Sometimes We Have Nightmares -3

“I’ll enjoy my meal.”

“Enjoy your food.”

The food arrives.

Mine is curry rice, Noah is eating omurice.

The food at this amusement park was famous for being delicious.

True to a tourist spot, the prices were exorbitantly expensive, but even so, it definitely showed quality compared to other places.

The rich aroma of curry, vegetables that had melted down and soaked in, large chunks of meat cut to show their presence.

All of these things seemed to assert that this is what a perfect curry is like!

“It’s delicious…”

“…Sigh.”

For some reason, I didn’t have an appetite.

It seemed the same for Noah, as she just picked at her food.

Even Noah, of all people.

“Mister, doesn’t it taste good?”

“Huh? Ah no, it’s delicious.”

“That’s good then…”

We continued our meal without saying anything.

This was a first. Every time we ate, we would spend time saying things like this is delicious, try some of this…

Because of that rabbit, and Noah probably because of that damn dream,

A strange scene unfolded where we just sighed over the food.

This isn’t right.

I tried my best to smile but stopped.

Clack. Noah put down her spoon.

“Mister, did something happen?”

“…Hmm.”

“So something did happen.”

“I’ve been caught.”

“It was the mister who told me not to force a smile.”

She’s so perceptive.

I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want to ruin the mood of our outing.

“Please tell me the truth. I’m feeling weird right now too.”

I pondered for a moment about what to say, then told the truth.

About how a strange rabbit mascot suddenly appeared and chased me, and the fact that it wasn’t captured on any CCTV.

To this mysterious and terrifying incident.

“Hiek…”

Noah turned pale but soon calmed down and repeated what I had said.

“A strange person chased you and you ran away… but there was nothing about that person on any CCTV…”

“…”

“Does that make sense?”

Of course it doesn’t make sense.

But thinking back, there was one more thing that was even more incomprehensible.

That was Noah herself.

“Noah, were you very tired by any chance?”

“Huh? No… I was fine.”

“Then how did you fall asleep so suddenly?”

Noah made an “Eh?” sound.

“That’s right… I clearly remember up to the point where you picked me up…”

“Yes.”

“I don’t remember anything after that. No, why did I fall asleep in the first place…? No, why wasn’t I even thinking it was strange…?”

She doesn’t remember?

It’s almost as if.

“It’s like someone played a trick.”

Unless extremely tired… no, even if extremely tired, there’s no way one could sleep in that situation.

Isn’t that right? To sleep while being carried in someone’s arms and running frantically.

“That’s right… it didn’t feel like I was about to fall asleep at all…”

Noah stabbed her food repeatedly.

She looked like she couldn’t bear the unsettling feeling.

“Oh really… why did I have to have such a dream…”

Come to think of it, she said she had a dream.

It didn’t seem like a good one.

“If it’s okay, can I ask what kind of dream it was?”

“…”

“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay-“

“Dad.”

“…”

“It was a dream where my dad was murdered.”

Noah trembled slightly, closing her eyes.

She seemed to be recalling the contents of the terrible dream.

“The mister went into the hospital and repeatedly… repeatedly… stabbed my dad.”

“…Me?”

“Dad couldn’t do anything… continuously… continuously…”

“…”

“I… couldn’t do anything… just couldn’t… yes…”

So that’s why she checked if I was real or not.

It must have been a terrible dream. To have to watch a family member being murdered in front of your eyes, unable to do anything.

Moreover, to have someone you trust quite a bit do such a thing.

Especially for someone with a fragile heart like Noah, it would have been even more painful.

Silence descended over the table.

Falling asleep suddenly without knowing why, having a terrible dream.

Though it wasn’t captured on CCTV, the wound on my leg is real.

A truly strange and unbelievable situation.

“…”

“…”

We probably had the same thought.

“Could it be a monster?”

“…Or it might be a villain.”

A monster, or a villain.

“Oh really… why on a day like this…”

I agree.

Why do they have to rampage on a day like this when we came out to play together?

Noah seemed to have decided to dismiss it as simply an unlucky day, but my mind was a bit more complicated.

It’s not yet time for monsters to appear. At least until evening, we should have been able to spend time.

Moreover.

‘Pumpkin shouldn’t have such an ability…?’

The main monster for this amusement park event was supposed to be Pumpkin.

A grim reaper monster with a pumpkin on its head.

It’s a mascot that was always locked in storage except for Halloween, now turned into a monster. After taking over the amusement park and making it its own domain, it would display magical girls there.

This is Pumpkin’s bad ending.

But Pumpkin didn’t have the ability to make people fall asleep.

Maybe the ability to manipulate dolls, but not this.

This means.

‘Either the boss has changed…’

Or a new entity has intervened.

‘…It’s not an impossible story.’

Either way, this is reality.

Since Pumpkin exists, there’s probably someone who breathed magical energy into it to create it.

It didn’t appear in the game, but if it decided not to leave right away and to help Pumpkin.

