Under Creature Chapter 1.1

It was an ordinary day. It should have been.

A typical, uneventful day. Playing with friends, walking home late at night, hunching my shoulders against the cold, my neck tucked into my jacket like a turtle withdrawing into its shell.

Yoon Yigeom trudged along, hands shoved in his pockets. His gait carried a characteristic nonchalance and listlessness, his downcast eyes revealing sharp sanpaku (three whites of the eyes). He projected an air of rebellious languor.

Strolling down the street, stifling a bored yawn, it was a day just like any other, a remarkably monotonous routine.

It had to be.

It had to be, but….

Yoon Yigeom stood frozen, unable to make a sound, holding his breath, observing the bizarre phenomenon unfolding before him.

Chap, chap.

A narrow alleyway, dark and devoid of streetlights, illuminated only by the moonlight.

Chap, chap, chap.

Yigeom whirled around at the sound behind him. Nothing was visible, yet something was definitely there. Undeniably.

An eerie sound scraped against his ears, accompanied by strange prints appearing around him. Fear washed over him in a chilling wave.

Prints, were they even footprints? They looked like…

Hands. Handprints.

Damp handprints pressed into the ground, as if wet, despite the absence of rain.

Like footprints left by walking feet, these handprints trailed along the alley, clustered together.

‘Who walks on their hands?’

Yigeom knelt down for a closer look.

They were small, like a child’s.

A crawling baby? The possibility, however faint, existed. But if true, it was profoundly unnatural.

But if this assumption were correct…

“Abuse?”

The thought that immediately sprang to mind made him frown.

Was a child forced to crawl on the ground? No, that couldn’t be. There were only palm prints, no signs of knees or other body parts dragging.

Disturbed by the uncanny situation, Yigeom quickly scanned his surroundings.

Chap, chap, chap.

The chilling, eerie sound returned, yet it also held a strange, almost cute quality, like a child splashing in water.

He strained to locate the source, but it remained invisible. A cold sweat broke out, and the air against his skin felt prickly.

Chap, chap, chap.

‘Behind…!’

He spun around.

And stared, disbelieving, at the form before him. He couldn’t tell if he was dreaming or awake. He even rubbed his eyes, as if just waking up.

Yet it didn’t disappear.

An iridescent, fish-like shape.

On the deserted, dark street, the creature, no bigger than Yigeom’s fist, glowed with its own light. Instead of fins or legs, it had arms protruding from its belly. It was absurd enough for a fish to have legs, but arms? Utterly bizarre.

Chap, chap, chap.

Fish swim in water. This one was different. It waddled along, using its two arms to propel itself forward. With every movement, its scales shimmered, emitting a rainbow of vibrant colors.

Yigeom swallowed hard, quickly categorizing it.

This wasn’t a fish. It was something. An unknown creature. An otherworldly being. A grotesque life form.

Chap, chap, chap.

The cute sound he’d been hearing was the sound of it walking.

He suddenly realized the cement beneath him was covered in its handprints. Everywhere.

‘…When?’

It was just one fish, several times smaller than himself. A mere mouthful. Yet, Yigeom couldn’t bring himself to move.

The tiny creature’s presence, like the countless handprints scattered across the ground, felt overwhelmingly oppressive.

He involuntarily stepped back.

Retreating slowly, Yigeom tried to make sense of it, drawing on his existing knowledge. It glowed. Like some deep-sea creatures, though he wasn’t sure if this even was a fish. Its blindness was another characteristic of such creatures.

Perhaps it hadn’t noticed him yet? A flicker of hope ignited within him.

Yigeom was naturally quiet and reserved. He’d been alone on his walk here. He hadn’t spoken aloud.

‘It might not have detected me yet.’

Clinging to this fragile hope, he moved slowly, cautiously.

“…Ugh!”

Suddenly, it tilted its body and took a step closer, startling Yigeom. He almost lost his footing.

