WHAM!
Seojun’s fist collided with his cheek, the sharp sting snapping him back to reality. He clenched his jaw, watching the stars dance across his vision.
I must be losing it. What’s with this melodramatic angst? Are you a teenager going through puberty?
We finally made it to the math room, which was about as big as a lecture hall that could fit around 150 people. One wall was covered in black spotted slate, being used as a giant blackboard. People were scurrying up and down ladders, scribbling or erasing stuff on that slate. And there, in a prominent spot, was the exact solution I’d seen on the wax tablet earlier.
Seojun’s fingers were just centimeters away from the bathroom doorknob when an unexpected knock at the front door startled him so much that he thought his soul might escape his body. The sound sent a chilling wave of déjà vu through him, reminding him of a scene from the movie he had just watched moments ago. Goosebumps erupted on his arms, and his already pale face turned even paler.
The movie’s attention to realism was so meticulous that it didn’t even have background music. The only sounds were the mundane noises of daily life, which made the eerie atmosphere all the more jarring. The sudden, melodic metal rings rattling that played during the scene felt completely out of place, and Seojun couldn’t help but find it ironic.
Let’s take a deep breath and think this through logically.
Sure, the person who brought up this single stroke problem is definitely a ‘player’, but that doesn’t mean Fabio’s automatically one too.
Maybe ‘Fabio’ just stumbled across the problem somewhere and thought it’d be a good idea to write it down!
Joseph stumbled to the phone like a drunk on a bender, collapsing onto the floor. But even in his injured state, his broadcaster instincts kicked in, and he continued filming the call without missing a moment. Seojun couldn’t help but be impressed by Joseph’s dedication.
The TV screen was dead black, except for the faint hum of static in the background - the only clue it was even turned on.
Then, out of nowhere, a burst of laughter shattered the silence. It was a young guy’s carefree chuckle. The screen flickered to life, and the camera, which had been fixed on a red carpet, suddenly whipped around to zoom in on the guy’s face, filling the entire screen.
…So, are you saying that if I keep landing myself in these perilous situations, you won’t even pretend to hear me out the next time I claim I’ve got it under control?
The Decoy Motel was a towering behemoth, its nine-plus floors reaching for the sky like an outstretched finger. Yet one thing was strange… the number of rooms on each floor didn’t follow the usual 99-room standard. It was like the motel, and the information guidelines sheet, were doing whatever they wanted.
He can’t even say who he made the promise to?
I racked my brain, trying to piece together the clues buried in Athanas’ cryptic silence.
Just a few hours ago, when he handed me the reliquary, he wasn’t this haggard.
What could have happened in such a short time?