‘I need to find it.’

For now, finding that rabbit would be the top priority.

“Noah, let Taehwa know too. Tell her to be careful and look for this strange entity.”

“Yes.”

Noah nodded and called Taehwa.

The call tone went on for a while.

After it didn’t connect once, it finally went through on the second try.

“Taehwa. Is everything okay there?”

[Ah… Noah.]

“Why do you sound like that? Did something happen?”

[Well… just a while ago, Yul suddenly fell asleep and woke up. She’s been crying and making a fuss, saying she had a weird dream.]

“…Yul too?”

[What do you mean ‘too’? Did something happen to you as well?]

Noah’s eyes turn towards me.

She looks serious.

I took the phone instead of Noah.

“Taehwa, it’s the mister.”

[Ah, mister. What on earth is going on?]

I explained the entire situation to Taehwa.

Then Taehwa raised her voice.

[Then this is serious!]

“That’s right. So I’m planning to search for it from now on.”

At my words, Noah stared at me.

“…Shouldn’t the mister leave quickly?”

…That’s right.

Noah doesn’t know that I’m Kraken.

“Well…”

“Please go back to the car, mister. And absolutely don’t come out.”

[That’s right. If that’s true, Shin Hyun, please go back quickly.]

It was Seo Jin-ah’s voice.

[You’d probably just be in the way for Noah. Although it’s regrettable…]

“I know. Because I’m weak.”

[Then, understood. Noah, let’s meet in front of the central clock plaza.]

With those words, the call ended.

It seems they’re going to start searching now.

“Wouldn’t it be good to inform the management too?”

“…That’s impossible. There’s no trace or evidence yet. Even if we show the wound, they’ll deny it.”

“Because of the refund costs…?”

“That’s right.”

Haah… Noah sighed and continued.

“I was looking forward to the amusement park… sigh… why do these things happen as soon as we arrive… I really must have bad luck when it comes to having fun.”

“Let’s really have fun properly next time.”

“It can’t be helped. We have to do what needs to be done. Mister, you must stay quietly in the car! Understood?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll come after looking around a bit more.”

“…Be careful.”

“You too, mister.”

After finishing her words, Noah ate her omurice as if inhaling it and ran out of the restaurant.

She’ll probably be busy from now on.

According to my promise with Noah, I should go back to the car now, but…

“…Excuse me, is there a souvenir shop nearby?”

“Ah, if you go out of here and turn left immediately, there is one.”

As if I could do that.

Pumpkin will come out at night. I can’t just leave that unidentified entity alone.

I bought a mask from the souvenir shop and wore it on my face.

I left the top I was wearing in a locker and changed into a free promotional T-shirt.

“…Hmm.”

This should be enough that they won’t recognize me.

‘Then let’s find it quickly.’

+++++

Time passed and it became evening.

By then, I had searched the entire amusement park but couldn’t find the rabbit.

It’s nowhere.

I searched all the dark and eerie places, but it wasn’t anywhere.

“…The time…”

Looking at the sky, the world was already turning red.

It was almost time for twilight to arrive.

That means Pumpkin will come soon and wreak havoc on the amusement park.

‘Is there no choice?’

One monster and one unidentified enemy.

There’s no guarantee that the magical girls will be able to handle both and win.

Even for an Iris who has become stronger.

Especially if they have to evacuate citizens during all this, their power will be even more dispersed.

A secluded place where there are likely no cameras.

I hid there and prepared to transform.

I need to become Kraken.

If I transform into a villain and cause a bit of trouble, an evacuation order will be issued, and people will escape outside.

Of course, I’ll be subjected to concentrated fire from the magical girls.

‘I just need to hold out, avoiding until Pumpkin appears.’

Hmm, the plan is somewhat set.

I can’t say it’s perfect, but in the current situation, this is probably the best I can do.

‘Kkomul-i. Let’s get ready.’

‘Yes.’

I prepare to transform while circulating magical energy.

Kkomul-i’s magical energy melts down and is carried by the circulating magical energy, going around my body.

The robe flutters, and a new mask forms on my face instead of the previous one.

Tentacles that ripple in the shadows and then break free as if feeling cramped.

Just as the transformation was about to be completed.

“Oh ho, so that’s how you transform, Mr. Kraken.”

“Who are you!?”

Swoosh!

Tentacles extend out and grab the object…

But it greatly leaped to avoid, and soon reached right in front of me.

“This is quite impressive.”

It was a familiar appearance and face.

This is.

“Are you that rabbit from earlier?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“…After hiding all day, you show yourself like this?”

“Haha, yes. It was about to be the start of my plan… but it seems like you’re trying to interfere.”

The rabbit doll continued speaking in a voice devoid of any emotion.

“Then isn’t it natural to stop you?”

“…”

“Right? S-class villain Kraken, or rather.”

“…”

“…Mr. Shin Hyun.”

What in the world.

“Who are you?”