The cold night air slid across my skin as we walked down the hill outside the Forbidden Forest.
No one spoke.
Not because we had nothing to say.
But because we were exhausted beyond words.
Every step felt heavier than the last. My body ached in places I didn't even know could hurt. My head pulsed with a dull pressure behind my eyes, and every now and then, fragments of the corridor flashed through my mind like broken film reels.
Blood on the mirrors.
Alya's severed head.
Miriam's neck snapping beneath my fingers.
The sound Xia Jing made when my hand pierced through her chest.
I clenched my jaw so hard it hurt.
Don't think about it.
Don't.
The forest behind us creaked softly as the wind passed through the black trees. For a moment, I almost expected whispers to return from the darkness.
"Enter."
My breathing stopped.
I turned sharply toward the forest.
Nothing.
Only silence.
"…Dark?"
Alya's voice pulled me back.
I blinked several times before realizing everyone had stopped walking and were staring at me.
"Something wrong?" Minho asked.
I quickly forced a grin onto my face.
"Nope. My brain's just finally collapsing."
Kimberly laughed tiredly.
"About time."
The group resumed walking.
But my eyes drifted back toward the forest one last time.
I could still feel it.
That place.
Not physically.
Inside me.
Like the corridor had carved something into my mind and left it there.
A scar no one could see.
I looked down at my trembling hand and slowly closed it into a fist.
Something had changed after I touched the pendulum.
No…
Something inside me had awakened.
Ever since then, a strange energy had been moving beneath my skin. My blood felt warmer. Heavier. Restless.
Alive.
And the strangest part?
I wasn't afraid of it.
I wanted more.
That realization should've terrified me.
Instead, it made my heart beat faster.
The city lights of Amberlath shimmered in the distance beneath the darkening sky. Massive holographic advertisements glowed between skyscrapers while streams of vehicles crossed illuminated roads far below us.
Everything looked so…
Normal.
People were probably eating dinner right now.
Watching movies.
Complaining about school.
Meanwhile, I had died more times than I could remember inside a nightmare corridor built by a god.
I let out a dry laugh under my breath.
"What's funny?" Alya asked softly beside me.
I glanced at her.
Her silver hair moved gently with the wind, and her crimson eyes studied me carefully. Too carefully.
She noticed things.
Always.
"Nothing," I lied.
Her gaze lingered on me for another second.
She knew I was lying.
But she didn't push.
And somehow… that hurt more.
The group eventually reached the lower road leading back toward the city. Won Ho immediately started talking with Minho about checking on the others who had been connected to the pendulum, while Airi lazily scrolled through the hundreds of pictures she somehow still managed to take during literal temporal warfare.
Only Miriam remained silent.
Walking slightly ahead of everyone else.
The professor too.
Neither of them had fully looked at me since we escaped the sanctuary.
Not after the black mist.
Not after the thing in the portal.
I shoved my hands into my hoodie pockets and exhaled slowly.
The exhaustion was finally crashing down on me.
Not just physical exhaustion.
Mental exhaustion.
Soul-deep exhaustion.
I wanted to sleep for a week.
No…
A month.
Maybe forever.
Tomorrow morning we still had class with Professor Adermat.
Followed immediately by Professor Eclipse.
Fantastic.
Two supernatural teachers after surviving cosmic temporal hell.
My life had become ridiculous.
As we continued down the road, I slowly drifted away from the group without saying anything. I just wanted to go home.
I wanted silence.
I wanted Moka.
I wanted one night where nobody tried to kill me.
Behind me, footsteps suddenly quickened.
I didn't even think.
My body reacted on instinct.
I spun around violently, shadows already beginning to leak faintly from my fingertips—
Then I froze.
Alya blinked at me in surprise.
The black mist instantly vanished.
Silence fell between us.
My heartbeat pounded violently in my ears.
Her expression softened almost immediately.
"…You thought I was attacking you," she whispered.
I opened my mouth.
Nothing came out.
Because she was right.
For a few seconds, neither of us moved.
Then Alya stepped closer carefully, like approaching a wounded animal.
"You're still in there," she said quietly.
I looked away.
"…I'm trying not to be."
The wind moved softly around us.
The others kept walking ahead, giving us space without saying a word.
Alya stared at me for a moment longer before suddenly smiling warmly.
"What made you think I'd let you go home alone?"
I blinked.
