Chapter 27
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Yeah, thats right.
.
Youll stay alive, yes.
Yoon Garam nodded carefully.
Itll happen.
From now on, Kang Mina wouldnt reveal any more about Director Lee Jaehun.
Having concluded her words like that, Yoon Garam turned her gaze back to the campfire.
The flames, rising in the middle of a quiet forest where the wind barely blew, swayed strangely in various directions, emitting an unusual softness. Watching it, a peculiar sensation crawled up ones spine.
Although Yoon Garam knew that Kang Minas conviction was close to brainwashing, she didnt point it out. She couldnt unravel the determination that Kang Mina had engraved, considering it necessary, and she, as a third party who had declared it not too long ago, couldnt undo it.
She simply gazed quietly at the flames flickering in the subdued atmosphere.
.
.
While Director Lee Jaehun himself was unsure about his own survival, others were not.
They didnt know about Lee Jaehuns abilities, were unaware of the fact that he had regressed, and had no knowledge of what thoughts he harbored or what actions he took.
Of course, even if Lee Jaehun had figured out their inner thoughts, they wouldnt have left him alone so easily.
Moreover, among the group, Lee Jaehun was in the worst condition. Since the first time he was pierced through the shoulder in the company, he had sustained injuries that should have sent him to the hospital, and with the various small and large wounds he had accumulated since then, he was no more than a patient who shouldnt move.
It wasnt for nothing that he had endured the mockery of doctors and Deputy Jung several times.
Nevertheless, Director Lee Jaehun continued to take charge at the forefront of the group. He tried to lead them and at least shoulder minimal responsibility.
Even if Yoon Garam didnt know the detailed reasons for this, Director Lee Jaehun was providing significant help in managing the emotions of the current group.
The reason he was dragged away by a monster was probably not unrelated to this silence.
.
This silence.
Yoon Garam suddenly, and once again, realized something. With just one person missing, there wasnt even a slight whisper among us.
She glanced around at the group sitting around the campfire.
Kang Mina was staring at the campfire with a vacant expression. Noh Yeonseok and Kwon Yeonhee, who were talking with siblings in school uniforms, and the siblings were awkwardly accepting the interactions of the adults.
Yoon Garams gaze moved a bit more, reaching the two members sitting slightly away from the campfire.
.Teacher.
Dr. Ha Sungyoon, a regular customer at her flower shop, and Deputy Jung Inho, who had returned as one from two.
The two of them were seen conversing at the boundary where the light from the campfire touched.
What kind of conversation were they having?
Suddenly curious, she contemplated whether to intervene between them, but lacking the confidence to quickly understand as she did when she went to fetch supplies just now, she gave up.
Above all, it didnt seem like those people would include Yoon Garam herself.
At that time those two seemed to understand something by themselves.
When she went to gather firewood, Jung Inho suddenly excused himself and left after uttering some unexpected words. After some time passed without any incident, he rejoined them as if nothing had happened.
Certainly, he had firewood in his arms, but in Yoon Garams opinion, that wasnt his true intention for leaving. Perhaps Dr. Ha Sungyoon had judged it the same way, as he silently agreed with Jung Inhos casual demeanor without saying anything.
However, that was fine.
Its fine.
She didnt want to reach out for something that couldnt and shouldnt be done.
Yoon Garam quietly closed her eyes and, soon after, rose from her seat, leaning against a large wall sculpture. Even though her body remained stiff and tense, she hoped it would get better once the day brightened.
It was probably just unnecessary anxiety since her vision wasnt clear.
Just a simple uneasiness.
.
The forest remained silent, and the wind didnt stir a bit.
Yoon Garam looked up at the sky, but there wasnt a single twinkling star there. It was as if it was made of deep, impenetrable ink, like a completed piece of paper, so dark that no hint of light could seep through.
The color that contained darkness rather than space was incredibly unfamiliar, evoking a strange fear in her.
She lowered her gaze again, taking in the sight of the ground.
The groups movements, flowing in silence, were no different from when it was bright, but no one among them would think that way.
Something
It was different.
