Chapter 14: Stuck in Her World (1)

The cool morning breeze drifted through the open window, carrying a single leaf from a nearby tree. It floated gently across the room before landing softly on the forehead of a young man sleeping beneath a white blanket.

Outside, the distant murmur of people going about their day echoed faintly through the window.

The unconscious P slowly began to stir.

Ugh... Ugh... Hngh...

P groaned restlessly as fragments of last night's events flashed through his mind.

STEP... STEP... STEP...

His vision was blurred.

Hanabi was running toward him.

He stretched his right hand toward her as blood continued to drip from his body.

DRIP... DRIP... DRIP...

"P!"

A distant voice.

"P!"

Closer.

"P!"

The voice slowly faded into darkness.

GASP!

"TEMU!"

P suddenly shot awake, his eyes snapping open to a plain white ceiling.

"Hargh... Hargh... Hargh..."

He breathed heavily, immediately feeling a sharp pain shoot through his back.

"Where... am I?" he muttered weakly.

Still lying down, he slowly turned his head to the left—

Only to find himself staring directly into the eyes of a giant teddy bear.

"...What?"

He blinked several times before looking back at the ceiling.

After a brief moment, he shifted his gaze toward the bedroom door a few steps away. Faint voices drifted through the closed door from somewhere outside the room.

"...People?"

His expression stiffened.

"Am I... in someone's house?"

He slowly turned his head to the right.

A small shelf stood beside the bed.

His eyes suddenly widened.

A framed photograph sat neatly on top of it.

It was Hanabi.

She was smiling brightly while hugging her oversized teddy bear named P from behind.

Beside it was another picture of Hanabi with several girls, all crowding together for a cheerful selfie while making different hand signs.

Silence.

P stared at the photographs for several long seconds.

"...Oh, shit."

---

Meanwhile...

Outside the bedroom, in the living room—

Psst...

Gulp... Gulp...

Clack.

A feminine hand placed an opened can of Heineken onto the coffee table.

The camera of attention slowly traveled upward, revealing Yuki leaning back on the sofa.

"So... your imaginary boyfriend actually exists?" she asked skeptically while looking at Hanabi.

"Are you kidding me?"

Hanabi, sitting on a single couch with both legs crossed and her arms folded, immediately frowned.

A cup of hot coffee rested on the small ceramic table in front of her, steam lazily rising into the air.

"He's not my imaginary boyfriend..."

She clenched her fist.

"...And he's definitely not my boyfriend!"

Small imaginary puffs of frustration practically rose from her head.

"Then answer the question, will you?" Yuki replied casually.

Mio, who was seated beside Hanabi, spoke up.

"Well... I was the one who treated his wound."

She shrugged.

"He seemed pretty real to me."

Yu-na leaned forward with sparkling curiosity.

"So... can we see him for ourselves?"

Hanabi hesitated.

"...Well..."

She looked exactly like a little girl who didn't want her friends touching her favorite toy.

Min-seo smiled gently.

"Hanabi, it won't hurt."

"We just want to meet him."

Hanabi looked around at each of their faces.

"...Fine."

She sighed dramatically.

Yuki immediately pointed at her.

"And stop acting like he's your property."

"He's a human being."

Hanabi stared blankly at Yuki.

...

Blink.

Rustle... Rustle... Rustle...

P tried to sit up.

"...Argh."

A sharp pain shot through his back, forcing him to remain flat on the bed.

"So... how do I get out of this place?"

He stared blankly at the ceiling.

"How did I even end up here in the first place?"

He replayed the events in his head.

"I remember being attacked..."

"...then somehow getting involved with that woman again..."

"...and someone threw an axe into my back."

He let out a long sigh before smiling proudly.

"But somehow... I survived all by myself."

A grin slowly spread across his face.

"Fascinating."

"As expected of someone like me."

KEKEKEKEKEKE...

P chuckled to himself with complete satisfaction.

After a while, the laughter faded.

His smile disappeared.

"...But none of this was supposed to happen."

His eyes narrowed.

"I'm not supposed to be here."

"And most importantly..."