Then let out a tired laugh.
"Nah. Honestly, I was hoping you'd come with me."
Her smile widened slightly.
"Oh?"
"Yeah," I said, finally managing a small grin. "I wanna spend the night with the person I love most."
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
Then I added:
"Oh—and you too."
Her expression went flat.
SMACK.
Pain exploded across the back of my head.
"Ow—!"
"You're unbelievable," she muttered while trying—and failing—not to smile.
I rubbed the back of my head dramatically.
"This is why Moka is my favorite."
Alya slowly cracked her knuckles.
"I can still leave you here, you know."
I immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"I love both of you equally."
"Liar."
"Partially true liar."
That finally made her laugh.
A real laugh.
Warm.
Gentle.
Human.
And for the first time since entering the sanctuary…
the crushing pressure in my chest eased.
Just a little.
We eventually reached Alya's car parked near the lower streets of Amberlath.
The moment I saw it, I stopped walking.
"…Wasn't your car black?"
Alya proudly crossed her arms.
"Not anymore."
The entire vehicle had been repainted silver-white with faint crimson details running along the sides like flowing lines of liquid light. Under the city lamps, the paint reflected soft colors like moonlight over water.
I stared at it for several seconds.
"…You turned your car into yourself."
"It's called aesthetic consistency."
"It's called narcissism."
She gasped dramatically and put a hand over her chest.
"How dare you."
"I'm brave enough to insult a woman capable of breaking my spine."
"That's not bravery. That's suicidal behavior."
Fair point.
Alya unlocked the doors with a click, and we both climbed inside. The seats were warm, probably from sunlight absorbed earlier in the day.
The second I sat down, my entire body relaxed.
Dangerous mistake.
The exhaustion hit me all at once.
My head fell back against the seat.
"…I may actually die here."
Alya started the engine.
"Please don't. Cleaning corpses out of leather seats is annoying."
"Wow. So caring."
"I try my best."
The car slowly pulled away from the curb and merged into the glowing night streets of Amberlath.
The city was alive.
Massive holographic screens floated between buildings displaying advertisements in shifting colors. Neon signs reflected across rain-slick streets while crowds moved through sidewalks beneath elevated rail systems and glowing bridges suspended between skyscrapers.
Amberlath never really slept.
Not completely.
And tonight the city somehow looked even brighter than usual.
Maybe because after surviving that sanctuary, everything felt sharper.
Louder.
More real.
I watched the lights pass outside the window while resting my head against the glass.
The world kept moving.
Cars.
People.
Laughter.
Music drifting from restaurants.
Meanwhile part of me was still trapped inside that corridor.
Still hearing screams.
Still feeling warm blood running through my fingers.
I closed my eyes for a moment.
Then immediately opened them again.
No mirrors.
No whispers.
No corpses.
Just Alya driving beside me.
My breathing slowly steadied.
"You okay?" she asked quietly without taking her eyes off the road.
"Yeah."
Lie.
"…No," I corrected after a few seconds.
That surprised even me.
I usually lied automatically.
Alya glanced at me briefly.
But she didn't interrupt.
Didn't force me.
So I kept talking.
"I keep remembering everything." My voice sounded quieter than usual. "Every loop. Every death."
The inside of the car became silent except for the soft hum of the engine.
"I remember killing all of you." I swallowed hard. "And the worst part is…"
I looked down at my hands.
"…some of those memories don't even feel fully wrong anymore."
The words tasted poisonous coming out of my mouth.
Alya's expression softened.
"You were broken psychologically inside a supernatural torture corridor designed by an ancient god," she said calmly. "I think you're allowed to be traumatized."
I let out a weak laugh.
"When you say it like that, it sounds concerning."
"Because it is concerning."
"…Fair."
The car continued through the city until the buildings gradually became smaller and the streets quieter.
We eventually entered the residential district near my neighborhood.
Compared to the center of Amberlath, this place felt peaceful.
Softer.
Streetlights illuminated tree-lined roads while smaller houses rested behind fences and gardens. The distant sounds of the city faded into a low hum far away.
For the first time in what felt like forever…
I felt safe.
Alya parked in front of my house and turned the engine off.
For a few seconds neither of us moved.
Then simultaneously—
We both yawned.
I laughed tiredly.
"Wow. We're pathetic."
"Speak for yourself," Alya muttered while stretching. "I'm adorable when exhausted."
