After the meal, Gao and Inglen settled onto the single mattress while Cheol chose the small balcony, the night air cool against his skin.
Gao, lying down, called out, "Cheol, are you sure you don't wanna sleep on the mattress?"
"I'm fine; don't talk and let the kid sleep," Cheol replied.
"At least take the blanket," Gao insisted.
"…Ok," Cheol muttered, pulling it over himself as the quiet of the night wrapped around them.
"Wake up, arise, wakey-wakey, erect, ahgr..." The voice was jarring, like a monster with broken vocal cords shaking him out of his dreams.
"…Who is it?" Inglen mumbled groggily.
"It's me, your friendly neighbo—"
"Inglen, wake up. It's morning," Gao's cold voice cut in.
Inglen sat up on the floor, rubbing his eyes.
"Gao, why would you interrupt? I was waking him," Cheol complained.
"Cut it out, Cheol. You've spoken enough—any more and we'll get a copyright," Gao replied flatly.
Gao: "Well, now that you're awake, get ready—we're going to the market."
Inglen: "Wait… didn't you say you had lectures today?"
Gao: "We got a message that the campus is going to be under construction for a week."
Inglen: "What?" thinks "From what I've seen, there don't seem to be any phones here… so how'd he get a 'message'?"
Just then, a faint pop echoed from the strange pillar near the gallery.
Cheol: "I'll check it. Wait."
Gao: "Another one?"
Cheol: "It's from Rumi?"
Gao: "I thought the college sent another letter."
Cheol unfolded the letter and read aloud,
"Cheol, the new boy you brought in that day—bring him with you to the shop right now."
Inglen blinked. "Wait… me?"
Cheol: "No, the other new boy I've been hiding in the cupboard for weeks—of course you!"
Inglen: "...Was that sarcasm?"
Gao smirked. "You'll get used to it."
Inglen stepped into the bathroom and noticed a single bucket beneath an old tap. Crank... crank... The handle groaned as he turned it, and the metallic echo seemed to carry far beyond the small room.
Then—silence. Not just the bathroom—everything stopped. The distant chatter from the street, the muffled voices of Cheol and Gao… all gone.
The air grew heavier, and a pale, unnatural light flooded the room.
A figure stood before him—tall, skeletal, holding a scythe that seemed to drink in the light around it. Inglen's mind froze. His chest tightened until he could barely breathe. Each involuntary shiver made the figure step closer. With every step it took, the room sank deeper into shadow.
Suddenly, the blade swept through the air. A single slash tore open the bathroom wall as if slicing through paper.
Inglen screamed, his voice breaking in terror.
From the figure's torso, a cluster of twisted, insect-like legs unfolded, clicking as they reached outward. Without a word, the thing stepped through the opening into an endless, swirling abyss.
The moment it vanished, Inglen's heart lurched painfully in his chest. The world around him began to wrinkle and blur, folding in on itself until—
He was back in Cheol and Gao's bathroom. The bucket. The tap. The faint dripping of water.
But his hands were still trembling.
Knock. Knock. Gao's voice came through the bathroom door.Gao: "Oi, how long is it going to take?"
Inside, Inglen was still catching his breath.Inglen: "J–just a minute."
Gao paused, hearing the uneven, heavy breaths.Gao: "Wait… What are you doing in our bathroom? Don't tell me you're jer—"
Inglen: "I… saw a nightmare."
There was a small silence. Gao's tone shifted, losing its sharpness.Gao: "…Oh. Uh… You okay?"
Inglen, still trying to steady his breathing, said,Inglen: "U… yeah, I'll be out in a minute."
From outside, Gao replied, his voice low but firm.Gao: "We need to show you a real physician now."
A few minutes later, Inglen stepped out and blinked at the sight before him. Gao was dressed in a long coat over a neatly pressed suit, sitting with one leg crossed like a gentleman preparing for an important outing. In contrast, Cheol stood nearby in loose, faded pants and an oversized T-shirt.
Cheol: "Get ready, boy."
Gao glanced at him sideways.Gao: "He isn't Loki, Mr Destroyer of Olympus."
Inglen had no clothes to wear and was just standing there, a single cloth tied around his waist to hide his modesty, shivering in the cold breeze drifting through the open windows. His thin, underfed frame was practically on display for any unlucky passerby below.
Realizing the problem, Gao sighed.
an old shirt and a pair of baker's pants.Gao: "Here. They're not fashionable, but they'll save you from public indecency charges."
With that, the trio left the room. As they stepped through the apartment gate, the landlord—who lived downstairs—looked up from his morning tea and spotted them. His eyes immediately narrowed.
Landlord: steps out from his chair by the door, eyeing Inglen up and down "Hold on… I don't recall seeing this boy in the building before. And I know everyone who comes and goes."
Gao: smiling politely "Ah, yes. He's my cousin—just arrived yesterday. Came to stay for a few days while… his place is being, uh… sorted out."