She felt a sense of something changed and broken.
She sensed disorder within the silence. It wasnt just a noise heard with the ears, but a crack that began to deviate from the restlessness and uneasiness, gradually becoming noticeable.
Although it might not be audible, it could be felt throughout her entire body. This calmness was signaling a distortion to her.
The precariously stacked wooden planks seemed like they could crumble with just a sigh. Yoon Garam bit down on her lips, resisting the urge to let something out.
Within her unfocused vision, the flickering campfire came into view.
The sound of crackling flames reached her ears.
Am I going crazy?
It was nothing more than the sound of flames crackling an absurd occurrence.
Contemplating the idea that she might have fallen into this world thousands of times before, Yoon Garam closed her eyes.
For whatever reason, she had no intention of lifting her eyelids until the day was completely bright.
Even as her vision was entirely clouded, the sound of crackling flames continued to reach her ears. It wasnt the sound of wooden sticks burning but rather the noise of bright flowers twisting in the wind.
It was truly an incomprehensible sensation, but
Youre going to die.
.
Suddenly, laughter escaped her.
Ha.
Yoon Garam understood.
Perhaps at that time, in the flower shop, if Director Lee Jaehun hadnt helped, Doctor Ha Sungyoon would have died. She felt that fact intensely.
The image of him trying to kill the person who admired the flower that had turned into a monster just wouldnt disappear from her eyes, no matter what.
As a result, when her eyelids lowered, her ears ached, and within that, creepy and grotesque whispers clung.
It was a hallucination she hadnt experienced before.
Youre going to die.
.
Hearing the familiar voice whispering, Yoon Garam covered her ears with both hands. Not to avoid hearing it, but to prevent it from escaping.
Thats how she blocked out the hallucination.
Theyre going to kill you.
She blocked out the sound.
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Well then, Director were dragged away by that green monster, I suppose.
Thats right.
So, there was another piece of information that could be considered.
What do you know about Director Lee Jaehun?
Eyes as black as the night sky in the other world stared at Dr. Ha Sungyoon.
He remembers the time before the regression.
The doctor asked me about Director Lee Jaehun, and he shared what he knew about the information and confusion. For some reason, the doctor seemed to understand, or so he said.
Jung Inho also wanted to know what he knew.
Why did Dr. Ha Sungyoon, who had only spent half a day with Director Lee Jaehun on a regular basis, know something that Jung Inho, who spent that time together every day, didnt? What does he know, and whats the basis for his thoughts?
He wasnt as skilled in martial arts as the intern, Noh Yeonseok, and he didnt possess specialized knowledge like Dr. Ha Sungyoon.
However, what he was most confident in was this kind of mental combat, so he needed to prepare for it rationally, even if just a little.
You mentioned sharing thoughts, right?
He asked before the regression.
When I saw Director Lee Jaehun
Dr. Ha Sungyoon tried to answer but couldnt.
Due to the screams that tore through the air, the result of someones death. Jung Inho hadnt heard the information that Dr. Ha Sungyoon wanted to share.
Please tell me too.
I have the right to know as well.
Among this group of people, he was the only one with that right.
In the eerie silence, Jung Inho felt a suffocating sensation, as if his breath was being choked out by pitch-black pupils. The vine with sharp teeth, like a shark, tightened around his throat, constricting his breath and slowly draining the lifeblood from his body.
Perhaps Director Lee Jaehun experienced an even more horrifying agony in the midst of such excruciating pain.
What do you know about that person? And why
So, why.
Are you not in your right mind?
The doctor in front of him, as well as Director Lee Jaehun, everyone seemed to be insane.
Having experienced imminent death right before his eyes, Dr. Ha Sungyoon, who calmly continued his work as a doctor, and Director Lee Jaehun, who carved a knife wound on his own arm, seemed unaffected by death. Adapting to this grotesque world as if nothing had happened was more terrifying.
While Dr. Ha Sungyoons condition might not be comparable to Director Lee Jaehuns, it was still challenging to consider him entirely sane compared to the rest of the group.
Otherwise, there was no way they could be so indifferent to death caused by inhuman monsters. They were all insane.
