Reborn as a Prophet in a Horror Movie

#126Reader Mode

#126

Because Seojun’s arm was still outstretched, reaching for the teddy bear, the table’s sudden lurch sent his elbow slamming into its edge. A sharp jolt of pain zapped through him, that distinct, electrifying sensation where pain radiates into a weird, full-body experience. Gritting his teeth, he rubbed his funny bone, determined not to let those pesky tears escape.

Just a few feet away, the fight had escalated from ridiculous to outright absurd. A human wall of muscle had poor Oliver by the throat, holding him aloft like a scrawny kitten. Oliver’s skinny body swung back and forth violently, his toes scrabbling desperately to find the floor. It was like watching a chihuahua squaring off against a grizzly bear—a hilariously one-sided battle. Oliver’s stick-thin arms flailed uselessly, trying to break free, but against those massive biceps—biceps that looked like they had biceps of their own—he didn’t stand a chance.

“It’s a misunderstanding!” Oliver squeaked with panic. His face was turning a shade of white that would make a ghost look tan by comparison.

“You think I’m blind? I saw you checking her out!” Mount Muscles bellowed, his face red and furious, like a bull that had just spotted a waving red flag. “You were ogling her like she was a juicy steak!”

“The bracelet!” Oliver flailed even harder, trying to defend himself. “I-I did look at her, but it was just for the bracelet! I swear! It was really pretty, that’s all I was looking at!”

But Mount Muscles wasn’t buying it. His nostrils flared as he shook Oliver even harder. “So you admit you WERE checking her out!”

Seojun groaned internally, realizing that trying to reason with a guy who probably had a grand total of three functioning brain cells was a lost cause. He glanced around, hoping to spot the guy’s friend who might be able to calm him down, but she was nowhere to be found. Instead, he saw the restaurant owners cowering behind the fridge, their eyes wide with fear.

For a fleeting moment, Seojun felt a pang of sympathy for the owners and Oliver. But his self-preservation instincts quickly took over. Should he step in and try to help? And do what, exactly? Join Oliver in getting shaken like a human protein shake? His internal debate lasted a grand total of two seconds before he decided to prioritize his own safety. Apparently, his sympathy wasn’t quite strong enough to ignite any actual bravery.

Clicking his tongue, Seojun started to back away, aiming for a quiet escape. But then he caught a mischievous glint in Leimia and Camry’s eyes. The two exchanged a sly look, and, in perfect sync, whipped out their phones. Any annoyance they’d felt earlier had vanished, replaced by the laser-sharp focus of creators who had just sniffed out a potentially viral moment. Their fingers flew across their screens, recording every juicy second of the drama like seasoned pros.

All the while, Mount Muscles remained completely oblivious, roaring away like an enraged beast, blissfully unaware that he was about to become the internet’s next big sensation.

“Everyone says that! Alice is sick of creeps like you checking her out!”

“Ack!” Oliver yelped, his voice going embarrassingly high as the massive guy manhandled him even more aggressively. His arms and legs flailed in every direction, flopping around like a towel being violently wrung out.

From their positions a few feet away, Leimia and Camry had their phones held perfectly steady, capturing the fight in crystal-clear horizontal video. No shaky amateur footage here. The fight, if you could even call it that, was a tragic but strangely comedic sight. The towering guy’s cartoonish rage, Oliver’s ridiculous flailing, and the old-school 4:3 aspect ratio on their screens combined to make it look like a melodrama.

“Oliver!”

Cue the dramatic entrance. From stage left, Hugh swept in like a star straight out of a K-drama. With his absurdly perfect nose, strikingly good looks, and an air of righteous fury, the man was annoyingly photogenic, even while furious.

“You! What do you think you’re doing?! How dare you!!!” Hugh thundered, his voice a perfect blend of authority and outrage. He swooped in and pulled Oliver behind him, shielding him from Mount Muscles.

Of course, Hugh looked unfairly good while doing it. Hugh’s hair was perfectly tousled, falling across his forehead in a way that appeared effortlessly cool. His suit was rumpled just so, giving him a disheveled charm that made him look heroic. Oliver stared up at him with wide, adoring eyes, looking as though he might melt into a puddle of love at any moment.

But this wasn’t some cheesy romance drama where a handsome hero’s good looks and determination magically solved all problems. Mount Muscles wasn’t about to back down because Hugh struck an impressive silhouette, like some brainless, two-dimensional villain.

“How dare I? That’s rich coming from someone defending a creep! You’ve got some nerve lecturing me about boundaries.”

Mount Muscles snarled those words and followed them up with a shove that sent Hugh—tall, handsome, but not exactly a fighter—stumbling backward. Poor Oliver, still clutching Hugh’s arm, went down with him. Unfortunately, their combined crash sent them careening straight into the table where Seojun, Leimia, and Camry had been quietly enjoying front-row seats to this escalating disaster.