"That sounds scientifically inaccurate."
We stepped out of the car and walked through the small front yard toward my house.
Honestly, my home wasn't anything special.
Two floors.
Cream-colored walls.
Small living room.
Small kitchen.
Bathroom upstairs.
Two bedrooms.
Nothing impressive.
But after surviving a living nightmare created by temporal gods?
It looked like heaven.
The fresh night breeze moved through the trees in the backyard. The seasonal ash tree swayed softly, its pale autumn leaves glowing silver beneath the moonlight.
For a moment, I simply stood there staring at my house.
Still processing the fact I had actually made it back alive.
Alya noticed my expression.
"…Dark?"
I blinked.
"Sorry," I muttered. "Just feels weird."
"Weird?"
"I honestly didn't think I'd come back."
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
Alya's eyes widened slightly.
Then her hand quietly found mine.
She squeezed gently.
"You came back," she whispered.
I stared at her for a second before nodding slowly.
"…Yeah."
I unlocked the front door.
The second it opened—
A blur of black fur launched directly at my leg.
"Mrrrow!"
"MOKA—"
The tiny cat immediately began climbing me like her life depended on it.
Alya burst out laughing.
I barely managed to catch Moka before she reached my shoulder. The little menace aggressively rubbed her face against mine while purring loud enough to vibrate.
"Okay— okay— I missed you too—"
Moka ignored human language entirely and continued attacking me with affection.
Alya leaned against the doorway smiling warmly while watching the scene.
"…You know," she said softly, "seeing you like this makes it hard to believe you became a horrifying murder monster in another timeline."
I froze.
Moka kept purring happily in my arms.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Alya realized her mistake immediately.
"…Dark—"
"No, it's fine."
But my voice came out too fast.
Too strained.
Because suddenly—
I remembered snapping Minho's neck.
Airi screaming with glass buried in her eyes.
Miriam choking beneath my grip.
My stomach twisted violently.
The warmth vanished from my body.
Alya stepped toward me immediately.
"Hey," she whispered carefully. "Look at me."
I couldn't.
Because for half a second…
I was terrified she'd look at me differently now.
Like a monster.
Alya gently grabbed my face anyway and forced me to meet her eyes.
And what I saw there almost shattered me completely.
Not fear.
Not disgust.
Just concern.
Pure concern.
"You are not those loops," she said firmly. "Do you understand me?"
My throat tightened painfully.
Because a part of me still believed I was.
I stood there silently for several seconds while Moka continued purring against my chest completely unaware she was preventing an emotional collapse.
Alya's hands remained on my face.
Warm.
Steady.
Real.
"You are not those loops," she repeated softly.
I looked away first.
"…I know."
Another lie.
Because deep down?
I didn't know anymore.
The corridor had shown me things about myself I wished had stayed buried forever. It stripped away morality, fear, hesitation—everything—and forced me to confront the ugliest parts of my soul.
And the worst part?
Somewhere during those endless deaths…
I adapted.
Humans adapt to anything eventually.
Even horror.
Especially horror.
I swallowed hard and forced a crooked smile onto my face.
"Anyway," I muttered, trying to change the subject before my thoughts spiraled further, "if you two keep attacking me at the same time, I'm filing for emotional abuse."
Alya immediately narrowed her eyes.
"Moka is innocent."
"Mrrrow."
"Traitor."
Moka blinked at me without remorse.
I sighed dramatically before finally stepping fully inside the house. Alya followed behind me while I closed the door with my foot.
The familiar scent of home immediately surrounded me.
Warm wood.
Coffee.
Books.
Laundry detergent.
Normal things.
Things untouched by gods and death loops.
I didn't realize how badly I needed that until now.
Moka jumped from my arms onto the floor and immediately trotted toward the kitchen while screaming demands for food.
"That creature only loves you for survival purposes," Alya said.
"Same reason you date me."
She gasped in fake offense.
"I'll have you know my affection is genuine."
"Debatable."
I walked into the kitchen while carrying Moka's bowls from beside the refrigerator. The little demon circled my legs aggressively while I poured milk into one bowl and food into the other.
The second the bowls touched the floor—
Moka transformed into a black blur.
"…Terrifying," Alya whispered.
"She gets that from me."
"That explains so much."
I rolled my eyes and leaned briefly against the kitchen counter.
The exhaustion was getting worse now that adrenaline had fully faded.