It opened its large mouth, revealing rows of sharp, long teeth. Despite its small size, they looked more than capable of tearing him apart. If it bit his finger, it wouldn’t be a mere scratch. He’d have to be prepared to lose it.

Even if he were to die right now, he refused to be killed by a bizarre fish.

Chap, chap, chap.

It was approaching much faster than Yigeom could retreat.

‘What should I do? Should I run?’

Perhaps he could escape if he ran without looking back. He hadn’t seen it run yet, but waddling on two arms wouldn’t be very fast, would it?

No, hasty judgments were dangerous. Even in this short encounter, this strange fish defied all logic.

Perhaps its apparent blindness was a ruse? What if it suddenly lunged and swallowed him whole?

Despite its size, the fear of the unknown was intense. The instinctive revulsion towards encountering something unidentifiable.

His breath hitched. What should he do?

As Yigeom weighed his options, it stopped moving. It used its two arms to awkwardly turn its body and stare towards his right.

He continued backing away cautiously, his mind racing.

‘What is it?’

In the direction it had stopped, there was a small side alley. Yigeom often used it, but today, a thick fog obscured the entrance.

“Failed again. Yeah. Wanna grab a drink?”

A man emerged from the alley, talking on his phone.

Yigeom bit his lip.

‘If he makes noise…’

Chap, chap, chap.

It moved towards the man.

“No, I passed the paperwork, but the interview… Yeah, you’re paying, right?”

Should he warn the man? But how? Should he just watch? What about the man? Countless thoughts flooded his mind, but he couldn’t bring himself to act.

Suddenly, it lunged at the man, its small mouth wide open.

Chap…!

In a flash, the man kicked it, sending it flying. Yigeom watched in stunned silence.

‘…Huh?’

Was it weaker than it looked? The man, seemingly oblivious to what he’d kicked, continued his conversation. Perhaps he hadn’t felt the impact because it was so light?

‘Or can’t he see it?’

“No. Huh? Did I kick a rock? Ah, it’s nothing. So you’re buying? Thanks, man. Yeah, I’ll definitely pay you back once I get a job.”

…Chap, chap, chap.

It clumsily got up, shaking its body. Then it scurried into the fog-filled alley from which the man had emerged.

Yigeom released the tension he’d been holding.

‘What? Is that it?’

It was anticlimactic. He could have just kicked it from the start. He’d been needlessly cautious.

“Ha!”

A chuckle escaped his lips. He felt foolish for being so terrified of such a thing.

He needed to get home and process what had just happened. He turned to leave, eager to escape the alley.

…Maybe he should stop by the convenience store.

This wasn’t just a casual thought. He felt a need to be around other people, to regain his composure. With a lighter heart than before, Yigeom headed towards the store, his steps quicker and more purposeful.

Kwaaang!

A deafening roar erupted, shaking the ground as if an earthquake had struck.

“What…!”

He turned around and his legs gave way, forcing him to collapse onto the ground. A ringing in his ears sounded like a warning siren.

Dust billowed where the man had been standing, and a giant handprint, as large as Yigeom himself, was deeply etched into the cement.

It, no longer fist-sized, had tossed the unconscious man into the dark, foggy alley and then casually walked in after him.

Yigeom knew instantly what he had to do.

Ignore it.

The man was a stranger. He couldn’t risk his own safety trying to save him.

He slowly got up, tiptoeing away, careful not to provoke it. Fortunately, whether preoccupied with its victim or satisfied with its catch, it didn’t follow him.

Everyone would, and it was perfectly within the realm of normal thinking. Who would make a noble sacrifice for a complete stranger? Yigeom possessed no such chivalry, not enough to risk his own life.

Instead, he walked and walked. Very carefully. Lightly. As soon as he put some distance between himself and it, he broke into a run. He ran as if his life depended on it, because it did. Even collapsing from exhaustion was a hundred times better than being caught and killed by that thing.

He bypassed the convenience store and finally reached his house, leaning against the utility pole in front, gasping for breath. Yigeom replayed the events in his mind.