What followed can only be described as a jumbled mess of screams, flailing bodies, and flying objects:

Screams erupted as bodies collided. A teddy bear keychain went flying like a fluffy little missile. A mystery container rolled across the floor, rattling ominously before spilling its contents in all directions. Camry tumbled out of her chair and into Leimia, who cracked her head against the table with a thunk. A glass of orange juice splattered everywhere, forming a sticky lake across the table. And Seojun? He got the worst of it, doubled over with a pitiful wheeze when the table slammed into his stomach.

Even Mount Muscles looked momentarily stunned, clearly not having intended to start such a small-scale disaster. But if he was flustered, Leimia was furious. Rubbing the sore spot on her forehead, she shot to her feet, eyes blazing with righteous indignation.

“Hey, meathead! What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

Conveniently, she left out the part where she’d been gleefully recording the whole fiasco just seconds earlier. Now fully committed to her role as the wronged victim, she seemed poised to let loose with a scathing tirade. But before she could launch into her monologue, the scene took an unexpected turn.

Sweet, previously terrorized Oliver suddenly found his inner warrior. With a startling battle cry that could’ve come straight from an underdog sports movie, he lunged forward, snatched up a large gym bag from a nearby chair, and hurled it at Mount Muscles with all the fury of a cornered squirrel.

The gym bag, however, wasn’t zipped all the way. When it collided with Mount Muscles, it burst open like a party piñata, scattering powder containers across the room in a spectacularly anticlimactic explosion.

Mount Muscles barely flinched. To him, the bag probably felt like getting smacked with a pillow. But Oliver? Oh, he wasn’t done. Still riding the high of adrenaline, his cheeks flushed and eyes flashing with a fierce protectiveness, he wrapped his arms around Hugh like a human shield.

“Hey, back off! Hugh is FRAGILE! FRAIL! He needs to be protected and cherished, like a delicate orchid!”

The restaurant fell into stunned silence. Every single person, from the gawking patrons to the owners still huddled behind the fridge, froze in place at the sheer absurdity of Oliver’s declaration.

Mount Muscles stood slack-jawed, utterly bewildered, while Hugh… well, Hugh just quietly accepted his newfound status as a delicate flower. He remained still, letting Oliver hug him like a prized heirloom.

Meanwhile, Leimia and Camry, the true content creators they were, didn’t miss a beat. They casually adjusted their phone angles to make sure they resumed recording without a hint of shame.

Seojun, on the other hand, was squished awkwardly between the table and chair like a sardine in a can. His face had turned an alarming shade of pale, and his ribs protested with every breath.

An awkward hush settled over the restaurant, with everyone exchanging uneasy glances, unsure of what would happen next. Just then, the door swung open with a cheerful jingle, finally breaking the standoff. Every head snapped toward the entrance.

A woman stepped in, shaking droplets of rain from her glossy hair. It was Alice. She ran her fingers through the damp strands, her serene expression quickly giving way to irritation the moment her eyes landed on Mount Muscles.

“Carrot, what are you doing?”

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

“I’m truly sorry,” Alice said, throwing a glare at Carrot. “What’s gotten into you? Apologize, right now.”

Carrot averted his gaze, his face glowing an even deeper red—living up to his name more than ever. The fiery, raging bull from moments earlier had vanished, replaced by a sheepish hulk of a man mumbling, “I’m sorry,” like a scolded child.

Alice, in contrast, exuded the kind of calm authority the situation desperately needed. Her presence seemed to flip a switch in Carrot’s brain, rebooting whatever common sense he’d temporarily misplaced.

“I left him alone for two minutes to grab my shawl from the car,” Alice said, rubbing the bridge of her nose in exasperation. “And in that time, he managed to turn the place upside down. Unbelievable.”

Alice pulled a business card from her wallet and handed it to Oliver. “I’m really sorry about the mess. We’ve had some… unfortunate encounters lately, and he’s been acting like an overprotective guard dog. If there are any medical bills or expenses, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly.”

“Oh, n-no, really, it’s fine,” Oliver stammered, his earlier burst of courage now completely gone. He accepted the card with both hands respectfully. He couldn’t even look Alice in the eye.

Behind him, Leimia’s eyes widened when she caught a glimpse of the sleek, expensive-looking card. When Alice offered another card to Hugh, he just stared at it blankly.

“I-I already got one, so it’s okay. W-we’re practically a package deal,” Oliver blurted, answering for Hugh before awkwardly tucking the card into his pocket.

“Oh…” Alice’s perfectly composed demeanor slipped, her lips forming a small, startled o before she quickly regained her poise. She pressed her fingers to her mouth and nodded, almost as if she were piecing something together.

Beside her, Carrot copied her nod in a way that made Seojun wonder if his earlier apology had less to do with Alice’s scolding and more to do with some delayed realization about Oliver and Hugh’s relationship.

Alice moved on gracefully, making her rounds to Seojun, Leimia, and Camry’s table with a slight bow. “I apologize for the disturbance. It seems he ended up causing quite a scene.”

