### Chapter 140 – Room 107, The Gate Room – ‘Perfect Life’ (31)
—
Han Kain
How do I wake Elena up?
The biggest problem is that Elena has become a massive star on this stage.
She’s already been cast as a lead in various dramas and movies.
For an average person to even get close to her is a struggle, and even if you do, there are always bodyguards around.
With that situation, I can’t just use the forced methods like before.
If I try that, I’ll get shot by a bodyguard.
But there are some favorable factors for us.
First to awaken and start waking us up, Ahri threw out her opinion.
“We have two major points we can take advantage of. First, the emotions Elena will feel when she sees us. We’ve experienced it ourselves, right? Even in the midst of being swept up in the ‘Perfect Life,’ we felt a strong emotion the moment we met. Elena will likely feel the same.”
“How do we even get into her line of sight?”
“That’s still quite difficult. But surely, if we think it through, we can find a way. Second, while Elena has forgotten us, we still remember her. If we can manage to talk to Elena, we can bring up the past stories she told us to pique her curiosity.”
“I can think of a few things, but they’re mostly just bits and pieces she mentioned in passing.”
“That’s enough to spark her interest. For her, it’s like strangers knowing her childhood stories.”
“Basically, the essence is simple. We need to get into Elena’s line of sight somehow, make her aware of us, and create a chance for conversation.”
Silently listening, Songi finally spoke up.
“Wait just a second. I’ve talked to Elena a lot. I have a few ideas on how to grab her attention and initiate a chat.”
After considering Songi’s input, we brainstormed for a long while on how to approach Elena and wake her up.
*
Elena
…
…
I had a deep dream. An unknown, strange place.
A bizarre hotel where terrifying and creepy things were happening endlessly.
The companions with me in that place.
In that long recollection, a single scene remained imprinted in my mind.
A young man who resembled an angel, illuminated by a shining halo.
What kind of dream is this?
“Elena! Elena!”
“Oh.”
“‘Oh’ is not enough. You need to start waking up gradually.”
“Manager, thank you. How much longer until we reach the filming location?”
“About 30 minutes? I’ll show you the schedule for today again.”
The manager next to me took out a tablet to show the evening filming schedule and night broadcast plans once more.
Ah~ I definitely feel like I’ve achieved a long-held dream, but now that I’ve achieved it, it’s overwhelmingly tiring.
But this is the life of a star! I’ll push through.
It was getting dark in the early evening. I rubbed my sleepy eyes and looked out the window.
Today’s drama shoot was in a scenic spot, so the surroundings were filled with green trees, a gentle breeze, and the fragrant scent of pine tickled my nose.
Alongside the road, there was a gigantic tree that made me wonder about its species, flaunting a lavish posture, and on its branches sat a bird of inexplicable beauty, unlike anything I’d ever seen—
???
What the heck is that?
“What is that?”
Suddenly, the car slowed down, and everyone inside looked out the window, astonished at the tree.
With quivering lavender feathers, a curved beak that drew a line, and a tail feathers as dazzling as a peacock’s—
That truly surreal bird, seeming like a fairy descended from the sky, showcased a glow that softly illuminated the night sky as it gazed at us.
Considering that we were all used to cameras, perhaps?
Everyone was entranced as they whipped out their cameras, snapping pictures of the bird in a frenzy.
The bird, resembling a parrot yet so cryptic, initially remained still, but suddenly turned to look at me.
“E-le-na.”
Hearing my name suddenly made my heart stop.
In that dazed moment, the bird flew away and vanished into the air.
Everyone started to stare at me in surprise.
A thrill, almost palpable, coursed through me!
An incredible experience filled my being to the brim.
Due to this excitement, I had to endure a ton of scolding during today’s shoot.
*
“Songi, is this really going to work? You think attaching a mini LED lamp to Pelo’s back is going to enchant Elena…?”
“Oppa! Just do what I say for once.”
“No, I’m saying the moment I try to tie the lamp onto him, he’s going crazy.”
“I know how to catch Elena’s attention since I’ve talked to her a lot! She’s actually obsessed with occult stuff! She has a weakness for pretty and mysterious things. And nothing is as cute and mystical as Pelo!”
“Gai-ah, stop complaining and just tie it on. Songi is busy dolling herself up. Sure, Pelo looks kind of interesting. But why can’t he talk? ‘Think of me, Elena’ isn’t that hard to say, is it?”
“If all else fails, I’ll just tell Elena to talk! Pelo seems to be a bit derpy after all.”
— Beeeeep!
“Oh, seriously! Stop biting! It was Songi’s idea to tie the lamp on you!”
*
Elena
Finally finished the shoot.
The director and the senior actors who usually praised me chewed me out a little today.
I also had to apologize multiple times.
Ah~! Normally, I’m not the type to make so many mistakes while acting.
But today, I just couldn’t help it.
That extraordinary creature I saw on the way to the filming location!
Some people said it was just a type of parrot, but I totally disagreed.