Landlord: folds arms, unimpressed "Cousin? From where?"
Gao: "South side. Near the old river market."
Landlord: raises an eyebrow "The south side, hm? It's a long way to come for just a few days. Must be some problem, then."
Cheol cuts in quickly, waving his hand "Yeah, yeah, long story. Family stuff. You know how it is."
Landlord: grunts, still watching Inglen as if memorising his face "Family or not, I don't like surprises in my building. Keep him out of trouble."
Landlady: appearing from inside with a cloth in her hands, smiling "Oh, stop grilling them.
Landlady: What is your name kid?
Inglen a bit afraid: I ....am .....Inglen.... Yumnak
Landlady : what a lovely boy I must say Gao, your cousin is more adorable and cute than most of the girls I have seen.
Gao: blinks twice, caught mid-thought "…Handsome?"
Cheol: glances at Inglen like he's seeing him for the first time "…Huh. Guess I never noticed."
Gao: half to himself "Neither did I…"
Inglen: awkwardly shifting his weight, eyes darting away "…Can we go now?"
Landlady: laughs lightly "Go on, go on. Don't keep that cousin cooped up all day."
Landlord: still watching as they leave "…South side, eh?"
After stepping out of the apartment building, Cheol lets out a small sigh and wipes the sweat from his forehead.Cheol: "They're like a thorn and a flower living in the same pot."Gao: snorts "I still wonder how that fat grump managed to marry a woman like her."
With that, the trio heads down the street toward Rumi's shop.
Cheol, walking a step ahead, turns his head slightly.Cheol: "Don't thank us too soon. We're not helping you out of charity. You'll need to pull your weight, and more than that… you'd better be ready for the kind of trouble that follows people like you."
Inglen looks down at the road, unsure what to say.Gao quietly adds, "Cheol's right. If you're staying with us, you're part of our mess now. No turning back."
The three keep walking in silence, the sound of the bustling street growing louder as they near the shop.
The trio arrived at Man_shik's Shop, the wooden sign creaking faintly above the doorway. Inside, Rumi stood waiting, arms crossed, her foot tapping against the floor. Beside her, a neatly dressed young woman held a bundle of folded clothes and a few basic cleaning tools.
The moment Cheol stepped inside, Rumi's eyes locked on him."Cheol," she snapped, "do you ever show up on time? I said right away. Not 'whenever Cheol decides the world can wait for him.'"
Cheol raised his brows. "That's a little dramatic—"
"It's not dramatic when it's the fifth time this month," Rumi cut in. "You're lucky I'm patient, but I'm not that patient."
Cheol's smirk faltered. He shot a quick glare at Inglen, as if silently blaming him for being the reason they were late, before turning back to Rumi."…Sorry," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "We got… sidetracked."
After the scolding, Rumi's glare softened, though her tone was still sharp."You really should work on your timing issues, Cheol… or else nobody's gonna like you."
Cheol rubbed the back of his neck, looking a little shy."I'm trying…"
Rumi sighed. "Well, where's our little patient?"
Inglen crossed his arms. "Hey, would you stop treating me like a kid just because I look like one?"
Gao stepped in without missing a beat. "That's the point—look like a fool, get called a fool."
Rumi rolled her eyes but pressed on. "Okay, so… mister-who-doesn't-like-being-called-mister, we need you to cooperate with me and my friend here. She was really interested in your… condition."
She leaned her head back, glancing around the shop. "Meet my friend Alesha—"
Cheol leaned toward her, lowering his voice. "Hey, what is he, a test subject? Why are you calling him over just to satisfy your friend's curiosity?"
Rumi shot him a look. "I'm trying to help. And unlike your foolish, broke self, I actually contacted my senior. She's a new alchemist who just graduated from the Neurology and Dark Arts department. Best help I could get—for free."
Cheol scoffed. "Calling me broke right after bragging about free help…"
Before Cheol could fire back, a cheerful voice cut in.
"Ohhh, so you're Cheol!"
The trio turned to see a young woman in a fitted coat, her satchel swaying as she approached. She walked with a lively bounce, her steps almost too quick for the narrow space in the shop.
Her bright eyes landed on Inglen, and she smiled wide. "And this must be the mysterious boy Rumi wouldn't stop talking about!" She stepped right up, brimming with energy. "Hi! I'm Alesha. And you are…?"
"…Inglen," he replied slowly.
"Nice to meet you, Inglen! So, tell me—what's your favorite food? Wait—no—what's your least favorite food? That tells way more about a person!"
Inglen blinked. "…I… never really thought about it."
Cheol stood stiffly beside them, arms crossed like he was on guard duty, clearly not planning to join in.
Gao, standing slightly behind, let his eyes trail over Alesha—her glossy hair, the curve of her jawline, the way her coat hugged her frame. He wasn't listening to a single word of her bubbly chatter; his focus was locked on the details of her appearance as if he was cataloging them one by one. This sent butterflies up his stomach