"When the clock strikes twelve, fireworks will light up the sky—and then everything will collapse. Do you seriously think we'll still be worrying about ham and cold cuts by then? We're finished, okay? There's nothing waiting for us in 3026. Why won't you believe me, Seo Yoojin?!"
Yesterday. The day before. And even today.
Not once had he taken me seriously.
To him, I was just being dramatic. Paranoid. Unstable.
But I knew the truth.
Everything I said was real.
There would be no New Year celebration.
After the joyful countdown welcoming 3026, the world would be drowned in screams. Cries for help would replace laughter. The brightly lit streets of Soul City would turn into hunting grounds for otherworldly beings.
Cold December would rot into a blood-soaked January.
Monsters—things that should never exist—would crawl out from cracks in the sky, devouring everything in sight. Yet what was truly terrifying were not the mindless creatures, but the intelligent invaders who descended to conquer this land.
I knew.
Because I had already died once.
Cruelly betrayed. Kicked to the curb. Eaten like livestock.
Even now, that memory clung to my bones like an incurable disease.
The pain of being torn apart while still conscious. The helplessness under predatory gazes. The satisfied growls of creatures savoring their meal.
And worse—the sickening sound of my own flesh ripping apart as I screamed for help.
'Yigang…'
"Ugh—"
I bent forward abruptly, one hand clamped over my mouth. Cold sweat slid down my spine as my stomach churned violently.
The image of being eaten alive—while that man watched indifferently, as if I were nothing more than an insect—nearly crushed me.
I bit down hard on my lower lip and clenched my fists.
'Stop it, Seo Hyejin.''Dwelling on the past will only hurt you. This life will be different.''And there's no need to remember people who no longer matter. Ever.'
---
"Doomsday this, doomsday that!"
Seo Yoojin grumbled while pushing the cart ahead. "Seo Hyejin, your brain is full of apocalypses from watching too much TV! This is exactly why Dad keeps arguing with Mom about not buying Notflix subscriptions. Those dramas rot your brain!"
What era is this, still believing in end-of-the-world nonsense?
Does she even realize people are staring?
Who in their right mind believes in the end of the world on such a bright, peaceful day?
"Pfft. Oh my." An elderly woman passing by shook her head. "Even my eight-year-old grandson stopped believing in those mindless cartoons. Aiyo, such a pretty young lady, yet so gullible. She's lucky she hasn't been scammed into marriage already. Boy, keep your eyes on your sister and don't let her stray. Tsk, tsk."
After saying so, the old woman walked off, leaving Yoojin utterly bewildered and mortified.
"N-Noona!" he shouted, his face turning beet red clearly ashamed that he was now on the verge of crying. "Can you stop talking like a weirdo already?! It's—It's embarrassing, okay?! If you keep this up, I'll leave you behind!"
Damn it.
Did those falling skeleton props really smash her head so hard it knocked out her sense of reality?
"She's usually sharp with money and numbers…" Yoojin muttered. "Don't tell me she really turned stupid?"
His heart skipped.
No way. What if she actually did?
On second thought—why is she even tagging along with him? She clearly hated going out, especially when it comes to running errands and doing groceries!
She always hated stepping out in public without security because of her so-called celebrity status and causing commotions. Yet right now, wearing sweatpants, messy long hair, and a surgical mask, who would ever guess she was the Nation's Crush, Seo Hyejin?
One look and people would think she was a patient.
'She looks more like a sickly zombie with those dark circles. If I saw her in a parking lot at night, I'd scream thinking she was a sickly ghost rather than some big name celebrity,' Yoojin sighed inwardly and added, 'If anything, she looks like a has-been trainee that wasn't even given a break so she started looking haggard and wasted.'
Sure, his sister was one of the prettiest faces in the entertainment industry—but if rumors spread that she'd lost her mind, would she ever be able to date?
Don't tell him—
Does he have to take care of her until retirement as the youngest?!
Seo Yoojin shuddered.
"N-No, no." He shook his head violently. "Money isn't the problem, but that absolutely can't happen. I haven't even graduated high school yet!"
"Living off an older sister is reasonable—but living off a younger brother with a bossy temper? That's illegal!" he muttered in despair. "I won't be able to date! Worse, I won't be able to get married! My wife would be bullied—but I can't even fight my Noona!"
Damn it!
'Am I destined to become a monk?' His youthful face was drained of color.
'Do temples even have VR pods now?'
'Or maybe I should start donating some now to make it look like a natural coincidence when I sign up.'
From afar, anyone who knew him would've heard the tiny screws of his brain cells spinning like crazy formulating schemes. In the end, Seo Yoojin stopped thinking altogether as it would only make him lose his head in frustration, thinking about his sister.
"Noona, hurry up!" he yelled. "And stop saying whatever pops into your head, will you? I still need to pick up Mom's shoes from the mall. It's almost closing time! Help me grab some prosciutto and mortadella to make my life a little bit easier. Mom is sweet and supportive but she's really terrifying when she's angry. She'll cook me alive for sure if I still don't get it today!" Se Yoojin muttered the rest to himself, before urging Hyejin to come up quickly once more. "Noona, walk faster, aish!"
Sigh.
Why were the women of the Seo family determined to shorten his lifespan?
Yoojin massaged his temples in frustration.
"Hey, Noona, are you listening? No—Noona?!"
He turned back—and his heart leaped into his throat, seeing her figure swayed dangerously towards the iron stand.
"Shit!"
In an instant, he abandoned the cart and rushed toward her, nearly tripping over his own feet. Fortunately, he caught her on time.
"Noona, what's wrong— hey! Seo Hyejin!"