“It’s fine.” Seojun said simply.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel slightly curious about Alice’s business card. It had caught Leimia’s attention for a reason, and it wasn’t every day you got handed a card by someone as fancy as Alice. But considering he hadn’t really been inconvenienced—apart from nearly losing the ability to breathe—he figured it’d be silly to make a big deal of it.

Alice, now wrapped snugly in her shawl, gave Carrot a light slap on the back. “Come on, Carrot. We still need to smooth things over with Charles. And with this weather, we’re probably stuck here for a while.”

Carrot looked reluctant but rose to his feet, lumbering after Alice like an oversized, scolded puppy.

“Is it really coming down that bad?” Camry asked, her forehead wrinkling with concern.

As if to respond, the sky outside unleashed its fury. The soft patter of rain escalated into a torrential downpour, hammering against the roof with relentless force. The windows shuddered slightly under the onslaught, and the muffled roar of the storm filled the restaurant. Camry pressed her lips into a thin line as she stared at the deluge, while Leimia let out an exaggerated groan and slumped back in her chair.

“Ugh, this is so boring. We dragged ourselves all the way out here for nothing.”

“Leimia!” Camry whispered, more of a nudge than a reprimand.

“I know, I know,” Leimia waved her hand dismissively. “But we’re, like, totally behind schedule now. We should already be there. And where are our burgers? It’s been forever.”

Seojun glanced toward the kitchen, thinking about the restaurant owners who’d been cowering behind the fridge not long ago. Considering the fight earlier, it wasn’t surprising that food service had taken a backseat. He figured Leimia and Camry’s burgers were probably doomed to be delayed even longer.

Suddenly, Oliver stood up. “Hugh, I’m going to wash my face,” he announced, cheeks still noticeably flushed. Seojun suspected the redness was less about embarrassment and more just Oliver’s natural constitution.

Hugh reached for Oliver’s hand, his voice soft and tender. “Be careful, my cute, sweet Oliver.”

“Mm…”

Oliver’s blush deepened, and he let out a soft murmur before heading off. Seojun couldn’t help but wonder what kind of danger Hugh thought lurked in the bathroom, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

“……”

Seojun stared down at his meal, or what was left of it. His waffle was a tragic, soggy mess, drowning in a pool of melted ice cream. His juice glass sat empty, and his mushroom soup had gone cold, an unappetizing film now coating its surface. Even if he asked for it to be reheated, it wouldn’t taste right. His bad luck, it seemed, had no intention of letting up.

With a resigned sigh, he reached for his waffle—only to be interrupted by an unpleasant sound. Schlrp. The unmistakable noise of fabric peeling off a sticky surface. Seojun froze, then glanced down at his shirt in dismay. The orange juice he’d somehow forgotten about had seeped into the fabric to be reunited with him. He sighed again, louder this time, pushed back his chair, and headed for the restroom.

As Seojun approached the men’s room, he nearly collided with Oliver, who was just stepping out. Oliver’s skin was noticeably cool, and tiny droplets of water clung to his eyelashes, catching the light like tiny crystals. It was obvious he’d splashed his face with cold water, probably multiple times.

“S-sorry,” Oliver apologized hastily. He avoided Seojun’s gaze, hunching his shoulders like someone trying to escape an awkward situation. Without waiting for a reply, he hurried past, looking almost like he was fleeing.

Seojun shook his head and stepped into the restroom, heading straight for the sink. He turned on the tap and scrubbed at the sticky hem of his shirt, feeling relieved when the stain rinsed away. The cold water made him shudder as it soaked through the already damp fabric, prickling his skin with goosebumps.

When he glanced up at the mirror, the sight gave him pause. Staring back at him was a gaunt, weary face, made all the more striking by the eye-patch. Dark shadows of exhaustion hung beneath his remaining eye, contrasting sharply with the paleness of his skin. His wet shirt clung to his slender figure, making him appear even more fragile and worn down, like a man pushed to the brink and barely holding on. The angry redness rimming his eyelid only added to the impression of someone utterly depleted and drained.

“Haha…”

He let out a quiet, bitter laugh and wiped his face with his left hand, catching the faint whiff of rubber from his glove. Would dunking his head in cold water, like Oliver, shake off this bone-deep fatigue? His mind felt heavy, stuffed with cotton, every thought slow and clumsy.

He peeled off his gloves, carefully tucking them into his back pocket to avoid wetting his bandaged right hand. Just as he hooked a finger around the strap of his eye patch, something caught his attention to the left of the sink.

Lying there was a pair of thick glasses. Before he could think twice, his hand moved instinctively, picking them up.

The moment his fingers brushed the frames, a cheerful, overly sunny voice rang through his mind:

“Hey there, fabulous viewers! It’s me, Gary, your friendly guide to the world of Happy Life products. I’m here to add a little sunshine to your day, as always! Make sure to keep watching, because you definitely don’t want to miss what’s coming up next!”