Reborn as a Prophet in a Horror Movie

#129Reader Mode

T/N: Hope everyone had a Happy Holidays! 즐거운 휴일 보내세요! ¡Felices Fiestas! Boas Festas! Счастливых праздников! （＾∀＾●）ﾉｼ

#129

Camry and Leimia were going a mile a minute, practically tripping over their words gushing about this “hot, cool, and fresh” woman. Even Camry, who usually came across as reserved, was just as fired up as Leimia. Seojun, caught in the middle of their whirlwind conversation, had completely forgotten about his rumbling stomach. He wouldn’t have dared flag down the owner for food anyway – the energy these two were putting off was practically a force field.

Leimia, with a quick flick of her bright red tongue, licked the last of the fry salt off her fingers. With a definitive air, she punctuated her point, leaving no room for debate:

“I’m telling you, Philly F is going to be huge. Worldwide huge. Honestly, she practically is already.”

Seojun, for his part, wasn’t so sure. Could some social media influencer really have that kind of pull, the kind that movie stars or pop singers had? But the thought of actually saying that out loud seemed like a bad idea. One look at Leimia’s razor-sharp, fake nails, and he could practically feel his face getting shredded if he disagreed.

Better to just keep quiet, Seojun decided. Silence is golden, right?

Seeming to finally wind down from their marathon chat session, Leimia dug into her bag and pulled out yet another bottle of vitamins, giving it a little rattle. She turned to Alice, her voice taking on a smooth, almost challenging tone.

“Here’s the thing: it’s all about multivitamins these days. Just one bottle, and you won’t believe the difference. Alice, I could even hook you up with a special discount, just for you. All you’d have to do is write a little review and tag my White Star account.”

But before Leimia could really get her sales pitch going, a thick arm shot out, cutting her off. Carrot, puffing out his chest like a proud pigeon, practically bellowed:

“Alice and I are already covered. We’ve got our routine down pat, before meals, after meals. The whole nine yards.”

Leimia made a soft clicking sound with her tongue, giving the vitamin bottle in her hand a meaningless little shake before setting it down on the table. It was like a switch flipped in Seojun’s brain, and suddenly, he remembered his bear keychain. He whipped around, pointing an accusing finger at Leimia.

“Give it back. My keychain.”

“Keychain?” Leimia’s voice was all innocence.

“The bear.”

Seojun had been trying to dance around saying the actual words “bear keychain,” but Leimia was playing dumb, casually flicking the vitamin bottle with her finger. The cute, embarrassing word was forced out of him anyway.

“Hmph! Like I’d ever want to steal that ratty thing. It’s not even remotely my style.”

Leimia snatched the vitamin bottle up again and tossed it at Seojun, a smirk playing on her lips.

“Consider the vitamins a freebie. You really need to take better care of yourself. You’re all skin and bones… though, honestly, I doubt it’ll do much good.”

Her gaze, sharp as a tack, lingered on Seojun’s thin figure, her eyes narrowing for emphasis. Whether she actually meant it or not, Seojun, who had just gotten his almost-lost bear keychain back, hastily shoved the vitamins into his jacket pocket without a second glance. A clear look of displeasure crossed his face as he asked,

“Do I have to do that whole review thing too?”

The question seemed to offend Leimia. Her face instantly hardened, and she scanned him up and down, her cheek twitching in a way that didn’t bode well. Seojun’s already fragile heart practically shriveled under the weight of her threatening vibe. He clamped his mouth shut, properly intimidated.

Then, out of the blue, Camry jumped in.

“Oh, it’d be awesome if you joined! Do you have a White Star account? If you do, let me know, and we can be friends!”

The word “friends” had barely left Camry’s lips when Leimia’s already killer glare intensified, practically shooting laser beams. Seojun instinctively rubbed his cheek, half expecting to find a hole burned through it.

Camry, however, either didn’t catch the hostility or was just plain ignoring it. She kept her sunny smile plastered on, waiting eagerly for Seojun’s answer. He swallowed hard, struggling to get the words out.

“No… I mean, I don’t have an account.”

“Oh, I see.”

A beat of silence passed before Camry spoke up again.

