FLIA 44

While sorting through the luggage, Yohan rubbed his eyes after thinking he saw a pale face outside the window. But when he looked again, all he could see was the characteristic gloom of the Abyss. Lee Hyunmook quickly noticed Yohan’s unease and asked,

“Yohan-ah? What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. I must’ve just seen it wrong.”

Yohan brushed it off. But even after that, it felt like something was flickering at the window, watching him. Every time he turned to look, there was nothing there. After it happened several times, he finally realized the reason. He looked back at Hyunmook and Yoon Seungryong, who were both resting so casually.

“Hey, is Mr. Ju Hoyoung around here right now?”

“Mm. Looks like he’s been tailing us since earlier.”

When Hyunmook nodded, Yohan’s body stiffened. Just then, a faint image of a face appeared in the window he was looking at. It flickered for a moment, then disappeared, but it had distinctly human features. The appearance was so ghostlike that it sent chills down his spine. Yohan had been hoping to meet Ju Hoyoung, but he hadn’t expected it to turn into a horror experience.

“What if he suddenly comes in?”

“It’s a glass window. We’d know the moment he tried. And in a space this small and confined, Hoyoung would be at a disadvantage, so he won’t try to come in.”

Thanks to Hyunmook’s calm explanation, Yohan realized they’d chosen this small building on purpose to counter Hoyoung. Trying not to look too much at the faint silhouette in the window, he went to help Yoon Seungryong, who was making shaved ice.

The damp, slightly smelly ice turned into a clean white after Yohan, the human purifier, cleansed it. Even the mangled, filthy shaved ice machine looked like just an old appliance after a good purification. As Yoon Seungryong opened the cans of red bean and fruit, the sweet scent made Yohan forget about Hoyoung for a moment and focus.

Whirr, whirr. As Yoon Seungryong cranked the machine, soft flakes of snow-like ice piled into the bowl. On top of it, he heaped red bean paste, sprinkled in fruit pieces from the jungle and candied fruit, then drizzled syrup. Though it lacked milk, it was otherwise a delicious patbingsu. Yohan felt happy.

“Hey, what if we give a bowl to Mr. Ju Hoyoung too?”

As he enjoyed his dessert, the thought suddenly occurred to Yohan. When he suggested it, Yoon Seungryong tilted his head.

“Even if we make one, Hoyoung probably won’t eat it… Ever since coming down to the Abyss, he hasn’t eaten anything at all.”

“…Nothing? And he’s still alive?”

Yohan asked in shock. At the same time, he could understand how Hoyoung felt. In the Abyss, the only edible things were bits of monster flesh, and they reeked of disgusting, foul smells. He still remembered how horrifying that frog Hyunmook brought had been when they first fell into the Abyss. He hadn’t tried it, but he doubted the taste was much better.

“Yeah. Maybe it’s an Abyss thing? Anyway, no harm in trying.”

Yoon Seungryong made another bowl in a flash. Yohan packed it full of purifying energy, and Seungryong took it outside, placing it in the center of the road before coming back. They watched from the window, and in the blink of an eye, something appeared near the patbingsu.

Looking closely, Yohan realized with surprise that, unlike Yoon Seungryong, Ju Hoyoung still had a vaguely human form. Vaguely being the key word: he had a human shape, but it was hazy, like a mirage, and hard to fully make out.

“I thought Mr. Ju Hoyoung would look kind of like… Seungryong-hyung.”

Like someone watching a wild animal, Yohan whispered softly. Hyunmook, watching from beside the window frame, explained in a calm tone.

“Hoyoung’s fast. He’s the only one who’s never once been touched by the Flood. He doesn’t eat either, so he’s the most preserved out of all of us.”

Maybe it was because he’d been stuck in the Abyss for so long. Yohan often got a strange feeling from the way Seungryong and Hyunmook talked. Even now, calling a person “preserved” felt unsettling.

Maybe it was due to his speed, or maybe because of the way he’d mutated, but Hoyoung’s silhouette shimmered like heat haze as it hovered near the bingsu. A crackling light-gray shape peered down at the dessert. His face had faint afterimages of eyes and a mouth, distorted in such a way that he almost looked like he was smiling.

As they watched tensely, the ghostlike figure squatted down in front of the bowl. But rather than eat it, he simply hovered his hand over it, like someone warming up by a heater. He didn’t eat, but he seemed to enjoy the purifying energy radiating from it. Still, as time passed, the bingsu began to melt, and perhaps the energy faded too, because the figure suddenly vanished.

