself toward a nearby place to sit.
Before he could reach it, he collapsed near an old playground—once filled with children, now empty and overgrown with tiny grass. His vision dimmed further.
A dull thud echoed.
A couple approached him. The man grabbed Kai by the neck and threw him away from the ground. Kai couldn't even process what was happening. The girl stepped closer and whispered, "Conceal."
A small barrier formed around the man, the woman, and Kai. Hearing footsteps on the nearby path, Kai felt a flicker of relief.
But that relief vanished instantly.
The people passing by couldn't see them.
"You think this barrier is just for show?" the man sneered.
Kai was so weak that even his presence felt like it was fading. The woman approached him, tapped his head three times, and said calmly, "Surrender."
Kai felt immense pressure on his soul. At this weakened state, even a strong soul would break easily. The man laughed, an awful smile stretching across his face.
Suddenly, the man stopped laughing. "Do it fast. His presence has leaked too much—we might attract the wrong people."
The woman stared into Kai's fading eyes and asked a simple question, "Where is the ARISTAL CROSS?"
"I… I don't know," Kai replied weakly.
Her expression twisted with fury. "Don't lie!" she shouted, punching his face again and again until the man had to restrain her.
"Damn it!" she screamed. "Why won't this piece of trash answer? He must know something!"
The man disabled the magic and tapped Kai's head one last time. "If even his soul doesn't know, then he truly has no clue. Still… there must be something."
"Hae… hae… hae…"
The strange voice sent chills down their spines. Both of them stepped back from Kai's body.
Two figures emerged from the shadows—a man and a woman. Their faces were hidden, but the couple instantly knew who they were.
The short-haired woman spoke coldly, "We'll deal with you later."
"Why later?" the man from the shadows replied casually. "We can do it now."
With a flick of his finger, the woman's face was torn apart, skin hanging grotesquely as she screamed in agony. The tattooed man grabbed her, and they vanished instantly.
The two figures stepped out of the shadows and approached Kai.
"You mean him?" the man asked.
"No. It's not him," the woman replied softly, touching Kai's face. He felt warmth as his wounds slowly began to heal.
"They erased his memory of meeting them, didn't they?" she asked.
"They're not that dumb," the man replied. "He'll forget once he becomes unconscious. That's the spell they use."
"Then heal him before that happens."
Kai, barely conscious and with one eye swollen, whispered, "Who… are you?"
Knowing Kai would forget them soon, the man smiled faintly. "We're not like them—the ones who punched you. We're… the good ones. Or maybe not good, I don't know. The people on this island are innocent. By innocent, I mean they believe they know the truth while living among lies."
"They're called the people from KEP," he continued. "They come from a place you don't know—one you wouldn't understand even if I explained it."
He lightly tapped the woman on the back of her neck, smiling. "Your silver hair looks awful."
She screamed, "You jerk! And don't insult my hair—it's beautiful!"
Kai didn't respond.
"He's out," the woman said. "Come on, we still have work to do."
They placed him gently on a bench, left water beside him, and disappeared.
As the streetlight hit Kai's eyes, he slowly woke up and stared at the sky.
There was no sky—only stars stretching endlessly across the night.
"What the hell… where am I?"
His throat burned painfully. Seeing the water nearby, he drank it and felt immediate relief.
There were bruises on his face, but nothing deep.
Sitting there, Kai wondered if he had just blacked out. The last thing he remembered was being unbearably tired—maybe that was the cause.
Worried about his grandmother, he slowly made his way home. The neighborhood lights and the night sky made him smile for reasons he couldn't understand.
NIGHT AT LUKEN'S HOME....
"Don't drop it, brother!"
"Yeah, yeah, I know where you're taking the pieces."
Luken gently tapped his sister's head. "Put it back."
"Okay," she said, rubbing her head.
"Come on, kiddos," their dad called.
The chatter and laughter in the kitchen made Luken cherish this life even more. He saw it as his second chance—to fix the mistakes of his past. Here, he finally felt at peace.
Dinner was served, and everyone enjoyed the meal. Luken praised his mom's cooking, making her smile warmly.
Then he asked, "Mom… Dad… I'm curious about the outside world. Do you know anything? I'd like to hear."
The table fell silent. His father placed his spoon down slowly. "Why are you interested in that?"
"I think it's good to know," Luken replied. "Why does no one ever go outside?"
His mother sighed. "This island has told lies to children generation after generation to hide the truth. No one truly knows it. But if you want answers… you'll have to seek them yourself."
Luken smiled. "One day. I only have a few months until my major exams are done."
He glanced at his father. His expression was troubled, but he didn't object.
They resumed eating.
Knock. Knock.
The sound froze Luken—memories of last night flashing through his mind.
His mother went to the door. "Dear, it's for you."
Luken's father stood slowly. "I'm coming."
The man outside handed him a package and asked when he would return to work. With a quiet grin, his father closed the door without answering and carried the package to his room.
Later, his mother kissed his sister goodnight.
"Sleep well, sweetie."
Luken drank water in the kitchen. "You too," his mother said softly.
Upstairs, Luken sat in his room, pulling the curtains aside as moonlight spilled in. He picked up a small cross pendant—one he had even made a chain for.
"Maybe I'll start wearing it," he thought.
He placed it on the chair and went to sleep.
The cross pendant shimmered faintly under the moonlight.
A few hours later, footsteps echoed.
Luken's father walked outside, holding the package under the moonlight. As he opened it, something inside glowed green.
A small smile formed on his face.