Reborn as a Prophet in a Horror Movie

#128Reader Mode

T/N: I might have misgendered Philly F in the earlier chapters. Don’t remember, but I’ll go back and check when I have the time. ૮₍ ˃ ⤙ ˂ ₎ა 2/2

#128

“Ah…”

Oliver froze mid-reach, his bandaged hand hanging in the air, before quickly pulling it back. The moment his eyes landed on Seojun’s gloves, his hesitation vanished. Those small, pale green eyes narrowed with suspicion, the wariness so blatant it almost stung. Seojun barely swallowed the scoff bubbling in his throat. Any budding sense of camaraderie between them deflated on the spot, like a punctured balloon.

Oliver fumbled with his glasses, slipping them back on. The lenses exaggerated the pinched look on his face as he glanced anxiously around the room. Only after confirming Seojun didn’t come with a companion did he relax slightly.

“Thanks. I’ve been so scatterbrained lately…” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. The static electrified his hair, leaving it frizzed into ridiculous, puffy tufts.

Seojun shrugged. “No big deal.”

Except it was a big deal. A Devil running a home shopping channel? Unbelievable. And Oliver, of all people, was actually a customer? Seojun figured it was safer to play dumb than risk outing a human who willingly bought a Devil’s products. Especially one who probably ripped out his own fingernails to use them. Seojun had barely escaped his own run-in with the Devil’s wager and had no interest in being dragged into a sequel.

Seojun turned on his heel, putting distance between himself and Oliver. He made his way back to his original table, but as he approached, he remembered—much to his dismay—that it was no longer his. Leimia, Camry, and Alyssa had taken over, their faces bright with laughter. The sheer ADHD energy of their conversation—jumping from topic to topic at warp speed—filled Seojun with a dread that rivaled what he’d experienced in the bathroom.

His heart sank as he realized his belongings were still under the table. Finding a new spot wasn’t an option. Grumbling under his breath, Seojun scuttled back to his seat and dropped into the chair, shoulders slumping in defeat. He grabbed his wallet from the table and tucked it into his jacket pocket with a resigned sigh.

I must really be losing it, leaving my wallet behind like that.

Thankfully, his funds were untouched, but that didn’t change the fact that Seojun clearly hadn’t been in his right mind. His life might have been a directionless dumpster fire up until now, but continuing like this was just asking for trouble.

Seojun hunched lower in his seat, squinting one eye as he attempted to channel the energy of a harmless, invisible speck of dust. He even sent up a silent prayer to whatever cosmic entity might pity him, hoping that Leimia, Camry, and the dazzling Alice would overlook him.

A guy could hope, but hope had never done him any favors. His luck had always been buried in the negatives.

“Oh, Seojun, you’re back?”

Of course, Camry had perfectly good eyesight and noticed him the moment he sat down.

“Oh my goodness, you’re soaking wet! Did you step outside? Here, use this to dry off.” She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a brightly colored handkerchief, the kind of thin, silky fabric that could pass as a designer scarf.

Seojun hesitated, feeling uneasy about using something so fancy. It was the kind of accessory that made him wonder if just holding it would raise his tax bracket.

Camry must have noticed his hesitation, because her smile softened. “It’s really fine, Seojun. Go ahead and use it.”

“Ah… thanks.”

Seojun couldn’t help but notice the contrast between Camry and Leimia, who looked almost identical but seemed to have vastly different personalities. Camry carried herself with an air of maturity and composure, despite likely being around the same age as Seojun. Leimia, on the other hand, acted like a child.

As soon as Camry offered her handkerchief, Leimia started rummaging through her own bag, as if competing in some kind of weird competition. “Camry, that’s your favorite one,” she said, before pulling out a handkerchief that was almost identical in design and quality. “Here, bumpkin, use this.”

Seojun blinked at the two offerings, wondering if it was just a coincidence that the two women shared the same taste in accessories, despite their differing styles. And what was the nature of their relationship anyway?

The handkerchief Leimia thrust in front of Camry’s was nearly identical to hers, as if they were from the same designer. But the two hands offering them were distinctly different. Camry’s hands were smooth and unremarkable, while Leimia’s had prominent thick knuckles and long fingers. Her fingernails, unlike Camry’s simple, pale nail polish, were adorned with elaborate nail art and tiny jewels that sparkled in the restaurant’s warm light.

Seojun found himself genuinely curious about their relationship. Were they actually sisters? They seemed close, but he couldn’t quite tell. As someone without siblings, the bond was something he could only guess at, but never truly understand.

“Oh, are you admiring these?”

Leimia caught his lingering gaze and gave her fingers a playful flutter, the jewels on her nails casting tiny reflections on the table.

“Pretty, right? They’re press-ons. Camry used to be into this style back when she first started her White Star account. Why’d you stop doing it, Cam? You were so good at it!”

Leimia pouted, throwing a teasing sidelong glance at Camry. But Camry just raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable behind a small, noncommittal smile.

Before Seojun could respond, his vision was abruptly obscured by something white.

“Ugh!”

Seojun recoiled, his hands scrambling to pull the soft object off his face. It turned out to be a white towel. He blinked at it in confusion, still trying to make sense of the situation, when a sharp voice spoke.

“If you’re going to wipe your face, use a towel, not a handkerchief!”