Everything hurt.
My shoulders.
My legs.
Even my thoughts felt tired.
I rubbed my face slowly with both hands.
Then paused.
Something felt strange.
I stared down at my fingers.
For just a fraction of a second…
Black mist leaked faintly between them.
I froze.
The shadows vanished immediately afterward.
Alya noticed my expression almost instantly.
"…Dark?"
I quickly closed my hand.
"Nothing."
Her eyes narrowed.
She obviously didn't believe me.
Before she could ask further, I pushed myself away from the counter.
"So," I said while walking toward the living room, "important question."
Alya followed behind me.
"What?"
"Do we order food…"
I collapsed dramatically onto the couch face-first.
"…or do we accept death and starve here?"
Alya snorted.
"You're unbelievably lazy."
"I fought temporal dinosaur abominations today. I earned this."
"That's actually fair."
She kicked off her shoes and climbed comfortably onto the sofa while pulling out her phone.
"Fine. What do you want?"
"Something unhealthy enough to shorten my lifespan."
"After everything today, I don't think your lifespan follows natural laws anymore."
"…Good point."
I turned slightly and rested my head against her thigh while she searched through restaurants on her phone.
The moment she began absentmindedly running her fingers through my hair…
every ounce of tension in my body started melting away.
Dangerous woman.
The room became quiet except for the faint sounds of traffic outside and Moka loudly eating in the kitchen like a starving beast.
I stared upward at Alya while she focused on her phone screen.
The soft light illuminated her face gently.
God.
She was beautiful.
Not in some exaggerated fantasy way.
In a real way.
Warm eyes.
Soft lips.
Messy silver hair falling across her shoulders.
The kind of beauty that made exhaustion disappear just by looking at her.
Maybe she noticed me staring too long.
Because eventually her crimson eyes shifted downward toward mine.
"…Do I have something on my face?"
"Yes."
She blinked.
"What?"
"My attention."
Silence.
Then her cheeks slowly turned red.
"…Dark."
"What?"
"You need to stop saying things like that so casually."
"Why?"
"Because one day I'm actually going to lose control."
I grinned lazily.
"That sounds like a future me problem."
Big mistake.
Alya suddenly grabbed my jaw firmly and leaned closer until our faces were only inches apart.
"No," she whispered with dangerous calmness. "That sounds like your problem."
My brain immediately stopped functioning.
My face burned.
She noticed.
Which only made her smirk grow wider.
"…You're adorable when flustered."
"I'm literally suffering."
"Good."
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.
"You enjoy bullying me."
"Immensely."
"Cruel woman."
"The cruel woman is still ordering your dinner."
"…I love you."
Alya froze for half a second.
Then her expression softened instantly into something quieter.
More vulnerable.
"…I love you too," she whispered.
And somehow…
Those words scared me more than the monsters ever did.
Because now I had something precious enough to lose.
Alya eventually finished placing the order and tossed her phone onto the couch beside her.
"Done."
"What did you get?"
"Pork stew, garlic bread, chocolate cake, and lemon soda."
I stared at her in disbelief.
"…Are you trying to heal my emotional trauma or kill me with happiness?"
"Yes."
"That doesn't answer the question."
"It answers it perfectly."
Fair enough.
I let out a tired laugh and shifted slightly, still resting against her lap while staring at the ceiling.
For the first time since entering the sanctuary…
my thoughts weren't screaming.
That terrified me a little.
Because after experiencing endless horror, peace itself began feeling unnatural.
Alya continued playing with my hair quietly.
Then—
"…What are you thinking about?"
I hesitated.
Too many things.
The black mist.
The corridor.
Matusalen.
The way Professor Adermat looked at me after seeing my LC.
Fear.
Not simple concern.
Fear.
I closed my eyes slowly.
"…Do you think I'm dangerous?"
The question slipped out before I could stop it.
Alya's fingers paused briefly in my hair.
Then resumed.
"Yes."
I opened one eye immediately.
"…Wow."
"But not in the way you think."
I stayed silent.
Alya leaned back against the sofa and stared toward the dark television screen.
"You have an unknown LC connected to the God of Darkness." Her voice remained calm. "A power nobody understands. A power that made even Professor Adermat nervous."
The room felt colder hearing it spoken aloud.
She looked down at me again.
"You are dangerous, Dark."
A small bitter smile formed on my face.