Now that he was safe, the first thought that occurred to him, ridiculously, was,

I wonder if that man is okay.

He hadn’t had the courage to save him, prioritizing his own escape in the face of danger. Yet, now that the threat was gone, such a complacent thought arose.

It was absurd.

All living things evolve to survive. That’s why surviving species have maintained their lineage, managing to escape their predators.

Humans are no different, and neither was Yigeom.

The yearning for life. The primal instinct.

But why…

He felt a sense of unease, a blow to his pride.

Survival. Such an obvious concept, an imperative for any living being.

But humans also have a sense of decency. A sliver of conscience kept nagging at Yigeom.

Nobody knows. Only I witnessed it, and if I keep my mouth shut, it will be our secret.

No one would know that he used someone as bait to survive.

That’s how it should be. That’s how it should be, but…

Instinct and reason clashed.

“Damn it.”

It was somewhat impulsive. Yigeom grabbing the discarded baseball bat behind the utility pole.

The conflict between instinct and reason remained unresolved.

Perhaps it was somewhere in between.

Live a long, uneventful life, or a short, intense one.

There was no right answer.

Yigeom ran back towards the alley. Perhaps “ran” was an overstatement. Whether due to fear or the exhaustion from his previous sprint, his pace was noticeably slower.

Still, he ran as fast as he could.

His remaining conscience seemed to whisper to him.

Save him.

“Gasp… pant…”

Arriving at the alley, Yigeom gripped the bat as if it were a lifeline, knuckles white, pacing back and forth. Cold sweat slicked his palms, making the bat slippery. Before entering the fog-filled alley where it lurked,

Just… Just a moment to catch my breath.

…You have to check your weapon before going into battle, right?

Armed with nothing but a baseball bat and his own physique, Yigeom steeled himself, trying to achieve peak condition.

Perhaps he hoped to hear confirmation that the man was already dead.

If the man were dead, he could have turned back with a clear conscience, thinking, Oh well, too late. Can’t be helped. I tried, though. But the man’s uncertain fate kept him suspended in chilling anticipation.

The thick fog still clung to the alley, shrouding it in darkness.

It’s do or die.

With a burst of speed, Yigeom plunged into the murky alley. As he entered, the black fog thinned, revealing the creature’s massive form.

It had been the size of his palm, but now it was twice as large as Yigeom himself.

The man lay sprawled before it. He didn’t seem to be bleeding, but he wasn’t moving. Unconscious?

As luck would have it, it had its back turned. Seeing his chance, Yigeom swung the bat with all his might, aiming for its tail.

Clang. Ting- Thud, thud, thud. A satisfying smack resonated, and as he lost his grip on the bat, he clutched his stinging arm.

“Ugh…”

Even though he’d hit it with a baseball bat, the creature was so hard that the impact reverberated through his arm. It felt like he might have broken a bone. The bat had flown out of his hand. He’d hit a home run, not with a baseball, but with the bat itself.

The blow seemed to have no effect on it.

Wait… isn’t it a fish? How can it be so hard?

Then, its scales shimmering with iridescent colors, it turned to face Yigeom. Within its pitch-black, lifeless eyes, Yigeom’s terrified reflection was clearly visible.

Yigeom squeezed his eyes shut.

This is how I die.

Some say that before death, your life flashes before your eyes. Instead of a panorama, Yigeom’s mind filled with resentment. First, he cursed the unknown person who had illegally dumped the baseball bat.

If that discarded bat hadn’t given him a false sense of courage, if he hadn’t indulged his petty pride, he’d be at home right now, comfortably stretched out on his bed.

He cautiously opened his eyes. It blinked. Its eyelids lowered, then rose again.

Can it… see me?

It opened its mouth towards Yigeom. The gaping maw was so large that for a moment, he thought a giant black hole had opened up before him. If it weren’t for the sharp teeth lining its jaws, he might have actually believed it.

When it was small, he’d feared losing a finger. Now… a single bite could cleave a human body in two.

…The baseball bat.