Seungryong brought the melted bingsu back and downed it all in one go. As Yohan purified the bowl with a disappointed expression, he mumbled,

“It would’ve been nice if he’d eaten it.”

“Food isn’t enough to purify someone.”

“Still… eating something tasty makes you feel better.”

Muttering wistfully, Yohan was suddenly startled as Seungryong stared at him and then gave his head a vigorous rub. Yohan, halfway through cleaning the bowl, looked up in confusion. Before he could ask why, Seungryong got up.

“I’ll go take watch on the rooftop.”

“You’re not staying inside?”

“If Hoyoung tries to break in, it’ll be easier to trap him from both inside and out.”

…Oh! Yohan hadn’t even thought of that. Like in the jungle, both Seungryong and Hyunmook showed a natural awakener’s instinct. That meant their life in the Abyss had been a constant battle.

Yohan imbued an old cushion with plenty of purifying energy and sent it with Seungryong, who cheerfully tucked the glowing cushion under his arm and headed up. Only then did Yohan realize he was alone with Hyunmook.

Suddenly very aware of his presence, Yohan tried to act casual as he tidied up the bedding. He deliberately spaced out the two mattresses they’d brought from the swamp, placing them a little farther apart. Hyunmook stared quietly at the gap between the mattresses for a moment, then lay down without a word. Yohan greeted him cheerfully,

“Good night!”

“Yeah. Sleep well, Yohan-ah.”

His tone was kind and soft, that same calm, low baritone as always, with no sign of awkwardness at all.

Yohan lay down quietly, closed his eyes, and tried to sleep. As always, faint monster noises echoed from somewhere in the Abyss. He wasn’t scared of those sounds anymore. What really occupied his mind was Hyunmook’s presence. But only for a little while, soon drowsiness crept in and sleep began to take hold.

Cre-eaak… cree-eak… A faint, unpleasant sound disrupted Yohan’s sleep. At first, he assumed it was just the building being old. The noise was coming from all around. But something felt off. When he opened his eyes, he nearly screamed. He had locked eyes with Ju Hoyoung, who was staring at him through the window.

“Hhh…”

It was like seeing a ghost, no, worse. Like one of those stuttering, glitched-out horror game ghosts. Yohan gasped in shock. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to ignore it, but after locking eyes, Hoyoung began whispering, his voice barely audible.

—Come play with me
—Comeoutcomeoutcomeoutcomeout

Was he telling him to come play, or come out? Maybe because he’d never been corrupted by the Flood, unlike Hyunmook or Seungryong, Ju Hoyoung still had enough reason to form sentences. And that made it even scarier. Yohan knew he couldn’t come in through the glass, and still, just looking at him was terrifying. Every few seconds, he’d appear in a new window, staring right at Yohan.

Heeheehee… A soft, chilling laugh brushed his ears. Goosebumps rose all over his skin. As Yohan shivered, eyes brimming with tears, he looked toward Hyunmook, only to see that he was asleep tonight, of all times!

‘Uaaaah…’

Yohan screamed inwardly. From what he’d seen of Seungryong and Hyunmook, he knew they almost never slept. He didn’t have the heart to wake him. On the verge of tears, he tried to sleep again.

But Hoyoung seemed to be enjoying himself. He kept making distracting noises and flickering into Yohan’s line of sight. Yohan couldn’t close his eyes anymore. It was clear Hoyoung was testing him, seeing how he’d react. When he suddenly appeared upside down with that ghostly blue face, Yohan honestly wanted to cry. Then, he realized: there was one window Hoyoung hadn’t approached.

‘He’s scared of Mr. Hyunmook… that’s why he’s not coming near.’

The only place Hoyoung didn’t get close to was the window near where Hyunmook was sleeping. Sniffling, Yohan whispered in a trembling voice,

“Mr. Hyunmook… are you asleep?”

No response. Not even the sound of breathing. His breaths were so faint and quiet it was as if he wasn’t breathing at all. In the end, Yohan fixed his gaze on the floor and slowly crawled over toward where Hyunmook was sleeping. Outside the window, the faint silhouette of those eerie eyes flared, but then disappeared.

Yohan let out a sigh of relief and cautiously rested his head near Hyunmook’s side. Using the mattress as a pillow, he curled up on the floor and tried to sleep, only for a warm hand to suddenly grab hold of him.