"Knew it."
"But."
That single word stopped my thoughts.
Alya gently flicked my forehead.
"You're also kind."
"…Sometimes."
"You repeatedly died for us."
"I also repeatedly murdered you."
"You weren't yourself."
"How do you know?"
Silence.
That question lingered heavily between us.
Alya's expression softened again.
"Because the real you is the idiot laying on my lap complaining about life while feeding stray cats and risking himself for everyone around him."
"…That sounds less cool when you describe it like that."
"You were never cool."
I placed a hand dramatically over my chest.
"Cruelty. Betrayal. Emotional damage."
"You'll survive."
"Debatable."
Alya laughed quietly.
God.
I loved hearing that sound.
It felt warm.
Alive.
Human.
After spending so long trapped in a nightmare built by something inhuman, moments like this became priceless.
I turned my head slightly toward the window.
Outside, Amberlath glowed beneath the night sky.
Far above the city, the first celestial lights of the Thirteen Stars of the Firmament were beginning to appear faintly between the clouds.
Beautiful.
Ancient.
Watching.
For some reason, that thought unsettled me.
I frowned slightly.
"…Do you ever feel like something is observing us?"
Alya blinked.
"That's an incredibly ominous sentence."
"I'm serious."
She followed my gaze toward the window.
The stars shimmered faintly over the distant skyline.
"…After everything we've seen?" she murmured. "Probably."
Not comforting.
At all.
Before I could spiral deeper into existential terror, my phone buzzed loudly on the table beside the couch.
I reached over lazily and checked the screen.
Minho:
"Still alive?"
Another message immediately followed.
Minho:
"Or are you finally kissing Alya right now?"
Then another.
Minho:
"Actually don't answer that."
Another.
Minho:
"WAIT NO ANSWER IT."
I stared at the messages in exhausted silence.
Alya leaned over curiously.
The moment she read them, she burst into laughter.
"That idiot is definitely recovered."
"He was possessed by an ancient temporal god and somehow remained stupid."
"Some conditions are incurable."
I quickly typed back.
"I survived infinite death loops just to be cyberbullied."
Three dots appeared instantly.
Minho:
"So you ARE kissing."
I threw my phone onto the couch violently.
Alya laughed harder.
"I hate him."
"No you don't."
"…Unfortunately no."
A few seconds later my phone buzzed again.
I ignored it.
Then again.
Ignored.
Again.
Ignored.
Finally Alya grabbed the phone herself.
"Oh my god, he sent fourteen messages."
"That sounds like a Minho problem."
She opened them anyway.
Her expression shifted from amusement…
to absolute disbelief.
"…Dark."
"What?"
"…He somehow made a betting pool."
I slowly sat up.
"A WHAT?"
Alya stared at the screen.
"There are percentages."
"…I'm going to kill him."
"Kimberly apparently bet money on you two kissing before midnight."
"That traitor."
"Airi sent a thumbs up emoji."
"Of course she did."
"Xia sent…" Alya paused.
"…What?"
"She sent: 'Disgraceful behavior.'"
"…Yep. That sounds like Xia."
Alya suddenly smirked mischievously while still holding my phone.
"Oh, this is dangerous information."
"No."
"Yes."
"Alya."
She immediately took a selfie of us before I could react.
My exhausted horrified face.
Her smiling proudly beside me.
Then she sent it directly into the group chat.
I stared at her in absolute betrayal.
"…You monster."
Minho replied instantly.
"HE HAS HICKEYS."
Kimberly:
"I OWE AIRI 40 LUNARS NOW."
Airi:
"Worth it."
Xia:
"I am disappointed in humanity."
I slowly lowered my face into my hands.
"I survived cosmic horror for this."
Alya nearly fell off the couch laughing while I contemplated murdering my entire friend group.
"Give me my phone."
"No."
"Alya."
"You should've seen your face."
"I hope Matusalen comes back specifically for Minho."
"That's not very heroic of you."
"I stopped being heroic around death number thirty."
Alya continued scrolling through the messages with growing amusement.
"Oh no."
"What now?"
"Won Ho joined."
I immediately felt dread.
Alya read aloud dramatically:
"DARK FINALLY BECAME A MAN."
I covered my face with both hands.
"I survived temporal insanity for this humiliation."
"Oh wait, there's more."
"Why is there more?"
Alya physically struggled not to laugh.
