Chapter 38 (2/2)
The memories of the past three months rapidly entered and left his brain.
The place where he desired for a change - the place where he was finally able to change.
The place that would forever remain in his memories, got further and further away from him until it became small enough to be hidden from his view with just a single fist. And soon, the darkness of the corridor swallowed the lights from the plaza and nothing could be seen anymore.
”Ah.” (Seol)
Seol was about to reach out, only to realise belatedly that Yi Surl-Ah was still holding onto his arm.
”….Orabeo-nim?” (Yi Surl-Ah)
Yi Surl-Ah tilted her head. Most of the survivors had left the corridor already, yet the youth was still hesitating to leave.
”Uhm…. Yeah, let's go.” (Seol)
Seol turned around to leave, yet he remained conflicted.
'But, why?' (Seol)
He had been waiting for the end of the Neutral Zone for so long, yet….
'Why….?' (Seol)
Only a few steps more, and he'd be entering the Paradise, yet….
'….Why am I not happy?' (Seol)
Only then, Seol understood why: he was unhappy about the fact that he had to leave the Neutral Zone.
Before he could do something about this realisation, the darkness was suddenly pulled back from his surroundings. The brilliant sunlight stung his eyes, and warm, humid breeze brushed past his skin.
Reflexively, Seol narrowed his eyes and slowly raised his hand.
The first thing he saw was the sky dyed in soft reddish hue under the blazing sun. And below that, a vast expanse of desolate plain cloaked in the muddy brown hue of nothingness. The plain stretched so far and wide, Seol momentarily thought that he could even see the end of the world where the heaven and the earth met.
'So, this is….' (Seol)
….The Paradise.
Indeed, he was now standing on the Lost Paradise, where there was nothing as far as the eyes could see.
”I thought as much - it was a tower.” (Yi Sung-Jin)
Yi Sung-Jin's jaw didn't want to close as he looked upwards behind him.
A lone white tower stood on this desolate landscape. Its ma.s.sive size made one shrink back from its majesty, yet one also couldn't help but think it was also rather beautiful as well.
”Why don't we have breakfast, now that we took a look around?” (Hyun Sahng-Min)
Hyun Sahng-Min suddenly intruded on the trio as Seol dazedly stared at his new environment.
Just as Cinzia said, there were several wooden tables set up outside the tower with food placed on top.
”Can you see the person coming to fetch you?” (Hyun Sahng-Min)
Seol slowly swept his gaze over to the crowd. It was quite noisy there, as if people coming to fetch the survivors were already mixed up with them.
Seol slowly shook his head while looking at some people b.u.mping their shoulders while crying out, ”Amigo!” He couldn't see Kim Hahn-Nah anywhere.
”I don't think she's here yet.” (Seol)
”Me too. Well, let's go over there. Everyone's gathered over that side.” (Hyun Sahng-Min)
At the table Hyun Sahng-Min directed the youth to, s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah and Yun Seo-Rah were already waiting for them.
”Anyways. For a place called the Paradise, it's nothing much to look at, right?” (Hyun Sahng-Min)
”Do you know where we are? Besides the tower, there's absolutely nothing around here.” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
As the meal commenced, people began chatting amongst themselves. Hyun Sahng-Min complained that the guy who invited him was running late, while s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah revealed her worries of being a Contracted, but then, said she was reasonably confident of her chances since she was now a Priest.
Seol didn't eat anything, only fidgeting the wooden cup containing some sort of a drink.
Only Yun Seo-Rah quietly studied Seol's bitter mood for a while, before gently poking him with her finger.
Seol flinched and turned to look, and Yun Seo-Rah cautiously pointed behind him. Hao Win, sitting alongside his teammates, was waving at him.
Seol asked for others' permission and left the table to head over there.
”Your guy hasn't arrived yet?” (Hao Win)
”Yes, she's not here yet. What about you, Mister Hao Win?” (Seol)
”I told them to take their time. I thought I might get a bit emotional today for some reason.” (Hao Win)
Seol immediately identified with that sentiment and nodded his head.