It felt utterly inadequate to face it with just a bat, but it was his only lifeline. He swallowed hard, the simple act feeling precarious.

Could he win in a 2-on-1 fight? But the man was still unconscious.

Should he try to carry him and run? He’d be caught at that slow pace. Then alone…

He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Running alone would negate his reason for returning.

Yigeom’s eyes glinted with defiance as he stared into the gaping maw. He’d made up his mind. He was too young to die, with too much left to do. It wasn’t fair.

He didn’t flinch.

His unwavering gaze wasn’t to memorize the final image of the creature that would devour him, nor to sear its appearance into his memory.

Even if he died fighting this thing, it wouldn’t be now. He wouldn’t die like this, so pathetically.

He was simply waiting for the right moment.

The moment when the giant jaws, opened wide towards him, snapped shut. The brief window of vulnerability.

Now!

The moment the fish’s mouth slammed shut with a thump!, a deafening roar echoed in the alley. Yigeom rolled towards the baseball bat, a chill running down his spine. Even a graze from those jaws would have sliced him like a guillotine.

Scrambling to his feet, he saw the fish shuddering violently, as if struggling to contain the force of its own bite.

What? Does it hurt every time it closes its mouth?

It was strange. Normally, a creature’s body is built to withstand its own strength. But to convulse in pain from simply closing its own mouth?

It felt like a creature designed solely to kill, burning itself out with each attack.

Yigeom retrieved the bat and glared at the creature.

He thought he might have a chance if he attacked when it closed its mouth.

But…

How do I make it close its mouth again?

And he wasn’t sure he could time his dodge perfectly a second time.

He forced himself to breathe evenly. He’d only rolled once, yet the brush with death sent his heart racing.

While the creature shuddered, trying to shake off the apparent pain, Yigeom caught his breath and searched for weaknesses. If he could somehow make it close its mouth, where should he strike for maximum impact? His mind focused solely on victory.

Then he noticed something peculiar.

The creature extended gills, which he hadn’t seen before, and deeply inhaled the faint black fog lingering in the air. As it did so, its iridescent scales pulsed with a vibrant glow, as if breathing.

The intense light stung his eyes, and he almost closed them reflexively, but he resisted. Even if his vision blurred, closing his eyes in this precarious situation could mean losing a limb.

Yigeom slowly approached the creature, dragging the baseball bat along the ground.

Was it hiding its gills?

Why?

Because…

That’s its weak point.

He could be wrong. But in this desperate situation, clinging to even a sliver of false hope was his only recourse.

His strategy was simple: when the creature opened its gills to inhale the black fog, he would shove the bat into them.

He took a deep breath, steeling his resolve.

Calm down, Yoon Yigeom.

If you die, you’re not dying alone. You’re taking this monster with you. At least leave a fatal blow.

That was the only way to save the unconscious man. Adrenaline surged through him. In this moment, he felt capable of a noble, selfless sacrifice for a complete stranger. Even if he bled, wouldn’t the adrenaline numb the pain?

The creature’s eyes rolled, searching for Yigeom. Its vision seemed impaired, its pupils darting around blindly.

Yigeom dragged the bat along the ground, creating a noise to reveal his location.

Come on. Come and open your mouth. And close it. The moment those precious jaws of yours close, I’ll ram this bat down your throat.

Its black eyes finally fixed on Yigeom. He briefly considered hitting its eyes, but if he reached for them, it would surely open its mouth and bite him.

No reckless moves. Stick to the plan. The best method.

It lunged forward, presenting the gaping black hole before Yigeom’s face once more, and this time, he could see the inside more clearly.

Its tongue. He thought he’d seen the tongue retract against the roof of its mouth before it closed… He had to believe that. He had to grasp at any shred of uncertain information as a potential advantage.

The tongue retracted.

…Now!

Yigeom dove to the side.

Ha… ha.

If he’d rolled even half a rotation less, it would have ripped out his side.

Was he too fast? Not at all. The timing was the same as before. Even more precise.