"Professor Adermat is typing…"
Both of us froze.
"…Why is the professor in the group chat?" I whispered in horror.
A second later another message appeared.
Professor Adermat:
"Please remember you all still have classes tomorrow."
A pause.
Then another message.
Professor Adermat:
"Also, congratulations to Dark and Alya."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Alya slowly turned toward me with wide eyes.
"…I can't go back to school."
"I think you legally have to leave the country now."
Another notification appeared.
Miriam:
"Disgusting."
Then immediately after:
Miriam:
"But predictable."
And finally—
Eclipse:
"I leave for ONE mission and this happens?"
I sat upright instantly.
"…Why is SHE there too?!"
Alya looked equally terrified now.
"The professors have a group chat with us?!"
"That's horrifying."
"Agreed."
I grabbed my phone back at light speed and muted the entire conversation permanently.
"Done."
Cowardly?
Yes.
Necessary?
Absolutely.
Alya leaned against my shoulder still laughing quietly.
"You're never escaping this."
"I know."
"Everyone's going to stare at your neck tomorrow."
"I know."
"Kimberly will absolutely make jokes."
"I KNOW."
That only made her laugh harder.
I groaned dramatically and let myself collapse backward onto the couch again.
The ceiling stared back at me in silence.
Eventually Alya's laughter softened until the room became peaceful again.
Comfortable.
Warm.
Safe.
I didn't realize how exhausted I truly was until the quiet returned.
My body felt heavier by the second.
The adrenaline from the sanctuary had completely disappeared now, leaving behind only pain and fatigue.
Every muscle hurt.
Even breathing felt tiring.
Alya noticed immediately.
Her playful expression faded.
"…You should rest."
"I'll rest when my suffering ends."
"So never?"
"Exactly."
She rolled her eyes before gently poking my forehead.
"You're acting dramatic again."
"I earned the right."
"…Fair."
I stared toward the dark hallway leading deeper into the house.
Something about tonight still felt unreal.
This morning I had been trapped inside a temporal nightmare repeatedly watching my friends die.
Now I was arguing over group chats and hickeys while laying on a couch beside the girl I loved.
Life was absurd.
Maybe that was the point.
Humans survived horror by continuing to live anyway.
Even after trauma.
Even after fear.
Even after losing pieces of themselves.
We kept going.
I closed my eyes slowly.
"…Hey Alya."
"Mhm?"
"If I ever lose control because of this darkness stuff…"
My voice became quieter.
"…Promise you'll stop me."
The room fell silent again.
I expected hesitation.
Fear.
Anything.
Instead—
Alya grabbed my hand firmly.
"I'll save you," she said immediately.
Not "stop."
Not "kill."
Save.
My chest tightened painfully.
"You say that too easily."
"No." Her fingers intertwined with mine. "You just don't understand yet."
I opened my eyes slightly.
"Understand what?"
Alya smiled softly.
"That you're worth saving."
For a second…
I genuinely didn't know how to respond to that.
Because nobody had ever said those words to me before.
Not truly.
Not like they meant them.
I looked away first before she could notice how hard that hit me emotionally.
"…You're unfairly good at this."
"At what?"
"Making my psychological issues worse."
Alya laughed softly again.
"That's my specialty."
A sudden knock echoed through the house.
Both of us blinked.
Then another knock.
I frowned.
"…Who orders food this aggressively?"
Alya checked her phone.
"Oh. Right."
She stood up from the couch and stretched.
"The food's here."
The moment she walked away, the warmth beside me disappeared.
And disturbingly enough…
I missed it immediately.
Alya returned a minute later carrying two bags filled with food while balancing the chocolate cake box on top of them somehow without dropping anything.
"How are you carrying all that?"
"I'm talented."
"You almost dropped the drinks."
"But I didn't."
"Yet."
She kicked the couch lightly as she passed by.
"Get up and help instead of criticizing me."
I groaned dramatically before forcing myself off the sofa.
The second I stood up, my entire body protested violently.
Every muscle ached.
My head felt heavy.
The strange energy flowing through me after awakening my LC still hadn't stabilized.
It was like something was moving beneath my skin.
Watching.
Breathing.
Waiting.
I ignored it.
Mostly because acknowledging cosmic darkness living inside me felt unhealthy.
Alya placed the food on the kitchen counter and began unpacking everything carefully.
