Chapter 421: Before We Knew It
The fog before my eyes cleared, and before I could even let out a sigh of relief, Park Ye-eun’s words struck my mind.
She had said <Clear>.
"..."
Clear.
It sounded like something straight out of a game.
Then again, the concept of "clearing" something hardly exists outside of games in the first place.
So that means...
"How are you feeling now?"
"Huh?"
"I said, how are you feeling?"
Hearing my question, Park Ye-eun patted herself down here and there before shaking her head.
"I'm fine?"
"No drowsiness, mental fogginess, or anything like that?"
"Uhm... no."
"Good."
"Huh?"
Park Ye-eun blinked, but I didn't have time to worry about that.
I began to explain slowly.
"You said 'clear,' right?"
"That's right."
"...Well, from what I can see, this is a game."
"A game?"
At my words, Park Ye-eun blinked as if she didn't understand.
"Why a game all of a sudden?"
"And you're a player in it."
"But I've never held a controller?"
"Why is someone in their teens so hung up on common sense? If it's a game, then it's a game."
"No, you need to explain it properly for me to understand, Oppa."
"...I saw it with my eyes."
"So it's a game, right? I get it."
Park Ye-eun nodded, convinced immediately.
How utterly infuriating.
To trust my eyes so blindly. Wait, no. Thinking about it, my eyes are me.
Anyway.
"Let's find the others."
"Will they also solve their problems with Oppa's help?"
"Technically, it's 'our' help."
"Ah, right."
Hearing my words, Park Ye-eun nodded.
"But what can I even do? Slap the unnis awake?"
"What did we do wrong?"
Of all the things she could have said, why 'slapping'?
Hearing my question, Park Ye-eun laughed playfully.
"It's just a figure of speech. So, where should we look first?"
"We're going to start walking now."
"Huh?"
"Follow me."
"Wait, is this really the right way, Oppa? Seriously, just going in with no plan at all?"
How novel.
The HR Team never had a plan to begin with. We just bulldozed our way through with sheer force.
In the end, I began wandering aimlessly again, this time with Park Ye-eun.
"Daon-ssi!"
"Chae-yeon unni!"
"A-rin-ssi!"
"Where are you!"
Raising our voices to call for the others, we continued walking.
From the completely empty streets to the wedding hall where the guests were still applauding.
But no matter how much we walked or shouted,
"...I don't see anyone at all."
"Right."
Just as Park Ye-eun said, no one was to be seen.
"...Maybe there's a separate way to call them?"
"..."
"Ah, try something. Oppa, you said if you shoot a gun, you tear space and break time."
"Who on earth is spouting such ridiculous nonsense?"
"Daon unni said that."
What kind of person turns someone into a monster?
Let me think.
The reason Park Ye-eun and I ended up entering together was probably because she was stuck to my side.
But that doesn't mean it makes sense that we can't find the others.
"..."
Was there no way? A method to find the others...
"Ah."
I hurriedly focused my mind and opened the semi-transparent window.
[Coordinate Tear: 3 uses remaining]
[Method: Unavailable]
[Chronos's Shield: Unavailable]
A joint technique.
I tried it last time, but a joint technique doesn't activate unless there's someone to perform it with me.
And right now...
Only Coordinate Tear was active, and seeing as nothing else was active at all, it seemed like Jang Chae-yeon was nearby...
The problem was, I couldn't see her.
In times like this.
I stretched my hand forward and closed my eyes, while Park Ye-eun's absurd voice rang in my ears.
"What are you doing? Playing psychic?"
"You're loud."
I activated Coordinate Tear.
[Coordinate Tear: 2 uses remaining.]
At the same time,
-Fzzzt!
"Kyaaahk!"
With the sound of something tearing, Park Ye-eun clung to my side, and the surrounding scenery began to collapse.
The landscape scattered like smoke, and I raised my head.
White hair fluttered before my eyes.
"..."
Staring blankly, without turning her gaze to me, she was muttering something while looking into empty space.
"Yeah, I understand. But..."
She was saying something I couldn't comprehend.
"..."
Just what had she understood?
"She looks like she hasn't understood a single thing."
Park Ye-eun muttered flatly, and I couldn't help but agree with her.
For someone who said she understood, her expression was far too tormented.
"What is Chae-yeon-ssi looking at?"
"...Who knows?"
At my question, Park Ye-eun shrugged her shoulders.
"Could be family, or maybe it's you, Oppa."
"If it's family, it's family. Why would it be me?"
That's an excess of self-consciousness.
Park Ye-eun sighed while looking at me as if I were ridiculous, but I was serious.
Jang Chae-yeon is a person with a lot of history.
No, honestly, it would be harder to pick someone from the HR Team who doesn't have a lot of history.
Frankly, sometimes it seems like I'm the one with the least history.
Anyway, after all she's been through, her nightmare is me?
That's nonsense.
"..."
Thinking that, I approached Jang Chae-yeon.
"Chae-yeon-ssi."
"..."
"Chae-yeon-ssi."
No answer.
I tapped Jang Chae-yeon's shoulder a few times, but she said nothing.