“Is it because you’re not comfortable using your real name? You don’t have to on White Star. Even Leimia uses a fake name.”

“Camry!”

Leimia’s eyes went wide, and she shot Camry a look of pure shock. Camry, on the other hand, was completely unbothered. She silently mouthed what? with an innocent expression. Leimia bit her lip, then held up her hands in a gesture of surrender before sighing and coming clean.

“Fine, yeah. Leimia’s a name I ripped from my actual name, Lamia. Honestly, I hate the name my parents saddled me with. It’s like they didn’t even try.”

“Lamia? Like the child-eating snake demon from mythology? That’s… definitely unique,” Alice said, immediately recognizing the name’s origin.

Leimia’s lips curled into a smug smile. She leaned back in her chair, all relaxed, and gave Alice a knowing look.

“That’s right. You know your stuff, huh?”

“Alice has a wide range of knowledge and wisdom.”

For some reason, Carrot decided to jump in, looking way too pleased with himself. Alice let out a laugh, clear and bright as a chime of jade bells.

“Carrot! Saying it like that makes it sound like you’re patting yourself on the back, since we’re always bumping into each other at the same competitions.”

“Th-that’s not…”

“Competitions?”

Seojun was seriously curious about how someone as graceful and kind as Alice had ended up hanging out with a guy like Carrot, who seemed like his brain was made of pure muscle. And it wasn’t just Seojun wondering about this – Camry, Leimia, and even Oliver, who seemed to be thoroughly gay, all had that same look of curiosity on their faces.

Of course, Hugh, who was practically made of powder and was completely head over heels for Oliver, wasn’t paying Carrot any mind. His eyes were glued to Oliver, while Alice’s slender hand, sporting a dazzling bracelet, lightly tickled Carrot’s rounded jaw.

“Oh, we’ve been in all sorts of competitions – Sudoku, crosswords, even wordplay stuff like anagrams! If we’d only met at some chess tournament, we probably wouldn’t have lasted this long.”

Alice’s gaze was pure fondness, and under that warm look, Carrot’s eyes got all hazy, like he was drunk on happiness. He mumbled dreamily, lost in some blissful memory,

“Not getting eliminated during the Monta Bay Anagram preliminaries was the best decision of my entire life…”

“Sp-speaking of anagrams,” Oliver suddenly piped up, fidgeting where he sat, “wasn’t Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, also known for using his real name as an anagram?”

It was pretty obvious from his flustered demeanor that he felt like he had to say something, probably because he was stuck with this ragtag chaotic bunch. Seojun, in that moment, desperately wanted to trade places with him.

“Oh, my cute Oliver. You’re so smart, even with that tiny little head of yours!”

Of course, Seojun had zero desire to sit across from Hugh and be on the receiving end of that kind of cringy praise. If anything, he wanted to pack them all up and ship them off far, far away.

Alice’s warm laughter filled the air, her smile almost magical. There was no denying it – a beautiful person’s laughter had a disarmingly powerful effect.

“That’s right. Lewis Carroll’s real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson.”

“Now that you mention it, the owner here is named Charles too, and the restaurant’s called Alice. What a coincidence. You think they named it like that on purpose?”

Seojun’s words were idle, a stray thought escaping his lips as he idly skimmed the menu.

But the casual smile on Alice’s face curdled, replaced by an expression as heavy and dark as a sky full of storm clouds. Her gaze flickered nervously towards the kitchen, then she leaned in, her voice barely a whisper.

“They say… they say this place opened the same year Charles and Wendrick’s daughter was born. Little Alice. He told me… if she was still alive, she’d be twenty now.”

Alice’s hushed words hung in the air, a sudden weight on the table. The easy chatter died, replaced by a heavy silence. All at once, everyone seemed to notice the rain hammering against the windows, a relentless rhythm that echoed the sudden chill in the air. Seojun hunched his shoulders, a shiver tracing its way down his spine.

“Hey everyone, I just called again! They’re saying that landslide cleanup is going even slower ‘cause of this downpour.”

The deep voice cut through the quiet. Charles had emerged from the kitchen, somehow appearing at their table without any of them noticing. An awkward tension, thick enough to choke on, rippled through the group—they had just been talking about him, after all. But Charles, either oblivious or choosing to ignore it, flashed a warm smile and set down a massive tray.