The smell alone nearly killed me.
"Oh thank God."
"You're acting like you haven't eaten in years."
"You didn't spend fourteen death loops getting psychologically tortured."
"…Fair point."
I grabbed plates from the cabinet while Alya served the stew.
Warm steam rose from the bowls.
The scent of spices and slow-cooked meat filled the kitchen almost instantly.
Normal.
Simple.
Human.
It grounded me more effectively than I expected.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
The quiet wasn't awkward though.
It felt peaceful.
Comfortable.
Eventually Alya glanced toward me while taking a bite.
"…You're smiling."
I blinked.
"I am?"
"Mhm."
"…That's concerning."
She rolled her eyes.
"You know what I mean."
I looked down at the bowl in my hands quietly.
The steam drifted upward in soft waves.
"…I think I forgot what normal felt like."
The words came out softer than intended.
Alya's expression changed immediately.
Not pity.
Understanding.
Which somehow hurt more emotionally.
"You went through a lot," she said gently.
"I killed all of you."
"You were manipulated."
"I still remember doing it."
Silence.
I tightened my grip slightly around the spoon.
"I remember every expression. Every scream. Every death."
My throat felt dry suddenly.
"Even now I can still see it when I close my eyes."
Alya quietly set her spoon down.
Then she reached across the table and took my hand.
Warm.
Soft.
Real.
"You came back for us every single time," she whispered.
I laughed weakly.
"Eventually."
"You still did."
"I also completely lost my sanity at one point."
"That too."
"I became a murderous psychopath."
"You were very committed."
I stared at her in disbelief.
"…Are you making jokes about my psychological collapse?"
"A little."
"That feels insensitive."
"You're alive enough to be annoyed by it."
Okay.
Fair.
I sighed and leaned back slightly in my chair.
"…Honestly, the worst part wasn't dying."
Alya listened quietly.
"It was realizing how easy it became."
Her fingers tightened around mine slightly.
"The first deaths terrified me."
I stared blankly toward the kitchen window.
"But eventually…" I swallowed slowly. "I started treating death like information."
The words felt wrong saying them aloud.
Like confessing something deeply broken.
"I stopped seeing people as people for a while," I admitted quietly. "Just variables. Outcomes. Different paths."
Alya remained silent.
Not interrupting.
Not judging.
Just listening.
"That corridor changed me."
The room felt colder after saying it.
Because it was true.
No matter how much I joked…
no matter how normal tonight felt…
part of me never left that place.
Part of me was still trapped inside those endless loops of blood and despair.
I looked down at my reflection faintly visible in the spoon.
"…What if I can't go back to normal?"
Alya stood up suddenly.
Before I could react, she walked around the table and wrapped her arms around me from behind.
Her chin rested gently on top of my head.
"Then we'll find a new normal."
My chest tightened painfully again.
God.
Why did she always know exactly what to say?
I closed my eyes slowly and leaned back into her warmth.
"…You make it really difficult to stay emotionally damaged."
"Good."
After a few quiet seconds, Alya suddenly froze.
"…Wait."
"What?"
"…The cake."
I blinked.
"What about it?"
Her eyes widened slightly in horror.
"…I forgot it in the living room."
Silence.
Then both of us moved at the exact same time.
The sheer panic in our movements would've made anyone think we were protecting a sacred artifact instead of dessert.
Alya sprinted into the living room first.
I followed right behind her—
only to stop dead in the doorway.
Moka stood beside the coffee table.
The chocolate cake box was open.
And my cat had chocolate on her face.
"MOKA!"
My soul physically left my body.
The tiny white menace stared at us without remorse while licking chocolate frosting off her nose.
Alya pointed at her dramatically.
"Your daughter committed a crime."
"She's YOUR daughter too!"
"That sounds legally dangerous."
I rushed forward, immediately scooping Moka into my arms while she purred proudly like she'd just conquered a nation.
"Moka, chocolate is bad for cats!"
She blinked at me innocently.
Traitor.
Alya grabbed her phone at lightning speed.
"Search if she'll be okay."
"I AM SEARCHING."
"You're typing too slow!"
"I'M PANICKING."
For the next thirty seconds, absolute chaos consumed the living room.
Alya searched symptoms.
I inspected Moka like a traumatized parent.
Moka herself remained completely relaxed through the entire experience.
Eventually Alya exhaled deeply in relief.