It learned. It had learned. It anticipated the possibility of him dodging again, based on his previous escape from its first bite.

Taking advantage of the moment the creature shuddered, trying to suppress its pain, Yigeom pushed himself up with the bat, his legs trembling.

…A goldfish’s memory lasts three seconds, they say. Bullshit. Who says that? This is why you can’t trust common sayings.

Oh, right, it’s not a goldfish. He didn’t understand anything anymore. Why this monster existed. Why it looked like a fish but was on land. What he was doing here. Nothing made sense.

But one thing was certain: if he didn’t kill it, he would die. And right after shuddering, the fish had exposed its gills.

Yigeom darted towards the open gills like a flash of lightning. This was a golden opportunity, bought with his life.

He might not get another chance. This creature, capable of learning, might not open its mouth again. Or it might simply crush him with its giant hand, leaving him no chance to fight back.

Now. It had to be now.

Now.

He hadn’t formulated a detailed plan of attack. How to approach, how to strike, which angle to use.

Only one thought dominated Yigeom’s mind.

I have to finish this now.

For Yigeom, who always planned before acting, this was perhaps the first time his body moved before his mind could catch up. But looking back, in moments of crisis, instinct always preceded reason.

Like when you instinctively pull your hand away from something hot, or your leg kicks out when your knee is tapped.

It’s called a reflex.

An innate characteristic of all humans, a mechanism for self-preservation in times of danger. Nerves bypass the brain, allowing for faster reactions, enabling quick responses to sudden threats.

That was Yigeom’s state now.

Without conscious thought, his body knew how to move, how to run, how to dodge. It felt as if his entire being was operating on autopilot, driven by a singular purpose: to survive this brutal encounter.

His body felt like it wasn’t his own.

Shove it in. Shove the bat into its gills. Right now.

His movements were fluid and precise, propelled by an unknown force, as he ran towards his target, light and swift.

Was this surge of power due to the adrenaline? That couldn’t explain it.

It felt like he was being moved by some unknown, external force.

His mind was foggy, blank.

As if telling him not to think, just follow his body’s lead. As if claiming this instinct was his only path to survival.

He chose to obey.

He plunged the baseball bat into the gills in one swift motion.

Screeech!

The creature, which had been absorbing the black fog and recovering from the pain of its bite, emitted a grotesque shriek as the foreign object penetrated its gills. It wasn’t a vocalized scream, but a full-body expression of agony.

Yigeom landed on his backside, dumbly staring at the bizarre, grotesque spectacle unfolding before him.

Did I… even breathe just now?

Cough, cough. He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath. A coughing fit erupted.

“Ugh.”

As oxygen and coherent thought returned to his brain, a throbbing headache set in. But even as he winced, he didn’t close his eyes completely.

He couldn’t look away, not even for a second. He had to witness its death. Until the very end. With his own eyes.

He was afraid to see how it would meet its end, but he had to watch. What if this unknown entity somehow revived and came back to seek revenge?

Writhing in agony, the creature scraped its body against the wall, trying to dislodge the bat from its gills, further injuring itself.

It reached up with one hand to claw at its gills, then, unable to support its massive weight on the remaining hand, it toppled over with a deafening crash.

It could learn, but it didn’t seem particularly intelligent.

Still, it thrashed, clawing at its gills, then seemingly gave up and tried to conceal its weak point. Even that was difficult with the bat lodged in place.

Then, slowly, very slowly, it died.

Yigeom leaned against the wall, wiping the sweat from his brow.

How… how did I even reach its gills?

They had been at least 1.5 times his height. He’d decided to aim for them because it was his only option, but he’d almost given up hope.

He would have had to jump and fully extend his arm to barely reach them. How could he possibly shove a bat in… He’d even considered throwing the bat.

But just now… the gills had been right in front of him, beneath his arm.

Am I surprisingly good at jumping…? No, that’s not it.

There was another change. The black fog had thinned. Had the creature absorbed it through its gills? Everything was a mystery.

