Ch.39Eternal Rest

The current location is Room 701.

I didn’t want to talk while my place was messy, so I brought him to a common area.

“So, this is a space where all sorts of strange things wander around.”

“Honestly, I find that hard to believe.”

“Really? You’ll see it for yourself later.”

The name of the new kid is Jung Haewon.

He says he’s a high school dropout who used to livestream.

“Um, so…”

“Yeah?”

“Should I call you Dabin noona?”

“Just call me noona. Adding my name makes it creepy.”

I said coolly as I turned on the coffee pot.

After constantly dealing with my sister’s whining, it feels like my masculinity is returning.

Bubble, bubble.

The kettle boils.

I poured water into mugs and tore open packets of instant coffee.

Two steaming cups were placed on the table.

“Here.”

“Oh. Coffee?”

“Yeah. Drink it and try to clear your head.”

Haewon takes a sip of coffee and shivers.

“Ah, hot!”

I’ll just ignore that.

This is what I was told when I first came here.

This apartment—they said it has multiple entrances but no exits.

Now I finally understand what that means.

I took a sip of coffee and looked into my mug.

Caramel-colored liquid with milk foam floating on top.

“That paper has facts I’ve learned while wandering around here. You can read it when you have nothing else to do.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“After you finish your coffee.”

“But you just told me to read it!”

“Are you crazy? What if you spill on the paper?”

I snatched the document away and put it down, then took out two Couque D’asse cookies from the cupboard.

I put one in my mouth and was about to give him one too, but…

“Huh?”

Gulp, gulp.

“Ahh.”

“Did you just drink that all at once? Wasn’t it hot?”

“It was hot.”

“Then why did you drink it?”

“Because it’s fun? When something like this is in front of me, I feel challenged. Don’t you feel the same, noona?”

This guy just downed hot coffee in one shot.

Is he from Yoon Daju’s department too? I’m starting to feel uneasy.

“Can I read it now?”

“Sure. Do whatever you want. But be careful not to tear the paper.”

“Okay,” Haewon says as he flips through the document.

I opened the cupboard again.

The cabinet is already high up, and with my shortened height, I have to stand on a chair to reach it.

The ceramic jar is full of Couque D’asse cookies. I used to dislike them for being too sweet, but now they’re delicious. Stress really does make you crave sweets.

I grabbed some butter cookies too. With my hands full, I put another Couque D’asse in my mouth.

“But noona, looking at what’s written here, it seems like something’s going on, but I still can’t quite believe it.”

“Acshully, we can confurm it right now if you want.”

“Take that out of your mouth before speaking, noona.”

“Actually, there’s a way to confirm it right now. Want to try?”

I offered Haewon a cookie.

“Ah. No thanks.”

“Really? Then I’ll eat it myself.”

I put the cookies in my pocket and headed toward the front door.

“Come with me. I’ll show you right away what this place is all about.”

It’s a corridor-style apartment with a long railing.

Even without checking the time, it’s obvious what time it is.

The intense midday sunlight.

Haewon sticks out his tongue and mutters.

“Wow. It was night just a moment ago.”

“You’ve lost your sense of time from watching livestreams in your room all day. You should live each day to the fullest at your age.”

“I told you I dropped out of school.”

“Am I only talking about studying? You could learn a skill. Prepare for employment by getting certifications. At the very least, get a part-time job and earn some money.”

Maybe I’m bored, or maybe it’s because I met a younger sibling after a long time. My inner nagger is awakening without me realizing it.

“Did you do that, noona?”

“I…! I studied art diligently, you punk. Anyway, look at this.”

My heart sinks at this critical hit.

Quickly returning to the main point, I pressed myself against the railing.

Blue sky.

Spring breeze blows through gaps between white clouds.

I took out my phone and held it up.

“Look at this.”

“Okay.”

[● 3 unread KakaoTalk messages]

– Hey

– What are you doing

– What are you suddenly doing

Sixth floor railing.

I let go of the phone in my hand.

“Huh? You’re throwing away your phone?”

“Just watch.”

The phone begins free-falling.

As it gets closer to the ground, just before hitting the bottom…

It disappears in an instant.

“What? Where did it go?”

“Up here.”

I stretched out my arm and caught the phone.

Smack.

My palm stings a bit from the impact, reflecting some of the acceleration.

Still maintaining my cool posture, I turned to Haewon with a smirk.

“This is how everything returns to its starting point.”

“Wow…”

“It’s the same when you try to escape. Going down the stairs is the same. I’ve heard stories from others about jumping out windows too.”

“That’s insane.”

“So.”

I paused and quickly checked my phone.

[● 30 unread KakaoTalk messages]

– Waaaaaaaaahhhhh

– ???

– WTF what’s going on

– What is this

“So we keep exploring the apartment looking for an exit. Since we can’t leave using normal methods.”