"Okay. She barely ate any."
"You sure?"
"Yes. We just need to monitor her."
I looked down at Moka suspiciously.
"…You almost financially devastated us."
She meowed proudly.
"She feels no guilt," Alya whispered.
"None at all."
Moka stretched comfortably in my arms before climbing onto my shoulder like she owned me spiritually.
Which honestly…
she probably did.
Alya looked toward the destroyed cake box mournfully.
"…Well."
"…Well."
"That cake lasted less than ten minutes."
"At least someone enjoyed it."
Moka meowed again.
"She's mocking us."
"She absolutely is."
Alya burst out laughing again, and eventually I gave up trying to stay serious.
A few seconds later I started laughing too.
Not the fake kind.
Not forced.
Real laughter.
The kind that made your chest hurt.
The kind that made your eyes water slightly.
The kind that only happened when you finally felt safe again.
And maybe that was why the moment stayed with me.
Because after all the death…
all the fear…
all the madness inside the sanctuary…
this was what finally felt unreal.
Not monsters.
Not loops.
Not gods.
This.
A warm house.
A stupid cat covered in chocolate.
A girl laughing beside me.
Peace.
I slowly sat down on the couch again while Moka curled into my lap like nothing had happened.
Alya eventually joined me, leaning softly against my shoulder.
The house became quiet once more.
Outside, Amberlath continued glowing beneath the night sky.
Three moons illuminated the city from above, bathing the streets in pale silver-blue light.
Beautiful.
Calm.
Alive.
I stared through the window silently for a long moment.
"…Everything feels different now."
Alya glanced toward me.
"The world?"
"Myself."
The words left my mouth before I could stop them.
I lowered my gaze toward my hands.
Even now…
I could still feel that strange darkness inside me.
Cold.
Endless.
Waiting.
Not evil.
Not exactly.
Just… ancient.
Like standing at the edge of an abyss that had suddenly learned your name.
"It scares me a little," I admitted quietly.
Alya didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she rested her head gently against mine.
"Then don't face it alone."
Simple words.
But they hit harder than they should've.
I closed my eyes slowly.
For most of my life, loneliness had felt inevitable.
Like something woven directly into my existence.
But lately…
that feeling had started breaking apart little by little.
Because somehow—
despite everything wrong with me—
people kept staying.
Alya.
Minho.
Airi.
Kim.
Xia.
Won Ho.
Even Miriam and Professor Adermat in their own weird emotionally constipated ways.
For the first time in years…
I wasn't alone anymore.
The realization terrified me almost as much as it comforted me.
Because now…
I finally had something to lose.
Alya suddenly yawned against my shoulder.
A very aggressive yawn.
I looked at her.
"…You good?"
"No."
"That sounded painful."
"I'm dying."
"Skill issue."
She weakly punched my arm.
"I hate you."
"No you don't."
"…Unfortunately."
I smiled faintly.
Then another yawn escaped me too.
My entire body felt heavier by the second.
At this point, even existing required effort.
Alya noticed immediately.
"Come on."
She stood up and stretched.
"We should sleep before we collapse here."
"That sounds responsible."
"I occasionally am."
I carefully picked Moka up from my lap and carried her toward the kitchen first.
She complained dramatically the entire way despite being treated like royalty every day of her life.
I set down fresh water and food before petting her gently.
"Don't eat any more cursed desserts while we're asleep."
She stared at me blankly.
"…That's not reassuring."
Alya laughed quietly behind me.
Together we turned off the lights downstairs and headed toward my room.
The hallway was dark except for the pale moonlight spilling through the windows.
By the time I reached the bed, exhaustion hit me like a truck.
I collapsed face-first onto the mattress without dignity.
"…I live here now."
Alya climbed onto the bed beside me.
"Move over."
"No."
"Dark."
"I've become one with the bed."
"You're very annoying."
"Thank you."
She shoved me aside anyway before laying down next to me.
The room fell quiet again.
Peaceful.
Soft.
The kind of silence that didn't hurt.
For a while, neither of us slept.
We simply stayed there beneath the silver glow of the moons.
Alive.
Eventually Alya intertwined her fingers with mine beneath the blankets.
"…Goodnight, Dark."
I stared toward the ceiling for a few seconds longer before answering quietly.
"…Goodnight, Alya."
And for the first time since entering that sanctuary…
I fell asleep without hearing screams.