An unknown, grotesque life form.

He never learned its true nature.

🦅࿐

“Excuse me.”

“……”

“Excuse me.”

Yigeom slapped the man’s cheeks, who seemed to be peacefully asleep while he’d been risking his life battling the monster.

I saved your life. Wake up.

Leaving the fish-monster’s corpse behind, he focused on reviving the unconscious man. A deliberate attempt to distract himself.

He still wondered if it had all been a dream, but the stinging in his hand from slapping the man’s cheeks confirmed that it was real. Real, yet more dreamlike than any dream.

The man must feel the same. Talking on the phone one moment, captured by a bizarre creature the next, then waking up to a stranger slapping his face. Anyone would think they were dreaming.

I woke up in a strange place.

That one sentence could sum up the man’s bewilderment.

“Ah, you’re awake. Excuse me. Do you know what just happened? I saved you.”

As the man’s eyes fluttered open, Yigeom recounted the events without missing a detail, hoping against hope that the man would share his experience. He longed for a sense of camaraderie, for the reassurance that he wasn’t alone in this bizarre reality.

But the world was cruel.

The man, his eyes unfocused, sat up and stumbled away, as if in a trance.

“Excuse me.”

Yigeom waved his hand in front of the man’s face, but his eyes didn’t follow.

What?

He quietly followed the man. The man stopped at the spot where he’d kicked the creature, pulled out his phone, and held it to his ear. Yigeom observed from behind.

“You’re paying, right? Hey, why aren’t you answering? Did this bastard hang up?”

…He acted as if he had no memory of the events that had just transpired.

“Tsk, weird. Why do my cheeks sting so much?”

He muttered, then walked away, disappearing into the distance. Yigeom could only watch him go.

Is this how the Little Mermaid felt? I saved you. I saved your life. He wanted to run after the man and confront him.

Why don’t you remember? I saved you.

It felt like a lie. He’d saved him, and yet the man didn’t even know, let alone offer a word of thanks. Had he really done something meaningful? Had he really risked his life for this?

Yigeom ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

It was all so pointless.

Stepping in dog poop wouldn’t have felt this disgusting. No, even that analogy couldn’t capture the foulness of his current mood.

After a long while, he finally calmed down. He zipped up his jacket and shoved his hands in his pockets.

It’s cold.

Now that his sweat had dried, the forgotten chill returned.

As the man he’d rescued disappeared, a wave of fear washed over him again.

Damn it, should I have followed him?

He quickened his pace, eager to escape this unsettling place. He ended up breaking into a run.

Lost in thought, he’d forgotten about the convenience store and arrived home. The utility pole where he’d been standing earlier came into view.

Seriously… I’ll catch that person who left the bat there.

Vowing to report the litterbug who’d given him a false sense of bravery, he entered his apartment building. It was a low-rise building with no elevator. The stairs felt unusually menacing tonight.

Should I go to the convenience store after all?

As he climbed the stairs, lost in thought, Yigeom suddenly stopped. He’d realized his monumental mistake.

Idiot… what are the police for?

He could have simply called 112. It only occurred to him now, after facing a monster and risking his life. The realization of his blunder stung.

Yigeom felt his phone in his pocket.

Should I still report it…?

What good would it do? He’d defeated the monster, and he seemed to be the only one who remembered it. Wouldn’t they think it was a prank call?

Yigeom shook his head and continued climbing the stairs.

301, 302… 304 was his apartment.

As he walked, he replayed the events in his mind, vowing to call the police next time something like this happened.

I hope there’s not another monster waiting for me at home.

His heart pounded in his chest. Should he go back to the convenience store? It would be a bit of an imposition, but maybe he could spend the night with the clerk. But even the short walk back to the store felt terrifying.

He felt like a coward, paralyzed by indecision. As he reached 303, the apartment next to his,

“Hello.”

A strange voice greeted him.

Drip. Drip.

Warm blood trickled down Yigeom’s body, splattering on the floor.