”In any case, can you do something about this little lady over here with her head turned all the way around? She's been like this for a while.” (Hao Win)
The little lady Hao Win referred to was naturally Odelette Delphine. Her arms remained locked across her chest while she didn't even spare Seol a glance. Both her cheeks were puffed up unhappily, too. Anyone could easily tell that she was royally p*ssed off from this sight.
”Miss Delphine?” (Seol)
”Hmpf.”
”Are you still cross with me?” (Seol)
”HMPH!”
Odelette Delphine continued to snort unhappily, leading Tong Chai to roar out in laughter.
”Honestly, I can't still believe it. You actually cleared the Impossible mission with nothing more than a single talisman.” (Tong Chai)
”I wasn't entirely sure about it. You could say that I had no plan, actually….” (Seol)
Seol subconsciously rubbed his left cheek and shuddered. That thing, whatever it was, brus.h.i.+ng past his cheek was probably meant to scare him.
However, what if the enemy aimed for his vital spots from the get-go?
He wouldn't even be able to stand in this place right now.
No matter how many times he replayed that scene in his head, he knew that he was this close to death back then.
”I nearly died…. And I can't even remember what the h.e.l.l I was thinking of back then, when challenging that mission.” (Seol)
”So he says, Delphine. How about you stop being angry now?” (Hao Win)
”Even then!” (Odelette Delphine)
Odelette Delphine spun around on her seat and stared at Seol and slammed the table with her hands.
”You could've said something!” (Odelette Delphine)
”But, if you died, then I….” (Seol)
”Even then~~~~~~!!” (Odelette Delphine)
She jumped up from her seat, and….
”I also wanted to do that Impossible mission, too~~~~~!!” (Odelette Delphine)
She then ran up to Seol and grabbed hold of his arms before clinging onto him.
”I also really, really wanted to get my hands on the VIP store coupon~~~!!” (Odelette Delphine)
”You're so cheap, doing it all alone~. My VIP coupon~~!” (Odelette Delphine)
”…Ahahaha…”
A laughter burst out from Seol's mouth as he watched her cute whining. She reminded him of a little sister whimpering and complaining bitterly, and he just couldn't help himself.
”You're such a dummy, Mister Seooooolllll….” (Odelette Delphine)
She looked so adorable while complaining like that, so Seol lightly pinched her cheeks and pulled. She stared at him with unhappy eyes, and a sound of leaking air came out from her mouth.
”Buoooo…… Uh?” (Odelette Delphine)
And then, as if she discovered something, her eyes opened even wider, and she jumped up and down. She waved around her hands and called out.
”Here!! I'm over here!!” (Odelette Delphine)
She ran away in airy steps. Seol thought that the person who invited her must've arrived. With a content smile on his lips, Hao Win retracted his gaze from Odelette Delphine and chuckled loudly.
”She's so full of energy, isn't she?” (Hao Win)
”She sure is.” (Seol)
”And you finally smiled.” (Hao Win)
”Pardon?” (Seol)
Seol quickly touched his face. Did he just smile?
”Well, you see, I thought that your face had this really depressing look for a while now~.” (Hao Win)
”Ah…. Did I?” (Seol)
Now that he thought about it, the depression he felt after leaving the Neutral Zone seemed to have elevated just a tad. Just like how Hao Win implied - through Odelette Delphine's boundless energy and enthusiasm, he was now feeling just a bit better.
”Well, well, well. I won't make you stay for long, so let's just share a drink or two.” (Hao Win)
”I will. Thank you.” (Seol)
Seol nodded his head.
Although he got to make many good memories in the Zone, he couldn't stay there for the rest of his life, either. If there was a beginning, then naturally there would be an end, as well. And now, it was time for a new adventure to begin.
His mind felt much lighter when he thought like this.
”Very good. Now, everyone, cheers~.” (Hao Win)
Although Odelette Delphine had left, Leorda Salvatore, Tong Chai, and Hao Win was still here.
And, just as four cups were about to clang together….
< 38.=”” miss=”” foxy=”” (1)=””> Fin.