The scene shifted to the towering building above. The sun blazed mercilessly overhead; it was the peak of summer, and the heat was suffocating.
"God damn it... what in the world? It's so hot today! I wish I had ice abilities just to cool down," I muttered, wiping the sweat from my forehead.
I was absolutely drenched. I felt like I needed to jump straight into a fridge to survive, but I knew that was impossible. Giving up on finding relief, I leaned against the railing and let my mind wander back to yesterday. Everything that happened was so unexpected, so confusing. The future had changed in ways I never anticipated, and it left me feeling uneasy.
Why did I even regress? I wondered. Do I really have something to finish before I can finally rest? If so... what is it?
I was lost deep in thought when a translucent blue window suddenly appeared in front of me.
SYSTEM: Would you like to see what happened in your first life? The moment you died?
Without hesitation, I pressed YES.
In an instant, I was teleported into a pitch-black void. Seconds later, the darkness dissolved, revealing a city in ruins. Chaos was everywhere. Monsters roamed the streets, and then—there it was. The Eye. The same terrifying entity that had appeared eight years ago, the day the Dungeon Break began. The sky itself looked like it was tearing apart.
My eyes scanned the destruction until I spotted him.
Riven.
He was covered in blood, moving like a wild beast, slaughtering every monster in his path. He was the only one standing.
Where is everyone else?
My blood ran cold. Lying on the ground were pools of blood and countless bodies. No one else had survived this apocalypse. Riven was all alone. I watched as his movements grew slower, his strength fading. He was reaching his limit.
I pounded against the invisible barrier of the vision, screaming his name mentally.
Riven get up!, please.... Don't die!
Just as the thought crossed my mind, a sharp spike from The Eye pierced straight through his stomach.
Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. I begged, I pleaded for it to stop, until finally, the vision faded. I was thrown back to the rooftop, my legs giving out beneath me. I collapsed, sobbing into my hands.
When the tears finally stopped, a burning determination filled my chest. I had to change this fate. I had to stop this disaster from happening.
"But first... I need to calm down," I took a deep breath.
"Oh my god, why did I act like that? That was so embarrassing. I should have stayed calm. Why did I cry like that? I'm so ashamed of myself. Should I smack my head just to get rid of these awkward feelings?"
The embarrassment was still washing over me when a voice broke the silence.
"Is Yeonghon a weirdo or not? Should I put him in a mental hospital..."
I froze. Jihan had heard everything.
Late that night, I decided to take a walk. I needed fresh air, to feel a sense of freedom away from everything. As I strolled down the quiet street, a familiar figure came into view.
"Riven?.. What are you doing here?"
I stepped closer. His face was calm, but there was a softness in his expression, almost affectionate. His eyes lit up the moment he saw me. It hit me then—he had grown fond of me. And after seeing what I saw in that vision... I realized how much I cared about him too. In that first timeline, he suffered alone. He fought until the end with no one by his side. It must have been traumatic, watching everyone die.
"It's cold out here," he said softly.
Before I could reply, he took off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. The warmth of his gesture made me regret ever disliking him. Overcome with emotion, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms tightly around him.
Riven was startled for a moment, but then he relaxed and hugged me back even tighter. His embrace was warm, safe, and comfortable. I never wanted this moment to end.
"Just stay a bit longer..." I whispered against his chest.
He heard me and leaned his head down until our foreheads almost touched. He gently caressed my cheek; his hands were cold but familiar.
"Okay..."
His voice was low and steady. He leaned in closer, the space between us shrinking to just an inch. My heart raced as he was about to kiss me—
"Riven? Is that you? It's been years!"
A woman's voice cut through the air, shattering the moment.
I pulled back slightly and looked at her. She was breathtakingly beautiful. And I knew exactly who she was. Fiona. Riven's fiancée. They had been arranged to marry since they were children, their families claiming they were destined to be in love.
Out of respect and to clear up any misunderstanding, I tried to step aside, but Riven wouldn't move an inch. He stood his ground firmly beside me.
"Hello... Mrs. Fiona," I greeted politely.
"Just call me Fiona, sweetheart," she smiled warmly.
I was surprised. She was actually kind. I expected her to be rude or angry that I was with her fiancé, but she wasn't at all. She had long, beautiful red hair and striking blue eyes that were absolutely mesmerizing.
"Riven, don't even think about stealing my sweetheart from me," Fiona teased playfully.
Wait... what did she just say? Did I hear that right? Or are my ears just playing tricks on me?
"Fiona, what are you doing here?" Riven asked, his tone sharp.
Oh wow, why is he getting mad? Is he annoyed that she interrupted us? I thought to myself. Damn it... we were so close. That was so embarrassing!
"Oh, I was just looking for you," Fiona giggled. "But I think I might've interrupted something... I'm really sorry! Someone just called me, so I have to go. You two continue what you were doing!"
With a wave, she left quickly, leaving us alone again.
The silence that followed was heavy and awkward.
How could you, Fiona?! Leaving me here alone with someone I like... I wish I were dead right now.
To be continued...