“Wh… what…”

He didn’t have time to turn around, or to speak.

Yigeom lowered their gaze to look down at their chest. A hand, its origin unknown, a hand that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, was lodged in their chest, firmly embedded.

Oh, it came from my chest.

I’ve been pierced through the chest.

“Cough… Urk!”

Yigeom’s body collapsed forward limply. Their cheek touched the cold cement floor. Blood surged up from their chest in waves. The pierced area burned as if scorched, the pain excruciatingly unbearable.

I’m going to die.

I’m going to die. I’m going to die. I’m going to die. I’m going to die.

Like a small herbivore on the plains encountering a predator that would tear it apart, an instinctual fear dominated their mind, leaving no room for thought.

Warm liquid trickled down their cheek, wetting the floor. Whether it was blood or tears, they couldn’t tell. Perhaps it was both.

With effort, Yigeom rolled their eyes to catch a glimpse of the culprit, even if only faintly.

It was a man with black hair, his ears glinting with multiple piercings. He was wiping his bloodied hand on a handkerchief, confirming he was undoubtedly the perpetrator. Beside him stood another person, short in stature, wearing a hood pulled low over their face.

The ones who killed them weren’t one person but two. The pair conversed casually.

“How many minutes?”

“It’s been two minutes now. Which one is this?”

“The first.”

“…But they’re looking at us.”

At the hooded figure’s words, the black-haired man looked down at Yigeom. He smiled leisurely, parting his red lips.

“I’ll reset.”

🦅࿐

‘What if there’s another monster-like thing waiting at home?’

Their heart trembled for no reason. Should they go back to the convenience store? It might be a bit shameless, but maybe they could stay up all night with the clerk. But the way back to the convenience store felt scary too.

Unable to move forward or turn back, Yigeom reached Room 303. At that moment, their body flinched as if they’d encountered a ferocious beast.

“Hello.”

A stranger’s voice rang out.

Drip—drip—

Before Yigeom could locate the source of the voice, they looked down at their chest. Blood was pooling. No, more than that—a hand… a stranger’s hand had pierced through their chest.

“Cough… Urk!”

They collapsed forward. Their cheek met the cold cement floor. Warm blood soon spilled, soaking the ground and warming their cold cheek.

Oh… I’m going to die like this.

The pain left no room for thought. They could only roll their eyes to observe the culprit.

A black-haired man. Piercings in his ears. As he wiped his hand on a handkerchief, the white cloth stained red. Beside him was another person, short, with a hood pulled low. It was unclear whether they were male or female.

‘Two of them…’

The sound of their conversation reached Yigeom’s ears.

“How many minutes?”

“Three minutes now. This is…”

“The second.”

“…But they’re looking at us.”

“I know. Let me know when it hits four minutes. I’ll reset.”

The man approached slowly, his dress shoes clicking. The black-haired man looked down at Yigeom, tilting his head slightly.

“Hello.”

🦅࿐

When Yigeom reached Room 303, their body flinched as if facing a savage beast. Instinctively, they lunged forward as if sliding.

“Hello.”

A stranger’s voice echoed.

Drip—drip—

Yigeom slowly lowered their gaze. Blood was surging from their stomach in waves. No, more than that—a hand… a stranger’s hand had pierced their stomach.

“Too bad. This time it was the stomach.”

Yigeom’s body collapsed forward. Their cheek felt the cold cement floor. Warm blood soon soaked the ground, sticking to their hands with a clammy sensation.

It felt as though their intestines were tangling and tightening inside, squeezing them. The relentless pain left them unable to do anything.

They slowly closed their eyes. This time it was the stomach… What did that mean?

The voices of the two who had killed them rang clearly in their ears.

“How many minutes?”

“Two minutes now. This is…”

“The third.”

“Aha.”

“…Anything else?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Yigeom heard the sound of dress shoes approaching. Their limbs felt cold as if the blood was draining from them.

‘…I hate the cold.’