"My back has gotten even worse because of that stupid axe."

"If this keeps up..."

"...it's only going to get worse."

He fell silent again.

"What do I do?"

"Am I missing something?"

"...Well."

"The only thing that matters right now is escaping."

"But..."

"...how?"

Silence filled the room.

Then—

A faint white light appeared at the corner of his vision.

"Hm?"

P frowned.

The light slowly spread across the room.

"...Wait."

His eyes widened.

"No..."

"Not now."

The light continued growing brighter.

"Not another flashback."

"Brain..."

He struggled to force himself upright despite the pain.

"...Behave yourself."

The light became blinding.

"Brain..."

"...Brain!"

P squeezed his eyes shut.

"My eyes...!"

The brilliant white light completely swallowed the room.

FLASH

"...Argh."

P slowly opened his eyes.

"...Huh?"

"Where am I?"

Everything felt strange.

It was as though he wasn't seeing through his own eyes.

Instead...

he was watching himself from somewhere else.

He was seated on a small wooden chair.

A short table stood before him with a small glass resting on top.

Across the table sat a man dressed entirely in black.

Only his lips could clearly be seen beneath the shadow covering his face.

He raised a small glass of gin.

"So..."

"...She's finally gone."

P looked down quietly.

Unlike his present appearance, his hair was much longer.

Long black hair mixed with streaks of white rested over his shoulders.

"...Yeah."

"I thought..."

"...I could spend a little more time with her."

He placed a hand over his chest.

"It hurts."

"It feels like someone carved a hole into my heart."

His golden eyes, usually so bright, seemed dim and lifeless.

The man quietly watched him.

"Hmmm..."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"But life keeps moving."

"You have to move forward."

"I know you understand that better than anyone."

P slowly nodded.

"I know."

"...But for now..."

"I'll set those feelings aside."

He looked back at the man.

"So..."

"What did you want to discuss with me?"

The unknown man took another sip of his drink.

"It's about finding someone to replace her."

"...Your grandmother."

"Her death wasn't only a huge loss to you."

"It was a huge loss for everyone."

P immediately understood.

"...It's about my back."

The man nodded.

"Exactly."

"Your grandmother was the only person capable of treating it."

"The condition affects your entire body."

"If it isn't properly cared for..."

He paused.

"You already know what will happen."

P remained quiet.

"I know the consequences."

"I know what my back can eventually do to me."

"And how it'll affect everything."

He lowered his eyes.

"...But..."

"...I don't think it matters that much anymore."

The unknown man frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what that **** r did to your body."

"You carried that burden for years."

"And after everything..."

"It permanently damaged your back."

"Now you're telling me it doesn't matter?"

P closed his eyes.

"I understand how you feel, brother."

"But..."

"...isn't our story already over?"

A gentle breeze drifted through the open doorway.

Peach blossom leaves floated through the air outside.

The unknown man froze.

His eyes widened.

Then...

a smile slowly appeared on his face.

"...Ah."

"I see."

"Our story really has ended."

"After the @$$@*##$ **r..."

"...peace finally came."

He looked back at P.

"And yet..."

"...you're still here."

P quietly looked at both of his hands.

"I know."

"I'm still alive."

"But..."

"I feel finished."

"As if there's nothing left of me."

"I only live..."

"...because I'm alive."

He smiled bitterly.

"There's this emptiness."

"I keep asking myself..."

"'Now what?'"

"What am I supposed to do?"

"What am I supposed to think about?"

He looked toward the open doorway.

"Sometimes..."

"I think it would be nice if I simply fell asleep..."

"...and my soul quietly drifted away."

"...It's over."

"So..."

"...now what?".

The unknown man studied P for a long moment before speaking.

"...Have you ever heard of the word epilogue?"

P blinked.

"Epilogue..."

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Yeah... I think so."

"What about it?"

The man smiled.

"Do you know what it means?"

"...Yeah."

"I do."

"Then," the unknown man said, pointing at him with his cup, "that's the answer to your question."

P blinked in realization.

"My answer...?"

The man nodded.