Carrot, his face scrunched into an exaggerated scowl, stood over him, arms crossed. His chin had folded into deep wrinkles from his expression, and he looked thoroughly unimpressed. The towel had been thrown at him with such force that Seojun initially felt like he was being scolded. However, as he brought the towel to his face, he noticed that it was surprisingly soft, with a faint, pleasant scent of fabric softener.

“Uh… thanks,” Seojun mumbled, dabbing at his face awkwardly while sneaking a glance at Carrot’s sports bag, now hanging from his shoulder. Camry quietly folded her handkerchief and tucked it away without a word, but Leimia was far from amused.

“Seriously?! Throwing a towel around with food on the table? What were you thinking?” Leimia snapped, and Carrot’s response was immediate. He pressed his lips into a firm line and stubbornly turned his head away, refusing to acknowledge her.

Only when Alice gave his arm a sharp smack did Carrot grudgingly mumble an apology. Seojun, having roughly dried his face, surveyed the table. True enough, Leimia’s plate held only a few lonely fries, along with a glass filled with nothing but ice. If it weren’t for the half-eaten burger on Camry’s plate, Seojun might have thought Leimia had ordered nothing but a side of fries.

Guess what I ate doesn’t qualify as an actual meal.

Suddenly, hunger hit him hard. His empty stomach clenched, demanding more food. Unable to ignore the insistent growls, Seojun gave in and pulled the menu towards him, a defeated man.

“Ordering more? Makes sense. You’re practically skin and bones,” Leimia said, casually munching on the ice in her cup.

Seojun had actually put on a little weight recently, making her scrutiny feel awkward. He averted his gaze, recalling how, after that brutal night, all his nagging health issues had mysteriously disappeared. Stress was indeed a silent killer.

Seojun couldn’t resist a quick glance at his own arms. They weren’t completely devoid of muscle definition. A snort from nearby made him look up. It was Carrot, looking at his slender arms with a smug smile.

“A man should always have some muscle. And it’s important to get enough protein. Wouldn’t you agree, Alice?”

Alice chuckled and lightly patted Carrot’s cheek. “Oh, stop being so cute, Carrot. Muscles aren’t everything. A healthy mind resides in a healthy body.”

Seojun cringed internally at the exchange. Is this guy a fitness trainer or something?

As Alice’s touch melted Carrot’s smug look into something soft and gooey, Seojun noticed that, despite his boasts, Carrot’s facial muscles weren’t nearly as strong as he claimed.

“Yeah, Alice is never wrong. Still, it’s thanks to this that my body has become much stronger.”

Carrot puffed out his chest and slammed a container of white powder onto the table with a loud thunk. He claimed it was protein powder, but as Seojun eyed the plain, unlabeled container, he couldn’t help but feel skeptical.

Is that even factory-made? What if it’s some shady product from the Devil’s home shopping channel?

While factory-made products were often looked down upon as inferior to handmade ones, Seojun figured that as long as it had FDA approval, anything would be better than the Devil’s questionable offerings.

Leimia, curious about the powder, tilted her head and leaned in closer, propping her chin on Camry’s shoulder and lightly gripping her arm for balance.

“What’s the deal with the powder, Alice? Oh, we used to sell something like that, didn’t we? That’s why it feels kinda familiar, right, Camry?”

“Mmhm. We did. You and I were sourcing our stuff from the same place back then.”

“Wow, blast from the past. Kinda nostalgic, huh?” Leimia said, a hint of wistfulness in her voice. “But these days, it’s all about vitamins, not powder. Protein’s so last year—even Philly F is pushing vitamins now.”

Leimia pulled a dark-colored vitamin bottle out of her bag and gave it a shake, producing a distinct rattling sound. Unlike Carrot’s protein powder, the opaque bottle kept its contents hidden. She added, “Ugh, I’m dying to join Philly F’s club. That’s why Camry and I are hitting up that haunted house Philly visited. You know, the one where Fashion-Star M went viral and their sub count exploded overnight?”

“Fashion-Star?”

Seojun looked confused, and Camry took the opportunity to explain. “Fashion-Stars are, like, big deals on White Star. They’re known for their fashion hashtags. Basically, influencers who dress well and set the trends. As for us… well, we’re still working on it.”

But if Seojun was lost, Alice was even more perplexed. After dabbing her still-damp lips with a napkin—a casualty of her iced tea—she asked, “But who exactly is this Philly F? You keep mentioning her.”

Camry’s composure faltered, and she whipped her head around in shock, accidentally smacking Leimia in the face with her hair.

“Ow!” Leimia yelped, but Camry ignored her, staring at Alice with wide-eyed disbelief. “You don’t know Philly F? Are you serious right now?”

Alice leaned back, clearly uncomfortable under Camry’s intense gaze. “Well… yes, that seems to be the case.”

Camry and Leimia leaned in closer, practically vibrating with excitement. “Oh my god, you seriously don’t know Philly F? You’ve got to be kidding! Philly F is the hottest, coolest, trendiest vegetarian influencer out there right now.”

“And she’s always so stylish, always discovering new stuff. She never uses anything older than three years. She’s always digging up and promoting the next big thing. You could call her a trailblazer… or even a prophet for people like us!”

Seojun couldn’t help but wonder just how “hot” this Philly F actually was.