Am I going to die like this? There’s still so much I haven’t done. Who was the bastard who dared to kill them? To find out, they struggled to lift their heavy eyelids.

The man crouched to meet their gaze, his face illuminated clearly by the moonlight.

Neatly styled black hair, deep and dark eyes that seemed almost emotionless. His eyes resembled the eerie fish they’d encountered earlier.

He reached out with a bloodied hand to stroke Yigeom’s cheek.

A chilling warmth radiated from his touch. Was it the blood that had just been circulating in their body, or was his hand naturally warm? At this point, they didn’t care to wonder.

Through the gaps between his fingers, his eyes looked at them with something like pity.

Pity? After killing me?

But then Yigeom reconsidered. As his fingers moved, obscuring their vision, a different scene emerged. The corner of his mouth was subtly raised.

“You almost dodged it. You’ve got good instincts. Try harder next time.”

With the last of their strength, Yigeom parted their lips, struggling to speak.

“You… too…”

“Hm?”

Are you with that thing? That fish?

Before they could finish, their eyes closed.

“It’s been four minutes. Thirty seconds to five.”

🦅࿐

“…Urgh… cough!”

Reaching Room 303, Yigeom’s body fell forward. Warm blood from their stomach soaked the floor, wetting their hands.

“Tell me when it hits four minutes.”

“Okay. But right now…”

“Shh. Be quiet.”

Yigeom heard their conversation and the sound of dress shoes approaching. Their intestines screamed in agony as if burned, tightening around them. The pain left them powerless.

‘Two of them.’

Yigeom forced their heavy eyelids open, glaring at the man who crouched toward them. They were determined to see the face of their killer, even if it was the last thing they did.

“So, what were you trying to say earlier?”

As the man’s gaze met theirs, moonlight illuminated his face clearly.

Sharp, strong eyes despite their delicate lines, a well-defined nose, and slightly upturned lips—whether by nature or not.

His black mask, pulled down to his chin, was faintly splattered with blood. It looked like blood that had sprayed when he pierced their body with his bare hands. There were organs and ribs in the way, yet he’d broken through them in an instant…

Is he with that monstrous fish from earlier? Is he taking revenge on me for killing it?

It felt as though shards of broken ribs were stabbing their organs. Or perhaps their organs had been pierced entirely.

This death, somehow, didn’t feel frightening. Because I’ve died so many times?

This death? Died many times? What was this thought? They say people go mad when death approaches, and it seemed true.

“Come on, tell me. I can’t stand not knowing.”

To the man spouting nonsense, Yigeom gathered strength from their twisting insides and spat.

Whether it was spit, phlegm, or blood, the saliva fell weakly without reaching him.

“F… uck…”

Their tongue was stiff, and the words barely came out. Feeling their body grow cold, Yigeom closed their eyes, awaiting death.

“…It’s been four minutes. Still going? Which one is this?”

The man, now coldly rigid at Yigeom’s state, snapped his fingers with a click.

🦅࿐

What if there’s another monster-like thing waiting at home?

Their heart trembled for no reason. Should they go back to the convenience store? It might be a bit shameless, but maybe they could stay up all night with the clerk. But the way back felt scary too.

Before reaching Room 303, passing Rooms 301 and 302, Yigeom stopped.

No way. I should head to the convenience store.

Being alone felt too frightening. And something felt off. They’d go to the convenience store, eat some ramen, and maybe stay up all night.

Yigeom turned to leave.

Behind them, two figures emerged.

“…They’re leaving?”

“That can’t be right.”

“Oh! Did we not start yet?”

The short man in the deep hood, Jae-woo Cha, asked, and the black-haired man clicked his tongue softly.

“No, we’re in the middle of it.”

“In progress? Then why…!”

It was the first time a target had left during their ability’s activation. What had changed? He couldn’t understand it himself. The plan going awry left him irritated.

Dohyun Seo stared at the spot where Yigeom had vanished, frowning. He fiddled with his ear, toying with his piercings, muttering about the inconvenience.