Where else can you find a parrot looking that mystical?
Moreover, it was glowing, and most importantly, it called my name.
It must have been some fairy-like being sent by some magical fate.
Thinking that something mystical might happen in my life again made my heart race.
Again? Didn’t something similar happen before?
I slightly tilted my head, then leaned back in the chair and began to doze off.
With a night broadcast schedule still ahead, I wouldn’t have enough proper sleep if I didn’t take a quick nap now.
…
“Elena! Elena~!”
“Huh?”
“Wake up quickly! Look ahead.”
I rubbed my eyes as I woke up to the microphone’s urgency. The car had stopped again.
It was now dark enough that I could hardly see in front of me.
Looking out the window, that same mystical bird from earlier was gazing down at us, now even more enchanting.
The sounds of people getting out of the car and snapping pictures reached my ears.
What kind of bird could that be? I stared in awe for a long while.
…
“El—le—na.”
A clearer and more distinct “calling” floated from the bird.
It seemed to move slowly towards the woods as if beckoning me to follow.
I felt as if hypnotized, following the bird absentmindedly.
“Elena! Night hikes are dangerous! Come back!”
Voices calling me from behind.
The grateful voices of those who always watch over us.
But right now, there is no turning back.
Fortunately, I didn’t need to go deep into the mountain.
As I stepped slightly in, a small clearing appeared, and the bird was perched calmly atop a tree.
In that mysterious clearing, just the two of us were left!
The fairy finally revealed its true form.
Suddenly, the parrot’s body puffed up like it was about to explode.
Its soft lavender feathers like heavenly down transformed into rigid, ebony scales as tough as steel.
The delicate beak that seemed fit for a child’s small fist, now contained the strength to crush a human skull in a single bite.
Wings that once seemed perfect for a baby angel morphed into mysterious tendrils akin to an alien creature.
Before me stood a monstrous form radiating overwhelming intimidation, causing me to simply collapse in shock.
…
…
Surprisingly, the creature did not act aggressively and just stared at me silently.
At that moment, from the edge of the forest, another being with an air of mystery appeared.
Hair cascading like a waterfall, softly embodying the early dawn’s night sky.
Between the winds swayed various unidentifiable mystical symbols peeking through her cardigan.
A small perfume bottle contained red liquid, swaying candlesticks, and glimmering daggers caught my gaze.
A scale pinned to her left chest exuded a suspicious familiarity that clouded my mind.
Above all, what was most bizarre—was her eyes.
Those red irises contained drops of blood as if they had fallen while Jesus hung on the cross, piercing into my very soul.
The girl, resembling a witch from another world, gently stroked the transformed bird before approaching me.
“Don’t you remember me?”
I felt breathless. I—I know this girl….
My heart screamed—I know this girl!
From the very first moment, an indescribable sense of familiarity flooded over me.
It seemed she had something more to say.
The next moment, a loud voice echoed from behind me.
“Elena! Didn’t I tell you that night hikes are dangerous!”
Someone was crashing through the bushes, snapping branches and stomping on the grass.
In an instant, the calm of the forest shattered, and harsh reality came crashing back, stomping over surrealism.
“Ah…”
“Seems like it’s too much to talk more today.”
With a slightly regretful expression, the girl held out a photo to me.
“You’ll find it soon. I hope you come back alone next time.”
With those words, she vanished like the wind, along with the bird.
— Clack!
“Ah—why are there so many branches here? Elena? Are you alright? Why are you sitting there alone—”
“Why did you come so quickly?”
“Huh?”
I spoke sharply without realizing it.
I felt like I was being interrupted during an incredibly unlikely experience in my life.
But the bodyguards were just there to protect me.
“I’m sorry. I was lost in complicated thoughts for a moment.”
“It’s okay. Let’s get back to the car.”
As I returned to the vehicle, I looked at the photo I held in one hand. It was a picture of a charming café by the seaside.
“You told me to come alone, right?”
*
“That was strange, wasn’t it? Elena surely had that awakening feeling. Shouldn’t we have tried a bit more?”
“If we had pressed longer, and the bodyguards barged in, who knows what could have happened? We might have ended up unable to even approach Elena anymore!”
“What if Pelo just pecked at Elena?”
“… If Elena knew that was your idea, she’d definitely be hurt.”
“What if, just like you summoned oil, she summoned a bodyguard with an assault rifle?”
“Is that so?”
“Out of all of us, Elena’s the one who has changed the most in this stage. She’s the one deeply immersed in dreams, wielding her wish-granting power strongest. Using coercive means against Elena is extremely risky. In extreme cases, even if Elena’s head exploded, she’d just think it’s a bad dream and forget it, leaving us to suffer the consequences.”
“Right. Let’s steer clear of coercion and shift towards facilitating her awakening.”
“Alright, now let’s finish preparing by the café. Kain, are you ready?”
“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do, honestly. If preparations mean just waiting, then I’m basically finished. It feels like it’s almost over.”
—
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