Kim lifted his eyes slightly.
Then he continued in a quiet… cold voice:
"Enjoy being brave today."
He paused for a moment.
"…Because some people don't stay weak forever."
Then he continued on his way.
Sonic remained standing in place.
He didn't laugh.
He didn't say anything.
He only…
felt a heavy weight in his chest.
Fear.
And Sonic wasn't the only one who felt it.
Even the students who had been laughing moments ago…
fell silent.
As if everyone suddenly realized—
messing with Kim again…
might make them regret it.
---
As Kim walked down the school hallway toward the exit…
he heard a voice from afar.
"Kim!"
He lifted his head.
It was Mary.
Waving her hand as she approached him.
She said with a smile:
"Where have you been today?"
He looked at her in surprise.
"Me?"
Then he said:
"No, where have you been?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"I've been at school all day.
Didn't you see me?"
Kim smiled lightly and said:
"Strange…"
Then continued with quiet sarcasm:
"You appear and disappear at the same time.
Are you a witch?"
Mary laughed.
Then she suddenly approached him…
and hugged him.
But in that moment—
Kim's mind froze.
A message appeared before his eyes.
System error.
Someone is altering the owner's memories.
Kim's eyes widened.
He pushed Mary away without realizing.
She fell to the ground.
She said quickly:
"Don't worry… I'm fine.
Maybe you pushed me by accident."
Kim slowly approached her.
Then he activated his only skill.
Crimson Eyes.
Data appeared above her.
Name: Mary
Race: identical
But…
Bloodline: Demon
Kim froze.
Then he smiled, an awkward smile.
And said quietly:
"You're… a lie too."
Mary looked at him in shock.
"What are you saying?"
But Kim didn't answer.
He left her.
And walked away.
She shouted after him:
"Where are you going?!"
He said without turning:
"I'm walking a path…"
He paused for a moment.
Then said:
"…that isn't fake."
---
Evening came.
Night…
That silent entity that understands humans better than themselves.
Night doesn't flatter.
It doesn't pretend to be bright.
It comes with its darkness as it is.
And that's why humans love it.
Because it is honest.
Kim sat in a small garden.
Trees surrounded him.
The moon hung large before him.
Then he felt someone approaching.
He didn't look.
He only smiled.
And said:
"Strange…
You seem to be the only real person in this world."
The one approaching stopped.
It was Jack.
His eyes widened in surprise.
But before he could speak—
Kim rushed toward him.
And hugged him tightly.
An exaggerated hug.
Jack said, choking slightly:
"Hey! Are you going to kill me, you idiot?"
But Kim was crying.
Real tears.
Full of both happiness and fear.
He said:
"Because you're real…
Real, Jack."
Data appeared above his head.
Name: Jack
Race: Human
Status: Stable
Kim clung to his clothes as if afraid he would vanish.
And said in a broken voice:
"I've seen thousands of faces…
But they all wore masks.
I searched for you everywhere."
He lifted his head and looked at him.
"Do you know the real pain?"
"Discovering that the world is a stage of puppets.
And the only person who wasn't pretending… disappeared."
He smiled sadly.
"I missed you so much I started doubting my own existence."
Then he said in a trembling voice:
"But when I saw your face…
I felt life return to my veins."
Jack patted his back calmly.
"I don't know what you went through…
But it seems a lot.
And you're not alone.
I'm here.
And I'll stay with you.
Until we die."
Kim's eyes widened slightly.
Then he smiled.
"Yes."
Then he suddenly punched him.
"But why didn't you come when I called you this afternoon, you idiot?!"
Jack shouted:
"I was busy!"
Then he threw him to the ground.
And they started wrestling.
Like two kids.
And the warmth between them…
Was real.
---
Years passed.
Until Kim was twenty.
He woke to the sound of his phone.
It was Mary.
"Where are you?"
He said:
"I'm near the shopping center."
She said:
"Hurry!"
She hung up.
His mother opened the door.
"Where are you going?"
He looked into her eyes.
And said:
"Don't pretend you don't know.
You know where."
She looked at him worriedly.
"Mary told me you're going shopping with her.
I didn't want to come if you didn't want me to."
Kim chuckled slightly.
"Then your plan failed."
She said in surprise:
"What plan?"
But he entered the bathroom without answering.
---
A little later…
They arrived at the shopping center.
Mary was waiting.
But Kim…
Wasn't looking at her.
He was looking around.
Right.
Left.
Searching for something.
The truck.
The past had said it would come now.
He said to Mary quickly:
"Go to the car.
Sit with my mom."
She complained:
"Carry the bags first!"
He threw the bags to the ground.
And said sharply:
"Go."
Her eyes widened.
"What did you say?!"
He looked at her coldly.
"Go."
She got into the car with her mother.
As for Kim…
He remained standing far away.
Waiting.
A minute.
Then another.
But nothing happened.
He whispered:
"Time has changed…"
Then—
The bus appeared.
It swayed violently.
The driver unconscious.
Heading straight for the car.
Mary screamed.
And her mother screamed.
The distance was far.
It wouldn't reach in time.
But…
He only needed a second.
Kim opened his eyes.
Crimson Eyes.
He said:
"Absolute Red World."
A massive void exploded around the area.
Colors vanished.
Everything became black and white.
Except the blood.
Kim controlled the driver's blood.
Moved his body.
The bus suddenly swerved away from the car.
Then he deactivated the skill.
The world returned to normal.
The bus crashed far away.
Then—
It exploded.
People ran toward the accident.
As for Kim…
He stood calmly.
Looking at his mother.
He had succeeded.
He had changed the past.
For the first time…
No one died.
But the thing Kim didn't know…
Was that changing the past…
Might awaken something far more dangerous.