I needed to at least know what Jang Chae-yeon was seeing so I could help solve it, but she showed no reaction whatsoever.
"..."
As I was staring at Jang Chae-yeon, Park Ye-eun, who was holding my shoulder, spoke up.
"Oppa. Do exactly as I say."
"Say what?"
"Ah, it's not like you have an answer anyway. What good is finding one? The real problem is that person right there."
"..."
She had a point. But...
-Thwack!
"Ow! Why did you hit me!"
I gave Park Ye-eun a flick on the forehead, and she glared at me while clutching her head.
"You were being too cheeky, so I gave you a little punishment."
"I'm going to report you for assaulting a minor."
"Then quit."
"You're really mean!"
"So, what do I need to do?"
"...You have to do exactly as I say."
"Fine, I get it."
I nodded and got into position.
Park Ye-eun looked at me, and I looked back at her.
"Okay, then spread your arms wide."
"Okay."
I spread my arms wide.
"Make your arms into a circle."
"Like this?"
I raised my arms above my head and made a circle shape. Park Ye-eun clicked her tongue.
"Not like that! Forward! Like a stag beetle!"
"What are you really trying to do?"
I held my arms out in a circle in front of me.
"Good. Now, forward."
I took a step forward.
"No, not that way, towards Chae-yeon unni."
"If you're going to give orders, can't you be a bit more detailed?"
Why make me do things twice?
"Geez, you talk a lot for someone taking orders. Anyway, forward!"
I headed towards Jang Chae-yeon.
"Spread your arms!"
"Yes."
I spread my arms.
"Eight!"
Along with Park Ye-eun's innocent shout, something kicked me in the back.
By the time I realized it was Park Ye-eun's foot, I was already hugging Jang Chae-yeon.
"Ghk!"
"..."
Holding Jang Chae-yeon like that, I looked down.
Jang Chae-yeon's body flinched.
"What are you doing! Talk to her!"
"Uh, well..."
"Ah, quickly!"
"Chae-yeon-ssi! Please wake up!"
What kind of madness is this?
Holding Jang Chae-yeon, I opened my mouth as Park Ye-eun instructed.
"Hurry, Chae-yeon-ssi! If you stay there, you can't wake up!"
Mixing in ridiculous lies, I tried to wake Jang Chae-yeon up.
"...Ugh."
Jang Chae-yeon began to furrow her brow slightly.
Was this actually working?
"More!"
"Uh, um. Chae-yeon-ssi! You need to wake up so we can go out and play again!"
"..."
"Ah, more!"
"What more am I supposed to do here!"
Wasn't doing this much already a huge deal?
Wasn't I putting on a pseudo-affectionate display in the middle of the street?
At the same time, a sound came from within my embrace.
"...Hehe."
"Chae-yeon-ssi is laughing?"
"Maybe she's having a good dream. Don't leave her be, wake her up!"
"She's already awake."
Jang Chae-yeon looked at me, speaking in a clearer voice than before.
Though her eyes were still bleary.
"If you're awake, then say something."
"But this is the first time you've hugged me."
"..."
Still using that speech pattern that left me unsure how to respond, Jang Chae-yeon smiled a bleary smile.
"But..."
As if she still had a bit of a headache, she slightly furrowed her brow.
"You look like two people."
"See, it's really me."
"That's what I said."
Honestly, I wanted to hide my shock, but I couldn't.
As I muttered, Park Ye-eun muttered in a tone that said 'See?'
"...First."
"Okay." Muttering that, she stood next to Jang Chae-yeon.
"Where am I?"
"...Do you remember me?"
"Huh?"
Her answer was a bit evasive. She seemed a bit disoriented.
At Jang Chae-yeon's question, I looked at her, but she was still just holding onto me.
"You remember me, right?"
"Remember... Of course I do."
Why was she stating the obvious?
Nodding, Jang Chae-yeon looked ahead.
"...It's here."
Jang Chae-yeon pointed at the empty space where there was nothing.
"..."
Let me think. If I consider myself a fairy-like role here to pull Jang Chae-yeon out of her dream...
"Okay, Chae-yeon-ssi. Please focus on what I'm saying for a moment."
"Yeah..."
"All you need to do is destroy the place I point to."
"But you're over there?"
"..."
I placed my hand on Jang Chae-yeon's shoulder. Just like I did with Park Ye-eun.
[Coordinate Tear: 2 uses remaining]
The world turned into graph paper, and the bleary look in Jang Chae-yeon's eyes was instantly replaced by a sharp glint.
What was visible was a beautiful, uncrumpled piece of graph paper with nothing on it.
But I targeted that spot.
"Chae-yeon-ssi!"
Jang Chae-yeon clenched her fist,
-CRASH!
And with a tremendous sound, something was heard crumpling.
At the same time,
Jang Chae-yeon's eyes snapped wide open.
"..."
Staring blankly into space, she then turned her gaze to me.
"Have you come to your senses?"
"...Yeah."
At my question, after opening her eyes, she looked at me.
She must be grateful.
"Thanks are unnece—"
"But when did you two become so close?"
"Eh?"
That was a completely unexpected question.