: Decoding the Past
They worked through the night. The laboratory was bathed in dim light; voices were nearly whispers, careful not to break concentration. So-hyun analyzed data, Min-jun deciphered schematics and diagrams from his world, and together they formed a coherent picture of what was happening.
"Look," So-hyun said, pointing to a graph, "this shows how Echo energy affects the virus. It accelerates its mutations but makes it unstable. We can use this — slow the virus, save people."
Min-jun leaned over the screen, touching his bracelet. "And here's the portal's instability. To stabilize it, massive energy is needed. It seems the Stella crystals provide part of that energy. But one crystal isn't enough. We need the second one."
Their eyes met. Understanding struck them simultaneously: their crystals were not mere ornaments — they were keys. Keys to the portals, to Min-jun's way home. But this truth was double-edged: using them required extreme caution. A single mistake could have catastrophic consequences for both worlds.
"If we use the crystals to return," So-hyun said, his voice trembling, "we could destroy everything. I can't let you be the cause of a world's collapse."
Min-jun nodded, clutching his bracelet, feeling the weight of the words. He didn't want to lose this world, didn't want to lose So-hyun. But he also didn't want to be the agent of destruction. Their fates were intertwined.
They returned to work in silence. Every finger movement across the screen, every glance, every thought was synchronized. Their joint focus created a unique rhythm, almost like the breathing of a single organism.