The deep black pupils narrowed, and from Jung Inhos lips came a calmly restrained voice.
I was watching from outside the flower shop, witnessing whether you or Director Lee Jaehun might die.
Of course, I didnt want to die. I turned away from you guys because I wanted to live. Do you understand?
You seem excited, Jung Inho-ssi.
But whats this? Even though you know everything, you look unaffected. You should have felt some betrayal or resentment towards my actions. I mean, Dr. Ha Sungyoon hasnt spent as much time with me as the siblings, so he should have hated me a bit more.
Calm down.
Look, youre telling me to calm down. Even if someone is dying in front of you, youll probably still say that. You probably told Dr. Ha Sungyoon to calm down and do his job, even after knowing everything.
Before the regression, Dr. Ha Sungyoon was the same. Truly consistent.
Despite the bizarre and grotesque deaths of Kang Mina and Noh Yeonseok, the doctor only assessed the situation without showing any human emotions. Perhaps it was because he had seen a lot of death as a doctor?
Dr. Ha Sungyoon simply shook Jung Inho, believing that he would make the most rational judgment. Even though he, too, had briefly witnessed the deaths of those he had been with.
Is that normal?
So, this was also Jung Inhos resentment towards the doctor before him.
The one who shouted to face reality without giving time to mourn the death of a friend, now, after returning to the past, felt bitter and resentful.
For the first time in his life, someone died right in front of him. It was a colleague from work and a close acquaintance. They didnt share a very personal life, but they had at least shared some moments of joy together.
They exchanged birthday gifts with Kang Mina occasionally, and discussed good workouts with Noh Yeonseok. Surely, they had become somewhat close.
Two people like that died in an instant, and he could have been sad. He could have been in pain. Dr. Ha Sungyoon, however, only saw them as two lifeless bodies and demanded that Jung Inho face reality. Even though he might have wanted to be immersed in grief, he didnt allow himself to.
All I wanted was to be spared from this miserable world.
So, tell me. Why?
What does Dr. Ha Sungyoon know?
However, Jung Inho sensed that he couldnt escape from this world, and moreover, it was a conviction he couldnt turn away from. If he couldnt escape from this place where nausea rose with every breath, then he needed to know anything and everything.
In response to Jung Inhos words, Dr. Ha Sungyoon touched his ear and opened his mouth.
I was a bit surprised, Jung Inho-ssi. Um. Youre really smart.
Ill take it as a compliment.
It was really just a meaningless compliment. I was just surprised. Surprised that you would be so angry with me.
Im not angry.
Lets go with that.
He shrugged and continued speaking.
But I dont know that much either. It was only the second time I met Director Lee Jaehun, and we hadnt even had a personal conversation.
But you still know something.
Thats true, but
Dr. Ha Sungyoon seemed somewhat embarrassed, rolling his eyes and scratching his ear with his hand, but instead of gaining insight from his actions, Jung Inho felt an inexplicable discomfort. It was an odd sensation that could occasionally be found in Director Lee Jaehun.
Certainly, even though he seemed insane, there was a structure to it, making it look like he wasnt completely crazy. Such
Well then, why did you do that, Jung Inho-ssi?
What are you talking about?
When you were wandering around to get clues, today probably in the afternoon.
.
At that time, when we were moving together, why did you separate from us for some reason?
He couldnt answer for a moment.
Jung Inho had returned to the past and knew what would happen in the future. His mind was consumed by the thought of preventing the group from dying at all costs, leading him to move separately from the other two.
As he pondered what excuse to make, he eventually opened his mouth in response to Dr. Ha Sungyoon, who was smiling and waiting for his answer.
Do I really have to say it?
That answer is enough.
Dr. Ha Sungyoon gently touched his earlobe once and seemed to have no intention of further probing, judging by his mild and dry response.
He quickly returned to the original topic.
You asked me what I know.
In Jung Inhos opinion, it was an oddly light consideration.
Keep in mind that this is just speculation.
Sure.
In my estimation, Director Lee Jaehun seems to be a survivor in this place.
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