“Oh. So everyone else is out exploring right now?”

“That’s right. Besides me, there are four more people here.”

“Oh…”

The kid might be a bit quirky, but he seems quick-witted.

I was getting bored anyway. It’ll be fun to teach him things.

“Right. There’s one more thing. Want to see it too?”

“Yes! Show me.”

So this is why old-timers like newbies.

I don’t know everything either, but I want to teach him as much as possible.

“Then I’ll show you the storage room next.”

“What? There’s a storage room in the apartment? Is it on this floor?”

“Yes. At the end of the corridor. Follow me!”

Tap tap tap.

Why is this so fun?

My steps quicken without me realizing it.

***

13th floor of the apartment.

Choi Serim waited for Daju in front of the water tank.

“There’s something in there, right?”

“Yes.”

“Can you get it out?”

“Ugh… there’s hair in here? It’s all slimy inside with something.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Just as she had learned from reading Dabin’s thoughts.

“I’m coming out now!”

“Okay. Thanks, Daju.”

“Phew! I thought I was going to suffocate.”

“Just put what you brought out on the floor.”

“Okay, unni.”

“……”

Choi Serim quietly examined the mass on the floor.

Several pieces of flesh entangled in hair.

Though it made no sound.

Though it barely showed signs of life anymore.

She could still read its thoughts.

why

pain

oxygen

restraint

Brief words kept appearing.

Choi Serim crouched down and transmitted her thoughts.

Claire Watson.

Unni.

I’m sorry. For leaving you there for so long.

Then memories from the past surfaced.

Choi Serim let the mental film roll.

It was when she was young.

Even in her earliest memories, the world was strange.

Mom always said the original world was safe.

That the library was originally just a place to visit briefly to read books.

That we were trapped here.

So, searching for exits throughout the library… and people dying while doing so… none of that was supposed to happen.

There was an outside world. But now it’s gone.

One day, Mom never returned.

For the first few days, Dad was angry, and later he became indifferent to everything.

The care of the neglected child fell to other refugees.

Claire unni.

Aunt Tasha.

The exorcist mister.

The old man who was a saint of letters.

All Choi Serim could read were other people’s thoughts.

Though she thought she had become numb, sometimes it felt like her chest was being torn open with hot iron.

Knowing everything, she had deliberately left Claire in the cold water tank.

Until the harmful elements hiding in the tap water completely disappeared.

Claire’s purification ability was used in this way.

“Unni, are you crying? Suddenly?”

“……”

“Why?”

“……”

“Did you see something strange? Is this a memetic kill agent too?”

“……Yoon Daju.”

“Yes?”

“Just. Be quiet for a moment.”

Choi Serim continued to watch the words that kept appearing.

[hatred writhing pointless betrayal don’t abandon me why? kill me please I want to rest now no melting body fear oxygen restraint suffocation purification water dark kill me anger]

After watching quietly, she changed a few.

[hat writ point betrayal don’t abandon me why kill me. I want to rest now. no oxygen restraint suffocation purification water dark kill me anger]

She continued.

Manipulating other people’s thoughts at will.

[writ point ■ don’t ■bandon me why ■. I want to res■ now. no ■rest suffocation■ da■■ me]

[point■■why■ . Now■ rest. no■ cation ]

forgive.

rest now.

peace

To alleviate her own guilt, she forcibly extracted forgiveness.

Choi Serim sharpened her fingertips.

She gathered fallen leaves, waste paper, and scraps of cloth scattered on the rooftop floor.

Her nails broke and turned white.

Blood flowed from skin scraped on the rough floor.

On a clear spring day.

A day when spring rain was falling.

Yoon Daju shook Choi Serim’s shoulders frantically.

“Unni! Snap out of it. Unni!”

“Yoon, Daju *sob*! It’s not like that… *sob*. Around. Gather things around us, and prepare to light a fire.”

“Are you really okay?!”

“Hurry!”

forgive.

rest now.

peace

New words appeared beneath the modified ones.

question

what is this

?

“Please. Do it quickly. Daju. Please…”

“Here. I’ll light the fire in the drum.”

Whoosh.

Flames rise up.

Choi Serim struggled to her feet. She prepared the funeral.

Now she just needs to throw Claire’s body into the fire.

She just needs to give her unni peace.

“*sob* *hic* *sob*…”

“Unni…”

Just as she was about to let go of her fingers.

From the flesh that had shown no reaction for some time.

One word slowly took shape.

Serim?

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry…”

Serim?

Is that you?

Choi Serim nodded, gasping for breath.

Then the two words from earlier reappeared.

forgive

peace

Without saying anything more, biting her lips tightly.

Choi Serim let go.

Claire’s body settled into the fire and rose as smoke.

A rainy day.

A bright spring day.