“While you wait, how about some warm coffee and pancakes? Our pride and joy! The recipe’s from my queen herself. Alice’s special!”

Thick baking gloves protected his hands as he deftly arranged the dishes. The sweet scent that wafted up instantly chased away the lingering unease, even pulling Seojun’s gaze from the somber mood to the food. It was clear why this was the restaurant’s claim to fame.

A fluffy stack of perfectly round pancakes sat crowned with a pat of butter, already half-melted and dripping enticingly down the sides. Fresh raspberries were scattered around the base, their tartness a perfect counterpoint to the sweetness. The syrup, a vibrant crimson, carried the unmistakable fragrance of raspberries, a perfect match for the dish. Steam curled invitingly from the pancakes, and the rich, freshly brewed coffee beside it seemed like its soulmate.

“These are on the house, of course! Nasty weather out there, so please, warm yourselves up. The ingredients and the recipe haven’t changed a bit since the day we opened. All thanks to my queen and her dedication.”

Charles’s cheerful announcement was met with a round of applause from everyone in the restaurant. Even Seojun, with his injured hand, joined in enthusiastically at the mention of free food. The sound of clapping filled the room, accompanied by a hearty laugh booming from the kitchen.

“Oh, hush you! Don’t mind my husband. He’s always like that.”

A faint blush colored Wendrick’s cheeks as she waved a dismissive hand. Charles, meanwhile, bustled about, making sure everyone received their share, setting a plate of pancakes and a cup of coffee before each guest. With no need to order anymore, Seojun pushed the menu aside. Charles lingered by their table, his tray hugged to his chest, his eyes practically sparkling as he waited for their reaction to the food. And for some inexplicable reason, Seojun felt a strange pressure to meet those expectant eyes.

The pancakes were incredibly soft, yielding easily to the side of his fork. He dipped a fluffy triangle generously in the crimson syrup and popped it into his mouth. The sweetness bloomed on his tongue, every bit as delightful as the aroma and appearance had promised.

He couldn’t help but silently marvel at how delicious it was, eagerly devouring each bite until his plate was clean. He took a sip of coffee, then glanced around. Everyone else seemed to be having a similar experience. Alice’s cheeks were adorably puffed out, full of pancake, while Carrot’s plate was already spotless. Oliver had practically buried his face in his dish. Even Leimia and Camry were sighing in satisfaction, leaning in close to whisper to each other.

“Oh my god, Camry, look at these raspberry pieces! And this syrup! It’s just like the one Philly F posted about!”

“No way! You’re right. Oh my god, it’s amazing. That’s definitely Philly F quality.”

“Wait… Camry. Hold on a sec…”

Leimia’s voice trailed off, her nose wrinkling. Slowly, she chewed her pancake, not like she was savoring the taste, but more like she was trying to figure something out.

That strange sense of unease that had settled over Leimia…Seojun felt it too. His gaze drifted past Charles, whose friendly smile hadn’t faltered, and landed on Wendrick in the kitchen. She was watching them, her expression difficult to read in the soft lighting. A prickle of unease crawled up Seojun’s spine. Something wasn’t right.

“Wendrick? Is this… is this really the same recipe you’ve used since the restaurant first opened?” Leimia’s voice was sharp with suspicion.

A moment of silence stretched, just a beat too long. Then…

“Oh, hush you! Don’t mind my husband. He’s always like that.”

Wendrick’s reply was breezy but completely nonsensical, avoiding the question entirely.

Before the oddness of it all could sink in, Seojun’s world tilted.

“…Huh?”

Thud. A searing pain exploded across Seojun’s face. No, it wasn’t the room tilting—it was him, falling forward, his body collapsing onto the table.

Thud. Thud. More thuds followed, one after another, as the others slumped over, collapsing like puppets with their strings cut. Seojun’s vision swam, the edges of the room dissolving into a swirling, nauseating darkness.

The last thing he saw before everything went black was Charles, slowly peeling off his baking mitts.

Beneath the gloves, his hands were a horrifying sight… raw, bare flesh where his fingernails should have been. Every single one was gone.