"When a novelist finishes telling a story, sometimes there's one final chapter afterward."

"An epilogue."

"It isn't there to continue the story."

"It's there to show what comes after."

He leaned back in his chair.

"You've always seen your life as a book."

"And honestly..."

He laughed softly.

"If you ever wrote your autobiography..."

"...it would probably be the thickest book ever published."

"Thousands of stories."

"Countless memories."

He smiled warmly.

"But that story is over now."

"So..."

"...write your own epilogue."

Silence.

The words echoed through P's mind.

The unknown man continued.

"What kind of ending do you want?"

"What kind of life do you want now?"

"Maybe there's still something you haven't discovered."

"Maybe there's one final piece missing."

"As long as you're alive..."

"...there's still a reason to keep walking."

He lifted his glass.

"So..."

"...go crazy."

He slammed the cup onto the table.

CLACK!

"Travel the world..."

"...and find it."

P stared quietly at the table.

Then...

a smile slowly appeared on his face.

"...Yeah."

"I think I like that."

The unknown man grinned proudly.

"I know."

"I'm a genius."

P rolled his eyes.

"Of course you were going to say that."

"Now," the unknown man continued, "about your back..."

"I think you should go to Japan."

"Japan?"

P tilted his head.

"Where exactly?"

The man scratched his head.

"...Honestly..."

"I have no idea."

P stared at him.

"...What?"

"I don't remember the location."

"The only thing I remember is walking around one day when my back suddenly started aching."

"I saw a massage shop."

"So I went inside."

"When I came back out..."

He stretched both arms with a satisfied smile.

"...I felt like a brand-new man."

"It honestly felt like I could fly."

"I've never felt so free."

He nodded confidently.

"The woman working there looked delicate."

"But those hands..."

"They were terrifying."

"They fixed everything."

"So I highly recommend finding her."

P slowly looked at him.

"...You expect me..."

"...to search an entire country..."

"...for one massage therapist..."

"...whose location you don't even remember?"

The unknown man nodded without hesitation.

"Exactly."

"I also don't have a job."

"So pocket money is kind of an issue."

The unknown man shrugged.

"You've got two healthy legs."

"And two healthy hands."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out."

P slowly clenched his fist.

"...Why..."

"...do I suddenly feel like strangling you..."

"...and throwing you through that door?"

The man laughed.

"Because I'm telling the truth."

He pointed at himself proudly.

"And besides..."

"I've been your brother since day one."

"We're best friends."

"Trust me."

P sighed.

"...Yeah."

"I do trust you."

He pointed a warning finger at him.

"But don't make me regret it."

The unknown man burst into laughter.

"That's the spirit."

He raised his finger dramatically.

"Then search."

"Search every city."

"Every street."

"Every massage shop."

"High and low."

"Far and beyond."

"Until you find the one destined to save your back."

P nodded seriously.

"Yes, sir."

The unknown man smiled.

"When you finally find her..."

"...you'll discover true peace."

"Comfort."

"Happiness."

He raised his cup one last time.

"And I promise you..."

"...you'll never feel pain again."

---

Never feel pain again.

Never feel pain again.

Never... feel pain again.

The words echoed endlessly.

The world around P slowly dissolved.

Light swallowed everything.

---

P's eyes snapped open.

He was back in the bedroom.

His fist clenched tightly beneath the blanket.

A vein bulged on his forehead.

"...Ha..."

"...Bi..."

"...Di..."

His teeth ground together.

"You son of a bitch..."

A faint transparent image appeared before him.

Habidi.

Standing there with his usual warm smile.

Giving a cheerful peace sign.

P's eye twitched.

"Look at me now..."

"I swear..."

"...I'm going to kill him."

"...Huh?"

P suddenly froze.

He slowly looked toward the bedroom door.

Standing there...

were five girls.

Every single one of them had been staring at him the entire time.

Silence filled the room.

Yuki folded her arms.

She looked P up and down before turning toward Hanabi.

"...Is this seriously the mutt who rescued you last night?"

Hanabi slowly covered her face.

"...Arrrrhhh..."

She let out one long, exhausted sigh.